Mask structure and COA type array substrate

• US 10,459,331 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2017
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sun, Tao
• Primary Examiner(s): Alexander, William R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parbadia, Balram T
• Application Number:
  US15/539,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20180267397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133516 Methods for their manufacture, e.g. printing, electro-deposition or photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136222 Colour filters incorporated in the active matrix substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136227 Through-hole connection of the pixel electrode to the active element through an insulation layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/123 pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/00 Originals for photomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g., masks, photo-masks, reticles; Mask blanks or pellicles therefor; Containers specially adapted therefor; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/62 Pellicles, e.g. pellicle assemblies, e.g. having membrane on support frame; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0007 Filters, e.g. additive colour filters; Components for display devices

Abstract

The present invention provides a mask structure and a COA type array substrate. The mask structure comprises a central light shielding portion (1), a peripheral light shielding portion (3) surrounding the central light shielding portion (1) and conforming to an outer contour shape of the central light shielding portion (1) and a circumambient hollow slit (5) sandwiched between the peripheral light shielding portion (3) and the central light shielding portion (1). The exposure light will diffract through the hollow slit (5) to result in the propagation of the reverse bending and the energy intensity gradient. In conjunction with the negative photoresist, the taper of the finally manufactured color filter layer through hole can be made to be gentle to improve the electrical connection quality between the pixel electrodes and the metal material signal lines for avoiding the display failure.

Claims

1. A mask structure of a mask for manufacturing a color filter layer through hole, comprising a central light shielding portion, a peripheral light shielding portion surrounding the central light shielding portion and conforming to an outer contour shape of the central light shielding portion and a single circumambient hollow slit sandwiched between the peripheral light shielding portion and the central light shielding portion, wherein a width of the circumambient hollow slit is less than or equal to 2.0 μ

m to diffract exposure light through the circumambient hollow slit to result in propagation of reverse bending and energy intensity gradient to gentle a taper of the color filter layer through hole;

wherein the single circumambient hollow slit circumferentially surrounds the central light shielding portion such that the exposure light passing through the single circumambient hollow slit causes exposure at a first location corresponding to the single circumambient hollow slit and also causes exposure at a second location corresponding to the central light shielding portion, exposure of the first and second portions allowing the color filter layer through hole to be formed through exposure to light passing through only the single circumambient hollow slit.

2. The mask structure according to claim 1, wherein the outer contour shape of the central light shielding portion is an annular shape, and the peripheral light shielding portion is correspondingly an annular ring shape, and the hollow slit is correspondingly an annular ring shape.

3. The mask structure according to claim 1, wherein the outer contour shape of the central light shielding portion is a square, and the peripheral light shielding portion is correspondingly a circumambient square ring shape, and the hollow slit is correspondingly a circumambient square ring shape.

4. The mask structure according to claim 1, wherein the outer contour shape of the central light shielding portion is a regular hexagon, and the peripheral light shielding portion is correspondingly a circumambient regular hexagon ring shape, and the hollow slit is correspondingly a circumambient regular hexagon ring shape.

5. The mask structure according to claim 1, wherein the outer contour shape of the central light shielding portion is a regular octagon, and the peripheral light shielding portion is correspondingly a circumambient regular octagon ring shape, and the hollow slit is correspondingly a circumambient regular octagon ring shape.

6. The mask structure according to claim 1, wherein a width of the peripheral light shielding portion is larger than 0.5 μ

m and less than or equal to 1.0 μ

m.

7. The mask structure according to claim 1, wherein a material of the central light shielding portion and the peripheral light shielding portion is chromium.

8. A color-filter-on-array (COA) type array substrate, comprising thin film transistors arranged in array, and a protective layer, a color filter layer, pixel electrodes and a black matrix stacked on the thin film transistors from bottom to top in order, wherein the color filter layer through holes are formed in the color filter layer, and the pixel electrodes are connected with drains of the thin film transistors via the color filter layer through holes;

the color filter layer through holes being manufactured by the mask having the mask structure according to claim 1, and the taper of the color filter layer through hole being gentle.

9. A mask structure of a mask for manufacturing a color filter layer through hole, comprising a central light shielding portion, a peripheral light shielding portion surrounding the central light shielding portion and conforming to an outer contour shape of the central light shielding portion and a circumambient hollow slit sandwiched between the peripheral light shielding portion and the central light shielding portion;

wherein a width of the circumambient hollow slit is less than or equal to 2.0 μ

m to diffract exposure light through the circumambient hollow slit to result in propagation of reverse bending and energy intensity gradient to gentle a taper of the color filter layer through hole;

wherein the single circumambient hollow slit circumferentially surrounds the central light shielding portion such that the exposure light passing through the single circumambient hollow slit causes exposure at a first location corresponding to the single circumambient hollow slit and also causes exposure at a second location corresponding to the central light shielding portion, exposure of the first and second portions allowing the color filter layer through hole to be formed through exposure to light passing through only the single circumambient hollow slit; and

wherein a material of the central light shielding portion and the peripheral light shielding portion is chromium.

10. The mask structure according to claim 9, wherein the outer contour shape of the central light shielding portion is an annular shape, and the peripheral light shielding portion is correspondingly an annular ring shape, and the hollow slit is correspondingly an annular ring shape.

11. The mask structure according to claim 9, wherein the outer contour shape of the central light shielding portion is a square, and the peripheral light shielding portion is correspondingly a circumambient square ring shape, and the hollow slit is correspondingly a circumambient square ring shape.

12. The mask structure according to claim 9, wherein the outer contour shape of the central light shielding portion is a regular hexagon, and the peripheral light shielding portion is correspondingly a circumambient regular hexagon ring shape, and the hollow slit is correspondingly a circumambient regular hexagon ring shape.

13. The mask structure according to claim 9, wherein the outer contour shape of the central light shielding portion is a regular octagon, and the peripheral light shielding portion is correspondingly a circumambient regular octagon ring shape, and the hollow slit is correspondingly a circumambient regular octagon ring shape.

14. The mask structure according to claim 9, wherein a width of the peripheral light shielding portion is larger than 0.5 μ

m and less than or equal to 1.0 μ

m.