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`a2) United States Patent
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`US 7,173,281 B2
`(0) Patent No.:
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`*Feb. 6, 2007
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Hirakata et al.
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`US007173281B2
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`(54) SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND METHOD
`OF FABRICATING THE SAME
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`(75)
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`Inventors: Yoshiharu Hirakata, Kanagawa (JP);
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`Yuugo Goto, Kanagawa (JP); Yuko
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`Kobayashi, Kanagawa (JP); Shunpei
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`Yamazaki, Tokyo (JP)
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`(73) Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
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`Co., Ltd., Kanagawa-ken (JP)
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`(*) Notice:
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`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
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`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
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`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
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`This patent is subject to a terminal dis-
`claimer.
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`EP
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`(58) Field of Classification Search .................. 257/57,
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`257/59, 72, 83, 257, 290, 347, 351, 36
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`See application file for complete search history.
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`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`(56)
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`4,555,746 A
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`11/1985 Mochizuki etal.
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`(Continued)
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`0 604 006
`6/1994
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`(Continued)
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
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`(21) Appl. No.: 10/692,759
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`(22)
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`Filed:
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`Oct. 27, 2003
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`(65)
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`Prior Publication Data
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`US 2004/0084673 Al
`May6, 2004
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`Related U.S. Application Data
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`(62) Division of application No. 09/606,414, filed on Jun.
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`29, 2000, now Pat. No. 6,638,781.
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`(30)
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`Jul. 6, 1999
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`Foreign Application Priority Data
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`eeeeeeeeescesetseeseeeteeeees 11-191102
`
`(TP)
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`(51)
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`Int. Cl.
`
`
`HOLL 29/04
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`(2006.01)
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`
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`Furue et al., “Characteristics and Driving Scheme of Polymer-
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`Stablized Monostable FLCD Exhibiting Fast Response Time and
`
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`High Contrast Ratio with Gray-Scale Capability”, SID 98 DIGEST,
`
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`pp. 782-785.
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`(Continued)
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`Primary Examiner—Wai-Sing Louie
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`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Nixon Peabody LLP
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`(57)
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`ABSTRACT
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`There is provided a high quality liquid crystal panel having
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`a thickness with high accuracy, which is designed, without
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`using a particulate spacer, within a free range in accordance
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`with characteristics of a used liquid crystal and a driving
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`method, and is also provided a method of fabricating the
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`same. The shape of a spacer for keeping a substrate interval
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`constant is made such that it is a columnar shape, a radius
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`R of curvature is 2 um orless, a height H is 0.5 um to 10 um,
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`a diameter is 20 um orless, and an angle a is 65° to 115°.
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`By doing so, it is possible to prevent the lowering of an
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`opening rate and the lowering of light
`leakage due to
`orientation disturbance.
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`(52) U.S. Ch cc eeeeeeees 257/72; 257/57; 257/59;
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`257/83; 257/257; 257/290; 257/351; 257/368
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`124 Claims, 25 Drawing Sheets
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`Page | of 51
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`Tianma Exhibit 1007
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`Page 1 of 51
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`Tianma Exhibit 1007
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`

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`US 7,173,281 B2
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`PPPPPrrrrEPEPEPEErrrreereeeerPeeeeeeeeeeeereeeereES
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`6,162,667
`12/2000
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`6,163,357
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`Takanoetal.
`12/2000
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`
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`
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`6,225,645
`
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`
`
`Zhang
`Foschaar et al.
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`
`Shoharaetal.
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`
`
`8/2001
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`6,275,061
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`
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`Ohtani et al.
`6,285,042
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`3/2002
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`6,362,865
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`
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`
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`B1* 10/2003
`Hirakata et al.
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`Bl
`Kokuboetal.
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`6,680,487
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`EP
`EP
`EP
`EP
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`JP
`JP
`JP
`JP
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`JP
`JP
`JP
`JP
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`JP
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`JP
`JP
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`Sheet 1 of 25
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`US 7,173,281 B2
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`Sheet 2 of 25
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`L_gl_jgl_gl_3
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`Fig. 2A Cojbgl_jl_3 201
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`C_jlL_jl_Jlg |
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`CLjl _jl_jl_g
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`SA
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`arene
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`Fig. 2B
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`Fig. 2C
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`Fig. 4
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`first substrate
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`forming TFTs
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`forming an alignment film
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`rubbing process
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`second substrate
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`forming an alignmentfilm
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`rubbing process
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`forming spacers
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`forming a sealing member
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`bonding substrates
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`cutting substrates
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`injecting liquid crystal
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`sealing an injection port
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`re-alignment process
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`Fig. 15
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`first substrate
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`Fig. 24
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`ticulate spacers (glass beads, plastic beads, etc.) are used,
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`there is adopted a methodof spraying the particulate spacers
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`onto one of substrates. Thus, the spacers are disposed on a
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`pixel electrode, and block incident
`light or disturb the
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`orientation of liquid crystal molecules. As a result, it has
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`been difficult
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`coloring. Besides, the particulate spacers are easily charged
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`with static electricity, so that the spacers become easily
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`aggregate and are difficult to be uniformly distributed.
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`1
`SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND METHOD
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`OF FABRICATING THE SAME
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`US 7,173,281 B2
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`1. Field of the Invention
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`The present invention relates to a semiconductor device
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`including a circuit constructed by thin film transistors (here-
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`inafter referred to as TFTs) and a methodof fabricating the
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`same. For example,
`the present
`invention relates to an
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`electro-optical device typified by a liquid crystal display
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`panel, and an electronic equipment including such an elec-
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`tro-optical device as a part.
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`Incidentally, in the present specification, the term “semi-
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`conductor device” indicates any devices capable of func-
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`tioning by using semiconductor characteristics, and any of
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`the electro-optical device, semiconductor circuit, and elec-
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`tronic equipment is a semiconductor device.
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`2. Description of the Related Art
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`In recent years, attention has been paid to a technique for
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`constructing a thin film transistor (TFT) using a semicon-
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`ductor thin film (its thickness is about several to several
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`hundred nm) formed on a substrate having an insulating
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`surface. The thin film transistor is widely applied to an
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`electronic device, such as an IC or an electro-optical device,
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`and especially as a switching element of an image display
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`device, its development has been hastened.
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`As atypical example of the electro-optical device, a liquid
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`crystal display device, an EL display device, or a contact
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`type image sensor can becited.
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`In general, the liquid crystal display device includes a pair
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`of substrates which are opposed to each other at a certain
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`substrate interval, particulate spacers for keeping the certain
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`substrate interval, and a liquid crystal material sealed
`between the substrates.
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`The substrate interval of the liquid crystal display device
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`is normally set to 1 to 20 um, and this must be uniformly
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`controlled with accuracy of about +0.1 pm. This is because
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`if fluctuation occurs in the substrate interval, not only
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`deterioration in display quality, such as generation ofirregu-
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`lar color or interference fringe, is caused, but also trouble,
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`such as circuit damage or disabled display,
`is caused by
`contact of electrodes when the substrate interval is narrowed
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`by an external force. Like this, the spacer is an important
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`member for maintaining the performance of the liquid
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`crystal display element.
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`Hereinafter, a conventional methodof fabricating a liquid
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`crystal display device (TFT-LCD)will be described inbrief.
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`First, a pair of substrates are prepared. TFT elements and
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`pixel electrodes are formed in matrix form on one of the
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`substrates. Electrodes, colorfilters or the like are formed on
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`the other substrate. Next, after an alignment film is formed
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`on each of the pair of substrates, a rubbing processing is
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`performed.
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`Next, particulate spacers are uniformly sprayed on the
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`alignmentfilm of either one of the substrates. Next, the one
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`substrate is combined with the other substrate, and their
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`peripheral portions are sealed with an adhesive for sealing,
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`so that a liquid crystal cell is formed. Next, after the liquid
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`crystal cell
`is filled with a liquid crystal material by a
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`vacuum injection method, an injection port is sealed.
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`The foregoing flow of steps is a general fabricating
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`process of a TFT-LCD.
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`In the above conventionalsteps, it is difficult to uniformly
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`spray the particulate spacers, aid there have been problems
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`Page 28 of 51
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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`An object of the present invention is to provide a high
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`quality liquid crystal panel having a thickness with high
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`accuracy, which is designed, without using particulate spac-
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`ers, within a free range in accordance with characteristics of
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`a used liquid crystal and a driving method, and is also to
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`provide a method of fabricating the same.
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`According to an aspect of the present invention, a semi-
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`conductor device includes a first substrate, a second sub-
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`strate, and a plurality of columnar spacers disposed between
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`the first substrate and the second substrate and maintaining
`an interval between the first substrate and the second sub-
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`strate.
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`Besides, according to another aspect of the present inven-
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`tion, a semiconductor device includes a first substrate, a
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`second substrate, and a plurality of columnar spacers dis-
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`posed between the first substrate and the second substrate,
`wherein a radius R of curvature of each of the columnar
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`spacers is 2 um orless, preferably 1 um or less.
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`Besides, in the foregoing respective structures, a height H
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`of each of the columnar spacers is 0.5 um to 10 um,
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`preferably 1.2 um to 5 um.
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`Besides, in the foregoing respective structures, a width L1
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`of each of the columnar spacers is 20 um orless, preferably
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`7 wm orless.
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`Besides, in the foregoing respective structures, an angle a
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`between a tangent plane at a center of a side of each of the
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`columnar spacers and a substrate surface is 65° to 115°.
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`Besides, in the foregoing respective structures, each of the
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`columnar spacers includes a flat surface at its top portion.
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`Besides, in the foregoing respective structures, a sectional
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`shape of each of the columnar spacers in a radial direction
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`is a circle, an ellipse, a triangle, a quadrilateral, or a polygon
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`having sides more than the former.
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`Besides, in the foregoing respective structures, each of the
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`columnar spacers is made of an insulating material.
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`Besides, in the foregoing respective structures, each of the
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`columnar spacers is formed over a contact portion where a
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`TFT and a pixel electrode are connected to each other.
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`Besides, the columnar spacers may be formed only at a
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`sealing region, or may be formed at a sealing region and a
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`region of a driver circuit where an element does not exist.
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`Besides, the columnar spacers may be formedat the sealing
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`region and a pixel portion, or may be formedat a region of
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`Page 28 of 51
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`US 7,173,281 B2
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`4
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`electrode and the columnar spacer, and a sixth step of
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`performing a rubbing processing on the alignment film.
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`In the foregoing structure, the step of forming the colum-
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`nar spacer made of the insulating film includes a step of
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`forming the insulating film and a step of patterning the
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`insulating film so that the columnar spacer is formed.
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`3
`the driver circuit where an element does not exist and the
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`pixel portion. Besides, the columnar spacers may be formed
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`at the sealing region and a region between the driver circuit
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`and the pixel portion, or the columnar spacers may be
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`formed at a region between the driver circuit and the pixel
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`portion, and the pixel portion.
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`Besides, the columnar spacers may be formedata sealing
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`region, over a region of a driver circuit where an element
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`does notexist, and at a pixel portion, or the columnarspacers
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`may be formed overa region of the driver circuit where an
`FIGS. 1A and 1B are a SEM observation photograph of a
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`element does not exist and at a region between the driver
`columnar spacer of the present invention and its schematic
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`view.
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`circuit and the pixel portion. Besides, the columnar spacers
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`may be formedat the sealing region, over a region of the
`FIGS. 2A to 2C are views showing examples of arrange-
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`driver circuit where an element does not exist, at a region
`ment of columnar spacers and SEM observation photo-
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`between the drivercircuit and the pixel portion, and the pixel
`graphs.
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`portion, or the columnar spacers may be formedat a region
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`FIGS. 3A to 3E are views showing fabricating steps of the
`between the sealing region and the pixel portion. Besides,
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`present invention.
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`the columnar spacers may be formedat a region between the
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`FIG.4 is a view showing a flowchart of fabricating steps
`sealing region andthe driver circuit, or the columnar spacers
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`of the present invention.
`may be formedat a region betweenthe sealing region and an
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`FIGS. 5A to 5F are views showing fabricating steps of an
`end portion of the substrate. Besides, the columnar spacers
`AM-LCD.
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`may be formedat all regions of the substrate.
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`FIGS. 6A to 6F are views showing fabricating steps of the
`Besides, in the foregoing respective structures, in the case
`AM-LCD.
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`where the columnarspacers are formedto be in contact with
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`an alignmentfilm,a pretilt angle of liquid crystal is 4° to 5°.
`FIGS. 7A to 7D are views showingfabricating steps of the
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`AM-LCD.
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`Besides, in the foregoing respective structures, in the case
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`where the columnar spacers are covered with an alignment
`FIGS. 8A and 8B are views showing fabricating steps of
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`the AM-LCD.
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`film, a pretilt angle of liquid crystal is 6° to 10°.
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`FIG. 9 is a sectional structural view of a TFT.
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`Besides, according to another aspect of the present inven-
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`tion, a semiconductor device includes a display device
`FIG. 10 is a view showing an outer appearance of an
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`equipped with a first substrate, a second substrate, and a
`AM-LCD.
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`plurality of columnar spacers disposed between the first
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`FIG. 11 is a view showinga structure of a pixel portion
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`substrate and the second substrate, and a touch panel
`and a driver circuit.
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`equipped with an optical detecting element.
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`FIG. 12 is a top view showing a pixel structure.
`Besides, according to another aspect of the present inven-
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`FIGS. 13A and 13B are views showing examples of a
`tion, a semiconductor device includes a display device
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`connection portion to an external terminal.
`equipped with a first substrate, a second substrate, and a
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`plurality of columnar spacers disposed between the first
`FIGS. 14A to 14E are views showing fabricating steps of
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`substrate and the second substrate, and a touch panel
`the present invention.
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`equipped with a pressure sensitive type detecting element.
`FIG. 15 is a view showing a flowchart of fabricating steps
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`Besides, according to another aspect of the present inven-
`of the present invention.
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`tion, a semiconductor device includes a display device
`FIGS. 16A and 16B are views showing fabricating steps
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`of an AM-LCD.
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`equipped with a first substrate, a second substrate, and a
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`plurality of columnar spacers disposed between the first
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`FIGS. 17A and 17B are SEM observation photographs of
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`substrate and the second substrate, and a touch panel
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`columnar spacers of the present invention.
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`equipped with a capacitive type detecting element.
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`FIGS. 18A and 18B are views showing examples of
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`Besides, according to another aspect of the present inven-
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`arrangement of columnar spacers.
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`tion, a method of fabricating a semiconductor device com-
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`50
`FIGS. 19A to 19C are views showing examples of
`prises a first step of forming a TFT on a substrate, a second
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`arrangement of columnar spacers.
`step of formingaflattening film to cover the TFT,a third step
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`FIG.20 is a sectional structural view of an