IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,432,016
Granted Patent B2
US 9,432,016 · App. 14/594,256 · Granted Aug 30, 2016

Semiconductor device

Inventor: Atsushi Umezaki (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
H03K17/6871G09G3/14G09G3/32G09G3/36H01L27/1255H03B1/00H03K3/00G09G2330/021H01L29/7869
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,432,016
App. No.
14/594,256
Granted
Aug 30, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a semiconductor device exemplified by an inverter circuit and a shift register circuit, which is characterized by a reduced number of transistors. The semiconductor device includes a first transistor, a second transistor, and a capacitor. One of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first wiring, and the other thereof is electrically connected to a second wiring. One of a source and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the first wiring, a gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the first transistor, and the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to one electrode of the capacitor, while the other electrode of the capacitor is electrically connected to a third wiring. The first and second transistors have the same conductivity type.

Claims (34)

1. A method for driving a semiconductor device comprising a first transistor and a second transistor, the method comprising:

setting a potential of a second terminal of the second transistor to be a potential which turns on the second transistor by means of capacitive coupling;

setting a gate of the second transistor in a floating state; and

changing the potential of the second terminal of the second transistor by supplying a potential VDD to a first terminal of the second transistor so as to set a potential of the gate of the second transistor to be a potential which turns on the first transistor,

wherein a gate of the first transistor and the gate of the second transistor are electrically connected to each other.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first transistor and the second transistor have the same conductivity type.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first transistor and the second transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region.

4. An electronic device operated by the method according to claim 1 .

5. A method for driving a semiconductor device comprising a first transistor and a second transistor, the method comprising:

setting a potential of a second terminal of the second transistor to be a potential which turns on the second transistor by means of capacitive coupling, while supplying a potential VSS to a gate of the second transistor;

stopping the supply of the potential VSS to the gate of the second transistor so as to set the gate of the second transistor in a floating state; and

changing the potential of the second terminal of the second transistor by supplying a potential VDD to a first terminal of the second transistor so as to set a potential of the gate of the second transistor to be a potential which turns on the first transistor,

wherein a gate of the first transistor and the gate of the second transistor are electrically connected to each other.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the first transistor and the second transistor have the same conductivity type.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first transistor and the second transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region.

8. An electronic device operated by the method according to claim 5 .

9. A method for driving a semiconductor device comprising a first transistor, a second transistor, and a capacitor, the method comprising:

setting a potential of a second terminal of the second transistor to be a potential which turns on the second transistor by changing a signal input to a first electrode of the capacitor;

setting a gate of the second transistor in a floating state; and

changing the potential of the second terminal of the second transistor by supplying a potential VDD to a first terminal of the second transistor so as to set a potential of the gate of the second transistor to be a potential which turns on the first transistor,

wherein a gate of the first transistor and the gate of the second transistor are electrically connected to each other, and

wherein the second terminal of the second transistor is electrically connected to a second electrode of the capacitor.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first transistor and the second transistor have the same conductivity type.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first transistor and the second transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region.

12. An electronic device operated by the method according to claim 9 .

13. A method for driving a semiconductor device comprising a first transistor, a second transistor, and a capacitor, the method comprising:

setting a potential of a second terminal of the second transistor to be a potential which turns on the second transistor by changing a signal input to a first electrode of the capacitor, while supplying a potential VSS to a gate of the second transistor;

stopping the supply of the potential VSS to the gate of the second transistor so as to set the gate of the second transistor in a floating state; and

changing the potential of the second terminal of the second transistor by supplying a potential VDD to a first terminal of the second transistor so as to set a potential of the gate of the second transistor to be a potential which turns on the first transistor,

wherein a gate of the first transistor and the gate of the second transistor are electrically connected to each other, and

wherein the second terminal of the second transistor is electrically connected to a second electrode of the capacitor.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the first transistor and the second transistor have the same conductivity type.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first transistor and the second transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region.

16. An electronic device operated by the method according to claim 13 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2015
From: UMEZAKI, ATSUSHI
To: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 035201/0019 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2011-217150 · Sep 30, 2011 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 14222822 · Mar 24, 2014
Continuation 13606440 · Sep 7, 2012
Related Publication 20150123716A1 · May 7, 2015