# US 5,707,746 A · Thin film transistor device with advanced characteristics by improved matching between a glass substrate and a silicon nitride layer

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- Number: US 5,707,746 A
- Document ID: US5707746A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/124,620
- Filed: 1993-09-21
- Granted: 1998-01-13
- Earliest claimed: 1992-09-25
- Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Yoshihumi Yaoi; Yoko Katsuya; Shuhei Tsuchimoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5707746A

## CPC

- H10D 30/0314: {of lateral top-gate TFTs comprising only a single gate}
- H10D 30/0321: {comprising silicon, e.g. amorphous silicon or polysilicon}
- H10D 30/6731: {Top-gate only TFTs}
- H10D 30/6745: {Polycrystalline or microcrystalline silicon}
- H10D 30/6758: {characterised by the insulating substrates}
- H10P 95/94: {Hydrogenation or deuterisation, e.g. using atomic hydrogen from a plasma}
- G02F 1/1368: in which the switching element is a three-electrode device {(G02F1/136277 takes precedence)}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS

## Abstract

A thin film semiconductor device including an insulating substrate; and a structure provided on the insulating substrate and including a silicon layer containing hydrogen diffused therein and a silicon nitride layer. The insulating substrate is formed of an insulating material having a thermal expansion coefficient of 2.6.times.10.sup.-6 deg.sup.-1 or more or having a distortion point of 850.degree. C. or lower.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thin film semiconductor device, comprising:
an insulating substrate formed of an insulating material having a thermal expansion coefficient of 2.6.times.10.sup.-6 deg..sup.-1 or more,
a thin film transistor provided on the insulating substrate, the thin film transistor including a silicon layer as an active layer; and
a silicon nitride layer formed on the silicon layer, the silicon nitride layer including hydrogen,
wherein the silicon layer is passivated with hydrogen diffused from the silicon nitride layer by annealing the silicon nitride layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A thin film semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating substrate is formed of aluminoborosilicate glass.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A thin film semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the insulating substrate of aluminoborosilicate glass has a thermal expansion coefficient of 4.times.10.sup.-6 deg..sup.-1, the silicon layer is a polysilicon layer and the silicon nitride layer has a compressive stress.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A thin film semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the silicon layer is formed of polysilicon.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A thin film device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating substrate is formed of glass.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A thin film semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the silicon nitride layer has compressive stress.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A thin film semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogen in the silicon nitride layer is present in an atomic percent of 1% to 30%.

### Claim 8

A thin film semiconductor device, comprising:
an insulating substrate formed of an insulating material having a distortion point of 850.degree. C. or lower,
a thin film transistor provided on the insulating substrate, the thin film transistor including a silicon layer as an active layer; and
a silicon nitride layer formed on the silicon layer, the silicon nitride layer including hydrogen,
wherein the silicon layer is passivated with hydrogen diffused from the silicon nitride layer by annealing the silicone nitride layer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A thin film semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein the insulating substrate is formed of aluminoborosilicate glass.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A thin film semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein the insulating substrate of aluminoborosilicate glass has a distortion point of 670.degree. C., the silicon layer is a polysilicon layer and the silicon nitride layer has a compressive stress.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

A thin film semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein the silicon layer is formed of polysilicon.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

A thin film device according to claim 8, wherein the insulating substrate is formed of glass.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

A thin film semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein the silicon nitride layer has compressive stress.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

A thin film semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein the hydrogen in the silicon nitride layer is present in an atomic percent of 1% to 30%.