Thin-film transistor display devices having composite electrodes

• US 7,705,355 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2007
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Dong-gyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Mandala; Victor A
• Application Number:
  US11/836,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20080035999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 257/59, 257/72, 257/E27.131
• US Class Current: 257/59
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13458 Terminal pads
• 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 1/136286 Wiring, e.g. gate line, drain line
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13629 Multilayer wirings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/12 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/124 with a particular composition, shape or layout of the wiring layers specially adapted to the circuit arrangement, e.g. scanning lines in LCD pixel circuits wiring structures per se H01L23/52
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/41733 for thin film transistors with insulated gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/458 for thin film silicon, e.g. source or drain electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66765 Lateral single gate single channel transistors with inverted structure, i.e. the channel layer is formed after the gate

Abstract

Methods of forming thin-film transistor display devices including forming a gate line and a gate electrode on a face of a substrate and forming a semiconductor layer that is insulated from the gate line. A data line and a source/drain electrode are formed on the semiconductor layer. The data line and the source/drain electrode are formed as composites of at least two different metal conductive layers. A transparent pixel electrode is formed that is electrically coupled to the drain electrode.

Claims

1. A thin-film transistor display device, comprising:

a gate line and a gate electrode on a substrate;

a first insulating layer on the gate line and gate electrode;

a semiconductor layer on said first insulating layer;

a data line including a source electrode and a drain electrode on said semiconductor layer, said data line and drain electrode comprising a first underlying refractory metal layer in contact with said semiconductor layer and a first metal layer on the first refractory metal layer;

a second insulating layer directly contacting a portion of said semiconductor layer and having a contact hole therein that exposes the first refractory metal layer and side walls of the first metal layer;

a pixel electrode on said second insulating layer, said pixel electrode extending into the contact hole and directly contacting the first refractory metal layer;

a first conductive pattern electrically connected to an end portion of the gate line; and

a second conductive pattern electrically connected to an end portion of the data line.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first metal layer comprises an aluminum metal.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein the second conductive pattern contacting with the refractory metal layer in said data line.

4. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first conductive pattern contacts with the part of side surfaces of the gate line and the second conductive pattern contacts with the part of side surfaces of the data line.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first underlying refractory metal layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, and titanium.

6. The display device of claim 5, wherein the first metal layer comprises an aluminum metal.

7. The display device of claim 1, wherein the gate line comprising a second underlying refractory metal layer on the substrate and a second metal layer on the second underlying refractory metal layer;

and

the first conductive pattern contacting the refractory metal layer in said gate line.

8. The display device of claim 7, wherein the first conductive pattern contacts with the second underlying refractory metal layer in said gate line.

9. The display device of claim 7, wherein the second underlying refractory metal layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, titanium.

10. The display device of claim 9, wherein the second metal layer comprises an aluminum metal.

11. The display device of claim 7, wherein the second metal layer comprises an aluminum metal.

12. A thin film transistor display device, comprising:

a substrate;

a gate line and a gate electrode on said substrate, a top of the gate electrode being narrower than a bottom of the gate electrode and the gate electrode comprising at least two layers including two metals of a refractory metal layer and a first metal layer different from said refractory metal layer;

a first insulating layer on said gate line and gate electrode;

a semiconductor layer on said first insulating layer;

a data line including a source electrode and a drain electrode on said semiconductor layer;

a second insulating layer having a contact hole therein that exposes at least a part of said drain electrode;

a pixel electrode on said second insulating layer, said pixel electrode extending into said contact hole and contacting with said the part of said drain electrode;

a first conductive pattern electrically connected to an end portion of the gate line; and

a second conductive pattern electrically connected to an end portion of the data line.

13. The display device of claim 12, wherein the first conductive pattern contacts with the part of side surfaces of the gate line.

14. The display device of claim 13, wherein the second conductive pattern contacts with the part of side surfaces of the data line.

15. A thin film transistor display device, comprising:

a substrate;

a gate line and a gate electrode on said substrate, a top of the gate electrode being narrower than a bottom of the gate electrode;

a first insulating layer on said gate line and gate electrode;

a semiconductor layer on said first insulating layer;

a data line including a source electrode and a drain electrode on said semiconductor layer;

a second insulating layer having a contact hole therein that exposes at least a part of

said drain electrode;

a pixel electrode on said second insulating layer, said pixel electrode extending into said contact hole and contacting with said the part of said drain electrode;

a first conductive pattern electrically connected to an end portion of the gate line; and

a second conductive pattern electrically connected to an end portion of the data line;

wherein said data line and drain electrode comprise at least two layers including two metals of a refractory metal layer and a second metal layer different from said refractory metal layer.

16. The display device of claim 15, wherein the second metal layer comprises aluminum.

17. The display device of claim 15, wherein the refractory metal layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, and titanium.

18. The display device of claim 17, wherein the second metal layer comprises aluminum.

19. A thin-film transistor display device, comprising:

a substrate;

a gate electrode on the substrate, the gate electrode comprising a first refractory metal layer and a first conductive metal layer on the first refractory metal layer;

a first insulating layer on the gate electrode, the first insulating layer having a first contact hole therein;

a semiconductor layer on the first insulating layer;

spaced apart source and drain electrodes on the semiconductor layer, the drain electrode comprising a second refractory metal layer and a second conductive metal layer on the second refractory metal layer;

a second insulating layer on the source and drain electrodes, the second insulating layer having second and third contact holes therein;

a transparent pixel electrode formed on the second insulating layer, the transparent pixel electrode electrically coupled to the drain electrode through the second contact hole; and

a transparent gate pad in direct contact with the upper surface of the first refractory metal layer through the first and third contact holes;

wherein the side surface of the first refractory metal layer of the gate electrode is in direct contact with the first insulating layer and the portion of the second insulating layer is in direct contact with the portion of the semiconductor layer located between the source electrode and the drain electrode.

20. The thin film transistor display device of claim 19, wherein the first conductive metal layer comprises an aluminum metal.

21. The thin film transistor display device of claim 19, wherein the second conductive metal layer comprises an aluminum metal.

22. The display device of claim 19, wherein the first refractory metal layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, titanium and the second refractory metal layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, titanium.

23. A thin-film transistor display device, comprising:

a substrate;

a gate electrode on the substrate, the gate electrode comprising a first refractory metal layer and a first conductive metal layer on the first refractory metal layer;

a first insulating layer on the gate electrode, the first insulating layer having a first contact hole therein;

a semiconductor layer on the first insulating layer;

spaced apart source and drain electrodes on the semiconductor layer, the drain electrode comprising a second refractory metal layer and a second conductive metal layer on the second refractory metal layer;

a second insulating layer on the source and drain electrodes, the second insulating layer having second and third contact holes therein;

a transparent pixel electrode formed on the second insulating layer, the transparent pixel electrode in direct contact with the upper surface of the second refractory metal layer through the second contact hole; and

a transparent data pad in direct contact with the upper surface of the second refractory metal layer through the first and third contact holes;

wherein the side surface of the first refractory metal layer of the gate electrode is in direct contact with the first insulating layer and the portion of the second insulating layer is in direct contact with the portion of the semiconductor layer located between the source electrode and the drain electrode.

24. The thin film transistor display device of claim 23, wherein the first conductive metal layer comprises an aluminum metal.

25. The thin film transistor display device of claim 23, wherein the second conductive metal layer comprises an aluminum metal.

26. The display device of claim 23, wherein the first refractory metal layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, titanium and the second refractory metal layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, titanium.