Active solid-state devices (e.g. – transistors – solid-state diode – Field effect device – Having insulated electrode
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-04
2003-09-09
Coleman, William David (Department: 2823)
Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode
Field effect device
Having insulated electrode
Reexamination Certificate
active
06617645
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device (LCD), in particular, an active matrix liquid crystal display device (hereinafter abbreviated as AM-LCD) that uses a semiconductor thin film. The invention can be applied to an electro-optical device having such a display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In this specification, the term “semiconductor device” means every device that functions by using a semiconductor. Therefore, each of the above-mentioned display device and electro-optical device is included in the scope of the semiconductor device. However, in this specification, the terms “display device” and “electro-optical device” are used for the sake of discrimination.
In recent years, projectors or the like that use an AM-LCD as a projection-type display have been developed extensively. Further, the demand for AM-LCDs as direct-view displays for mobile computers and video cameras is now increasing.
FIGS. 2A and 2B
schematically show the configuration of a pixel matrix circuit in a conventional AM-LCD. The pixel matrix circuit, which constitutes an image display area of the AM-LCD, is a circuit in which thin-film transistors (TFTs) for controlling electric fields applied to a liquid crystal are arranged in matrix form.
FIG. 2A
is a top view of the pixel matrix circuit. The regions that are enclosed by a plurality of gate lines
201
extending in the horizontal direction and a plurality of source lines
202
extending in the vertical direction are pixel regions. TFTs
203
are formed at the respective intersections of the gate lines
201
and the source lines
202
. Pixel electrodes
204
are connected to the respective TFTs.
Thus, the pixel matrix circuit consists of a plurality of pixel regions that are enclosed by the gate lines
201
and the source lines
202
and are thereby arranged in matrix form, and each pixel region is provided with a TFT
203
and a pixel electrode
204
.
FIG. 2B
shows a sectional structure of the pixel matrix circuit. In
FIG. 2B
, reference numeral
205
denotes a substrate having an insulating surface and numerals
206
and
207
denote pixel TFTs formed on the substrate
205
. The pixel TFTs
206
and
207
correspond to the TFTs
203
in FIG.
2
A.
Pixel electrodes
208
and
209
, which correspond to the pixel electrodes
204
in
FIG. 2A
, are connected to the respective pixel TFTs
206
and
207
. Usually, the pixel electrodes
208
and
209
are obtained by patterning a single metal thin film.
Therefore, the pixel matrix circuit having the conventional structure necessarily includes electrode boundary portions (hereinafter referred to simply as boundary portions)
210
and
211
between the pixel electrodes
208
,
209
, etc.; there necessarily occur steps corresponding to the film thickness of the pixel electrodes
208
and
209
. The steps of this type may cause alignment failures of a liquid crystal material, leading to a disordered display image. Further, diffused reflection at the step portions of incident light may deteriorate the contrast or reduce the efficiency of light utilization.
As seen from
FIG. 2B
, above the semiconductor elements and the intersections of the wiring lines, the pixel electrodes
208
and
209
are formed so as to reflect their shapes. The steps of this type may also cause the above-mentioned problems.
In particular, the above problems appear more remarkably in projection-type displays for projectors and the like, because an image of a small (about 1 to 2 inches), very-high-resolution display is projected in an enlarged manner.
Conventionally, to deal with the above problems, the contrast ratio is increased by shielding regions where an image may be disordered with a black mask (or a black matrix). In recent years, because the device miniaturization has advanced and hence a high degree of controllability of shield regions is required to provide a large aperture ratio, a configuration in which a black mash is formed on a TFT-side substrate is the mainstream.
However, forming a black mash on a TFT-side substrate causes various problems such as an increased number of patterning steps, an increase in parasitic capacitance, and a decrease in aperture ratio. Therefore, a technique for securing a high contract ratio without causing above-mentioned problems is now desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of above circumstance and therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems in the art and to thereby enable, with a simple means, formation of a very-high-resolution AM-LCD.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of planarizing an insulating film formed on a substrate having an insulating surface; forming a plurality of electrodes on the insulating film; forming an insulating layer so as to cover the plurality of electrodes; and planarizing surfaces of the plurality of electrodes and a surface of the insulating layer so that they become flush with each other, thereby filling boundary portions between the plurality of electrodes with the insulating layer.
There is also provided a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device having a first substrate, a second, transparent substrate, and a liquid crystal layer held between the first and second substrates, comprising the steps of planarizing an insulating film formed on the first substrate; forming striped electrodes on the insulating film; forming an insulating layer so as to cover the striped electrodes; and planarizing surfaces of the striped electrodes and a surface of the insulating layer so that they become flush with each other, thereby filling boundary portions between the striped electrodes with the insulating layer.
There is also provided a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of forming a plurality of semiconductor elements on a substrate having an insulating surface; forming an interlayer insulating film; planarizing the interlayer insulating film; forming pixel electrodes that are electrically connected to the respective semiconductor elements on the interlayer insulating film; forming an insulating layer so as to cover the pixel electrodes; and planarizing surfaces of the pixel electrodes and a surface of the insulating layer so that they become flush with each other, thereby filling boundary portions between the pixel electrodes with the insulating layer.
There is further provided a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device having a substrate that has a plurality of semiconductor elements arranged in matrix form and a plurality of pixel electrodes connected to the respective semiconductor elements, and a liquid crystal layer held on the substrate, comprising the steps of forming an interlayer insulating film; planarizing the interlayer insulating film; forming pixel electrodes that are electrically connected to the respective semiconductor elements on the interlayer insulating film; forming an insulating layer so as to cover the pixel electrodes; and planarizing surfaces of the pixel electrodes and a surface of the insulating layer so that they become flush with each other, thereby filling boundary portions between the pixel electrodes with the insulating layer.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a semiconductor device comprising a plurality of electrodes formed on a substrate having an insulating surface; a DLC film covering the plurality of electrodes; and an insulating layer buried in boundary portions of the plurality of electrodes.
There is also provided a semiconductor device comprising a first substrate; a second, transparent substrate; a liquid crystal layer held between the first and second substrates; striped electrodes formed on each of the first and second substrates; a DLC film covering the striped electrodes; and an insulating layer buried in boundary portions of the striped electrodes.
There is also provi
Fukada Takeshi
Hirakata Yoshiharu
Coleman William David
Fish & Richardson P.C.
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