Method of fabricating array substrate for use in an in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device

A method of fabricating an array substrate for use in an IPS-LCD device, comprising:

• depositing a first metallic material on a substrate;
• patterning the first metallic material to form a first gate electrode, a first gate line, a first common line, and a plurality of protrusions, wherein each protrusion has a hole in a central portion thereof and extends from the first common line, and wherein the first gate electrode extends from the first gate line;
• depositing a second metallic material on the substrate and on the patterned first metallic material;
• patterning the second metallic material to form a second gate electrode, second gate line, second common line, a common-connecting line, and a plurality of common electrodes, wherein the first and second gate electrodes overlap each other to form a double-layered gate electrode, wherein the first and second common lines overlap each other to form a double-layered common line, and wherein the first and second gate lines overlap each other to form a double-layered gate line;
• forming a gate insulation layer on the substrate and on the patterned second metallic material;
• forming an active layer and an ohmic contact layer sequentially on the gate insulation layer and over the double-layered gate electrodes;
• depositing a third metallic material on the ohmic contact layer and on the gate insulation layer;
• forming a data line, a source electrode, and a drain electrode by patterning the third metallic material, wherein the source and drain electrodes are over the double-layered gate electrodes, and wherein the data line is perpendicular to both the double-layered gate lines and double-layered common lines;
• forming a passivation layer on the patterned third metallic layer and on the gate insulation layer, wherein the passivation layer has a drain contact hole to the drain electrode, and an etching hole over each protrusion;
• depositing a transparent conductive material on the passivation layer having the drain contact hole and the etching hole;
• and
• forming a plurality of pixel electrodes and first and second connecting lines.

A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

• first and second substrates;
• a plurality of data lines on the first substrate;
• a plurality of gate lines on the first substrate perpendicular to the data lines;
• wherein a pixel region is defined by the intersection of one of the gate lines and one of the data lines;
• a common line in the pixel region parallel to the gate lines;
• a plurality of common electrodes in the pixel region parallel to the data lines and extending from the common line;
• a thin film transistor in the pixel region near the intersection of the one gate line and the one data line, the thin film transisor having a source electrode, a gate electrode and a drain electrode;
• a protrusion extending from the common line;
• and
• a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates.