Protective layer during lithography and etch

A method of patterning an aluminum layer over a tin oxide layer comprising:

• forming an aluminum layer directly over the tin oxide layer;
• forming a protective layer over the aluminum layer;
• forming a photoresist layer over the protective layer;
• selectively exposing regions of the photoresist layer to ultraviolet light;
• developing the selectively exposed regions of the photoresist layer to expose selected regions of the protective layer;
• removing the exposed selected regions of the protective layer to expose selected regions of the aluminum layer;
• removing the exposed selected regions of the aluminum layer;
• stripping the photoresist layer from the protective layer;
• and
• removing the protective layer.

A method of manufacturing a display device structure, comprising:

• forming an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer over a substrate;
• forming an aluminum layer over the indium tin oxide layer;
• and
• forming a protective layer over the aluminum layer, wherein the protective layer is made of a material selected from the group consisting of chromium, chrome alloys, nickel and cobalt.

A method of patterning an aluminum layer over a tin oxide layer, comprising:

• forming an aluminum layer over the tin oxide layer;
• forming a protective layer over the aluminum layer wherein the protective layer is made of a material selected from the group consisting of chromium, chrome alloys, nickel and cobalt;
• forming a photoresist layer over the protective layer;
• selectively exposing regions of the photoresist layer to ultraviolet light;
• developing the selectively exposed regions of the photoresist layer to expose selected regions of the protective layer;
• removing the exposed selected regions of the protective layer to expose selected regions of the aluminum layer;
• removing the exposed selected regions of the aluminum layer;
• stripping the photoresist layer from the protective layer;
• and
• removing the protective layer.

A method of manufacturing a display device structure, comprising:

• forming an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer over a substrate;
• forming an aluminum layer over the indium tin oxide layer;
• forming a protective layer over the aluminum layer;
• exposing at least part of the display device structure to an ITO-aluminum galvanic corrosive medium, the protective layer acting as a barrier to the corrosive medium;
• removing the corrosive medium from the presence of the display device structure;
• removing the protective layer from the aluminum layer;
• and
• removing the aluminum layer.

A method for preventing corrosion of tin oxide during the process of bonding spacers to a faceplate, comprising:

• forming a tin oxide layer over a substrate;
• forming an aluminum layer over the tin oxide layer;
• forming a protective layer over the aluminum layer;
• removing portions of the protective layer and the aluminum layer at desired spacer locations to expose the tin oxide layer;
• providing bond pads over the tin oxide layer at desired spacer locations;
• bonding spacers to the bond pads and to the aluminum;
• and
• removing the aluminum layer, the protective layer and any spacers bonded to the aluminum.