Liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same

• US 6,744,486 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2001
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: LG Philips LCD Company Limited (LG Display Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, Jong-Woo, Ha, Young-Hun, Soh, Jae-Moon
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Robert H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUNG, DAVID Y
• Application Number:
  US09/885,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20020021403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 349/42, 349/43, 349/44, 349/187, 349/38, 349/39, 438/30, 438/149, 430/5, 430/20, 257/59, 257/72
• US Class Current: 349/187
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13458 Terminal pads
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1362 Active matrix addressed cells G02F1/134336, G02F1/134363 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136295 Materials; Compositions; Manufacture processes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence

Abstract

A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device includes steps of forming a first metal layer on the substrate to form a gate line including a gate electrode, a gate pad, and a first capacitor electrode, forming an insulating layer, an active layer, and a second metal layer on the substrate, patterning the second metal layer to form a data line including a data pad, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a second capacitor electrode, forming a passivation layer to cover the second metal layer, forming a photoresist on the passivation layer, exposing the photoresist using a mask having a light shielding portion, a light transmissive portion, and a semi-transmissive portion, forming a first photoresist portion, a second photoresist portion, and a third photoresist portion, patterning the passivation layer, the active layer, and the insulating layer, and forming a pixel electrode on the passivation layer.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device, comprising the steps of:

forming a first metal layer on a substrate to form a gate line including a gate electrode, a gate pad, and a first capacitor electrode;

forming an insulating layer, an active layer, and a second metal layer on the substrate;

patterning the second metal layer to form a data line including a data pad, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a second capacitor electrode;

forming a passivation layer to cover the second metal layer;

forming a photoresist on the passivation layer;

exposing the photoresist using a mask having a light shielding portion, a light transmissive portion, and a semi-transmissive portion;

forming a first photoresist portion, a second photoresist portion, and a third photoresist portion;

patterning the passivation layer, the active layer, and the insulating layer; and

forming a pixel electrode on the passivation layer such that the pixel electrode electrically contacts an upper surface of the second capacitor electrode through a contact hole formed in the passivation layer.

2. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the gate line and the data line cross with each other to define a pixel region, and the source electrode and the drain electrode are spaced apart from each other.

3. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the step of depositing and patterning a first metal layer includes a first masking step.

4. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the step of depositing an insulating layer, an active layer, and a second metal layer includes a second masking step.

5. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to claim 4, wherein the step of patterning the second metal layer is included in the second masking step.

6. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the steps of forming a passivation layer, forming a photoresist, exposing the photoresist, forming first, second and third photoresist portions, and patterning the passivation layer are included in a third masking step.

7. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to claim 6, wherein, in the third masking step, a side portion and upper surfaces of the drain electrode are uncovered, a capacitor contact hole is formed over the second capacitor electrode, and a data pad contact hole is formed over the data pad through the passivation layer, and a gate pad contact hole is formed over the gate pad passing through the insulating layer, the active layer, and the passivation layer.

8. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the third photoresist portion has a thickness of 800 to 900 Å

.

9. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the first metal layer includes at least a first aluminum neodymium (AlNd) material layer and a second molybdenum (Mo) material layer.

10. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer and the passivation layer include at least an inorganic insulating material.

11. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to claim 10, wherein the inorganic insulating material includes at least one material selected from a group consisting of silicon oxide (SiO₂) and silicon nitride (SiN_x).

12. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer and the passivation layer include at least organic insulating materials.

13. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to claim 12, wherein the organic insulating materials include at least one material selected from a group consisting benzocyclobutene (BCB) and an acryl-based resin.

14. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the passivation layer disposed over the data line has a width smaller than a corresponding width of the data line.

15. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the light shielding portion of the mask includes at least an opaque metal material having a low reflectivity.

16. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to claim 15, wherein the opaque metal includes at least a chromium (Cr) material.

17. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the semi-transmissive portion of the mask includes at least a molybdenum silicide (MoSi) material.