Abstract: A laminated spacer portion formed by laminating various thin films that constitute thin-film transistors is disposed in peripheral driver circuits. As a result, even in a structure in which part of a sealing member is disposed above the peripheral driver circuits, pressure exerted from spacers in the sealing member is concentrated on the laminated spacer portion, whereby destruction of a thin-film transistor of the peripheral driver circuits can be prevented caused by the pressure from the sealing portion.

Abstract: Concentration of metal element which promotes crystallization of silicon and which exists within a crystalline silicon film obtained by utilizing the metal element is reduced. A first heat treatment for crystallization is performed after introducing nickel to an amorphous silicon film 103. Then, laser light is irradiated to diffuse nickel element which is concentrated locally. After that, another heat treatment is performed within an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature higher than that of the previous heat treatment. At this time, HCl or the like is added to the atmosphere. A thermal oxide film 106 is formed in this step. At this time, gettering of the nickel element into the thermal oxide film 106 takes place. Then, the thermal oxide film 106 is removed. Thereby, a crystalline silicon film 107 having low concentration of the metal element and a high crystallinity can be obtained.

Abstract: There are provided a substrate of a semiconductor device and a fabrication method thereof which suppress impurity from turning around from a glass or quartz substrate in fabrication steps of a TFT. An insulating film is deposited so as to surround the glass substrate by means of reduced pressure thermal CVD. It suppresses the impurity from infiltrating from the glass substrate to an active region of the TFT in the later process.

Abstract: Nickel is selectively held in contact with a particular region of an amorphous silicon film. Crystal growth parallel with a substrate is effected by performing a heat treatment. A thermal oxidation film is formed on the silicon film by performing a heat treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere containing a halogen element. During this step, in the silicon film, impurities included such as oxygen or chlorine, are segregated with extending along the crystal growth, the crystallinity is improved, and the gettering of nickel element proceeds. A thin-film transistor is formed so that the direction connecting source and drain regions coincides with the above crystal growth direction. As a result, a TFT having superior characteristics such as a mobility larger than 200 cm2/Vs and an S value smaller than 100 mV/dec. can be obtained.

Abstract: Concentration of metal element which promotes crystallization of silicon and which exists within a crystal silicon film obtained by utilizing the metal element is reduced. A first heat treatment for crystallization is implemented after introducing nickel to an amorphous silicon film 103. Then, laser light is irradiated to diffuse the nickel element concentrated locally. After that, another heat treatment is implemented within an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature higher than that of the previous heat treatment. A thermal oxide film 106 is formed in this step. At this time, the nickel element is gettered to the thermal oxide film 106. Then, the thermal oxide film 106 is removed. Thereby, a crystal silicon film 107 having low concentration of the metal element and a high crystallinity can be obtained.

Abstract: In a structure in which six active matrix regions 103 to 108 are integrated on one glass substrate, horizontal scanning control circuits 101 and 102 are commonly disposed for the respective active matrix regions 103 to 105 and 106 to 108. Then, the horizontal scanning control circuits 101 and 102 are operated at different timings, and images formed by the active matrix regions 103 to 105 and 106 to 108 are synthesized and projected. With this operation, the horizontal scanning frequency required for one horizontal scanning control circuit can be made half of the horizontal scanning frequency of the display screen.

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: A thin film transistor device reduced substantially in resistance between the source and the drain by incorporating a silicide film, which is fabricated by a process comprising forming a gate insulator film and a gate contact on a silicon substrate, anodically oxidizing the gate contact, covering an exposed surface of the silicon semiconductor with a metal, and irradiating an intense light such as a laser beam to the metal film either from the upper side or from an insulator substrate side to allow the metal coating to react with silicon to obtain a silicide film. The metal silicide layer may be obtained otherwise by tightly adhering a metal coating to the exposed source and drain regions using an insulator formed into an approximately triangular shape, preferably 1 ?m or less in width, and allowing the metal to react with silicon. A high performance TFT can be realized.

Abstract: The present invention provides an active matrix type display device having a high aperture ratio and a required auxiliary capacitor. A source line and a gate line are overlapped with part of a pixel electrode. This overlapped region functions to be a black matrix. Further, an electrode pattern made of the same material as the pixel electrode is disposed to form the auxiliary capacitor by utilizing the pixel electrode. It allows a required value of auxiliary capacitor to be obtained without dropping the aperture ratio. Also, it allows the electrode pattern to function as a electrically shielding film for suppressing the cross-talk between the source and gate lines and the pixel electrode.

Abstract: A prismatic multilayer gas sensor element and method of making the same, the prismatic multilayer gas sensor element (1) having a substantially rectangular cross section, and including a gas-sensing cell portion (2) formed at a distal end portion of the prismatic gas sensor element (1); and a posterior lead portion (3) adjoining the gas-sensing cell portion (2). The longitudinal lateral surfaces of the posterior lead portion (3) are coated with a non-porous alumina layer (11), the non-porous alumina layer (11) having a multilayered structure including at least a joining layer (11a) and a surface layer (11b). The longitudinal lateral surface of the gas-sensing portion (2) is not coated with a non-porous alumina layer.

Abstract: To suppress the occurrence of a failure caused by static electricity in the manufacturing process of an active matrix type display device in which an active matrix circuit and peripheral drive circuits are integrated on a glass substrate, a protective capacitor to be connected to a short ring is formed using a semiconductor layer made from the same material as the active layer of a thin film transistor present under the short ring. This protective capacitor has a function to absorb an electric pulse generated in the plasma using process. Discharge patterns are provided to prevent an electric pulse from affecting each circuit.

Abstract: Regions 106 which can be regarded as being monocrystalline are formed locally by irradiating with laser light, and at least the channel-forming region 112 is constructed using these regions. With thin-film transistors which have such a construction it is possible to obtain characteristics which are similar to those which employ monocrystals. Further, by connecting in parallel a plurality of such thin-film transistors it is possible to obtain characteristics which are effectively equivalent to those of a monocrystalline thin-film transistor in which the channel width has been increased.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a gas sensor, wherein a microcomputer 44, which is connected to an oxygen sensor 30 including a detection element 12 and a heater 14, detects the cooling water temperature Tw of the engine. The control apparatus determines that condensation water within the exhaust pipe is being generated when the cooling water temperature Tw is equal to or lower than 0° C. When equal to or lower than 0° C., the microcomputer 44 supplies to the heater 14 electrical power for maintaining the temperature of the detection element 12 within the range of 100° C. to a splash-water-cracking generation temperature (e.g., about 300° C.) at or above which cracking can occur in a laminated-type oxygen sensor element 10 due to splash of condensation water. Electrical power is supplied to the heater 14 such that a pulse signal Sh is output from the microcomputer 44, and the heater 14 is pulse-driven by use of a heater electrification control circuit 34.

Abstract: Nickel is selectively held in contact with a particular region of an amorphous silicon film. Crystal growth parallel with a substrate is effected by performing a heat treatment. A thermal oxidation film is formed on the silicon film by performing a heat treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere containing a halogen element. During this step, in the silicon film, impurities included such as oxygen or chlorine, are segregated with extending along the crystal growth, the crystallinity is improved, and the gettering of nickel element proceeds. A thin-film transistor is formed so that the direction connecting source and drain regions coincides with the above crystal growth direction. As a result, a TFT having superior characteristics such as a mobility larger than 200 cm2/Vs and an S value smaller than 100 mV/dec. can be obtained.

Abstract: In an annealing process in which laser light is irradiated to a semiconductor thin film, a refractive index of the semiconductor thin film after laser light irradiation is measured and conditions for the next laser light irradiation are adjusted based on the measured refractive index value. For example, laser light irradiation conditions are adjusted so that semiconductor thin films always have the same refractive index. As a result, the annealing can be performed under the same conditions at every laser light irradiation even if the laser light irradiation conditions vary unavoidably.

Abstract: There are disclosed TFTs having improved reliability. An interlayer dielectric film forming the TFTs is made of a silicon nitride film. Other interlayer dielectric films are also made of silicon nitride. The stresses inside the silicon nitride films forming these interlayer dielectric films are set between ?5×109 and 5×109 dyn/cm2. This can suppress peeling of the interlayer dielectric films and difficulties in forming contact holes. Furthermore, release of hydrogen from the active layer can be suppressed. In this way, highly reliable TFTs can be obtained.

Abstract: A little amount of nickel is introduced into an amorphous silicon film formed on a glass substrate to crystallize the amorphous silicon film by heating. In this situation, nickel elements remain in a crystallized silicon film. An amorphous silicon film is formed on the surface of the crystallized silicon film and then subjected to a heat treatment. With this heat treatment, the nickel elements are diffused in the amorphous silicon film, thereby being capable of lowering the concentration of nickel in the crystallized silicon film.

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: There is disclosed a hybrid circuit in which a circuit formed of TFTs in 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: To suppress the occurrence of a failure caused by static electricity in the manufacturing process of an active matrix type display device in which an active matrix circuit and peripheral drive circuits are integrated on a glass substrate, a protective capacitor to be connected to a short ring is formed using a semiconductor layer made from the same material as the active layer of a thin film transistor present under the short ring. This protective capacitor has a function to absorb an electric pulse generated in the plasma using process. Discharge patterns are provided to prevent an electric pulse from affecting each circuit.