IP Library Granted Patent US 8,378,443
Granted Patent B2
US 8,378,443 · App. 13/241,346 · Granted Feb 19, 2013

Area sensor and display apparatus provided with an area sensor

Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki (Tokyo, JP); Jun Koyama (Kanagawa, JP); Masato Yonezawa (Kanagawa, JP); Hajime Kimura (Kanagawa, JP); Yu Yamazaki (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,378,443
App. No.
13/241,346
Granted
Feb 19, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

An area sensor of the present invention has a function of displaying an image in a sensor portion by using light-emitting elements and a reading function using photoelectric conversion devices. Therefore, an image read in the sensor portion can be displayed thereon without separately providing an electronic display on the area sensor. Furthermore, a photoelectric conversion layer of a photodiode according to the present invention is made of an amorphous silicon film and an N-type semiconductor layer and a P-type semiconductor layer are made of a polycrystalline silicon film. The amorphous silicon film is formed to be thicker than the polycrystalline silicon film. As a result, the photodiode according to the present invention can receive more light.

Claims (41)

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a substrate;

a pixel over the substrate, the pixel comprising a electroluminescence element and a transistor comprising a source or a drain electrically connected to the electroluminescence element; and

a photodiode over the substrate, the photodiode comprising a P-type semiconductor layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and an N-type semiconductor layer, the photoelectric conversion layer being formed from a film distinct from a film used to form the P-type semiconductor layer or the N-type semiconductor layer, and being formed in a same plane as the P-type semiconductor layer and the N-type semiconductor layer,

wherein the transistor of the pixel comprises a semiconductor layer including a same material as the N-type semiconductor layer and the P-type semiconductor layer of the photodiode.

2. A semiconductor device comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of pixels over the substrate, each pixel comprising a electroluminescence element and a transistor comprising a source or a drain electrically connected to the electroluminescence element; and

a photodiode over the substrate, the photodiode comprising a P-type semiconductor layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and an N-type semiconductor layer, the photoelectric conversion layer being formed from a film distinct from a film used to form the P-type semiconductor layer or the N-type semiconductor layer, and being formed in a same plane as the P-type semiconductor layer and the N-type semiconductor layer,

wherein the transistors of the plurality of pixels comprise semiconductor layers including a same material as the N-type semiconductor layer and the P-type semiconductor layer of the photodiode.

3. A semiconductor device comprising:

a substrate;

a pixel over the substrate, the pixel comprising a electroluminescence element and a transistor comprising a source or a drain electrically connected to the electroluminescence element; and

a photodiode over the substrate, the photodiode comprising a P-type semiconductor layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and an N-type semiconductor layer, the photoelectric conversion layer being formed from a film distinct from a film used to form the P-type semiconductor layer or the N-type semiconductor layer, and being formed in a same plane as the P-type semiconductor layer and the N-type semiconductor layer,

wherein the transistor of the pixel comprises a semiconductor layer including a same material as the N-type semiconductor layer and the P-type semiconductor layer of the photodiode; and

wherein the electroluminescence element of the pixel and the photodiode do no overlap when seen from above the substrate.

4. A semiconductor device comprising:

a substrate;

a pixel over the substrate, the pixel comprising a electroluminescence element and a transistor comprising a source or a drain electrically connected to the electroluminescence element;

a current source; and

a photodiode the substrate, the photodiode comprising a P-type semiconductor layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and an N-type semiconductor layer, the photodiode being electrically connected to the current source, the photoelectric conversion layer being formed from a film distinct from a film used to form the P-type semiconductor layer or the N-type semiconductor layer, and being formed in a same plane as the P-type semiconductor layer and the N-type semiconductor layer,

wherein the transistor of the pixel comprises a semiconductor layer including a same material as the N-type semiconductor layer and the P-type semiconductor layer of the photodiode.

5. A semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor layer of the transistor, the N-type semiconductor layer, and the P-type semiconductor layer are made from a same semiconductor film.

6. A semiconductor device according to claim 2 , wherein the semiconductor layers of the transistors, the N-type semiconductor layer, and the P-type semiconductor layer are made from a same semiconductor film.

7. A semiconductor device according to claim 3 , wherein the semiconductor layer of the transistor, the N-type semiconductor layer, and the P-type semiconductor layer are made from a same semiconductor film.

8. A semiconductor device according to claim 4 , wherein the semiconductor layer of the transistor, the N-type semiconductor layer, and the P-type semiconductor layer are made from a same semiconductor film.

9. A semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

further comprising a constant current source,

wherein the photodiode is connected to the constant current source.

10. A semiconductor device according to claim 2 , further comprising a current source electrically connected to the photodiode.

11. A semiconductor device according to claim 3 , further comprising a current source electrically connected to the photodiode.

12. A semiconductor device according to claim 10 , wherein the current source is a constant current source.

13. A semiconductor device according to claim 11 , wherein the current source is a constant current source.

14. A semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of an elastic plastic film, a glass substrate, a quartz substrate, a plastic substrate, a silicon substrate, and a ceramic substrate.

15. A semiconductor device according to claim 2 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of an elastic plastic film, a glass substrate, a quartz substrate, a plastic substrate, a silicon substrate, and a ceramic substrate.

16. A semiconductor device according to claim 3 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of an elastic plastic film, a glass substrate, a quartz substrate, a plastic substrate, a silicon substrate, and a ceramic substrate.

17. A semiconductor device according to claim 4 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of an elastic plastic film, a glass substrate, a quartz substrate, a plastic substrate, a silicon substrate, and a ceramic substrate.

18. A semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor device is an electronic equipment selected from a group consisting of a video camera, a digital still camera, a notebook computer, a mobile computer, a mobile phone, a portable game machine and an electronic book.

19. A semiconductor device according to claim 2 wherein the semiconductor device is an electronic equipment selected from a group consisting of a video camera, a digital still camera, a notebook computer, a mobile computer, a mobile phone, a portable game machine and an electronic book.

20. A semiconductor device according to claim 3 wherein the semiconductor device is an electronic equipment selected from a group consisting of a video camera, a digital still camera, a notebook computer, a mobile computer, a mobile phone, a portable game machine and an electronic book.

21. A semiconductor device according to claim 4 wherein the semiconductor device is an electronic equipment selected from a group consisting of a video camera, a digital still camera, a notebook computer, a mobile computer, a mobile phone, a portable game machine and an electronic book.

Priority Claims (1)
JP 2000-242932 · Aug 10, 2000 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation 12754702 · Apr 6, 2010
Continuation 11278841 · Apr 6, 2006
Division 09924108 · Aug 8, 2001
Related Publication 20120007090A1 · Jan 12, 2012