Abstract: A base layer is formed on an insulating substrate, and a semiconductor layer is formed in localized fashion thereon. A gate insulating film is then formed so as to cover the semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode is formed on a portion of the gate insulating film. An impurity is then implanted into the semiconductor layer via the gate insulating film, and a source region, a drain region, and an LDD region are formed. The gate insulating film is etched with dilute hydrofluoric acid. An electrode-protecting insulating film is then formed so as to cover the gate electrode, and the entire surface of the surface layer portion of the electrode-protecting insulating film is etched away using dilute hydrofluoric acid. Carrier traps introduced into the electrode-protecting insulating film and the gate insulating film are thereby removed.

Abstract: The invention provides a backlight unit, a liquid crystal display apparatus and a method of assembling the backlight unit in which a large number of optical sheets can be simply and surely assembled into a chassis in an appropriate order and direction, and is characterized by a first optical sheet which is a reference sheet and second optical sheets which are rest of the optical sheets. The first optical sheet is provided with first identification parts for specifying a layer of respective second optical sheets to be placed, and each of the second optical sheets is provided with a second identification part at a position corresponding to one of the first identification parts based on the layer position to be placed. The optical sheets are superposed so that each of the first identification parts is pared with the second identification part corresponding to the layer specified by the first identification part.

Abstract: In a liquid crystal display apparatus, a set of write-in voltages are generated corresponding to a horizontal line signal of an input video frame so that they appear at end points of the column lines of a LCD panel. The row lines of the LCD panel are successively selected and the write-in voltages are supplied from the end points of the column lines to the liquid crystal cells of the selected row line for a variable write-in period. In order to compensate for shades-of-gray differences between the top and bottom of the LCD panel, the write-in period is increasingly varied as a function of the geometric distance from the selected row line to the end points of the column lines. The write-in period may be increasingly variable from a nominal value, or from a less-than-nominal value to the nominal value, or a combination of both.

Abstract: A TFT (Thin Film Transistor) is provided in which a hydrogen feeding layer is able to be formed in a position where diffusing distance of hydrogen can be made short without causing an increase in photolithography processes. In the TFT, the hydrogen feeding layer to diffuse hydrogen into a dangling bond existing at an interface between a polycrystalline silicon thin film and a gate insulating film is formed in a position between the gate insulating film and a gate electrode. According to this configuration, diffusing distance of hydrogen at a period of time during hydrogenation can be made short and the hydrogenation process can be sufficiently performed without taking time in heat treatment.

Abstract: To provide a browsing terminal and the like with high security, which can effectively prevent contents data stored in a terminal from being stolen unlawfully by a third party even if the terminal is accidentally lost. The browsing terminal includes: a receiving part for receiving contents data; a volatile memory for storing the received contents data; a display device with a memory function, which displays the contents data stored in the volatile memory; and a secondary battery for supplying power to the volatile memory and the display device.

Abstract: A semi-transmissive type liquid-crystal display device makes it possible to easily optimize both the reflection characteristic (reflection mode) and the transmission characteristic (transmission mode) while keeping a high aperture ratio, thereby improving the display quality. A liquid crystal layer is disposed between first and second substrates. Switching elements are formed on the first substrate for respective pixel regions. Each of the pixel regions is divided into a transmission region and a reflection region. An interlayer insulating film is formed to cover the switching elements on the first substrate. In the transmission region, a transmission electrode is formed on the interlayer insulating film. In the reflection region, a reflection electrode is formed on the interlayer insulating film. The surface of the interlayer insulating film is partially removed, thereby forming a level difference between the transmission and reflection regions.

Abstract: The substrate transportation apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of transportation rollers 22A-22D disposed at a predetermined spacing for transporting the substrate 40 in response to rotation of the transportation rollers 22. Each of the transportation rollers 22 is generally hollow cylindrical member formed with a plurality of slit nozzles 24 in the circumference. Alternating rows of the transportation rollers 22 are designed to blow and suck air to and from the bottom surface of the substrate 40 under transportation while preventing dust or any other foreign materials from collecting on the bottom surface of the substrate 40.

Abstract: A semi-transmissive type liquid-crystal display device suppresses the reduction and corrosion of the transmission or common electrode due to the cell corrosion reaction with a simple method. In each pixel region, the reflection electrode is formed over the glass plate, where the interlayer insulating film and the barrier metal film intervene between them. The reflection electrode is electrically connected to the transmission electrode by way of the barrier metal film. The transmission electrode and the corresponding scanning line thereto are apart from each other at a distance of 2 ?m (preferably, 3 ?m) or greater. A developer solution penetrating through the crack formed in the barrier metal film does not reach the transmission electrode (or common electrode), preventing the reduction and corrosion of the transmission or common electrode.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes an active matrix substrate and a counter substrate opposing each other with a gap therebetween defined by a plurality of columnar spacers. The active matrix substrate has a plurality of spacer holes each receiving therein a corresponding one of the columnar spacers, and a plurality of dummy spacer holes aligned with the spacer holes and each receiving therein no columnar spacer.

Abstract: A LCD device prevents image quality degradation caused by the gap non-uniformity in the display region with a simple measure. A TFT substrate and an opposite substrate are coupled to each other with a sealing member in such a way as to form a gap therebetween. A liquid-crystal layer is formed in the gap. Spacers are arranged in the liquid-crystal layer. The TFT substrate has a display region defined to include the pixels and a non-display region formed outside the display region. The non-display region is located between the display region and the sealing member. The spacers are located in a first part of the liquid-crystal layer corresponding to the display region while no spacer being located in a second part of the liquid-crystal layer corresponding to the non-display region. A depression for receiving extra liquid crystal may be additionally formed in the gap.

Abstract: An active matrix liquid crystal display device of the invention includes a liquid crystal display panel operating in a normally black mode having a first substrate provided with a color filter and a second substrate provided with an active matrix array, wherein the first substrate is provided with a laminated colored layer with three colors, a laminated colored layer with two colors and a colored layer with one color in a frame part surrounding a display area without being provided with a black matrix, and the second substrate is provided with a conductive film formed in a region which is opposed to the laminated colored layer with two colors and the colored layer with one color, between the display area and the laminated colored layer with three colors.

Abstract: A power supply circuit is provided which is capable of preventing a drop in an output voltage of the power supply circuit used as a DC/DC converter made up of single and conductive type (n-type or p-type) MOS transistors and of improving efficiency. Since a control voltage having an amplitude [2×VDD] is applied from a level shift circuit to a charge-pump circuit, even when potentials at nodes becomes a level [2×VDD], pMOS transistors are kept in an OFF state, thereby preventing leakage of currents from pMOS transistors. This avoids a drop in an DC output voltage. As inputs to the level shift circuits, potentials at nodes of the charge-pump circuit are used and, therefore, even if potentials at nodes of the level shift circuits are high, pMOS transistors are kept in an OFF state.

Abstract: An active matrix substrate or TFT substrate is provided with a lower layer wiring with a groove wiring structure covering surroundings of a copper layer with a barrier metal film is formed by forming a groove at an insulating substrate and depositing the barrier metal film and the copper layer in this groove. This groove wiring structure is used for a TFT substrate of a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. It is possible to manufacture an LCD device with large size, high density, a large aperture ratio and in which the disclination defects originating from a different in level of the lower layer wiring and an occurrence of disconnection failures in an upper layer wiring are suppressed.

Abstract: Lattice-shaped pixel electrodes and lattice-shaped common electrodes are provided on a substrate in which switching elements of a horizontal electric-field liquid crystal display device such as a TFT are formed. Each pixel electrode is integrally formed with one electrode of the switching element such as the TFT. Each pixel electrode has a notch at an external periphery of a horizontal bar of the lattice-shaped pixel electrode. A contact hole connecting the common signal wiring and the common electrode in the substrate is provided in an area of the notch of the pixel electrode.

Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device comprising a first substrate 101 having a color filter, a second substrate 131 and a liquid crystal layer disposed therebetween, a color filter layer 110 is disposed on a protection film 108 of a thin film transistor formed on the first substrate 101 so as to be partitioned by a light shielding portion 111, and a common electrode 103 is disposed thereon. A pixel electrode to be connected to a source electrode 107 is disposed through a through hole formed in an overcoat layer (interlayer separation film) 112. On the first substrate below the color filter layer 110 are provided plural scan signal electrodes, plural video signal electrodes crossing the scan signal electrodes in a matrix form, plural thin film transistors formed in association with the crossing points between the electrodes.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate including a thin film transistor, a data line, a pixel electrode, and a common electrode, a second substrate, and liquid crystal sandwiched between the first and second substrates, wherein an image signal is applied to the thin film transistor through the data line to generate an electric field between the pixel electrode receiving the image signal and the common electrode such that the liquid crystal is rotated by the electric field in a plane which is in parallel with the first substrate. The first substrate includes an electrically insulating inorganic film covering the data line therewith, a first island-shaped electrically insulating organic film formed on the electrically insulating inorganic film above the data line, and a shield common electrode covering the first island-shaped electrically insulating organic film therewith and overlapping the data line when viewed vertically.

Abstract: To provide an image display device of an excellent display quality with which the brightness is not deteriorated in reflective displays, and to provide a portable terminal using the same. Provided is a display device which includes: a plurality of arranged display elements each including at least a pixel for displaying a first-viewpoint image and a pixel for displaying a second-viewpoint image, each of the pixels having a transmissive display area for transmitting light and a reflective display area for reflecting external light; and an optical device for distributing light emitted from each of the pixels to different directions from each other, wherein the reflective display areas of each of the display elements are arranged asymmetrically with respect to an axis that is perpendicular to an image distributing direction.

Abstract: A method of deforming a pattern comprising the steps of: forming, over a substrate, a layered-structure with an upper surface including at least one selected region and at least a re-flow stopper groove, wherein the re-flow stopper groove extends outside the selected region and separate from the selected region; selectively forming at least one pattern on the selected region; and causing a re-flow of the pattern, wherein a part of an outwardly re-flowed pattern is flowed into the re-flow stopper groove, and then an outward re-flow of the pattern is restricted by the re-flow stopper groove extending outside of the pattern, thereby to form a deformed pattern with at least an outside edge part defined by an outside edge of the re-flow stopper groove.

Abstract: In a method of forming an electrically conductive lamination pattern, an insulating film is formed on a surface of a chromium-containing bottom layer, before an aluminum-containing top layer is formed over the insulating film, so that the insulating film separates the aluminum-containing top layer from the chromium-containing bottom layer. A first selective wet etching process is carried out for selectively etching the aluminum-containing top layer with a first etchant. A second selective wet etching process is carried out for selectively etching the chromium-containing bottom layer with a second etchant in the presence the insulating film which suppresses a hetero-metal-contact-potential-difference between the chromium-containing bottom layer and the aluminum-containing top layer during the second selective wet etching process.

Abstract: A microlouver has, as a basic unit, a light-controlling layer in which a light-absorbing layer and a transparent layer are laminated together, and a plurality of basic units L and S comprising a plurality of types of light-controlling layers having different layer thicknesses or optical constants, disposed in the direction of the layer thickness of the basic units. The array mode of the basic units L and S is determined based on a random number or a sequence-generating rule. For this reason, the microlouver has a large number of frequency components in terms of spatial frequency, and moire fringes that have a specific period and are normally caused by the interference with other optical elements are therefore prevented from occurring.