MASK LEVEL REDUCTION FOR MOFET
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating a thin film transistor and in-plane-switch LCD electrodes with reduced masking operations, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate with a surface;
patterning gate metal on the surface of the substrate to define a thin film transistor gate;
forming a layer of gate dielectric over the gate and surrounding substrate surface;
depositing a layer of semiconducting metal oxide on the layer of gate dielectric;
patterning a channel protection layer on the semiconducting metal oxide overlying the gate, the channel protection layer being patterned to define a channel area in the semiconducting metal oxide above the gate and to expose the remaining semiconducting metal oxide;
depositing at least a source/drain metal layer on the channel protection layer and a portion of the exposed semiconducting metal oxide defining an in-plane-switch area;
etching through the source/drain metal layer to the channel protection layer above the gate to separate the source/drain metal layer into thin film transistor source and drain terminals, and etching through the semiconducting metal oxide layer in areas not covered by the source/drain metal layer;
patterning an organic dielectric material on the thin film transistor source and drain terminals and at surrounding area of the first electrode for the in-plane-switch;
using the patterned organic dielectric material, etching through the source/drain metal layer in the in-plane-switch area to expose the semiconducting metal oxide and define a first electrode for an in-plane-switch;
depositing a passivation layer on the patterned organic dielectric material and the first electrode for the in-plane-switch; and
patterning a layer of transparent electrically conductive material on the passivation layer defining a second electrode for the in-plane-switch overlying the first electrode.
9 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of fabricating a TFT and IPS with reduced masking operations includes a substrate, a gate, a layer of gate dielectric on the gate and surrounding substrate surface and a semiconducting metal oxide on the gate dielectric. A channel protection layer overlies the gate to define a channel area in the semiconducting metal oxide. A S/D metal layer is patterned on the channel protection layer and a portion of the exposed semiconducting metal oxide to define an IPS area. An organic dielectric material is patterned on the S/D terminals and at an opposed side of the IPS area. The S/D metal is etched to expose the semiconducting metal oxide defining a first IPS electrode. A passivation layer covers the first electrode and a layer of transparent conductive material is patterned on the passivation layer to define a second IPS electrode overlying the first electrode.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a thin film transistor and in-plane-switch LCD electrodes with reduced masking operations, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a substrate with a surface; patterning gate metal on the surface of the substrate to define a thin film transistor gate; forming a layer of gate dielectric over the gate and surrounding substrate surface; depositing a layer of semiconducting metal oxide on the layer of gate dielectric; patterning a channel protection layer on the semiconducting metal oxide overlying the gate, the channel protection layer being patterned to define a channel area in the semiconducting metal oxide above the gate and to expose the remaining semiconducting metal oxide; depositing at least a source/drain metal layer on the channel protection layer and a portion of the exposed semiconducting metal oxide defining an in-plane-switch area; etching through the source/drain metal layer to the channel protection layer above the gate to separate the source/drain metal layer into thin film transistor source and drain terminals, and etching through the semiconducting metal oxide layer in areas not covered by the source/drain metal layer; patterning an organic dielectric material on the thin film transistor source and drain terminals and at surrounding area of the first electrode for the in-plane-switch; using the patterned organic dielectric material, etching through the source/drain metal layer in the in-plane-switch area to expose the semiconducting metal oxide and define a first electrode for an in-plane-switch; depositing a passivation layer on the patterned organic dielectric material and the first electrode for the in-plane-switch; and patterning a layer of transparent electrically conductive material on the passivation layer defining a second electrode for the in-plane-switch overlying the first electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 22)
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10. A method of fabricating a thin film transistor and in-plane-switch LCD electrodes with six patterning/masking operations, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a substrate with a surface; a first patterning/masking operation including patterning gate metal on the surface of the substrate to define a thin film transistor gate and contacts/leads for external electrical connections to the thin film transistor and in-plane-switch; forming a layer of gate dielectric over the gate and the contacts/leads and surrounding substrate surface; depositing a layer of semiconducting metal oxide on the layer of gate dielectric; a second patterning/masking operation including patterning a channel protection layer on the semiconducting metal oxide overlying the gate, the channel protection layer being patterned to define a channel area in the semiconducting metal oxide above the gate and to expose the remaining semiconducting metal oxide; depositing at least a source/drain metal layer on the channel protection layer and a portion of the exposed semiconducting metal oxide defining an in-plane-switch area; a third patterning/masking operation including etching through the source/drain metal layer to the channel protection layer above the gate to separate the source/drain metal layer into thin film transistor source and drain terminals, and etching through the semiconducting metal oxide layer over the contacts/leads; a fourth patterning/masking operation including patterning an organic dielectric material on the thin film transistor source and drain terminals and at an opposed side of the first electrode for the in-plane-switch; using the patterned organic dielectric material, etching through the source/drain metal layer in the in-plane-switch area to expose the semiconducting metal oxide and define a first electrode for an in-plane-switch; depositing a passivation layer on the patterned organic dielectric material and the first electrode for the in-plane-switch; a fifth patterning/masking operation including etching vias through the passivation layer and the layer of gate dielectric into communication with the contacts/leads; and a sixth patterning/masking operation including patterning a layer of transparent electrically conductive material on the passivation layer defining a second electrode for the in-plane-switch overlying the first electrode and through the vias into contact with the contacts/leads. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 23)
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17. A thin film transistor and in-plane-switch LCD electrodes constructed for incorporation into an AMLCD comprising:
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a substrate with a surface; gate metal patterned on the surface of the substrate defining a thin film transistor gate; a layer of gate dielectric positioned over the gate and surrounding substrate surface; a layer of semiconducting metal oxide positioned on the layer of gate dielectric; a channel protection layer on the semiconducting metal oxide overlying the gate, the channel protection layer being patterned to define a channel area in the semiconducting metal oxide above the gate and to expose the remaining semiconducting metal oxide; at least a source/drain metal layer on the channel protection layer and a portion of the exposed semiconducting metal oxide defining an in-plane-switch area spaced laterally from the channel area and the source/drain metal layer; the source/drain metal layer being separated into thin film transistor source and drain terminals; an organic dielectric material positioned on the thin film transistor source and drain terminals and at an opposed side of the in-plane-switch area; the semiconducting metal oxide defining a first electrode for an in-plane-switch in the in-plane-switch area; a passivation layer positioned on the organic dielectric material and the first electrode for the in-plane-switch; and a layer of transparent electrically conductive material positioned on the passivation layer defining a second electrode for the in-plane-switch overlying the first electrode. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25)
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Specification