SPUTTERING METHOD FOR FORMING AN ALUMINUM OR ALUMINUM ALLOYFINE WIRING PATTERN

• US 20010009222A1
• Filed: 01/13/1999
• Published: 07/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Central Incorporated (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kiyotsugu Mizouchi
• Inventors: TSUJI, HIROSHI, MIZOUCHI, KIYOTSUGU
• Granted Patent: US 6,461,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/192.17
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/185 by cathodic sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/35 by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering C23C14/3457 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2217/49207 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 9/02 Manufacture of electrodes or electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/2855 by physical means, e.g. sputtering, evaporation H01L21/28518 - H01L21/28537 and H01L21/28568 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76877 Filling of holes, grooves or trenches, e.g. vias, with conductive material

Abstract

A method of forming a fine wiring pattern by sputtering and patterning which is characterized in that the potential difference between the anode and cathode in the sputtering apparatus is lower than 570V. The resulting fine wiring pattern is free of defects due to splash. This method is effective particularly in the production of array substrates for the flat-panel display device which needs aluminum fine lines to meet the requirement for finer pixels and larger display area.

Claims

1. A method of forming a fine wiring pattern comprises the steps of:

depositing by sputtering on an insulating substrate a thin film of aluminum or aluminum alloy containing more than 70 atom % aluminum;

patterning said thin film;

thereby forming a fine wiring pattern;

wherein said sputtering is carried out under a condition that a potential difference between the anode and the cathode is lower than 570V.

2. A method of forming a fine wiring pattern according to

claim 1

, wherein said step of forming a fine wiring pattern forms a wiring width smaller than 30 μ

m or a wiring space smaller than 60 μ

m.

3. A method of forming a fine wiring pattern according to

claim 2

, wherein said fine wiring pattern is formed from an aluminum alloy containing neodymium (Nd), yttrium (Y), and/or gadolinium (Gd) in a total amount of 0.3-5.0 atom %.

4. A method of forming a fine wiring pattern according to

claim 2

, wherein said fine wiring pattern is for supplying drive signals to pixels arranged on an array substrate of a flat-panel display device.

5. A method of forming a fine wiring pattern according to

claim 4

, wherein said pixels are arranged at a pitch smaller than 0.36 mm.

6. A method of forming a fine wiring pattern according to

claim 2

, wherein a pressure of said sputtering ranges from 0.4 Pa to not higher than 1.4 Pa.

7. A method of forming a fine wiring pattern according to

claim 5

, wherein said sputtering atmosphere is argon.

8. A method of forming a fine wiring pattern according to

claim 2

, wherein said insulating substrate has an area greater than 300×

400 mm.