IP Library Granted Patent US 7,192,852
Granted Patent B2
US 7,192,852 · App. 11/172,958 · Granted Mar 20, 2007

Method for fabricating image display device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,192,852
App. No.
11/172,958
Granted
Mar 20, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

There is provided a method for fabricating an image display device having an active matrix substrate including high-performance transistor circuits operating with high mobility as drive circuits for driving pixel portions which are arranged as a matrix. The portion of a polysilicon film formed in a drive circuit region DAR 1 provided on the periphery of the pixel region PAR of the active matrix substrate SUB 1 composing the image display device is irradiated and scanned with a pulse modulated laser beam or a pseudo CW laser beam to be reformed into a quasi-strip-like-crystal silicon film having a crystal boundary continuous in the scanning direction so that discrete reformed regions each composed of the quasi-strip-like-crystal silicon film are formed. In virtual tiles TL composed of the discrete reformed regions, drive circuits having active elements such as thin-film transistors or the like are formed such that the channel directions thereof coincide with the direction of crystal growth in the quasi-strip-like-crystal silicon film.

Claims (36)

1. A method for fabricating an image display device comprising steps of:

forming a semiconductor film over an insulating substrate;

forming a quasi-strip-like crystal having a semiconductor crystal grown in a quasi-strip-like shape at a plurality of portions of said semiconductor film by scanning and irradiating a laser beam of a continuous-wave laser to said semiconductor film;

forming a thin film transistor including said quasi-strip-like crystal; and

dividing said insulating substrate into a plurality of active matrix substrates each constituting an image display device by cutting said insulating substrate without crossing said portions where said laser beam of said continuous-wave laser is irradiated.

2. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 1 , wherein scanning and irradiating said laser beam of said continuous-wave laser is performed by moving said insulating substrate.

3. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 1 , wherein said semiconductor film includes silicon.

4. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 1 , wherein said dividing step involves scanning and modulating said laser beam emitted from said continuous-wave laser into a pulse modulated laser beam.

5. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 1 , wherein scanning with a plurality of said laser beams in parallel with each other is performed.

6. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 1 , wherein irradiating said laser beam of said continuous-wave laser to said semiconductor film is performed before patterning said semiconductor film.

7. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 1 , wherein said step of forming said semiconductor film over said insulating substrate involves forming an amorphous semiconductor film.

8. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 1 , wherein said step of forming said semiconductor film over said insulating substrate involves forming a polycrystalline semiconductor film.

9. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of forming a positioning mark by irradiating said continuous wave laser to said semiconductor film.

10. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 9 , wherein positioning is performed by using said positioning mark when patterning said semiconductor film in which said quasi-strip-like crystal is formed.

11. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of forming a positioning mark by irradiating said pseudo continuous-wave laser to said semiconductor film.

12. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 11 , wherein positioning is performed by using said positioning mark when patterning said semiconductor film in which said quasi-strip-like crystal is formed.

13. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 1 , wherein reciprocal scanning with said laser beam is performed.

14. A method for fabricating an image display device comprising steps of:

forming a semiconductor film over an insulating substrate:

forming a quasi-strip-like crystal having a semiconductor crystal grown in a quasi-strip-like shape at a plurality of portions of said semiconductor film by scanning and irradiating a laser beam of a continuous-wave laser or a pseudo continuous-wave laser to said semiconductor film;

forming a thin film transistor including said quasi-strip-like crystal; and

dividing said insulating substrate into a plurality of active matrix substrates by cutting said insulating substrate without crossing said portions where said laser beam of said continuous-wave laser or said pseudo continuous-wave laser is irradiated,

wherein reciprocal scanning with said laser beam is performed.

15. A method for fabricating an image display device comprising steps of:

forming a semiconductor film over an insulating substrate;

forming a quasi-strip-like crystal having a semiconductor crystal grown in a quasi-strip-like shape at a plurality of portions of said semiconductor film by scanning and irradiating a laser beam of a pseudo continuous-wave laser to said semiconductor film;

forming a thin film transistor including said quasi-strip-like crystal; and

dividing said insulating substrate into a plurality of active matrix substrates each constituting an image display device by cutting said insulating substrate without crossing said portions where said laser beam of said pseudo continuous-wave laser is irradiated.

16. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 15 , wherein scanning and irradiating said laser beam of said pseudo continuous-wave laser is performed by moving said insulating substrate.

17. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 15 , wherein said semiconductor film includes silicon.

18. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 15 , wherein said dividing step involves scanning and modulating said laser beam emitted from said pseudo continuous-wave laser into a pulse modulated laser beam.

19. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 15 , wherein reciprocal scanning with said laser beam is performed.

20. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 15 , wherein scanning with a plurality of said laser beams in parallel with each other is performed.

21. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 15 , wherein irradiating said laser beam of said pseudo continuous-wave laser to said semiconductor film is performed before patterning said semiconductor film.

22. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 15 , wherein said step of forming said semiconductor film over said insulating substrate involves forming an amorphous semiconductor film.

23. A method for fabricating an image display device according to claim 15 , wherein said step of forming said semiconductor film over said insulating substrate involves forming a polycrystalline semiconductor film.

Assignments (6)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Nov 17, 2023
From: PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
Reel/Frame 065615/0327 →
COMPANY SPLIT PLAN TRANSFERRING FIFTY (50) PERCENT SHARE OF PATENTS AND PATENT APPLICATIONS Recorded Dec 12, 2011
From: HITACHI DISPLAYS, LTD.
To: IPS ALPHA SUPPORT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 027362/0466 →
COMPANY SPLIT PLAN TRANSFERRING ONE HUNDRED (100) PERCENT SHARE OF PATENT AND PATENT APPLICATIONS Recorded Dec 12, 2011
From: HITACHI, LTD.
To: HITACHI DISPLAYS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 027362/0612 →
MERGER/CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 12, 2011
From: IPS ALPHA SUPPORT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 027363/0315 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 20, 2010
From: HITACHI, LTD.
To: HITACHI DISPLAYS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 025008/0380 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 5, 2005
From: HATANO, MUTSUKO; YAMAGUCHI, SHINYA; SHIBA, TAKEO; TAI, MITSUHARU; AKIMOTO, HAJIME
To: HITACHI, LTD.
Reel/Frame 016759/0041 →