Liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method of same

• US 20020159010A1
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies Limited (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hiroaki, Maeda, Akitoshi, Kido, Syuusaku, Yasuda, Kyounei
• Application Number:
  US10/132,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20020159010A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/113
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• 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 1/136236 using a grey or half tone lithographic process

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a reflective-type liquid crystal display which is capable of reducing a number of processes for a thin film transistor used in the reflective-type liquid crystal display. A reflective electrode to be connected to a source electrode of the thin film transistor and a terminal portion connecting electrode to be connected to a terminal portion lower metal film are simultaneously formed on an organic insulating film having convex and concave portions. As a material for the reflective electrode and the terminal portion lower metal film, an Al—Nd (Aluminum—Neodymium) containing 0.9% or more by atom of Nd having excellent corrosion resistance is used.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display serving as a reflective-type liquid crystal display having a reflective electrode formed on one substrate out of a pair of substrates being placed in such a manner to face each other with a liquid crystal layer being interposed between said pair of said substrates and operating to reflect incident light emitted from an other substrate on which said reflective electrode is not formed, said method comprising:

a process of simultaneously forming said reflective electrode and a terminal portion connecting electrode to be formed in a terminal portion both being made up of an alloy mainly containing Al and being excellent in resistance against pitting corrosion or of both a metal having a high melting point and an alloy mainly containing Al being excellent in resistance against pitting corrosion formed and stacked in a layer on said metal having a high melting point.

2. A method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 1, wherein an element or elements to be added to said alloy containing mainly Al include any one of Nd (Neodymium), Ti (Titanium), Cr (Cromium), and Ta (Tantalum), or at least one group selected from groups consisting essentially of a plurality of elements including Nd, Ti, Cr, and Ta.

3. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 2, wherein said alloy contains 2% or more, in a total amount, of said plurality of said elements to be added to said alloy.

4. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 3, wherein said alloy contains 0.9% or more by atom of said Nd.

5. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 1, wherein a connecting portion in which said terminal portion connecting electrode is connected to an external driving circuit is coated with a resin.

6. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 1, comprising:

a process of forming a gate electrode, a scanning line, and a terminal portion lower metal layer on a transparent insulating substrate;

a process of forming a gate insulating film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate and then forming a semiconductor layer in a position being opposite to said gate electrode;

a process of forming a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a signal line;

a process of forming a passivation film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate and then forming an insulating film on said passivation film and forming, by changing an integration value of an amount of exposure for every specified region, contact holes in said insulating film over said source electrode and forming, at a same time, convex and concave portions in a display region;

a process of forming contact holes in said passivation film over said source electrode and said terminal portion lower layer metal film; and

a process of simultaneously forming said reflective electrode to be connected to said source electrode and said terminal portion connecting electrode to be connected to said terminal portion lower layer metal film, both being made up of an alloy mainly containing Al or of both a metal having a high melting point and an alloy mainly containing Al and being formed and stacked in a layer on said metal having a high melting point.

7. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 1, further comprising:

a process of forming a gate electrode, a scanning line, and a terminal portion lower layer metal film on a transparent insulating substrate;

a process of sequentially forming a gate insulating film, a semiconductor layer, and a metal layer in this order on said transparent insulating substrate and forming, by using a photoresist having a plurality of regions each having a different thickness which has been formed by changing an integration value of an amount of exposure for every specified region, a source electrode and a drain electrode after having formed a signal line and said semiconductor layer;

a process of forming a passivation film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate and then a first insulating film on said passivation film and forming convex and concave portions in a display region;

a process of forming a second insulating film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate and forming contact holes in said second insulating film on said source electrode and, at a same time, of removing at least said second insulating film on said terminal portion lower layer metal film;

a process of forming contact holes in said source electrode and in said passivation film over said terminal portion lower layer metal film; and

a process of forming a reflective electrode to be connected to said source electrode and said terminal portion connecting electrode to be connected to said terminal portion lower layer metal film both being made up of an alloy mainly containing Al or a metal having a high melting point and an alloy mainly containing Al being formed and stacked on said metal having a high melting point.

8. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 6, wherein both said process of forming contact holes in said first insulating film or said second insulating film and said process of forming said contact holes in said passivation film or in said protective film are performed by one time etching.

9. A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display serving as a semi-transmissive reflective-type liquid crystal display having a reflective electrode formed on one substrate out of a pair of substrates being placed in such a manner to face each other with a liquid crystal layer being interposed between said pair of said substrates and operating to reflect incident light emitted from an other substrate on which said reflective electrode is not formed and having a pixel electrode through which incident light enters from a side of said one substrate passes, said method comprising:

a process of simultaneously forming said reflective electrode and a terminal portion connecting electrode to be formed in a terminal portion both being made up of a metal having a high melting point and an alloy mainly containing Al and being excellent in resistance against pitting corrosion and being formed and stacked in a layer on said metal having a high melting point.

10. A method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 9, wherein an element or elements to be added to said alloy containing mainly Al include any one of Nd (Neodymium), Ti (Titanium), Cr (Cromium), and Ta (Tantalum), or at least one group selected from groups consisting essentially of a plurality of elements including Nd, Ti, Cr, and Ta.

11. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 10, wherein said alloy contains 2% or more, in a total amount, of said plurality of said elements to be added to said alloy.

12. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 11, wherein said alloy contains 0.9% or more by atom of said Nd.

13. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 9, wherein a connecting portion in which said terminal portion connecting electrode is connected to an external driving circuit is coated with a resin.

14. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 9, comprising:

a process of forming a gate electrode, a scanning line, and a terminal portion lower layer metal film on a transparent insulating substrate;

a process of forming a gate insulating film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate and forming a semiconductor layer in a position being opposite to said gate electrode;

a process of forming a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a signal line;

a process of forming a passivation film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate and then forming an insulating film on said passivation film and forming, by changing an integration value of an amount of exposure for every specified region, contact holes in said insulating film over said source electrode and, at a same time, convex and concave portions in a display region;

a process of forming contact holes in said passivation film over said source electrode and said terminal portion lower layer metal film;

a process of forming a pixel electrode made up of a transparent conductive film; and

a process of simultaneously forming said reflective electrode to be connected to said source electrode and said pixel electrode, and said terminal portion connecting electrode to be connected to said terminal portion lower layer metal film, both being made up of both a metal having a high melting point and an alloy mainly containing Al being formed and stacked in a layer on said metal having a high melting point.

15. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 9, further comprising:

a process of forming a gate electrode, a scanning line, and a terminal portion lower layer metal film on a transparent insulating substrate;

a process of sequentially forming a gate insulating film, a semiconductor layer, and a metal layer in this order on said transparent insulating substrate and forming, by using a photoresist having a plurality of regions each having a different thickness which has been formed by changing an integration value of an amount of exposure for every specified region, a source electrode and a drain electrode after having formed a signal line and a semiconductor layer;

a process of forming a passivation film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate and then a first insulating film and forming convex and concave portions in a display region;

a process of forming a second insulating film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate and forming contact holes in said second insulating film on said source electrode and, at a same time, of removing at least said second insulating film on said terminal portion lower layer metal film;

a process of forming a pixel electrode made up of a transparent conductive film;

a process of forming contact holes in said source electrode and in said passivation film on said terminal portion lower layer metal film; and

a process of forming a reflective electrode to be connected to said source electrode and to said pixel electrode and said terminal portion connecting electrode to be connected to said terminal portion lower layer metal film both being made up of both a metal having a high melting point and an alloy mainly containing Al being formed and stacked in a layer on said metal having a high melting point.

16. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 14, wherein both said process of forming contact holes in said first insulating film or said second insulating film and said process of forming said contact holes in said passivation film or in said protective film are performed by one time etching.

18. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 17, further comprising a process of simultaneously forming both said terminal portion connecting electrode being formed on a terminal portion and being connected to said terminal portion lower metal film and said reflective electrode.

19. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 17, wherein, in said processes of forming said first and second insulating films, both said process of forming convex and concave portions in said first insulating film and said process of forming contact holes in said second insulating film are simultaneously performed by changing an integration value of an amount of exposure for every specified region.

20. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 17, wherein both said process of forming contact holes in said first insulating film or said second insulating film and said process of forming said contact holes in said passivation film or in said protective film are performed by one time etching.

17. A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display comprising:

a process of sequentially forming a metal layer, a gate insulating film, and a semiconductor layer, in this order, on a transparent insulating substrate and forming, by using a photoresist having a plurality of regions each having a different thickness which has been formed by changing an integration value of an amount of exposure for every specified region, a stacked-layer film made up of a gate electrode, said gate insulating film, and a semiconductor layer each having a same shape as said gate electrode, and a scanning line and a terminal portion lower layer metal film;

a process of forming a signal line after having formed a protective film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate;

a process of forming a first insulating film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate and forming convex and concave portions in a display region;

a process of forming a second insulating film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate and forming contact holes in places facing each other on said semiconductor layer and in said second insulating film on a signal line existing in a vicinity and, at a same time, of removing at least said second insulating film on said terminal portion lower layer metal film;

a process of forming contact holes in places facing each other on said semiconductor layer and in said protective film on said terminal portion lower layer metal film;

a process of doping said semiconductor layer with an element having a valence of V through said contact hole formed in said protective film to form a source region and a drain region; and

a process of integrally forming a source electrode and a reflective electrode to be connected to said source region and a drain electrode to be connected to said drain region, and a connecting electrode connecting said drain electrode to said signal line, all of which are made up of both a metal having a high melting point and an alloy mainly containing Al being formed and stacked in a layer on said metal having a high melting point.

21. A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display comprising:

a step of sequentially forming a metal layer, a gate insulating film, and a semiconductor layer, in this order, on a transparent insulating substrate and then forming, by using a photoresist having a plurality of regions each having a different thickness which has been formed by changing an integration value of an amount of exposure for every specified region, a stacked-layer film made up of a gate electrode, said gate insulating film, and a semiconductor layer each having a same shape as said gate electrode, and a scanning line and a terminal portion lower layer metal film;

a process of forming a signal line after having formed a protective film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate;

a process of forming a first insulating film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate and forming convex and concave portions in a display region;

a process of forming a second insulating film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate and forming contact holes in places facing each other on said semiconductor layer and in said second insulating film on a signal line existing in a vicinity and, at a same time, of removing at least said second insulating film on said terminal portion lower layer metal film;

a process of forming a pixel electrode made up of a transparent conductive film;

a process of forming contact holes in places facing each other on said semiconductor layer and in said protective film on said terminal portion lower layer metal film;

a process of doping said semiconductor layer with an element having a valence of V through said contact hole formed in said protective film to form a source region and a drain region; and

a process of integrally forming a source electrode to be connected to said source region and a reflective electrode to be connected to said pixel electrode, a drain electrode to be connected to said drain region, and a connecting electrode connecting said drain electrode to said signal line, all of which are made up of both a metal having a high melting point and an alloy mainly containing Al being formed and stacked in a layer on said metal having a high melting point.

22. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 21, further comprising a process of simultaneously forming both said terminal portion connecting electrode being formed on a terminal portion and being connected to said terminal portion lower metal film and said reflective electrode.

23. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 21, further comprising a process of simultaneously forming both said terminal portion connecting electrode being formed on a terminal portion and being connected to said terminal portion lower metal film and said pixel electrode.

24. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 21, wherein, in said processes of forming said first and second insulating films, both said process of forming convex and concave portions in said first insulating film and said process of forming contact holes in said second insulating film are simultaneously performed by changing an integration value of an amount of exposure for every specified region.

25. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 21, wherein both said process of forming contact holes in said first insulating film or said second insulating film and said process of forming said contact holes in said passivation film or in said protective film are performed by one time etching.

27. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 25, further comprising a process of simultaneously forming both said terminal portion connecting electrode being formed on a terminal portion and being connected to said terminal portion lower metal film and said reflective electrode.

28. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 25, further comprising a process of simultaneously forming both said terminal portion connecting electrode being formed on a terminal portion and being connected to said terminal portion lower metal film and said pixel electrode.

29. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 25, wherein, in said processes of forming said first and second insulating films, both said process of forming convex and concave portions in said first insulating film and said process of forming contact holes in said second insulating film are simultaneously performed by changing an integration value of an amount of exposure for every specified region.

30. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 25, wherein both said process of forming contact holes in said first insulating film or said second insulating film and said process of forming said contact holes in said passivation film or in said protective film are performed by one time etching.

43. The liquid crystal display according to claim 41 to claim 22, wherein said alloy contains 0.9% or more by atom of Nd.

26. A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display comprising:

a process of forming a gate electrode, a scanning line, and a terminal portion lower layer metal film on a transparent insulating substrate;

a process of sequentially forming a gate insulating film, a semiconductor layer, and a metal layer in this order, on said transparent insulating substrate and then forming, by using a photoresist having a plurality of regions each having a different thickness which has been formed by changing an integration value of an amount of exposure for every specified region, a semiconductor layer after having formed a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a signal line;

a process of forming a passivation film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate and then a first insulating film and forming convex and concave portions in a display region;

a process of forming a second insulating film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate and forming contact holes in said second insulating film on said source electrode and, at a same time, of removing at least said second insulating film on said terminal portion lower layer metal film;

a process of forming contact holes in said passivation film over said source electrode and said terminal portion lower layer metal film; and

a process of simultaneously forming a reflective electrode to be connected to said source electrode made up of an alloy mainly containing Al or of both a metal having a high melting point and an alloy mainly containing Al being formed and stacked on said metal having a high melting point.

31. A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display comprising:

a process of forming a gate electrode, a scanning line, and a terminal portion lower layer metal film on a transparent insulating substrate;

a process of sequentially forming a gate insulating film, a semiconductor layer, and a metal layer in this order and then forming, by using a photoresist having a plurality of regions each having a different thickness which has been formed by changing an integration value of an amount of exposure for every specified region, a semiconductor layer after having formed a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a signal line;

a process of forming a passivation film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate and then a first insulating film and then forming convex and concave portions in a display region;

a process of forming a second insulating film on an entire surface of said transparent insulating substrate and forming contact holes in said second insulating film over said source electrode and, at a same time, of removing at least said second insulating film on said terminal portion lower layer metal film;

a process of forming a pixel electrode made up of a transparent conductive film;

a process of forming contact holes in said source electrode and in said passivation film over said terminal portion lower layer metal film; and

a process of forming said source electrode and said reflective electrode to be connected to said reflective electrode both being made up of both a metal having a high melting point and an alloy mainly containing Al being formed and stacked in a layer on said metal having a high melting point.

32. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 31, further comprising a process of simultaneously forming both said terminal portion connecting electrode being formed on a terminal portion and being connected to said terminal portion lower metal film and said reflective electrode.

33. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 31, further comprising a process of simultaneously forming both said terminal portion connecting electrode being formed on a terminal portion and being connected to said terminal portion lower metal film and said pixel electrode.

34. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 31, wherein, in said processes of forming said first and second insulating films, both said process of forming convex and concave portions in said first insulating film and said process of forming contact holes in said second insulating film are simultaneously performed by changing an integration value of an amount of exposure for every specified region.

35. The method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display according to claim 31, wherein both said process of forming contact holes in said first insulating film or said second insulating film and said process of forming said contact holes in said passivation film or in said protective film are performed by one time etching.

37. The liquid crystal display according to claim 36, wherein an element or elements to be added to said alloy containing mainly Al include any one of Nd, Ti, Cr, and Ta, or at least one group selected from groups consisting essentially of a plurality of elements including Nd, Ti, Cr, and Ta.

38. The liquid crystal display according to claim 37, wherein said alloy contains 2% or more, in a total amount, of said elements to be added to said alloy.

39. The liquid crystal display according to claim 41 to claim 37, wherein said alloy contains 0.9% or more by atom of Nd.

36. A liquid crystal display serving as a reflective-type liquid crystal display having a reflective electrode being formed on one substrate out of a pair of substrates being placed in such a manner to face each other with a liquid crystal layer being interposed between said pair of said substrates and operating to reflect incident light emitted from an other substrate on which said reflective electrode is not formed, wherein said reflective electrode and a terminal portion connecting electrode being formed at a terminal portion are made up of an alloy mainly containing Al being excellent in pitting corrosion or of both a metal having a high melting point and an alloy mainly containing Al being excellent in pitting corrosion and being formed and stacked in a layer on said alloy having a high melting point.

40. A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display serving as a semi-transmissive reflective-type liquid crystal display having a reflective electrode being formed on one substrate out of a pair of subtrates being placed in such a manner to face each other with a liquid crystal layer being interposed between said pair of said substrates and operating to reflect incident light emitted from an other substrate on which said reflective electrode is not formed and having a pixel electrode through which incident light entered from a side of said one substrate passes, wherein both said reflective electrode and a terminal portion connecting electrode being formed on a terminal portion are made up of a metal having a high melting point and an alloy mainly containing Al being excellent in pitting corrosion and being formed and stacked in a layer on said alloy having a high melting point.

41. The liquid crystal display according to claim 40, wherein an element or elements to be added to said alloy containing mainly Al include any one of Nd, Ti, Cr, and Ta, or at least one group selected from groups consisting essentially of a plurality of elements including Nd, Ti, Cr, and Ta.

42. The liquid crystal display according to claim 41, wherein said alloy contains 2% or more, in a total amount, of said elements to be added to said alloy.