# US 12,224,290 B2 · Array substrate, method for fabricating same, and display panel

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- Number: US 12,224,290 B2
- Document ID: US12224290B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/764,220
- Filed: 2022-03-14
- Published: 2024-02-08
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2022-02-28
- Assignees: Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Wen Yin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224290B2

## CPC

- H10D 86/60: wherein the TFTs are in active matrices
- G02F 1/136209: {Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix, incorporated in the active matrix substrate, e.g. structurally associated with the switching element}
- G02F 1/136222: {Colour filters incorporated in the active matrix substrate}
- G02F 1/1368: in which the switching element is a three-electrode device {(G02F1/136277 takes precedence)}
- H10D 86/021: {of multiple TFTs}
- H10D 86/451: {characterised by the compositions or shapes of the interlayer dielectrics}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- 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

An array substrate includes an opening area and a non-opening area, and further includes a first substrate, a gate insulating layer, a first interlayer insulating layer, and a second interlayer insulating layer. The gate insulating layer is disposed on the first substrate and located in the opening area and the non-opening area. The first interlayer insulating layer is disposed on a side of the gate insulating layer away from the first substrate and located in the non-opening area. The second interlayer insulating layer is disposed on a side of the first interlayer insulating layer away from the first substrate and located in the opening area and the non-opening area. A projection of the first interlayer insulating layer on the first substrate is tangent to or separated from a projection of the opening area on the first substrate. A display panel includes the array substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An array substrate, comprising an opening area and a non-opening area, and further comprising:
a first substrate;
an active layer disposed on the first substrate and located in the non-opening area;
a gate insulating layer covering a side of the active layer away from the first substrate and located in the opening area and the non-opening area;
a gate electrode layer disposed on a side of the gate insulating layer away from the first substrate, and located in the non-opening area; and
a first interlayer insulating layer disposed on a side of the gate electrode layer and the gate insulating layer away from the first substrate and located in the non-opening area;
a second interlayer insulating layer disposed on a side of the first interlayer insulating layer away from the first substrate and located in the opening area and the non-opening area; and
a source/drain electrode layer disposed on a side of the second interlayer insulating layer away from the first substrate, located in the non-opening area, and electrically connected to the active layer through via holes going through the second interlayer insulating layer, the first interlayer insulating layer, and the gate insulating layer;
wherein a projection of the first interlayer insulating layer on the first substrate is tangent to or separated from a projection of the opening area on the first substrate; a surface of a part of the second interlayer insulating layer in the opening area close to the first substrate is attached to a surface of a part of the gate insulating layer in the opening area away from the first substrate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The array substrate according to claim 1, wherein the gate insulating layer and the second interlayer insulating layer are made of a same material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The array substrate according to claim 1, wherein a reflectivity of light at a contact surface between a part of the second interlayer insulating layer and a part of the gate insulating layer in the opening area is less than a reflectivity of light at a contact surface between a part of the second interlayer insulating layer and a part of the first interlayer insulating layer in the non-opening area.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The array substrate according to claim 3, wherein the reflectivity of the light at the contact surface between the part of the second interlayer insulating layer and the part of the gate insulating layer in the opening area is less than a reflectivity of light at a contact surface between the part of the first interlayer insulating layer and a part of the gate insulating layer in the non-opening area.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The array substrate according to claim 1,
wherein the active layer is made of low temperature polysilicon.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The array substrate according to claim 2, wherein the gate insulating layer and the second interlayer insulating layer are made of SiOx, and the first interlayer insulating layer is made of SiNx.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The array substrate according to claim 1, wherein the array substrate further comprises:
a planarization layer covering a side of the source/drain electrode layer away from the first substrate and located in the opening area and the non-opening area, wherein a surface of a part of the planarization layer in the opening area close to the first substrate is attached to the surface of a part of the second interlayer insulating layer in the opening area away from the first substrate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The array substrate according to claim 7, wherein the planarization layer is made of SiOx.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The array substrate according to claim 7, wherein a thickness of a part of the planarization layer in the opening area is greater than a thickness of a part of the planarization layer in the non-opening area.

### Claim 10

A method for fabricating an array substrate, comprising:
defining an opening area and a non-opening area on a first substrate;
forming an active layer disposed on the first substrate and located in the non-opening area;
forming a gate insulating layer covering a side of the active layer away from the first substrate and located in the opening area and the non-opening area;
forming a gate electrode layer disposed on a side of the gate insulating layer away from the first substrate and located in the non-opening area;
forming a first interlayer insulating layer on a side of a part of the gate electrode layer and the gate insulating layer in the non-opening area away from the first substrate, wherein a projection of the first interlayer insulating layer on the first substrate is tangent to or separated from a projection of the opening area on the first substrate;
forming a second interlayer insulating layer located on a side of the first interlayer insulating layer in the non-opening area away from the first substrate and covering a part of the gate insulating layer in the opening area, wherein a surface of a part of the second interlayer insulating layer in the opening area close to the first substrate is attached to a surface of a part of the gate insulating layer in the opening area away from the first substrate; and
forming a source/drain electrode layer disposed on a side of the second interlayer insulating layer away from the first substrate, located in the non-opening area, and electrically connected to the active layer through via holes going through the second interlayer insulating layer, the first interlayer insulating layer, and the gate insulating layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method for fabricating the array substrate according to claim 10, wherein the forming the first interlayer insulating layer on the side of the part of the gate insulating layer in the non-opening area away from the first substrate comprises:
forming the first interlayer insulating layer on a side of the gate insulating layer in the opening area and the non-opening area away from the first substrate; and
removing a part of the first interlayer insulating layer in the opening area, and retaining a part of the first interlayer insulating layer in the non-opening area.

### Claim 12

A display panel, comprising an array substrate, a color filter substrate disposed opposite to the array substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the array substrate and the color filter substrate, wherein the array substrate comprises an opening area and a non-opening area and further comprises:
a first substrate;
an active layer disposed on the first substrate and located in the non-opening area;
a gate insulating layer covering a side of the active layer away from the first substrate and located in the opening area and the non-opening area;
a gate electrode layer disposed on a side of the gate insulating layer away from the first substrate, and located in the non-opening area; and
a first interlayer insulating layer disposed on a side of the gate electrode layer and the gate insulating layer away from the first substrate and located in the non-opening area;
a second interlayer insulating layer disposed on a side of the first interlayer insulating layer away from the first substrate and located in the opening area and the non-opening area; and
a source/drain electrode layer disposed on a side of the second interlayer insulating layer away from the first substrate, located in the non-opening area, and electrically connected to the active layer through via holes going through the second interlayer insulating layer, the first interlayer insulating layer, and the gate insulating layer;
wherein a projection of the first interlayer insulating layer on the first substrate is tangent to or separated from a projection of the opening area on the first substrate; a surface of a part of the second interlayer insulating layer in the opening area close to the first substrate is attached to a surface of a part of the gate insulating layer in the opening area away from the first substrate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The display panel according to claim 12, wherein the gate insulating layer and the second interlayer insulating layer are made of a same material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The display panel according to claim 12, wherein a reflectivity of light at a contact surface between a part of the second interlayer insulating layer and a part of the gate insulating layer in the opening area is less than a reflectivity of light at a contact surface between a part of the second interlayer insulating layer and a part of the first interlayer insulating layer in the non-opening area.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The display panel according to claim 14, wherein the reflectivity of the light at the contact surface between the part of the second interlayer insulating layer and the part of the gate insulating layer in the opening area is less than a reflectivity of light at a contact surface between the part of the first interlayer insulating layer and a part of the gate insulating layer in the non-opening area.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The display panel according to claim 12,
wherein the active layer is made of low temperature polysilicon.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The display panel according to claim 12, wherein the color filter substrate comprises:
a second substrate; and
a plurality of black matrix units disposed at intervals on a side of the second substrate close to the first substrate, wherein a projection of the black matrix unit on the first substrate coincides with a projection of the non-opening area on the first substrate.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The display panel according to claim 17, wherein the color filter substrate further comprises:
a plurality of color resist units comprising first color resist parts and second color resist parts connected to each other, the first color resist parts are disposed on surfaces of the black matrix units close to the first substrate, and the second color resist parts are disposed on a surface of the second substrate close to the first substrate;
wherein a projection of one of the first color resist parts on the first substrate coincides with a corresponding one of the black matrix units on the first substrate, and a projection of one of the second color resist units on the first substrate coincides with the projection of the opening area on the first substrate.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The display panel according to claim 18, wherein a contact surface is provided between a surface of the second interlayer insulating layer close to the first substrate and a surface of the gate interlayer layer away from the first substrate, and a projection of the contact surface on the first substrate covers a projection of a corresponding one of the second color resist parts on the first substrate.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The display panel according to claim 13, wherein the gate insulating layer and the second interlayer insulating layer are made of SiOx, and the first interlayer insulating layer is made of SiNx.