# US 8,785,941 B2 · Thin-film semiconductor device, display apparatus, and method for manufacturing thin-film semiconductor device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,785,941 B2 - Document ID: US8785941B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/680,607 - Filed: 2012-11-19 - Published: 2013-03-28 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-05-27 - Assignees: Panasonic Corporation - Applicants: Panasonic Corporation - Inventors: Arinobu Kanegae; Sadayoshi Hotta - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785941B2 ## CPC - H10D 30/6739: {Conductor-insulator-semiconductor electrodes} - H10D 30/67: Thin-film transistors [TFT] {(Stacked nanowire, nanosheet or nanoribbon FETs H10D30/501)} - H10D 30/6723: {having light shields} - H10D 86/0231: {using masks, e.g. half-tone masks} - H10D 86/40: characterised by multiple TFTs - H10D 86/441: {Interconnections, e.g. scanning lines} - H10D 86/60: wherein the TFTs are in active matrices - H10K 59/1315: {comprising structures specially adapted for lowering the resistance} - H10P 14/29: {characterised by the substrates} - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A thin-film semiconductor device includes: a first gate line; a metal line; a first gate electrode extending from the first gate line; a second gate electrode on the first gate electrode; an insulating layer provided in a crossing area where the first gate line and the metal line cross; and a second gate line formed in the same layer as the second gate electrode, and on the first gate line in other than the crossing area, wherein the metal line is on the insulating layer, the second gate line and the second gate electrode are thicker than the first gate line and the first gate electrode, and an interface between the metal line and the insulating layer is positioned above a top surface of the second gate electrode, in a cross section in a direction in which the first and second gate lines extend. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thin-film semiconductor device having a thin-film semiconductor element for driving a display device, the thin-film semiconductor device comprising: a substrate; a first gate line disposed on the substrate, through which a control signal is applied to the thin-film semiconductor element; a metal line above the substrate, the metal line crossing the first gate line; a first gate electrode of the thin-film semiconductor element, the first gate electrode extending from the first gate line; a second gate electrode on the first gate electrode; a gate insulating film on the second gate electrode; a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating film; a metal electrode on the semiconductor layer, the metal electrode extending from the metal line; an insulating layer provided, between the first gate line and the metal line, in a crossing area in which the first gate line and the metal line cross, to secure a distance between the first gate line and the metal line, the insulating layer being different from the gate insulating film; and a second gate line in a same layer as the second gate electrode, and on and along the first gate line in other than the crossing area, wherein the metal line is on the insulating layer, the second gate line and the second gate electrode are thicker than the first gate line and the first gate electrode, and an interface between the metal line and the insulating layer is positioned above a top surface of the second gate electrode, in a cross section above the first gate line and the second gate line and in a direction in which the first gate line and the second gate line extend. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thin-film semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer has substantially the same thickness as a thickness of the second gate line. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The thin-film semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the metal line is a source line through which a display signal is applied to the thin-film semiconductor element, and the metal electrode is a source electrode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The thin-film semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the metal line is a power supply line, and the metal electrode is a drain electrode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The thin-film semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first gate electrode and the first gate line are each made of a light transmitting metal oxide, and the second gate electrode and the second gate line are each made of a light blocking metal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The thin-film semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the second gate line and the second gate electrode have electric resistance values smaller than electric resistance values of the first gate line and the first gate electrode, respectively. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The thin-film semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer is made of a photosensitive resin. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The thin-film semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the photosensitive resin is a heat-resistant photosensitive polyimide. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The thin-film semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the second gate line and the metal line are each made of at least one of Al, Ag, and Cu. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A display apparatus comprising: a display device; and the thin-film semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is on the thin-film semiconductor device. ### Claim 11 A method for manufacturing a thin-film semiconductor device having a thin-film semiconductor element for driving a display device, the method comprising: simultaneously forming, on a substrate, a first gate line through which a control signal is applied to the thin-film semiconductor element, and a first gate electrode of the thin-film semiconductor element, the first gate electrode extending from the first gate line; simultaneously forming a second gate line on and along the first gate line and a second gate electrode extending from the second gate line; forming, on the first gate line, an area in which the second gate line is not formed; forming a gate insulating film on the second gate electrode; forming a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating film; forming an insulating layer in the area on the first gate line in which the second gate line is not formed; and simultaneously forming a metal line which crosses the first gate line on an area in which the insulating layer is formed, and a metal electrode of the thin-film semiconductor element on the semiconductor layer, the metal electrode extending from the metal line, wherein when forming the insulating layer in the area on the first gate line, the insulating layer is formed in a crossing area in which the first gate line and the metal line cross, to secure a space between the first gate line and the metal line, the metal line is formed on the insulating layer, the second gate line and the second gate electrode are thicker than the first gate line and the first gate electrode, and an interface between the metal line and the insulating layer is positioned above a top surface of the second gate electrode, in a cross section above the first gate line and the second gate line and in a direction in which the first gate line and the second gate line extend. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method for manufacturing the thin-film semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the insulating layer has substantially the same thickness as a thickness of the second gate line. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method for manufacturing the thin-film semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the first gate electrode and the first gate line are each made of a light transmitting metal oxide, and the second gate electrode and the second gate line are each made of a light blocking metal, the insulating layer is made of a photosensitive resin, and when forming the insulating layer, the insulating layer is irradiated with light from a side on which the first gate line is provided, and a part of the photosensitive resin is exposed and cured using, as a photomask, the second gate electrode and the second gate line. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method for manufacturing the thin-film semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein the insulating layer is made of a photosensitive polyimide which is a heat-resistant photosensitive resin material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method for manufacturing the thin-film semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein the insulating layer is made of a photosensitive resin material having a dielectric constant lower than a dielectric constant of a material used for the gate insulating film. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method for manufacturing the thin-film semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the first gate line simultaneously formed with the first gate electrode and the second gate line simultaneously formed with the second gate electrode are formed by photolithography using a half-tone photomask. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method for manufacturing the thin-film semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein when simultaneously forming the second gate line and the second gate electrode, the second gate line and the second gate electrode are formed thicker than the first gate line and the first gate electrode. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method for manufacturing the thin-film semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the first gate electrode and the first gate line have thermal conductivity lower than thermal conductivity of the second gate electrode and the second gate line.