Display device and manufacturing method thereof

• US 8,149,346 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kimura, Hajime
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Tina
• Application Number:
  US11/548,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20070139571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,002 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 349/43
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133345 Insulating layers G02F1/1335, G02F1/1337, G02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133512 Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix G02F1/136209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133707 Structures for producing distorted electric fields, e.g. bumps, protrusions, recesses, slits in pixel electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134309 characterised by their geometrical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134336 Matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136209 Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix, incorporated in the active matrix substrate, e.g. structurally associated with the switching element
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136218 Shield electrodes
• 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: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/122 having a particular pattern
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/123 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 27/1288 employing particular masking sequences or specially adapted masks, e.g. half-tone mask
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/458 for thin film silicon, e.g. source or drain electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/103 comprising indium oxides, e.g. ITO
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/814 combined with auxiliary electrodes, e.g. ITO layer combined with metal lines
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/816 Multilayers, e.g. transparent multilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1201 : Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/123 : Connection of the pixel electrodes to the thin film transistors [TFT]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 : Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1315 : comprising structures specially adapted for lowering the resistance
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80516 : combined with auxiliary electrodes, e.g. ITO layer combined with metal lines
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 : Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to form a pixel electrode and a metal film using one resist mask in manufacturing a stacked structure by forming the metal film over the pixel electrode. A conductive film to be a pixel electrode and a metal film are stacked. A resist pattern having a thick region and a region thinner than the thick region is formed over the metal film using an exposure mask having a semi light-transmitting portion. The pixel electrode, and the metal film formed over part of the pixel electrode to be in contact therewith are formed using the resist pattern. Accordingly, a pixel electrode and a metal film can be formed using one resist mask.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a gate electrode formed over a substrate;

a gate insulating film formed over the gate electrode;

an island-like semiconductor film on the gate insulating film;

a conductive layer formed on the island-like semiconductor film;

a pixel electrode formed on the conductive layer; and

a metal film formed on the pixel electrode,

wherein the pixel electrode is in direct contact with a side surface of the conductive layer,

the pixel electrode is in direct contact with the island-like semiconductor film,

the pixel electrode has a level difference portion, and the metal film is in direct contact with the pixel electrode so as to cover the level difference portion of the pixel electrode, and

the level difference portion of the pixel electrode overlaps with the island-like semiconductor film.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive layer comprises an amorphous silicon film including phosphorus.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein a first thickness is thicker than a second thickness when the first thickness of a portion in contact with the metal film and the second thickness of a portion not in contact with the metal film in the pixel electrode are compared with each other.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein a first thickness is thicker than a second thickness when the first thickness of a portion in contact with the metal film and the second thickness of a portion not in contact with the metal film in the pixel electrode are compared with each other.

5. A display device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

a pixel electrode electrically connected to the thin film transistor; and

a metal film formed over the pixel electrode,

wherein the thin film transistor has an island-like semiconductor film over a gate electrode through a gate insulating film,

the pixel electrode is electrically connected to the island-like semiconductor film through a conductive layer,

the pixel electrode is in direct contact with the gate insulating film,

the pixel electrode has a level difference portion, and the metal film is in direct contact with the pixel electrode so as to cover the level difference portion of the pixel electrode, and

the level difference portion of the pixel electrode is in a portion of the pixel electrode which overlaps with the island-like semiconductor film.

6. The display device according to claim 5, further comprising an interlayer insulating film which is formed over the thin film transistor and has a contact hole.

7. The display device according to claim 5, wherein a first thickness is thicker than a second thickness when the first thickness of a portion in contact with the metal film and the second thickness of a portion not in contact with the metal film in the pixel electrode are compared with each other.

8. A display device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

an interlayer insulating film comprising an organic resin material, which is formed over the thin film transistor and has a contact hole overlapping with the thin film transistor;

a pixel electrode electrically connected to the thin film transistor through the contact hole; and

a metal film formed over the pixel electrode,

wherein the pixel electrode has a level difference portion due to the existence of the contact hole, and the metal film is in direct contact with the pixel electrode so as to cover the level difference portion of the pixel electrode.

9. The display device according to claim 8, wherein a first thickness is thicker than a second thickness when the first thickness of a portion in contact with the metal film and the second thickness of a portion not in contact with the metal film in the pixel electrode are compared with each other.

10. A display device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

a pixel electrode electrically connected to the thin film transistor; and

a metal film formed over the pixel electrode to be in contact therewith,

wherein the metal film has a smaller plane-surface area than the pixel electrode,

a side of the metal film is along a side of the pixel electrode, and

the side of the metal film is located inside the side of the pixel electrode.

11. The display device according to claim 10, wherein the metal film is a light-shielding film.

12. The display device according to claim 10, wherein a first thickness is thicker than a second thickness when the first thickness of a portion in contact with the metal film and the second thickness of a portion not in contact with the metal film in the pixel electrode are compared with each other.

13. A display device comprising:

a thin film transistor over a substrate;

a pixel electrode electrically connected to the thin film transistor;

a metal film formed over the pixel electrode to be in contact therewith;

a partition wall which is formed over the pixel electrode and the metal film and makes part of the pixel electrode be exposed;

an electroluminescent layer formed to be in contact with the partition wall and the pixel electrode; and

an electrode over the electroluminescent layer,

wherein at least one side of the metal film is inclined and covered with the partition wall.

14. The display device according to claim 13, wherein a first thickness is thicker than a second thickness when the first thickness of a portion in contact with the metal film and the second thickness of a portion not in contact with the metal film in the pixel electrode are compared with each other.