Structure and manufacturing method for thin-film semiconductor diode device

Claim 2

A semiconductor device, comprising: a substrate having a surface; an insulating film covering said substrate surface; a polycrystalline silicon layer which is formed upon a predetermined region of said insulating film, having a first end side and a second end side disposed mutually opposite and parallel to one another and both bounding a first and second end of said polycrystalline silicon layer, said polycrystalline silicon layer having at least one rectangular P-type region and at least one adjacent rectangular N-type region both of which extend completely from said first end side to said second end side, forming a PN junction therebetween extending rectilinearly from said first end side to said second end side; and a silicon oxide film covering at least a surface portion of said polycrystalline silicon layer in which said PN junction is formed, having a smooth and flat boundary with said surface portion of said polycrystalline silicon layer.

Claim 3

A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said first and second ends of said polycrystalline silicon layer include terminal portions which have a lower impurity concentration than any other portions thereof.

Claim 4

A semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising electrodes for applying an electric field to said PN junction formed on said rectangular P-type region and said rectangular N-type region respectively, each of said electrodes being shaped and located such that a first distance between any part of said electrode and an adjacent part of said terminal portion where it meets a PN junction, is greater than a second distance separating said any part of said electrode from a closest part of said PN junction.

Claim 5

A semiconductor device according to claim 2, further comprising electrodes for applying an electric field to said PN junction formed on said rectangular P-type region and said rectangular N-type region respectively, each of said electrodes being shaped and located such that a first distance between any part of said electrode and an adjacent part of said terminal portion where it meets a PN junction, is greater than a second distance separating said any part of said electrode from a closest part of said PN junction.

Claim 6

A semiconductor device according to claim 1, in which the polycrystalline silicon layer comprises a plurality of N-type regions and a plurality of P-type regions, the P-type and N-type regions being disposed successively alternating to form a plurality of PN junctions connected in series.

Claim 7

a semiconductor device, comprising: a substrate having a surface; an insulating film covering said substrate surface; a polycrystalline silicon layer which is formed upon a predetermined region of said insulating film, having a first end side and a second end side disposed mutually opposite and parallel to one another and both bounding a first and second end of said polycrystalline silicon layer, said polycrystalline silicon layer having at least one rectangular P-type region and at least one adjacent rectangular N-type region both of which extend completely from said first end side to said second end side, forming a PN junction therebetween extending rectilinearly from said first end side to said second end side, wherein said first and second ends of said polycrystalline silicon layer include terminal portions which have a lower impurity concentration than any other portions thereof; a silicon oxide film covering at least a surface portion of said polycrystalline silicon layer in which said PN junction is formed, having a smooth and flat boundary with said surface portion of said polycrystalline silicon layer; and electrodes for applying an electric field to said PN junction formed on said rectangular P-type region and said rectangular N-type region respectively, each of said electrodes being shaped and located such that a first distance between any part of said electrode and an adjacent part of said terminal portion where it meets a PN junction, is greater than a second distance separating said any part of said electrode from a closest part of said PN junction.

Claim 8

a semiconductor device, comprising: a substrate having a surface; an insulating film covering said substrate surface; a polycrystalline silicon layer which is formed upon a predetermined region of said insulating film, having a first end side and a second end side disposed mutually opposite and parallel to one another and both bounding a first and second end of said polycrystalline silicon layer, said polycrystalline silicon layer having at least one rectangular P-type region and at least one adjacent rectangular N-type region both of which extend completely from said first end side to said second end side, forming a PN junction therebetween extending rectilinearly from said first end side to said second end side, wherein said first and second ends of said polycrystalline silicon layer include terminal portions which have a lower impurity concentration than any other portions thereof; a silicon oxide film covering at least a surface portion of said polycrystalline silicon layer in which said PN junction is formed, having a smooth and flat boundary with said surface portion of said polycrystalline silicon layer; and electrodes for applying an electric field to said PN junction formed on said rectangular P-type region and said rectangular N-type region respectively, each of said electrodes being shaped and located such that a first distance between any part of said electrode and an adjacent part of said terminal portion where it meets a PN junction, is greater than a second distance separating said any part of said electrode from a closest part of said PN junction.