THIN-FILM TRANSISTOR AND ORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING DISPLAY DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME

• US 20120138933A1
• Filed: 05/02/2011
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: KWON, Do-Hyun, LEE, Il-Jeong, IM, Choong-Youl, YOON, Ju-Won
• Granted Patent: US 8,816,344 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/59
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1225 with semiconductor materials not belonging to the group IV of the periodic table, e.g. InGaZnO
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/41733 for thin film transistors with insulated gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78606 with supplementary region or layer in the thin film or in the insulated bulk substrate supporting it for controlling or increasing the safety of the device H01L29/78642, H01L29/78645 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78633 with a light shield
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7869 having a semiconductor body comprising an oxide semiconductor material, e.g. zinc oxide, copper aluminium oxide, cadmium stannate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/84 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/126 Shielding, e.g. light-blocking means over the TFTs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/87 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/88 Dummy elements, i.e. elements having non-functional features

Abstract

A thin-film transistor includes a structure for protecting an active layer, and an organic light-emitting display device including the thin-film transistor. The thin-film transistor includes: a gate electrode disposed on a substrate; a first insulating layer disposed on the gate electrode; an active layer disposed on the first insulating layer, and corresponding to the gate electrode; a second insulating layer disposed on the first insulating layer and covering the active layer, the second insulating layer including first and second openings exposing first and second portions of the active layer, respectively; a source electrode disposed on the second insulating layer and connected to the first portion of the active layer via the first opening of the second insulating layer; a drain electrode disposed on the second insulating layer and connected to the second portion of the active layer via the second opening of the second insulating layer; and a dummy member disposed on the second insulating layer and corresponding to at least a third portion of the active layer between the first and second portions of the active layer.

Claims

1. A thin-film transistor comprising:

a gate electrode disposed on a substrate;

a first insulating layer disposed on the gate electrode;

an active layer disposed on the first insulating layer and corresponding to the gate electrode;

a second insulating layer disposed on the first insulating layer and covering the active layer, the second insulating layer comprising first and second openings exposing first and second portions of the active layer, respectively;

a source electrode disposed on the second insulating layer and connected to the first portion of the active layer via the first opening of the second insulating layer;

a drain electrode disposed on the second insulating layer and connected to the second portion of the active layer via the second opening of the second insulating layer; and

a dummy member disposed on the second insulating layer to correspond to at least a third portion of the active layer between the first and second portions of the active layer.

2. The thin-film transistor of claim 1, wherein the dummy member comprises a metal.

3. The thin-film transistor of claim 2, wherein the dummy member comprises a same material as at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

4. The thin-film transistor of claim 1, wherein the dummy member extends from at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

5. The thin-film transistor of claim 1, wherein the dummy member is separated from the source electrode and the drain electrode.

6. The thin-film transistor of claim 1, wherein the third portion comprises a channel region of the active layer, and the dummy member covers the channel region of the active layer.

7. The thin-film transistor of claim 1, wherein the active layer comprises an oxide semiconductor.

8. The thin-film transistor of claim 1, wherein the dummy member and at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode are coplanar.

9. An organic light-emitting display device comprising:

a thin-film transistor comprising;

a gate electrode disposed on a substrate;

a first insulating layer disposed on the gate electrode;

an active layer disposed on the first insulating layer and corresponding to the gate electrode;

a second insulating layer disposed on the first insulating layer and covering the active layer, the second insulating layer comprising first and second openings exposing first and second portions of the active layer, respectively;

a source electrode disposed on the second insulating layer and connected to the first portion of the active layer via the first opening of the second insulating layer;

a drain electrode disposed on the second insulating layer and connected to the second portion of the active layer via the second opening of the second insulating layer; and

a dummy member disposed on the second insulating layer and corresponding to at least a third portion of the active layer between the first and second portions of the active layer, and

an organic light-emitting device electrically connected to at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

10. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 9, wherein the dummy member comprises a metal.

11. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 10, wherein the dummy member comprises a same material as at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

12. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 9, wherein the dummy member extends from at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

13. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 9, wherein the dummy member is separated from the source electrode and the drain electrode.

14. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 9, wherein the third portion comprises a channel region of the active layer, and the dummy member covers the channel region of the active layer.

15. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 9, wherein the active layer comprises an oxide semiconductor.

16. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 9, wherein the dummy member and at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode are coplanar.