Abstract: The two-terminal nonlinear element of this invention includes: a lower electrode having a flat top surface and tapered side walls; a thinner insulating film formed on a portion of the flat top surface of the lower electrode adjacent to the boundary with the tapered side walls; thicker insulating films formed on the flat top surface of the lower electrode except for the portion where the thinner insulating film is formed and on the tapered side walls; and an upper electrode formed on the thinner insulating film.

Abstract: A first electrode 1 comprises an anode oxide electrode 5, a lower electrode 2 and signal electrodes, wherein the signal (electrodes are connected to each other by the anode oxide electrode when the anodic oxidation treatment is performed, while a second electrode comprises an upper electrode on a nonlinear resistor layer, a display electrode connected to the upper electrode, and a connecting electrode covering a part of the anode oxide electrode, wherein the lower electrode, the nonlinear resistor layer and the upper electrode constitute the nonlinear resistor, and wherein a part of the anode oxide electrode is separated at the side thereof which is also a side of the connecting electrode comprising the second electrode, thereby forming independent signal electrodes.

Abstract: A backlit transmissive liquid crystal display including non-linear resistive thin film diodes (TFDs). Select address lines on the active substrate provide both conventional address line functionality, as well as acting as one of the electrodes for each thin film diode. Two such diodes are provided in each pixel in certain embodiments. Still further, black matrix material is provided between the aforesaid address line material and the substrate so as to form rows of stacks on the active substrate. The thin film diode semi-insulating material, the address line material, and the black matrix material are patterned together in a single step to form elongated rows (or columns) on the active substrate. In such a manner, the display has reduced ambient light reflections, and reduce photosensitivity.

Abstract: A MIM nonlinear device is provided having a large nonlinearity coefficient that represents the sharpness of the voltage-current characteristic. A liquid-crystal display panel may be manufactured using the device to exhibit high image-quality. A method for manufacturing such a MIM nonlinear device is also provided. A MIM nonlinear device may include a first conductive film, an insulating film and a second conductive film laminated on a substrate. The insulating film may contain water at a content gradient descending in the direction of the film thickness from the surface facing the second conductive film. The hydrogen spectrum that is derived from the water and obtained by a secondary ion-mass spectrography (SIMS) elemental analysis with the radiation of cesium primary ions exhibits a peak near a surface of the insulating film facing the second conductive film. Additionally, the thermal desorption spectroscopy of the insulating film has a peak derived from water in the insulating film within a range of 220.

Abstract: The liquid crystal display device of the invention includes a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates. A plurality of pixel electrodes is arranged in matrix on the surface facing the liquid crystal layer of at least one of the pair of substrates. A plurality of signal lines and a plurality of two-terminal nonlinear elements are formed. An individual one of the two-terminal nonlinear elements is connected to one of the pixel electrodes associated with the individual two-terminal nonlinear element and one of the signal lines associated with the individual two-terminal nonlinear element. The two-terminal nonlinear element includes: a lower electrode connected to the associated signal line, an insulator formed so as to cover the lower electrode, and an upper electrode connected to the associated pixel electrode.

Abstract: In a manufacturing method of a MIM nonlinear device (50) having a Ta electrode layer (16), an anodic oxidation film (18) and a Cr electrode layer (20), tantalum oxidation film (14) is first formed on the transparent substrate (12). The Ta electrode layer (16) is formed on the tantalum oxidation film (14) and the anodic oxidation film (18) is formed on the Ta electrode layer (16). Then, heat treatment is performed to the substrate. The final temperature drop in the heat treatment process is carried out in the atmosphere that contains water vapor. After that, the Cr electrode layer (20) is formed to complete the MIM nonlinear device (50). By conducting the heat treatment in the atmosphere that contains water vapor, the nonlinear characteristics of the MIM device can be improved as well as the improvement of the resistance characteristic in the OFF state.

Abstract: A two-terminal nonlinear element for a liquid crystal display device, which is connected to a corresponding one of pixel electrodes of the liquid crystal display device, includes: a lower electrode connected to a signal line formed on one substrate of the liquid crystal display device; an insulating film formed on a surface of the lower electrode; and an upper electrode formed to face the lower electrode via the insulating film and connected to the corresponding one of the pixel electrodes. The insulating film has a first portion interposed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode and a second portion surrounding the upper electrode and having a thickness larger than that of the first portion, and the first and second portions of the insulating film are made of a same metal oxide produced by anodization.

Abstract: An active-matrix liquid crystal display has a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) switching device provided in each of the pixels of the display. The MIM switching device includes a hard carbon film disposed as an insulating layer between a first and a second conductor and exhibits excellent and reliable switching operations, thereby providing liquid crystal displays with high display quality and low power consumption.

Abstract: The method of fabricating a nonlinear resistance element includes the steps of: forming on a substrate a first conductive film having tantalum as a main component to which is added tungsten; forming an insulating film on the first conductive film by anodization of the first conductive film, using an electrolyte comprising tungstic acid ions and under conditions by which the pH of the electrolyte is conditioned in accordance with the tungsten concentration within the first conductive film; and forming a second conductive film on the insulating film. The "polarity difference" of the nonlinear resistance element varies with the tungsten concentration in the first conductive film, and it also varies with the pH of the electrolyte, even when the tungsten concentration is the same.