# US 8,785,939 B2 · Transparent and conductive nanostructure-film pixel electrode and method of making the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,785,939 B2 - Document ID: US8785939B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/778,535 - Filed: 2007-07-16 - Published: 2008-07-03 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2006-07-17 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Young-Bae Park; George Gruner; Liangbing Hu - Inventors: Young-Bae Park; George Gruner; Liangbing Hu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785939B2 ## CPC - H10D 86/0241: {using liquid deposition, e.g. printing} - B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic - B82Y 20/00: Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals - B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites - H10D 86/441: {Interconnections, e.g. scanning lines} - H10D 86/60: wherein the TFTs are in active matrices - H10K 59/8051: {Anodes} - G02F 1/13439: {characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making} - H10K 59/123: Connection of the pixel electrodes to the thin film transistors [TFT] - H10K 2102/331: {Nanoparticles used in non-emissive layers, e.g. in packaging layer} - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS ## Abstract A pixel electrode is provided, with a nanostructure-film deposited over an active matrix substrate, such that the pixel electrode makes electrical contact with an underlying layer. Similarly, auxiliary data pads and auxiliary gate pads are provided, which also have nanostructure-films deposited over an active matrix substrate, such that they make electrical contact with underlying layers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pixel electrode, comprising: only an interconnected network of nanotubes; wherein the pixel electrode is electrically conductive and optically transparent, the pixel electrode is disposed over a non-flat surface such that the pixel electrode covers at least one step of the non-flat surface, the non-flat surface being a substrate including a thin-film transistor, the thin-film transistor includes a source electrode, a drain electrode, a gate electrode and a gate insulating layer, the gate insulating layer including a gate dielectric, the pixel electrode makes electrical contact with at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode, the pixel electrode is disposed directly on the gate insulating layer, and an area of the pixel electrode over the thin-film transistor is thicker than a pixel area of the pixel electrode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pixel electrode of claim 1, wherein the pixel electrode is separated from one of the source electrode and the drain electrode by a protection layer, and wherein the pixel electrode makes contact with the one of the source electrode and the drain electrode through at least one contact hole in the protection layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The pixel electrode of claim 2, wherein contact hole is at least 300 nm deep. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pixel electrode of claim 1, wherein at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode includes an interconnected network of nanotubes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The pixel electrode of claim 4, wherein the pixel electrode has an optical transparency of at least 85% at 550 nm and a corresponding sheet resistance of at least 300 Ω/square. ### Claim 6 A thin-film transistor substrate, comprising: a pixel electrode; and a gate insulting layer; wherein the pixel electrode is electrically conductive and optically transparent, the pixel electrode is disposed over a non-flat surface of the thin-film transistor substrate such that the pixel electrode covers at least one step of the non-flat surface, the pixel electrode includes only an interconnected network of carbon nanotubes, the thin-film transistor substrate further includes a thin-film transistor having a source electrode, a drain electrode and a gate electrode, the pixel electrode electrically contacts at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode, the gate insulating layer includes a gate dielectric, the pixel electrode is disposed directly on the gate insulating layer, and an area of the pixel electrode over the thin-film transistor is thicker than a pixel area of the pixel electrode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The thin-film transistor substrate of claim 6, further comprising: an auxiliary pad; wherein the auxiliary pad includes an interconnected network of carbon nanotubes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The thin-film transistor substrate of claim 6, wherein at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode includes an interconnected network of nanotubes. ### Claim 9 A thin-film transistor substrate, comprising: a pixel electrode; a gate insulating layer; and an auxiliary pad including only an interconnected network of carbon nanotubes; wherein the pixel electrode is electrically conductive and optically transparent, the pixel electrode is deposited over a non-flat surface of the thin-film transistor substrate such that the pixel electrode covers at least one step of the non-flat surface, the thin-film transistor substrate further includes a thin-film transistor having a source electrode, a drain electrode and a gate electrode, the pixel electrode electrically contacts at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode, the gate insulating layer includes a gate dielectric, the pixel electrode is disposed directly on the gate insulating layer, and an area of the pixel electrode over the thin-film transistor is thicker than a pixel area of the pixel electrode. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The thin-film transistor substrate of claim 9, wherein the pixel electrode and at least one electrode of the thin-film transistor substrate are formed of a single layer pattern.