Method for manufacturing a substrate for a display panel

• US 6,808,868 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Central Incorporated (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nagayama, Kouhei, Iizuka, Tetsuya, Fujibayashi, Sadayasu
• Primary Examiner(s): McPherson, John A.
• Application Number:
  US10/737,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20040126706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 430/321, 430/319, 430/315, 430/396, 349/113
• US Class Current: 430/321
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1362 Active matrix addressed cells G02F1/134336, G02F1/134363 take precedence
• 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 1/136231 for reducing the number of lithographic steps

Abstract

A manufacturing method of a substrate for display panel comprises a step of forming an organic insulating film on a light transmissive substrate and a step of patterning the organic insulating film to form a first opening and a second opening smaller than the first opening formed as through holes therein. In particular, this patterning step includes a lithography process of selectively exposing the organic insulating film to light with the use of a photomask and removing the light-exposed portions, the photomask being so set that the average light transmittance is lower at a light transmissive area for the first opening than at a light transmissive area for the second opening.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a substrate for a display panel, comprising:

a step of forming an organic insulating film on a light transmissive substrate; and

a step of patterning the organic insulating film to form a first opening and a second opening smaller than the first opening as through holes therein, wherein the patterning step comprises a lithography process of selectively exposing the organic insulating film to light with the use of a photomask and removing the light-exposed portions, the photomask being so set that the average light transmittance is lower at a light transmissive area for the first opening than at a light transmissive area for the second opening.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the light transmissive area for the first opening is set to have a uniform light transmittance.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the light transmissive area for the first opening is set to have a partially different light transmittance.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the photomask includes a light shielding film having a plurality of light transmissive holes uniformly arranged in the light transmissive area for the first opening and a single light transmissive hole arranged in the light transmissive area for the second opening.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of light transmissive holes include a parallel array of straight slits.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of light transmissive holes include a single rectangular slit surrounding said plurality of straight slits therewith.

7. A method according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of light transmissive holes, each, are formed as either one of a circular shape and a rectangular shape.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of light transmissive holes are so formed as to be greater at an outermost outline side than at an inner side.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of forming, at the light transmissive substrate, a switching element exposed in the second opening and a step of forming a pixel electrode over the light transmissive substrate and organic insulating film exposed in the first opening.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the electrode forming step includes a step of forming the light transmissive substrate exposed in the first opening, the switching element exposed in the second opening and a transparent conduction film on the organic insulating film and a step of forming a reflective conduction film covering the transparent conduction film therewith except in the first opening.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the patterning step includes the process of forming undulations on the surface of the organic insulating film, wherein reflecting light is scattered by undulations of the reflective conduction film corresponding to those of the organic insulating film.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the electrode forming step includes a step of forming the switching element exposed in the second opening and the reflective conduction film on the organic insulating film and a step of forming the transparent conduction film covering the light transmissive substrate exposed in the first opening and overlapping the reflective conduction film.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the patterning step includes the process of forming undulations on the surface of the organic insulating film, wherein reflecting light is scattered by undulations of the reflective conduction film corresponding to the undulations of the organic insulating film.

14. A method according to claim 9, wherein the element forming step includes the process of forming an inorganic insulating film as a portion of the light transmissive substrate, the inorganic insulating film covering the switching element therewith except at a portion corresponding to the second opening and serving as an underlying film beneath the organic insulating film.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the organic insulating film is formed of a positive type photosensitive resin film.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the thickness of the organic insulating film is over 0.5 μ

m.