Abstract: In producing a semiconductor device such as a thin film transistor (TFT), a silicon semiconductor film is formed on a substrate having an insulating surface, such as a glass substrate, and then a silicon nitride film is formed on the silicon semiconductor film. After that, a hydrogen ion, fluorine ion, or chlorine ion is introduced into the silicon semiconductor film through the silicon nitride film, and then the silicon semiconductor film into which an ion is introduced is heated in an atmosphere containing hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine or these mixture, to neutralize dangling bonds in the silicon semiconductor film and reduce levels in the silicon semiconductor film.

Abstract: An active matrix liquid crystal display having improved reliability. Pixel regions and a peripheral driver circuit are integrally packed on the display. TFTs forming the peripheral driver circuit are located inside a sealing material layer on the side of a liquid crystal material, thus protecting the peripheral driver circuit from external moisture and contaminants. This enhances the long-term reliability of the peripheral driver circuit. Pixel TFTs are arranged in pixel regions. The leads going from the TFTs forming the peripheral driver circuit to the pixel TFTs are shortened. This results in a reduction in the resistance. As a result, the display characteristics are improved.

Abstract: An image display system comprises a first liquid crystal projector which projects a counterclockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light beam to form an image containing specific visual information on a screen and a second liquid crystal projector which projects a clockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light beam to form a white image on the same screen. When viewed with the naked eye, a combination of the two images projected on the screen appears totally white. A viewer wearing a dedicated viewing device equipped with an optical filter which allows counterclockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light to pass through can selectively see the image projected by the first liquid crystal projector.

Abstract: In a producing a thin film transistor, a solution containing a metal element for promoting crystallization of silicon is added in contact with an amorphous silicon film, and then a silicide layer is formed by heating process. Further, after a region as crystal growth nucleus is formed by patterning the silicide layer, laser light is irradiated while heating process. As a result, crystal-growth is performed from the region as crystal growth nucleus in the amorphous silicon film, thereby to form monodomain regions corresponding to a single crystal. Also, before the solution is added, the amorphous silicon film may be subjected to plasma treatment 30.

Abstract: An electronic device having an active matrix liquid crystal device comprising a sealing layer with a region overlapping an insulating film formed over another insulating film, which extends beyond said insulating film and forms on a peripheral switching device, a region in contact with said another insulating film, and a region where said second insulating film is not formed over said another insulating film.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an active matrix type display device is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of forming a plurality of semiconductor regions over a substrate; forming a short ring electrode and gate electrodes adjacent to the plurality of semiconductor regions with an insulating film interposed there between, wherein the short ring electrode and at least one of the gate electrodes are electrically connected with each other; and forming impurity regions by implanting impurity ions into the plurality of semiconductor regions, wherein a capacitor comprising the short ring electrode, the insulating film, and at least one of the plurality of semiconductor regions is formed.

Abstract: There are disposed two homogenizers for controlling an irradiation energy density in the longitudinal direction of a laser light transformed into a linear one which is inputtted into the surface to be irradiated. Also, there is disposed one homogenizer for controlling an irradiation energy density in a width direction of the linear laser light. According to this, the uniformity of laser annealing can be improved by the minimum number of homogenizers.

Abstract: There is provided an improvement on homogeneity of annealing performed utilizing radiation of a laser beam on a silicon film having a large area. In a configuration wherein a linear laser beam is applied to a surface to be irradiated, optimization is carried out on the width and number of cylindrical lenses forming homogenizers 103 and 104 for controlling the distribution of radiation energy density in the longitudinal direction of the linear beam. For example, the width of the cylindrical lenses forming the homogenizers 103 and 104 is set in the range from 0.1 mm to 5 mm, and the number of the lenses is chosen such that one lens is provided for every 5 mm-15 mm along the length of the linear laser beam in the longitudinal direction thereof. This makes it possible to improve homogeneity of the radiation energy density of the linear laser in the longitudinal direction thereof.

Abstract: Silicon oxide films which are good as gate insulation films are formed by subjecting a silicon oxide film which has been formed on an active layer comprising a silicon film by means of a PVD method or CVD method to a heat treatment at 300-700° C. in a dinitrogen monoxide atmosphere, or in an NH3 or N2H4 atmosphere, while irradiating with ultraviolet light, reducing the hydrogen and carbon contents in the silicon oxide film and introducing nitrogen into the boundary with the silicon film in particular. Furthermore, silicon oxide films which are good as gate insulating films have been formed by subjecting silicon oxide films which have been formed on an active layer comprising a silicon film by means of a PVD method or CVD method to a heat treatment at 300-700° C. in an N2O atmosphere (or hydrogen nitride atmosphere) while irradiating with ultraviolet light, and then carrying out a heat treatment at 300-700° C.

Abstract: In producing a thin film transistor (TFT), an silicon oxide film is formed as an under film on a glass substrate, and then an amorphous silicon film is formed therein. A metal element which promotes crystallization of silicon is disposed in contact with a surface of the amorphous silicon film. A thermal processing for the amorphous silicon film is performed at a crystallization temperature of the amorphous silicon film or higher. At the thermal processing, a glass substrate is placed on an object having constant flatness. Cooling is performed to obtain a crystalline silicon film wherein the substrate is not distorted and deformed.

Abstract: A monolithic type active matrix semiconductor device comprises a substrate having an insulating surface, a first plurality of thin film transistors formed on the substrate, each having a first channel region comprising an amorphous silicon semiconductor film, and a second plurality of thin film transistors, each having a second channel region comprising a crystalline semiconductor film. The crystalline semiconductor film of the second plurality of thin film transistors has a substantially single crystalline structure (mono-domain structure) and is doped with a recombination center neutralizer at a concentration of 1×1016 to 1×1020 atoms/cm3. The crystalline semiconductor film of the second plurality of thin film transistors contains a catalyst element which is capable of promoting crystallization of silicon.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices based on thin film transistors formed over substrates. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device comprises at least two thin film transistors formed over a substrate, each of said thin film transistors having a crystalline semiconductor film comprising silicon formed on an insulating surface as an active region thereof, wherein said crystalline semiconductor film of each of said two thin film transistors has substantially no grain boundary therein, and a crystal axis of said crystalline semiconductor film in one of said two thin film transistors deviates from a crystal axis of the crystalline semiconductor film of the other, and the deviation of the crystal axis is within ±10°.

Abstract: An image display system comprises a first liquid crystal projector which projects a counterclockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light beam to form an image containing specific visual information on a screen and a second liquid crystal projector which projects a clockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light beam to form a white image on the same screen. When viewed with the naked eye, a combination of the two images projected on the screen appears totally white. A viewer wearing a dedicated viewing device equipped with an optical filter which allows counterclockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light to pass through can selectively see the image projected by the first liquid crystal projector.

Abstract: A laser-irradiation method which comprises a process for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising: a first step of forming a thin film amorphous semiconductor on a substrate having an insulating surface; a second step of modifying the thin film amorphous semiconductor into a crystalline thin film semiconductor by irradiating a pulse-type linear light and/or by applying a heat treatment; a third step of implanting an impurity element which imparts a one conductive type to the crystalline thin film semiconductor; and a fourth step of activating the impurity element by irradiating a pulse-type linear light and/or by applying a heat treatment; wherein the peak value, the peak width at half height, and the threshold width of the laser energy in the second and the fourth steps above are each distributed within a range of approximately ±3% of the standard value. Also claimed is a laser irradiation device which realizes the method above.

Abstract: Writing of a second field is started at a time point when writing of a first field has been completed, while information written in the first field is held. Writing of a first field of the next frame is started at a time point when the writing of the second field has been completed, while information written in the second field is held. This driving method can attain high vertical resolution.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hybrid circuit in which a circuit formed by TFTs is integrated with an RF filter. The TFTs are fabricated on a quartz substrate. A ceramic filter forming the RF filter is fabricated on another substrate. Terminals extend through the quartz substrate. The TFTs are connected with the ceramic filter via the terminals. Thus, an RF module is constructed.

Abstract: In the production of thin film transistor (TFT), a gate insulating film is formed to cover an active layer, a titanium nitride film is formed on the gate insulating film, and an aluminum film used as the gate electrode is formed on the titanium nitride film. The resulted configuration prevents the etching of the aluminum film from the insulating film side even if the etchant of aluminum enters the recessed portion at the edge of the active layer during the patterning of the gate electrode. Also in the anodizing process, when an oxide film is formed on the surface of the aluminum film, the oxidation of aluminum from the gate insulating film side is prevented even when the electrolyte solution enters the recessed portion at the edge of the active layer.

Abstract: In producing a thin film transistor, after an amorphous silicon film is formed on a substrate, a nickel silicide layer is formed by spin coating with a solution (nickel acetate solution) containing nickel as the metal element which accelerates (promotes) the crystallization of silicon and by heat treating. The nickel silicide layer is selectively patterned to form island-like nickel silicide layer. The amorphous silicon film is patterned. A laser light is irradiated while moving the laser, so that crystal growth occurs from the region in which the nickel silicide layer is formed and a region equivalent to a single crystal (a monodomain region) is obtained.

Abstract: There is provided an improvement on homogeneity of annealing performed utilizing radiation of a laser beam on a silicon film having a large area. In a configuration wherein a linear laser beam is applied to a surface to be irradiated, optimization is carried out on the width and number of cylindrical lenses forming homogenizers 103 and 104 for controlling the distribution of radiation energy density in the longitudinal direction of the linear beam. For example, the width of the cylindrical lenses forming the homogenizers 103 and 104 is set in the range from 0.1 mm to 5 mm, and the number of the lenses is chosen such that one lens is provided for every 5 mm-15 mm along the length of the linear laser beam in the longitudinal direction thereof. This makes it possible to improve homogeneity of the radiation energy density of the linear laser in the longitudinal direction thereof.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a technology of reducing a nickel element in the silicon film which is crystallized by using nickel. An extremely small amount of nickel is introduced into an amorphous silicon film which is formed on the glass substrate. Then this amorphous silicon film is crystallized by heating. At this time, the nickel element remains in the crystallized silicon film. Then an amorphous silicon film is formed on the surface of the silicon film crystallized with the action of nickel. Then the amorphous silicon film is further heat treated. By carrying out this heat treatment, the nickel element is dispersed from the crystallized silicon film into the amorphous silicon film with the result that the nickel density in the crystallized silicon film is lowered.