JP2005268761A - Pattern forming method, thin film transistor, display, and those manufacturing method, and television receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display manufacturable while improving utilization of material and simplifying the making process, and its making method. <P>SOLUTION: One of the pattern forming methods is that in which a first area and a second area are formed, a composition containing pattern forming material is emitted to a range from the second area to the first area, a part of the composition emitted to the first area flows to the second area, and the second area is higher than the first area in wettability for the composition. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a pattern forming method, a thin film transistor, a manufacturing method thereof, a display device, a manufacturing method thereof, and a television apparatus using the same.

  A thin film transistor (hereinafter referred to as “TFT”) and an electronic circuit using the thin film transistor are manufactured by laminating various thin films such as a semiconductor, an insulator, and a conductor on a substrate and appropriately forming a predetermined pattern by a photolithography technique. Has been. Photolithographic technology is a technology that uses a light to transfer a circuit pattern or other pattern formed on a transparent flat plate called a photomask onto a target substrate. It is widely used in the manufacturing process.

  In the manufacturing process using the conventional photolithography technology, a multi-step process such as exposure, development, baking, and peeling is required only for handling a mask pattern formed using a photosensitive organic resin material called a photoresist. Become. Therefore, the manufacturing cost inevitably increases as the number of photolithography processes increases. In order to improve such problems, attempts have been made to manufacture TFTs by reducing the photolithography process (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 is merely a replacement of a part of the photolithography process performed a plurality of times in the TFT manufacturing process by the printing method, and drastically contributes to the reduction in the number of processes. It is not possible. In addition, an exposure apparatus used for transferring a mask mask pattern in photolithography technology transfers a pattern of several microns to 1 micron or less by 1x projection exposure or reduced projection exposure. It is technically difficult to collectively expose a large area substrate having a thickness exceeding 1 meter.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-251259

  The present invention reduces the number of photolithography processes in the manufacturing process of a TFT, an electronic circuit using the TFT, and a display device formed by the TFT, simplifies the manufacturing process, and a large-area substrate whose one side exceeds 1 meter. Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique that can be manufactured at a low cost and with a high yield.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of forming a pattern such as a wiring constituting these display devices in a desired shape with good controllability.

  The display device of the present invention includes a light-emitting element and a TFT in which a medium including light-emitting organic matter or a mixture of organic and inorganic substances called electroluminescence (hereinafter also referred to as “EL”) is interposed between electrodes. And a liquid crystal display device using a liquid crystal element having a liquid crystal material as a display element.

    In the pattern forming method of the present invention, a first region and a second region are formed, a composition containing a pattern forming material is discharged from the second region to the first region, and the composition is discharged to the first region. A part of the product is caused to flow into the second region, and the wettability with respect to the composition is higher in the second region than in the first region.

    In the pattern formation method of the present invention, a mask is selectively formed in a formation region, the first region is formed using the mask, the mask is removed, the second region is formed, and the second region is removed. A composition containing a pattern forming material is discharged over the first region, a part of the composition discharged to the first region is caused to flow into the second region, and the wettability with respect to the composition is higher than that of the first region. The second area is high.

    In the pattern forming method of the present invention, a photocatalytic material is selectively formed in a formation region, a first region is formed on the formation region and the photocatalytic material, light is irradiated to the photocatalytic material, and a second region is formed. Forming, discharging a composition containing a pattern forming material from the second region to the first region, causing a part of the composition discharged to the first region to flow into the second region, and wetting the composition The second region is higher than the first region.

    In the pattern formation method of the present invention, the first region is formed in the formation region, the first region is selectively irradiated with light, the second region is formed, and the second region to the first region are formed. A composition containing a pattern forming material is discharged over a portion, and a part of the composition discharged to the first region is caused to flow into the second region. The wettability with respect to the composition is higher than that of the first region. Is expensive.

    In the method for manufacturing a thin film transistor of the present invention, a first region and a second region are formed, a composition containing a conductive material is discharged from the second region to the first region, and discharged to the first region. A part of the composition is caused to flow into the second region to form an electrode layer, and the wettability to the composition is formed so that the second region is higher than the first region.

  In the method for manufacturing a thin film transistor of the present invention, a first region and a second region are formed, a composition containing a conductive material is discharged from the second region to the first region, and discharged to the first region. A part of the composition is caused to flow into the second region, an electrode layer is formed, a conductive material is discharged to the second region in contact with the electrode layer, a wiring layer is formed, and wettability to the composition is increased. The second region is formed higher than the first region.

    In the method for manufacturing a thin film transistor of the present invention, a photocatalytic substance is selectively formed in a formation region, a first region is formed over the formation region and the photocatalytic material, light is irradiated to the photocatalytic material, and the second region is formed. And discharging a composition containing a conductive material from the second region to the first region, causing a portion of the composition discharged to the first region to flow into the second region, and The wettability to the composition is higher in the second region than in the first region.

    In the method for manufacturing a thin film transistor of the present invention, a first region and a second region are formed, a composition containing a mask formation material is discharged from the second region to the first region, and then discharged to the first region. A part of the composition including the mask forming material is caused to flow into the second region, a mask is formed, a part of the first region is removed using the mask, a third region is formed, and the mask is formed. The fourth region is removed, the composition containing the conductive material is discharged from the third region so as to cross the fourth region, and the composition containing the conductive material in the fourth region is discharged to the third region. The first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are flowed to the region, a part of the composition discharged to the first region is flowed to the second region, and the composition containing the mask forming material is applied. The wettability is higher in the second region than in the first region, and wettability with respect to the composition containing the conductive material. , The third region than the fourth region is high.

  In the above structure, the electrode layer can be formed as a gate electrode layer and the wiring layer can be formed as a gate wiring layer, whereby a display device can be manufactured. In the above structure, the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer can be formed as a source electrode layer or a drain electrode layer, whereby a display device can be manufactured.

    The thin film transistor of the present invention has a wiring layer provided on an insulating surface having a first region and a second region, and an electrode layer in contact with the wiring layer, and the wiring layer is provided in the second region, The electrode layer is provided in the first region, and the wettability with respect to the electrode layer and the wiring layer is higher in the second region than in the first region.

  The thin film transistor of the present invention has a wiring layer provided on an insulating surface having a first region and a second region, and an electrode layer in contact with the wiring layer, and the wiring layer is provided in the second region, The electrode layer is provided in the first region, and the wettability with respect to the electrode layer and the wiring layer is higher in the second region than in the first region, and the electrode layer is narrower and thinner than the wiring layer.

  A display device of the present invention includes a gate wiring layer provided over an insulating surface having a first region and a second region, and a thin film transistor including a gate electrode layer in contact with the gate wiring layer. Provided in the second region, the gate electrode layer is provided in the first region, and the wettability with respect to the gate electrode layer and the gate wiring layer is higher in the second region than in the first region.

  A display device of the present invention includes a gate wiring layer provided over an insulating surface having a first region and a second region, and a thin film transistor including a gate electrode layer in contact with the gate wiring layer. Provided in the second region, the gate electrode layer is provided in the first region, and the wettability with respect to the gate electrode layer and the gate wiring layer is higher in the second region than in the first region. Narrower and thinner than the wiring layer.

  The television device of the present invention has a display screen using a display device having a gate wiring layer provided over an insulating surface having a first region and a second region, and a thin film transistor including a gate electrode layer in contact with the gate wiring layer. The gate wiring layer is provided in the second region, the gate electrode layer is provided in the first region, and the wettability with respect to the gate electrode layer and the gate wiring layer is higher in the second region than in the first region. high.

  The television device of the present invention has a display screen using a display device having a gate wiring layer provided over an insulating surface having a first region and a second region, and a thin film transistor including a gate electrode layer in contact with the gate wiring layer. The gate wiring layer is provided in the second region, the gate electrode layer is provided in the first region, and the wettability with respect to the gate electrode layer and the gate wiring layer is higher in the second region than in the first region. The gate electrode layer is narrower and thinner than the gate wiring layer.

  In the above structure, the first region can be formed by forming a substance having a fluorine carbon chain (fluorocarbon chain) which is a substance having fluorine. Further, titanium oxide can be used as a photocatalytic substance.

  According to the present invention, a desired pattern can be formed with good controllability, material loss is small, and cost reduction can be achieved. Therefore, a high-performance and highly reliable display device can be manufactured with high yield.

(Embodiment 1)
Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following description, and it is easily understood by those skilled in the art that modes and details can be variously changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the description of the embodiments below. Note that in structures of the present invention described below, the same portions or portions having similar functions are denoted by the same reference numerals in different drawings, and description thereof is not repeated.

FIG. 29A is a top view illustrating a structure of a display panel according to the present invention. A pixel portion 2701 in which pixels 2702 are arranged in a matrix over a substrate 2700 having an insulating surface, a scan line side input terminal 2703, a signal A line side input terminal 2704 is formed. The number of pixels may be provided in accordance with various standards. For XGA, 1024 × 768 × 3 (RGB), for UXGA, 1600 × 1200 × 3 (RGB), and for full specification high vision, 1920 × 1080. X3 (RGB) may be used.

  The pixels 2702 are arranged in a matrix by a scan line extending from the scan line side input terminal 2703 and a signal line extending from the signal line side input terminal 2704 intersecting. Each of the pixels 2702 includes a switching element and a pixel electrode connected to the switching element. A typical example of the switching element is a TFT. By connecting the gate electrode side of the TFT to a scanning line and the source or drain side to a signal line, each pixel can be controlled independently by a signal input from the outside. Yes.

  A TFT includes a semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer, and a gate electrode layer as main components, and a wiring layer connected to a source region and a drain region formed in the semiconductor layer is attached to the TFT. Structurally, the top gate type in which the semiconductor layer, the gate insulating layer and the gate electrode layer are arranged from the substrate side, and the bottom gate type in which the gate electrode layer, the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer are arranged from the substrate side are representative. In the present invention, any of those structures may be used.

  As a material for forming the semiconductor layer, an amorphous semiconductor (hereinafter also referred to as “AS”) manufactured by a vapor deposition method or a sputtering method using a semiconductor material gas typified by silane or germane is used. A polycrystalline semiconductor crystallized using energy or thermal energy, a semi-amorphous semiconductor (also referred to as microcrystal or microcrystal, hereinafter also referred to as “SAS”), or the like can be used.

SAS is a semiconductor having an intermediate structure between amorphous and crystalline structures (including single crystal and polycrystal) and having a third state that is stable in terms of free energy and has a short-range order and a lattice. It includes a crystalline region with strain. A crystal region of 0.5 to 20 nm can be observed in at least a part of the film, and when silicon is the main component, the Raman spectrum shifts to a lower wave number side than 520 cm ^−1. Yes. In X-ray diffraction, diffraction peaks of (111) and (220) that are derived from the silicon crystal lattice are observed. At least 1 atomic% or more of hydrogen or halogen is contained as a neutralizing agent for dangling bonds. The SAS is formed by glow discharge decomposition (plasma CVD) of a silicide gas. As the silicide gas, SiH ₄ , Si ₂ H ₆ , SiH ₂ Cl ₂ , SiHCl ₃ , SiCl ₄ , SiF _{4, and the} like can be used. Further, F ₂ and GeF ₄ may be mixed. This silicide gas may be diluted with H ₂ , or H ₂ and one or more kinds of rare gas elements selected from He, Ar, Kr, and Ne. The dilution rate is in the range of 2 to 1000 times, the pressure is in the range of approximately 0.1 Pa to 133 Pa, and the power supply frequency is 1 MHz to 120 MHz, preferably 13 MHz to 60 MHz. The substrate heating temperature is preferably 300 ° C. or lower, and can be formed even at a substrate heating temperature of 100 to 200 ° C. Here, as an impurity element mainly taken in at the time of film formation, it is desirable that impurities derived from atmospheric components such as oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon be 1 × 10 ²⁰ cm ⁻³ or less, and in particular, the oxygen concentration is 5 × 10 5. It is preferable to be ¹⁹ cm ⁻³ or less, preferably 1 × 10 ¹⁹ cm ⁻³ or less. Further, by adding a rare gas element such as helium, argon, krypton, or neon to further promote lattice distortion, stability is improved and a favorable SAS can be obtained. In addition, a SAS layer formed of a hydrogen-based gas may be stacked on a SAS layer formed of a fluorine-based gas as a semiconductor layer.

  FIG. 29A shows the structure of a display panel in which signals input to the scanning lines and signal lines are controlled by an external driver circuit. As shown in FIG. 30A, a COG (Chip on The driver IC 2751 may be mounted on the substrate 2700 by the Glass method. As another mounting form, a TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) method as shown in FIG. 30B may be used. The driver IC may be formed on a single crystal semiconductor substrate or may be a circuit in which a TFT is formed on a glass substrate. In FIG. 30, the driver IC 2751 is connected to an FPC (Flexible printed circuit) 2750.

  In the case where a TFT provided for a pixel is formed using SAS, a scan line driver circuit 3702 can be formed over a substrate 3700 and integrated as shown in FIG. In FIG. 29B, the pixel portion 3701 is controlled by an external driver circuit as in FIG. 29A connected to the signal line side input terminal 3704. In the case where a TFT provided for a pixel is formed using a polycrystalline (microcrystalline) semiconductor, a single crystal semiconductor, or the like with high mobility, a pixel portion 4701, a scan line driver circuit 4702, a signal line, and a signal line as illustrated in FIG. The driver circuit 4704 can be formed over the substrate 4700 integrally.

    An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1A to 1D are top views of the pattern, and FIGS. 1E to 1H are cross-sectional views taken along line GH in FIGS. 1A to 1D. 1A to 1H correspond to (A) and (E), (B) and (F), (C) and (G), and (D) and (H), respectively.

  The present invention selectively selects at least one or more of patterns necessary for manufacturing a display panel, such as a conductive layer for forming a wiring layer or an electrode, or a mask layer for forming a predetermined pattern. A display device is manufactured by forming a pattern by a method capable of forming a pattern. As a method for selectively forming a pattern, a conductive layer, an insulating layer, or the like is formed, and droplets of a composition prepared for a specific purpose are selectively ejected (ejected) to form a predetermined pattern. A possible droplet discharge (ejection) method (also called an inkjet method depending on the method) is used. In addition, a method by which a pattern can be transferred or drawn, for example, a printing method (a method for forming a pattern such as screen printing or offset printing) can be used.

  This embodiment uses a method of forming a pattern by ejecting (ejecting) a composition including a pattern whose pattern is a fluid as droplets. A droplet containing a pattern forming material is discharged onto a pattern formation region, and fixed by baking, drying, or the like. In the present invention, pre-processing is performed on the pattern formation region.

  One mode of a droplet discharge device used for forming a pattern is shown in FIG. The individual heads 1405 and 1412 of the droplet discharge means 1403 are connected to the control means 1407, which can draw a pre-programmed pattern under the control of the computer 1410. The drawing timing may be performed with reference to a marker 1411 formed on the substrate 1400, for example. Alternatively, the reference point may be determined based on the edge of the substrate 1400. This is detected by an imaging means 1404 such as a CCD, and converted into a digital signal by the image processing means 1409 is recognized by the computer 1410 to generate a control signal and sent to the control means 1407. Of course, the information on the pattern to be formed on the substrate 1400 is stored in the storage medium 1408. Based on this information, a control signal is sent to the control means 1407, and each head 1405 of the droplet discharge means 1403 is sent. The heads 1412 can be individually controlled. The material to be discharged is supplied from the material supply source 1413 and the material supply source 1414 to the head 1405 and the head 1412 through piping.

    The inside of the head 1405 has a structure having a space filled with a liquid material as indicated by a dotted line 1406 and a nozzle that is a discharge port. Although not shown, the head 1412 has the same internal structure as the head 1405. When the nozzles of the head 1405 and the head 1412 are provided in different sizes, different materials can be drawn simultaneously with different widths. In addition, by selecting a material to be filled, a conductive material, an organic material, an inorganic material, or the like can be discharged and drawn with one head. In the case of drawing in a wide area such as an interlayer film, the same material may be simultaneously ejected from a plurality of nozzles in order to improve throughput. In the case of using a large substrate, the head 1405 and the head 1412 can freely scan on the substrate in the direction of the arrow to freely set a drawing area, and a plurality of the same pattern can be drawn on a single substrate. it can.

    In a pattern forming method such as a conductive layer using a droplet discharge method, a pattern is formed by discharging a pattern forming material processed into particles, and fusing or fusing and solidifying by firing. Therefore, the pattern shows a polycrystalline state having many grain boundaries, whereas a pattern formed by sputtering or the like shows a columnar structure.

    As shown in FIG. 1A, regions having different wettability with respect to the forming material are formed as pretreatments in the vicinity including the region where the pattern is formed on the substrate 50. This difference in wettability is a relative relationship between the two regions, and it is only necessary to have a difference in the degree of wettability with respect to the forming material in the formation region. A region having different wettability is a contact angle of the forming material different, and a region having a large contact angle of the forming material is a region having lower wettability (hereinafter also referred to as a low wettability region). A region having a small is a region with high wettability (hereinafter also referred to as a high wettability region). When the contact angle is large, the liquid composition having fluidity does not spread on the surface of the region and does not wet the surface, but when the contact angle is small, the composition having fluidity spreads on the surface and the surface is well covered. Because wetting. In the present invention, the difference in contact angle between the regions having different wettability is 30 degrees or more, preferably 40 degrees or more. In this embodiment mode, a mask 51 is formed, and a substance 52 having low wettability is formed in another region of the substrate 50 using the mask 51 (see FIGS. 1A and 1E). After that, by removing the mask 51, a region 53 and a region 64 having different wettability are formed (see FIGS. 1B and 1F). In the present embodiment, the low wettability region 64 is the low wettability region 64, and the high wettability region is the high wettability region 53.

  Next, the composition containing the pattern forming material is discharged as a droplet 55 by a droplet discharge method so as to extend over the high wettability region 53 and the low wettability region 64. The discharge of the composition may be started from either the high wettability region 53 or the low wettability region 64. The composition containing the pattern forming material is ejected as droplets 55 from the nozzle 54 to form a pattern 56 (see FIGS. 1C and 1G).

  Immediately after the discharge, the pattern forming material having fluidity that has the shape of the pattern 56 is not stabilized in the low wettability region 64 due to the difference in wettability of the region to be formed, and the high wettability and the low wettability region 64. Partly flows to the highly wettable region 53 from the boundary where the region 53 contacts. In the low wettability region 64 having low wettability with respect to the composition containing the pattern forming material, the composition containing the pattern forming material is not well wetted, so that the composition is difficult to stick, and the highly wettable region 53 is more stable. It will flow. As a result, the composition containing the pattern forming material that has taken the shape of the pattern 56 immediately after ejection changes its shape like the pattern 57 and stabilizes due to the difference in fluidity and wettability with respect to the formation region. Since a part of the pattern 57 formed on the low wettability region 64 flows into the high wettability region 53, the pattern 57 is made thinner than the pattern 56. Therefore, a pattern finer than the formed pattern can be freely formed by a droplet discharge method.

  Further, as a reverse effect, when a composition containing a pattern forming material is discharged only in the high wettability region, the droplets are repelled by the surrounding low wettability region, so that the high wettability region and the low wettability region are It functions as if there is a partition (bank) at the boundary. Therefore, even a composition containing a pattern forming material having fluidity remains in the high wettability region, so that it can be widened and thickened.

    When a fine pattern such as an electrode layer is to be formed using the present invention, even if the discharge port of the droplet is somewhat large, it can be thinned by allowing excess droplets to flow into the adjacent highly wettable region. . The pattern formed by flowing in the high wettability region may be removed by etching or the like, and over that, the pattern material is discharged and drawn to form a part of a wide pattern such as a wiring layer. Can do. In this case, it is possible to increase the width and thickness of the wiring by ejecting droplets only to the high wettability region surrounded by the low wettability region. According to the present invention, fine wirings, electrodes, and the like can be formed with high controllability, so that reliability is improved, loss of materials can be prevented, and manufacturing can be performed with high yield, so that cost can be reduced.

    In this embodiment mode, a substance with low wettability is formed as the pretreatment. However, depending on the formation conditions, the film thickness is extremely thin, and the form may not be maintained as a film. The formation method of the low wettability region (region with relatively low wettability) and the high wettability region (region with relatively high wettability) is not limited to this embodiment mode, and any method is used. Also good. In this embodiment mode, a substance with low wettability is selectively formed; however, a substance that improves wettability may be selectively formed. Whatever method is used, it is only necessary to form regions having different wettability in the formation region.

  Alternatively, a substance may be formed in the vicinity of the formation region, and processing for selectively increasing wettability and processing for decreasing wettability may be performed. For this treatment, heat treatment, light irradiation treatment with a laser, or the like can be used. For example, by irradiating UV light to the extent that a substance that lowers wettability decomposes, the substance that lowers wettability in the treatment area is decomposed and removed, thereby eliminating the effect of reducing wettability and forming a high wettability area. . In this case, the wavelength of the light may be appropriately selected depending on the substance that reduces the wettability to be used, but light having a high energy of 300 nm or less is preferable. A substance having an effect of improving adhesion may be formed as a base film over the vicinity of the formation region. In that case, a region having different wettability may be formed over the base film.

    As another method, a substance is selectively formed in a region where a high wettability region is to be formed in the vicinity of the formation region, and a material having an effect of reducing wettability is formed thereon. Thereafter, the substance formed in the high wettability region is activated by heat treatment or light irradiation treatment, so that the wettability can be improved and the high wettability region can be formed. As a substance that forms this highly wettable region, a substance having a photocatalytic function (hereinafter simply referred to as a photocatalytic substance) can be used. A substance having low wettability is formed on the photocatalyst material to form a low wettability region, and then light irradiation is performed. Since the selectively formed photocatalytic substance has photocatalytic activity, it can be activated by light irradiation to decompose and remove a substance having low wettability, thereby making the region highly wettable.

Photocatalytic materials include titanium oxide (TiO _x ), strontium titanate (SrTiO ₃ ), cadmium selenide (CdSe), potassium tantalate (KTaO ₃ ), cadmium sulfide (CdS), zirconium oxide (ZrO ₂ ), niobium oxide ( Nb ₂ O ₅ ), zinc oxide (ZnO), iron oxide (Fe ₂ O ₃ ), tungsten oxide (WO ₃ ) and the like are preferable. These photocatalytic substances may be irradiated with light in the ultraviolet region (wavelength 400 nm or less, preferably 380 nm or less) to cause photocatalytic activity.

  The photocatalytic substance is a sol-gel dip coating method, spin coating method, droplet discharge method, ion plating method, ion beam method, CVD method, sputtering method, RF magnetron sputtering method, plasma spraying method, plasma spraying method, or anode. It can be formed by an oxidation method. The substance may not have continuity as a film depending on the formation method. In the case of a photocatalytic substance made of an oxide semiconductor containing a plurality of metals, it can be formed by mixing and melting constituent element salts. When the photocatalytic substance is formed by a coating method such as dip coating or spin coating, baking or drying may be performed when it is necessary to remove the solvent. Specifically, heating may be performed at a predetermined temperature (for example, 300 ° C. or higher), and preferably performed in an atmosphere containing oxygen.

  By this heat treatment, the photocatalytic substance can have a predetermined crystal structure. For example, it has an anatase type and a rutile-anatase mixed type. In the low temperature phase, the anatase type is preferentially formed. Therefore, heating may be performed even when the photocatalytic substance does not have a predetermined crystal structure. Moreover, when forming by the apply | coating method, in order to obtain a predetermined film thickness, a photocatalyst substance can also be formed in multiple times.

  The mask 51 is made of a resin material such as an epoxy resin, an acrylic resin, a phenol resin, a novolac resin, a melamine resin, or a urethane resin. Also, using organic materials such as benzocyclobutene, parylene, flare, permeable polyimide, compound materials made by polymerization of siloxane polymers, composition materials containing water-soluble homopolymers and water-soluble copolymers, etc. And can be formed by a droplet discharge method. Alternatively, a commercially available resist material containing a photosensitizer may be used. For example, a novolak resin that is a typical positive resist and a naphthoquinonediazide compound that is a photosensitizer, a base resin that is a negative resist, diphenylsilanediol, and An acid generator or the like may be used. Whichever material is used, the surface tension and viscosity are appropriately adjusted by adjusting the concentration of the solvent or adding a surfactant or the like.

    In addition, the process of improving the wettability is to make a force (also referred to as an adhesion force or a fixing force) for retaining droplets discharged onto the region higher than that in the surrounding region. This also means that the region is modified by treatment such as irradiation (laser light or the like) to improve the adhesion to the droplet. Further, the wettability may be only on the surface that is in contact with the liquid droplet and is retained, and it is not always necessary to have the same property throughout the film thickness direction.

    A substance that changes wettability formed as a pretreatment after pattern formation may be left, or unnecessary portions may be removed after pattern formation. The removal can be performed using a pattern as a mask, and may be removed by ashing or etching with oxygen or the like.

As an example of the composition of the solution that forms the low wettability region, a silane coupling agent represented by a chemical formula of R _n —Si—X _(4-n) (n = 1, 2, 3) is used. Here, R is a substance containing a relatively inert group such as an alkyl group. X is a hydrolyzable group such as halogen, methoxy group, ethoxy group or acetoxy group, which can be bonded by condensation with a hydroxyl group on the substrate surface or adsorbed water.

Further, as a typical example of a silane coupling agent, wettability can be further reduced by using a fluorine-based silane coupling agent having a fluoroalkyl group in R (fluoroalkylsilane (hereinafter also referred to as FAS)). R of FAS has a structure represented by (CF ₃ ) (CF ₂ ) _x (CH ₂ ) _y (x: an integer of 0 or more and 10 or less, y: an integer of 0 or more and 4 or less), and a plurality of R Alternatively, when X is bonded to Si, R and X may all be the same or different. Typical FAS includes fluoroalkylsilanes such as heptadefluorotetrahydrodecyltriethoxysilane, heptadecafluorotetrahydrodecyltrichlorosilane, tridecafluorotetrahydrooctyltrichlorosilane, and trifluoropropyltrimethoxysilane.

  Solvents for the solution that forms the low wettability region include n-pentane, n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane, n-decane, dicyclopentane, benzene, toluene, xylene, durene, indene, tetrahydronaphthalene, deca Hydrocarbon solvents such as hydronaphthalene and squalane, tetrahydrofuran or the like can be used.

  In addition, as an example of a composition of a solution that forms the low wettability region, a substance having a fluorocarbon chain (fluorine resin) can be used. Examples of fluorine resins include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE; tetrafluoroethylene resin), perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA; tetrafluoroethylene perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer resin), and perfluoroethylene propene copolymer (PFEP; four fluoropolymer). Ethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer resin), ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE; tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer resin), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF; vinylidene fluoride resin), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE; trifluoroethylene chloride resin), ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer (ECTFE; trifluoroethylene chloride-ethylene copolymer resin), polytetrafluoroethylene-perfluorodioxide Rukoporima (TFE-PDD), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF; a vinyl fluoride resin), or the like can be used.

Alternatively, a low wettability region may be formed by using an organic material that does not form a low wettability region (that is, a high wettability region) and then performing a treatment with CF ₄ plasma or the like. For example, a material in which a water-soluble resin such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is mixed with a solvent such as H ₂ O can be used. Moreover, you may use combining PVA and another water-soluble resin. Organic material (organic resin material) (polyimide, acrylic) or skeleton structure is composed of a bond of silicon (Si) and oxygen (O), a material containing at least hydrogen as a substituent, or fluorine, alkyl group as a substituent, Alternatively, a material having at least one of aromatic hydrocarbons may be used. Further, even with a material having a low wettability region, wettability can be further reduced by performing plasma treatment or the like.

    In addition, a base film may be formed in order to improve the adhesion between the pattern and the formation region. For example, when a silver-containing conductive material is applied on a substrate to form a silver wiring, a titanium oxide film may be formed on the substrate as a conductive film in order to improve adhesion. Since the titanium oxide film has good adhesion to a conductive material containing silver to be formed, reliability is improved.

  According to the present invention, a desired pattern can be formed with good controllability, material loss is small, and cost reduction can be achieved. Therefore, a high-performance and highly reliable display device can be manufactured with high yield.

(Embodiment 2)
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2A to 2D are top views of the pattern, and FIGS. 2E to 2H are cross-sectional views taken along line I-J in FIGS. 2A to 2D. 2A to 2H correspond to (A) and (E), (B) and (F), (C) and (G), and (D) and (H), respectively.

  In this embodiment, another example of forming a pattern using the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment, an example in which a pattern is thinned and formed is shown. However, in the present embodiment, an example in which the pattern is formed at fine intervals with good control is shown.

  In FIGS. 2A and 2E, the low wettability substance 52, which is an effective substance for imparting low wettability, is removed from the state of FIGS. 1D and 1H using the pattern 57 as a mask. State. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2B, the low wettability substance 52 remains only under the pattern 57, and the surrounding region is a high wettability region 65. The high wettability region has high wettability because it does not have the material 52 with low wettability. Next, only the pattern 57 is removed by an etching method having a low wettability material 52 and a high selectivity. The etching method may be a dry etching method, a wet etching method, or ashing. At this time, it is preferable to use an etching gas or an etchant having a high selectivity with respect to the substance having low wettability and the pattern forming material.

  When the pattern 57 is removed, the remaining low wettability substance 52 forms a low wettability region 58 and appears on the uppermost surface of the substrate. The contact angle of the composition containing the pattern material to be formed later is higher in the high wettability region 65 than in the low wettability region 58. The difference in contact angle is preferably 40 degrees or more. Since the low wettability region 58 is formed by using the thinned pattern 57 as a mask according to the present invention, it has a thinned shape (see FIGS. 2B and 2F). A composition containing a pattern forming material is crossed over the low wettability region 58 and straddles the surrounding high wettability region 65 as a liquid droplet 61 from the nozzle 60 to form a pattern 59. . Also in the present embodiment, the composition including this pattern forming material has low wettability with respect to the low wettability region 65 as in the first embodiment, and has a large contact angle.

  Therefore, immediately after discharge, the composition containing the pattern forming material having the fluidity which has been in the shape of the pattern 59 is not stabilized on the low wettability region 58 due to the difference in wettability of the formation region. It flows from the boundary in contact with the wettability region 65 to the high wettability region 65. In the low wettability region 58 having low wettability with respect to the composition containing the pattern forming material, the composition containing the pattern forming material is not well wetted, so that the composition is difficult to stick to the highly wettable region 65 with higher stability. It will flow. As a result, the composition containing the pattern forming material that has taken the shape of the pattern 59 immediately after ejection changes its shape like the pattern 62 and the pattern 63 and is stable due to the difference in fluidity and wettability with respect to the formation region. . Therefore, a space can be formed between the pattern 62 and the pattern 63 with a small width and good controllability, and when the pattern 62 and the pattern 63 are electrode layers, defects such as a short circuit can be prevented. The present invention enables high-definition and highly reliable display devices to be manufactured with high yield because wiring and the like can be formed with good controllability even if they are densely and complicatedly arranged by downsizing and thinning. can do.

(Embodiment 3)
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 38A to 38D are top views of the patterns.

    In this embodiment, an example in which the thinned pattern formed in Embodiment 1 is formed longer and a long fine pattern is formed.

  On the substrate 70, a plurality of masks 71a, 71b, and 71c are formed at intervals. After that, a substance 72 having low wettability is formed using the mask 71a, the mask 71b, and the mask 71c (see FIG. 38A). Thereafter, the mask 71a, the mask 71b, and the mask 71c are removed by etching. A low wettability region 78, a high wettability region 73a, a high wettability region 73b, and a high wettability region 73c are selectively formed over the substrate 70 (see FIG. 38B).

    Thereafter, a composition containing a flowable pattern forming material is used as droplets, and droplet discharge is performed so as to cross the high wettability region 73a, the high wettability region 73b, and the high wettability region 73c and straddle the low wettability region. Discharge by the method. The composition containing the pattern forming material is discharged as droplets from the nozzle to form a pattern 76 (FIG. 38C).

  Immediately after the discharge, the pattern forming material having fluidity that has the shape of the pattern 76 is not stabilized in the low wettability region 78 due to the difference in wettability of the formation region, and the low wettability region 78 and the high wettability. From the boundary where the region 73a, the high wettability region 73b, and the high wettability region 73c are in contact, partly flows to the adjacent high wettability region 73a, high wettability region 73b, and high wettability region 73c. In the low wettability region 78 having low wettability with respect to the composition containing the pattern forming material, the composition containing the pattern forming material is not well wetted. Therefore, the composition is difficult to stick, and the highly wettable region 73a having higher stability. This is because it flows to the high wettability region 73b and the high wettability region 73c. As a result, the composition containing the pattern forming material having the shape of the pattern 76 immediately after the discharge changes its shape like the pattern 77 and stabilizes due to the difference in fluidity and wettability with respect to the formation region. A part of the pattern 77 formed on the low wettability region 78 flows into the high wettability region 73a, the high wettability region 73b, and the high wettability region 73c, so that the pattern 77 is made thinner than the pattern 76. The amount of fluid flowing into the highly wettable region can be controlled by the area of the highly wettable region, the high wettability region, the difference in contact angle, and the viscosity and amount of the composition having the pattern material to be discharged. When a conductive material is used as the pattern material, long and fine wiring can be formed with good controllability. In addition, when the high wettability region is a region corresponding to a non-opening portion such as an intersection of bus line lines in which a wide wiring is used, a display device can be manufactured without reducing the aperture ratio of the pixel.

  According to the present invention, not only the pattern can be formed finely, but also its length can be freely formed, and the degree of freedom in designing the pattern shape is improved. In addition, even if the wiring and the like are designed to be dense and complicated by downsizing and thinning, they can be formed with good controllability, so a high-definition and highly reliable display device can be manufactured with high yield. Can do.

(Embodiment 4)
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. More specifically, a method for manufacturing a display device to which the present invention is applied will be described. First, a method for manufacturing a display device having a channel-etched thin film transistor to which the present invention is applied will be described. 3 to 10 are top views of the display device pixel portion. FIGS. 11 to 18A are cross-sectional views taken along the line KL in FIGS. 3 to 10, and FIG. (C) is a sectional view taken along line BD.

  As the substrate 100, a glass substrate made of barium borosilicate glass, alumino borosilicate glass, or the like, a quartz substrate, a silicon substrate, a metal substrate, a stainless steel substrate, or a plastic substrate having heat resistance that can withstand the processing temperature in this manufacturing process is used. Further, polishing may be performed by a CMP method or the like so that the surface of the substrate 100 is planarized. Note that an insulating layer may be formed over the substrate 100. The insulating layer is formed as a single layer or a stacked layer using an oxide material or a nitride material containing silicon by a known method such as a CVD method, a plasma CVD method, a sputtering method, or a spin coating method. This insulating layer may not be formed, but has an effect of blocking contaminants from the substrate 100. In the case of forming a base layer for preventing contamination from the glass substrate, a plurality of regions having different wettability (a high wettability region and a low wettability region) are formed thereon.

    In this embodiment, in order to make a difference in wettability and form a high wettability region and a low wettability region, a high wettability region is covered with a mask and a region outside the mask is formed with a low wettability region. To reduce wettability. The difference in wettability can be confirmed by the contact angle, and the difference in contact angle is preferably 40 degrees or more. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be formed by various methods as shown in Embodiment Mode 1. In this embodiment mode, a mask 101 and a mask 125 are formed in a region where a gate wiring layer is to be formed later.

  The mask 101 and the mask 125 are a sol-gel dip coating method, a spin coating method, a droplet discharge method, an ion plating method, an ion beam method, a CVD method, a sputtering method, an RF magnetron sputtering method, a plasma spraying method, and a plasma spray method. , Can be formed. When the film is formed by a coating method such as a dip coating method or a spin coating method, it may be fired or dried when the solvent needs to be removed. If a method of directly forming a pattern in a formation region such as a droplet discharge method is used, patterning is not necessarily required, so that the process is simplified.

  For the mask 101 and the mask 125, a resin material such as an epoxy resin, an acrylic resin, a phenol resin, a novolac resin, a melamine resin, or a urethane resin is used. Also, using organic materials such as benzocyclobutene, parylene, flare, permeable polyimide, compound materials made by polymerization of siloxane polymers, composition materials containing water-soluble homopolymers and water-soluble copolymers, etc. And can be formed by a droplet discharge method. Alternatively, a commercially available resist material containing a photosensitizer may be used. For example, a novolak resin that is a typical positive resist and a naphthoquinonediazide compound that is a photosensitizer, a base resin that is a negative resist, diphenylsilanediol, and An acid generator or the like may be used. Whichever material is used, the surface tension and viscosity are appropriately adjusted by adjusting the concentration of the solvent or adding a surfactant or the like.

  In this embodiment mode, the mask 101 and the mask 125 are formed by a droplet discharge method using polyimide. The mask 101 and the mask 125 are only required to prevent formation of a substance with low wettability as a mask and are removed. Therefore, the film thickness and the shape may be designed as appropriate. A substance with low wettability is formed using the mask 101 and the mask 125 to form a low wettability region 102a and a low wettability region 102b (see FIGS. 3 and 11).

As an example of the composition of the solution that forms the low wettability region, a silane coupling agent represented by a chemical formula of R _n —Si—X _(4-n) (n = 1, 2, 3) is used. Here, R is a substance containing a relatively inert group such as an alkyl group. X is a hydrolyzable group such as halogen, methoxy group, ethoxy group or acetoxy group, which can be bonded by condensation with a hydroxyl group on the substrate surface or adsorbed water.

As a typical example of the silane coupling agent, wettability can be further reduced by using a fluorine-based silane coupling agent (fluoroalkylsilane) having a fluoroalkyl group in R. R of FAS has a structure represented by (CF ₃ ) (CF ₂ ) _x (CH ₂ ) _y (x: an integer of 0 or more and 10 or less, y: an integer of 0 or more and 4 or less), and a plurality of R Alternatively, when X is bonded to Si, R and X may all be the same or different. Typical FAS includes fluoroalkylsilanes such as heptadefluorotetrahydrodecyltriethoxysilane, heptadecafluorotetrahydrodecyltrichlorosilane, tridecafluorotetrahydrooctyltrichlorosilane, and trifluoropropyltrimethoxysilane.

  Solvents for the solution that forms the low wettability region include n-pentane, n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane, n-decane, dicyclopentane, benzene, toluene, xylene, durene, indene, tetrahydronaphthalene, deca Hydrocarbon solvents such as hydronaphthalene and squalane, tetrahydrofuran or the like can be used.

  In addition, as an example of a composition of a solution that forms the low wettability region, a material having a fluorocarbon chain (fluorine-based resin) can be used. Examples of fluorine resins include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE; tetrafluoroethylene resin), perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA; tetrafluoroethylene perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer resin), and perfluoroethylene propene copolymer (PFEP; four fluoropolymer). Ethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer resin), ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE; tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer resin), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF; vinylidene fluoride resin), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE; trifluoroethylene chloride resin), ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer (ECTFE; trifluoroethylene chloride-ethylene copolymer resin), polytetrafluoroethylene-perfluorodioxide Rukoporima (TFE-PDD), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF; a vinyl fluoride resin), or the like can be used.

Alternatively, an organic material that does not exhibit a low wettability region (that is, a high wettability region) may be used, and a treatment with CF ₄ plasma or the like may be performed later to form the low wettability region. For example, a material in which a water-soluble resin such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is mixed with a solvent such as H ₂ O can be used. Moreover, you may use combining PVA and another water-soluble resin. Organic material (organic resin material) (polyimide, acrylic) or skeleton structure is composed of a bond of silicon (Si) and oxygen (O), a material containing at least hydrogen as a substituent, or fluorine, alkyl group as a substituent, Alternatively, a material having at least one of aromatic hydrocarbons may be used. Furthermore, even with a material having a low wettability surface, wettability can be further reduced by performing plasma treatment or the like.

  In this embodiment mode, FAS is used as a substance having low wettability. In this embodiment mode, the entire surface is applied by a spin coating method, but may be selectively formed by a droplet discharge method or the like. In this case, the mask 101 and the mask 125 are not necessarily required. Thereafter, the mask 101 and the mask 125 are removed. Since the low wettability material is not formed in the formation region of the mask 101 and the mask 125, the high wettability region 130 and the high wettability region 126 are relatively high in wettability compared with the surroundings. (See FIGS. 4 and 12).

  The gate electrode layer 103 is formed by discharging a composition containing a conductive material from the nozzle 180a so as to extend over the low wettability region 102b and the high wettability region 130. Similarly, a composition containing a conductive material is discharged from the nozzle 180b so as to extend over the low wettability region 102b and the high wettability region 126 to form the gate electrode layer 127 (see FIGS. 5 and 13). Immediately after discharge, the composition containing a fluid conductive material in the shape of the gate electrode layer 103 and the gate electrode layer 127 has a low wettability region 102b due to a difference in wettability of the formation region. From the boundary where the low wettability region 102b and the high wettability region 130 are in contact with each other, and the boundary where the low wettability region 102b and the high wettability region 126 are in contact with each other, respectively. Partly flows. In the low wettability region 102b having high wettability with respect to the composition containing the conductive material, the composition containing the conductive material is not well wetted. Therefore, the composition is difficult to stick, and the highly wettable region 130 having higher stability. This is because it flows to the high wettability region 126. As a result, the composition containing a conductive material in the shape of the gate electrode layer 103 and the gate electrode layer 127 immediately after the discharge has a difference in fluidity and wettability with respect to a formation region. The shape is changed and stabilized like the layer 104. A part of the gate electrode layer 105 and the gate electrode layer 104 formed on the low wettability region 102 b flows into the high wettability region 130 and the high wettability region 126, so that the fine lines are formed from the gate electrode layer 103 and the gate electrode layer 127. Turn into. Therefore, the gate electrode layer 105 and the gate electrode layer 104 which are thinned to a desired thickness can be freely formed by a droplet discharge method (see FIGS. 6 and 14).

    The stable shape of the composition that flows from the low wettability region to the high wettability region depends on the difference in contact angle, surface tension, discharge rate, viscosity, solvent evaporation rate, etc. The distribution is also determined by the various factors mentioned above. Therefore, it is not limited to the shape of this embodiment mode. Further, the length of the gate electrode layer in the channel direction by thinning is preferably 10 μm or less, preferably 5 μm or less.

  According to the present invention, fine wirings, electrodes, and the like can be formed with high controllability, so that reliability is improved, loss of materials can be prevented, and manufacturing can be performed with high yield, so that cost can be reduced.

  Further, in order to improve adhesion to a pattern by a droplet discharge method as a base pretreatment, an organic material substance that functions as an adhesive may be formed. Organic material (organic resin material) (polyimide, acrylic) or skeleton structure is composed of a bond of silicon (Si) and oxygen (O), a material containing at least hydrogen as a substituent, or fluorine, alkyl group as a substituent, Alternatively, a material having at least one of aromatic hydrocarbons may be used.

  Next, the gate wiring layer 106 is formed in the highly wettable region 130 (see FIG. 7). At this time, the gate wiring layer 106 is formed so as to be electrically connected to a part of the gate electrode layer 105 previously formed. In this embodiment, the gate wiring layer 106 is formed by discharging a conductive composition by a droplet discharge method. Since the gate wiring layer 106 is in contact with the gate electrode layer 105 and is discharged onto the high wettability region 130, the low wettability region surrounding the periphery functions as a partition and is formed only in the high wettability region with good controllability. Is done. This is because even if the composition has fluidity, the low wettability region repels the composition. Therefore, even a composition containing a pattern forming material having fluidity remains in the high wettability region, so that the wiring can be controlled to be widened and thickened.

    The gate electrode layer 105, the gate electrode layer 104, and the gate wiring layer 106 are formed using a droplet discharge unit. The droplet discharge means is a general term for a device having means for discharging droplets such as a nozzle having a composition discharge port and a head having one or a plurality of nozzles. The nozzle diameter of the droplet discharge means is set to 0.02 to 100 μm (preferably 30 μm or less), and the discharge amount of the composition discharged from the nozzle is 0.001 pl to 100 pl (preferably). Is set to 0.1 pl or more and 40 pl or less, more preferably 10 pl or less. The discharge amount increases in proportion to the size of the nozzle diameter. In addition, the distance between the object to be processed and the nozzle outlet is preferably as close as possible in order to drop it at a desired location, preferably about 0.1 to 3 mm (preferably about 1 mm or less). Set.

  A composition in which a conductive material is dissolved or dispersed in a solvent is used as the composition discharged from the discharge port. Conductive materials include metals such as Ag, Au, Cu, Ni, Pt, Pd, Ir, Rh, W, and Al, metal sulfides of Cd, Zn, Fe, Ti, Si, Ge, Si, Zr, Ba It corresponds to oxides such as silver halide fine particles or dispersible nanoparticles. Further, it corresponds to indium tin oxide (ITO) used as a transparent conductive film, ITSO composed of indium tin oxide and silicon oxide, organic indium, organic tin, zinc oxide, titanium nitride, and the like. However, it is preferable to use a composition in which any of gold, silver and copper is dissolved or dispersed in a solvent in consideration of the specific resistance value, more preferably the composition discharged from the discharge port. It is preferable to use low resistance silver or copper. However, when silver or copper is used, a barrier film may be provided as a countermeasure against impurities. As the barrier film, a silicon nitride film or nickel boron (NiB) can be used.

  Alternatively, particles in which a conductive material is coated with another conductive material to form a plurality of layers may be used. For example, particles having a three-layer structure in which nickel boron (NiB) is coated around copper and silver is coated around it may be used. As the solvent, esters such as butyl acetate and ethyl acetate, alcohols such as isopropyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol, organic solvents such as methyl ethyl ketone and acetone, and water are used. The viscosity of the composition is preferably 20 mPa · s or less, in order to prevent drying from occurring or to smoothly discharge the composition from the discharge port. The surface tension of the composition is preferably 40 mN / m or less. However, the viscosity and the like of the composition may be appropriately adjusted according to the solvent to be used and the application. As an example, the viscosity of a composition in which ITO, organic indium, or organic tin is dissolved or dispersed in a solvent is 5 to 20 mPa · s, the viscosity of a composition in which silver is dissolved or dispersed in a solvent is 5 to 20 mPa · s, The viscosity of the composition in which gold is dissolved or dispersed in a solvent is preferably set to 5 to 20 mPa · s.

  The conductive layer may be a stack of a plurality of conductive materials. Alternatively, first, silver may be used as a conductive material, and a conductive layer may be formed by a droplet discharge method, followed by plating with copper or the like. Plating may be performed by electroplating or chemical (electroless) plating. For plating, the substrate surface may be immersed in a container filled with a solution having a plating material, but the substrate is placed at an angle (or vertically) so that the solution having the material to be plated flows on the substrate surface. It may be applied. When plating is performed so that the solution is applied while standing the substrate, there is an advantage that the process apparatus is downsized.

  Although depending on the diameter of each nozzle and the desired pattern shape, the diameter of the conductor particles is preferably as small as possible for preventing nozzle clogging and producing a high-definition pattern. 1 μm or less is preferable. The composition is formed by a known method such as an electrolytic method, an atomizing method, or a wet reduction method, and its particle size is generally about 0.01 to 10 μm. However, when formed in a gas evaporation method, the nanomolecules protected with the dispersant are as fine as about 7 nm. When the surface of each particle is covered with a coating agent, the nanoparticles are aggregated in the solvent. And stably disperse at room temperature and shows almost the same behavior as liquid. Therefore, it is preferable to use a coating agent.

  In the present invention, since the composition of the fluid is processed into a desired pattern shape while having the fluidity, the composition has the fluidity even if it lands on the object to be processed. However, as long as the fluidity is not lost, the step of discharging the composition may be performed under reduced pressure. When performed under reduced pressure, there is an effect that an oxide film or the like is not formed on the surface of the conductor. After discharging the composition, one or both steps of drying and baking are performed. The drying and baking steps are both heat treatment steps. For example, drying is performed at 100 degrees for 3 minutes, and baking is performed at 200 to 350 degrees for 15 minutes to 30 minutes. Time is different. The drying process and the firing process are performed under normal pressure or reduced pressure by laser light irradiation, rapid thermal annealing, a heating furnace, or the like. In addition, the timing which performs this heat processing is not specifically limited. In order to satisfactorily perform the drying and firing steps, the substrate may be heated, and the temperature at that time depends on the material of the substrate or the like, but is generally 100 to 800 degrees (preferably 200). ~ 350 degrees). By this step, the solvent in the composition is volatilized or the dispersant is chemically removed, and the surrounding resin is cured and contracted to bring the nanoparticles into contact with each other, thereby accelerating fusion and fusion. Thus, the obtained conductive layer may contain a resin that has protected the nanoparticles as a coating agent.

For the laser light irradiation, a continuous wave or pulsed gas laser or solid-state laser may be used. Examples of the former gas laser include an excimer laser and a YAG laser, and examples of the latter solid-state laser include a laser using a crystal such as YAG, YVO ₄ , and GdVO ₄ doped with Cr, Nd, or the like. . Note that it is preferable to use a continuous wave laser because of the absorption rate of the laser light. In addition, a so-called hybrid laser irradiation method combining pulse oscillation and continuous oscillation may be used. However, depending on the heat resistance of the substrate 100, the heat treatment by laser light irradiation may be performed instantaneously within a few microseconds to several tens of seconds so that the substrate 100 is not destroyed. Instantaneous thermal annealing (RTA) uses an infrared lamp or a halogen lamp that irradiates ultraviolet light or infrared light in an inert gas atmosphere, and rapidly raises the temperature for several minutes to several microseconds. This is done by applying heat instantaneously. Since this treatment is performed instantaneously, only the outermost thin film can be heated substantially without affecting the lower layer film. That is, it does not affect a substrate having low heat resistance such as a plastic substrate.

  Further, after the gate electrode layer 105, the gate electrode layer 104, and the gate wiring layer 106 are formed by discharging a composition by a droplet discharge method, the surface is pressed and flattened by pressure in order to improve the flatness. Also good. As a pressing method, unevenness may be reduced by scanning a roller-like object on the surface, or the surface may be pressed vertically with a flat plate-like object. A heating step may be performed when pressing. Alternatively, the surface may be softened or melted with a solvent or the like, and the surface irregularities may be removed with an air knife. Further, polishing may be performed using a CMP method. This step can be applied when the surface is flattened when unevenness is generated by the droplet discharge method.

  Next, a gate insulating layer 116 is formed over the gate electrode layer 105, the gate electrode layer 104, and the gate wiring layer 106 (see FIG. 15). The gate insulating layer 116 may be formed of a known material such as a silicon oxide material or a nitride material, and may be a stacked layer or a single layer. In this embodiment, a stacked layer of a silicon nitride film, a silicon oxide film, and a silicon nitride film is used. Alternatively, a single layer or a double layer of silicon oxynitride film may be used. A silicon nitride film having a dense film quality is preferably used. In addition, when silver or copper is used for a conductive layer formed by a droplet discharge method, if a silicon nitride film or a NiB film is formed thereon as a barrier film, diffusion of impurities can be prevented and the surface can be planarized. is there. Note that in order to form a dense insulating film with low gate leakage current at a low deposition temperature, a rare gas element such as argon is preferably contained in the reaction gas and mixed into the formed insulating film.

  Next, a semiconductor layer is formed. A semiconductor layer having one conductivity type may be formed as necessary. In this embodiment, an N-type semiconductor layer 109 and an N-type semiconductor layer 110 are stacked as semiconductor layers 107 and 108 and a semiconductor layer having one conductivity type (see FIGS. 8 and 15). Also, an NMOS structure of an N-channel TFT is formed by forming an N-type semiconductor layer, and a PMOS structure of a P-channel TFT and a CMOS structure of an N-channel TFT and a P-channel TFT are formed by forming a P-type semiconductor layer. can do. In order to impart conductivity, an element imparting conductivity is added by doping, and an impurity region is formed in the semiconductor layer, whereby an N-channel TFT or a P-channel TFT can be formed.

  The semiconductor layer may be formed by a known means (such as sputtering, LPCVD, or plasma CVD). There is no limitation on the material of the semiconductor layer, but it is preferably formed of silicon or a silicon germanium (SiGe) alloy.

  The semiconductor layer uses an amorphous semiconductor (typically hydrogenated amorphous silicon), a crystalline semiconductor (typically polysilicon), or a semi-amorphous semiconductor as a material. Polysilicon (polycrystalline silicon) is mainly made of so-called high-temperature polysilicon using polysilicon formed through a process temperature of 800 ° C. or higher as a main material, or polysilicon formed at a process temperature of 600 ° C. or lower. And so-called low-temperature polysilicon, and polysilicon crystallized by adding an element that promotes crystallization.

  As another substance, a semi-amorphous semiconductor or a semiconductor including a crystal phase in part of a semiconductor layer can be used.

In the case where a crystalline semiconductor layer is used for the semiconductor layer, a method for manufacturing the crystalline semiconductor layer can be a known method (laser crystallization method, thermal crystallization method, or heat using an element that promotes crystallization such as nickel. A crystallization method or the like may be used. Alternatively, microcrystalline semiconductor (SAS) can be crystallized by laser irradiation to increase crystallinity. In the case where an element for promoting crystallization is not introduced, the amorphous silicon film is heated at 500 ° C. for 1 hour in a nitrogen atmosphere before irradiating the amorphous silicon film with laser light, whereby the concentration of hydrogen contained in the amorphous silicon film is set to 1 ×. Release to 10 ²⁰ atoms / cm ³ or less. This is because the film is destroyed when the amorphous silicon film containing a large amount of hydrogen is irradiated with laser light.

  The method of introducing the metal element into the amorphous semiconductor layer is not particularly limited as long as the metal element can be present on the surface of the amorphous semiconductor layer or inside the amorphous semiconductor layer. For example, sputtering, CVD, A plasma treatment method (including a plasma CVD method), an adsorption method, or a method of applying a metal salt solution can be used. Among these, the method using a solution is simple and useful in that the concentration of the metal element can be easily adjusted. At this time, in order to improve the wettability of the surface of the amorphous semiconductor layer and to spread the aqueous solution over the entire surface of the amorphous semiconductor layer, irradiation with UV light in an oxygen atmosphere, thermal oxidation method, hydroxy radical It is desirable to form an oxide film by treatment with ozone water or hydrogen peroxide.

  The crystallization of the amorphous semiconductor layer may be a combination of heat treatment and crystallization by laser light irradiation, or may be performed multiple times by heat treatment or laser light irradiation alone.

  Alternatively, the crystalline semiconductor layer may be directly formed over the substrate by a linear plasma method. Alternatively, the crystalline semiconductor layer may be selectively formed over the substrate by a linear plasma method.

  An organic semiconductor using an organic material may be used as the semiconductor. As the organic semiconductor, a low molecular material, a polymer material, or the like is used, and materials such as an organic dye or a conductive polymer material can also be used.

  In this embodiment mode, an amorphous semiconductor is used as the semiconductor. A semiconductor layer is formed, and then an N-type semiconductor layer is formed as a semiconductor layer having one conductivity type by a plasma CVD method or the like.

  Subsequently, the semiconductor layer and the N-type semiconductor layer are simultaneously patterned using a mask made of an insulator such as resist or polyimide, and the semiconductor layer 107, the semiconductor layer 108, the N-type semiconductor layer 109, and the N-type semiconductor layer 110 are formed. It forms (refer FIG. 8, FIG. 15). The mask can be formed by selectively discharging a composition. For the mask, a resin material such as an epoxy resin, an acrylic resin, a phenol resin, a novolac resin, a melamine resin, or a urethane resin is used. Also, using organic materials such as benzocyclobutene, parylene, flare, permeable polyimide, compound materials made by polymerization of siloxane polymers, composition materials containing water-soluble homopolymers and water-soluble copolymers, etc. And formed by a droplet discharge method. Alternatively, a commercially available resist material containing a photosensitizer may be used. For example, a novolak resin that is a typical positive resist and a naphthoquinonediazide compound that is a photosensitizer, a base resin that is a negative resist, diphenylsilanediol, and An acid generator or the like may be used. Whichever material is used, the surface tension and viscosity are appropriately adjusted by adjusting the concentration of the solvent or adding a surfactant or the like.

  In this embodiment, as in the case of the gate electrode layer 105 and the gate electrode layer 104, when a mask or an insulating layer is formed by a droplet discharge method, a region having different wettability is formed in the vicinity of a formation region as a pretreatment. You may perform the process to form. In the present invention, when a pattern is formed by discharging droplets by the droplet discharge method, a low wettability region and a high wettability region can be formed in a pattern formation region, and the shape of the pattern can be controlled. By performing this process on the formation region, there is a difference in wettability in the formation region, so that droplets remain only in the formation region with high wettability, and a pattern can be formed with good controllability. In the case where a liquid material is used, this step can be applied as any base pretreatment, and a mask is not necessarily required. Therefore, the step can be simplified.

Again, a mask made of an insulator such as resist or polyimide is formed using a droplet discharge method, and a through-hole 145 is formed in a part of the gate insulating layer 116 by etching using the mask, and a lower layer thereof is formed. A part of the gate electrode layer 104 disposed on the side is exposed. The etching process may be either plasma etching (dry etching) or wet etching, but plasma etching is suitable for processing a large area substrate. As an etching gas, a fluorine-based or chlorine-based gas such as CF ₄ , NF ₃ , Cl ₂ , or BCl ₃ may be used, and an inert gas such as He or Ar may be appropriately added. Further, if an atmospheric pressure discharge etching process is applied, a local electric discharge process is also possible, and it is not necessary to form a mask layer on the entire surface of the substrate.

  After the mask is removed, a composition containing a conductive material is discharged, and the source or drain electrode layer 111, the source or drain electrode layer 112, the source or drain electrode layer 113, the source or drain electrode layer 113 are discharged. The electrode layer 114 is formed, and the semiconductor layer 107 and the semiconductor are formed using the source / drain electrode layer 111, the source / drain electrode layer 112, the source / drain electrode layer 113, and the source / drain electrode layer 114 as a mask. The layer 108, the N-type semiconductor layer 109, and the N-type semiconductor layer 110 are patterned to expose the semiconductor layer 107 and the semiconductor layer 108 (see FIGS. 9 and 16). The source or drain electrode layer 111 also functions as a source wiring layer, and the source or drain electrode layer 113 also functions as a power supply line.

  The step of forming the source or drain electrode layer 111, the source or drain electrode layer 112, the source or drain electrode layer 113, and the source or drain electrode layer 114 also forms the gate electrode layer 105 described above. It can be formed in the same way. In this case, the source wiring layer and the region where the relatively wide conductive layer of the power supply line is formed are set as a highly wettable region, and a composition containing a conductive material is discharged so as to span the highly wettable region and the low wettable region. To do. Since the composition on the low wettability region partially flows to the high wettability region, it is thinned to become a fine wiring. This fine wiring is used as a conductive layer functioning as a source electrode or a drain electrode in the pixel, and then the source forms a wiring layer and a power supply line on the highly wettable region.

  As a conductive material for forming the source or drain electrode layer 111, the source or drain electrode layer 112, the source or drain electrode layer 113, and the source or drain electrode layer 114, Ag (silver), Au A composition mainly composed of metal particles such as (gold), Cu (copper), W (tungsten), and Al (aluminum) can be used. Further, light-transmitting indium tin oxide (ITO), ITSO made of indium tin oxide and silicon oxide, organic indium, organic tin, zinc oxide, titanium nitride, or the like may be combined.

  In addition, as the base pretreatment of the conductive layer formed using a droplet discharge method, the above-described step of forming the base film may be performed, and this treatment step may be performed after the conductive layer is formed. This step improves the adhesion between the layers, so that the reliability of the display device can also be improved.

  In the through-hole 145 formed in the gate insulating layer 116, the source or drain electrode layer 112 and the gate electrode layer 104 are electrically connected. A part of the source electrode layer or the drain electrode layer forms a capacitor element.

  The step of forming the through-hole 145 in part of the gate insulating layer 116 is performed using the source or drain electrode layer 111, the source or drain electrode layer 112, the source or drain electrode layer 113, the source or drain electrode layer After the layer 114 is formed, the source or drain electrode layer 111, the source or drain electrode layer 112, the source or drain electrode layer 113, or the source or drain electrode layer 114 may be used as a mask. Then, a conductive layer is formed in the through hole 145, and the source or drain electrode layer 112 and the gate electrode layer 104 are electrically connected. In this case, there is an advantage that the process is simplified.

Subsequently, a first electrode layer 117 is formed by selectively discharging a composition containing a conductive material over the gate insulating layer 116 (see FIGS. 10 and 17). Of course, when the first electrode layer 117 is formed, pretreatment for forming a low wettability region and a high wettability region may be performed in the same manner as when the gate electrode layer 105 is formed. The first electrode layer 117 can be selectively formed with better controllability by discharging a composition containing a conductive material to the highly wettable region. The first electrode layer 117 is formed of indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium tin oxide containing silicon oxide (ITSO) when light is emitted from the substrate 100 side or when a transmissive display panel is manufactured. Indium zinc oxide (IZO) containing zinc oxide (ZnO), zinc oxide (ZnO), ZnO doped with gallium (Ga), tin oxide (SnO ₂ ), etc. A predetermined pattern may be formed and formed by firing.

  Further, it is preferably formed of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium tin oxide containing silicon oxide (ITSO), zinc oxide (ZnO), or the like by a sputtering method. More preferably, indium tin oxide containing silicon oxide is used by a sputtering method using a target containing 2 to 10% by weight of silicon oxide in ITO. In addition, indium zinc oxide (IZO (IZO), which is a conductive material obtained by doping ZnO with gallium (Ga), and an oxide conductive material containing silicon oxide and indium oxide mixed with 2 to 20% zinc oxide (ZnO). indium zinc oxide)) may be used. After the first electrode layer 117 is formed by a sputtering method, a mask layer may be formed by a droplet discharge method and formed into a desired pattern by etching. In this embodiment mode, the first electrode layer 117 is formed using a light-transmitting conductive material by a droplet discharge method, and specifically includes indium tin oxide, ITO, and silicon oxide. It is formed using ITSO.

  In this embodiment mode, the example in which the gate insulating layer is a three-layer structure including a silicon nitride film made of silicon nitride, a silicon oxynitride film (silicon oxide film), and a silicon nitride film has been described above. As a preferred structure, the first electrode layer 117 formed of indium tin oxide containing silicon oxide is formed in close contact with the insulating layer made of silicon nitride included in the gate insulating layer 116, and thereby emits light in the electroluminescent layer. The effect that the ratio of the emitted light to the outside can be increased can be exhibited. Further, the gate insulating layer is interposed between the gate electrode layer and the first electrode layer, and can function as a capacitor.

  The first electrode layer 117 can be selectively formed over the gate insulating layer 116 before the source or drain electrode layer 114 is formed. In this case, in this embodiment mode, the connection structure of the source or drain electrode layer 114 and the first electrode layer 117 is a structure in which the source or drain electrode layer 114 is stacked on the first electrode layer. It becomes. When the first electrode layer 117 is formed before the source electrode layer or the drain electrode layer 114, the first electrode layer 117 can be formed in a flat formation region. Therefore, the first electrode layer 117 can be formed in a flat region. It can be formed well.

  Alternatively, an insulating layer serving as an interlayer insulating layer may be formed over the source or drain electrode layer 114 and electrically connected to the first electrode layer 117 with a wiring layer. In this case, the opening (contact hole) is not formed by removing the insulating layer, but a substance having low wettability with respect to the insulating layer is formed over the source or drain electrode layer 114. After that, when a composition including an insulating layer is applied by a coating method or the like, an insulating layer is formed in a region excluding a region where a substance having low wettability is formed.

  After the insulating layer is solidified by heating, drying, or the like, a substance with low wettability is removed to form an opening. A wiring layer is formed so as to fill the opening, and a first electrode layer 117 is formed so as to be in contact with the wiring layer. When this method is used, there is an effect of simplifying the process because it is not necessary to form an opening by etching.

  In the case where the emitted light is emitted to the side opposite to the substrate 100 side, that is, when a top emission type EL display panel is manufactured, Ag (silver), Au (gold), Cu (copper) ), W (tungsten), Al (aluminum), or other metal particles as the main component. As another method, a transparent conductive film or a light reflective conductive film is formed by a sputtering method, a mask pattern is formed by a droplet discharge method, and the first electrode layer 117 is formed by combining etching processes. Also good.

  The first electrode layer 117 may be wiped with a CMP method or a polyvinyl alcohol-based porous body and polished so that the surface thereof is planarized. Further, after the polishing using the CMP method, the surface of the first electrode layer 117 may be subjected to ultraviolet irradiation, oxygen plasma treatment, or the like.

  Through the above steps, a TFT substrate for a display panel in which a bottom gate type (also referred to as an inverted stagger type) TFT and a pixel electrode are connected to the substrate 100 is completed. The TFT of this embodiment mode is a channel etch type.

  Next, an insulating layer 121 (also referred to as a partition wall or a bank) is selectively formed. The insulating layer 121 is formed over the first electrode layer 117 so as to have an opening. In this embodiment mode, the insulating layer 121 is formed over the entire surface, and is etched and patterned with a mask such as a resist. When the insulating layer 121 is formed using a droplet discharge method, a printing method, or the like that can be directly and selectively formed, patterning by etching is not necessarily required. The insulating layer 121 can also be formed in a desired shape by the pretreatment of the present invention.

  The insulating layer 121 is formed using silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, aluminum oxynitride, or other inorganic insulating materials, or acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, and derivatives thereof, polyimide, aromatic Heat-resistant polymers such as polyamide, polybenzimidazole, or inorganic siloxanes containing Si-O-Si bonds among silicon, oxygen, and hydrogen compounds formed from siloxane-based materials as starting materials It can be formed of an organic siloxane insulating material in which hydrogen is substituted with an organic group such as methyl or phenyl. You may form using photosensitive and non-photosensitive materials, such as an acryl and a polyimide. The insulating layer 121 preferably has a shape in which the radius of curvature continuously changes, and the coverage of the electroluminescent layer 122 and the second electrode layer 123 formed thereon is improved.

  Alternatively, after the insulating layer 121 is formed by discharging a composition by a droplet discharge method, the surface may be pressed and flattened by pressure in order to improve the flatness. As a pressing method, unevenness may be reduced by scanning a roller-like object on the surface, or the surface may be pressed vertically with a flat plate-like object. Alternatively, the surface may be softened or melted with a solvent or the like, and the surface irregularities may be removed with an air knife. Further, polishing may be performed using a CMP method. This step can be applied when the surface is flattened when unevenness is generated by the droplet discharge method. When flatness is improved by this step, display unevenness of the display panel can be prevented and a high-definition image can be displayed.

  A light emitting element is formed over a substrate 100 which is a TFT substrate for a display panel (see FIG. 18).

  Before forming the electroluminescent layer 122, heat treatment is performed at 200 ° C. under atmospheric pressure to remove moisture adsorbed in the first electrode layer 117 and the insulating layer 121 or on the surface thereof. In addition, it is preferable to perform heat treatment at 200 to 400 ° C., preferably 250 to 350 ° C. under reduced pressure, and to form the electroluminescent layer 122 by vacuum deposition or droplet discharge under reduced pressure without being exposed to the air as it is. .

  As the electroluminescent layer 122, materials that emit red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light are selectively formed by an evaporation method using an evaporation mask or the like. A material that emits red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light can be formed by a droplet discharge method (such as a low-molecular or high-molecular material) in the same manner as a color filter. In this case, a mask is not used. Both are preferable because RGB can be separately applied. A second electrode layer 123 is stacked over the electroluminescent layer 122 to complete a display device having a display function using a light emitting element.

Although not shown, it is effective to provide a passivation film so as to cover the second electrode layer 123. The protective film provided when forming the display device may have a single layer structure or a multilayer structure. As the passivation film, silicon nitride (SiN), silicon oxide (SiO ₂ ), silicon oxynitride (SiON), silicon nitride oxide (SiNO), aluminum nitride (AlN), aluminum oxynitride (AlON), nitrogen content is oxygen It is made of an insulating film containing aluminum nitride oxide (AlNO) or aluminum oxide, diamond-like carbon (DLC), or nitrogen-containing carbon film (CN _x ) that is higher than the content, and a single layer or a combination of the insulating films is used. Can do. For example, a laminate such as a nitrogen-containing carbon film (CN _x ) or silicon nitride (SiN), or an organic material can be used, and a laminate of polymers such as a styrene polymer may be used. In addition, a skeleton structure is formed by a bond of silicon (Si) and oxygen (O), and at least one of a material containing at least hydrogen as a substituent, or fluorine, an alkyl group, or an aromatic hydrocarbon as a substituent. You may use the material which has.

At this time, it is preferable to use a film with good coverage as the passivation film, and it is effective to use a carbon film, particularly a DLC film. Since the DLC film can be formed in the temperature range from room temperature to 100 ° C., it can be easily formed over the electroluminescent layer having low heat resistance. The DLC film is formed by a plasma CVD method (typically, an RF plasma CVD method, a microwave CVD method, an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) CVD method, a hot filament CVD method, etc.), a combustion flame method, a sputtering method, or an ion beam evaporation method. It can be formed by laser vapor deposition. The reaction gas used for film formation was hydrogen gas and a hydrocarbon-based gas (for example, CH ₄ , C ₂ H ₂ , C ₆ H _6, etc.), ionized by glow discharge, and negative self-bias was applied. Films are formed by accelerated collision of ions with the cathode. The CN _x film may be formed using C ₂ H ₄ gas and N ₂ gas as reaction gases. The DLC film has a high blocking effect against oxygen and can suppress oxidation of the electroluminescent layer. Therefore, the problem that the electroluminescent layer is oxidized during the subsequent sealing process can be prevented.

  Subsequently, a sealing material is formed and sealed using a sealing substrate. After that, a flexible wiring board may be connected to the gate wiring layer 106 and electrically connected to the outside. The same applies to the source electrode layer or the drain electrode layer 111 which is also a source wiring layer.

  FIG. 33 shows a completed view of an EL display panel manufactured using the present invention. FIG. 33A is a top view of the EL display panel, and FIG. 33B is a cross-sectional view taken along line E-F in FIG. 33, the pixel portion 3301 formed over the element substrate 3300 includes a pixel 3302, a gate wiring layer 3306a, a gate wiring layer 3306b, and a source wiring layer 3308, which are attached to each other with a sealing substrate 3310 and a sealant 3303. Combined and fixed. In this embodiment mode, a driver IC 3351 is installed on the FPC 3350 and mounted by the TAB method.

  As shown in FIGS. 33A and 33B, a desiccant 3305, a desiccant 3304a, and a desiccant 3304b are provided in the display panel in order to prevent deterioration of the element due to moisture. The desiccant 3305 is formed so as to surround the periphery of the pixel portion, and the desiccant 3304a and the desiccant 3304b are formed in regions corresponding to the gate wiring layers 3306a and 3306b. In this embodiment mode, the desiccant is installed in a recess formed in the sealing substrate as shown in FIG. 33B, and has a structure that does not hinder the thickness reduction. Since the desiccant is also formed in the region corresponding to the gate wiring layer, the water absorption area can be increased and the water absorption effect is improved. Further, since the desiccant is formed on the gate wiring layer that does not emit light directly, the light extraction efficiency is not lowered. In this embodiment mode, a filler 3307 is filled in the display panel. When a hygroscopic substance such as a desiccant is used as the filler, a further water absorption effect can be obtained and deterioration of the element can be prevented.

  Note that in this embodiment mode, a case where a light-emitting element is sealed with a glass substrate is shown; however, the sealing process is a process for protecting the light-emitting element from moisture and is mechanically sealed with a cover material. Any of a method, a method of encapsulating with a thermosetting resin or an ultraviolet light curable resin, or a method of encapsulating with a thin film having a high barrier ability such as a metal oxide or a nitride is used. As the cover material, glass, ceramics, plastic, or metal can be used. However, when light is emitted to the cover material side, it must be translucent. In addition, the cover material and the substrate on which the light emitting element is formed are bonded together using a sealing material such as a thermosetting resin or an ultraviolet light curable resin, and the resin is cured by heat treatment or ultraviolet light irradiation treatment to form a sealed space. Form. It is also effective to provide a hygroscopic material typified by barium oxide in this sealed space. This hygroscopic material may be provided in contact with the sealing material, or may be provided on the partition wall or in the peripheral portion so as not to block light from the light emitting element. Further, the space between the cover material and the substrate on which the light emitting element is formed can be filled with a thermosetting resin or an ultraviolet light curable resin. In this case, it is effective to add a moisture absorbing material typified by barium oxide in the thermosetting resin or the ultraviolet light curable resin.

  In this embodiment mode, the switching TFT has a single gate structure, but a multi-gate structure such as a double gate structure may be used. In the case where a semiconductor is manufactured using a SAS or a crystalline semiconductor, an impurity region can be formed by adding an impurity imparting one conductivity type. In this case, the semiconductor layer may have impurity regions having different concentrations. For example, the vicinity of the channel region of the semiconductor layer and the region stacked with the gate electrode layer may be low-concentration impurity regions, and the outer region may be high-concentration impurity regions.

  As described above, in this embodiment mode, the process can be omitted by not using a light exposure process using a photomask. In addition, by forming various patterns directly on the substrate using the droplet discharge method, a display panel can be easily manufactured even if a glass substrate of 5th generation or later with one side exceeding 1000 mm is used. Can do.

  According to the present invention, a desired pattern can be formed with good controllability, material loss is small, and cost reduction can be achieved. Therefore, a high-performance and highly reliable display device can be manufactured with high yield.

(Embodiment 5)
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment mode, a display device is manufactured using a top-gate (forward staggered) thin film transistor as a thin film transistor. Note that an example of a liquid crystal display device using a liquid crystal material as a display element is shown. Therefore, repetitive description of the same portion or a portion having a similar function is omitted. 36 and 37 are cross-sectional views of the display device.

  A thinned pattern 350 is formed on the substrate 300 as in the first embodiment. A pattern 350 corresponds to the pattern 57 in FIGS. 1D and 1H in Embodiment Mode 1, and is formed on a low wettability region having a material 351 having low wettability. The pattern 350 extends over a low wettability region and a high wettability region (not shown) having the substance 351 having low wettability, and is discharged as a composition containing a pattern forming material by a droplet discharge method. A composition having fluidity is not stable in the low wettability region due to the difference in wettability of the formation region, and partially flows from the boundary where the low wettability region and the high wettability region contact each other to the high wettability region. To do. In the low wettability region where the wettability to the composition containing the pattern forming material is low, the composition containing the pattern forming material does not wet well, so the composition is difficult to stick and flows into the highly wettable region with higher stability. Because it will end up. As a result, the composition containing the pattern forming material changes its shape like the pattern 350 and stabilizes due to the difference in fluidity and wettability with respect to the formation region. Since a part of the pattern 350 formed on the low wettability region flows into the high wettability region, the pattern 350 is thinned.

  The material 351 having low wettability is removed using the pattern 350 as a mask. As shown in FIG. 36B, the low wettability substance 351 remains only under the pattern 350, and the surrounding region is a high wettability region 360. The high wettability region has high wettability and a low contact angle because it does not have a low wettability substance. Next, only the pattern 350 is removed by an etching method having a high selectivity with respect to the low wettability material 351. The etching method may be a dry etching method, a wet etching method, or ashing. At this time, it is preferable to use an etching gas or an etchant having a high selectivity with respect to the substance having low wettability and the pattern forming material.

  When the pattern 350 is removed, the remaining low wettability substance 351 forms the low wettability region 301 and appears on the uppermost surface of the substrate. Since the low wettability region 301 is formed using the thinned pattern 350 according to the present invention as a mask, it has a thinned shape. A composition containing a conductive material is discharged from the nozzle 380 as fluid droplets across the low wettability region 301 and straddling the surrounding high wettability region 360.

  Therefore, the composition containing the discharged conductive material having fluidity is not stable on the low wettability region 301 due to the difference in wettability of the formation region, and from the boundary in contact with the high wettability region 360, It flows into the high wettability region 360. In the low wettability region 301 having low wettability with respect to the composition containing the conductive material, the composition containing the conductive material is repelled, so that the composition does not stick and flows to the highly stable high wettability region 360. Because it will do. As a result, the composition containing a conductive material changes its shape like the source or drain electrode layer 330 and the source or drain electrode layer 308 according to the difference in fluidity and wettability with respect to a formation region, and is stable. (See FIG. 36C). Therefore, a space can be formed between the source or drain electrode layer 330 and the source or drain electrode layer 308 with a small width and good controllability, and the source or drain electrode layer 330, the source electrode layer or The drain electrode layers 308 are not in contact with each other. Therefore, since the channel length of the semiconductor is short, the resistance is reduced, the on-current is increased, and the controllability is formed, so that a defect such as a short circuit can be prevented. According to the present invention, it is possible to form wirings and the like with good controllability even if they are designed to be densely arranged in a complicated manner by downsizing and thinning.

  An N-type semiconductor layer is formed over the source or drain electrode layer 330 and the source or drain electrode layer 308 and etched using a mask made of resist or the like. The resist may be formed using a droplet discharge method. A semiconductor layer is formed on the N-type semiconductor layer and patterned again using a mask or the like. Accordingly, an N-type semiconductor layer 307 and a semiconductor layer 306 are formed.

  Next, the gate insulating layer 305 is formed with a single layer or a stacked structure by a plasma CVD method or a sputtering method (see FIG. 36D). In a particularly preferable embodiment, a three-layered structure including an insulating layer made of silicon nitride, an insulating layer made of silicon oxide, and an insulating layer made of silicon nitride corresponds to the gate insulating layer.

    Next, a mask made of a resist or the like is formed over the gate insulating layer 305, and the gate insulating layer 305 is etched to form a through hole 345 (see FIG. 36E). In this embodiment mode, a mask for forming the through hole 345 is selectively formed by a droplet discharge method.

    A composition containing a conductive material is discharged onto the gate insulating layer 305 by a nozzle 381 of a droplet discharge device, whereby the gate electrode layer 303 is formed. As in Embodiment Mode 1, the gate electrode layer can be further thinned into a desired shape by using the present invention. When the present invention is used, the length of the gate electrode layer 303 in the channel direction can be reduced, so that the resistance between the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer is further reduced and the on-current is improved.

A pixel electrode layer 311 is formed by a droplet discharge method. The pixel electrode layer 311 and the source or drain electrode layer 308 are electrically connected through the through-hole 345 formed previously. The pixel electrode layer 311 can be formed using a material similar to that of the first electrode layer 117 described above. When a transmissive liquid crystal display panel is manufactured, indium tin oxide (ITO) and indium containing silicon oxide are used. A predetermined pattern may be formed by a composition containing tin oxide (ITSO), zinc oxide (ZnO), tin oxide (SnO ₂ ), and the like, and may be formed by baking.

  Next, an insulating layer 312 called an alignment film is formed by a printing method or a spin coating method so as to cover the pixel electrode layer 311. Note that the insulating layer 312 can be selectively formed by a screen printing method or an offset printing method. Then, rubbing is performed. Subsequently, a sealing material is formed in a peripheral region where pixels are formed by a droplet discharge method (not shown).

  After that, an insulating substrate 321 functioning as an alignment film, a colored layer 322 functioning as a color filter, a conductor layer 323 functioning as a counter electrode, a counter substrate 324 provided with a polarizing plate 325 and a substrate 300 which is a TFT substrate are separated from each other by a spacer. The liquid crystal display panel can be manufactured by providing a liquid crystal layer 320 in the gap (see FIG. 37B). A filler may be mixed in the sealing material, and a shielding film (black matrix) or the like may be formed on the counter substrate 324. Note that as a method for forming the liquid crystal layer, a dispenser type (dropping type) or a dip type (pumping type) in which liquid crystal is injected using a capillary phenomenon after the counter substrate 324 is attached can be used.

  A liquid crystal dropping injection method employing a dispenser method will be described with reference to FIG. In the liquid crystal dropping injection method of FIG. 39, the control device 40, the imaging means 42, the head 43, the liquid crystal 33, the marker 35, and the marker 45 include the barrier layer 34, the sealing material 32, the TFT substrate 30, and the counter substrate 20. A closed loop is formed by the sealing material 32, and the liquid crystal 33 is dropped from the head 43 once or plural times therein. When the viscosity of the liquid crystal material is high, the liquid crystal material is continuously discharged and adhered to the formation region while being connected. On the other hand, when the viscosity of the liquid crystal material is low, the liquid crystal material is intermittently ejected and droplets are dropped as shown in FIG. At that time, a barrier layer 34 is provided to prevent the sealing material 32 and the liquid crystal 33 from reacting. Subsequently, the substrates are bonded together in a vacuum, and thereafter UV curing is performed to fill the liquid crystal.

A connection portion is formed in order to connect the pixel portion formed in the above steps and an external wiring substrate. The insulating layer in the connection portion is removed by an ashing process using oxygen gas at or near atmospheric pressure. This treatment is performed using oxygen gas and one or more selected from hydrogen, CF ₄ , NF ₃ , H ₂ O, and CHF ₃ . In this step, in order to prevent damage and destruction due to static electricity, ashing is performed after sealing using the counter substrate. However, if there is little influence from static electricity, it may be performed at any timing. .

  Subsequently, a wiring board for connection is provided so that the wiring layer is electrically connected through the anisotropic conductor layer. The wiring board plays a role of transmitting signals and potentials from the outside. Through the above steps, a liquid crystal display panel having a display function can be manufactured.

  In this embodiment mode, the switching TFT has a single gate structure, but a multi-gate structure such as a double gate structure may be used. In the case where a semiconductor is manufactured using a SAS or a crystalline semiconductor, an impurity region can be formed by adding an impurity imparting one conductivity type. In this case, the semiconductor layer may have impurity regions having different concentrations. For example, the vicinity of the channel region of the semiconductor layer and the region stacked with the gate electrode layer may be low-concentration impurity regions, and the outer region may be high-concentration impurity regions.

  As described above, in this embodiment mode, the process can be omitted by not using a light exposure process using a photomask. In addition, by forming various patterns directly on the substrate using the droplet discharge method, a display panel can be easily manufactured even if a glass substrate of 5th generation or later with one side exceeding 1000 mm is used. Can do.

  According to the present invention, a desired pattern can be formed with good controllability, material loss is small, and cost reduction can be achieved. Accordingly, a high-performance and highly reliable liquid crystal display device can be manufactured with high yield.

(Embodiment 6)
A thin film transistor is formed by applying the present invention, and a display device can be formed using the thin film transistor. When a light emitting element is used and an N-type transistor is used as a transistor for driving the light emitting element, The light emitted from the light emitting element performs any one of bottom emission, top emission, and dual emission. Here, a stacked structure of light-emitting elements corresponding to any case will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In this embodiment, a channel protective thin film transistor 481 to which the present invention is applied is used. For the channel protective film, polyimide, polyvinyl alcohol, or the like may be dropped using a droplet discharge method. As a result, the exposure process can be omitted. Channel protective films include inorganic materials (silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride oxide, etc.), photosensitive or non-photosensitive organic materials (organic resin materials) (polyimide, acrylic, polyamide, polyimide amide, resist , Benzocyclobutene, etc.), a low-k material having a low dielectric constant, or a film made of a plurality of kinds, or a stack of these films. In addition, a skeleton structure is formed by a bond of silicon (Si) and oxygen (O), and at least one of a material containing at least hydrogen as a substituent, or fluorine, an alkyl group, or an aromatic hydrocarbon as a substituent. You may use the material which has. As a manufacturing method, a vapor deposition method such as a plasma CVD method or a thermal CVD method, or a sputtering method can be used. Alternatively, a droplet discharge method or a printing method (a method for forming a pattern such as screen printing or offset printing) can be used. A TOF film or an SOG film obtained by a coating method can also be used.

  First, the case where light is emitted to the substrate 480 side, that is, the case where bottom emission is performed will be described with reference to FIG. In this case, the source or drain electrode 482, the first electrode 484, the electroluminescent layer 485, and the second electrode 486 are sequentially stacked so as to be electrically connected to the thin film transistor 481. Next, the case where light is emitted to the side opposite to the substrate 480, that is, the case where top emission is performed will be described with reference to FIG. A source or drain electrode 462, a first electrode 463, an electroluminescent layer 464, and a second electrode 465 which are electrically connected to the thin film transistor 481 are sequentially stacked. With the above structure, even when light is transmitted through the first electrode 463, the light is reflected by the source or drain electrode 462 and emitted to the side opposite to the substrate 480. Note that in this structure, it is not necessary to use a light-transmitting material for the first electrode 463. Lastly, a case where light is emitted to the substrate 480 side and both sides opposite thereto, that is, a case where dual emission is performed will be described with reference to FIG. A source or drain electrode 471 which is electrically connected to the thin film transistor 481, a first electrode 472, an electroluminescent layer 473, and a second electrode 474 are stacked in this order. At this time, when both the first electrode 472 and the second electrode 474 are formed using a light-transmitting material or a thickness capable of transmitting light, dual emission is realized.

  The light emitting element has a structure in which an electroluminescent layer is sandwiched between a first electrode and a second electrode. It is necessary to select materials for the first electrode and the second electrode in consideration of a work function, and both the first electrode and the second electrode can be an anode or a cathode depending on a pixel configuration. In this embodiment mode, since the polarity of the driving TFT is an N-channel type, it is preferable that the first electrode be a cathode and the second electrode be an anode. In the case where the polarity of the driving TFT is a p-channel type, the first electrode may be an anode and the second electrode may be a cathode.

  When the first electrode is an anode, the electroluminescent layer is formed from the anode side from the HIL (hole injection layer), HTL (hole transport layer), EML (light-emitting layer), ETL (electron transport layer), EIL ( It is preferable to laminate in the order of the electron injection layer). When the first electrode is a cathode, the reverse is true, and from the cathode side, EIL (electron injection layer), ETL (electron transport layer), EML (light emitting layer), HTL (hole transport layer), HIL (hole injection) Layer) and the anode as the second electrode are preferably laminated in this order. The electroluminescent layer can have a single layer structure or a mixed structure in addition to the laminated structure.

  In addition, as the electroluminescent layer, materials that emit red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light are selectively formed by an evaporation method using an evaporation mask, respectively. A material that emits red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light can be formed by a droplet discharge method (such as a low-molecular or high-molecular material) in the same manner as a color filter. In this case, a mask is not used. Both are preferable because RGB can be separately applied.

In the case of a top emission type, in the case where light-transmitting ITO or ITSO is used for the second electrode, BzOS-Li in which Li is added to a benzoxazole derivative (BzOS) or the like can be used. Further, for example, EML may be Alq ₃ doped with a dopant corresponding to each emission color of R, G, and B (DCM in the case of R, DMQD in the case of G).

  Note that the electroluminescent layer is not limited to the above materials. For example, instead of CuPc or PEDOT, an oxide such as molybdenum oxide (MoOx: x = 2 to 3) and α-NPD or rubrene can be co-evaporated to improve the hole injection property. The material of the electroluminescent layer can be used as an organic material (including a low molecule or a polymer), or a composite material of an organic material and an inorganic material. Hereinafter, materials for forming the light emitting element will be described in detail.

Among the charge injecting and transporting materials, materials having a particularly high electron transporting property include, for example, tris (8-quinolinolato) aluminum (abbreviation: Alq ₃ ), tris (5-methyl-8-quinolinolato) aluminum (abbreviation: Almq ₃ ), Bis (10-hydroxybenzo [h] -quinolinato) beryllium (abbreviation: BeBq ₂ ), bis (2-methyl-8-quinolinolato) -4-phenylphenolato-aluminum (abbreviation: BAlq), quinoline skeleton or benzoquinoline Examples thereof include metal complexes having a skeleton. As a substance having a high hole-transport property, for example, 4,4′-bis [N- (1-naphthyl) -N-phenyl-amino] -biphenyl (abbreviation: α-NPD), 4,4′-bis [ N- (3-methylphenyl) -N-phenyl-amino] -biphenyl (abbreviation: TPD) or 4,4 ′, 4 ″ -tris (N, N-diphenyl-amino) -triphenylamine (abbreviation: TDATA) ), 4,4 ′, 4 ″ -tris [N- (3-methylphenyl) -N-phenyl-amino] -triphenylamine (abbreviation: MTDATA) (ie, benzene ring-nitrogen) And a compound having a bond of

Among the charge injecting and transporting materials, materials having particularly high electron injecting properties include alkali metals or alkaline earths such as lithium fluoride (LiF), cesium fluoride (CsF), calcium fluoride (CaF ₂ ) and the like. Metal compounds can be mentioned. In addition, a mixture of a substance having a high electron transport property such as Alq ₃ and an alkaline earth metal such as magnesium (Mg) may be used.

Among the charge injecting and transporting materials, examples of the material having a high hole injecting property include molybdenum oxide (MoOx), vanadium oxide (VOx), ruthenium oxide (RuOx), tungsten oxide (WOx), and manganese oxide. Examples thereof include metal oxides such as (MnOx). In addition, phthalocyanine compounds such as phthalocyanine (abbreviation: H ₂ Pc) and copper phthalocyanine (CuPC) can be given.

  The light emitting layer may be configured to perform color display by forming light emitting layers having different emission wavelength bands for each pixel. Typically, a light emitting layer corresponding to each color of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) is formed. In this case as well, by providing a filter (colored layer) that transmits light in the emission wavelength band on the light emission side of the pixel, the color purity is improved and the pixel portion is mirrored (reflected). Prevention can be achieved. By providing the filter (colored layer), it is possible to omit a circularly polarized plate that has been considered necessary in the past, and it is possible to eliminate the loss of light emitted from the light emitting layer. Furthermore, a change in color tone that occurs when the pixel portion (display screen) is viewed obliquely can be reduced.

There are various kinds of light emitting materials. In the low molecular weight organic light emitting material, 4-dicyanomethylene-2-methyl-6- (1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl) -4H-pyran (abbreviation: DCJT), 4- Dicyanomethylene-2-t-butyl-6- (1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl) -4H-pyran (abbreviation: DPA), periflanthene, 2,5-dicyano-1, 4-bis (10-methoxy-1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl) benzene, N, N′-dimethylquinacridone (abbreviation: DMQd), coumarin 6, coumarin 545T, tris (8 - quinolinolato) aluminum (abbreviation: Alq _3), 9,9'-bianthryl, 9,10-diphenyl anthracene (abbreviation: DPA) and 9,10-bis (2-naphthyl) anthracene (abbreviation: DNA) using a like Can . Other substances may also be used.

  On the other hand, the high molecular organic light emitting material has higher physical strength than the low molecular weight material, and the durability of the device is high. In addition, since the film can be formed by coating, the device can be manufactured relatively easily. The structure of the light emitting element using the high molecular weight organic light emitting material is basically the same as that when the low molecular weight organic light emitting material is used, and sequentially becomes a cathode, an electroluminescent layer, and an anode. However, when forming an electroluminescent layer using a high molecular weight organic light emitting material, it is difficult to form a laminated structure as in the case of using a low molecular weight organic light emitting material. Become. Specifically, the structure is a cathode, a light emitting layer, a hole transport layer, and an anode in this order.

  Since the light emission color is determined by the material for forming the light emitting layer, a light emitting element exhibiting desired light emission can be formed by selecting these materials. Examples of the polymer electroluminescent material that can be used for forming the light emitting layer include polyparaphenylene vinylene, polyparaphenylene, polythiophene, and polyfluorene.

  The polyparaphenylene vinylene system includes derivatives of poly (paraphenylene vinylene) [PPV], poly (2,5-dialkoxy-1,4-phenylene vinylene) [RO-PPV], poly (2- (2′- Ethyl-hexoxy) -5-methoxy-1,4-phenylenevinylene) [MEH-PPV], poly (2- (dialkoxyphenyl) -1,4-phenylenevinylene) [ROPh-PPV] and the like. The polyparaphenylene series includes derivatives of polyparaphenylene [PPP], poly (2,5-dialkoxy-1,4-phenylene) [RO-PPP], poly (2,5-dihexoxy-1,4-phenylene). ) And the like. Polythiophene series includes polythiophene [PT] derivatives, poly (3-alkylthiophene) [PAT], poly (3-hexylthiophene) [PHT], poly (3-cyclohexylthiophene) [PCHT], poly (3-cyclohexyl). -4-methylthiophene) [PCHMT], poly (3,4-dicyclohexylthiophene) [PDCHT], poly [3- (4-octylphenyl) -thiophene] [POPT], poly [3- (4-octylphenyl) -2,2 bithiophene] [PTOPT] and the like. Examples of the polyfluorene series include polyfluorene [PF] derivatives, poly (9,9-dialkylfluorene) [PDAF], poly (9,9-dioctylfluorene) [PDOF], and the like.

  Note that when a hole-transporting polymer-based organic light-emitting material is sandwiched between an anode and a light-emitting polymer-based organic light-emitting material, hole injection properties from the anode can be improved. In general, an acceptor material dissolved in water is applied by spin coating or the like. In addition, since it is insoluble in an organic solvent, it can be stacked with the above-described light-emitting organic light-emitting material. Examples of the hole-transporting polymer organic light emitting material include a mixture of PEDOT and camphor sulfonic acid (CSA) as an acceptor material, a mixture of polyaniline [PANI] and polystyrene sulfonic acid [PSS] as an acceptor material, and the like. .

  The light emitting layer can be configured to emit monochromatic or white light. In the case of using a white light emitting material, color display can be made possible by providing a filter (colored layer) that transmits light of a specific wavelength on the light emission side of the pixel.

To form a light emitting layer that emits white light, for _{example, Alq 3, Alq 3, Alq} 3 doped with Nile Red which is partly red light emitting pigment, p-EtTAZ, by TPD (aromatic diamine) evaporation A white color can be obtained by sequentially laminating. Moreover, when forming a light emitting layer by the apply | coating method using spin coating, after apply | coating, it is preferable to bake by vacuum heating. For example, a poly (ethylenedioxythiophene) / poly (styrenesulfonic acid) aqueous solution (PEDOT / PSS) that acts as a hole injection layer is applied and baked on the entire surface, and then a luminescent center dye (1, 1,4,4-tetraphenyl-1,3-butadiene (TPB), 4-dicyanomethylene-2-methyl-6- (p-dimethylamino-styryl) -4H-pyran (DCM1), Nile Red, Coumarin 6 Etc.) A doped polyvinyl carbazole (PVK) solution may be applied to the entire surface and fired.

  The light emitting layer can also be formed as a single layer, and an electron transporting 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivative (PBD) may be dispersed in hole transporting polyvinyl carbazole (PVK). Further, white light emission can be obtained by dispersing 30 wt% PBD as an electron transporting agent and dispersing an appropriate amount of four kinds of dyes (TPB, coumarin 6, DCM1, Nile red). In addition to the light-emitting element that can emit white light as shown here, a light-emitting element that can obtain red light emission, green light emission, or blue light emission can be manufactured by appropriately selecting the material of the light-emitting layer.

  Furthermore, a triplet excitation material containing a metal complex or the like may be used for the light emitting layer in addition to a singlet excitation light emitting material. For example, among red light emitting pixels, green light emitting pixels, and blue light emitting pixels, a red light emitting pixel having a relatively short luminance half time is formed of a triplet excitation light emitting material, and the other A singlet excited luminescent material is used. The triplet excited luminescent material has a feature that the light emission efficiency is good, so that less power is required to obtain the same luminance. That is, when applied to a red pixel, the amount of current flowing through the light emitting element can be reduced, so that reliability can be improved. As a reduction in power consumption, a red light-emitting pixel and a green light-emitting pixel may be formed using a triplet excitation light-emitting material, and a blue light-emitting pixel may be formed using a singlet excitation light-emitting material. By forming a green light-emitting element having high human visibility with a triplet excited light-emitting material, power consumption can be further reduced.

  Examples of triplet excited luminescent materials include those using a metal complex as a dopant, and metal complexes having a third transition series element platinum as the central metal and metal complexes having iridium as the central metal are known. Yes. The triplet excited light-emitting material is not limited to these compounds, and a compound having the above structure and having an element belonging to group 8 to 10 in the periodic table as a central metal can also be used.

  The substances forming the light-emitting layer listed above are examples, and functionalities such as a hole injection transport layer, a hole transport layer, an electron injection transport layer, an electron transport layer, a light emission layer, an electron block layer, and a hole block layer are included. A light emitting element can be formed by appropriately stacking each layer. Moreover, you may form the mixed layer or mixed junction which combined these each layer. The layer structure of the light-emitting layer can be changed, and instead of having a specific electron injection region or light-emitting region, it is possible to provide a modification with an electrode for this purpose or a dispersed light-emitting material. Can be permitted without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  A light-emitting element formed using the above materials emits light by being forward-biased. A pixel of a display device formed using a light-emitting element can be driven by a simple matrix method or an active matrix method. In any case, each pixel emits light by applying a forward bias at a specific timing, but is in a non-light emitting state for a certain period. By applying a reverse bias during this non-light emitting time, the reliability of the light emitting element can be improved. The light emitting element has a degradation mode in which the light emission intensity decreases under a constant driving condition and a degradation mode in which the non-light emitting area is enlarged in the pixel and the luminance is apparently decreased. However, alternating current that applies a bias in the forward and reverse directions. By performing a typical drive, the progress of deterioration can be slowed, and the reliability of the light emitting device can be improved. Further, either digital driving or analog driving can be applied.

  Although not shown in FIG. 19, a filter (colored layer) may be formed on the counter substrate of the substrate 480. The filter (colored layer) can be formed by a droplet discharge method. In that case, laser light irradiation treatment or the like can be applied as the above-described base pretreatment. With the base film of the present invention, a filter (colored layer) can be formed in a desired pattern with good adhesion. When a filter (colored layer) is used, high-definition display can be performed. This is because a broad peak can be corrected to be sharp in the emission spectrum of each RGB by the filter (colored layer).

  As described above, the case where a material that emits light of each RGB is formed has been described. However, full color display can be performed by forming a material that emits light of a single color and combining a color filter and a color conversion layer. The filter (colored layer) and the color conversion layer may be formed, for example, on the second substrate (sealing substrate) and attached to the substrate. Further, as described above, any of the material exhibiting monochromatic light emission, the filter (colored layer), and the color conversion layer can be formed by a droplet discharge method.

  Of course, monochromatic light emission may be displayed. For example, an area color type display device may be formed using monochromatic light emission. As the area color type, a passive matrix type display unit is suitable, and characters and symbols can be mainly displayed.

  In the above configuration, a material having a small work function can be used as the cathode, and for example, Ca, Al, CaF, MgAg, AlLi, or the like is desirable. The electroluminescent layer may be any of a single layer type, a laminated type, and a mixed type having no layer interface. It is also formed from singlet materials, triplet materials, or combinations thereof, charge injection / transport materials containing organic compounds or inorganic compounds, and light-emitting materials, and low molecular organic compounds and medium molecular organic compounds (sublimation) based on the number of molecules. And an organic compound having a molecular number of 20 or less, or a chained molecule having a length of 10 μm or less), including one or more layers selected from macromolecular organic compounds, You may combine with the injection | pouring transport property or a hole injection transport property inorganic compound. The first electrode 484, the first electrode 463, and the first electrode 472 are formed using a transparent conductive film that transmits light. For example, in addition to ITO and ITSO, 2 to 20% zinc oxide (ZnO) is added to indium oxide. ) Is used. Note that plasma treatment in an oxygen atmosphere or heat treatment in a vacuum atmosphere is preferably performed before the first electrode 484, the first electrode 463, and the first electrode 472 are formed. A partition wall (also referred to as a bank) is formed using a material containing silicon, an organic material, and a compound material. A porous film may be used. However, it is preferable to use a photosensitive or non-photosensitive material such as acrylic or polyimide because the side surface has a shape in which the radius of curvature continuously changes and the upper thin film is formed without being cut off. This embodiment mode can be freely combined with the above embodiment modes.

(Embodiment 7)
In the display panel manufactured in any of Embodiments 4 to 6, the driver circuit on the scanning line side can be formed over the substrate 3700 as described in FIG. 29B by forming the semiconductor layer using SAS. it can.

FIG. 25 shows a block diagram of a scanning line side driving circuit constituted by an n-channel TFT using SAS capable of obtaining a field effect mobility of 1 to 15 cm ² / V · sec.

  In FIG. 25, a block 500 corresponds to a pulse output circuit that outputs a sampling pulse for one stage, and the shift register includes n pulse output circuits. Reference numeral 901 denotes a buffer circuit, to which a pixel 902 is connected.

  FIG. 26 shows a specific configuration of a pulse output circuit corresponding to the block 500, and a circuit is configured by n-channel TFTs 601 to 613. At this time, the size of the TFT may be determined in consideration of the operating characteristics of the n-channel TFT using SAS. For example, if the channel length is 8 μm, the channel width can be set in the range of 10 to 80 μm.

  A specific configuration of the buffer circuit 901 is shown in FIG. Similarly, the buffer circuit is composed of n-channel TFTs 620 to 635. At this time, the size of the TFT may be determined in consideration of the operating characteristics of the n-channel TFT using SAS. For example, if the channel length is 10 μm, the channel width is set in the range of 10 to 1800 μm. When the present invention is used, a pattern can be formed in a desired shape with good controllability, and such a thin wiring having a channel width of 10 μm can be stably formed without disconnection.

  In order to realize such a circuit, the TFTs need to be connected to each other by wiring, and a configuration example of the wiring in that case is shown in FIG. In FIG. 31, as in Embodiment 4, a gate electrode layer 105, a gate insulating layer 116 (a three-layered structure including an insulating layer made of silicon nitride, an insulating layer made of silicon oxide, and an insulating layer made of silicon nitride), A state is shown in which a semiconductor layer 107 formed by SAS, an N-type semiconductor layer 109 for forming a source region and a drain region, a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer 111, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer 112 are formed. In this case, the connection wiring layer 160, the connection wiring layer 161, and the connection wiring layer 162 are formed over the substrate 100 in the same process as the gate electrode layer 105. Then, a part of the gate insulating layer 116 is etched so that the connection wiring layer 160, the connection wiring layer 161, and the connection wiring layer 162 are exposed, so that the source and drain electrode layers 111 and 111 and the source and drain electrode layers are formed. Various circuits can be realized by connecting TFTs as appropriate by 112 and the connection wiring layer 163 formed in the same process.

(Embodiment 8)
Next, a mode in which a driver circuit for driving is mounted on the display panel manufactured according to Embodiment Modes 4 to 7 will be described.

  First, a display device employing a COG method is described with reference to FIG. A pixel portion 2701 for displaying information such as characters and images is provided over the substrate 2700. A substrate provided with a plurality of drive circuits is divided into a rectangular shape, and a divided drive circuit (also referred to as a driver IC) 2751 is mounted on the substrate 2700. FIG. 30A shows a mode in which a plurality of driver ICs 2751 and an FPC 2750 are mounted on top of the driver ICs 2751. Further, the size of the division may be substantially the same as the length of the side of the pixel portion on the signal line side, and a tape may be mounted on the tip of the driver IC on a single driver IC.

  Alternatively, a TAB method may be employed. In that case, a plurality of tapes may be attached and driver ICs may be mounted on the tapes as shown in FIG. As in the case of the COG method, a single driver IC may be mounted on a single tape. In this case, a metal piece or the like for fixing the driver IC may be attached together due to strength problems.

  A plurality of driver ICs mounted on these display panels may be formed on a rectangular substrate having a side of 300 mm to 1000 mm or more from the viewpoint of improving productivity.

  That is, a plurality of circuit patterns having a drive circuit portion and an input / output terminal as one unit may be formed on the substrate, and finally divided and taken out. The long side of the driver IC may be formed in a rectangular shape having a long side of 15 to 80 mm and a short side of 1 to 6 mm in consideration of the length of one side of the pixel portion and the pixel pitch. Or a length obtained by adding one side of the pixel portion and one side of each driver circuit.

  The advantage of the external dimensions of the driver IC over the IC chip lies in the length of the long side. When a driver IC formed with a long side of 15 to 80 mm is used, the number required for mounting corresponding to the pixel portion is as follows. This is less than when an IC chip is used, and the manufacturing yield can be improved. Further, when a driver IC is formed over a glass substrate, the shape of the substrate used as a base is not limited, and thus productivity is not impaired. This is a great advantage compared with the case where the IC chip is taken out from the circular silicon wafer.

  In the case where the scan line driver circuit 3702 is integrally formed over the substrate as shown in FIG. 29B, a driver IC in which a driver circuit driver circuit on the signal line side is formed in an area outside the pixel portion 3701. Implemented. These driver ICs are drive circuits on the signal line side. In order to form a pixel region corresponding to RGB full color, the number of signal lines in the XGA class is 3072 and the number in the UXGA class is 4800. The signal lines formed in such a number are divided into several blocks at the end of the pixel portion 3701 to form lead lines, and are collected according to the pitch of the output terminals of the driver IC.

  The driver IC is preferably formed of a crystalline semiconductor formed over a substrate, and the crystalline semiconductor is preferably formed by irradiating continuous-emitting laser light. Therefore, a continuous light emitting solid state laser or gas laser is used as an oscillator for generating the laser light. When a continuous light emission laser is used, a transistor can be formed using a polycrystalline semiconductor layer having a large grain size with few crystal defects. In addition, since the mobility and response speed are good, high-speed driving is possible, the operating frequency of the element can be improved as compared with the prior art, and there is less variation in characteristics, so that high reliability can be obtained. Note that for the purpose of further improving the operating frequency, the channel length direction of the transistor and the scanning direction of the laser light are preferably matched. This is because, in the laser crystallization process using a continuous emission laser, the highest mobility is obtained when the channel length direction of the transistor and the scanning direction of the laser beam with respect to the substrate are substantially parallel (preferably −30 ° to 30 °). It is because it is obtained. Note that the channel length direction corresponds to the direction in which current flows in the channel formation region, in other words, the direction in which charges move. The transistor thus fabricated has an active layer composed of a polycrystalline semiconductor layer in which crystal grains extend in the channel direction, which means that the crystal grain boundaries are formed substantially along the channel direction. means.

  In order to perform laser crystallization, it is preferable to significantly narrow the laser beam, and the width of the beam spot is preferably about 1 to 3 mm, which is the same width of the short side of the driver IC. In order to ensure a sufficient and efficient energy density for the irradiated object, the laser light irradiation region is preferably linear. However, the line shape here does not mean a line in a strict sense, but means a rectangle or an ellipse having a large aspect ratio. For example, the aspect ratio is 2 or more (preferably 10 to 10,000). In this manner, a method for manufacturing a display device with improved productivity can be provided by setting the width of the beam spot of the laser light to the same length as the short side of the driver IC.

  As shown in FIGS. 30A and 30B, driver ICs may be mounted as both the scanning line driver circuit and the signal line driver circuit. In that case, the specifications of the driver ICs used on the scanning line side and the signal line side may be different.

In the pixel region, signal lines and scanning lines intersect to form a matrix, and transistors are arranged corresponding to the respective intersections. The present invention is characterized in that a TFT having an amorphous semiconductor or semi-amorphous semiconductor as a channel portion is used as a transistor arranged in a pixel region. The amorphous semiconductor is formed by a method such as a plasma CVD method or a sputtering method. A semi-amorphous semiconductor can be formed at a temperature of 300 ° C. or less by a plasma CVD method. For example, even a non-alkali glass substrate with an outer dimension of 550 × 650 mm has a film thickness necessary for forming a transistor. Is formed in a short time. Such a feature of the manufacturing technique is effective in manufacturing a large-screen display device. In addition, the semi-amorphous TFT can obtain a field effect mobility of 1 to 15 cm ² / V · sec by forming a channel formation region with SAS. Further, when the present invention is used, a pattern can be formed in a desired shape with good controllability, and thus a thin wiring having a short channel length can be stably formed without disconnection. A TFT having electric characteristics necessary for sufficiently functioning a pixel can be formed. Therefore, this TFT can be used as a switching element for a pixel or an element constituting a driving circuit on the scanning line side. Therefore, a display panel that realizes system-on-panel can be manufactured.

  By using TFTs in which the semiconductor layer is formed of SAS, the scanning line side driver circuit can also be integrally formed on the substrate. In the case of using TFTs in which the semiconductor layer is formed of AS, the scanning line side driver circuit and the signal A driver IC may be mounted on both the line side driver circuits.

  In that case, it is preferable that the specifications of the driver ICs used on the scanning line side and the signal line side are different. For example, although a transistor constituting the driver IC on the scanning line side is required to have a withstand voltage of about 30 V, the driving frequency is 100 kHz or less, and a relatively high speed operation is not required. Therefore, it is preferable to set the channel length (L) of the transistors forming the driver on the scanning line side to be sufficiently large. On the other hand, it is sufficient for the transistor of the driver IC on the signal line side to have a withstand voltage of about 12V, but the drive frequency is about 65 MHz at 3V, and high speed operation is required. Therefore, it is preferable to set the channel length and the like of the transistors constituting the driver on the micron rule.

  The method for mounting the driver IC is not particularly limited, and a known COG method, wire bonding method, or TAB method can be used.

  The thickness of the driver IC is the same as that of the counter substrate, which contributes to a reduction in thickness of the entire display device. In addition, since each substrate is made of the same material, thermal stress is not generated even when a temperature change occurs in the display device, and the characteristics of a circuit made of TFTs are not impaired. In addition, the number of driver ICs to be mounted in one pixel region can be reduced by mounting the drive circuit with a driver IC that is longer than the IC chip as shown in this embodiment.

  As described above, a driver circuit can be incorporated into a light-emitting display panel.

(Embodiment 9)
A structure of a pixel of the display panel described in this embodiment will be described with reference to an equivalent circuit diagram illustrated in FIG.

  In the pixel shown in FIG. 32A, a signal line 410, a power supply line 411, a power supply line 412, a power supply line 413, and a scanning line 414 are arranged in the column direction. In addition, the pixel includes a TFT 401 that is a switching TFT, a TFT 403 that is a driving TFT, a TFT 404 that is a current control TFT, a capacitor element 402, and a light emitting element 405.

  The pixel shown in FIG. 32C is different from the pixel shown in FIG. 32A except that the gate electrode of the TFT 403 is connected to the power supply line 415 arranged in the row direction. is there. That is, both pixels shown in FIGS. 32A and 32C show the same equivalent circuit diagram. However, in the case where the power supply line 412 is arranged in the column direction (FIG. 32A) and the power supply line 415 is arranged in the row direction (FIG. 32C), each power supply line is conductive in a different layer. Formed with body layers. Here, attention is paid to the wiring to which the gate electrode of the driving TFT 403 is connected, and FIGS. 32A and 32C are shown separately to show that the layers for producing these are different.

32A and 32C, the TFT 403 and the TFT 404 are connected in series in the pixel. The channel length L ₃ and the channel width W _{3 of} the TFT 403, the channel length L ₄ and the channel width of the TFT 404 are as follows. W ₄ may be set to satisfy L ₃ / W ₃ : L ₄ / W ₄ = 5 to 6000: 1. As an example of satisfying 5 to 6000: 1, there is a case where L ₃ is 500 μm, W ₃ is 3 μm, L ₄ is 3 μm, and W ₄ is 100 μm. When the present invention is used, the pattern can be formed in a desired shape with good controllability, and thus such a thin wiring having W ₃ of 3 μm can be stably formed without disconnection. Accordingly, a TFT having electric characteristics necessary for sufficiently functioning a pixel as shown in FIGS. 32A and 32C can be formed, and a highly reliable display panel with excellent display capability can be manufactured. .

Note that the TFT 403 operates in a saturation region and has a role of controlling a current value flowing through the light emitting element 405, and the TFT 404 has a role of controlling a current supply to the light emitting element 405 by operating in a linear region. Both TFTs preferably have the same conductivity type in terms of manufacturing process. The TFT 403 may be a depletion type TFT as well as an enhancement type. In the present invention having the above structure, since the TFT 404 operates in a linear region, a slight change in V _GS of the TFT 404 does not affect the current value of the light emitting element 405. That is, the current value of the light emitting element 405 is determined by the TFT 403 operating in the saturation region. The present invention having the above structure can provide a display device in which luminance unevenness of a light emitting element due to variation in TFT characteristics is improved and image quality is improved.

  In the pixel shown in FIGS. 32A to 32D, the TFT 401 controls input of a video signal to the pixel. When the TFT 401 is turned on and a video signal is input into the pixel, the capacitor 402 The video signal is held in Note that FIGS. 32A and 32C illustrate a structure in which the capacitor 402 is provided; however, the present invention is not limited to this, and the capacity for holding a video signal can be covered by a gate capacity or the like. In this case, the capacitor 402 is not necessarily provided explicitly.

  The light-emitting element 405 has a structure in which an electroluminescent layer is sandwiched between two electrodes, and a potential difference is generated between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode (between the anode and the cathode) so that a forward bias voltage is applied. Is provided. The electroluminescent layer is composed of a wide variety of materials such as organic materials and inorganic materials. The luminescence in the electroluminescent layer includes light emission (fluorescence) when returning from a singlet excited state to a ground state, and a triplet excited state. And light emission (phosphorescence) when returning to the ground state.

  The pixel shown in FIG. 32B has the same pixel structure as that shown in FIG. 32A except that a TFT 406 and a scanning line 416 are added. Similarly, the pixel illustrated in FIG. 32D has the same pixel structure as that illustrated in FIG. 32C except that a TFT 406 and a scanning line 416 are added.

  The TFT 406 is controlled to be turned on or off by a newly arranged scanning line 416. When the TFT 406 is turned on, the charge held in the capacitor 402 is discharged and the TFT 404 is turned off. That is, a state in which no current flows through the light emitting element 405 can be created by the arrangement of the TFT 406. Accordingly, the configurations in FIGS. 32B and 32D can improve the duty ratio because the lighting period can be started simultaneously with or immediately after the start of the writing period without waiting for signal writing to all the pixels. It becomes possible.

  In the pixel shown in FIG. 32E, a signal line 450, a power supply line 451, a power supply line 452, and a scanning line 453 are arranged in the column direction. In addition, the pixel includes a switching TFT 441, a driving TFT 443, a capacitor element 442, and a light emitting element 444. The pixel illustrated in FIG. 32F has the same pixel structure as that illustrated in FIG. 32E except that a TFT 445 and a scanning line 454 are added. Note that the duty ratio of the structure in FIG. 32F can also be improved by the arrangement of the TFTs 445.

    As described above, when the present invention is used, a pattern such as a wiring can be stably formed with good controllability without causing defective formation, so that high electrical characteristics and reliability can be imparted to the TFT. In addition, it can sufficiently cope with applied technology for improving the display capability of the pixel in accordance with the purpose of use.

(Embodiment 10)
One mode in which protective diodes are provided in the scanning line side input terminal portion and the signal line side input terminal portion will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 24, a pixel 2702 is provided with a TFT 501, a TFT 502, a capacitor 504, and a light emitting element 503. This TFT has a configuration similar to that of the second embodiment.

  A protection diode 561 and a protection diode 562 are provided in the signal line side input terminal portion. This protection diode is manufactured in the same process as the TFT 501 or the TFT 502, and is operated as a diode by connecting the gate and one of the drain or the source. An equivalent circuit diagram of the top view shown in FIG. 24 is shown in FIG.

  The protection diode 561 includes a gate electrode layer, a semiconductor layer, and a wiring layer. The protective diode 562 has a similar structure. The common potential line 554 and the common potential line 555 connected to the protection diode are formed in the same layer as the gate electrode layer. Therefore, in order to be electrically connected to the wiring layer, it is necessary to form a contact hole in the gate insulating layer.

  The contact hole to the gate insulating layer may be etched by forming a mask layer. In this case, if an atmospheric pressure discharge etching process is applied, a local electric discharge process is also possible, and it is not necessary to form a mask layer on the entire surface of the substrate.

  The signal wiring layer is formed in the same layer as the source wiring layer or drain wiring layer 505 and the source wiring layer or drain wiring layer 507 in the TFTs 501 and 502, and the signal wiring layer connected to the source wiring layer is connected to the source or drain side. ing.

  The input terminal portion on the scanning signal line side has the same configuration. The protective diode 563 includes a gate electrode layer, a semiconductor layer, and a wiring layer. The protective diode 564 has a similar structure. The common potential line 556 and the common potential line 557 connected to the protection diode are formed in the same layer as the source wiring layer or the drain wiring layer. A protection diode provided in the input stage can be formed at the same time. Note that the position at which the protective diode is inserted is not limited to this embodiment mode, and can be provided between the driver circuit and the pixel.

  As described above, when the present invention is used, a pattern such as a wiring can be stably formed with good controllability without causing defective formation. Therefore, the formation of a protective circuit complicates the wiring and the like. Even if it is formed, a short circuit or the like will not occur. In addition, since it is not necessary to consider a wide margin, even if the device is reduced in size and thickness, it can sufficiently cope. Therefore, a display device having high electrical characteristics and reliability can be manufactured.

(Embodiment 11)
FIG. 22 shows an example in which an EL display module is formed using a TFT substrate 2800 manufactured by a droplet discharge method. In FIG. 22, a pixel portion including pixels is formed over a TFT substrate 2800.

  In FIG. 22, outside the pixel portion and between the driver circuit and the pixel, the same TFT as that formed in the pixel or the gate of the TFT and one of the source and the drain is connected to be the same as the diode. The protection circuit portion 2801 operated in the above is provided. As the external circuit 2809, a driver IC formed of a single crystal semiconductor, a stick driver IC formed of a polycrystalline semiconductor film over a glass substrate, a drive circuit formed of SAS, or the like is applied.

  The TFT substrate 2800 is fixed to the sealing substrate 2820 through spacers 2806a and 2806b formed by a droplet discharge method. The spacer is preferably provided to keep the distance between the two substrates constant even when the substrate is thin and the area of the pixel portion is increased. A space between the TFT substrate 2800 and the sealing substrate 2820 on the light-emitting element 2804 and the light-emitting element 2805 connected to the TFT 2802 and the TFT 2803, respectively, may be solidified by filling a light-transmitting resin material. Then, it may be filled with dehydrated nitrogen or inert gas.

  FIG. 22 shows a case where the light-emitting element 2804 and the light-emitting element 2805 have a top emission type (top emission type) configuration, in which light is emitted in the direction of the arrow shown in the drawing. Each pixel can perform multicolor display by changing the emission color of the pixels to red, green, and blue. At this time, by forming the colored layer 2807a, the colored layer 2807b, and the colored layer 2807c corresponding to each color on the sealing substrate 2820 side, the color purity of the emitted light can be increased. Alternatively, the pixel may be combined with a colored layer 2807a, a colored layer 2807b, or a colored layer 2807c as a white light emitting element.

  The external circuit 2809 is connected to a scanning line or signal line connection terminal provided at one end of the TFT substrate 2800 through a wiring substrate 2810. Further, a heat pipe 2813 and a heat radiating plate 2812 may be provided in contact with or in proximity to the TFT substrate 2800 to enhance the heat radiation effect.

  Although the top emission EL module is shown in FIG. 22, the bottom emission structure may be changed by changing the configuration of the light emitting element and the arrangement of the external circuit board. In the case of a top emission type structure, an insulating layer serving as a partition wall may be colored and used as a black matrix. The partition walls can be formed by a droplet discharge method, and may be formed by mixing a resin material such as polyimide with a pigment-based black resin, carbon black, or the like, or may be a laminate thereof.

  Alternatively, the TFT substrate 2800 may have a sealing structure in which a resin film is attached to the side where the pixel portion is formed using a sealant or an adhesive resin. Although glass sealing using a glass substrate is described in this embodiment mode, various sealing methods such as resin sealing using a resin, plastic sealing using a plastic, and film sealing using a film can be used. A gas barrier film for preventing the permeation of water vapor may be provided on the surface of the resin film. By adopting a film sealing structure, further reduction in thickness and weight can be achieved.

(Embodiment 12)
A television device can be completed with the display device formed according to the present invention. In the display panel, only the pixel portion is formed as shown in FIG. 29A, and the scanning line side driver circuit and the signal line side driver circuit are mounted by the TAB method as shown in FIG. And a case where the TFT is formed by SAS as shown in FIG. 29B, and the pixel portion and the scanning line side driver circuit are integrated on the substrate. In some cases, the signal line side driver circuit is separately mounted as a driver IC, and the pixel portion, the signal line side driver circuit, and the scanning line side driver circuit are integrally formed over the substrate as shown in FIG. However, any form is acceptable.

  As other external circuit configurations, on the video signal input side, among the signals received by the tuner, the video signal amplification circuit that amplifies the video signal, and the signal output from it corresponds to each color of red, green, and blue And a control circuit for converting the video signal into the input specification of the driver IC. The control circuit outputs signals to the scanning line side and the signal line side, respectively. In the case of digital driving, a signal dividing circuit may be provided on the signal line side and an input digital signal may be divided into m pieces and supplied.

  Of the signals received by the tuner, the audio signal is sent to the audio signal amplifier circuit, and the output is supplied to the speaker via the audio signal processing circuit. The control circuit receives control information of the receiving station (reception frequency) and volume from the input unit, and sends a signal to the tuner and the audio signal processing circuit.

  FIG. 35 shows an example of a liquid crystal display module. A TFT substrate 2600 and a counter substrate 2601 are fixed to each other with a sealant 2602, and a pixel portion 2603 and a liquid crystal layer 2604 are provided therebetween to form a display region. The colored layer 2605 is necessary for color display. In the case of the RGB method, a colored layer corresponding to each color of red, green, and blue is provided corresponding to each pixel. A polarizing plate 2606, a polarizing plate 2607, and a lens film 2613 are disposed outside the TFT substrate 2600 and the counter substrate 2601. The light source is composed of a cold cathode tube 2610 and a reflector 2611. The circuit board 2612 is connected to the TFT substrate 2600 by a drive circuit 2608 and a flexible wiring board 2609, and an external circuit such as a control circuit or a power supply circuit is incorporated. .

  As shown in FIG. 20, the display device can be incorporated in a housing 2001 to complete the television device. When an EL display module as shown in FIG. 22 is used, a liquid crystal television device can be completed when a liquid crystal display module as shown in FIG. 35 is used for the EL television device. A main screen 2003 is formed by the display module, and a speaker portion 2009, operation switches, and the like are provided as other accessory equipment. Thus, a television device can be completed according to the present invention.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 34, reflected light of light incident from the outside may be blocked using a phase difference plate or a polarizing plate. FIG. 34 shows a top emission type structure in which an insulating layer 3605 serving as a partition is colored and used as a black matrix. This partition wall can be formed by a droplet discharge method, and carbon black or the like may be mixed with a resin material such as polyimide, or may be a laminate thereof. A different material may be discharged to the same region a plurality of times by a droplet discharge method to form a partition wall. In the present embodiment, a pigment-based black resin is used. As the phase difference plate 3603 and the phase difference plate 3604, a λ / 4 plate and a λ / 2 plate may be used so that light can be controlled. As a structure, a TFT substrate 2800, a light emitting element 2804, a sealing substrate (sealing material) 2820, a retardation plate 3603, a retardation plate 3604 (λ / 4 plate, λ / 2 plate), and a polarizing plate 3602 are sequentially formed. The light emitted from the element passes through them and is emitted to the outside from the polarizing plate side. The retardation plate and the polarizing plate may be installed on the side from which light is emitted, and may be installed on both sides as long as the display is a double-sided emission type that emits light on both sides. Further, an antireflection film 3601 may be provided outside the polarizing plate. This makes it possible to display a higher-definition and precise image.

  As shown in FIG. 20, a display panel 2002 using a display element is incorporated in a housing 2001, so that a receiver 2005 can receive a general television broadcast, and can be connected to a wired or wireless communication network via a modem 2004. By connecting, information communication in one direction (from the sender to the receiver) or in both directions (between the sender and the receiver, or between the receivers) can be performed. The television device can be operated by a switch incorporated in the housing or a separate remote control device 2006, and the remote control device 2006 also includes a display unit 2007 for displaying information to be output. good.

    In addition, the television device may have a configuration in which a sub screen 2008 is formed using the second display panel in addition to the main screen 2003 to display channels, volume, and the like. In this configuration, the main screen 2003 may be formed using an EL display panel with an excellent viewing angle, and the sub screen may be formed using a liquid crystal display panel that can display with low power consumption. In order to prioritize the reduction in power consumption, the main screen 2003 may be formed using a liquid crystal display panel, the sub screen may be formed using an EL display panel, and the sub screen may blink. When the present invention is used, a highly reliable display device can be obtained even when such a large substrate is used and a large number of TFTs and electronic components are used.

  By using the present invention, the process can be simplified, and a display panel can be easily manufactured even if a glass substrate of the fifth generation or more in which one side exceeds 1000 mm is used.

  According to the present invention, a desired pattern can be formed with good controllability, material loss is small, and cost reduction can be achieved. Therefore, a television device using the present invention can be formed at a low cost even if it has a display portion with a large screen, and even if it is thin and wiring and the like are refined, a formation defect does not occur. Therefore, a high-performance and highly reliable television device can be manufactured with high yield.

  Of course, the present invention is not limited to a television device, but can be applied to various applications such as personal computer monitors, information display boards at railway stations and airports, and advertisement display boards on streets. can do.

(Embodiment 13)
Various display devices can be manufactured by applying the present invention. That is, the present invention can be applied to various electronic devices in which these display devices are incorporated in a display portion.

  Such electronic devices include video cameras, digital cameras, projectors, head mounted displays (goggles type displays), car navigation systems, car stereos, personal computers, game machines, personal digital assistants (mobile computers, mobile phones, electronic books, etc.) ), An image reproducing apparatus provided with a recording medium (specifically, an apparatus provided with a display capable of reproducing a recording medium such as a digital versatile disc (DVD) and displaying the image). Examples thereof are shown in FIG.

  FIG. 21A illustrates a laptop personal computer including a main body 2101, a housing 2102, a display portion 2103, a keyboard 2104, an external connection port 2105, a pointing mouse 2106, and the like. The present invention is applied to manufacturing the display portion 2103. When the present invention is used, a highly reliable high-quality image can be displayed even if the size is reduced and wiring and the like are refined.

  FIG. 21B shows an image reproducing device (specifically, a DVD reproducing device) provided with a recording medium, which includes a main body 2201, a housing 2202, a display portion A 2203, a display portion B 2204, and a recording medium (DVD etc.) reading portion 2205. , An operation key 2206, a speaker portion 2207, and the like. The display portion A 2203 mainly displays image information, and the display portion B 2204 mainly displays character information. The present invention is applied to the manufacture of the display portion A 2203 and the display portion B 2204. When the present invention is used, a highly reliable high-quality image can be displayed even if the size is reduced and wiring and the like are refined.

  FIG. 21C illustrates a mobile phone, which includes a main body 2301, an audio output portion 2302, an audio input portion 2303, a display portion 2304, operation switches 2305, an antenna 2306, and the like. By applying the display device manufactured according to the present invention to the display portion 2304, a highly reliable and high-quality image can be displayed even in a mobile phone that is downsized and wiring and the like are precise.

  FIG. 21D illustrates a video camera, which includes a main body 2401, a display portion 2402, a housing 2403, an external connection port 2404, a remote control reception portion 2405, an image receiving portion 2406, a battery 2407, an audio input portion 2408, operation keys 2409, and an eyepiece. Part 2410 and the like. The present invention can be applied to the display portion 2402. By applying the display device manufactured according to the present invention to the display portion 2402, a highly reliable and high-quality image can be displayed even with a video camera that is downsized and wiring and the like are precise. This embodiment mode can be freely combined with the above embodiment modes.

    In this example, the effect of the present invention will be described based on experimental results.

    As described in Embodiment Mode 1, a mask was formed in the formation region. The mask was formed by using polyimide and discharging material onto the substrate by a droplet discharge method. The mask was used to reduce the wettability of the substrate using a material with low wettability. FAS was used as a material having low wettability, and the coating was diluted with a solvent octanol. Thereafter, the previously formed mask was removed. Through the above steps, a low wettability region and a high wettability region were formed on the substrate, and a difference occurred in wettability in the formation region.

    A composition containing a silver conductive material was discharged by a droplet discharge method so as to cross the boundary from the high wettability region to the low wettability region, thereby forming a silver wiring. The dot pitch to be drawn is 60 μm, and the dot pitch represents the distance moved by one dot. The composition containing silver discharged to the low wettability region is not stable in the low wettability region due to the difference in wettability of the region to be formed, and from the boundary where the low wettability region and the high wettability region are in contact with each other, A part of the wettability flowed. In the low wettability region where the wettability with respect to the composition containing the silver conductive material is low, the composition containing the silver conductive material is repelled, so the composition does not stick, and the highly stable high wettability region. Because it has flowed into. As a result, as shown in FIG. 40, the silver wiring formed on the low wettability region was thinned and stably formed with a film thickness of 400 nm, a width of 50 to 55 μm, and a length of 1 mm. Therefore, it was confirmed that the thinned wiring can be freely formed by the present invention.

  As a comparative example, an example in which silver wiring is similarly formed without using the present invention is shown. In the comparative example, the entire formation region was subjected to a low wettability treatment to form a low wettability region. Therefore, the formation region is a region with uniform wettability. Similarly, a composition containing a silver conductive material was discharged onto a region having uniform wettability to form a silver wiring. The results are shown in FIGS. 41 (A) and (B). 41 (A) and 41 (B) differ in discharge amount, FIG. 41 (A) shows a dot pitch of 60 μm, and FIG. 41 (B) shows a dot pitch of 50 μm.

    In the example, the silver wiring having a dot pitch of 60 μm, which could form a stable silver wiring, was broken in the comparative example as shown in FIG. The silver wiring of the comparative example having a large dot discharge and a dot pitch of 50 μm did not break, but the wiring was swollen by a liquid pool called a bulge. The film thickness of the comparative example was 900 nm. As described above, in the comparative examples that did not use the present invention, any defective shape due to disconnection or liquid accumulation occurred in the wiring, and a stable thin wiring could not be formed.

    As described above, it was confirmed that a stable thin pattern can be formed according to the present invention.

    In this embodiment, examples of patterns using the present invention will be described based on experimental results.

    Similar to Example 1, three types of patterns were formed using the present invention. 42 to 44 are optical micrographs (A), conceptual cross-sectional views (B) along the line OP in FIGS. 42 to 44A, and lines 1-1 to 44 in FIG. Film thickness distribution (C) in 1-7, 2-1 to 2-4, and 3-1 to 3-4 is shown. In either case, the region where the pattern on the left side of the paper surface is formed wide is a region with high wettability (high wettability region) with respect to the composition containing the pattern forming material, and the pattern on the right side of the paper surface is The region formed in a thin line shape is a region having low wettability with respect to the composition (low wettability region). The composition containing the pattern forming material is ejected so as to extend over regions having different wettability, and after passing through a part of the composition flow process resulting from the difference in wettability, the pattern shape shown in FIGS. 42 to 44 is obtained. Stable.

    The patterns in FIGS. 42 and 43 are silver wirings formed by discharging a composition containing silver as a conductive material. The dot pitch was 60 μm and was formed in the atmosphere. The pattern in FIG. 44 is a pattern formed by discharging a composition containing polyvinyl alcohol. The dot pitch was 70 μm and was formed in the atmosphere.

    In the silver wiring shown in FIG. 42, the film thickness distribution in the region of 1-1 to 1-7 is the measurement result shown in FIG. The horizontal axis in FIG. 42C is the measurement region, and the vertical axis is the film thickness of the pattern. The film thickness value shown is the maximum value of each film thickness distribution, but when the film thickness distribution has a shape having a plurality of convex portions, it is approximately the average value of the maximum values of the respective convex portions. Also from this film thickness distribution, the high wettability region in 1-1 shows a wide film thickness distribution, and the low wettability region in 1-2 to 1-7 shows a thin film thickness distribution. ing. Therefore, it has been confirmed that when the present invention is used, a thin wire having a desired thickness can be formed stably with high reliability without causing defects such as disconnection.

    Consider the shape of the silver wiring in FIG. 42 in the film thickness direction. As a result of measuring the maximum value, which is substantially the central portion of the silver wiring, from the film thickness measurement of FIG. 42C, 1-1 is 580 nm, 1-2 is 350 nm, 1-3 is 350 nm, 1-4 is 260 nm, It was 260 nm for 1-5, 240 nm for 1-6, and 310 nm for 1-7. From this result, a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line OP in FIG. 42A is shown in FIG.

    As shown in FIG. 42B, as the tendency of the film thickness distribution of the cross section along the line OP, the film thickness of the low wettability region tends to increase as the distance from the high wettability region increases. As this factor, as the distance from the high wettability region increases, the composition containing the pattern forming material becomes difficult to flow to the low wettability region. The composition discharged to the low wettability region flows to the high wettability region due to the difference in wettability. However, if the distance to the high wettability region is long, the fluidity is reduced by drying of the solvent during the flow. This is because the composition may be lost and remain in the low wettability region.

    In addition, the pattern of the high wettability region tends to be thicker (or similar) than the pattern of the low wettability region. As this factor, the composition containing the pattern forming material flowing in the high wettability region aggregates due to the surface tension of the composition, so that the film thickness in the high wettability region is increased.

    As shown in FIG. 42, when the pattern of the high wettability region is thicker than the pattern of the low wettability region, there is a region where the film thickness decreases as the distance from the high wettability region increases. There is a tendency to exist. That is, the film thickness change in the vicinity of the boundary between the high wettability region and the low wettability region is not intermittent but changes gradually and continuously across the boundary. This change is considered to be due to the composition flowing in the high wettability region having lost its fluidity near its boundary and formed.

    As a result of measuring the maximum value which is almost the center of the silver wiring from the film thickness measurement of FIG. 43 (C), it is 270 nm for 2-1, 260 nm for 2-2, 380 nm for 2-3, and 400 nm for 2-4. became. From this result, a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line OP in FIG. 43A is shown in FIG. The shape of the silver wiring shown in FIG. 43 is almost the same as the shape of the silver wiring shown in FIG. 42 with no difference in film thickness between the pattern of the high wettability region and the pattern of the low wettability region. This is because the amount of discharge and the area of each region are different, the composition dries and has fluidity in a relatively short time, and the composition does not flow into a sufficiently high wettability region. There is sex. The tendency that the film thickness of the pattern becomes thick in the low wettability region far from the high wettability region is the same as the pattern of the silver wiring in FIG.

    The pattern shown in FIG. 44 is a pattern made of a composition containing polyvinyl alcohol. This pattern was formed on the silicon film. As a result of measuring the maximum value, which is almost the center of the pattern, from the film thickness measurement of FIG. 44 (C), it is 900 nm for 3-1; 450 nm for 3-2; 640 nm for 3-3; It was. From this result, a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line OP in FIG. 44 (A) is shown in FIG. 44 (B). In this pattern, the same tendency as the silver wiring shown in FIG. 42 was observed. However, in this pattern, a recess (indentation) as shown by the area 3-1 was formed in the pattern in the highly wettable area. In addition, the thin line pattern in the low wettability region also had a recess as shown in FIG. 44 (C) 3-2, 3-3, 3-4.

  The shape of the pattern described above can be affected by various factors such as the difference in contact angle and area of different wettability regions in the formation region, the viscosity of the composition, and the speed at which the solvent evaporates. Therefore, when forming a pattern, such factors may be appropriately designed to form a desired pattern. According to the present invention, it was confirmed that various stable thin patterns can be formed.

The figure explaining this invention. The figure explaining this invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. Sectional drawing of the display apparatus of this invention. FIG. 11 illustrates an electronic device to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 11 illustrates an electronic device to which the present invention is applied. Sectional drawing explaining the structural example of EL display module of this invention. FIG. 25 is an equivalent circuit diagram of an EL display panel described in FIG. FIG. 10 is a top view illustrating an EL display panel of the present invention. 6A and 6B illustrate a circuit structure in the case where a scan line side driver circuit is formed using TFTs in an EL display panel of the present invention. 6A and 6B illustrate a circuit configuration in the case where a scan line side driver circuit is formed using TFTs in an EL display panel of the present invention (shift register circuit). 4A and 4B illustrate a circuit configuration in the case where a scan line side driver circuit is formed using TFTs in an EL display panel of the present invention (buffer circuit). 2A and 2B illustrate a structure of a droplet discharge device that can be applied to the present invention. The top view of the display apparatus of this invention. The top view of the display apparatus of this invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram illustrating a structure of a pixel that can be applied to an EL display panel of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a top view illustrating a display panel of the present invention. Sectional drawing explaining the structural example of EL display module of this invention. Sectional drawing explaining the structural example of the liquid crystal display module of this invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. 4A to 4D illustrate a method for manufacturing a display device of the present invention. The figure explaining this invention. 4A and 4B illustrate a liquid crystal dropping injection method that can be applied to the present invention. The figure which shows the wiring produced by this invention. The figure which shows the wiring produced in the comparative example. The figure which shows the wiring produced by this invention. The figure which shows the wiring produced by this invention. The figure which shows the pattern produced by this invention.

Claims (22)

Forming a first region and a second region;
Discharging a composition containing a pattern forming material from the second region to the first region;
Flowing a portion of the composition discharged into the first region into the second region;
The pattern forming method, wherein the wettability with respect to the composition is higher in the second region than in the first region. A mask is selectively formed in the formation region,
Forming a first region using the mask;
Removing the mask to form a second region;
Discharging a composition containing a pattern forming material from the second region to the first region;
Flowing a portion of the composition discharged into the first region into the second region;
The pattern forming method, wherein the wettability with respect to the composition is higher in the second region than in the first region. Selectively forming a photocatalytic substance in the formation region;
Forming a first region on the region to be formed and the photocatalytic material;
Illuminating the photocatalytic material with light to form a second region;
Discharging a composition containing a pattern forming material from the second region to the first region;
Flowing a portion of the composition discharged into the first region into the second region;
The pattern forming method, wherein the wettability with respect to the composition is higher in the second region than in the first region. Forming a first region in the formation region;
Selectively irradiating the first region with light to form a second region;
Discharging a composition containing a pattern forming material from the second region to the first region;
Flowing a portion of the composition discharged into the first region into the second region;
The pattern forming method, wherein the wettability with respect to the composition is higher in the second region than in the first region.     4. The pattern forming method according to claim 3, wherein the photocatalytic substance is formed using titanium oxide.     The pattern forming method according to claim 1, wherein the first region is formed by forming a substance having a fluorine carbon chain. Forming a first region and a second region;
Discharging a composition containing a conductive material from the second region to the first region;
A part of the composition discharged to the first region is caused to flow to the second region to form an electrode layer;
A method for manufacturing a thin film transistor, wherein the wettability with respect to the composition is formed so that the second region is higher than the first region. Forming a first region and a second region;
Discharging a composition containing a conductive material from the second region to the first region;
A part of the composition discharged to the first region is caused to flow to the second region to form an electrode layer;
A conductive material is discharged into the second region in contact with the electrode layer, and a wiring layer is formed;
A method for manufacturing a thin film transistor, wherein the wettability with respect to the composition is formed so that the second region is higher than the first region. Selectively forming a photocatalytic substance in the formation region;
Forming a first region on the region to be formed and the photocatalytic material;
Irradiating the photocatalytic material with light to form a second region;
Discharging a composition containing a conductive material from the second region to the first region;
A part of the composition discharged to the first region is caused to flow to the second region to form an electrode layer;
The method for manufacturing a thin film transistor, wherein the wettability with respect to the composition is higher in the second region than in the first region.   10. The method for manufacturing a thin film transistor according to claim 7, wherein the first region is formed by forming a substance having a fluorine carbon chain.     The method for manufacturing a thin film transistor according to claim 9, wherein titanium oxide is formed as the photocatalytic substance. Forming a first region and a second region;
Discharging a composition including a mask forming material from the second region to the first region;
Flowing a part of the composition containing the mask forming material discharged to the first region to the second region to form a mask;
Removing a part of the first region using the mask, forming a third region, removing the mask and forming a fourth region;
Discharging a composition containing a conductive material so as to straddle the fourth region from the third region;
Flowing a composition containing the conductive material of the fourth region to the third region, forming a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer;
The wettability with respect to the composition containing the mask forming material is higher in the second region than in the first region,
The method for manufacturing a thin film transistor is characterized in that the third region has higher wettability to the composition containing the conductive material than the fourth region.   The method for manufacturing a thin film transistor according to claim 12, wherein the first region is formed by forming a substance having a fluorine carbon chain.     The method for manufacturing a display device according to claim 7, wherein the electrode layer is formed as a gate electrode layer.     12. The method for manufacturing a display device according to claim 8, wherein the electrode layer is formed as a gate electrode layer, and the wiring layer is formed as a gate wiring layer.     The method for manufacturing a display device according to claim 12, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are formed as a source electrode layer or a drain electrode layer. A wiring layer provided on an insulating surface having a first region and a second region, and an electrode layer in contact with the wiring layer;
The wiring layer is provided in the second region;
The electrode layer is provided in the first region;
The thin film transistor, wherein the second region has higher wettability with respect to the electrode layer and the wiring layer than the first region. A wiring layer provided on an insulating surface having a first region and a second region, and an electrode layer in contact with the wiring layer;
The wiring layer is provided in the second region;
The electrode layer is provided in the first region;
The wettability with respect to the electrode layer and the wiring layer is higher in the second region than in the first region,
The thin film transistor, wherein the electrode layer is narrower and thinner than the wiring layer. A gate wiring layer provided on an insulating surface having a first region and a second region; and a thin film transistor including a gate electrode layer in contact with the gate wiring layer;
The gate wiring layer is provided in the second region;
The gate electrode layer is provided in the first region;
The display device, wherein the second region has higher wettability to the gate electrode layer and the gate wiring layer than the first region. A gate wiring layer provided on an insulating surface having a first region and a second region; and a thin film transistor including a gate electrode layer in contact with the gate wiring layer;
The gate wiring layer is provided in the second region;
The gate electrode layer is provided in the first region;
The wettability with respect to the gate electrode layer and the gate wiring layer is higher in the second region than in the first region,
The display device, wherein the gate electrode layer is narrower and thinner than the gate wiring layer. A display screen is constituted by a display device having a gate wiring layer provided on an insulating surface having a first region and a second region, and a thin film transistor including a gate electrode layer in contact with the gate wiring layer,
The gate wiring layer is provided in the second region;
The gate electrode layer is provided in the first region;
The television device characterized in that the wettability with respect to the gate electrode layer and the gate wiring layer is higher in the second region than in the first region. A display screen is constituted by a display device having a gate wiring layer provided on an insulating surface having a first region and a second region, and a thin film transistor including a gate electrode layer in contact with the gate wiring layer,
The gate wiring layer is provided in the second region;
The gate electrode layer is provided in the first region;
The wettability with respect to the gate electrode layer and the gate wiring layer is higher in the second region than in the first region,
The television device, wherein the gate electrode layer is narrower and thinner than the gate wiring layer.