Devices and methods for reducing the size of display panel routings

A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel for a display device, comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• forming a first metallic layer over the substrate;
• forming a second metallic layer directly on the first metallic layer;
• etching the second metallic layer;
• forming a third metallic layer directly on the second metallic layer;
• and
• etching the third metallic layer, wherein forming the second metallic layer between the first metallic layer and the third metallic layer enables the third metallic layer to cover a reduced area while maintaining a resistance that would occur if the second metallic layer were not formed and the third metallic layer were not enabled to cover the reduced area
• wherein the second metallic layer and the third metallic layer are formed from the same material.

A display device comprising:

• a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel comprising a plurality of display pixels arranged in rows and columns, wherein each of the display pixels comprises:
• a pixel electrode;
• and
• a thin-film transistor (TFT) coupled to a data line and a gate line, wherein the gate line comprises a protrusion extending outwardly in a perpendicular direction, and wherein the TFT comprises:
• an L-shaped active layer comprising a first portion that is parallel to the gate line and a second portion that is perpendicular to the gate line but parallel to the protrusion;
• a drain terminal formed at an end of the first portion of the L-shaped active layer, wherein the drain terminal comprises a first portion of a first metallic layer,
• wherein a second metallic layer is disposed directly on the first metallic layer, and wherein a third metallic layer is disposed directly on the second metallic layer;
• and
• a source terminal formed at the end of the second portion of the L-shaped active layer, wherein the source terminal comprises a second portion of the first metallic layer non-contiguous of the first portion of the first metallic layer,
• wherein the second metallic layer is disposed directly on the first metallic layer, and the third metallic layer is disposed directly on the second metallic layer, and wherein the data line forms the third metallic layer of the source terminal;
• wherein the second metallic layer and the third metallic layer are formed from the same material.

An electronic device comprising:

• a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel comprising a plurality of display pixels arranged in rows and columns, wherein each of the display pixels comprises:
• a pixel electrode;
• and
• a thin-film transistor (TFT) coupled to a data line and a gate line, wherein the TFT comprises a source coupled to the data line, a drain coupled to the pixel electrode, and a channel extending between the source and the drain;
• wherein the data line comprises a reduced surface area formed by disposing a second metallic layer over a first metallic layer of the source and disposing a third metallic layer over the second metallic layer, and wherein the first metallic layer of the source forms a contact terminal of the source and wherein the second metallic layer and the third metallic layer are formed from the same material.