Electrostatic capacitance detecting device

1. An electrostatic capacitance detection device for reading surface contours of an object by detecting an electrostatic capacitance, which changes according to a distance with the object, comprising:

M individual power supply lines and N individual output lines, arranged in a matrix of M rows×N columns, and electrostatic capacitance detection elements provided on crossing points of the individual power supply lines and the individual output lines;

each of the electrostatic capacitance detection elements being formed of a signal detection element and a signal amplification element,

the signal detection element being formed of a capacitance detecting electrode, a capacitance detecting dielectric layer and a reference capacitor,

the reference capacitor being formed of a reference capacitor first electrode, a reference capacitor dielectric layer and a reference capacitor second electrode,

the signal amplification element being formed of a MIS type thin film semiconductor device for signal amplification, including a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer and a semiconductor layer, and

a drain region of the MIS type thin film semiconductor device for signal amplification being electrically coupled to the individual power supply lines and the reference capacitor first electrode, and the gate electrode of the MIS type thin film semiconductor device for signal amplification being coupled to the capacitance detecting electrode and the reference capacitor second electrode.

2. The electrostatic capacitance detection device according to claim 1 , the reference capacitor dielectric layer and the gate insulating layer of the MIS type thin film semiconductor device for signal amplification being formed with a same material on a same layer.

3. The electrostatic capacitance detection device according to claim 1 , the reference capacitor first electrode and a drain region of the semiconductor film being formed with a same material on a same layer.

4. The electrostatic capacitance detection device according to claim 1 , the reference capacitor second electrode and the gate electrode being formed with a same material on a same layer.

5. The electrostatic capacitance detection device according to claim 1 , the capacitance detecting dielectric layer being located on an uppermost surface of the electrostatic capacitance detection device.

6. An electrostatic capacitance detection device, comprising:

a plurality of power supply lines;

a plurality of output lines; and

a plurality of electrostatic capacitance detection elements arranged corresponding to intersections of the plurality of power supply lines and the plurality of output lines, each of the electrostatic capacitance detection elements including:

a signal detection element, the signal detection element including:

a capacitance detecting electrode;

a capacitance detecting dielectric layer; and

a reference capacitor, the reference capacitor including:

a first electrode;

a dielectric layer; and

a second electrode; and

a signal amplification element, the signal amplification element including:

a thin film semiconductor device, the thin film semiconductor device including:

a source electrode;

a drain electrode, one of the source electrode and the drain electrode being electrically coupled to a corresponding power supply line of the plurality of power supply lines and the first electrode; and

a gate electrode being electrically coupled to the capacitance detecting electrode and the second electrode.