Method of electronic component fabrication and an electronic component
AssigneeThe University of Liverpool
InventorWilliam Eccleston
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Abstract
A method of fabricating an electronic component is disclosed in which an electrically conductive layer (4) is provided upon a substrate (2). A mask (6) having a window (8) is provided upon the conductive layer and by etching, preferably chemically, through the window an opening (10) is formed in the conductive layer. Conductive material is deposited, preferably by vapour deposition, through the window to form an island in the opening. The etching of the conductive layer is carried out such that the conductive layer is undercut at the periphery of the window with the result that the periphery of the island is spaced apart from the periphery of the opening. Also disclosed is a thin film transistor structure well suited to fabrication by the above described method.
Claims16
A method of transistor fabrication comprising providing an electrically conductive layer upon a substrate;
- providing a mask over the conductive layer, the mask having at least one window;
- etching the conductive layer through the window to form an opening in the conductive layer and so define portions of the conductive layer forming source and drain of the transistor;
- and depositing conductive material through the window to form a metallic transistor gate in the opening, the etching being carried out such as to cause undercutting at the periphery of the window so that the opening has a larger extent, in the direction parallel to the surface of the substrate, than the window, and the deposition of conductive material being carried out by metal evaporation such that the periphery of the transistor gate corresponds to the periphery of the opening, so that the periphery of the gate is spaced apart from the source and drain;
- forming a dielectric layer of oxidised metal thereupon;
- and introducing semiconductor material between the source and drain, upon the gate and in the spaces between the source/drain and the gate, to form the transistor's semiconductor body.
A method of transistor fabrication as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the semiconductor body is formed by casting.
A method of transistor fabrication as claimed in any preceding claim wherein gate isolation is provided by anodising the gate.
A method of transistor fabrication as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the gate comprises aluminum.
A method of transistor fabrication as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the substrate is transparent.
A method of transistor fabrication as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the component is incorporated in a visual display.
A thin film transistor comprising a substrate, a conductive metallic gate disposed upon the substrate and having a metal oxide dielectric layer, a source and a drain disposed upon the substrate, the source and the drain being laterally separated from the gate and having edges whose shape is characteristic of undercut etching, and a semiconductive polymer transistor body which is disposed in a region between the source and the drain, upon the gate and in regions between the source/gate and the drain, the gate dielectric layer serving to isolate the gate from the source and the drain.
A method of electronic component fabrication substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in accompanying FIGS. 2 to 7.
A thin film transistor substantially as herein described with reference to and as schematically illustrated in FIG. 7.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.