Thin film transistor array panel, display device including the same, and method thereof

• US 8,017,947 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Song, Young-Goo, Kim, Yong-Jo, Cho, Young-Je
• Primary Examiner(s): Sefer; A.
• Application Number:
  US12/270,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20090184318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 257/59, 257/72, 257/758, 349/38
• US Class Current: 257/59
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134345 Subdivided pixels, e.g. for grey scale or redundancy
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136213 Storage capacitors associated with the pixel electrode
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136222 Colour filters incorporated in the active matrix substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13624 having more than one switching element per pixel
• 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 27/1255 integrated with passive devices, e.g. auxiliary capacitors

Abstract

A thin film transistor (“TFT”) array panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate, a first storage electrode formed on the substrate, a first TFT formed on the substrate and separated from the first storage electrode, a first insulating layer formed on the first storage electrode and the first TFT and having a first opening disposed on the first storage electrode, a pixel electrode connected to the first TFT and overlapping the first storage electrode in the first opening, and a second insulating layer disposed between the first storage electrode and the pixel electrode in the first opening, wherein at least a portion of the boundary of the pixel electrode overlaps the first storage electrode and is disposed in the first opening. Accordingly, storage appropriate capacitance is ensured and a reduction of the aperture ratio may be decreased.

Claims

1. A thin film transistor array panel comprising:

a substrate;

a first storage electrode disposed on the substrate;

a first thin film transistor disposed on the substrate and separated from the first storage electrode;

a first insulating layer disposed on the first storage electrode and the first thin film transistor and having a first opening disposed on the first storage electrode;

a pixel electrode connected to the first thin film transistor and overlapping the first storage electrode in the first opening; and

a second insulating layer interposed between the first storage electrode and the pixel electrode in the first opening,

wherein at least a portion of one boundary of the pixel electrode overlaps the first storage electrode and lies in the first opening; and

wherein at least a portion of one boundary of the first storage electrode lies in the first opening.

2. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 1, wherein

the first insulating layer comprises a color filter.

3. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 2, wherein

at least a portion of one boundary of the first opening overlaps the first storage electrode.

4. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 3, wherein:

the first opening, the first storage electrode, and an overlapping area between the first storage electrode and the pixel electrode are substantially rectangular; and

the overlapping area lies in the first opening.

5. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 4, wherein the pixel electrode comprises a first portion that is rectangular and overlaps the first opening, a second portion disposed outside the first opening, and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion and having a narrower width than the first portion.

6. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 5, wherein the first portion of the pixel electrode lies within the first opening and boundaries of the first opening lie within boundaries of the first storage electrode.

7. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 5, wherein the overlapping area between the first storage electrode and the pixel electrode is formed by three edges of the first portion of the pixel electrode and one edge of the first storage electrode.

8. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 5, wherein the overlapping area between the first storage electrode and the pixel electrode is formed by two opposite edges of the first portion of the pixel electrode and two opposite edges of the first storage electrode.

9. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 5, wherein the second portion of the pixel electrode has an edge substantially parallel to an edge of the first opening and overlapping the first storage electrode.

10. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 9, wherein the third portion of the pixel electrode overlaps the first storage electrode.

11. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 3, wherein

the pixel electrode comprises:

a first sub-pixel electrode connected to the first thin film transistor and overlapping the first storage electrode in the first opening, and

a second sub-pixel electrode separated from the first sub-pixel electrode.

12. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 11, further comprising:

a second storage electrode connected to the first storage electrode and overlapping with the second sub-pixel electrode; and

a second thin film transistor separated from the second storage electrode and connected to the second sub-pixel electrode,

wherein the first insulating layer has a second opening disposed on the second storage electrode, and

the second insulating layer is interposed between the second storage electrode and the second sub-pixel electrode in the second opening.

13. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 12, wherein boundaries of the second sub-pixel electrode are disposed outside boundaries of the second opening.

14. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 13, wherein a width of the first storage electrode is greater than a width of the second storage electrode, and a length of the first storage electrode is smaller than a length of the second storage electrode.

15. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 14, wherein:

a boundary of the first storage electrode is overlapped by a boundary of the first opening; and

the second storage electrode and the first storage electrode are connected to each other through a connection having a narrower width than the second storage electrode and extending from a boundary of the first storage electrode.

16. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 13, wherein

a width of the second storage electrode is substantially equal to a width of the first storage electrode.

17. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 13, wherein

a voltage of the first sub-pixel electrode and a voltage of the second sub-pixel electrode are derived from one image information inputted from an external device;

and

the voltage of the first sub-pixel electrode is higher than the voltage of the second sub-pixel electrode relative to a predetermined voltage.

18. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 17, wherein the first sub-pixel electrode has a smaller area than the second sub-pixel electrode.

19. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 1, wherein

an overlapping area between the first storage electrode and the pixel electrode has boundaries forming a closed region in the first opening.

20. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 19, further comprising a connection connected to the first storage electrode, the connection having a narrower width than the first storage electrode, and overlapping one boundary of the first opening.

21. A thin film transistor array panel comprising:

a substrate;

a first storage electrode disposed on the substrate;

a first thin film transistor disposed on the substrate and separated from the first storage electrode;

a first insulating layer disposed on the first storage electrode and the first thin film transistor and having a first opening disposed on the first storage electrode;

a pixel electrode connected to the first thin film transistor and overlapping the first storage electrode in the first opening; and

a second insulating layer interposed between the first storage electrode and the pixel electrode in the first opening,

wherein at least a portion of one boundary of the pixel electrode overlaps the first storage electrode and lies in the first opening

wherein entire

boundaries of an overlapping area between the pixel electrode and the first storage electrode in the first opening are formed by boundaries of the pixel electrode; and

wherein entire boundaries of the first storage electrode lie outside the first opening.