An object is to provide a semiconductor device of which a manufacturing process is not complicated and by which cost can be suppressed, by forming a thin film transistor using an oxide semiconductor film typified by zinc oxide, and a manufacturing method thereof. For the semiconductor device, a gate electrode is formed over a substrate; a gate insulating film is formed covering the gate electrode; an oxide semiconductor film is formed over the gate insulating film; and a first conductive film and a second conductive film are formed over the oxide semiconductor film. The oxide semiconductor film has at least a crystallized region in a channel region.

Semiconductor device, and manufacturing method thereof

An object of the present invention is to decrease the resistance of a power supply line, to suppress a voltage drop in the power supply line, and to prevent defective display. A connection terminal portion includes a plurality of connection terminals. The plurality of connection terminals is provided with a plurality of connection pads which is part of the connection terminal. The plurality of connection pads includes a first connection pad and a second connection pad having a line width different from that of the first connection pad. Pitches between the plurality of connection pads are equal to each other.

Semiconductor device and display device

We optimally localized isolated fluorescent beads and molecules imaged as diffraction-limited spots, determined the orientation of molecules and present reliable formulas for the precision of various localization methods. Both theory and experimental data showed that unweighted least-squares fitting of a Gaussian squanders one-third of the available information, a popular formula for its precision exaggerates beyond Fisher's information limit, and weighted least-squares may do worse, whereas maximum-likelihood fitting is practically optimal.

Optimized localization analysis for single-molecule tracking and super-resolution microscopy.

The light microscope has long been used to document the localization of fluorescent molecules in cell biology research. With advances in digital cameras and the discovery and development of genetically encoded fluorophores, there has been a huge increase in the use of fluorescence microscopy to quantify spatial and temporal measurements of fluorescent molecules in biological specimens. Whether simply comparing the relative intensities of two fluorescent specimens, or using advanced techniques like Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) or fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), quantitation of fluorescence requires a thorough understanding of the limitations of and proper use of the different components of the imaging system. Here, I focus on the parameters of digital image acquisition that affect the accuracy and precision of quantitative fluorescence microscopy measurements.

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Accuracy and precision in quantitative fluorescence microscopy

Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is a highly sensitive and selective isothermal amplification technique, operating at 37–42°C, with minimal sample preparation and capable of amplifying as low as 1–10 DNA target copies in less than 20 min. It has been used to amplify diverse targets, including RNA, miRNA, ssDNA and dsDNA from a wide variety of organisms and samples. An ever increasing number of publications detailing the use of RPA are appearing and amplification has been carried out in solution phase, solid phase as well as in a bridge amplification format. Furthermore, RPA has been successfully integrated with different detection strategies, from end-point lateral flow strips to real-time fluorescent detection amongst others. This review focuses on the different methodologies and advances related to RPA technology, as well as highlighting some of the advantages and drawbacks of the technique.

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Recombinase polymerase amplification: Basics, applications and recent advances.

Electron multiplying charge-coupled devices (EMCCDs) enable imaging with subelectron noise up to video frame rates and beyond, providing the multiplication gain is sufficiently high. The ultra-low noise, high resolution, high-quantum efficiency, and robustness to over exposure make these sensors ideally suited to applications traditionally served by image intensifiers. One important performance parameter of such low-light imaging systems is the noise introduced by the gain process. This work investigates the noise introduced by the electron multiplication within the EMCCD. The theory and measurements of the excess noise factor are presented. The measurement technique for determining the excess noise factor is described in detail. The results show that the noise performance matches that of the ideal staircase avalanche photodiode. A Monte Carlo method for simulating the low-light level images is demonstrated and the results compared with practical experience.

The noise performance of electron multiplying charge-coupled devices

We describe a new device concept for digital microfluidics, based on an active matrix electrowetting on dielectric (AM-EWOD) device. A conventional EWOD device is limited by the number of electrical connections that can be made practically, which restricts the number and type of droplet operations. In an AM-EWOD, the patterned electrodes of a conventional EWOD device are replaced by a thin film transistor (TFT) array, as found in a liquid crystal display (LCD), facilitating independent control of each electrode. The arrays can have many thousand individually addressable electrodes, are fully reconfigurable and can be programmed to support multiple simultaneous operations. Each element is 210 μm × 210 μm in size and contains a circuit that measures the electrical impedance of the liquid above it. This is used to determine the presence and size of a droplet, a method that can improve assay reliability and accuracy. This sensor provides feedback, error detection and closed loop control of an assay sequence. We describe the design, fabrication and testing of a 64 × 64 format AM-EWOD device with impedance sensor functionality. A colorimetric assay is implemented on the device and used to measure glucose in human blood serum. Results are compared with the same assay performed on a microtitre plate.

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Programmable large area digital microfluidic array with integrated droplet sensing for bioassays

The widespread dissemination of CTX-M extended spectrum β-lactamases among Escherichia coli bacteria, both in nosocomial and community environments, is a challenge for diagnostic bacteriology laboratories. We describe a rapid and sensitive detection system for analysis of DNA containing the blaCTX-M-15 gene using isothermal DNA amplification by recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) on a digital microfluidic platform; active matrix electrowetting-on-dielectric (AM-EWOD). The devices have 16 800 electrodes that can be independently controlled to perform multiple and simultaneous droplet operations. The device includes an in-built impedance sensor for real time droplet position and size detection, an on-chip thermistor for temperature sensing and an integrated heater for regulating the droplet temperature. Automatic dispensing of droplets (45 nL) from reservoir electrodes is demonstrated with a coefficient of variation (CV) in volume of approximately 2%. The RPA reaction is monitored in real-time using exonuclease fluorescent probes. Continuous mixing of droplets during DNA amplification significantly improves target DNA detection by at least 100 times compared to a benchtop assay, enabling the detection of target DNA over four-order-of-magnitude with a limit of detection of a single copy within ~15 minutes.

Rapid and sensitive detection of antibiotic resistance on a programmable digital microfluidic platform.

In this paper, we describe a continuous-grain silicon-system LCD with integrated optical input function for application in next-generation mobile devices. The optical input function, which may be used for touch input or fingerprint-recognition applications, is achieved by integrating image-sensor elements within each display pixel. By using a one-transistor (IT) active pixel sensor, we have successfully integrated a 30 Hz, 300 dpi VGA image sensor within an LCD panel with an aperture ratio of 40%. Power consumption and circuit area in the panel are minimized through the use of a source driver circuit which combines the functions of both display and sensor.

A Continuous-Grain Silicon-System LCD With Optical Input Function

A 2.6 inch VGA active-matrix LCD has an integrated optical input function. The optical input function may be used for touch input or fingerprint recognition applications and is achieved by integrating image sensor elements within each display pixel. By using a 1-transistor active-pixel sensor, a 30Hz, 300dpi VGA image sensor is integrated within an LCD with an aperture ratio of 40%.

B. Hadwen

Papers

The noise performance of electron multiplying charge-coupled devices

Programmable large area digital microfluidic array with integrated droplet sensing for bioassays

Rapid and sensitive detection of antibiotic resistance on a programmable digital microfluidic platform.

A Continuous-Grain Silicon-System LCD With Optical Input Function

A 2.6 inch VGA LCD with Optical Input Function using a 1-Transistor Active-Pixel Sensor