U.S. patent application number 14/833391 was filed with the patent office on 2015-12-17 for display device and manufacturing method thereof.
The applicant listed for this patent is Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Shunpei Yamazaki.
Application Number | 20150364501 14/833391 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44306652 |
Filed Date | 2015-12-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150364501 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yamazaki; Shunpei |
December 17, 2015 |
Display Device And Manufacturing Method Thereof
Abstract
Disclosed is a display device including a transistor showing
extremely low off current. In order to reduce the off current, a
semiconductor material whose band gap is greater than that of a
silicon semiconductor is used for forming a transistor, and the
concentration of an impurity which serves as a carrier donor of the
semiconductor material is reduced. Specifically, an oxide
semiconductor whose band gap is greater than or equal to 2 eV,
preferably greater than or equal to 2.5 eV, more preferably greater
than or equal to 3 eV is used for a semiconductor layer of a
transistor, and the concentration of an impurity which serves as a
carrier donor included is reduced. Consequently, the off current of
the transistor per micrometer in channel width can be reduced to
lower than 10 zA/.mu.m at room temperature and lower than 100
zA/.mu.m at 85.degree. C.
Inventors: |
Yamazaki; Shunpei; (Tokyo,
JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. |
Atsugi-shi |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
44306652 |
Appl. No.: |
14/833391 |
Filed: |
August 24, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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14515570 |
Oct 16, 2014 |
9117732 |
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14833391 |
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13011513 |
Jan 21, 2011 |
8866984 |
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14515570 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
349/43 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02F 1/133345 20130101;
H01L 27/3262 20130101; H01L 29/12 20130101; H01L 29/66969 20130101;
G02F 1/1336 20130101; G02F 1/136277 20130101; H01L 29/78609
20130101; G02F 1/1368 20130101; H01L 29/045 20130101; G09G 2300/08
20130101; H01L 29/66742 20130101; G09G 3/3406 20130101; H01L
29/7869 20130101; G09G 2320/0626 20130101; G09G 3/3659 20130101;
G09G 2320/0214 20130101; H01L 29/24 20130101; G09G 2360/144
20130101; H01L 27/1225 20130101; H01L 27/153 20130101; G09G 3/3648
20130101; G02F 1/134309 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01L 27/12 20060101
H01L027/12; G09G 3/36 20060101 G09G003/36; G02F 1/1343 20060101
G02F001/1343; H01L 29/24 20060101 H01L029/24; H01L 29/04 20060101
H01L029/04; G02F 1/1368 20060101 G02F001/1368; G09G 3/34 20060101
G09G003/34; H01L 29/786 20060101 H01L029/786 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 24, 2010 |
JP |
2010-012663 |
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. A display device comprising: a transistor; and a pixel electrode
electrically connected to the transistor, wherein the transistor
comprises: a semiconductor film comprising a channel formation
region; a source electrode over and electrically connected to the
semiconductor film; and a drain electrode over and electrically
connected to the semiconductor film; a gate insulating film over
the semiconductor film, the source electrode and the drain
electrode; and a gate electrode over the gate insulating film;
wherein the transistor has a characteristic that a current flowing
between the source electrode and the drain electrode is lower than
10 zA/.mu.m at room temperature when a voltage of 3.1 V is applied
between the source electrode and the drain electrode, wherein the
current is normalized by a channel width of the transistor, wherein
the semiconductor film comprises indium, zinc, and oxygen, and
wherein an energy gap of the semiconductor film is larger than or
equal to 2 eV.
3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the
semiconductor film comprises at least one metal element selected
from the group consisting of gallium, aluminum, manganese, and
cobalt.
4. The display device according to claim 2, comprising an
insulating film, wherein the semiconductor film, the source
electrode and the drain electrode are over and in contact with the
insulating film.
5. The display device according to claim 4, wherein the source
electrode and the drain electrode are in contact with the gate
insulating film.
6. The display device according to claim 2, comprising a liquid
crystal layer over the pixel electrode.
7. The display device according to claim 6, comprising a counter
electrode over the liquid crystal layer.
8. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the
semiconductor film is intrinsic or substantially intrinsic.
9. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the
semiconductor film comprises a crystalline region.
10. The display device according to claim 9, wherein the
crystalline region has a c-axis orientation with respect to a
surface of the semiconductor film.
11. A display device comprising: a transistor; and a pixel
electrode electrically connected to the transistor, wherein the
transistor comprises: a semiconductor film comprising a channel
formation region; a source electrode over and electrically
connected to the semiconductor film; and a drain electrode over and
electrically connected to the semiconductor film; a gate insulating
film over the semiconductor film, the source electrode and the
drain electrode; and a gate electrode over the gate insulating
film; wherein the transistor has a characteristic that a current
flowing between the source electrode and the drain electrode is
lower than 10 zA/.mu.m at room temperature when a voltage of 3.1 V
is applied between the source electrode and the drain electrode,
wherein the current is normalized by a channel width of the
transistor.
12. The display device according to claim 11, wherein the
semiconductor film comprises at least one metal element selected
from the group consisting of gallium, aluminum, manganese, and
cobalt.
13. The display device according to claim 11, comprising an
insulating film, wherein the semiconductor film, the source
electrode and the drain electrode are over and in contact with the
insulating film.
14. The display device according to claim 13, wherein the source
electrode and the drain electrode are in contact with the gate
insulating film.
15. The display device according to claim 11, comprising a liquid
crystal layer over the pixel electrode.
16. The display device according to claim 15, comprising a counter
electrode over the liquid crystal layer.
17. The display device according to claim 11, wherein the
semiconductor film is intrinsic or substantially intrinsic.
18. The display device according to claim 11, wherein the
semiconductor film comprises a crystalline region.
19. The display device according to claim 18, wherein the
crystalline region has a c-axis orientation with respect to a
surface of the semiconductor film.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 14/515,570, filed Oct. 16, 2014, now allowed, which is a
divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/011,513, filed Jan. 21,
2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,866,984, which claims the benefit of a
foreign priority application filed in Japan as Serial No.
2010-012663 on Jan. 24, 2010, all of which are incorporated by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] One embodiment of the present invention relates to a display
device including a field-effect transistor using an oxide
semiconductor.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] A liquid crystal display panel including a thin film
transistor using amorphous silicon as a driving element of liquid
crystal is widely used in commercial products such as a monitor of
a computer and a liquid crystal television. A manufacturing
technique of a thin film transistor using amorphous silicon has
been already established and a liquid crystal panel with more than
60 inches has been produced.
[0004] Since operation speed of a thin film transistor using
amorphous silicon is slow and any further high performance cannot
be expected, development of a thin film transistor using
polysilicon has been underway. However, a crystallization step is
required for forming polysilicon, which leads to cause variation in
transistor characteristics and inhibits enlargement of a panel
area.
[0005] In contrast, an oxide semiconductor material has been
attracting attention as a transistor material besides a
silicon-based material. As an oxide semiconductor material, zinc
oxide or a substance containing zinc oxide is known. Thin film
transistors each of which is formed using an amorphous oxide (an
oxide semiconductor) having an electron carrier concentration of
lower than 10.sup.18/cm.sup.3 have been disclosed (see Patent
Documents 1 to 3).
REFERENCE
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Published Patent Application No.
2006-165527
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Published Patent Application No.
2006-165528
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Published Patent Application No.
2006-165529
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[0006] Although the oxide semiconductor has an electron carrier
concentration of lower than 10.sup.18/cm.sup.3, the oxide
semiconductor is a substantially n-type oxide semiconductor, and an
on-off ratio of the thin film transistors disclosed in the Patent
Documents is only about 10.sup.3. A reason of such low on-off ratio
of the thin film transistors is high off current.
[0007] For example, in a liquid crystal panel, each pixel includes
a storage capacitor provided in parallel to a pixel electrode
driving liquid crystal. A transistor is turned on to apply an image
signal to the pixel electrode and the storage capacitor, whereby
potential is applied to liquid crystal and the storage capacitor is
charged to given potential. When this writing operation completes,
the transistor is turned off until the next image signal is
applied. At this time, when off current of the transistor is high,
potential applied to the liquid crystal is fluctuated and
electrical charges stored in the storage capacitor are
discharged.
[0008] In a pixel, a relation between off current i of a
transistor, a storage capacitor C, voltage fluctuation V, and a
holding time T can be expressed by CV=iT. For example, when off
current of a transistor is 0.1 pA, electrostatic capacitance of a
storage capacitor is 0.1 pF, and one frame period is 16.6 ms,
voltage fluctuation V of a pixel in one frame becomes as
follows:
0.1 [pF].times.V=0.1 [pA].times.16.6 [ms]
V=16.6 [mV]
[0009] In the case where the maximum driving voltage of liquid
crystal is 5 V and 256 grayscale is displayed, a grayscale voltage
for 1 grayscale is approximately 20 mV. When voltage fluctuation of
a pixel is 16.6 mV as described above, this corresponds to a
grayscale voltage for approximately 1 grayscale. Further, in the
case where 1024 grayscale is displayed, a grayscale voltage for 1
grayscale is approximately 5 mV, and when voltage fluctuation of a
pixel is 16.6 mV, this corresponds to a grayscale voltage for 4
grayscales and thus influence of voltage fluctuation due to off
current cannot be ignored. Consequently, not only characteristics
of an on state (such as on current and field-effect mobility) but
also influence of off current of a transistor included in a display
panel must be considered.
[0010] It is an object of one embodiment of the present invention
to provide a display device including a transistor having stable
electric characteristics (e.g., an off current is extremely
reduced).
[0011] One embodiment of the present invention provides a display
device having high image quality by using a transistor whose off
current is reduced to an extremely low level. In order to reduce
off current of a transistor, a semiconductor material whose width
of a forbidden band (a band gap) is greater than that of a silicon
semiconductor is used for forming a transistor, and the
concentration of an impurity which serves as a carrier donor of the
semiconductor material is reduced, in one embodiment of the present
invention. Therefore, an oxide semiconductor whose energy gap is
greater than or equal to 2 eV, preferably greater than or equal to
2.5 eV, more preferably greater than or equal to 3 eV is used for a
semiconductor layer of a transistor (a layer forming a channel
formation region) to reduce the concentration of an impurity which
serves as a carrier donor in the oxide semiconductor. Consequently,
the off current of the transistor per micrometer in channel width
can be reduced to lower than 10 zA/.mu.m at room temperature and
lower than 100 zA/.mu.m at 85.degree. C., which is an extremely low
level.
[0012] One embodiment of the present invention is a display device
including a display panel which displays an image and in which
pixels are arranged in matrix. Each pixel includes one or more
units each of which includes the following components: a transistor
in which an oxide semiconductor layer is provided to overlap with a
gate electrode with a gate insulating layer interposed; a pixel
electrode which drives liquid crystal and is connected to a source
side or a drain side of the transistor; a counter electrode
provided to face the pixel electrode; and a liquid crystal layer
provided between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode. The
off current of the transistor per micrometer in channel width is
lower than 10 zA/.mu.m at room temperature and lower than 100
zA/.mu.m at 85.degree. C. In this display device, a storage
capacitor which is normally provided so as to be connected to the
pixel electrode for driving the liquid crystal and provided in
parallel to the liquid crystal layer can be omitted. Alternatively,
a storage capacitor may be provided appropriately.
[0013] Note that a source electrode and a drain electrode of the
transistor may contain a metal nitride. A gate electrode of the
transistor may be provided on a lower side (a substrate side), an
upper side (the side opposite to the substrate side), or both sides
of the oxide semiconductor layer with an insulating layer
interposed therebetween. Further, the transistor whose maximum
field-effect mobility is greater than or equal to 5 cm.sup.2/Vsec,
preferably 10 cm.sup.2/Vsec to 150 cm.sup.2/Vsec in an on state is
used. This is because by increasing the operation speed of the
transistor, writing operation or the like can be performed rapidly
even when density of a pixel is increased.
[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a
signal voltage applied to a pixel can be held stably by using a
transistor whose off current is satisfactorily reduced.
Consequently, a signal input to the pixel can be kept in a given
state (the state in which an image signal is written), so that an
image can be displayed stably. By reducing voltage fluctuation of a
pixel, multi-grayscale display can be easily carried out.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0015] In the accompanying drawings:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a
liquid crystal display device according to Embodiment 1;
[0017] FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating a structure of a
television receiver according to Embodiment 2;
[0018] FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating a structure of a
monitor according to Embodiment 3;
[0019] FIGS. 4A to 4C are diagrams each illustrating an example of
a backlight of a liquid crystal display device;
[0020] FIGS. 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating examples of a
backlight of a liquid crystal display device;
[0021] FIGS. 6A to 6D are diagrams each illustrating an example of
a transistor which can be applied to a liquid crystal display
device;
[0022] FIGS. 7A to 7E are diagrams illustrating an example of a
transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer and an example of
a manufacturing method thereof;
[0023] FIG. 8 is a graph showing an example of V.sub.g-I.sub.d
characteristics of a transistor including an oxide
semiconductor;
[0024] FIG. 9 is a graph for describing off-state characteristics
of V.sub.g-I.sub.d characteristics of a transistor including an
oxide semiconductor;
[0025] FIG. 10 is a graph showing a relation between source-drain
voltage V.sub.g and off current I.sub.d;
[0026] FIGS. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating an example of an
electronic book reader according to the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a computer
according to the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 13 is a plan view illustrating an example of a pixel of
a liquid crystal display device; and
[0029] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of
a pixel of a liquid crystal display device.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0030] Embodiments of the present invention are described below
with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the invention
disclosed in this specification 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 purpose and the scope of the present invention.
Therefore, the invention disclosed in this specification should not
be interpreted as being limited to the following description of the
embodiments.
[0031] In the case where description is made with reference to
drawings in embodiments, reference numerals are used to denote the
same components in different drawings in some cases. Note that
components illustrated in the drawings, that is, a thickness or a
width of a layer, a region, or the like, a relative position, and
the like are exaggerated in some cases for clarification in
description of embodiments.
Embodiment 1
[0032] In this embodiment, one mode of a liquid crystal display
device of the present invention is described with reference to FIG.
1.
[0033] An example of each component of a liquid crystal display
device 100 shown in this embodiment is illustrated in a block
diagram in FIG. 1. The liquid crystal display device 100 includes a
power supply 116, a display control circuit 113, and a display
panel 120. In the case of a transmissive liquid crystal display
device or a transflective liquid crystal display device, a lighting
unit (a backlight) portion may be further provided as a light
source.
[0034] An image signal (an image signal Data) is supplied to the
liquid crystal display device 100 from an external device which is
connected to the liquid crystal display device 100. Note that power
supply potential (high power supply potential V.sub.dd, low power
supply potential V.sub.ss, and common potential V.sub.com) is
supplied by turning on the power supply 116 of the liquid crystal
display device and starting supplying power, and a control signal
(a start pulse SP and a clock signal CK) is supplied by the display
control circuit 113.
[0035] Note that the high power supply potential V.sub.dd is
potential higher than reference potential, and the low power supply
potential V.sub.ss is potential lower than or equal to the
reference potential. It is preferable that both the high power
supply potential V.sub.dd and the low power supply potential
V.sub.ss have such a level as to allow a transistor to operate. The
high power supply potential V.sub.dd and the low power supply
potential V.sub.ss are correctively referred to as a power supply
voltage in some cases.
[0036] The common potential V.sub.com may be any potential as long
as it serves as a fixed potential to be a reference with respect to
the potential of an image signal supplied to a pixel electrode. For
example, the common potential may be ground potential.
[0037] The image signal Data may be appropriately inverted in
accordance with dot inversion driving, source line inversion
driving, gate line inversion driving, frame inversion driving, or
the like to be supplied to the liquid crystal display device 100.
In the case where the image signal is an analog signal, it may be
converted to a digital signal through an A/D converter or the like
to be supplied to the liquid crystal display device 100.
[0038] In this embodiment, the common potential V.sub.com which is
a fixed potential is supplied from the power supply 116 to one
electrode of a common electrode 128 and one electrode of a
capacitor 210 through the display control circuit 113.
[0039] The display control circuit 113 supplies a display panel
image signal (Data), a control signal (specifically, a signal for
controlling a supply or a stop of the control signal such as a
start pulse SP and a clock signal CK), and power supply potential
(high power supply potential V.sub.dd, low power supply potential
V.sub.ss, and common potential V.sub.com) to the display panel
120.
[0040] The display panel 120 includes a liquid crystal element 215
between a pair of substrates (a first substrate and a second
substrate), and a driver circuit portion 121 and a pixel portion
122 are provided over the first substrate. The second substrate is
provided with a common connection portion (also referred to as a
common contact) and the common electrode 128 (also referred to as a
counter electrode). Note that the first substrate and the second
substrate are electrically connected to each other through the
common connection portion; therefore, the common connection portion
may be provided over the first substrate.
[0041] A plurality of gate lines 124 (scan lines) and a plurality
of source lines 125 (signal lines) are provided in the pixel
portion 122 and a plurality of pixels 123 are provided in matrix so
that the pixels are surrounded by the gate lines 124 and the source
lines 125. Note that in the display panel illustrated in this
embodiment, the gate lines 124 are extended from a gate line driver
circuit 121A and the source lines 125 are extended from a source
line driver circuit 121B.
[0042] The pixel 123 includes a transistor 214 functioning as a
switching element, a capacitor 210 connected to the transistor 214,
and a liquid crystal element 215 connected to the transistor
214.
[0043] The liquid crystal element 215 is an element which controls
transmission or non-transmission of light utilizing an optical
modulation action of liquid crystal. The optical modulation action
of liquid crystal is controlled by an electric field applied to the
liquid crystal. A direction of the electric field applied to the
liquid crystal depends on a liquid crystal material, a driving
method, and an electrode structure and can be selected as
appropriate. For example, in the case where a driving method in
which an electric field is applied in a direction of a thickness of
a liquid crystal layer (so-called a perpendicular direction) is
used, a pixel electrode and a common electrode are provided on the
first substrate and the second substrate respectively, so that the
liquid crystal is interposed between the first substrate and the
second substrate. In the case where a driving method in which an
electric field is applied in an in-plane direction of a substrate
(so-called a horizontal direction) to liquid crystal is used, a
pixel electrode and a common electrode may be provided on the same
substrate. The pixel electrode and the common electrode may have a
variety of opening patterns. There is no particular limitation on a
liquid crystal material, a driving method, and an electrode
structure in this embodiment as long as the liquid crystal element
controls transmission or non-transmission of light by the optical
modulation action.
[0044] A gate electrode of the transistor 214 is connected to one
of a plurality of the gate lines 124 provided in the pixel portion
122, one of a source electrode and a drain electrode of the
transistor 214 is connected to one of a plurality of the source
line 125, and the other of the source electrode and the drain
electrode of the transistor 214, one of electrodes of the capacitor
210, and one electrode (a pixel electrode) of the liquid crystal
element 215 are connected to one another.
[0045] A transistor whose off current is reduced is preferably used
for the transistor 214. When the transistor 214 is off, electrical
charges accumulated in the liquid crystal element 215 and the
capacitor 210 which are connected to the transistor 214 hardly leak
through the transistor 214, and a state in which a signal is
written before the transistor 214 is off can be stably held until a
next signal is written. Consequently, a pixel 213 can be formed
without using the capacitor 210.
[0046] With such a structure, the capacitor 210 can extremely
stably hold a voltage applied to the liquid crystal element 215.
Note that the electrode of the capacitor 210 may be connected to a
capacitor line additionally provided.
[0047] The driver circuit portion 121 includes the gate line driver
circuit 121A and the source line driver circuit 121B. The gate line
driver circuit 121A and the source line driver circuit 121B are
driver circuits for driving the pixel portion 122 including the
plurality of pixels and each include a shift register circuit (also
referred to as a shift register).
[0048] Note that the gate line driver circuit 121A and the source
line driver circuit 121B may be formed over the same substrate as
the pixel portion 122 or may be formed over a different substrate
from the substrate where the pixel portion 122 is formed.
[0049] Note that high power supply potential V.sub.ad, low power
supply potential V.sub.ss, a start pulse SP, a clock signal CK, and
an image signal Data which are controlled by the display control
circuit 113 are supplied to the driver circuit portion 121.
[0050] A terminal portion 126 is an input terminal supplying
predetermined signals (high power supply potential V.sub.dd, low
power supply potential V.sub.ss, a start pulse SP, a clock signal
CK, an image signal Data, common potential V.sub.com, and the like)
which are output from the display control circuit 113, to the
driver circuit portion 121.
[0051] The common electrode 128 is electrically connected to a
common potential line supplying common potential V.sub.com
controlled by the display control circuit 113 through the common
connection portion.
[0052] As a specific example of the common connection portion, a
conductive particle in which an insulating sphere is covered with a
metal thin film is interposed between the common electrode 128 and
the common potential line, whereby the common electrode 128 and the
common potential line can be electrically connected to each other.
Note that two or more common connection portions may be provided in
the display panel 120.
[0053] In addition, the liquid crystal display device may include a
photometry circuit. The liquid crystal display device provided with
the photometry circuit can detect brightness of the environment
where the liquid crystal display device is set. Thus, the display
control circuit 113 to which the photometry circuit is connected
can control a driving method of a light source such as a backlight
or a sidelight in accordance with a signal input from the
photometry circuit.
[0054] Note that when color display is performed, display can be
performed using a color filter. In addition, another optical film
(such as a polarizing film, a retardation film, or an
anti-reflection film) can be used. A light source such as a
backlight used for a transmissive liquid crystal display device or
a transflective liquid crystal display device may be used in
accordance with usage of the liquid crystal display device 100, and
for example, a cold cathode fluorescent lamp, a light-emitting
diode (LED), or the like can be used. Further, a surface light
source may be formed using a plurality of LED light sources, a
plurality of electroluminescent (EL) light sources, or the like. As
the surface light source, three or more kinds of LEDs may be used
and an LED emitting white light may be used. Note that the color
filter is not provided in the case where RGB light-emitting diodes
or the like are arranged in a backlight and a successive additive
color mixing method (a field sequential method) in which color
display is performed by time division is employed.
Embodiment 2
[0055] In this embodiment, an example of an electronic device
including the liquid crystal display device described in Embodiment
1 will be described.
[0056] FIG. 2A illustrates an external view of a television
receiver which is an electronic device. FIG. 2A illustrates a
housing 700 in which a display module 701 manufactured using the
display panel described in Embodiment 1 is provided. The housing
700 includes a speaker 702, operation keys 703, an external
connection terminal 704, an illuminance sensor 705, and the
like.
[0057] The television receiver illustrated in FIG. 2A can display
text information or a still image in addition to a moving image. A
moving image can be displayed in a region of a display portion
while a still image can be displayed in the other region. Note that
a displayed still image includes characters, diagrams, signs,
pictures, designs, and paintings or a combination of any of them.
Alternatively, any of the displayed images which are colored is
included.
[0058] FIG. 2B shows a block diagram of a main structure of the
television receiver. A television receiver 710 illustrated in FIG.
2B includes a tuner 711, a digital demodulation circuit 712, a
video signal processing circuit 713, an audio signal processing
circuit 714, a display adjusting circuit 715, a display control
circuit 716, a display panel 717, a gate line driver circuit 718, a
source line driver circuit 719, and a speaker 720.
[0059] The tuner 711 receives a video signal and an audio signal
from an antenna 721. The digital demodulation circuit 712
demodulates a signal from the tuner 711 to a video signal and an
audio signal of a digital signal. The video signal processing
circuit 713 converts a video signal of a digital signal into a
color signal corresponding to each color: red, green, and blue. The
audio signal processing circuit 714 performs conversion of an audio
signal of a digital signal into a signal which is output as the
sound from the speaker 720, and the like. The display adjusting
circuit 715 receives control information of a receiving station
(receiving frequency) and sound volume from an external input
portion 722 and transmits the signal to the tuner 711 or the audio
signal processing circuit 714.
[0060] The display control circuit 716, the display panel 717, the
gate line driver circuit 718, and the source line driver circuit
719 correspond to the display control circuit 113, the display
panel 120, the gate line driver circuit 121A, and the source line
driver circuit 121B described in Embodiment 1 respectively. That
is, a dotted line portion 723 has a structure corresponding to the
liquid crystal display device 100 described in Embodiment 1. Note
that the video signal processing circuit 713 may also serve as the
display control circuit 716.
[0061] Next, FIG. 3A illustrates an external view of a monitor
(also referred to as a PC monitor) used for an electronic
calculator (a personal computer) which is an electronic device.
FIG. 3A illustrates a housing 800 in which a display module 801
manufactured using the display panel described in Embodiment 1 is
provided. The housing 800 includes a speaker 802, an external
connection terminal 803, and the like. Note that in FIG. 3A, a
window-type display portion 804 is illustrated to indicate that the
monitor is a PC monitor.
[0062] In FIG. 3A, a structure of a PC monitor of a so-called
desktop computer is illustrated but the PC monitor may also be a PC
monitor of a laptop computer. Note that a display of the PC monitor
includes still images such as characters, diagrams, signs,
pictures, designs, and paintings or a combination any of them, or
any of the still images which are colored, in addition to moving
images.
[0063] A block diagram of a main structure of a PC monitor is
illustrated in FIG. 3B. A PC monitor 810 illustrated in FIG. 3B
includes a video signal processing circuit 813, an audio signal
processing circuit 814, a display control circuit 816, a display
panel 817, a gate line driver circuit 818, a source line driver
circuit 819, and a speaker 820.
[0064] The video signal processing circuit 813 converts a video
signal from an external arithmetic circuit 821 such as a CPU into a
color signal corresponding to each color: red, green, and blue. The
audio signal processing circuit 814 performs conversion of an audio
signal from the external arithmetic circuit 821 such as a CPU into
a signal which is output as the sound from the speaker 820, and the
like. A signal output from the video signal processing circuit 813
and the audio signal processing circuit 814 varies according to
operation by an external operation means 822 such as a
keyboard.
[0065] The display control circuit 816, the display panel 817, the
gate line driver circuit 818, and the source line driver circuit
819 correspond to the display control circuit 113, the display
panel 120, the gate line driver circuit 121A, and the source line
driver circuit 121B described in Embodiment 1 respectively. That
is, a dotted line portion 823 has a structure corresponding to the
liquid crystal display device 100 described in Embodiment 1. Note
that the video signal processing circuit 813 may also serve as the
display control circuit 816.
[0066] This embodiment can be implemented in appropriate
combination with the structures described in the other
embodiments.
Embodiment 3
[0067] In this embodiment, description is made on a structure
example of a backlight (a backlight portion, a backlight unit)
which can be applied to a liquid crystal display device disclosed
in this specification with reference to FIGS. 4A to 4C and FIGS. 5A
to 5C.
[0068] FIG. 4A illustrates an example of a liquid crystal display
device including a so-called edge-light type backlight portion 5201
and a display panel 5207. An edge-light type corresponds to a type
in which a light source is provided at an end of a backlight
portion and light of the light source is emitted from the entire
light-emitting surface.
[0069] The backlight portion 5201 includes a diffusion plate 5202
(also referred to as a diffusion sheet), a light guide plate 5203,
a reflection plate 5204, a lamp reflector 5205, and a light source
5206. Note that the backlight portion 5201 may also include a
luminance improvement film or the like.
[0070] The light source 5206 has a function of emitting light as
necessary. For example, for the light source 5206, a cold cathode
fluorescent lamp (CCFL), a light emitting diode, an EL element, or
the like is used.
[0071] FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a detailed structure of an
edge-light type backlight portion. Note that description of a
diffusion plate, a light guide plate, a reflection plate, and the
like is omitted.
[0072] A backlight portion 5201 illustrated in FIG. 4B has a
structure in which light-emitting diodes (LEDs) 5223 are used as
light sources. For example, the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) 5223
which emit white light are provided at a certain interval. In
addition, a lamp reflector 5222 is provided to reflect light from
the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) 5223 efficiently. Note that in the
case where display is performed in combination with a
field-sequential method, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) of each color
of RGB are used as light sources.
[0073] FIG. 4C shows an example of a liquid crystal display device
including a so-called direct-type backlight portion and a liquid
crystal panel. A direct type corresponds to a type in which a light
source is provided directly under a light-emitting surface and
light of the light source is emitted from the entire light-emitting
surface.
[0074] A backlight portion 5290 includes a diffusion plate 5291, a
light-shielding portion 5292, a lamp reflector 5293, a light source
5294, and a liquid crystal panel 5295.
[0075] The light source 5294 has a function of emitting light as
necessary. For example, for the light source 5294, a cold cathode
fluorescent lamp, a light-emitting diode, an EL element which is a
light-emitting element (e.g., an organic electroluminescence
element), or the like is used.
[0076] Note that in the so-called direct-type backlight portion,
the thickness of the backlight portion can be reduced with use of
an EL element as a light source. An example of a backlight portion
using an EL element is illustrated in FIG. 5A.
[0077] A backlight portion 5290 illustrated in FIG. 5A includes an
EL element 1025 provided over a substrate 1020. The EL element 1025
has a structure in which an EL layer 1003 including a
light-emitting region is sandwiched between a pair of electrodes
(an anode 1001 and a cathode 1002). Note that a substrate, a
protective film, or the like may be provided to cover the EL
element 1025 so that the EL element 1025 may be sealed.
[0078] In this embodiment, since light from the EL layer 1003 is
emitted to the display panel 5295 through the anode 1001, the anode
1001 may include a material which transmits light such as an indium
tin oxide (ITO). The cathode 1002 may include a material which
reflects light such as an aluminum film.
[0079] Examples of element structures of the EL element 1025 in
FIG. 5A are illustrated in FIGS. 5B and 5C.
[0080] The EL layer 1003 may include at least a light-emitting
layer 1013, and may have a stacked-layer structure including a
functional layer other than the light-emitting layer 1013. As the
functional layer other than the light-emitting layer 1013, a layer
containing a substance having a high hole-injection property, a
substance having a high hole-transport property, a substance having
a high electron-transport property, a substance having a high
electron-injection property, a bipolar substance (a substance
having high electron and hole transport properties), or the like
can be used. Specifically, functional layers such as a
hole-injection layer 1011, a hole-transport layer 1012, the
light-emitting layer 1013, an electron-transport layer 1014, and an
electron-injection layer 1015 can be used as appropriate in
combination.
[0081] Next, materials that can be used for the above-described EL
element 1025 are specifically described.
[0082] The anode 1001 is preferably made of a metal, an alloy, an
electrically conductive compound, a mixture thereof, or the like
that has a high work function (specifically, a work function of 4.0
eV or higher is preferable). Specifically, for example, a
conductive metal oxide such as indium oxide-tin oxide (ITO: indium
tin oxide), indium oxide-tin oxide containing silicon or silicon
oxide, indium oxide-zinc oxide (IZO: indium zinc oxide), or indium
oxide containing tungsten oxide and zinc oxide can be given.
[0083] Films of these conductive metal oxides are usually formed by
sputtering; however, a sol-gel method or the like may also be used.
For example, indium oxide-zinc oxide (IZO) can be formed by a
sputtering method using indium oxide into which 1 wt % to 20 wt %
.quadrature. .quadrature. .quadrature. .quadrature. zinc oxide is
added, as a target. Indium oxide containing tungsten oxide and zinc
oxide can be formed by a sputtering method using indium oxide into
which 0.5 wt % to 5 wt % of tungsten oxide and 0.1 wt % to 1 wt %
of zinc oxide are added, as a target.
[0084] Besides, as a material used for the anode 1001, it is also
possible to use gold (Au), platinum (Pt), nickel (Ni), tungsten
(W), chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), copper
(Cu), palladium (Pd), titanium (Ti), nitride of a metal material
(such as titanium nitride), molybdenum oxide, vanadium oxide,
ruthenium oxide, tungsten oxide, manganese oxide, titanium oxide,
or the like.
[0085] The cathode 1002 can be made of a metal, an alloy, an
electrically conductive compound, a mixture thereof, or the like
that has a low work function (specifically, a work function lower
than or equal to 3.8 eV is preferable). As a specific example of
such a cathode material, an element belonging to Group 1 or Group 2
in the periodic table, i.e., an alkali metal such as lithium (Li)
or cesium (Cs), or an alkaline earth metal such as magnesium (Mg),
calcium (Ca), or strontium (Sr); an alloy containing any of these
metals (such as MgAg or AlLi); a rare earth metal such as europium
(Eu) or ytterbium (Yb); an alloy containing any of such a rare
earth metal; or the like can be used. Note that a film of an alkali
metal, an alkaline earth metal, or an alloy thereof can be formed
by a vacuum evaporation method. An alloy of an alkali metal or an
alkaline earth metal can also be formed by a sputtering method.
Further, a silver paste or the like can be formed by an inkjet
method or the like.
[0086] In addition, the cathode 1002 can be formed by a stack of a
thin film of an alkali metal compound, an alkaline earth metal
compound, or a rare earth metal compound (e.g., lithium fluoride
(LiF), lithium oxide (LiO.sub.x), cesium fluoride (CsF), calcium
fluoride (CaF.sub.2), or erbium fluoride (ErF.sub.3)) and a film of
a metal such as aluminum.
[0087] Next, specific examples of materials used for forming each
of layers included in the EL layer 1003 are described below.
[0088] The hole-injection layer 1011 is a layer including a
substance having a high hole-injection property. As the substance
having a high hole-injection property, for example, molybdenum
oxide, vanadium oxide, ruthenium oxide, tungsten oxide, manganese
oxide, or the like can be used. Alternatively, the hole-injection
layer 1011 can be formed using a phthalocyanine-based compound such
as phthalocyanine (abbreviation: H.sub.2Pc) or copper
phthalocyanine (abbreviation: CuPc); an aromatic amine compound
such as 4,4'-bis[N-(4-diphenylaminophenyl)-N-phenylamino]biphenyl
(abbreviation: DPAB) or
N,N'-bis[4-[bis(3-methylphenyl)amino]phenyl]-N,N'-diphenyl-[1,1'-
-biphenyl]-4,4'-diamine (abbreviation: DNTPD); a high molecular
compound such as
poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrenesulfonic acid)
(PEDOT/PSS), or the like. Further, the hole-injection layer 1011
can be formed using a tris(p-enamine-substituted-aminophenyl)amine
compound, a 2,7-diamino-9-fluorenylidene compound, a
tri(p-N-enamine-substituted-aminophenyl)benzene compound, a pyrene
compound having one or two ethenyl groups having at least one aryl
group, N,N'-di(biphenyl-4-yl)-N,N'-diphenylbiphenyl-4,4'-di amine,
N,N,N',N'-tetra(biphenyl-4-yl)biphenyl-4,4'-diamine,
N,N,N',N'-tetra(biphenyl-4-yl)-3,3'-diethylbiphenyl-4,4'-diamine,
2,2'-(methylenedi-4,1-phenylene)bis[4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-2H-1,2,3-tri-
azole],
2,2'-(biphenyl-4,4'-diyl)bis(4,5-diphenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazole),
2,2'-(3,3'-dimethylbipheny-4,4'-diyl)bis(4,5-diphenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazole),
bis[4-(4,5-diphenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazol-2-yl)phenyl](methyl)amine, or
the like.
[0089] The hole-injection layer 1011 can also be formed of a
hole-injection composite material including an organic compound and
an inorganic compound (preferably, an inorganic compound having an
electron-accepting property to an organic compound). Since
electrons are transferred between the organic compound and the
inorganic compound, the hole-injection composite material has a
high carrier density, and thus has an excellent hole-injection
property and a hole-transport property.
[0090] In the case where the hole-injection layer 1011 is made of a
hole-injection composite material, the hole-injection layer 1011
can form an ohmic contact with the anode 1001; thus, the material
of the anode 1001 can be selected regardless of the work
function.
[0091] The inorganic compound used for the hole-injection composite
material is preferably an oxide of a transition metal. In addition,
an oxide of metals that belong to Group 4 to Group 8 in the
periodic table can be given. Specifically, vanadium oxide, niobium
oxide, tantalum oxide, chromium oxide, molybdenum oxide, tungsten
oxide, manganese oxide, and rhenium oxide are preferable since
their electron-accepting properties are high. Among them, use of
molybdenum oxide is especially preferable since it is stable in the
air, has a low hygroscopic property, and is easily treated.
[0092] As the organic compound used for the hole-injection
composite material, it is possible to use various compounds such as
an aromatic amine compound, a carbazole derivative, an aromatic
hydrocarbon, and a high molecular compound (oligomer, dendrimer,
polymer, or the like). Note that the organic compound used for the
hole-injection composite material is preferably an organic compound
with a high hole-transport property. Specifically, a substance
having a hole mobility greater than or equal to 10.sup.-6
cm.sup.2/Vs is preferably used. Note that substances other than the
above described materials may also be used as long as the
substances in which a hole-transport property is higher than an
electron-transport property. The organic compounds that can be used
for the hole-injection composite material are specifically
described below.
[0093] As aromatic amine compounds, for example, there are
N,N'-di(p-tolyl)-N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine (abbreviation:
DTDPPA), 4,4'-bis[N-(4-diphenylaminophenyl)-N-phenylamino]biphenyl
(abbreviation: DPAB),
N,N'-bis[4-[bis(3-methylphenyl)amino]phenyl]-N,N'-diphenyl-[1,1'-b-
iphenyl]-4,4'-diamine (abbreviation: DNTPD),
1,3,5-tris[N-(4-diphenylaminophenyl)-N-phenylamino]benzene
(abbreviation: DPA3B), and the like.
[0094] Specific examples of the carbazole derivative used for the
hole-injection composite material include:
3-[N-(9-phenylcarbazol-3-yl)-N-phenylamino]-9-phenylcarbazole
(abbreviation: PCzPCA1);
3,6-bis[N-(9-phenylcarbazol-3-yl)-N-phenylamino]-9-phenylcarbazole
(abbreviation: PCzPCA2);
3-[N-(1-naphthyl)-N-(9-phenylcarbazol-3-yl)amino]-9-phenylcarbazole
(abbreviation: PCzPCN1); and the like.
[0095] Moreover, 4,4'-di(N-carbazolyl)biphenyl (abbreviation: CBP);
1,3,5-tris[4-(N-carbazolyl)phenyl]benzene (abbreviation: TCPB);
9-[4-(N-carbazolyl)]phenyl-10-phenylanthracene (abbreviation:
CzPA); 1,4-bis[4-(N-carbazolyl)phenyl]-2,3,5,6-tetraphenylbenzene;
or the like can also be used.
[0096] Examples of the aromatic hydrocarbon used for the
hole-injection composite material include:
2-tert-butyl-9,10-di(2-naphthyl)anthracene (abbreviation: t-BuDNA);
2-tert-butyl-9,10-di(1-naphthyl)anthracene;
9,10-bis(3,5-diphenylphenyl)anthracene (abbreviation: DPPA);
2-tert-butyl-9,10-bis(4-phenylphenyl)anthracene (abbreviation:
t-BuDBA); 9,10-di(2-naphthyl)anthracene (abbreviation: DNA);
9,10-diphenylanthracene (abbreviation: DPAnth);
2-tert-butylanthracene (abbreviation: t-BuAnth);
9,10-bis(4-methyl-1-naphthyl)anthracene (abbreviation: DMNA);
2-tert-butyl-9,10-bis[2-(1-naphthyl)phenyl]anthracene;
9,10-bis[2-(1-naphthyl)phenyl]anthracene;
2,3,6,7-tetramethyl-9,10-di(1-naphthyl)anthracene;
2,3,6,7-tetramethyl-9,10-di(2-naphthyl)anthracene; 9,9'-bianthryl;
10,10'-diphenyl-9,9'-bianthryl;
10,10'-bis(2-phenylphenyl)-9,9'-bianthryl;
10,10'-bis[(2,3,4,5,6-pentaphenyl)phenyl]-9, 9'-bianthryl;
anthracene; tetracene; rubrene; perylene;
2,5,8,11-tetra(tert-butyl)perylene; and the like. Besides those,
pentacene, coronene, or the like can also be used. In particular,
the aromatic hydrocarbon having a hole mobility greater than or
equal to 1.times.10.sup.-6 cm.sup.2/Vs and having 14 to 42 carbon
atoms is particularly preferable.
[0097] Note that the aromatic hydrocarbon used for the
hole-injection composite material may have a vinyl skeleton. As the
aromatic hydrocarbon having a vinyl group, the following are given
for example: 4,4'-bis(2,2-diphenylvinyl)biphenyl (abbreviation:
DPVBi); 9,10-bis[4-(2,2-diphenylvinyl)phenyl]anthracene
(abbreviation: DPVPA); and the like.
[0098] In addition, a high molecular compound such as
poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (abbreviation: PVK) or
poly(4-vinyltriphenylamine) (abbreviation: PVTPA) can also be
used.
[0099] The hole-transport layer 1012 includes a substance having a
high hole-transport property. As the substance having a high
hole-transport property, for example, an aromatic amine compound
(that is, a compound having a benzene ring-nitrogen bond) is
preferable. As examples of the material which are widely used, the
following can be given:
4,4'-bis[N-(3-methylphenyl)-N-phenylamino]biphenyl; a derivative
thereof such as 4,4'-bis[N-(1-napthyl)-N-phenylamino]biphenyl
(hereinafter referred to as NPB); and a starburst aromatic amine
compound such as 4,4',4''-tris(N,N-diphenyl-amino)triphenylamine,
4,4',4''-tris[N-(3-methylphenyl)-N-phenylamino]triphenylamine, and
the like. The substances mentioned here are mainly ones that have a
hole mobility higher than or equal to 10.sup.-6 cm.sup.2/Vs. Note
that substances other than the above described materials may also
be used as long as the substances have a higher hole-transport
property than an electron-transport property. The hole-transport
layer 1012 is not limited to a single layer, and may be a mixed
layer of the aforementioned substances or a stacked layer of two or
more layers each including the aforementioned substance.
[0100] Alternatively, a material with a hole-transport property may
be added to a high molecular compound that is electrically
inactive, such as PMMA.
[0101] Further alternatively, a high molecular compound such as
poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (abbreviation: PVK),
poly(4-vinyltriphenylamine) (abbreviation: PVTPA),
poly[N-(4-{N'-[4-(4-diphenylamino)phenyl]phenyl-N'-phenylamino}phenyl)met-
hacrylamide] (abbreviation: PTPDMA), or
poly[N,N'-bis(4-butylphenyl)-N,N'-bis(phenyl)benzidine
(abbreviation: Poly-TPD) may be used, and further, the material
with a hole-transport property may be added to the above high
molecular compound, as appropriate. Further, the hole-transport
layer 1012 can be formed using a
tris(p-enamine-substituted-aminophenyl)amine compound, a
2,7-diamino-9-fluorenylidene compound, a
tri(p-N-enamine-substituted-aminophenyl)benzene compound, a pyrene
compound having one or two ethenyl groups having at least one aryl
group, N,N'-di(biphenyl-4-yl)-N,N'-diphenylbiphenyl-4,4'-diamine,
N,N,N',N'-tetra(biphenyl-4-yl)biphenyl-4,4'-diamine,
N,N,N',N'-tetra(biphenyl-4-yl)-3,3'-diethylbiphenyl-4,4'-diamine,
2,2'-(methylenedi-4,1-phenylene)bis[4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-2H-1,2,3-tri-
azole],
2,2'-(biphenyl-4,4'-diyl)bis(4,5-diphenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazole),
2,2'-(3,3'-dimethylbipheny-4,4'-diyl)bis(4,5-diphenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazole),
bis[4-(4,5-diphenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazol-2-yl)phenyl](methyl)amine, or
the like.
[0102] The light-emitting layer 1013 is a layer including a
light-emitting substance and can be formed using a variety of
materials. For example, as a light-emitting substance, a
fluorescent compound which emits fluorescence or a phosphorescent
compound which emits phosphorescence can be used. Organic compound
materials which can be used for the light-emitting layer are
described below. Note that materials which can be used for the EL
element 1025 are not limited to these materials.
[0103] Blue to blue-green light emission can be obtained, for
example, by using perylene, 2,5,8,11-tetra-t-butylperylene
(abbreviation: TBP), 9,10-diphenylanthracene, or the like as a
guest material, and dispersing the guest material in a suitable
host material. Alternatively, the blue to blue-green light emission
can be obtained from a styrylarylene derivative such as
4,4'-bis(2,2-diphenylvinyl)biphenyl (abbreviation: DPVBi), or an
anthracene derivative such as 9,10-di-2-naphthylanthracene
(abbreviation: DNA) or 9,10-bis(2-naphthyl)-2-t-butylanthracene
(abbreviation: t-BuDNA). Further, a polymer such as
poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) may be used. Further, as a guest material
for blue light emission, a styrylamine derivative is preferable.
Examples which can be given include
N,N'-bis[4-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl]-N,N'-diphenylstilbene-4,4'-diamine
(abbreviation: YGA2S),
N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(9-phenyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)stilbene-4,4'-diamine
(abbreviation: PCA2S), and the like. In particular, YGA2S is
preferable because it has a peak at around 450 nm. Further, as a
host material, an anthracene derivative is preferable;
9,10-bis(2-naphthyl)-2-t-butylanthracene (abbreviation: t-BuDNA) or
9-[4-(10-phenyl-9-anthryl)phenyl]-9H-carbazole (abbreviation: CzPA)
is suitable. In particular, CzPA is preferable because it is
electrochemically stable.
[0104] Blue-green to green light emission can be obtained, for
example, by using a coumarin dye such as coumarin 30 or coumarin 6,
bis[2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)pyridinato](picolinate)iridium
(abbreviation: FIrpic),
bis(2-phenylpyridinato)(acetylacetonato)iridium (abbreviation:
Ir(ppy).sub.2(acac)), or the like as a guest material and
dispersing the guest material in a suitable host material. Further,
blue-green to green light emission can be obtained by dispersing
perylene or TBP, which are mentioned above, in a suitable host
material at a high concentration greater than or equal to 5 wt %.
Further alternatively, the blue-green to green light emission can
be obtained from a metal complex such as BAlq, Zn(BTZ).sub.2, or
bis(2-methyl-8-quinolinolato)chlorogallium (Ga(mq).sub.2Cl).
Further, a polymer such as poly(p-phenylenevinylene) may be used.
An anthracene derivative is preferable as a guest material of a
blue-green to green light-emitting layer, as high light-emitting
efficiency can be obtained when an anthracene derivative is used.
For example, when 9,10-bis
{4-[N-(4-diphenylamino)phenyl-N-phenyl]aminophenyl}-2-tert-butylanthracen-
e (abbreviation: DPABPA) is used, highly efficient blue-green light
emission can be obtained. In addition, an anthracene derivative in
which an amino group has been substituted into the 2-position is
preferable, as highly efficient green light emission can be
obtained with such an anthracene derivative. In particular,
N-(9,10-diphenyl-2-anthryl)-N,9-diphenyl-9H-carbazol-3-amine
(abbreviation: 2PCAPA) is suitable, as it has a long life. As a
host material for these materials, an anthracene derivative is
preferable; CzPA, which is mentioned above, is preferable, as it is
electrochemically stable. In the case where the EL element 1025
having two peaks in the blue to green wavelength range is
manufactured by combining green light emission and blue light
emission, an anthracene derivative having an electron-transport
property, such as CzPA, is preferably used as a host material for a
blue-light-emitting layer and an aromatic amine compound having a
hole-transport property, such as NPB, is preferably used as a host
material for a green-light-emitting layer, so that light emission
can be obtained at the interface between the blue-light-emitting
layer and the green-light-emitting layer. That is, in such a case,
an aromatic amine compound like NPB is preferable as a host
material of a green light-emitting material such as 2PCAPA.
[0105] Yellow to orange light emission can be obtained, for
example, by using rubrene,
4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-[p-(dimethylamino)styryl]-6-methyl-4H-pyran
(abbreviation: DCM1),
4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(9-julolidyl)ethenyl-4H-pyran
(abbreviation: DCM2),
bis[2-(2-thienyl)pyridinato]acetylacetonatoiridium (abbreviation:
Ir(thp).sub.2(acac)),
bis(2-phenylquinolinato)acetylacetonatoiridium (abbreviation:
Ir(pq).sub.2(acac)), or the like as a guest material and dispersing
the guest material in a suitable host material. In particular, a
tetracene derivative such as rubrene is preferable as a guest
material because it is highly efficient and chemically stable. As a
host material in this case, an aromatic amine compound such as NPB
is preferable. Alternatively, a metal complex such as
bis(8-quinolinolato)zinc(II) (abbreviation: Znq.sub.2),
bis[2-cinnamoyl-8-quinolinolato]zinc (abbreviation: Znsq.sub.2), or
the like can be used as a host material. Further alternatively, a
polymer, such as poly(2,5-dialkoxy-1,4-phenylenevinylene) may be
used.
[0106] Orange to red light emission can be obtained, for example,
by using
4-(dicyanomethylene)-2,6-bis[p-(dimethylamino)styryl]-4H-pyran
(abbreviation: BisDCM),
4-(dicyanomethylene)-2,6-bis[2-(julolidin-9-yl)ethenyl]-4H-pyran
(abbreviation: BisDCJ),
4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(9-julolidyl)ethenyl-4H-pyran
(abbreviation: DCM2),
bis[2-(2-thienyl)pyridinato]acetylacetonatoiridium (abbreviation:
Ir(thp).sub.2(acac)), or the like as a guest material and
dispersing the guest material in a suitable host material. Orange
to red light emission can also be obtained by using a metal complex
such as bis(8-quinolinolato)zinc(II) (abbreviation: Znq.sub.2),
bis[2-cinnamoyl-8-quinolinolato]zinc (abbreviation: Znsq.sub.2), or
the like. Further, a polymer such as poly(3-alkylthiophene) may be
used. As a guest material which exhibits red light emission, a
4H-pyran derivative such as
4-(dicyanomethylene)-2,6-bis[p-(dimethylamino)styryl]-4H-pyran
(abbreviation: BisDCM),
4-(dicyanomethylene)-2,6-bis[2-(julolidin-9-yl)ethenyl]-4H-pyran
(abbreviation: BisDCJ),
4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(9-julolidyl)ethenyl-4H-pyran
(abbreviation: DCM2),
{2-isopropyl-6-[2-(2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-1,1,7,7-tetramethyl-1H,5H-benzo[ij]-
quinolizin-9-yl)ethenyl]-4H-pyran-4-ylidene}propanedinitrile
(abbreviation: DCJTI), or
{2,6-bis[2-(2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-8-methoxy-1,1,7,7-tetramethyl-1H,5H-benzo[-
ij]quinolizin-9-yl)ethenyl]-4H-pyran-4-ylidene}propanedinitrile
(abbreviation: BisDCJTM) is preferably used because of its high
efficiency. In particular, DCJTI and BisDCJTM are preferable, as
they have a light emission peak at around 620 nm.
[0107] Note that the light-emitting layer 1013 may have a structure
in which the above substance having a light-emitting property (a
guest material) is dispersed in another substance (a host
material). As the substance with which the substance having a high
light-emitting property is dispersed, various kinds of materials
can be used, and it is preferable to use a substance whose lowest
unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) level is higher than that of a
substance having a high light-emitting property and whose highest
occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level is lower than that of the
substance having a high light-emitting property.
[0108] As the substance with which the substance having a
light-emitting property is dispersed, specifically, a metal complex
such as tris(8-quinolinolato)aluminum(III) (abbreviation: Alq),
tris(4-methyl-8-quinolinolato)aluminum(III) (abbreviation:
Almq.sub.3), bis(10-hydroxybenzo[h]quinolinato)beryllium(II)
(abbreviation: BeBq.sub.2),
bis(2-methyl-8-quinolinolato)(4-phenylphenolato)aluminum(III)
(abbreviation: BAlq), bis(8-quinolinolato)zinc(II) (abbreviation:
Znq.sub.2), bis[2-(2-benzoxazolyl)phenolato]zinc(II) (abbreviation:
ZnPBO), or bis[2-(2-benzothiazolyl)phenolato]zinc(II)
(abbreviation: ZnBTZ); a heterocyclic compound such as
2-(4-biphenylyl)-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole
(abbreviation: PBD),
1,3-bis[5-(p-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl]benzene
(abbreviation: OXD-7),
3-(4-biphenylyl)-4-phenyl-5-(4-tent-butylphenyl)-1,2,4-triazole
(abbreviation: TAZ),
2,2',2''-(1,3,5-benzenetriyl)tris(1-phenyl-1H-benzimidazole)
(abbreviation: TPBI), bathophenanthroline (abbreviation: BPhen), or
bathocuproine (abbreviation: BCP); a condensed aromatic compound
such as 9-[4-(10-phenyl-9-anthryl)phenyl]-9H-carbazole
(abbreviation: CzPA),
3,6-diphenyl-9-[4-(10-phenyl-9-anthryl)phenyl]-9H-carbazole
(abbreviation: DPCzPA), 9,10-bis(3,5-diphenylphenyl)anthracene
(abbreviation: DPPA), 9,10-di(2-naphthyl)anthracene (abbreviation:
DNA), 2-tert-butyl-9,10-di(2-naphthyl)anthracene (abbreviation:
t-BuDNA), 9,9'-bianthryl (abbreviation: BANT),
9,9'-(stilbene-3,3'-diyl)diphenanthrene (abbreviation: DPNS),
9,9'-(stilbene-4,4'-diyl)diphenanthrene (abbreviation: DPNS2),
3,3',3''-(benzene-1,3,5-triyl)tripyrene (abbreviation: TPB3),
9,10-diphenylanthracene (abbreviation: DPAnth), or
6,12-dimethoxy-5,11-diphenylchrysene; an aromatic amine compound
such as
N,N-dipheyl-9-[4-(10-phenyl-9-anthryl)phenyl]-9H-carbazol-3-amine
(abbreviation: CzAlPA), 4-(10-phenyl-9-anthryl)triphenylamine
(abbreviation: DPhPA),
N,9-diphenyl-N-[4-(10-phenyl-9-anthryl)phenyl]-9H-carbazol-3-amine
(abbreviation: PCAPA),
N,9-diphenyl-N-{4-[4-(10-phenyl-9-anthryl)phenyl]phenyl}-9H-carbazol-3-am-
ine (abbreviation: PCAPBA),
N-(9,10-diphenyl-2-anthryl)-N,9-diphenyl-9H-carbazol-3-amine
(abbreviation: 2PCAPA), NPB (or .alpha.-NPD), TPD, DFLDPBi, or
BSPB; or the like can be used.
[0109] As a substance with which the substance having a
light-emitting property is dispersed, a plurality of kinds of
substances can be used. For example, in order to suppress
crystallization, a substance such as rubrene which suppresses
crystallization, may be further added. In addition, NPB, Alq, or
the like may be further added in order to efficiently transfer
energy to the substance having a light-emitting property.
[0110] When a structure in which the substance having a
light-emitting property is dispersed in another substance is
employed, crystallization of the light-emitting layer 1013 can be
suppressed. In addition, concentration quenching which results from
high concentration of the substance having a light-emitting
property can be suppressed.
[0111] The electron-transport layer 1014 is a layer including a
substance having a high electron-transport property. As the
substance having a high electron-transport property, for example, a
layer containing a metal complex having a quinoline skeleton or a
benzoquinoline skeleton, such as tris(8-quinolinolato)aluminum(III)
(abbreviation: Alq), tris(4-methyl-8-quinolinolato)aluminum(III)
(abbreviation: Almq.sub.3),
bis(10-hydroxybenzo[h]-quinolinato)beryllium (abbreviation:
BeBq.sub.2), or
bis(2-methyl-8-quinolinolato)(4-phenylphenolato)aluminum
(abbreviation: BAlq) can be used. In addition, a metal complex or
the like including an oxazole-based or thiazole-based ligand, such
as bis[2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazolato]zinc (abbreviation:
Zn(BOX).sub.2) or bis[2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazolato]zinc(II)
(abbreviation: Zn(BTZ).sub.2) can be used. Besides the metal
complexes, 2-(4-biphenylyl)-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole
(abbreviation: PBD),
1,3-bis[5-(p-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-yl]benzene
(abbreviation: OXD-7),
3-(4-biphenylyl)-4-phenyl-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1,2,4-triazole
(abbreviation: TAZ), bathophenanthroline (abbreviation: BPhen),
bathocuproine (abbreviation: BCP),
bis[3-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)fluoren-2-olato]zinc(II),
bis[3-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)fluoren-2-olato]beryllium(II),
bis[2-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)dibenzo[b,d]furan-3-olato]
(phenolato)aluminum(III),
bis[2-(benzoxazol-2-yl)-7,8-methylenedioxydibenzo[b,
d]furan-3-olato](2-naphtholato)aluminum(III), or the like can also
be used. The substances mentioned here are mainly ones that have an
electron mobility higher than or equal to 10.sup.-6 cm.sup.2/Vs.
Note that the electron-transport layer 1014 may be formed of
substances other than those described above as long as their
electron-transport properties are higher than their hole-transport
properties. The electron-transport layer 1014 is not limited to a
single layer and may be a stacked layer which includes two or more
layers each containing the aforementioned substance.
[0112] The electron-injection layer 1015 is a layer including a
substance having a high electron-injection property. As the
material having a high electron-injection property, the following
can be given: an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal such as
lithium fluoride (LiF), cesium fluoride (CsF), and calcium fluoride
(CaF.sub.2), and a compound thereof. It is also possible to use an
electron-injection composite material including an organic compound
(preferably, an organic compound having an electron-transport
property) and an inorganic compound (preferably, an alkali metal,
an alkaline earth metal, a rare earth metal, or a compound of these
metals). As the electron-injection composite material, for example,
a layer made of Alq mixed with magnesium (Mg) may be used. Such a
structure increases the efficiency in electron injection from the
cathode 1002.
[0113] Note that in the case where the electron-injection layer
1015 is made of the aforementioned electron-injection composite
material, a variety of conductive materials such as Al, Ag, ITO, or
ITO containing silicon or silicon oxide can be used for the cathode
1002 regardless of the work function.
[0114] Such layers are stacked in appropriate combination, whereby
the EL layer 1003 can be formed. The light-emitting layer 1013 may
have a stacked-layer structure including two or more layers. The
light-emitting layer 1013 has a stacked-layer structure including
two or more layers and a different light-emitting substance is used
for each light-emitting layer, so that a variety of emission colors
can be obtained. In addition, a plurality of light-emitting
substances of different colors is used as the light-emitting
substance, whereby light emission having a broad spectrum or white
light emission can also be obtained. In particular, for a backlight
for which high luminance is required, a structure in which
light-emitting layers are stacked is preferable.
[0115] Further, as a formation method of the EL layer 1003, a
variety of methods (e.g., a dry process and a wet process) can be
selected as appropriate depending on a material to be used. For
example, a vacuum evaporation method, a sputtering method, an
ink-jet method, a spin coating method, or the like can be used.
Note that a different formation method may be employed for each
layer.
[0116] The EL element 1025 described in this embodiment can be
formed by any of a variety of methods regardless of whether it is a
dry process (e.g., a vacuum evaporation method or a sputtering
method) or a wet process (e.g., an ink-jet method or a spin coating
method).
[0117] Note that the structure of the EL element 1025 described in
this embodiment may be a structure in which a plurality of EL
layers 1003 are stacked between a pair of electrodes as illustrated
in FIG. 5C, that is, a stacked-layer element structure. Note that
in the case of a structure in which n (n is a natural number of 2
or more) EL layers 1003 are stacked, an intermediate layer 1004 is
provided between an m-th (m is a natural number greater than or
equal to 1 and less than or equal to n-1) EL layer and an (m+1)-th
EL layer.
[0118] The intermediate layer 1004 has a function of injecting
electrons to one of the EL layers 1003 on the anode 1001 side
formed in contact with the intermediate layer 1004, and injecting
holes to the other EL layer 1003 on the cathode 1002 side, when a
voltage is applied to the anode 1001 and the cathode 1002.
[0119] The intermediate layer 1004 can be made not only by using
the aforementioned composite materials (the hole-injection
composite material or the electron-injection composite material) of
an organic compound and an inorganic compound, but also by
appropriately combining materials such as metal oxides. More
preferably, the intermediate layer 1004 is made of a combination of
the hole-injection composite material and other materials. Such
materials used for the intermediate layer 1004 have an excellent
carrier-injection property and carrier-transport property, whereby
the EL element 1025 driven with low current and low voltage can be
realized.
[0120] In a structure of the stacked-layer element, in the case
where the EL layer has a two-layer stacked structure, white color
light can be extracted outside by allowing a first EL layer and a
second EL layer to emit light of complementary colors. White light
emission can also be obtained with a structure in which the first
EL layer and the second EL layer each include a plurality of
light-emitting layers emitting light of complementary colors. As a
complementary relation, blue and yellow, blue green and red, and
the like can be given. A substance which emits light of blue,
yellow, blue-green, or red light may be selected as appropriate
from, for example, the light-emitting substances given above.
[0121] The following is an example of a structure where each of the
first EL layer and the second EL layer includes a plurality of
light-emitting layers emitting light of complementary colors. With
this structure, white light emission can be obtained.
[0122] For example, the first EL layer includes a first
light-emitting layer exhibiting light emission with a spectrum
whose peak is in the wavelength range of blue to blue-green, and a
second light-emitting layer exhibiting light emission with a
spectrum whose peak is in the wavelength range of yellow to orange.
The second EL layer includes a third light-emitting layer
exhibiting light emission with a spectrum whose peak is in the
wavelength range of blue-green to green, and a fourth
light-emitting layer exhibiting light emission with a spectrum
whose peak is in the wavelength range of orange to red.
[0123] In this case, light emission from the first EL layer is a
combination of light emission from both the first light-emitting
layer and the second light-emitting layer and thus exhibits a light
emission spectrum having peaks both in the wavelength range of blue
to blue-green and in the wavelength range of yellow to orange. That
is, the first EL layer exhibits light emission having a
2-wavelength-type white color or a 2-wavelength-type color that is
similar to white.
[0124] In addition, light emission from the second EL layer is a
combination of light emission from both the third light-emitting
layer and the fourth light-emitting layer and thus exhibits a light
emission spectrum having peaks both in the wavelength range of
blue-green to green and in the wavelength range of orange to red.
That is, the second EL layer exhibits light emission having a
2-wavelength-type white color or a 2-wavelength-type color that is
similar to white, which is different from the first EL layer.
[0125] Consequently, by combining the light-emission from the first
EL layer and the light emission from the second EL layer, white
light emission which covers the wavelength range of blue to
blue-green, the wavelength range of blue-green to green, the
wavelength range of yellow to orange, and the wavelength range of
orange to red can be obtained.
[0126] Note that in the structure of the above-mentioned stacked
layer element, by provision of intermediate layers between the
stacked EL layers, the element can have long lifetime in a
high-luminance region while the current density is kept low. In
addition, the voltage drop due to resistance of the electrode
material can be reduced, whereby uniform light emission in a large
area is possible.
[0127] Note that the backlight portion described in FIGS. 4A to 4C
and FIGS. 5A to 5C may have a structure in which luminance is
adjusted. For example, a structure in which luminance is adjusted
in accordance with illuminance around the liquid crystal display
device or a structure in which luminance is adjusted in accordance
with a displayed image signal may be employed.
[0128] Note that color display is enabled by combination of color
filters. Alternatively, other optical films (such as a polarizing
film, a retardation film, and an anti-reflection film) can also be
used in combination. Note that the color filter is not provided in
the case where light-emitting diodes of RGB or the like are
arranged in a backlight and a successive additive color mixing
method (a field sequential method) in which color display is
performed by time division is employed.
[0129] Note that this embodiment can be freely combined with the
other embodiments.
Embodiment 4
[0130] In this embodiment, an example of a transistor that can be
applied to a liquid crystal display device disclosed in this
specification will be described. There is no particular limitation
on a structure of the transistor that can be applied to the liquid
crystal display device disclosed in this specification. For
example, a staggered transistor, a planar transistor, or the like
having a top-gate structure in which a gate electrode is placed on
an upper side of an oxide semiconductor layer with a gate
insulating layer interposed or a bottom-gate structure in which a
gate electrode is placed on a lower side of an oxide semiconductor
layer with a gate insulating layer interposed, can be used. The
transistor may have a single gate structure including one channel
formation region, a double gate structure including two channel
formation regions, or a triple gate structure including three
channel formation regions. Alternatively, the transistor may have a
dual gate structure including two gate electrode layers placed over
and below a channel region with a gate insulating layer interposed.
FIGS. 6A to 6D illustrate examples of cross-sectional structures of
transistors. Each of the transistors illustrated in FIGS. 6A to 6D
uses an oxide semiconductor as a semiconductor. An advantage of
using an oxide semiconductor is that field-effect mobility (the
maximum value is greater than or equal to 5 cm.sup.2/Vsec,
preferably in the range of 10 cm.sup.2/Vsec to 150 cm.sup.2/Vsec)
can be obtained when a transistor is on, and low off current (less
than 1 aA/.mu.m, preferably less than 10 zA/.mu.m at room
temperature and less than 100 zA/.mu.m at 85.degree. C.) can be
obtained when the transistor is off.
[0131] A transistor 410 illustrated in FIG. 6A is one of
bottom-gate transistors and is also referred to as an inverted
staggered transistor.
[0132] The transistor 410 includes, over a substrate 400 having an
insulating surface, a gate electrode layer 401, a gate insulating
layer 402, an oxide semiconductor layer 403, a source electrode
layer 405a, and a drain electrode layer 405b. An insulating film
407 is provided to cover the transistor 410 and be stacked over the
oxide semiconductor layer 403. Further, a protective insulating
layer 409 is formed over the insulating film 407.
[0133] A transistor 420 illustrated in FIG. 6B is one of
bottom-gate transistors referred to as a channel-protective type
(also referred to as a channel-stop type) and is also referred to
as an inverted staggered transistor.
[0134] The transistor 420 includes, over the substrate 400 having
an insulating surface, the gate electrode layer 401, the gate
insulating layer 402, the oxide semiconductor layer 403, an
insulating film 427 functioning as a channel protective layer
covering a channel formation region of the oxide semiconductor
layer 403, the source electrode layer 405a, and the drain electrode
layer 405b. Further, the protective insulating layer 409 is formed
to cover the transistor 420.
[0135] A transistor 430 illustrated in FIG. 6C is a bottom-gate
transistor and includes, over the substrate 400 having an
insulating surface, the gate electrode layer 401, the gate
insulating layer 402, the source electrode layer 405a, the drain
electrode layer 405b, and the oxide semiconductor layer 403. The
insulating film 407 is provided to cover the transistor 430 and to
be in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 403. Further, the
protective insulating layer 409 is formed over the insulating film
407.
[0136] In the transistor 430, the gate insulating layer 402 is
provided over and in contact with the substrate 400 and the gate
electrode layer 401; the source electrode layer 405a and the drain
electrode layer 405b are provided over and in contact with the gate
insulating layer 402. The oxide semiconductor layer 403 is provided
over the gate insulating layer 402, the source electrode layer
405a, and the drain electrode layer 405b.
[0137] A transistor 440 illustrated in FIG. 6D is one of top-gate
transistors. The transistor 440 includes, over the substrate 400
having an insulating surface, an insulating layer 437, the oxide
semiconductor layer 403, the source electrode layer 405a, the drain
electrode layer 405b, the gate insulating layer 402, and the gate
electrode layer 401. A wiring layer 436a and a wiring layer 436b
are provided in contact with and electrically connected to the
source electrode layer 405a and the drain electrode layer 405b
respectively.
[0138] In this embodiment, the oxide semiconductor layer 403 is
used as a semiconductor layer as described above. As an oxide
semiconductor used for the oxide semiconductor layer 403, the
following metal oxides can be used: a four-component metal oxide
such as an In--Sn--Ga--Zn--O-based oxide semiconductor; a
three-component metal oxide such as an In--Ga--Zn--O-based oxide
semiconductor, an In--Sn--Zn--O-based oxide semiconductor, an
In--Al--Zn--O-based oxide semiconductor, a Sn--Ga--Zn--O-based
oxide semiconductor, an Al--Ga--Zn--O-based oxide semiconductor,
and a Sn--Al--Zn--O-based oxide semiconductor; a two-component
metal oxide such as an In--Zn--O-based oxide semiconductor, a
Sn--Zn--O-based oxide semiconductor, an Al--Zn--O-based oxide
semiconductor, a Zn--Mg--O-based oxide semiconductor, a
Sn--Mg--O-based oxide semiconductor, an In--Mg--O-based oxide
semiconductor; an In--O-based oxide semiconductor; a Sn--O-based
oxide semiconductor; and a Zn--O-based oxide semiconductor. In
addition, SiO.sub.2 may be contained in the above oxide
semiconductor. Here, for example, an In--Ga--Zn--O-based oxide
semiconductor means an oxide film containing indium (In), gallium
(Ga), and zinc (Zn), and there is no particular limitation on the
stoichiometric proportion thereof. The In--Ga--Zn--O-based oxide
semiconductor may contain an element other than In, Ga, and Zn.
[0139] As the oxide semiconductor layer 403, a thin film expressed
by a chemical formula of InMO.sub.3(ZnO).sub.m (m>0, where m is
not an integer) can be used. Here, M represents one or more metal
elements selected from Ga, Al, Mn, and Co. For example, M can be
Ga, Ga and Al, Ga and Mn, Ga and Co, or the like.
[0140] In each of the transistors 410, 420, 430, and 440 using the
oxide semiconductor layer 403, the current value in an off state
(off current value) can be reduced. Thus, the holding period of an
electric signal of an image signal or the like can be extended and
an interval between writing operations can be set longer in the
state where power supply is on. Consequently, the frequency of
refresh operation can be decreased, whereby power consumption can
be effectively suppressed.
[0141] In addition, each of the transistors 410, 420, 430, and 440
using the oxide semiconductor layer 403 can operate at high speed
because relatively high field-effect mobility can be obtained.
Consequently, when the above transistors are used in a pixel
portion of a liquid crystal display device, color separation can be
suppressed and high-quality images can be obtained. In addition,
since the transistors can be separately provided in a driver
circuit portion and a pixel portion over one substrate, the number
of components of the liquid crystal display device can be
reduced.
[0142] There is no limitation on a substrate that can be applied to
the substrate 400 having an insulating surface. For example, a
glass substrate such as a glass substrate made of barium
borosilicate glass or aluminosilicate glass can be used.
[0143] In the bottom-gate transistors 410, 420, and 430, an
insulating film serving as a base film may be provided between the
substrate and the gate electrode layer. The base film has a
function of preventing diffusion of an impurity element from the
substrate, and can be formed to have a stacked-layer structure
using one or more of a silicon nitride film, a silicon oxide film,
a silicon nitride oxide film, and a silicon oxynitride film.
[0144] The gate electrode layer 401 can be formed to have a
single-layer structure or a stacked-layer structure using a metal
material such as molybdenum, titanium, chromium, tantalum,
tungsten, aluminum, copper, neodymium, or scandium, or an alloy
material which contains any of these materials as its main
component.
[0145] The gate insulating layer 402 can be formed with a
single-layer structure or a layered structure using any of a
silicon oxide layer, a silicon nitride layer, a silicon oxynitride
layer, a silicon nitride oxide layer, an aluminum oxide layer, an
aluminum nitride layer, an aluminum oxynitride layer, an aluminum
nitride oxide layer, and a hafnium oxide layer by a plasma CVD
method, a sputtering method, or the like. For example, a silicon
nitride layer (SiN.sub.y (y>0)) having a thickness of 50 nm to
200 nm inclusive is formed as a first gate insulating layer with a
plasma CVD method, and a silicon oxide layer (SiO.sub.x(x>0))
having a thickness of 5 nm to 300 nm inclusive is formed as a
second gate insulating layer over the first gate insulating layer,
so that a gate insulating layer with a total thickness of 200 nm is
formed.
[0146] As a conductive film used for the source electrode layer
405a and the drain electrode layer 405b, for example, a metal film
containing an element selected from Al, Cr, Cu, Ta, Ti, Mo, and W
and a metal nitride film containing any of the above elements as
its main component (a titanium nitride film, a molybdenum nitride
film, and a tungsten nitride film) can be used. A metal film having
a high melting point such as Ti, Mo, W, or the like or a metal
nitride film of any of these elements (a titanium nitride film, a
molybdenum nitride film, and a tungsten nitride film) may be
stacked on one of or both of a lower side or an upper side of a
metal film of Al, Cu, or the like.
[0147] The same material as that of the source electrode layer 405a
and the drain electrode layer 405b can be also used for a
conductive film used for the wiring layer 436a and the wiring layer
436b which are connected to the source electrode layer 405a and the
drain electrode layer 405b respectively.
[0148] The conductive film to be the source electrode layer 405a
and the drain electrode layer 405b (including a wiring layer formed
using the same layer as the source electrode layer 405a and the
drain electrode layer 405b) may be formed using conductive metal
oxide. As the conductive metal oxide, indium oxide
(In.sub.2O.sub.3), tin oxide (SnO.sub.2), zinc oxide (ZnO), an
alloy of indium oxide and tin oxide (In.sub.2O.sub.3--SnO.sub.2,
referred to as ITO), an alloy of indium oxide and zinc oxide
(In.sub.2O.sub.3--ZnO), and such a metal oxide material containing
silicon oxide can be used.
[0149] As the insulating films 407, 427, and 437, an inorganic
insulating film such as a silicon oxide film, a silicon oxynitride
film, an aluminum oxide film, or an aluminum oxynitride film can be
typically used.
[0150] For the protective insulating layer 409 provided over the
oxide semiconductor layer, an inorganic insulating film such as a
silicon nitride film, an aluminum nitride film, a silicon nitride
oxide film, or an aluminum nitride oxide film can be used.
[0151] Further, a planarization insulating film may be formed over
the protective insulating layer 409 so that surface roughness due
to the transistor is reduced. As the planarization insulating film,
an organic material such as polyimide, an acrylic resin, and a
benzocyclobutene-based resin can be used. Besides the above organic
materials, a low-dielectric constant material (a low-k material) or
the like can be used. Note that the planarization insulating film
may be formed by stacking a plurality of insulating films formed of
any of these materials.
[0152] An example of a pixel in a liquid crystal display device
using such a transistor is illustrated in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14. FIG.
13 illustrates a plan view of the pixel and FIG. 14 illustrates a
cross-sectional view taken along a line A-B shown in FIG. 13. Note
that FIG. 13 illustrates a plan view of the substrate 400 over
which a transistor 410 is formed, and FIG. 14 illustrates a
structure in which a counter substrate 416 and a liquid crystal
layer 414 are formed in addition to a structure of the substrate
400 over which a transistor 410 is formed. The following
description will be given with reference to both FIG. 13 and FIG.
14.
[0153] A structure of the transistor 410 is the same as that in
FIG. 6A, and includes the gate electrode layer 401, the gate
insulating layer 402, and the oxide semiconductor layer 403. When a
pixel is provided, the gate electrode layer 401 is formed to extend
in one direction. The oxide semiconductor layer 403 is provided to
overlap with the gate electrode layer 401 with the gate insulating
layer 402 interposed therebetween. The source electrode layer 405a
and the drain electrode layer 405b are provided on an upper side of
the oxide semiconductor layer 403 (note that here, the terms "the
source electrode layer 405a" and "the drain electrode layer 405b"
are used for convenience to distinguish electrodes in the
transistor 410). The source electrode layer 405a is extended in
direction to get across the gate electrode layer 401. A pixel
electrode 411 is provided over the protective insulating layer 409,
and the pixel electrode 411 is connected to the drain electrode
layer 405b through a contact hole 412. The pixel electrode 411 is
formed from a transparent electrode material such as indium tin
oxide, zinc oxide, or tin oxide.
[0154] A storage capacitor 419 may be provided as appropriate. When
the storage capacitor 419 is provided, the storage capacitor 419 is
formed including a capacitor wiring layer 417 formed in the same
layer as the gate electrode layer 401, and a capacitor electrode
layer 418. Between the capacitor wiring layer 417 and the capacitor
electrode layer 418, the gate insulating layer 402 is extended to
function as a dielectric, so that the storage capacitor 419 is
formed.
[0155] Slits are provided in the pixel electrode 411, whereby
alignment of liquid crystal can be controlled. Such a structure is
applied to a vertical alignment (VA) mode. The VA mode is a mode of
controlling alignment of liquid crystal molecules of a liquid
crystal panel. The VA mode is a mode in which liquid crystal
molecules are aligned vertically to a panel surface when voltage is
not applied. Note that other than the VA mode, a twisted nematic
(TN) mode, a multi-domain vertical alignment (MVA) mode, an
in-plane vertical switching (IPS) mode, a continuous pinwheel
alignment (CPA) mode, a patterned vertical alignment (PVA) mode, or
the like can be applied.
[0156] A counter electrode 415 is provided on the counter substrate
416 side. The liquid crystal layer 414 is provided between the
substrate 400 and the counter substrate 416. An alignment film 413
is provided to be in contact with the liquid crystal layer 414.
Alignment treatment for the alignment film 413 is performed by an
optical alignment method or a rubbing method. As a liquid crystal
phase of the liquid crystal layer 414, a nematic phase, a smectic
phase, a cholesteric phase, a blue phase, or the like can be
used.
[0157] One unit is formed including the following components: the
transistor 410 in which the oxide semiconductor layer 403 is
provided to overlap with the gate electrode layer 401 with the gate
insulating layer 402 interposed; the pixel electrode 411 which is
connected to the source side or the drain side of the transistor
410 and drives liquid crystal; the counter electrode 415 provided
to face the pixel electrode 411; and the liquid crystal layer 414
provided between the pixel electrode 411 and the counter electrode
415. A pixel can be constituted by one or more of these units, and
a display panel which displays an image or the like can be formed
by arranging the pixels in matrix.
[0158] In such a manner, by using a transistor including an oxide
semiconductor layer having high field-effect mobility and low off
current in this embodiment, a liquid crystal display device with
low power consumption can be provided.
Embodiment 5
[0159] In this embodiment, examples of a transistor including an
oxide semiconductor layer and a manufacturing method thereof will
be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 7A to 7E. The
same portion as or a portion having a function similar to those in
the above embodiment can be formed in a manner similar to that
described in the above embodiment, and repetitive description is
omitted. In addition, detailed description of the same portions is
not repeated.
[0160] FIGS. 7A to 7E illustrate an example of a cross-sectional
structure of a transistor. A transistor 510 illustrated in FIGS. 7D
and 7E is an inverted staggered thin film transistor having a
bottom gate structure, which is similar to the transistor 410
illustrated in FIG. 6A.
[0161] Hereinafter, a manufacturing process of the transistor 510
over a substrate 505 is described with reference to FIGS. 7A to
7E.
[0162] First, a conductive film is formed over the substrate 505
having an insulating surface, and then, a gate electrode layer 511
is formed through a first photolithography step. Note that a resist
mask may be formed by an inkjet method. Formation of the resist
mask by an inkjet method needs no photomask; thus, manufacturing
cost can be reduced.
[0163] As the substrate 505 having an insulating surface, a
substrate similar to the substrate 400 described in Embodiment 4
can be used. In this embodiment, a glass substrate is used as the
substrate 505.
[0164] An insulating film serving as a base film may be provided
between the substrate 505 and the gate electrode layer 511. The
base film has a function of preventing diffusion of an impurity
element from the substrate 505, and can be formed with a
single-layer structure or a stacked-layer structure using one or
more of a silicon nitride film, a silicon oxide film, a silicon
nitride oxide film, and a silicon oxynitride film.
[0165] The gate electrode layer 511 can be formed to have a
single-layer structure or a stacked-layer structure using any of a
metal material such as molybdenum, titanium, tantalum, tungsten,
aluminum, copper, neodymium, or scandium, and an alloy material
which includes any of these metal materials as a main
component.
[0166] Next, a gate insulating layer 507 is formed over the gate
electrode layer 511. The gate insulating layer 507 can be formed by
a plasma CVD method, a sputtering method, or the like to have a
single layer structure or a stacked-layer structure using any of a
silicon oxide layer, a silicon nitride layer, a silicon oxynitride
layer, a silicon nitride oxide layer, an aluminum oxide layer, an
aluminum nitride layer, an aluminum oxynitride layer, an aluminum
nitride oxide layer, and a hafnium oxide layer.
[0167] For the oxide semiconductor in this embodiment, an oxide
semiconductor which is made to be an i-type semiconductor or a
substantially i-type semiconductor by removing an impurity is used.
Such a highly purified oxide semiconductor is highly sensitive to
an interface state and interface charges; thus, an interface
between the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate insulating layer
is important. For that reason, the gate insulating layer that is to
be in contact with a highly purified oxide semiconductor needs to
have high quality.
[0168] For example, high-density plasma CVD using microwaves (e.g.,
with a frequency of 2.45 GHz) is preferably adopted because an
insulating layer can be dense and have high withstand voltage and
high quality. The highly purified oxide semiconductor and the
high-quality gate insulating layer are in contact with each other,
whereby the interface state density can be reduced to obtain
favorable interface characteristics.
[0169] Needless to say, another film formation method such as a
sputtering method or a plasma CVD method can be employed as long as
the method enables formation of a high-quality insulating layer as
a gate insulating layer. Further, an insulating layer whose film
quality and characteristics of the interface between the insulating
layer and an oxide semiconductor are improved by heat treatment
which is performed after formation of the insulating layer may be
formed as a gate insulating layer. In any case, any insulating
layer may be used as long as the insulating layer has
characteristics of enabling a reduction in interface state density
of the interface between the insulating layer and an oxide
semiconductor and formation of a favorable interface as well as
that having favorable film quality as a gate insulating layer.
[0170] In order to contain hydrogen, a hydroxyl group, and moisture
in the gate insulating layer 507 and an oxide semiconductor film
530 as little as possible, it is preferable to perform pretreatment
before the formation of the oxide semiconductor film 530. As the
pretreatment, the substrate 505 provided with the gate electrode
layer 511 or a substrate 505 over which the gate electrode layer
511 and the gate insulating layer 507 are formed is preheated in a
preheating chamber of a sputtering apparatus, whereby an impurity
such as hydrogen or moisture adsorbed on the substrate 505 is
removed and then, evacuation is performed. As an evacuation unit
provided in the preheating chamber, a cryopump is preferable. Note
that this preheating treatment can be omitted. Further, heat
treatment like the above preheating may be performed in a similar
manner on the substrate 505 in a state where a source electrode
layer 515a and a drain electrode layer 515b have been formed
thereover but an insulating layer 516 has not been formed yet.
[0171] Next, over the gate insulating layer 507, the oxide
semiconductor film 530 having a thickness greater than or equal to
2 nm and less than or equal to 200 nm, preferably greater than or
equal to 5 nm and less than or equal to 30 nm is formed (see FIG.
7A).
[0172] Note that before the oxide semiconductor film 530 is formed
by a sputtering method, powder substances (also referred to as
particles or dust) which attach on a surface of the gate insulating
layer 507 are preferably removed by reverse sputtering in which an
argon gas is introduced and plasma is generated. The reverse
sputtering refers to a method in which, without applying a voltage
to a target side, an RF power source is used for application of a
voltage to a substrate in an argon atmosphere to generate plasma in
the vicinity of the substrate side to modify a surface. Note that
instead of an argon atmosphere, a nitrogen atmosphere, a helium
atmosphere, an oxygen atmosphere, or the like may be used.
[0173] As an oxide semiconductor for the oxide semiconductor film
530, the oxide semiconductor described in Embodiment 4 can be used.
Further, SiO.sub.2 may be contained in the above oxide
semiconductor. In this embodiment, the oxide semiconductor film 530
is deposited by a sputtering method with the use of an
In--Ga--Zn--O-based oxide target. A cross-sectional view at this
stage is illustrated in FIG. 7A. Alternatively, the oxide
semiconductor film 530 can be formed by a sputtering method in a
rare gas (typically argon) atmosphere, an oxygen atmosphere, or a
mixed atmosphere containing a rare gas and oxygen.
[0174] The target used for the formation of the oxide semiconductor
film 530 by a sputtering method is, for example, a metal oxide
target containing In.sub.2O.sub.3, Ga.sub.2O.sub.3, and ZnO at a
composition ratio of 1:1:1 [molar ratio], so that an In--Ga--Zn--O
film is formed. Without limitation to the material and the
component of the target, for example, a metal oxide target
containing In.sub.2O.sub.3, Ga.sub.2O.sub.3, and ZnO at 1:1:2
[molar ratio] may be used.
[0175] The filling factor of the metal oxide target is greater than
or equal to 90% and less than or equal to 100%, preferably greater
than or equal to 95% and less than or equal to 99.9%. With use of
the metal oxide target with high filling factor, a dense oxide
semiconductor film can be formed.
[0176] It is preferable that a high-purity gas from which an
impurity such as hydrogen, water, a compound including a hydroxyl
group, or a hydride is removed be used as a sputtering gas used for
forming the oxide semiconductor film 530.
[0177] The substrate is held in a deposition chamber kept under
reduced pressure, and the substrate temperature is set to
100.degree. C. to 600.degree. C. inclusive, preferably 200.degree.
C. to 400.degree. C. inclusive. Formation of the oxide
semiconductor film is conducted with heating the substrate, whereby
the concentration of impurities included in the formed oxide
semiconductor film can be reduced. In addition, damage by
sputtering can be reduced. Then, a sputtering gas from which
hydrogen and moisture are removed is introduced into the deposition
chamber where remaining moisture is being removed, and the oxide
semiconductor film 530 is deposited with use of the above target,
over the substrate 505. In order to remove remaining moisture from
the deposition chamber, an adsorption-type vacuum pump such as a
cryopump, an ion pump, or a titanium sublimation pump is preferably
used. The evacuation unit may be a turbo pump provided with a cold
trap. In the deposition chamber which is evacuated with use of the
cryopump, a hydrogen atom, a compound including a hydrogen atom,
such as water (H.sub.2O) (more preferably, also a compound
including a carbon atom), and the like are removed, whereby the
concentration of impurities in the oxide semiconductor film formed
in the deposition chamber can be reduced.
[0178] As one example of the deposition condition, the distance
between the substrate and the target is 100 mm, the pressure is 0.6
Pa, the direct-current (DC) power source is 0.5 kW, and the
atmosphere is an oxygen atmosphere (the proportion of the oxygen
flow rate is 100%). Note that use of a pulse direct current power
source is preferable because powder substances (also referred to as
particles or dust) generated in film formation can be reduced and
the film thickness can be uniform.
[0179] Then, through a second photolithography step, the oxide
semiconductor film 530 is processed into an island-shaped oxide
semiconductor layer. A resist mask for forming the island-shaped
oxide semiconductor layer may be formed by an ink-jet method.
Formation of the resist mask by an inkjet method needs no
photomask; thus, manufacturing cost can be reduced.
[0180] In the case where a contact hole is faulted in the gate
insulating layer 507, a step of forming the contact hole can be
performed at the same time as processing of the oxide semiconductor
film 530.
[0181] Note that the etching of the oxide semiconductor film 530
may be dry etching, wet etching, or both dry etching and wet
etching. As an etchant used for wet etching of the oxide
semiconductor film 530, for example, a mixed solution of phosphoric
acid, acetic acid, and nitric acid, such as ITO07N (produced by
KANTO CHEMICAL CO., INC.) can be used.
[0182] Next, the oxide semiconductor layer is subjected to first
heat treatment. By this first heat treatment, the oxide
semiconductor layer can be dehydrated or dehydrogenated. The
temperature of the first heat treatment is higher than or equal to
400.degree. C. and lower than or equal to 750.degree. C.,
preferably higher than or equal to 400.degree. C. and lower than
the strain point of the substrate. Here, the substrate is
introduced into an electric furnace which is one of heat treatment
apparatuses, heat treatment is performed on the oxide semiconductor
layer in a nitrogen atmosphere at 450.degree. C. for one hour, and
then, the oxide semiconductor layer is not exposed to the air so
that entry of water and hydrogen into the oxide semiconductor layer
is prevented; thus, an oxide semiconductor layer 531 is obtained
(see FIG. 7B).
[0183] A heat treatment apparatus used in this step is not limited
to an electric furnace, and a device for heating an object to be
processed by heat conduction or heat radiation from a heating
element such as a resistance heating element may be alternatively
used. For example, an RTA (rapid thermal anneal) apparatus such as
a GRTA (gas rapid thermal anneal) apparatus or an LRTA (lamp rapid
thermal anneal) apparatus can be used. An LRTA apparatus is an
apparatus for heating an object to be processed by radiation of
light (an electromagnetic wave) emitted from a lamp such as a
halogen lamp, a metal halide lamp, a xenon arc lamp, a carbon arc
lamp, a high pressure sodium lamp, or a high pressure mercury lamp.
A GRTA apparatus is an apparatus for heat treatment using a
high-temperature gas. As the high temperature gas, an inert gas
which does not react with an object to be processed by heat
treatment, such as nitrogen or a rare gas like argon, is used.
[0184] For example, as the first heat treatment, GRTA may be
performed as follows: the substrate is transferred and put into an
inert gas heated to a high temperature as high as 650.degree. C. to
700.degree. C., heated for several minutes, and taken out from the
inert gas heated to the high temperature.
[0185] Note that in the first heat treatment, it is preferable that
water, hydrogen, and the like be not contained in the atmosphere of
nitrogen or a rare gas such as helium, neon, or argon. The purity
of nitrogen or the rare gas such as helium, neon, or argon which is
introduced into the heat treatment apparatus is preferably set to
be higher than or equal to 6N (99.9999%), far preferably higher
than or equal to 7N (99.99999%) (that is, the impurity
concentration is preferably lower than or equal to 1 ppm, far
preferably lower than or equal to 0.1 ppm).
[0186] After the oxide semiconductor layer is heated by the first
heat treatment, a high-purity oxygen gas, a high-purity N.sub.2O
gas, or ultra-dry air (having a dew point of lower than or equal to
-40.degree. C., preferably lower than or equal to -60.degree. C.)
may be introduced into the same furnace. It is preferable that
water, hydrogen, or the like be not contained in the oxygen gas or
the N.sub.2O gas. Alternatively, the purity of an oxygen gas or an
N.sub.2O gas which is introduced into the heat treatment apparatus
is preferably higher than or equal to 6N, further preferably higher
than or equal to 7N (i.e., the impurity concentration of the oxygen
gas or the N.sub.2O gas is lower than or equal to 1 ppm, preferably
lower than or equal to 0.1 ppm). Although oxygen which is a main
component included in the oxide semiconductor is reduced through
the elimination of impurities by performance of dehydration
treatment or dehydrogenation treatment, oxygen is supplied by the
effect of introduction of the oxygen gas or the N.sub.2O gas in the
above manner, so that the oxide semiconductor layer is highly
purified and made to be an electrically i-type (intrinsic)
semiconductor.
[0187] Alternatively, the first heat treatment of the oxide
semiconductor layer can be performed on the oxide semiconductor
film 530 which has not yet been processed into the island-shaped
oxide semiconductor layer. In that case, the substrate is taken out
from the heat apparatus after the first heat treatment, and then a
photolithography step is performed.
[0188] Note that other than the above timing, the first heat
treatment may be performed at any of the following timings as long
as it is after the oxide semiconductor layer is formed. For
example, the timing may be after a source electrode layer and a
drain electrode layer are formed over the oxide semiconductor layer
or after an insulating layer is formed over the source electrode
layer and the drain electrode layer.
[0189] In the case where a contact hole is formed in the gate
insulating layer 507, the formation of the contact hole may be
performed before or after the first heat treatment is performed on
the oxide semiconductor film 530.
[0190] Alternatively, an oxide semiconductor layer may be formed
through two film formation steps and two heat treatment steps. The
thus formed oxide semiconductor layer has a thick crystalline
region (non-single-crystal region), that is, a crystalline region
the c-axis of which is aligned in a direction perpendicular to a
surface of the layer, even when a base component includes any of an
oxide, a nitride, a metal, or the like. For example, a first oxide
semiconductor film with a thickness greater than or equal to 3 nm
and less than or equal to 15 nm is deposited, and first heat
treatment is performed in a nitrogen, oxygen, rare gas, or dry air
atmosphere at 450.degree. C. to 850.degree. C. inclusive,
preferably 550.degree. C. to 750.degree. C. inclusive, so that the
first oxide semiconductor film has a crystalline region (including
a plate-like crystal) on a surface thereof. Then, a second oxide
semiconductor film which has a larger thickness than the first
oxide semiconductor film is formed, and second heat treatment is
performed at 450.degree. C. to 850.degree. C. inclusive, preferably
600.degree. C. to 700.degree. C. inclusive, so that crystal growth
proceeds upward with use of the first oxide semiconductor film as a
seed of the crystal growth and the whole second oxide semiconductor
film is crystallized. In such a manner, the oxide semiconductor
layer having a thick crystalline region may be obtained.
[0191] Next, a conductive film to be the source and drain electrode
layers (including a wiring formed in the same layer as the source
and drain electrode layers) is formed over the gate insulating
layer 507 and the oxide semiconductor layer 531. The conductive
film to be the source and drain electrode layers can be formed
using the material which is used for the source electrode layer
405a and the drain electrode layer 405b described in Embodiment
4.
[0192] By performance of a third photolithography step, a resist
mask is formed over the conductive film, and selective etching is
performed, so that the source electrode layer 515a and the drain
electrode layer 515b are formed. Then, the resist mask is removed
(see FIG. 7C).
[0193] Light exposure at the time of the formation of the resist
mask in the third photolithography step may be performed using
ultraviolet light, KrF laser light, or ArF laser light. A channel
length L of the transistor formed later is determined by the
distance between the lower edge portion of the source electrode
layer and the lower edge portion of the drain electrode layer which
face to each other over the oxide semiconductor layer 531. In the
case where a channel length L is less than 25 nm, light exposure
for formation of the resist mask in the third photolithography step
may be performed using extreme ultraviolet light having an
extremely short wavelength of several nanometers to several tens of
nanometers. In the light exposure by extreme ultraviolet light, the
resolution is high and the focus depth is large. For these reasons,
the channel length L of the transistor to be formed later can be in
the range of 10 nm to 1000 nm inclusive, and the circuit can
operate at higher speed.
[0194] In order to reduce the number of photomasks used in a
photolithography step and reduce the number of steps, an etching
step may be performed with the use of a multi-tone mask which is a
light-exposure mask through which light is transmitted to have a
plurality of intensities. A resist mask formed with use of a
multi-tone mask has a plurality of thicknesses and further can be
changed in shape by etching; therefore, the resist mask can be used
in a plurality of etching steps for processing into different
patterns. Therefore, a resist mask corresponding to at least two or
more kinds of different patterns can be formed with one multi-tone
mask. Thus, the number of light-exposure masks can be reduced and
the number of corresponding photolithography steps can be also
reduced, whereby simplification of a process can be realized.
[0195] Note that when the conductive film is etched, the optimum
etching condition is desirably made so that the oxide semiconductor
layer 531 can be prevented to be etched together with the
conductive film and divided. However, it is difficult to attain
such a condition that only the conductive film is etched and the
oxide semiconductor layer 531 is not etched at all. In etching of
the conductive film, the oxide semiconductor layer 531 is partly
etched in some cases, whereby the oxide semiconductor layer having
a groove portion (a depressed portion) is formed.
[0196] In this embodiment, since a titanium (Ti) film is used as
the conductive film and the In--Ga--Zn--O-based oxide semiconductor
is used for the oxide semiconductor layer 531, an ammonium hydrogen
peroxide mixture (31 wt. % hydrogen peroxide water: 28 wt. %
ammonia water: water=5:2:2) is used as an etchant of the Ti
film.
[0197] Next, by plasma treatment using a gas such as N.sub.2O,
N.sub.2, or Ar, water or the like adsorbed on a surface of an
exposed portion of the oxide semiconductor layer may be removed. In
the case where the plasma treatment is performed, the insulating
layer 516 which serves as a protective insulating film in contact
with part of the oxide semiconductor layer is formed without
exposure of the oxide semiconductor layer to the air.
[0198] The insulating layer 516 can be formed to a thickness of at
least 1 nm by a method by which an impurity such as water or
hydrogen does not enter the insulating layer 516, such as a
sputtering method as appropriate. When hydrogen is contained in the
insulating layer 516, the hydrogen enters the oxide semiconductor
layer or extracts oxygen from the oxide semiconductor layer, which
causes a reduction in resistance of a back channel of the oxide
semiconductor layer (i.e., makes an n-type back channel), so that a
parasitic channel might be formed. Therefore, it is important for
the insulating layer 516 that hydrogen is not used in a formation
method in order to contain hydrogen as little as possible.
[0199] As the insulating layer 516 which is formed in contact with
the oxide semiconductor layer, an inorganic insulating film which
does not include an impurity such as moisture, a hydrogen ion, or
OH.sup.- and blocks the entry of the impurity from the outside is
used. Typically, a silicon oxide film, a silicon oxynitride film,
an aluminum oxide film, an aluminum oxynitride film, or the like is
used. In this embodiment, a silicon oxide film is formed to a
thickness of 200 nm as the insulating layer 516 by a sputtering
method. The substrate temperature in film formation may be higher
than or equal to room temperature and lower than or equal to
300.degree. C. and in this embodiment, is 100.degree. C. The
silicon oxide film can be formed by a sputtering method in a rare
gas (typically argon) atmosphere, an oxygen atmosphere, or a mixed
atmosphere containing a rare gas and oxygen. As a target, a silicon
oxide target or a silicon target may be used. For example, the
silicon oxide film can be formed using a silicon target by a
sputtering method in an atmosphere containing oxygen.
[0200] As in the case of formation of the oxide semiconductor film
530, an adsorption-type vacuum pump (such as a cryopump) is
preferably used in order to remove remaining moisture in a
deposition chamber of the insulating layer 516. When the insulating
layer 516 is deposited in the deposition chamber which is evacuated
with use of a cryopump, the concentration of an impurity contained
in the insulating layer 516 can be reduced. Alternatively, the
evacuation unit used for removal of the remaining moisture in the
deposition chamber may be a turbo pump provided with a cold
trap.
[0201] It is preferable that a high-purity gas from which
impurities such as hydrogen, water, a compound containing a
hydroxyl group, or a hydride are removed be used as a sputtering
gas used for forming the insulating layer 516.
[0202] Next, second heat treatment is performed in an inert gas
atmosphere or an oxygen gas atmosphere (preferably at from
200.degree. C. to 400.degree. C. inclusive, e.g. 250.degree. C. to
350.degree. C. inclusive). For example, the second heat treatment
is performed in a nitrogen atmosphere at 250.degree. C. for one
hour. The second heat treatment is performed in such a condition
that part (a channel formation region) of the oxide semiconductor
layer is in contact with the insulating layer 516.
[0203] As described above, an impurity such as hydrogen, moisture,
a hydroxyl group, or a hydride (also referred to as a hydrogen
compound) is intentionally removed from the oxide semiconductor
layer by subjecting the oxide semiconductor layer to the first heat
treatment, and then oxygen which is one of main components of the
oxide semiconductor can be supplied because oxygen is reduced in
the step of removing impurities. Through the above steps, the oxide
semiconductor layer is highly purified and is made to be an
electrically i-type (intrinsic) semiconductor.
[0204] Through the above process, the transistor 510 is formed (see
FIG. 7D).
[0205] When a silicon oxide layer having a lot of defects is used
as the insulating layer 516, an impurity such as hydrogen,
moisture, a hydroxyl group, or a hydride contained in the oxide
semiconductor layer can be diffused by the heat treatment which is
performed after the formation of the silicon oxide layer, so that
impurities in the oxide semiconductor layer can be further
reduced.
[0206] A protective insulating layer 506 may be formed over the
insulating layer 516. As the protective insulating layer, an
inorganic insulating film which does not include an impurity such
as moisture and blocks entry of the impurity from the outside,
e.g., a silicon nitride film, an aluminum nitride film, or the like
is used. In this embodiment, the protective insulating layer 506 is
formed using a silicon nitride film by an RF sputtering method
since an RF sputtering method has high productivity (see FIG.
7E).
[0207] In this embodiment, as the protective insulating layer 506,
a silicon nitride film is formed by heating the substrate 505 over
which the steps up to and including the formation step of the
insulating layer 516 have been done, to a temperature of
100.degree. C. to 400.degree. C., introducing a sputtering gas
including high-purity nitrogen from which hydrogen and moisture are
removed, and using a silicon semiconductor target. In that case
also, it is preferable that remaining moisture be removed from a
deposition chamber in the formation of the protective insulating
layer 506 as in the case of the insulating layer 516.
[0208] After the formation of the protective insulating layer, heat
treatment may be further performed at a temperature from
100.degree. C. to 200.degree. C. inclusive in the air for one hour
to 30 hours inclusive. This heat treatment may be performed at a
fixed heating temperature. Alternatively, the following change in
the heating temperature may be conducted plural times repeatedly:
the heating temperature is increased from room temperature to a
temperature of 100.degree. C. to 200.degree. C. inclusive and then
decreased to room temperature.
[0209] A transistor including a highly purified oxide semiconductor
layer which is manufactured in accordance with this embodiment as
described achieves high filed-effect mobility and thus can operate
at high speed. When the transistor including a highly purified
oxide semiconductor layer is used in a pixel portion in the liquid
crystal display device, color separation can be suppressed and a
high-quality image can be provided. In addition, a driver circuit
portion and a pixel portion which include the transistors including
a highly purified oxide semiconductor layer can be formed over one
substrate; thus, the number of components of the liquid crystal
display device can be reduced.
[0210] Measurement results of the field-effect mobility of a
transistor including a highly purified oxide semiconductor are
described.
[0211] In accordance with the above manufacturing method of this
embodiment, a transistor (L/W=10 .mu.m/50 .mu.m) including a highly
purified oxide semiconductor (an In--Ga--Zn--O-based oxide
semiconductor film with a thickness of 50 nm) was manufactured, and
a change in characteristics of source-drain current (hereinafter,
referred to as drain current or I.sub.d) was measured under
conditions that the substrate temperature was set to room
temperature, source-drain voltage (hereinafter, referred to as
drain voltage or V.sub.d) was set to 10 V, and source-gate voltage
(hereinafter, referred to as gate voltage or V.sub.g) was changed
from -30 V to +30 V. That is, V.sub.g-I.sub.d characteristics were
measured. Note that in FIG. 8, the range of V.sub.g is from -5 V to
+.quadrature..quadrature. V. From FIG. 8, the maximum value of
field-effect mobility of the transistor including a highly purified
oxide semiconductor layer was confirmed to be 10.7
cm.sup.2/Vsec.
[0212] It should be noted that the transistor including a highly
purified oxide semiconductor shows an extremely low current value
in an off state (off-current value). Therefore, the holding period
of an electric signal of an image signal or the like can be
extended and an interval between writing operations can be set
longer. Thus, the frequency of refresh operation can be reduced,
whereby a decrease in consumed power can be more effectively
improved.
[0213] Measurement results of the off current of a transistor
including a highly purified oxide semiconductor are described.
[0214] In accordance with the above manufacturing method of this
embodiment, a transistor including a highly purified oxide
semiconductor was manufactured. First, a transistor with a
sufficiently large channel width W of 1 cm was prepared in
consideration of the very small off current of the transistor
including a highly purified oxide semiconductor, and the off
current was measured. FIG. 9 shows the measurement results of the
off current of the transistor with a channel width W of 1 cm. In
FIG. 9, the horizontal axis indicates the gate voltage V.sub.g and
the vertical axis indicates the drain current I.sub.d. In the case
where the drain voltage V.sub.d is +1 V or +10 V, the off current
of the transistor with the gate voltage V.sub.g within the range of
-5 V to -20 V was found to be smaller than or equal to
1.times.10.sup.-13 A which is the detection limit. Moreover, it was
found that the off current of the transistor (per unit channel
width (1 .mu.m)) was smaller than or equal to 10 aA/.mu.m
(1.times.10.sup.-17 A/.mu.m).
[0215] Next, more accurate measurement results of the off current
of the transistor including a highly purified oxide semiconductor
are described. As described above, the off current of the
transistor including a highly purified oxide semiconductor was
found to be smaller than or equal to 1.times.10.sup.-13 A which is
the detection limit of measurement equipment. Thus, more accurate
off current (the value smaller than or equal to the detection limit
of measurement equipment in the above measurement) was measured
with use of a test element group (TEG). The results thereof will be
described.
[0216] The test element group used in the current measurement is
described below.
[0217] As the test element group, three measurement systems which
are connected in parallel are used. Each measurement system
includes a capacitor, a first transistor, a second transistor, a
third transistor, and a fourth transistor. The first to fourth
transistors were manufactured in accordance with this embodiment,
and each transistor had the same structure as the transistor 510
illustrated in FIG. 7D.
[0218] In each measurement system, one of a source terminal and a
drain terminal of the first transistor, one of terminals of the
capacitor, and one of a source terminal and a drain terminal of the
second transistor are connected to a power supply (a power supply
for supplying V2). The other of the source terminal and the drain
terminal of the first transistor, one of a source terminal and a
drain terminal of the third transistor, the other of the terminals
of the capacitor, and a gate terminal of the second transistor are
connected to one another. The other of a source terminal and a
drain terminal of the third transistor, one of a source terminal
and a drain terminal of the fourth transistor, and a gate terminal
of the fourth transistor are connected to a power supply (a power
supply for supplying V1). The other of the source terminal and the
drain terminal of the second transistor and the other of the source
terminal and the drain terminal of the fourth transistor are
connected to an output terminal.
[0219] A potential V.sub.ext.sub.--.sub.b2 for controlling on and
off of the first transistor is supplied to the gate terminal of the
first transistor. A potential V.sub.ext.sub.--.sub.b1 for
controlling on and off of the third transistor is supplied to the
gate terminal of the third transistor. A potential V.sub.out is
output from the output terminal.
[0220] Then, the measurement of the off current with use of the
above measurement systems is described.
[0221] First, a potential difference is given between the source
terminal and the drain terminal of the first transistor and between
the source terminal and the drain terminal of the third transistor
in an initialization period. After the initialization is completed,
the potential of the gate terminal of the second transistor varies
over time due to the off current of the first and third
transistors. Accordingly, potential of the output potential
V.sub.out of the output terminal varies over time. Then, the off
current can be calculated with the thus obtained output potential
V.sub.out.
[0222] Each of the first to fourth transistors is a transistor
including a highly purified oxide semiconductor with a channel
length L of 10 .mu.m and a channel width W of 50 .mu.m. In the
three measurement systems arranged in parallel, the capacitance of
the capacitor in the first measurement system was 100 fF, the
capacitance of the capacitor in the second measurement system was 1
pF, and the capacitance of the capacitor in the third measurement
system was 3 pF.
[0223] V1 and V2 were appropriately set to be 5 V or 0 V in order
to provide the potential difference between the source terminal and
the drain terminal of the first transistor and between the source
terminal and the drain terminal of the third transistor. The
measurement was carried out in every 10 to 300 seconds, and the
potential V.sub.out was measured for 100 msec in every measurement.
The measurement was conducted until 30000 seconds have passed after
the initialization.
[0224] FIG. 10 shows the off current which was calculated in the
above current measurement. FIG. 10 further shows the relationship
between source-drain voltage V and off current I. According to FIG.
10, the off current was about 40 zA/.mu.m at the source-drain
voltage of 4 V. In a similar way, the off current was less than or
equal to 10 zA/.mu.m at the source-drain voltage of 3.1 V. Note
that 1 zA represents 10.sup.-21 A.
[0225] According to this embodiment, it was confirmed that the off
current can be sufficiently small in a transistor including a
highly purified oxide semiconductor.
Embodiment 6
[0226] A liquid crystal display device disclosed in this
specification can be applied to a variety of electronic devices
(including game machines). Examples of electronic devices are a
television set (also referred to as a television or a television
receiver), a monitor of a computer or the like, a camera such as a
digital camera or a digital video camera, a digital photo frame, a
mobile phone handset (also referred to as a mobile phone or a
mobile phone device), a portable game machine, a portable
information terminal, an audio reproducing device, a large-sized
game machine such as a pachinko machine, and the like. Examples of
electronic devices each including the liquid crystal display device
described in the above embodiment are described.
[0227] FIG. 11A illustrates an electronic book reader (also
referred to as an e-book reader), which includes housings 9630, a
display portion 9631, operation keys 9632, a solar cell 9633, and a
charge and discharge control circuit 9634. The e-book reader
illustrated in FIG. 11A has a function of displaying various kinds
of information (e.g., a still image, a moving image, and a text
image) on the display portion, a function of displaying a calendar,
a date, the time, or the like on the display portion, a function of
operating or editing the information displayed on the display
portion, a function of controlling processing by various kinds of
software (programs), and the like. Note that, in FIG. 11A, the
charge and discharge control circuit 9634 has a battery 9635 and a
DCDC converter (hereinafter, abbreviated as a converter) 9636 as an
example. When the liquid crystal display device described in any of
Embodiments 1 to 5 is applied to the display portion 9631, an
e-book reader which consumes less power can be provided.
[0228] In the case of using a transflective or reflective liquid
crystal display device as the display portion 9631 in the structure
illustrated in FIG. 11A, the e-book reader may be used in a
comparatively bright environment. In that case, power generation by
the solar cell 9633 and charge by the battery 9635 can be
effectively performed, which is preferable. Since the solar cell
9633 can be provided on a space (a surface or a rear surface) of
the housing 9630 as appropriate, the battery 9635 can be
efficiently charged, which is preferable. When a lithium ion
battery is used as the battery 9635, there is an advantage of
downsizing or the like.
[0229] A configuration and operation of the charge and discharge
control circuit 9634 illustrated in FIG. 11A is described with
reference to a block diagram of FIG. 11B. FIG. 11B shows the solar
cell 9633, the battery 9635, the converter 9636, a converter 9637,
switches SW1 to SW3, and the display portion 9631. The charge and
discharge control circuit 9634 includes the battery 9635, the
converter 9636, the converter 9637, and the switches SW1 to
SW3.
[0230] First, explanation is given to an operation example in the
case where the solar cell 9633 generates power by using external
light. The power generated by the solar cell is raised or lowered
by the converter 9636 to be the voltage which is stored in the
battery 9635. When the power from the solar cell 9633 is used for
operation of the display portion 9631, the switch SW1 is turned on
and the power is raised or lowered by the converter 9637 to be the
voltage needed for the display portion 9631. When display is not
performed on the display portion 9631, the switch SW1 may be turned
off and the switch SW2 may be turned on, whereby the battery 9635
is charged.
[0231] Next, an example of operation is described for the case when
the solar cell 9633 does not generate power by using external
light. The power stored in the battery 9635 is raised or lowered by
the converter 9637 when the switch SW3 is turned on. Then, the
power from the battery 9635 is used for operation of the display
portion 9631.
[0232] Note that the solar cell 9633 is described as an example of
a charging unit here; however, charging the battery 9635 may be
performed by another unit. Alternatively, a combination of another
charging unit may be used.
[0233] FIG. 12 illustrates a laptop personal computer which
includes a main body 3001, a housing 3002, a display portion 3003,
a keyboard 3004, and the like. When the liquid crystal display
device described in any of Embodiments 1 to 5 is applied to the
display portion 3003, power consumption in a laptop personal
computer can be small.
[0234] This embodiment can be implemented in appropriate
combination with the structures described in the other
embodiments.
[0235] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application
serial no. 2010-012663 filed with Japan Patent Office on Jan. 24,
2010, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
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