US 2019/0103421 A1 · THIN FILM TRANSISTOR ARRAY SUBSTRATE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME

Abstract

A TFT array substrate includes gate electrodes constructed from a first metal film, a first insulating film on the first metal film, channels constructed from a semiconductor film on the first insulating film, source electrodes constructed from a second metal film on the semiconductor film, drain electrodes constructed from the second metal film, pixel electrodes constructed from portions of the semiconductor film having reduced resistances, a second insulating film on the semiconductor film and the second metal film, and a common electrode constructed from a transparent electrode film on the second insulating film. The channels overlap the gate electrodes. The source electrodes and the drain electrodes are connected to first ends and second ends of the channels, respectively. The pixel electrodes are connected to the drain electrodes. The second insulating film includes sections overlapping the pixel electrodes without openings. The common electrode overlaps at least the pixel electrodes.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A thin film transistor array substrate including thin film transistors, the thin film transistor array substrate comprising:

gate electrodes of the thin film transistors, the gate electrodes being constructed from a first metal film;
a first insulating film disposed on the first metal film;
channels of the thin film transistors, the channels being constructed from a semiconductor film disposed on the first insulating film and disposed to overlap the gate electrodes;
source electrodes of the thin film transistors, the source electrodes being constructed from a second metal film disposed on the semiconductor film and connected to first ends of the channels;
drain electrodes of the thin film transistors, the drain electrodes being constructed from the second metal film and connected to second ends of the channels;
pixel electrodes including portions of the semiconductor film having reduced resistances and being connected to the drain electrodes;
a second insulating film disposed on the semiconductor film and the second metal film and including sections overlapping the pixel electrodes without openings;
and
a common electrode constructed from a transparent electrode film disposed on the second insulating film and disposed to overlap at least the pixel electrodes.

6 more elements

A method of producing a thin film transistor array substrate including thin film transistors, the method comprising:

forming a first metal film on a substrate;
patterning the first metal film to define gate electrodes of the thin film transistors;
forming a first insulating film on the first metal film;
forming a semiconductor film on the first insulating film;
patterning the semiconductor film to define channels of the thin film transistor at positions to overlap the gate electrodes and to define pixel electrode portions to be connected to the thin film transistors;
forming a second metal film on the semiconductor film;
forming a photoresist film on the second metal film;
exposing the photoresist film with a mask including transmissive areas at positions overlapping source electrode portions and drain electrode portions of the second metal film to define source electrodes and the drain electrodes of the thin film transistors and semitransmissive areas at positions overlapping inter-electrode portions of the second metal film between the source electrodes and the drain electrodes to form first thick portions under the transmissive areas and second thick portions having a thickness less than a thickness of the first thick portions under the semitransmissive areas;
developing the photoresist film to define the first thick portions and the second thick portions without overlapping the pixel electrode portions;
removing portions of the second metal film not overlapping the photoresist film through etching;
reducing resistances of the pixel electrode portions of the semiconductor film to define pixel electrodes;
removing the second thick portions of the photoresist film after reducing the resistances of the pixel electrode portions;
and
removing the inter-electrode portions of the second metal film through etching.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Thin film transistor array substrate and method of producing the same

Life of this patent

Thin film transistor array substrate and method of producing the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15