JP2002217421A - Portable electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a mechanically flexible and which can be made light-weight configuration, in portable electronic equipment having an active-matrix type liquid crystal display. SOLUTION: A semiconductor device has a flexible resin substrate, a resin layer that is provided at an upper section on the flexible resin substrate, and a thin-film transistor that is provided at the upper section on the resin layer. The semiconductor device is further provided in card-type calculators, portable computers, the portable electronic equipment, such as various kinds of communication equipment, and card-type electronic equipment.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The invention disclosed in the present specification is:
The present invention relates to a structure of a thin film transistor formed over a substrate having flexibility (flexible mechanical properties) such as a resin substrate (including an industrial plastic substrate) and a method for manufacturing the thin film transistor. Further, the present invention relates to an active matrix type liquid crystal display device including the thin film transistor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Thin film transistors formed on a glass substrate or a quartz substrate are known. The thin film transistor formed on the glass substrate is mainly used for an active matrix type liquid crystal display device. Active matrix liquid crystal display devices can perform high-speed moving images and fine display, and are expected to replace simple matrix liquid crystal display devices.

In an active matrix type liquid crystal display device, one or more thin film transistors are arranged as switching elements in each pixel, and electric charges flowing into and out of a pixel electrode are controlled by the thin film transistors. A glass substrate or a quartz substrate is used as the substrate because visible light needs to be transmitted through the liquid crystal display device.

On the other hand, liquid crystal display devices are expected as display means having a very wide range of applications. For example, it is expected to be used as a display unit used in card-type computers, portable computers, and portable electronic devices such as various communication devices. As for the display means used in these portable electronic devices, more advanced information is required to be displayed as the information to be handled becomes more sophisticated. For example,
There is a demand for a function of displaying not only numbers and symbols but also finer image information and moving images.

When a function of displaying fine image information or a moving image is required by a liquid crystal display device, it is necessary to use an active matrix type liquid crystal display device. However, when a glass substrate or a quartz substrate is used as the substrate, there is a limitation in reducing the thickness of the liquid crystal display device itself.・ Weight increases. -If the thickness of the substrate is reduced to reduce the weight, the substrate will crack. -The substrate is not flexible. There is such a problem.

In particular, card-type electronic devices are required to have flexibility not to be damaged even when a slight stress is applied in handling them. Therefore, the same flexibility (flexibility) is applied to a liquid crystal display device incorporated in the electronic device. Tee) is required.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an active matrix type liquid crystal display device having flexibility.

[0008]

As a method for giving flexibility to a liquid crystal display device, there is a method using a plastic substrate or a resin substrate having a light transmitting property as a substrate. However, the resin substrate has a problem that it is technically difficult to form a thin film transistor on the resin substrate due to its heat resistance.

Therefore, the invention disclosed in this specification is characterized by solving the above-mentioned difficulties by employing the following configuration. One of the inventions disclosed in this specification includes a film-shaped resin substrate, a resin layer formed on a surface of the resin substrate, and a thin film transistor formed on the resin layer. .

FIG. 1 shows a specific example of the above configuration. Figure 1
In the configuration shown in FIG.
In contact with an ET film (thickness: 100 μm), a resin layer 10
2 is formed, and furthermore, Inverted is further formed thereon.
A staged thin film transistor is formed.

As the film-like resin substrate, PET is used.
(Polyethylene terephthalate), PEN (polyethylene naphthalate), PES (polyethylene sulfite), or polyimide can be used. The condition required here is to have flexibility,
It has translucency. Also, it is desirable to be able to withstand as high a temperature as possible. Generally, when the heating temperature of these resin substrates is increased to about 200 ° C. or more, oligomers (polymers having a diameter of about 1 μm) are formed on the surface.
Is deposited or a gas is generated, and it is extremely difficult to form a semiconductor layer thereon. Therefore, it is necessary that the heat-resistant temperature be as high as possible.

In the above structure, the resin layer has a function for flattening the surface of the resin substrate. This flattening also includes a function of preventing oligomers from being generated on the surface of the resin substrate in a step involving heating such as formation of a semiconductor layer.

As the resin layer, an acrylic resin selected from methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate can be used. By forming this resin layer, even when a resin substrate is used, inconvenience in manufacturing the above-described thin film transistor can be suppressed.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a process for forming a resin layer on a film-shaped resin substrate, a process for forming a semiconductor layer on the resin layer by a plasma CVD method, and a method for forming a thin film transistor using the semiconductor layer. And forming.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there are provided a step of heating a film-shaped resin substrate at a predetermined temperature to measure degassing from the resin substrate, and a step of forming a resin layer on the film-shaped resin substrate. A step of forming a semiconductor layer on the resin layer by a plasma CVD method; and a step of forming a thin film transistor using the semiconductor layer.

In the above configuration, the reason why the degassing from the resin substrate is performed by performing the heat treatment is to prevent the degassing phenomenon from occurring from the resin substrate in a process following the subsequent heating. For example, if degassing from the resin substrate occurs while forming the semiconductor thin film on the resin substrate, a large pinhole will be formed in the semiconductor thin film,
Its electrical properties are greatly impaired.
Therefore, by performing the heat treatment at a temperature higher than the heating temperature applied in the subsequent process in advance and degassing from the resin substrate, the degassing phenomenon from the resin substrate in the later process is suppressed. can do.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a step of heating a film-shaped resin substrate at a predetermined temperature; a step of forming a resin layer on the film-shaped resin substrate; Forming a thin film transistor using the semiconductor layer by a CVD method; and forming the semiconductor layer by the plasma CVD method, wherein the semiconductor layer is heated at a temperature equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature. Features.

According to another aspect of the invention, a film-shaped resin substrate is heated at a predetermined temperature, a resin layer is formed on the film-shaped resin substrate, and a semiconductor layer is formed on the resin layer by plasma. A step of forming a thin film transistor using the semiconductor layer by a CVD method; and the predetermined temperature is higher than a heating temperature in another step.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a pair of film-shaped resin substrates, a liquid crystal material held between the resin substrates, a pixel electrode formed on at least one surface of the pair of resin substrates, A thin-film transistor connected to the pixel electrode, wherein the thin-film transistor is formed on a resin substrate, and a resin layer for flattening the surfaces is formed on a surface of the pair of film-shaped resin substrates. It is characterized by having been done.

FIG. 3 shows a specific example of the above configuration. FIG.
Has a pair of resin substrates 301 and 302, a liquid crystal material 309 held between these resin substrates, and a pixel electrode 3.
06, thin film transistor 3 connected to pixel electrode 306
05, a resin layer 303 for flattening the surface of the resin substrate 301 is shown.

[0021]

[Embodiment 1] This embodiment is an Inverted
An example in which a staged thin film transistor is formed over a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) substrate which is an organic resin substrate will be described.

First, as shown in FIG.
m PET film 101 is prepared, and a heat treatment for degassing is applied. This heat treatment needs to be performed at a temperature equal to or higher than the highest temperature applied in a later process.
In the process shown in this embodiment, the temperature of 160 ° C. at the time of forming the amorphous silicon film by the plasma CVD method is the maximum heating temperature, so the heat treatment for measuring the degassing from the PET film is 180 Perform at ° C.

An acrylic resin layer 102 is formed on the PET film. For example, methyl acrylate can be used as the acrylic resin. The acrylic resin layer 102 is for preventing oligomers from being generated on the surface of the PET film in a later process in which heat is applied. In addition, the acrylic resin layer 102 has a function of flattening irregularities on the surface of the PET film. In general, the surface of the PET film usually has irregularities on the order of several hundreds of .mu.m to 1 .mu.m. Such irregularities have a large electrical effect on a semiconductor layer having a thickness of several hundreds of square meters. Therefore, it is very important to flatten the base on which the semiconductor layer is formed.

Next, a gate electrode 103 made of aluminum
To form This gate electrode is formed by sputtering an aluminum film of 2000 to 5000 (here, 3 .ANG.).
This is performed by forming a film to a thickness of 000 °) and performing a known patterning by a photolithography process. Etching is performed so that the side surface of the pattern is tapered. (Fig. 1 (A))

Next, a silicon oxide film 104 functioning as a gate insulating film is formed to a thickness of 1000 ° by a sputtering method.
Instead of a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film may be used as the gate insulating film.

Next, a substantially genuine (I-type) amorphous silicon film 105 is formed to a thickness of 500 ° by plasma CVD. The film forming conditions are described below.

Film formation temperature (temperature for heating the substrate) 160 ° C. Reaction pressure 0.5 Torr RF (13.56 MHz) 20 mW / cm ² Reaction gas SiH ₄ Here, film formation is performed using a parallel plate type plasma CVD apparatus. The heating is a heating temperature of the substrate by a heater arranged in a substrate stage on which the resin substrate is placed.
Thus, the state shown in FIG. 1B is obtained.

In a further step, a silicon oxide film functioning as an etching stopper is formed by sputtering.
Etching stopper 1 by patterning
06 is formed.

Next, an N-type amorphous silicon film 107 is formed to a thickness of 300 ° by a parallel plate type plasma CVD method. The film forming conditions are described below. Film formation temperature (temperature for heating the substrate) 160 ° C. Reaction pressure 0.5 Torr RF (13.56 MHz) 20 mW / cm ² Reaction gas B ₂ H ₆ / SiH ₄ = 1/100

Thus, the state shown in FIG. 1C is obtained. Thereafter, the N-type amorphous silicon film 107 is substantially genuine (I
The amorphous silicon film 105 is patterned by dry etching. Then, an aluminum film is formed to a thickness of 3000 ° by a sputtering method. Further, the source electrode 108 and the drain electrode 109 are formed by etching the aluminum film and the N-type amorphous silicon film thereunder. In this etching step, the source / drain is reliably separated by the action of the etching stopper 106. (Fig. 1 (D))

Then, an interlayer insulating layer 110 is formed to a thickness of 6000 ° using a silicon oxide film or a resin material such as polyimide. In the case of forming a silicon oxide film, a coating solution for forming a silicon oxide film may be used. Finally, a contact hole is formed, and the pixel electrode 111 is formed using ITO. As described above, a thin film transistor provided in each pixel electrode of an active matrix liquid crystal display device can be obtained using a resin substrate having a light-transmitting property. (FIG. 1 (E))

[Embodiment 2] This embodiment shows an example in which an active matrix type liquid crystal display device is constructed using the thin film transistor shown in Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 shows a cross section of the liquid crystal electro-optical device shown in this embodiment.

In FIG. 3, reference numerals 301 and 302 denote PET films having a thickness of 100 μm which constitute a pair of substrates. An acrylic resin layer 303 functions as a flattening layer. 306 is a pixel electrode. FIG. 3 shows a configuration for two pixels.

Reference numeral 304 denotes a counter electrode. 307 and 308 are alignment films for aligning the liquid crystal 309. Liquid crystal 3
For 09, a TN liquid crystal, an STN liquid crystal, a ferroelectric liquid crystal, or the like can be used. Generally, a TN liquid crystal is used. The thickness of the liquid crystal layer is several μm to 10 μm.
Degrees are utilized.

The pixel electrode 306 has a thin film transistor 3
05 is connected, and the electric charge flowing into and out of the pixel electrode 306 is controlled by the thin film transistor 305. Here, the configuration of one pixel electrode 306 is shown as a representative, but similar configurations are formed in other required numbers.

In the configuration shown in FIG.
Since 01 and 302 have flexibility, the entire liquid crystal panel can be made flexible.

Embodiment 3 This embodiment is directed to a Coplanar liquid crystal display device used for an active matrix type liquid crystal display device.
An example in the case of manufacturing a thin film transistor is shown. FIG.
The steps for manufacturing the thin film transistor described in this embodiment are described below.
First, as a film-shaped organic resin substrate, a thickness of 100 μm
Is prepared. Then, heat treatment at 180 ° C. is added to promote degasification from the PET film. Then, a layer 202 made of an acrylic resin is formed on the surface. Here, ethyl acrylate is used as the acrylic resin.

Next, a substantially genuine (I-type) semiconductor layer 203 in which a channel formation region is formed is formed by a plasma CVD method. The film forming conditions are described below. Film formation temperature (temperature for heating the substrate) 160 ° C. Reaction pressure 0.5 Torr RF (13.56 MHz) 20 mW / cm ² Reaction gas SiH ₄ Here, film formation is performed using a parallel plate type plasma CVD apparatus.

Further, an N-type amorphous silicon film is formed to a thickness of 300 ° by a parallel plate type plasma CVD method. The film forming conditions are described below. Film formation temperature (temperature for heating the substrate) 160 ° C. Reaction pressure 0.5 Torr RF (13.56 MHz) 20 mW / cm ² Reaction gas B ₂ H ₆ / SiH ₄ = 1/100

Then, the source region 205 and the drain region 204 are formed by patterning the N-type amorphous silicon film. (Fig. 2 (A))

Then, a gate insulating film 206 is formed by forming a silicon oxide film or a silicon nitride film serving as a gate insulating film by a sputtering method and performing patterning. Further, a gate electrode 207 is formed of aluminum. (FIG. 2 (B))

Next, a polyimide layer 20 is used as an interlayer insulating film.
8 is formed to a thickness of 5000 °. Further, a contact hole is formed, and an ITO electrode 209 serving as a pixel electrode is formed by a sputtering method, thereby completing a thin film transistor.
(Fig. 2 (C))

[Embodiment 4] In this embodiment, an example in which the semiconductor layer is formed of a microcrystalline semiconductor film in the structure shown in Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2 will be described. First, film forming conditions when a substantially genuine semiconductor layer is a microcrystalline semiconductor layer will be described. Film formation temperature (temperature for heating the substrate) 160 ° C. Reaction pressure 0.5 Torr RF (13.56 MHz) 150 mW / cm ² Reaction gas SiH ₄ / H ₂ = 1/30 Here, a parallel plate type plasma CVD apparatus is used. Perform the membrane.

Next, conditions for forming an N-type microcrystalline silicon film will be described. Also in this case, the parallel plate type plasma CV
This is an example of a case where film formation is performed using a D apparatus. Film formation temperature (temperature for heating the substrate) 160 ° C. Reaction pressure 0.5 Torr RF (13.56 MHz) 150 mW / cm ² Reaction gas B ₂ H ₆ / SiH ₄ = 1/100

Generally, the input power is 100 to 200 mW
/ Cm ² , a microcrystalline silicon film can be obtained. In the case of an I-type semiconductor layer, in addition to increasing the power, it is effective to dilute silane about 10 to 50 times with hydrogen. However, when hydrogen dilution is performed, the film formation rate is reduced.

[Embodiment 5] In this embodiment, a silicon film formed by a plasma CVD method as shown in another embodiment is used.
The present invention relates to a configuration in which a laser beam is irradiated with a power that does not heat a film-shaped base (substrate).

Laser light (eg, KrF excimer laser light) is applied to an amorphous silicon film formed on a glass substrate.
There is known a technique for irradiating the film with a material to transform the film into a crystalline silicon film. After the impurity ions imparting one conductivity type are implanted into the silicon film, the silicon film is irradiated with laser light to be crystallized (the silicon film becomes amorphous by ion implantation) and to activate the impurity ions. Techniques for performing are known.

The configuration shown in the present embodiment utilizes the above-described laser beam irradiation process, and the amorphous silicon film 105 shown in FIG. 1 and the amorphous silicon films 203 and 20 shown in FIG.
4 is irradiated with a very weak laser beam to crystallize the amorphous silicon film. In the case where the film formed in advance is a microcrystalline silicon film, its crystallinity can be improved.

As a laser beam, a KrF excimer laser or a XeCl excimer laser may be used. The irradiation energy is 10 to 50 mJ / cm ² ,
It is important that the resin substrate 101 or 201 is not thermally damaged.

[0050]

According to the invention disclosed in this specification, in an active matrix type liquid crystal display device, the thickness of the device itself can be reduced.・ The weight can be reduced. -It is possible to obtain a substrate that does not break the substrate due to external force. -A product having flexibility can be obtained. Such a liquid crystal display device can be used for a wide range of applications and is extremely useful.

In the present invention, an active matrix type liquid crystal display device constituted by using thin film transistors as described above can be used as a card type calculator, a portable computer, and a portable electronic device such as various communication devices. That is, when used in a portable electronic device (see
01-0007 paragraph), as described in the above paragraph 0050, etc., since the thickness of the active matrix type liquid crystal display device can be reduced and the weight can be reduced, the portable electronic device with reduced weight can be used. can do. In particular, in the case of a card-type electronic device, a card-type electronic device having flexibility (flexibility) that is not damaged even when some stress is applied can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a manufacturing process of a thin film transistor of an example.

FIG. 2 illustrates a manufacturing process of a thin film transistor of an example.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a cross section of a liquid crystal panel.

[Explanation of symbols]

101, 201 PET film substrate (polyethylene terephthalate) 301, 302 A pair of resin substrates 102, 202 Acrylic resin layer 303 Resin layer 103, 207 Gate electrode 104, 206 Gate insulating film 105, 203 Substantially genuine amorphous silicon film 106 etching stopper layer 107 N-type amorphous silicon film 108 source electrode 109 drain electrode 110 interlayer insulating film 111, 209 pixel electrode 205 source region 204 drain region 304 counter electrode 305 thin film transistor 306 pixel electrode 307, 308 alignment film 309 liquid crystal material

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification FI FI Theme Court ゛ (Reference) // C08L 101: 00 H01L 29/78 626C (72) Inventor Satoshi Teramoto 398 Hase, Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Inc. F-term in the Semiconductor Energy Research Laboratory (reference) 2H090 HB07X JB03 JC03 JD13 LA04 2H092 JA26 PA06 RA10 4F006 AA35 AA39 AA40 AB24 BA00 CA08 EA05 5F110 AA30 BB01 CC01 CC07 DD01 DD12 DD25 EE03 EE23 GG03 GG28 GG02 GG02 GG02 FF28 HK09 HK14 HK15 HK16 HK21 HK33 HK35 HL07 NN02 NN04 NN12 NN23 NN27 NN34 NN72 PP03 QQ19

Claims (23)

[Claims] 1. A semiconductor device comprising a flexible resin substrate, a resin layer provided above the flexible resin substrate, and a thin film transistor provided above the resin layer. Portable electronic devices. 2. A semiconductor device comprising a flexible plastic substrate, a resin layer provided above the flexible plastic substrate, and a thin film transistor provided above the resin layer. Portable electronic devices. 3. A portable electronic device comprising a flexible substrate, a resin layer provided above the flexible substrate, and a semiconductor device having a thin film transistor provided above the resin layer. A portable electronic device, wherein the flexible substrate is a polyethylene terephthalate substrate, a polyethylene naphthalate substrate, a polyethylene sulphite substrate or a polyimide substrate. 4. A semiconductor device having a flexible resin substrate, a resin layer provided above the flexible resin substrate, and an inverted staggered thin film transistor provided above the resin layer. Portable electronic device characterized by the above-mentioned. 5. A semiconductor device having a flexible plastic substrate, a resin layer provided above the flexible plastic substrate, and an inverted staggered thin film transistor provided above the resin layer. Portable electronic device characterized by the above-mentioned. 6. A portable device comprising a flexible substrate, a resin layer provided above the flexible substrate, and a semiconductor device having an inverted staggered thin film transistor provided above the resin layer. A portable electronic device, wherein the flexible substrate is a polyethylene terephthalate substrate, a polyethylene naphthalate substrate, a polyethylene sulfite substrate, or a polyimide substrate. 7. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate has irregularities. 8. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said resin layer is an acrylic resin layer. 9. The resin layer according to claim 1, wherein the resin layer is a methyl acrylate layer, an ethyl acrylate layer, a butyl acrylate layer or a 2-ethylhexyl acrylate layer. A portable electronic device, comprising: 10. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the resin layer is flat. 11. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a card-type computer. 12. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a portable computer. 13. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a communication device. 14. A semiconductor device having a flexible resin substrate, a resin layer provided above the flexible resin substrate, and a thin film transistor provided above the resin layer. Card type electronic equipment. 15. A semiconductor device having a flexible plastic substrate, a resin layer provided above the flexible plastic substrate, and a thin film transistor provided above the resin layer. Card type electronic equipment. 16. A card-type electronic device comprising a flexible substrate, a resin layer provided above the flexible substrate, and a semiconductor device having a thin film transistor provided above the resin layer. A card-type electronic device, wherein the flexible substrate is a polyethylene terephthalate substrate, a polyethylene naphthalate substrate, a polyethylene sulphite substrate or a polyimide substrate. 17. A semiconductor device having a flexible resin substrate, a resin layer provided above the flexible resin substrate, and an inverted staggered thin film transistor provided above the resin layer. A card-type electronic device. 18. A semiconductor device having a flexible plastic substrate, a resin layer provided above the flexible plastic substrate, and an inverted staggered thin film transistor provided above the resin layer. A card-type electronic device. 19. A card comprising a flexible substrate, a resin layer provided above the flexible substrate, and a semiconductor device having an inverted staggered thin film transistor provided above the resin layer. A card-type electronic device, wherein the flexible substrate is a polyethylene terephthalate substrate, a polyethylene naphthalate substrate, a polyethylene sulfite substrate, or a polyimide substrate. 20. A card-type electronic device according to claim 14, wherein said flexible substrate has irregularities. 21. A card-type electronic device according to claim 14, wherein said resin layer is an acrylic resin layer. 22. The method according to claim 14, wherein the resin layer comprises a methyl acrylate layer, an ethyl acrylate layer, a butyl acrylate layer or a 2-ethylhexyl acrylate layer. A card-type electronic device, comprising: 23. A card-type electronic device according to claim 14, wherein a surface of said resin layer is flat.