Array substrate and method for manufacturing the same

• US 8,115,215 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2008
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Inventors: Chang, Chun-Huan
• Primary Examiner(s): Parker, Kenneth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Page, Dale E
• Application Number:
  US12/078,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20080251797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• Field of Search: 257/72, 257/195, 257/88, 349/39, 438/267, 438/587
• US Class Current: 257/88
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136213 Storage capacitors associated with the pixel electrode
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136227 Through-hole connection of the pixel electrode to the active element through an insulation layer
• 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

An array substrate is disclosed. The array substrate comprises a substrate, a gate metal layer, a gate insulation layer, a semiconductor layer, a patterned metal layer, a flat layer, and a pixel electrode. The patterned metal layer is disposed on the surface of the semiconductor layer comprising a source and a drain, and on the surface of the gate insulation layer comprising a storage capacitor line and a data line. The storage capacitor line has an extending portion parallel to a scan line. The pixel electrode overlaps parts of the scan line, parts of the data line, parts of the storage capacitor line, and parts of the extending portion. A method for manufacturing the array substrate is also provided.

Claims

1. An array substrate comprising:

a substrate;

a gate metal layer disposed on the surface of the substrate and serving as a gate and a scan line;

a gate insulation layer disposed on the substrate and covering on the gate metal layer;

a semiconductor layer disposed on the surface of the gate insulation layer and over the gate;

a patterned metal layer disposed on the surface of the semiconductor layer and the surface of the gate insulation layer, wherein the patterned metal layer formed on the surface of the semiconductor layer comprises a source and a drain, the patterned metal layer formed on the surface of the gate insulation layer comprises a storage capacitor line and a data line, and the storage capacitor line has a main portion and an extending portion substantially perpendicular to the main portion, wherein the main portion is substantially parallel to the data line and the extending portion is substantially parallel to the scan line;

a flat layer covering over the substrate;

and a pixel electrode disposed on the surface of the flat layer, which connects with the drain, and overlapping parts of the scan line, parts of the data line, parts of the storage capacitor fine, and parts of the extending portion.

2. The array substrate as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an ohmic contact layer corresponding to two sides of the gate and disposed between the semiconductor layer and the patterned metal layer.

3. The array substrate as claimed in claim 2, wherein the ohmic contact layer is made of N⁺—

Si.

4. The array substrate as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a protection layer disposed on the surfaces of the gate insulation layer and the patterned metal layer.

5. The array substrate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pixel electrode covers on the storage capacitor line.

6. The array substrate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extending portion of the storage capacitor line substantially aligns with the border of the pixel electrode.

7. The array substrate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extending portion of the storage capacitor line overlaps the pixel electrode.

8. The array substrate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pixel electrode is an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode or an indium zinc oxide (IZO) electrode.

9. The array substrate as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a transparent electrode layer disposed between the ohmic contact layer and the metal layer, wherein the transparent electrode layer is connected with the pixel electrode.

10. The array substrate as claimed in claim 9, wherein the transparent electrode layer is made of ITO or IZO.

11. A method for manufacturing an array substrate comprising the following steps:

Providing a substrate;

Forming a gate metal layer on the substrate, wherein the gate metal layer serves as a gate and a scan line;

Forming a gate insulation layer on the substrate to covering the gate metal layer;

Forming a semiconductor layer on the surface of the gate insulation layer corresponding to the gate;

Forming a patterned metal layer on the surface of the semiconductor layer and the surface of the gate insulation layer, wherein the patterned metal layer formed on the surface of the semiconductor layer comprises a source and a drain, the patterned metal layer formed on the surface of the gate insulation layer comprises a storage capacitor line and a data line, wherein the storage capacitor has a main portion and an extending portion substantially perpendicular to the main portion, wherein the main portion is substantially parallel to the data line and the extending portion is substantially parallel to the scan line;

Forming a patterned flat layer over the substrate to cover the patterned metal layer, the gate insulation layer, and the semiconductor layer; and

Forming a pixel electrode on the surface of the flat layer to overlap parts of the scan line, parts of the data line, parts of the storage capacitor line and parts of the extending portion wherein the pixel electrode connects with the drain.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising forming an ohmic contact layer corresponding to two sides of the gate to be disposed between the semiconductor layer and the patterned metal layer.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising forming a protection layer disposed on the surfaces of the gate insulation layer and the patterned metal layer.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the pixel electrode covers on the storage capacitor line.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the extending portion of the storage capacitor line substantially aligns with the border of the pixel electrode.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the extending portion of the storage capacitor line overlaps the pixel electrode.

17. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the pixel electrode is made of ITO or IZO.

18. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the semiconductor layer is an amorphous silicon layer.

19. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising forming a transparent electrode layer between the ohmic contact layer and the metal layer, and the transparent electrode layer is connected with the pixel electrode.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the transparent electrode layer is made of ITO or IZO.