Utilizing Backside Irradiation Patents (Class 438/160)
  • Publication number: 20080179594
    Abstract: A flexible display device for improving reliability, and a fabricating method thereof are disclosed. In the method of fabricating the flexible display device, an insulating protective layer is formed at one side of a glass substrate. A display device including a thin film transistor array and a pad part, which is connected to the thin film transistor array, is formed on the insulating protective layer. A flexible substrate is attached on the display device. And the glass substrate is removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventor: Eui Yeol Oh
  • Publication number: 20080173873
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a display device which can reliably form electrodes in a thin film transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Inventors: Miyo Ishii, Junichi Uehara, Kunihiko Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20080171409
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for fabricating a bottom-gate low-temperature polysilicon thin film transistor, wherein the bottom gate structure is used to form an amorphous silicon layer with varied thicknesses; the amorphous silicon layer in the step region on the border of the bottom gate structure is partially melted by an appropriate amount of laser energy; the partially-melted amorphous silicon layer in the step region functions as crystal seeds and makes crystal grains grow toward the channel region where the amorphous silicon layer is fully melted, and the crystal grains are thus controlled to grow along the lateral direction to form a lateral-grain growth low-temperature polysilicon thin film. The lateral grain growth can reduce the number of the grain boundaries carriers have to pass through. Thus, the present invention can promote the carrier mobility in the active region and the electric performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Inventors: Huang-Chung Cheng, Chun-Chien Tsai, Hsu-Hsin Chen
  • Publication number: 20080164470
    Abstract: A TFT array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof, where the TFT array substrate includes a substrate; a gate line and a gate electrode integrated therewith, which are covered by a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, and a ohmic contact layer sequentially. An insulating layer is formed on the resulting substrate and on both sides of the gate line and the gate electrode, the gate insulating layer, the semiconductor layer, and the ohmic contact layer. A trench is then formed in the ohmic contact layer to divide the ohmic contact layer over the semiconductor layer. A data line and first and second source/drain electrodes are then formed on the insulating layer and the ohmic contact layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhangtao WANG, Haijun Qiu, Tae Yup Min, Seung Moo Rim
  • Publication number: 20080157085
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a thin film transistor substrate and a fabricating method thereof. The thin film transistor according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a gate wire and a data wire formed to cross each other on an insulating substrate and define a pixel area; a thin film transistor formed on the intersection of the gate wire and the data wire; an inorganic insulating layer covering the thin film transistor and having a surface that a prominence and depression pattern formed on; and a reflective layer provided on the prominence and depression pattern. Thus, the present invention provides a thin film transistor substrate and a fabricating method thereof, which reduce the time required in the process and enhance the productivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventor: Hyun-Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 7393770
    Abstract: A backside method for fabricating a semiconductor component with a conductive interconnect includes the step of providing a semiconductor substrate having a circuit side, a backside, and a substrate contact on the circuit side. The method also includes the steps of forming a substrate opening from the backside to the substrate contact, and then bonding the conductive interconnect to an inner surface of the substrate contact. A system for performing the method includes the semiconductor substrate, a thinning system for thinning the semiconductor substrate, an etching system for forming the substrate opening, and a bonding system for bonding the conductive interconnect to the substrate contact. The semiconductor component can be used to form module components, underfilled components, stacked components, and image sensor semiconductor components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan G. Wood, William M. Hiatt, David R. Hembree
  • Publication number: 20080142802
    Abstract: A thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) pixel unit and a method for manufacturing the same. The pixel unit comprises a gate line and a gate electrode formed on a substrate and a first gate insulating layer, an active layer, and a doped layer that are sequentially formed on the gate line and the gate electrode. An intercepting trench is formed on the gate line to cut off the doped layer and the active layer on the gate line. A second insulating layer covers the intercepting trench and the substrate where the gate line and the gate electrode are not formed. A pixel electrode is formed on the second insulating layer and a part of the pixel electrode overlaps one of a source and drain electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Haijun Qiu, Zhangtao Wang, Tae Yup Min, Xu Chen
  • Publication number: 20080145980
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including forming a first wire on a substrate, forming a lower film on the first wire, forming a photosensitive pattern on the lower film using a photosensitive material, forming contact holes for exposing the first wire by etching the lower film using the photosensitive film as an etching mas, removing part of the photosensitive film pattern by an ashing process to expose a borderline of the lower film defining the contact holes and forming second wire connected to the firs wire via the contact holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bo Sung KIM, Kwan-Wook JUNG, Wan-Shick HONG, Sang-Gab KIM, Mun-Pyo HONG
  • Publication number: 20080138942
    Abstract: The invention provides a thin film transistor (TFT) array panel that includes an insulating substrate; a gate line formed on the insulating substrate and having a first layer of an Al containing metal, a second layer of a Cu containing metal that is thicker than the first layer, and a gate electrode; a gate insulating layer arranged on the gate line; a semiconductor arranged on the gate insulating layer; a data line having a source electrode and arranged on the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor; a drain electrode arranged on the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor and facing the source electrode; a passivation layer having a contact hole and arranged on the data line and the drain electrode; and a pixel electrode arranged on the passivation layer and coupled with the drain electrode through the contact hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Je-Hun LEE, Yang-Ho BAE, Beom-Seok CHO, Chang-Oh JEONG
  • Patent number: 7381598
    Abstract: A thin film transistor of reversed stagger type having improved characteristics and yet obtained by a simple process, which is fabricated by selectively doping the semiconductor region on the gate dielectric to form the source, drain, and channel forming regions by using ion implantation, ion doping, or doping a plasma of ions; and then effecting rapid thermal annealing by irradiating a ultraviolet radiation, a visible light, or a near-infrared radiation for a short period of time. The source, drain, and channel forming regions are formed substantially within a single plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Takemura
  • Publication number: 20080116459
    Abstract: An exemplary TFT array substrate (20) includes: an insulating substrate (201); a common electrode (220), a common line (224), a gate line (23), and a gate electrode (281) arranged on the insulating substrate; a gate insulating layer (204) covering the common electrode, the common line, the gate line, and the gate electrode; a semiconductor layer (207) arranged on the gate insulating layer; a source and a drain electrodes (281, 282) arranged on two ends the semiconductor layer; a passivation material layer (25) covering the gate insulating layer; a pixel electrode arranged on the passivation material layer, the pixel electrode (290) being electrically connected to the drain electrode via a through hole (284); and at least one through channel (225) arranged crossing the gate insulating layer. The at least one through channel are arranged between the common electrode and the gate line, and between the gate line and the common line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventors: Hung-Yu Chen, Jia-Pang Pang
  • Publication number: 20080105873
    Abstract: A TFT LCD array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof. The TFT LCD array substrate comprises a substrate. A gate line and a gate electrode that is formed integrally with the gate line are formed on the substrate. A first insulating layer and a semiconductor layer are formed sequentially on the gate line and the gate electrode. A second insulting layer covers sidewalls of the gate line and the gate electrode, the first insulating layer, and the semiconductor layer. An etching stop layer is formed on the semiconductor layer and exposes a part of the semiconductor layer on both sides of the etching stop layer. The TFT LCD of the present invention can be manufactured with a four-mask process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventors: Zhangtao Wang, Haijun Qiu, Tae Yup Min, Seung Moo Rim
  • Publication number: 20080102567
    Abstract: A method for making a thin film transistor (TFT) is provided. A mask is first formed on the backside of a substrate, and is used to fabricate a gate, source, and drain of the transistor by backside exposure, such that the source and drain can be self-aligned with the gate pattern. In this way, an alignment shift due to expansion or contraction after performing a high temperature process on an insulating layer can be avoided. Further, since the backside mask previously formed on the substrate can be shifted with the expansion or contraction of the substrate, the process is simplified. Moreover, the source/drain can be accurately aligned with the gate, so that parasitic capacitance can be reduced and flickering of the panel can be avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Yi-Kai Wang, Liang-Ying Huang, Tarng-Shiang Hu, Yu-Yuan Shen
  • Publication number: 20080090343
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor array panel includes forming a gate line on a substrate; sequentially forming a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, and a conductive layer on the gate line; forming a photosensitive film on the conductive layer; forming a first photosensitive film pattern including a first region and a second region having a lesser thickness than the first region by patterning the photosensitive film; forming a data pattern by etching the conductive layer using the first photosensitive film pattern as a mask; forming a second photosensitive film pattern by ashing the first photosensitive film pattern to partially remove the first photosensitive film; forming a semiconductor pattern by etching the semiconductor layer using the second photosensitive film pattern as a mask; and forming a source and drain electrode by etching the data pattern exposed in the second region of the second photosensitive film pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: In-Ho Song, Won Song, Sang-Gab Kim
  • Patent number: 7351617
    Abstract: To provide a technique required for purifying the interface between an active layer and an insulating film. On a substrate (101), a gate wiring (103) is formed and the surface thereof is covered with a gate oxide film (104). Then, a first insulating film (105a), a second insulating film (105b), a semiconductor film (106) and a protective film (107) are sequentially formed and layered without exposing them to the air. Further, the semiconductor film (106) is irradiated with laser light through the protective film (107). In this way, a TFT may be given good characteristics by completely purifying the interface of the semiconductor film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Setsuo Nakajima, Ritsuko Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20080074572
    Abstract: This invention relates to a thin film transistor substrate, a method of manufacturing the same, and a liquid crystal display panel including the same. The thin film transistor substrate includes a substrate, gate lines disposed on the substrate and extending in one direction, common voltage lines disposed on the substrate and spaced apart from the gate lines, and a gate insulating film disposed on the gate lines and the common voltage lines, the gate insulating film having first contact holes exposing a part of each common voltage line. Common electrodes are disposed on the gate insulating film and are connected to the common voltage lines through the first contact holes. Data lines are disposed on the gate insulating film and extend in a direction crossing the gate lines and thin film transistors are disposed at crossings of the gate lines and the data lines. The thin film transistors are connected to the gate lines and the data lines and include source electrodes and drain electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bong Ju KIM, Chun Gi YOU
  • Patent number: 7344928
    Abstract: A self-aligned, thin-film, top-gate transistor and method of manufacturing same are disclosed. A first print-patterned mask is formed over a metal layer by digital lithography, for example by printing with a phase change material using a droplet ejector. The metal layer is then etched using the first print-patterned mask to form source and drain electrodes. A semiconductive layer and an insulative layer are formed thereover. A layer of photosensitive material is then deposited and exposed through the substrate, with the source and drain electrodes acting as masks for the exposure. Following development of the photosensitive material, a gate metal layer is deposited. A second print-patterned mask is then formed over the device, again by digital lithography. Etching and removal of the photosensitive material leaves the self-aligned top-gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: William S. Wong, Rene A. Lujan, Eugene M. Chow
  • Publication number: 20080061295
    Abstract: A TFT-LCD array substrate and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. In the TFT-LCD array substrate, a first insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, and an ohmic contact layer are formed sequentially on the gate line and the gate electrode, and the ohmic contact layer is formed on the source region and the drain region of the semiconductor layer and exposes the channel; a second insulating layer is formed on the substrate, covers the sidewalls of the gate line and gate electrode, the first insulating layer, the semiconductor layer, and the ohmic contact layer, and exposes the ohmic contact layer in the source region and the drain region; the data line, the source electrode, the pixel electrode, and the drain electrode are formed on the second insulating layer; a passivation layer is formed on the TFT, the gate line, and the data line and exposes the pixel electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Inventors: Zhangtao Wang, Haijun Qiu, Tae Yup Min, Seung Moo Rim
  • Publication number: 20080001155
    Abstract: An array substrate for a liquid crystal display device comprises a substrate having a pixel region, a gate line on the substrate, and a data line crossing the gate line to define the pixel region. A thin film transistor (TFT) includes a gate electrode connected to the gate line, an insulating layer on the gate electrode, an active layer on the insulating layer, an ohmic contact layer on the active layer, a source electrode connected to the data line and a drain electrode spaced apart from the source electrode. A pixel electrode connects to the drain electrode and is disposed in the pixel region. An opaque metal pattern is provided on end portions of the pixel electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventors: Ji-Hyun Jung, Dong-Young Kim
  • Publication number: 20080001154
    Abstract: An array substrate for a liquid crystal display device includes a gate and a data lines on a substrate intersecting each other, the data line includes a first layer formed of a transparent conductive material and a second layer under the first layer; a thin film transistor including a gate electrode connected to the gate line formed at respective intersection of the gate and data lines, an insulating layer on the gate electrode, an active layer on the insulating layer disposed within the gate electrode, an etch stopper on the active layer, an ohmic contact layer on the etch stopper, a source electrode on the ohmic contact layer and connected to the first layer, a drain electrode spaced apart from the source electrode; a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode, wherein the source, drain and pixel electrodes are formed of the same layer and material as the first layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventor: Chang-Bin Lee
  • Publication number: 20070298554
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for manufacturing a TFT LCD array substrate by utilizing the gray tone mask technology and the photoresist lifting-off technology with only two masks in two photolithography processes, and to a TFT LCD array substrate manufactured by the same. In the resultant array substrate, the gate line and the data line are perpendicular to and intersect with each other to define the pixel area, and one of the gate line and the data line is continuous and the other is discontinuous. The array substrate is covered with a passivation protection film. The disconnected gate line or the data line is connected together through the via holes formed in the passivation protection film and the connecting conductive film formed on the passivation protection film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventors: Chunping LONG, Jigang Zhao, Seung Moo Rim
  • Patent number: 7303978
    Abstract: To fabricate a semiconductor device, a pattern of recesses and lands is formed on a copper sheet as a matrix sheet, and BGA pads are formed on the lands on the copper sheet. An insulating layer is formed on the copper sheet to transfer the pattern of recesses and lands from the copper sheet to the insulating layer for thereby forming recesses in the insulating layer and placing BGA pads in the recesses in the insulating layer. Vias are formed through the insulating layer, and a conductive layer serving as circuits and interconnections is formed, the conductive layer being connected to the BGA pads by the vias. When the copper sheet is removed, the BGA pads are positioned within the recesses in the insulating layer. The BGA pads have surfaces positioned higher than the bottom of the recesses and lower than the surface of the insulating layer. A semiconductor chip is mounted on the conductive layer, and solder balls are joined to the BGA pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: NEC Toppan Circuit Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Toshihide Ito
  • Patent number: 7253012
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing method comprises forming a leveling guard ring defining an interior area into which are fabricated one or more devices. In certain aspects, two or more matched devices, such as in a common centroid layout, are fabricated in the interior area. The guard ring is formed on at least one particular layer for a particular processing step. By the guard ring overwhelming the effect of local features' elevation differences, photoresist thereafter applied consequently has a more uniform height across the interior area, resulting in more uniform devices. A plurality of guard rings may be used that enclose respective arrays of matched devices arranged over the surface of a semiconductor wafer. Based on the equalizing effect by each of the guard rings, the respective devices arranged in the interior areas are more evenly matched to equivalent devices in far-spaced guard rings. Thus, local and global matching are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Agere Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Kerr, Roscoe T. Luce, Michele Marie Jamison, Alan Sangone Chen, William A. Russell
  • Patent number: 7238556
    Abstract: The present invention improves the quality of the TFT structure by avoiding photo-induced current, and lowers manufacturing costs by decreasing the number of masks required in the process, wherein the former is achieved by the stacked structure including a gate layer, an insulation layer, an amorphous silicon layer and an ohmic contact layer, and the latter is achieved by using the stacked structure as a mask and by exposing the substrate from the back surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Cheng-Chi Wang
  • Patent number: 7217605
    Abstract: A crystalline semiconductor film having crystal grains of large grain size or crystal grains in which the position and the size are controlled is formed to manufacture a TFT, whereby a semiconductor device that enables a high-speed operation is realized. First, a reflecting member is provided on a rear surface side of a substrate on which a semiconductor film is formed (semiconductor film substrate). When a front surface side of the semiconductor film substrate is irradiated with a laser beam that penetrates the semiconductor film substrate, the laser beam is reflected by the reflecting member to irradiate the semiconductor film from the rear surface side. With this method, an effective energy density is raised in the semiconductor film, and an output time is made long. Thus, the cooling rate of the semiconductor film is made gentle and crystal grains of large grain size are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ritsuko Kawasaki, Setsuo Nakajima
  • Patent number: 7176068
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device in which a bottom-gate TFT or an inverted stagger TFT arranged in each circuit is suitably constructed in conformity with the functionality of the respective circuits, thereby attaining an improvement in the operating efficiency and reliability of the semiconductor device. In the structure, LDD regions in a pixel TFT are arranged so as not to overlap with a channel protection insulating film and to overlap with a gate electrode by at least a portion thereof. LDD regions in an N-channel TFT of a drive circuit is arranged so as not to overlap with a channel protection insulating film and to overlap with a gate electrode by at least a portion thereof. LDD regions in a P-channel TFT of the drive circuit is arranged so as to overlap with a channel protection insulating film and to overlap with the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideto Kitakado, Ritsuko Kawasaki, Kenji Kasahara
  • Patent number: 7148091
    Abstract: Impurity ions contained in a semiconductor layer are diffused downwardly from a gate electrode by irradiating laser light from the back surface of a transparent substrate after source-drain regions are formed. Thus, a GOLD structure is formed. Consequently, the GOLD structure is formed by performing a smaller number of processes. Also, variation in characteristics can be suppressed by preventing occurrence of asymmetry between left and right LDD regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuyoshi Itoh, Takeshi Kubota, Toru Takeguchi
  • Patent number: 7011994
    Abstract: A method for forming via holes includes placing an insulating layer on a first wiring layer, forming opening portions in the insulating layer, and forming a second wiring layer on the insulating layer. At the time of forming the opening portions, the insulating layer is irradiated with a laser beam with the focus position staggered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yanagisawa, Toshiaki Iwafuchi
  • Patent number: 6984542
    Abstract: A method for forming via holes includes placing an insulating layer on a first wiring layer, forming opening portions in the insulating layer, and forming a second wiring layer on the insulating layer. At the time of forming the opening portions, the insulating layer is irradiated with a laser beam with the focus position staggered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yanagisawa, Toshiaki Iwafuchi
  • Patent number: 6972219
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor with a reduced number of manufacturing steps is provided, in which the possibility of light entering the channel forming layer of the thin film transistor can be obviated. The thin film transistor comprising a gate electrode (16a), a drain electrode (12a), a source electrode (17a) and a channel (24) and a shield layer (21) on a transparent substrate (20). The channel (24) is formed in that a channel forming layer is photolithographically patterned with the shield layer (21) as mask. As shield layer (21), the gate electrode (16a) can be used, this giving a bottom gate thin film transistor. The transistor is very suitable for use in a liquid crystal display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Teizo Yukawa
  • Patent number: 6933568
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for vapor depositing a low dielectric insulating film, a thin film transistor using the same, and a preparation method thereof, and more particularly to a process for vapor deposition of lowdielectric insulating film that can significantly improve a vapor deposition speed while maintaining properties of the low dielectric insulating film, thereby solving parasitic capacitance problems to realize a high aperture ratio structure, and can reduce a process time by using silane gas when vapor depositing an insulating film by a CVD or PECVD method to form a protection film for a semiconductor device. The present invention also relates to a thin film transistor using the process and preparation method thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Hoon Yang, Wan-Shick Hong, Kwan-Wook Jung
  • Patent number: 6921685
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a thin film transistor includes the steps of (a) forming an amorphous silicon film containing hydrogen therein, on a substrate composed of resin, and (b) irradiating laser beams to the amorphous silicon film at an intensity equal to or smaller than a threshold intensity at which the amorphous silicon film is crystallized. For instance, the step (a) includes the steps of forming the amorphous silicon film on the resin substrate by sputtering, and doping hydrogen ions into the amorphous silicon film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Okumura
  • Patent number: 6887746
    Abstract: In an inverted stagger type thin-film transistor, the preparing process thereof can be simplified, and the unevenness of the thin film transistor prepared thereby can be reduced. That is, disclosed is a preparing method which comprises selectively doping a semiconductor on a gate insulating film with an impurity to form source, drain, and channel forming regions, and conducting a laser annealing to them, or a preparing method which comprises selectively doping the semiconductor region with an impurity by a laser doping method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yasuhiko Takemura
  • Patent number: 6887742
    Abstract: A conductive layer, including a lower layer made of refractory metal such as chromium, molybdenum, and molybdenum alloy and an upper layer made of aluminum or aluminum alloy, is deposited and patterned to form a gate wire including a gate line, a gate pad, and a gate electrode on a substrate. At this time, the upper layer of the gate pad is removed using a photoresist pattern having different thicknesses depending on position as etch mask. A gate insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, and an ohmic contact layer are sequentially formed. A conductive material is deposited and patterned to form a data wire including a data line, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a data pad. Next, a passivation layer is deposited and patterned to form contact holes respectively exposing the drain electrode, the gate pad, and the data pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bum-Ki Baek, Mun-Pyo Hong, Jang-Soo Kim, Sung-Wook Huh, Jong-Soo Yoon, Dong-Gyu Kim
  • Patent number: 6875645
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a pixel structure. A gate is formed over the substrate and then an insulation layer is formed over the substrate covering the gate. A channel layer is formed over the insulation layer above the gate. A pair of source/drain terminals is formed over the channel layer, thereby producing a thin film transistor on the substrate. A passivation layer is formed over the substrate covering the thin film transistor. A photoresist layer is formed over the passivation layer. Using the gate, the source/drain terminals as a mask, a back exposure process and a photoresist development are sequentially conducted to pattern the photoresist layer. Using the patterned photoresist layer as an etching mask, the passivation layer and the insulation layer are etched to expose a sidewall of the drain terminal. The photoresist layer is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventor: Han-Chung Lai
  • Patent number: 6867075
    Abstract: On a transparent substrate to which a gate electrode is arranged, a silicon nitride film and a silicon oxide film to be gate insulating films are deposited, and further, a polycrystalline silicon film as a semiconductor film to be an active region is formed. On the polycrystalline silicon film corresponding to the gate electrode, a stopper is arranged, and a silicon oxide film and a silicon nitride film to be an interlayer insulating films are deposited so as to cover this stopper. The film thickness T0 of the stopper is set in a range of 800 angstroms to 1200 angstroms. Furthermore, the film thickness T0 of the stopper is set in the range to fulfill the following expression: T0+T1?(T2×8000 ?) where T1 is the film thickness of the silicon oxide film and T2 is the film thickness of the silicon nitride film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Oda, Shiro Nakanishi, Shinji Yuda, Tsutomu Yamada
  • Patent number: 6864127
    Abstract: There are disclosed techniques for providing a simplified process sequence for fabricating a semiconductor device. The sequence starts with forming an amorphous film containing silicon. Then, an insulating film having openings is formed on the amorphous film. A catalytic element is introduced through the openings to effect crystallization. Thereafter, a window is formed in the insulating film, and P ions are implanted. This process step forms two kinds of regions simultaneously (i.e., gettering regions for gettering the catalytic element and regions that will become the lower electrode of each auxiliary capacitor later).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Hideto Ohnuma, Tamae Takano, Hisashi Ohtani
  • Patent number: 6844249
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and it is an object of the invention to form a semiconductor area formed in island-like patterns as a single crystal or an area which can be regarded as a single crystal, and to simultaneously achieve a laminated structure by which various characteristics of TFTs can be stabilized, wherein an insulation film is formed on a glass substrate, and island-like semiconductor layer is formed thereon. A laser beam passed through a cylindrical lens is made into a linear laser beam and irradiated onto the island-like semiconductor layer by an optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ritsuko Kawasaki, Kenji Kasahara, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6808968
    Abstract: It is intended to achieve the reduction in number of heat treatments carried out at high temperature (at least 600° C.) and the employment of lower temperature processes (600° C. or lower), and to achieve step simplification and throughput improvement. In the present invention, a barrier layer (105), a second semiconductor film (106), and a third semiconductor layer (108) containing an impurity element (phosphorus) that imparts one conductive type are formed on a first semiconductor film (104) having a crystalline structure. Gettering is carried out in which the metal element contained in the first semiconductor film (104) is allowed to pass through the barrier layer (105) and the second semiconductor film (106) by a heat treatment to move into the third semiconductor film (107). Afterward, the second and third semiconductor films (106) and (107) are removed with the barrier layer (105) used as an etching stopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Osamu Nakamura, Masayuki Kajiwara, Junichi Koezuka, Koji Dairiki, Toru Mitsuki, Toru Takayama, Hideto Ohnuma, Taketomi Asami, Mitsuhiro Ichijo
  • Patent number: 6794231
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel (and a method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display panel) includes a gate line and a signal line intersecting the gate line at an intersection portion where the gate line and the signal line intersect each other. The gate line includes at least two conductive portions and at least one opening portion on the intersection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Tokuhiro, Hiroyuki Ueda
  • Publication number: 20040126941
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor with a reduced number of manufacturing steps is provided, in which the possibility of light entering the channel forming layer of the thin film transistor can be obviated. The thin film transistor comprising a gate electrode (16a), a drain electrode (12a), a source electrode (17a) and a channel (24) and a shield layer (21) on a transparent substrate (20). The channel (24) is formed in that a channel forming layer is photolithographically patterned with the shield layer (21) as mask. As shield layer (21), the gate electrode (16a) can be used, this giving a bottom gate thin film transistor. The transistor is very suitable for use in a liquid crystal display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventor: Teizo Yukawa
  • Patent number: 6756258
    Abstract: A method of fabricating silicon TFTs (thin-film transistors) is disclosed. The method comprises a crystallization step by laser irradiation effected after the completion of the device structure. First, amorphous silicon TFTs are fabricated. In each of the TFTs, the channel formation region, the source and drain regions are exposed to laser radiation illuminated from above or below the substrate. Then, the laser radiation is illuminated to crystallize and activate the channel formation region, and source and drain regions. After the completion of the device structure, various electrical characteristics of the TFTs are controlled. Also, the amorphous TFTs can be changed into polysilicon TFTs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hongyong Zhang, Naoto Kusumoto
  • Publication number: 20040086807
    Abstract: A method of producing a thin film transistor is described. The doped amorphous silicon is formed by ion implantation. The photoresist used by the ion implantation is formed by backside exposure or by half-tone photo mask, and a photo mask can therefore be eliminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: Chih-Yu Peng, Yen-Wen Fang
  • Publication number: 20040063258
    Abstract: To realize TFT enabling high-speed operation by fabricating a crystalline semiconductor film in which positions and sizes of crystal grains are controlled and using the crystalline semiconductor film in a channel forming region of TFT, a film thickness is stepped by providing a stepped difference in at least one layer of a matrix insulating film among a plurality of matrix insulating films having refractive indices different from each other. By irradiating laser beam from a rear face side of a substrate (or both sides of a surface side and the rear face side of the substrate), there is formed an effective intensity distribution of laser beam with regard to a semiconductor film and there is produced a temperature gradient in correspondence with a shape of the stepped difference and a distribution of the film thickness of the matrix insulating film in the semiconductor film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Kasahara, Ritsuko Kawasaki, Hisashi Ohtani
  • Patent number: 6673640
    Abstract: In order to obtain a method of evaluating a crystal defect which allows crystal defects generated in a thin film SOI layer or a thin film surface layer to be evaluated using an in-line test, an SOI layer 3 has silicide regions 8 formed in the evaluation region consequently upon generation of crystal defects generated in the SOI layer 3. The silicide regions 8 are regions silicided as a result of the crystal defects having gettered metals which are contained in a transition layer 10 and diffuse into the SOI layer 3 upon a heat treatment. A laser beam is irradiated to the evaluation region via the transition layer 10 and the silicon oxide film 6. By monitoring a current flowing between first and second probes using an ampere meter while scanning the evaluation region with a laser beam, it is possible to evaluate the crystal defects in the evaluation region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Hideki Naruoka
  • Patent number: 6670224
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a thin film transistor (TFT) having low serial impedance is described. The method uses a back-side exposure and uses the active area as a hard mask; therefore, photomask usage may be reduced. On the other hand, a Si-Ge layer is used to react with the conductive layer deposited thereon after for forming a Ge-salicide layer. The method may reduce the required temperature of forming a Ge-salicide layer and the serial impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chi-shen Lee, Ting-Kuo Chang, Pi-Fu Chen, Yu-Ming Kang, Yuan-Tung Dai
  • Patent number: 6653177
    Abstract: There is provided a patterning method which makes it possible to form a desired preferable pattern having no reduction in the pattern thickness in a boundary portion where a group of patterns are joined using a plurality of exposure masks. There is provided a patterning method for forming a group of patterns in which first patterns to serve as basic units are repetitively arranged using a plurality of exposure masks. When a third region sandwiched by a first region exposed with a first exposure mask and a second region exposed with a second exposure mask is exposed with the first and second exposure masks in a complementary manner, repetitive unit patterns for exposing the third region are different from the first patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Fujitsu Display Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Hideaki Takizawa
  • Patent number: 6627470
    Abstract: A TFT array substrate has a PAI pattern, and the PAI pattern has an over-etched portion of the pure amorphous silicon layer. This over-etched portion prevents a short between the pixel electrode and the pure amorphous silicon layer (i.e., the active layer). The over-etched portion also enables the aperture ratio to increase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: LG.Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soon-Sung Yoo, Dong-Yeung Kwak, Hu-Sung Kim, Yu-Ho Jung, Yong-Wan Kim, Duk-Jin Park, Woo-Chae Lee
  • Patent number: RE38901
    Abstract: An ITO (indium tin oxide) layer and a negative photoresist are deposited sequentially on the substrate 100 having a gate wire, a storage wire, a data wire and a storage electrode. The negative photoresist is developed through front exposure and the ITO layer is etched to form a pixel electrode. Because the portions of negative photoresist exposed to light remain after development, pixel defects due to particles placed between pixel regions are reduced. Both the rear exposure and the front exposure may be used. In the rear exposure, it is difficult to remain the portions of the ITO layer at the positions corresponding to the contact portion of the drain electrode and the pixel electrode, the storage line, the gate pads and the data pads. Accordingly, the front exposure is then executed by using the first mask having openings thereon. The negative photoresist is developed, and the ITO layer is patterned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Woon-Yong Park, Won-Hee Lee
  • Patent number: RE38466
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an active matrix substrate is provided that uses a technique of transferring a thin film device. In forming thin film transistors and pixel electrodes on an original substrate before transfer, an insulator film such as an interlayer insulation film or the like, is previously removed before the pixel electrodes are formed. Further, the original substrate is separated by exfoliation to transfer the device to a transfer material to cause the pixel electrodes to partially appear in the surface or the vicinity of the surface of the device. This portion permits application of a voltage to a liquid crystal through the pixel electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Inoue, Tatsuya Shimoda