Panel for display device, manufacturing method thereof and liquid crystal display

• US 7,538,850 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2004
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Shi-Yul, Kim, Sang-Soo, Kim, Dong-Gyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Thanh-Nhan P
• Application Number:
  US10/752,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20040183989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,966 Days
• Field of Search: 349 38- 43, 349/106, 349155-157, 349/110, 349/129, 349/130, 438/30
• US Class Current: 349/155
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133512 Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix G02F1/136209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13394 spacers regularly patterned on the cell subtrate, e.g. walls, pillars G02F1/133377 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136222 Colour filters incorporated in the active matrix substrate

Abstract

A method for forming a display device includes forming a first panel and a second panel. The step of forming a first panel includes forming a black matrix over portions of a first substrate, forming a common electrode over the black matrix, and forming a spacer over the common electrode and the black matrix. The step of forming the second panel includes forming a pixel electrode over a second substrate. The first panel and the second panel are disposed over one another such that the pixel electrode faces the common electrode and the black matrix with a liquid crystal layer therebetween. A vertical distance between the first panel and the second panel is determined by thicknesses of the spacer and the black matrix.

Claims

1. A method of forming a display device, comprising:

forming a first panel, the step of forming the first panel comprising;

forming a black matrix over portions of a first substrate;

forming a common electrode in contact with the black matrix;

forming a spacer in contact with the common electrode, the spacer disposed over the black matrix; and

forming a protrusion in contact with the common electrode, the protrusion not disposed over the black matrix;

forming a second panel, the step of forming the second panel comprising;

forming a pixel electrode over a second substrate;

forming a gate line over the second substrate;

forming a gate insulating layer over the gate line;

forming a semiconductor pattern over the gate insulating layer;

forming an ohmic contact pattern over the semiconductor pattern; and

forming a data line over the ohmic contact pattern, the data line intersecting the gate line and including a source electrode, a drain electrode and a storage-capacitor conductor;

forming a color filter over the data line, the color filter comprising a first contact hole that exposes the drain electrode and a second contact hole that exposes the storage-capacitor conductor; and

disposing the first panel and the second panel over one another such that the pixel electrode faces the common electrode and black matrix with a liquid crystal layer therebetween, a vertical distance between the first panel and the second panel being determined by thicknesses of the spacer and the black matrix,

wherein the protrusion and the spacer are formed with substantially the same thickness, with the spacer being thicker than the protrusion, wherein the thickness corresponds to a direction perpendicular to the first panel, wherein the spacer is formed on a higher portion than a position of the protrusion in the direction perpendicular to the first panel, and wherein the protrusion and the spacer are not attached to each other.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the protrusion and the spacer are formed simultaneously.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming a passivation layer over the color filter; and

forming contact holes in the passivation layer that coincide with the first and second contact holes of the color filter,

wherein the passivation layer covers the color filter.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the contact holes in the passivation layer are larger than the first and second contact holes of the color filter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor pattern, the ohmic contact pattern and the data line are formed simultaneously in steps comprising:

forming a semiconductor layer over the gate insulation layer;

forming a doped amorphous silicon layer over the semiconductor layer;

forming a conductive layer over the doped amorphous silicon layer; and

removing a portion of the conductive layer, a portion of the doped amorphous silicon layer and a portion of the semiconductor layer in a channel region to separate the conductive layer into a data line and a drain electrode, to separate the doped amorphous silicon layer into an ohmic contact pattern and to form a semiconductor pattern.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of removing comprises:

forming a photoresist film over the conductive layer, the photoresist film having a thin portion in the channel region;

removing the thin portion of the photoresist layer to expose the portion of the conductive layer in the channel region; and

etching the portion of the conductive layer, the portion of the doped amorphous silicon layer and the portion of the semiconductor layer.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the portion of the semiconductor layer is partially removed to form the semiconductor pattern.

8. A method of forming a display device, comprising:

forming a first panel, the step of forming the first panel comprising;

forming a black matrix over portions of a first substrate;

forming a common electrode in contact with the black matrix;

forming a spacer over the common electrode and the black matrix; and

forming a protrusion in contact with the common electrode, the protrusion not disposed over the black matrix;

forming a second panel, the step of forming the second panel comprising;

forming a gate line over a second substrate;

forming a gate insulating layer over the gate line;

forming a semiconductor pattern, an ohmic contact pattern and a data line simultaneously over the gate line;

forming a pixel electrode over the semiconductor pattern, the ohmic contact pattern and the data line; and

forming a color filter over the data line, the color filter comprising a first contact hole that exposes a drain electrode and a second contact hole that exposes a storage-capacitor conductor; and

disposing the first panel and the second panel over one another such that the pixel electrode faces the common electrode with a liquid crystal layer therebetween,

wherein the protrusion and the spacer are formed with substantially the same thickness, with the spacer being thicker than the protrusion, wherein the thickness corresponds to a direction perpendicular to the first panel, wherein the spacer is formed on a higher portion than a position of the protrusion in the direction perpendicular to the first panel, and wherein the protrusion and the spacer are not attached to each other.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the semiconductor pattern, the ohmic contact pattern and the data line are formed simultaneously in steps comprising:

forming a semiconductor layer over the gate insulation layer;

forming a doped amorphous silicon layer over the semiconductor layer;

forming a conductive layer over the doped amorphous silicon layer; and

removing a portion of the conductive layer, a portion of the doped amorphous silicon layer and a portion of the semiconductor layer in a channel region to separate the conductive layer into a data line and a drain electrode, to separate the doped amorphous silicon layer into an ohmic contact pattern and to form a semiconductor pattern.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of removing comprises:

forming a photoresist film over the conductive layer, the photoresist film having a thin portion in the channel region;

removing the thin portion of the photoresist layer to expose the portion of the conductive layer in the channel region; and

etching the portion of the conductive layer, the portion of the doped amorphous silicon layer and the portion of the semiconductor layer.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the protrusion provides divisional alignment of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the spacer and the protrusion are formed simultaneously.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

forming a passivation layer over the color filter; and

forming contact holes in the passivation layer that coincide with the first and second contact holes of the color filter,

wherein the passivation layer covers the color filter.

14. A display device, comprising:

a first panel, the first panel comprising;

a black matrix formed over portions of a first substrate;

a common electrode formed in contact with the black matrix;

a spacer formed in contact with the common electrode, the spacer disposed over the black matrix; and

a protrusion formed in contact with the common electrode, the protrusion not disposed over the black matrix;

a second panel, the second panel comprising;

a pixel electrode formed over a second substrate;

a gate line formed over the second substrate;

a gate insulating layer formed over the gate line;

a semiconductor pattern formed over the gate insulating layer;

an ohmic contact pattern formed over the semiconductor pattern; and

a data line formed over the ohmic contact pattern, the data line intersecting the gate line and including a source electrode, a drain electrode and a storage-capacitor conductor;

a color filter formed over the data line, the color filter comprising a first contact hole that exposes the drain electrode and a second contact hole that exposes the storage-capacitor conductor; and

a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first panel and the second panel such that the pixel electrode faces the common electrode and black matrix with the liquid crystal layer therebetween, a vertical distance between the first panel and the second panel being determined by thicknesses of the spacer and the black matrix,

wherein the protrusion and the spacer are formed with substantially the same thickness, with the spacer being thicker than the protrusion, wherein the thickness corresponds to a direction perpendicular to the first panel, wherein the spacer is formed on a higher portion than a position of the protrusion in the direction perpendicular to the first panel, wherein the protrusion and the spacer are not attached to each other.

15. The display device of claim 14, wherein the protrusion and the spacer are formed of the same material.

16. The display device of claim 14, further comprising:

a passivation layer formed over the color filter; and

contact holes formed in the passivation layer that coincide with the first and second contact holes of the color filter,

wherein the passivation layer covers the color filter.

17. The display device of claim 16, wherein the contact holes in the passivation layer are larger than the first and second contact holes of the color filter.