Abstract: The present invention relates to a film formation apparatus including a first transfer chamber having a roller for sending a substrate, a film formation chamber having a discharging electrode, a buffer chamber provided between the transfer chamber and the film formation chamber or between the film formation chambers, a slit provided in a portion where the substrate comes in and out in the buffer chamber, and a second transfer chamber having a roller for rewinding the substrate. The slit is provided with at least one touch roller, and the touch roller is in contact with a film formation surface of the substrate. In addition, the present invention also relates to a method for forming a film and a method for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device that are performed by using such a film formation apparatus.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, particularly, a photoelectric conversion element having a semiconductor layer is demonstrated. The photoelectric conversion element of the present invention comprises, over a substrate, a photoelectric conversion layer and first and second electrodes which are electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion layer. The photoelectric conversion element further comprises a wiring board over which a third and fourth electrodes are provided. The characteristic point of the present invention is that a bonding layer, which readily forms an alloy with a conductive material, is formed over the first and second electrodes. This bonding layer improves the bonding strength between the first and third electrodes and the second and fourth electrode, which contributes to the prevention of the connection defect between the substrate and the wiring board and consequentially to high reliability of the photoelectric conversion element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a film formation apparatus including a first transfer chamber having a roller for sending a substrate, a film formation chamber having a discharging electrode, a buffer chamber provided between the transfer chamber and the film formation chamber or between the film formation chambers, a slit provided in a portion where the substrate comes in and out in the buffer chamber, and a second transfer chamber having a roller for rewinding the substrate. The slit is provided with at least one touch roller, and the touch roller is in contact with a film formation surface of the substrate. In addition, the present invention also relates to a method for forming a film and a method for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device that are performed by using such a film formation apparatus.

Abstract: A photodetector of the invention is characterized by having a plurality of detector elements that are arranged over a light-transparent substrate and are connected in parallel. A foldable portable communication tool having two display portions of the invention is characterized by including one photodetector which includes a plurality of detector elements connected in parallel.

Abstract: A photodetector of the invention is characterized by having a plurality of detector elements that are arranged over a light-transparent substrate and are connected in parallel. A foldable portable communication tool having two display portions of the invention is characterized by including one photodetector which includes a plurality of detector elements connected in parallel.

Abstract: The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to the present invention comprises steps of forming a metal film, an insulating film, and an amorphous semiconductor film in sequence over a first substrate; crystallizing the metal film and the amorphous semiconductor film; forming a first semiconductor element by using the crystallized semiconductor film as an active region; attaching a support to the first semiconductor element by using an adhesive; causing separation between the metal film and the insulating film; attaching a second substrate to the separated insulating film; separating the support by removing the adhesive; forming an amorphous semiconductor film over the first semiconductor element; and forming a second semiconductor element using the amorphous semiconductor film as an active region.

Abstract: An object is to reduce the breakage of appearance such as a crack, a split and a chip by external stress of a semiconductor device. Another object is that manufacturing yield of a thin semiconductor device increases. The semiconductor device includes a plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits mounted on the interposer. Each of the plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits includes a light transmitting substrate which have a step on the side surface and in which the width of one section of the light transmitting substrate is narrower than that of the other section of the light transmitting substrate when the light transmitting substrate is divided at a plane including the step, a semiconductor element layer including a photoelectric conversion element provided on one surface of the light transmitting substrate, and a chromatic color light transmitting resin layer which covers the other surface of the light transmitting substrate and a part of the side surface.

Abstract: A photo-sensor having a structure which can suppress electrostatic discharge damage is provided. Conventionally, a transparent electrode has been formed over the entire surface of a light receiving region; however, in the present invention, the transparent electrode is not formed, and a p-type semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer of a photoelectric conversion layer are used as an electrode. Therefore, in the photo-sensor according to the present invention, resistance is increased an electrostatic discharge damage can be suppressed. In addition, positions of the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer, which serve as an electrode, are kept away; and thus, resistance is increased and withstand voltage can be improved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photoelectric conversion device capable of detecting light from weak light to strong light and relates to a photoelectric conversion device having a photodiode having a photoelectric conversion layer; an amplifier circuit including a transistor; and a switch, where the photodiode and the amplifier circuit are electrically connected to each other by the switch when intensity of entering light is lower than predetermined intensity so that a photoelectric current is amplified by the amplifier circuit to be outputted, and the photodiode and part or all of the amplifier circuits are electrically disconnected by the switch so that a photoelectric current is reduced in an amplification factor to be outputted. According to such a photoelectric conversion device, light from weak light to strong light can be detected.

Abstract: An object is to provide a photoelectric conversion device capable of detecting a wider range of illuminance without expansion of a range of an output voltage or output current. The photoelectric conversion device has a photoelectric conversion device including a photoelectric conversion element and an amplifier circuit electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion element, and a bias switching unit for reversing a bias to be applied to the photoelectric conversion device. The bias to be applied to the photoelectric conversion device is reversed with use of the bias switching unit, whereby the photoelectric conversion device can detect a wider range of illuminance without expansion of a range of an output voltage or output current.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to miniaturize the area occupied by the element and to integrate a plenty of elements in a limited area so that the sensor element can have higher output and smaller size. In the present invention, higher output and miniaturization are achieved by uniting a sensor element using an amorphous semiconductor film (typically an amorphous silicon film) and an output amplifier circuit including a TFT with a semiconductor film having a crystal structure (typically a poly-crystalline silicon film) used as an active layer over a plastic film substrate that can resist the temperature in the process for mounting such as a solder reflow process. According to the present invention, the sensor element that can resist the bending stress can be obtained.

Abstract: The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to the present invention comprises steps of forming a metal film, an insulating film, and an amorphous semiconductor film in sequence over a first substrate; crystallizing the metal film and the amorphous semiconductor film; forming a first semiconductor element by using the crystallized semiconductor film as an active region; attaching a support to the first semiconductor element by using an adhesive; causing separation between the metal film and the insulating film; attaching a second substrate to the separated insulating film; separating the support by removing the adhesive; forming an amorphous semiconductor film over the first semiconductor element; and forming a second semiconductor element using the amorphous semiconductor film as an active region.

Abstract: The area occupied by a photo-sensor element may be reduced and multiple elements may be integrated in a limited area so that the sensor element can have higher output and smaller size. Higher output and miniaturization are achieved by uniting a sensor element using an amorphous semiconductor film (typically an amorphous silicon film) and an output amplifier circuit including a TFT with a semiconductor film having a crystal structure (typically a poly-crystalline silicon film) used as an active layer over a plastic film substrate that can resist the temperature in the process for mounting such as a solder reflow process. A sensor element that can resist bending stress can be obtained.

Abstract: A photo-sensor having a structure which can suppress electrostatic discharge damage is provided. Conventionally, a transparent electrode has been formed over the entire surface of a light receiving region; however, in the present invention, the transparent electrode is not formed, and a p-type semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer of a photoelectric conversion layer are used as an electrode. Therefore, in the photo-sensor according to the present invention, resistance is increased an electrostatic discharge damage can be suppressed. In addition, positions of the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer, which serve as an electrode, are kept away; and thus, resistance is increased and withstand voltage can be improved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photoelectric conversion device capable of detecting light from weak light to strong light and relates to a photoelectric conversion device having a photodiode having a photoelectric conversion layer; an amplifier circuit including a transistor; and a switch, where the photodiode and the amplifier circuit are electrically connected to each other by the switch when intensity of entering light is lower than predetermined intensity so that a photoelectric current is amplified by the amplifier circuit to be outputted, and the photodiode and part or all of the amplifier circuits are electrically disconnected by the switch so that a photoelectric current is reduced in an amplification factor to be outputted. According to such a photoelectric conversion device, light from weak light to strong light can be detected.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, particularly, a photoelectric conversion element having a semiconductor layer is demonstrated. The photoelectric conversion element of the present invention comprises, over a substrate, a photoelectric conversion layer and first and second electrodes which are electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion layer. The photoelectric conversion element further comprises a wiring board over which a third and fourth electrodes are provided. The characteristic point of the present invention is that a bonding layer, which readily forms an alloy with a conductive material, is formed over the first and second electrodes. This bonding layer improves the bonding strength between the first and third electrodes and the second and fourth electrode, which contributes to the prevention of the connection defect between the substrate and the wiring board and consequentially to high reliability of the photoelectric conversion element.

Abstract: The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to the present invention comprises steps of forming a metal film, an insulating film, and an amorphous semiconductor film in sequence over a first substrate; crystallizing the metal film and the amorphous semiconductor film; forming a first semiconductor element by using the crystallized semiconductor film as an active region; attaching a support to the first semiconductor element by using an adhesive; causing separation between the metal film and the insulating film; attaching a second substrate to the separated insulating film; separating the support by removing the adhesive; forming an amorphous semiconductor film over the first semiconductor element; and forming a second semiconductor element using the amorphous semiconductor film as an active region.

Abstract: In fabrication of a semiconductor device mounted on a wiring board, a semiconductor circuit portion is formed over a glass substrate. Then, an interposer having connection terminals are bonded to the semiconductor circuit portion. After that, the glass substrate is peeled off from the semiconductor circuit portion, and a mold resin is poured to cover the periphery of the semiconductor circuit portion from a direction of the separation plane. Then, the mold resin is heated under predetermined conditions to be hardened.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes: a first substrate of which end portions are cut off so as to slope or with a groove shape; a photodiode and an amplifier circuit over the first substrate; a first electrode electrically connected to the photodiode and provided over one end portion of the first substrate; a second electrode electrically connected to the amplifier circuit and provided over an another end portion of the first substrate; and a second substrate having third and fourth electrodes thereon. The first and second electrodes are attached to the third and fourth electrodes, respectively, with a conductive material provided not only at the surfaces of the first, second, third, and fourth electrodes facing each other but also at the side surfaces of the first and second electrodes to increase the adhesiveness between a photoelectric conversion device and a member on which the photoelectric conversion device is mounted.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device formed over an insulating substrate, typically a semiconductor device having a structure in which mounting strength to a wiring board can be increased in an optical sensor, a solar battery, or a circuit using a TFT, and which can make it mount on a wiring board with high density, and further a method for manufacturing the same. According to the present invention, in a semiconductor device, a semiconductor element is formed on an insulating substrate, a concave portion is formed on a side face of the semiconductor device, and a conductive film electrically connected to the semiconductor element is formed in the concave portion.