Thin film transistor substrate and fabricating method thereof

• US 6,921,917 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2001
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: LG Philips LCD Company Limited (LG Display Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Choi, Seung Kyu, Kim, Jong Woo, Soh, Jae Moon
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MONDT, JOHANNES P
• Application Number:
  US10/028,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20020084459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 257/52, 257/57, 257/59, 257/72, 349 42- 47
• US Class Current: 257/59
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/12 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/42384 for thin film field effect transistors, e.g. characterised by the thickness or the shape of the insulator or the dimensions, the shape or the lay-out of the conductor

Abstract

A thin film transistor substrate and a fabricating method thereof that are capable of improving an aperture ratio. A gate electrode on that substrate has an inclined head and a concave neck.

Claims

1. A thin film transistor substrate for a liquid crystal display, comprising:

a data line extending in a first straight line direction;

a gate line extending in a second straight line direction;

a source electrode connected to the data line so as to receive video data;

a drain electrode opposed to the source electrode;

a channel between the drain electrode and the source electrode, wherein the channel has a desired size; and

a gate electrode having overlapping areas between the gate electrode and the source/drain electrodes and extending from the gate line for opening and closing the channel, wherein the gate electrode includes a head portion, the head portion having an inclined part sloped at a first angle relative to the first straight line direction of the data line and a second angle relative to the second straight line direction of the gate line, the inclined part being unparallel to the gate line, the first angle different from the second angle.

2. The thin film transistor substrate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head portion is inclined parallel to a rubbing direction.

3. The thin film transistor substrate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head portion is inclined between about 35°

to 45°

from the longitudinal direction of the gate electrode.

4. The thin film transistor substrate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gate electrode includes a concave neck, and wherein the concave neck reduces overlap of the drain electrode and the gate electrode.

5. The thin film transistor substrate as claimed in claim 4, wherein the concave neck is narrower than a maximum width of the head by less than about 5 μ

m.

6. The thin film transistor substrate as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a gate insulating film on the thin film transistor substrate and over the gate electrode;

a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating film and over the gate electrode;

a protective layer over the gate insulating film and over the source and drain electrodes; and

a pixel electrode on the protective layer and connected to the drain electrode;

wherein the source and drain electrodes are on the semiconductor layer.

7. The thin film transistor substrate as claimed in claim 6, wherein the pixel electrode is formed with an edge that follows the inclination of the head portion, and wherein the pixel electrode further corresponds with the concave neck of the gate electrode.

8. The thin film transistor substrate as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a gate insulating film on the thin film transistor substrate and gate electrode;

an active layer and an ohmic contact layer over the gate insulating film, wherein the active layer and the ohmic contact layer overlap the gate electrode;

a protective layer over the gate insulating film and patterned to match the active layer; and

a pixel electrode on the protective layer and connected to the drain electrode;

wherein the source and drain electrodes are pattern to match the ohmic contact layer.

9. The thin film transistor substrate as claimed in claim 8, wherein the pixel electrode is formed with an edge that follows the inclination of the head portion, and wherein the pixel electrode further corresponds with the concave neck of the gate electrode.

10. The thin film transistor substrate as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a gate insulating film on the thin film transistor substrate and over the gate electrode;

a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating film and over the gate electrode;

a protective layer on the gate insulating film and over the source and drain electrodes; and

a pixel electrode on the protective layer and connected to the drain electrode;

wherein the source and drain electrodes correspond with the semiconductor layer.

11. The thin film transistor substrate as claimed in claim 10, wherein the pixel electrode is formed with an edge that follows the inclination of the head portion, and wherein the pixel electrode further corresponds with the concave neck of the gate electrode.

12. A thin film transistor substrate for a liquid crystal display, comprising:

a data line extending in a first straight line direction, the data line receiving video data;

a gate line extending in a second straight line direction, the gate line being perpendicular to the data line;

a source electrode extending from the data line in a same direction as the gate line;

a drain electrode opposite the source electrode;

a semiconductor layer having a channel, the channel being located between the drain electrode and the source electrode; and

a gate electrode extending from the gate line and in a same direction as the data line, a portion of the source electrode overlapping the gate electrode and a portion of the drain electrode overlapping the gate electrode, and

wherein a first overlapping portion between the source electrode and the gate electrode has a first width and a second overlapping portion between the drain electrode and the gate electrode has a second width, the first width being larger than the second width, the first width of the source electrode and the second width of the drain electrode corresponding to a shape of the semiconductor layer;

whereby the shape of the gate electrode reduces the overlapping areas between the gate electrode and the source and drain electrodes to reduce a parasitic capacitance.

13. The thin film transistor substrate as claimed in claim 12, wherein the gate electrode includes a head portion having at least one side inclined at a predetermined angle and the head portion is inclined parallel to a rubbing direction.

14. The thin film transistor substrate as claimed in claim 13, wherein the head portion is inclined between about 35°

to 45°

from the longitudinal direction of the gate electrode.

15. The thin film transistor substrate as claimed in claim 12, wherein the gate electrode includes a concave neck, and wherein the concave neck reduces overlap of the drain electrode and the gate electrode.

16. The thin film transistor substrate as claimed in claim 15, wherein the concave neck is narrower than a maximum width of the head by less than about 5 μ

m.

17. A thin film transistor substrate for a liquid crystal display, comprising:

a data line extending in a first straight line direction;

a gate line extending in a second straight line direction;

a source electrode connected to the data line so as to receive video data;

a drain electrode opposed to the source electrode;

a channel between the drain electrode and the source electrode, wherein the channel has a desired size; and

a gate electrode having overlapping areas between the gate electrode and the source/drain electrodes and extending from the gate line for opening and closing the channel, wherein the gate electrode includes a head portion, the head portion having an inclined part sloped at a first angle relative to the first straight line direction of the data line and a second angle relative to the second straight line direction of the gate line, the inclined part being unparallel to the gate line,

a semiconductor layer comprising the channel and located above the gate electrode, wherein said semiconductor layer has a shape of a funnel having a first portion and a second portion in a plan view, said second portion displaced from said first portion along the length direction of the funnel, the first overlapping area between the source electrode and the gate electrode corresponding to the first portion of the funnel and the second overlapping area between the drain electrode and the gate electrode corresponding to the second portion of the funnel.

18. The thin film transistor substrate as claimed in claim 17, wherein the semiconductor layer includes an amorphous semiconductor layer and a doped amorphous semiconductor layer.

19. A thin film transistor substrate for a liquid crystal display, comprising:

a data line extending in a first straight line direction;

a gate line extending in a second straight line direction;

a source electrode connected to the data line so as to receive video data;

a drain electrode opposed to the source electrode;

a channel between the drain electrode and the source electrode, wherein the channel has a desired size; and

a gate electrode having overlapping areas between the gate electrode and the source/drain electrodes and extending from the gate line for opening and closing the channel, wherein the gate electrode includes a head portion, the head portion having an inclined part sloped at a first angle relative to the first straight line direction of the data line and a second angle relative to the second straight line direction of the gate line, the inclined part being unparallel to the gate line,

wherein the channel is part of a semiconductor layer having a shape of a funnel having a first portion and a second portion in a plan view, an overlapping area between the source electrode and the gate electrode corresponding to the first portion of the funnel and an overlapping area between the drain electrode and the gate electrode corresponding to the second portion of the funnel.

20. The thin film transistor substrate as claimed in claim 19, wherein the semiconductor layer includes an amorphous semiconductor layer and a doped amorphous semiconductor layer.

21. A thin film transistor substrate for a liquid crystal display, comprising:

a data line and a gate line defining a pixel area;

a source electrode extending from the data line;

a drain electrode opposite the source electrode;

a semiconductor layer having a channel, the channel being located between the drain electrode and the source electrode; and

a gate electrode extending from the gate line and overlapping the source/drain electrodes,

wherein a first overlapping portion between the source electrode and the gate electrode has a first width and a second overlapping portion between the drain electrode and the gate electrode has a second width, the first width being larger than the second width,

whereby the shape of the gate electrode reduces the overlapping areas between the gate electrode and the source and drain electrodes to reduce a parasitic capacitance.