A thin film transistor device according to an embodiment of the invention includes: a thin film transistor having a silicon layer including a source region, a drain region, and a channel region, a gate insulating layer, and a gate electrode formed on an insulating substrate; an interlayer insulating layer covering the thin film transistor; a line electrically connected with the source region, the drain region, and the gate electrode through a contact hole formed in the interlayer insulating layer; a first upper insulating layer covering the line and the interlayer insulating layer and smoothing out stepped portions of the line and irregularities of a surface of the interlayer insulating layer; and a second upper insulating layer covering the first upper insulating layer, the second upper insulating layer having a hydrogen diffusion coefficient smaller than a hydrogen diffusion coefficient of the first upper insulating layer.

A method is for forming an intermediate dielectric layer to optimize the planarity of electronic devices integrated on a semiconductor which incorporate non-volatile memories. The insulating dielectric is deposited from a liquid state source comprising silicon oxides and organics of the resist type. The liquid dielectric layer is evenly spread by a spinning technique providing good levels of planarity. Solidification, referred to as polymerization, is achieved through a low-temperature thermal cycle. Since this dielectric layer cannot be used as such to isolate the semiconductor substrate from the overlying metallization plane on account of the presence of organics forming a source of impurities, it is arranged for the layer to be encapsulated between two dielectric layers of silicon oxide as deposited from a plasma. To make the highly planarizing intermediate dielectric layer consistent with the other two encapsulating dielectric layers, a rapid annealing step is carried out in an oven under a gas stream, subsequently to the polymerization step. The rapid annealing step is also utilized to densify the upper dielectric layer encapsulating the highly planarizing intermediate dielectric layer.

A versatile system providing Cr-based diffusion barriers and electrode structures utilizing such barriers is disclosed, including a semiconductor substrate (102), a dielectric layer (106) disposed upon the substrate, a Cr-based conductive layer (114) disposed upon the dielectric layer, and an electrode layer (116) disposed upon the conductive layer.

After a MOS type transistor is formed on the surface of a semiconductor substrate, an interlayer insulating film covering the transistor is formed. The insulating film includes a silicon oxide film made of hydrogen silsesquioxane resin in a ceramic state. After a wiring layer is formed on the insulating film, a silicon oxide film as a surface protection film is formed on the insulating film, covering the wiring layer. In order to reduce process damages, heat treatment is performed 30 minutes at 400.degree. C. in a nitrogen gas atmosphere. With this heat treatment, hydrogen in the silicon oxide film is released and diffuses into the channel region of the transistor to lower interfacial energy levels. Since the silicon nitride film does not transmit hydrogen, it is not necessary for the heat treatment atmosphere to contain hydrogen. A variation in threshold voltages of MOS type transistors can be easily lowered.

A power-generating active-matrix display includes a first region having a plurality of solar cells arranged in a matrix; and a second region having a plurality of thin film transistors, each of which is associated with a pixel electrode and wherein the solar cells overlie respective pixel electrodes.