Yuka Matsukawa

A novel technology for a-Si TFT-LCD's with buried ITO electrode structure

A novel process technology for a-Si TFT-LCDs with the buried ITO electrode (BI) structure was developed and applied to 10-in-diagonal LCD panels. By employing the BI structure, an aperture ratio of 29% was achieved in high resolution panels with a pixel size of 192 /spl mu/ and the pixel defect density was reduced to about one third of the conventional structure. The defect reduction effect of the BI structure was also confirmed theoretically. The BI structure provides significant advantages for high-performance TFT-LCDs. >

Interaction of Hydrogenated Silicon Nitride Films with Indium Tin Oxide

The whitening mechanism of hydrogenated silicon nitride (SiNx:H) film deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) film was investigated by means of optical emission spectroscopy (OES), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectrosscopy (XPS) analysis. The degree of whitening of the SiNx:H film on ITO depends on the deposition conditions of SiNx:H, i.e., the SiH4 flow rate and the substrate temperature. Reactive species such as SiHn, decomposed from SiH4 gas, preferentially caused the reduction of ITO. This was followed by formation of In metal and a Si-rich porous layer containing SiO2. An abnormal growth of SiNx:H films caused by these successive reactions led to the whitening.