# US 2008/0185591 A1 · Structure and method for thin film device

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- Number: US 2008/0185591 A1
- Document ID: US20080185591A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/011,440
- Filed: 2008-01-24
- Published: 2008-08-07
- Earliest claimed: 2005-06-02
- Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Inventors: Ping Mei; Albert Jeans; Carl Taussig
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080185591A1

## CPC

- H10D 30/673: {characterised by the shapes, relative sizes or dispositions of the gate electrodes}
- H10D 30/0321: {comprising silicon, e.g. amorphous silicon or polysilicon}
- H10D 30/6733: {Multi-gate TFTs}
- H10D 30/6755: {Oxide semiconductors, e.g. zinc oxide, copper aluminium oxide or cadmium stannate}
- Y10S 438/942: Masking
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

Provided is a thin film device and an associated method of making a thin film device. For example, a thin film transistor with nano-gaps in the gate electrode. The method involves providing a substrate. Upon the substrate are then provided a plurality of parallel spaced electrically conductive strips. A plurality of thin film device layers are then deposited upon the conductive strips. A 3D structure is provided upon the plurality of thin film device layers, the structure having a plurality of different heights. The 3D structure and the plurality of thin film device layers are then etched to define a thin film device, such as for example a thin film transistor that is disposed above at least a portion of the conductive strips.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-19. (canceled)

### Claim 20

A TFD device, comprising:
a. a substrate;
b. a gate provided by a plurality of parallel spaced electrically conductive strips upon the substrate;
c. a channel disposed above the gate, the channel transverse to the conductive strips; and
d. a source electrode and a drain electrode aligned to the channel.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The TFD device of claim 20, further including cut-off vias adjacent to the channel, the cut-off vias severing the conductive strips adjacent to the channel.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The TFD device of claim 20, further including a conductive pad disposed upon at least a portion of the conductive strips, the conductive pad at least spanning the channel.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

The TFD device of claim 20, wherein the cut-off vias and conductive pad align the gate to the channel.

### Claim 24 (depends on 20)

The TFD device of claim 20, wherein each conductive strip has a width at least equal to the spacing between the conductive strips.

### Claim 25 (depends on 20)

The TFD device of claim 20, wherein the TFT device is flexible.

### Claim 26 (depends on 20)

The TFD device of claim 20, wherein the conductive strips are at the same voltage.

### Claim 27 (depends on 20)

The TFD device of claim 20, wherein a plurality of the TFT devices are provided in an array as an active matrix backplane.

### Claim 28 (depends on 20)

The TFD device of claim 20, wherein a conductor is not coupled to the channel above the gate.

### Claim 29

An active matrix TFD device with nano-gaps in the gate electrode, comprising:
a. a substrate;
b. a plurality of parallel gate controls dispersed upon the substrate, each gate control provided by parallel spaced electrically conductive strips;
c. a plurality of channels, each disposed upon a gate control transverse to the conductive strips;
d. a plurality of electrically isolated data lines, each data line electrically coupled to at least one channel; and
e. a plurality of individually bounded electrodes, each coupled to a channel opposite from a data line.

### Claim 30 (depends on 28)

The active matrix TFD device of claim 28, further including cut-off vias adjacent to each channel, the cut-off vias severing the conductive strips adjacent to the channel.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The active matrix TFD device of claim 30, wherein a conductor is not coupled to each channel above a gate.

### Claim 32 (depends on 30)

The active matrix TFD device of claim 30, further including a plurality of conductive pads disposed upon the conductive strips, each conductive pad aligned to a channel, the conductive pad at least spanning the channel.

### Claim 33 (depends on 31)

The active matrix TFD device of claim 31, wherein the cut-off vias and conductive pads realign each gate control to each channel.

### Claim 34 (depends on 28)

The active matrix TFD device of claim 28, wherein for each channel, a data line provides a source and an electrode provides a drain.

### Claim 35 (depends on 28)

The active matrix TFD device of claim 28, wherein each bounded electrode is a pixel electrode.

### Claim 36 (depends on 28)

The active matrix TFD device of claim 28, wherein the active matrix is provided by a roll-to-roll process

### Claim 37 (depends on 28)

The active matrix TFD device of claim 28, wherein the active matrix comprises an active matrix backplane.

### Claim 38 (depends on 28)

The active matrix TFD device of claim 28, wherein the active matrix array is flexible.

### Claim 39 (depends on 28)

The active matrix TFD device of claim 28, wherein the conductive strips are substantially identical.