Patent US5705829A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5705829A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Semiconductor device formed using a catalyst element capable of promoting crystallization
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1996-01-26
•
Granted: 1998-01-06
•
Expires: 2016-01-26
Abstract
Abstract A semiconductor device using a crystalline semiconductor film is manufactured. The crystalline semiconductor film is formed by providing an amorphous silicon film with a catalyst metal for promoting a crystallization thereof and then heated for performing a thermal crystallization, following which the crystallized film is further exposed to a laser light for improving the crystallinity. The concentration of the catalyst metal in the semiconductor film and the location of the region to be added with the catalyst metal are so selected in order that a desired crystallinity and a desired crystal structure such as a vertical crystal growth or lateral crystal growth can be obtained. Further, active elements and driver elements of a circuit substrate for an active matrix type liquid crystal device are formed by such semiconductor devices having a desired crystallinity and crystal structure respectively.
Inventors
- 👤 Akiharu Miyanaga
- 👤 Hisashi Ohtani
- 👤 Yasuhiko Takemura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 22:37
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P10/00; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/38; H10P14/3802; H10P14/3806; A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; B; B23; B23K; B23K26/00; B23K26/08; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/01; H10D30/021; H10D30/031; H10D30/0312; H10D30/0314; H10D30/0321; H10D30/60; H10D30/67; H10D30/6704; H10D30/6713; H10D30/6715; H10D62/00; H10D62/40; H10D86/00; H10D86/01; H10D86/021; H10D86/0221; H10D86/0223; H10D86/0225; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3411; H10P14/3808; H10P14/3816; A61B2018/2035; A61B2018/20351; A61B2018/20359; H10D30/6729; H10D30/673; H10D30/6731; H10D30/674; H10D30/6741; H10D30/6743; H10D30/6745
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
66 words
A semiconductor device comprising at least first and second thin film transistors formed over a substrate, each of said thin film transistors having a crystalline semiconductor film added with a catalyst for promoting a crystallization thereof, wherein a concentration of said catalyst in the semiconductor film of said first thin film transistor is different from that in the semiconductor film of the second thin film transistor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
66 words
A semiconductor device comprising at least first and second thin film transistors formed over a substrate, each of said thin film transistors having a crystalline semiconductor film added with a catalyst for promoting a crystallization thereof, wherein a concentration of said catalyst in the semiconductor film of said first thin film transistor is different from that in the semiconductor film of the second thin film transistor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said catalyst comprises metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, In, Sn, P, As and Sb.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said catalyst comprises a material selected from Groups VIII, IIIb, IVb and Vb elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
103 words
A semiconductor device comprising at least first and second thin film transistors formed over a substrate, each of said thin film transistors having a crystalline semiconductor film added with a catalyst for promoting a crystallization thereof, wherein a concentration of said catalyst in the semiconductor film of said first thin film transistor is different from that in the semiconductor film of the second thin film transistor, and wherein the semiconductor film of said first transistor has crystals extending in a direction perpendicular to the substrate while the semiconductor film of said second transistor has crystals extending in a direction parallel with the substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
103 words
A semiconductor device comprising at least first and second thin film transistors formed over a substrate, each of said thin film transistors having a crystalline semiconductor film added with a catalyst for promoting a crystallization thereof, wherein a concentration of said catalyst in the semiconductor film of said first thin film transistor is different from that in the semiconductor film of the second thin film transistor, and wherein the semiconductor film of said first transistor has crystals extending in a direction perpendicular to the substrate while the semiconductor film of said second transistor has crystals extending in a direction parallel with the substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device of claim 4 wherein said catalyst comprises metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, In, Sn, P, As and Sb.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 4 wherein said catalyst comprises a material selected from Groups VIII, IIIb, IVb and Vb elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
98 words
An electro-optical device comprising: a substrate having an insulated surface; a peripheral circuit region having a first thin film transistor formed over said substrate, wherein said thin film transistor has a crystalline semiconductor film added with a catalyst for promoting a crystallization of said semiconductor film at a first concentration; and a pixel circuit region having a second thin film transistor formed over said substrate, wherein said thin film transistor has a crystalline semiconductor film added with a catalyst for promoting a crystallization of said semiconductor film at a second concentration which is different from said first concentration.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
98 words
An electro-optical device comprising: a substrate having an insulated surface; a peripheral circuit region having a first thin film transistor formed over said substrate, wherein said thin film transistor has a crystalline semiconductor film added with a catalyst for promoting a crystallization of said semiconductor film at a first concentration; and a pixel circuit region having a second thin film transistor formed over said substrate, wherein said thin film transistor has a crystalline semiconductor film added with a catalyst for promoting a crystallization of said semiconductor film at a second concentration which is different from said first concentration.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The electro-optical device of claim 7 wherein said first concentration is larger than said second concentration.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electro-optical device of claim 7 wherein the crystalline semiconductor film of said first transistor has a higher crystallinity than that of said second transistor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The electro-optical device of claim 7 wherein the crystalline semiconductor film of said first transistor has crystal grains extending vertically with respect to the surface of substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The electro-optical device of claim 7 wherein the crystalline semiconductor film of said second thin film transistor has crystal grains extending parallel with respect to the surface of the substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
The electro-optical device of claim 7 wherein the crystalline semiconductor film of said first thin film transistor has crystal grains extending vertically with respect to a direction along which carriers of the first transistor flow.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The electro-optical device of claim 7 wherein the crystalline semiconductor film of said second thin film transistor has crystal grains extending along a direction in which carriers of the second transistor flow.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
85 words
An active matrix display device comprising: a plurality of first thin film transistors arranged in a matrix form and formed on a substrate; and a driving circuit comprising second thin film transistors formed on said substrate, said driving circuit including at least one of a correction memory, an input-port, a memory and a CPU, wherein a channel region in both of said first and second thin film transistors comprises a crystallized semiconductor added with a catalyst element, which is capable of promoting crystallization of silicon.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
85 words
An active matrix display device comprising: a plurality of first thin film transistors arranged in a matrix form and formed on a substrate; and a driving circuit comprising second thin film transistors formed on said substrate, said driving circuit including at least one of a correction memory, an input-port, a memory and a CPU, wherein a channel region in both of said first and second thin film transistors comprises a crystallized semiconductor added with a catalyst element, which is capable of promoting crystallization of silicon.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The display device of claim 14 wherein said driving circuit further includes a shift register or a decoder.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
114 words
An active matrix display device comprising: a plurality of first thin film transistors arranged in a matrix form and formed on a substrate; and a driving circuit comprising second thin film transistors formed on said substrate, said driving circuit including at least one of a correction memory, an input-port, a memory and a CPU, wherein a channel region in both of said first and second thin film transistors comprises a crystallized semiconductor added with a catalyst element, which is capable of promoting crystallization of silicon, and wherein the channel region in the second thin film transistor has a crystalline structure in which crystals extend in a direction parallel with a surface of said substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
114 words
An active matrix display device comprising: a plurality of first thin film transistors arranged in a matrix form and formed on a substrate; and a driving circuit comprising second thin film transistors formed on said substrate, said driving circuit including at least one of a correction memory, an input-port, a memory and a CPU, wherein a channel region in both of said first and second thin film transistors comprises a crystallized semiconductor added with a catalyst element, which is capable of promoting crystallization of silicon, and wherein the channel region in the second thin film transistor has a crystalline structure in which crystals extend in a direction parallel with a surface of said substrate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
114 words
An active matrix display device comprising: a plurality of first thin film transistors arranged in a matrix form and formed on a substrate; and a driving circuit comprising second thin film transistors formed on said substrate, said driving circuit including at least one of a correction memory, an input-port, a memory and a CPU, wherein a channel region in both of said first and second thin film transistors comprises a crystallized semiconductor added with a catalyst element, which is capable of promoting crystallization of silicon, and wherein the channel region in the second thin film transistor has a crystalline structure in which crystals extend in a direction perpendicular to a surface of said substrate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
114 words
An active matrix display device comprising: a plurality of first thin film transistors arranged in a matrix form and formed on a substrate; and a driving circuit comprising second thin film transistors formed on said substrate, said driving circuit including at least one of a correction memory, an input-port, a memory and a CPU, wherein a channel region in both of said first and second thin film transistors comprises a crystallized semiconductor added with a catalyst element, which is capable of promoting crystallization of silicon, and wherein the channel region in the second thin film transistor has a crystalline structure in which crystals extend in a direction perpendicular to a surface of said substrate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5147826A
Cited
US5534884A
Cited
US5403772A
Cited
US5275851A
Cited
JPH06268212A
Cited
JPH06318700A
Cited
US5501989A
Cited
JPH06333825A
Cited
JPH06333824A
Cited
US5481121A
Cited
JPH06349735A
Cited
US5488000A
Cited
US5529937A
Cited
US5492843A
Cited
US5508533A
Cited
JPH07235492A
Cited
JPH07335548A
Cited
US5508532A
Cited
JPH0817741A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-01-05 | 2001-07-07 | 2002-01-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-01-05 | 2005-07-07 | 2006-01-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-01-05 | 2009-07-07 | 2010-01-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |