TFT substrate and TFT substrate manufacturing method

• US 8,263,977 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Idemitsu Kosan Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Idemitsu Kosan Company Limited
• Inventors: Inoue, Kazuyoshi, Yano, Koki, Tanaka, Nobuo
• Primary Examiner(s): WOJCIECHOWICZ, EDWARD JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US12/095,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20100283055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,112 Days
• Field of Search: 257/40, 257/49, 257/59, 257/72, 257/382, 438/149
• US Class Current: 257/59
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1225 with semiconductor materials not belonging to the group IV of the periodic table, e.g. InGaZnO
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1288 employing particular masking sequences or specially adapted masks, e.g. half-tone mask
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7869 having a semiconductor body comprising an oxide semiconductor material, e.g. zinc oxide, copper aluminium oxide, cadmium stannate

Abstract

An object of the invention is to provide a TFT substrate and a method for producing a TFT substrate which is capable of drastically reducing the production cost by decreasing the number of steps in the production process and improving production yield. A TFT substrate comprises: a substrate; a first oxide layer formed above the substrate; a second oxide layer formed above the first oxide layer with a channel part interposed therebetween; a gate insulating film formed above the substrate, the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer; a gate electrode and a gate wire formed above the gate insulating film.

Claims

1. A TFT substrate comprising:

a substrate;

a first oxide layer formed above the substrate;

a second oxide layer formed above the first oxide layer with a channel part separating parts of the second oxide layer;

the channel part being defined by those separate parts of the second oxide layer with the first oxide layer at its base;

a gate insulating film formed above the substrate, the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer;

a gate electrode and a gate wire formed above the gate insulating film;

wherein the first oxide layer is an n-type oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide layer is an oxide conductor layer; and

wherein at least one of a source wire, a drain wire, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a pixel electrode is formed from the second oxide layer.

2. The TFT substrate according to claim 1, wherein the TFT substrate is provided with a protective insulating film which is formed above the gate insulating film, the gate wire and the gate electrode, and has an opening for a gate wire pad, an opening for a source/drain wire pad and an opening for a pixel electrode.

3. The TFT substrate according to claim 2, wherein the first oxide layer is formed above the substrate to cover the substrate.

4. The TFT substrate according to claim 1, wherein the TFT substrate is provided with a pixel electrode formed of a stacked film of the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer.

5. The TFT substrate according to claim 1, wherein, the first oxide layer is formed at least on the side facing the substrate of the second oxide layer.

6. The TFT substrate according to claim 1, wherein the material for the second oxide layer has selective etching properties to the material for the first oxide layer.

7. The TFT substrate according to claim 1, wherein by crystallizing at least one of the material for the second oxide layer and the material for the first oxide layer, the material for the second oxide layer has selective etching properties to the material for the first oxide layer.

8. The TFT substrate according to claim 1, wherein the energy gaps of the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer are 3.0 eV or more.

9. The TFT substrate according to claim 1, wherein an oxide insulator is used as the gate insulating film.

10. The TFT substrate according to claim 1, wherein an auxiliary conductive layer is formed on at least one of a source wire, a drain wire, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a pixel electrode.

11. The TFT substrate according to claim 10, wherein the material for the auxiliary conductive layer has selective etching properties to the material for the second oxide layer.

12. The TFT substrate according to claim 10, wherein the material for the auxiliary conductive layer has selective etching properties to the material for the second oxide layer by crystallization of at least one of the material for the auxiliary conductive layer and the material for the second oxide layer.

13. The TFT substrate according to claim 10, wherein a conducting protective film is formed above the auxiliary conductive layer.

14. The TFT substrate according to claim 1, wherein a conducting protective film is formed above at least one of the gate electrode and the gate wire.

15. The TFT substrate according to claim 1, wherein the TFT substrate is provided with an insulating film above at least one of a source wire, a drain wire, a source electrode and a drain electrode.

16. A method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

stacking a first oxide layer, a second oxide layer and a first resist in this order on a substrate, and forming the first resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the second oxide layer and the first oxide layer by an etching method using the first resist to form a source wire, a drain wire, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a pixel electrode;

after reforming the first resist, selectively patterning the second oxide layer by an etching method using the first resist to form a channel part;

stacking a gate insulating film, a gate electrode/wire layer and a second resist in this order on the substrate, the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer, and forming the second resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the gate electrode/wire layer and the gate insulating film by an etching method using the second resist to expose a source/drain wire pad and the pixel electrode; and

after reforming the second resist, selectively patterning the gate electrode/wire layer by an etching method using the second resist to form a gate electrode and a gate wire.

17. A method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

stacking a first oxide layer, a second oxide layer and a first resist in this order on a substrate, and forming the first resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the second oxide layer and the first oxide layer by an etching method using the first resist to form a source wire, a drain wire, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a pixel electrode;

after reforming the first resist, selectively patterning the second oxide layer by an etching method using the first resist to form a channel part;

stacking an auxiliary conductive layer and a second resist in this order on the substrate, the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer, and forming an auxiliary wire and/or an auxiliary electrode formed of the auxiliary conductive layer by using a second mask on at least one of the source wire, the drain wire, the source electrode and the drain electrode;

stacking a gate insulating film, a gate electrode/wire layer and a third resist in this order on the substrate, the first oxide layer, the second oxide layer and the auxiliary conductive layer, and forming the third resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the gate electrode/wire layer and the gate insulating film by an etching method using the third resist to expose a source/drain wire pad and the pixel electrode; and

after reforming the third resist, selectively patterning the gate electrode/wire layer by an etching method using the third resist to form a gate electrode and a gate wire.

18. A method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

stacking a first oxide layer, a second oxide layer, an auxiliary conductive layer and a first resist in this order on a substrate, and forming the first resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the auxiliary conductive layer by an etching method using the first resist, and patterning the second oxide layer and the first oxide layer by an etching method using the first resist to form a source wire, a drain wire, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a pixel electrode on which the auxiliary conductive layer is stacked;

after reforming the first resist, selectively patterning the auxiliary conductive layer and the second oxide layer by an etching method using the first resist to form a channel part;

stacking a gate insulating film, a gate electrode/wire layer and a second resist in this order on the substrate, the first oxide layer and the auxiliary conductive layer, and forming the second resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the gate electrode/wire layer and the gate insulating film on a source/drain wire pad and the pixel electrode by an etching method using the second resist; and

after reforming the second resist, selectively patterning the gate electrode/wire layer by an etching method using the second resist to form a gate electrode and a gate wire, and exposing the source/drain wire pad and the pixel electrode.

19. A method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

stacking a first oxide layer, a second oxide layer and a first resist in this order on a substrate, and forming the first resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the second oxide layer and the first oxide layer by an etching method with a predetermined etching solution (A) using the first resist to form a source wire, a drain wire, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a pixel electrode;

reforming the first resist, and selectively patterning the second oxide layer by an etching method using the reformed first resist to form a channel part;

stacking a gate insulating film, a gate electrode/wire layer and a second resist in this order on the substrate, the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer, and forming the second resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the gate electrode/wire layer and the gate insulating film by an etching method using the second resist to expose a source/drain wire pad and the pixel electrode;

reforming the second resist, and selectively patterning the gate electrode/wire layer by an etching method with a predetermined etching solution (B) using the reformed second resist to form a gate electrode and a gate wire;

stacking a protective insulating film and a third resist in this order above the substrate on which the gate electrode and the gate wire are formed, and forming the third resist in a predetermined shape; and

patterning the protective insulating film by an etching method using the third resist to expose the pixel electrode, the source/drain wire pad and a gate wire pad.

20. A method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

stacking a first oxide layer, a second oxide layer and a first resist in this order on a substrate, and forming the first resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the second oxide layer and the first oxide layer by an etching method with a predetermined etching solution (A) using the first resist to form a source wire, a drain wire, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a pixel electrode;

reforming the first resist, and selectively patterning the second oxide layer by an etching method using the reformed first resist to form a channel part;

stacking a gate insulating film, a gate electrode/wire layer and a second resist in this order on the substrate, the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer, and forming the second resist in a predetermined shape;

patterning the gate electrode/wire layer by an etching method with a predetermined etching solution (B) using the second resist to form a gate electrode and a gate wire;

stacking a protective insulating film and a third resist in this order above the substrate on which the gate electrode and the gate wire are formed, and forming the third resist in a predetermined shape; and

patterning the protective insulating film and the gate insulating film by an etching method using the third resist to expose the pixel electrode, a source/drain wire pad and a gate wire pad.

21. A method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

stacking a first oxide layer, a second oxide layer, an auxiliary conductive layer, and a first resist in this order on a substrate, and forming the first resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the auxiliary conductive layer by an etching method with a predetermined etching solution (B) using the first resist, and patterning the second oxide layer and the first oxide layer by an etching method with a predetermined etching solution (A) to form a source wire, a drain wire, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a pixel electrode;

reforming the first resist, patterning the auxiliary conductive layer by an etching method with the predetermined etching solution (B) using the reformed first resist, and selectively patterning the second oxide layer by an etching method to form a channel part;

stacking a gate insulating film, a gate electrode/wire layer and a second resist in this order on the substrate, the first oxide layer and the auxiliary conductive layer, and forming the second resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the gate electrode/wire layer and the gate insulating film by an etching method using the second resist to expose the auxiliary conductive layer on a source/drain wire pad and the pixel electrode;

reforming the second resist, patterning the gate electrode/wire layer by an etching method using the reformed second resist and the predetermined etching solution (B) to form a gate electrode and a gate wire, and selectively patterning the exposed auxiliary conductive layer by an etching method to expose the source/drain wire pad and the pixel electrode;

stacking a protective insulating film and a third resist in this order above the substrate on which the gate electrode and the gate wire are formed and the source/drain wire pad and the pixel electrode are exposed, and forming the third resist in a predetermined shape; and

patterning the protective insulating film by an etching method using the third resist to expose the pixel electrode, the source/drain wire pad and a gate wire pad.

22. A method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

stacking a first oxide layer, a second oxide layer, an auxiliary conductive layer, and a first resist in this order on a substrate, and forming the first resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the auxiliary conductive layer by an etching method with a predetermined etching solution (B) using the first resist, and patterning the second oxide layer and the first oxide layer by an etching method with a predetermined etching solution (A) to form a source wire, a drain wire, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a pixel electrode;

reforming the first resist, patterning the auxiliary conductive layer by an etching method with the predetermined etching solution (B) using the reformed first resist, and selectively patterning the second oxide layer by an etching method to form a channel part;

stacking a gate insulating film, a gate electrode/wire layer and a second resist in this order on the substrate, the first oxide layer and the auxiliary conductive layer, and forming the second resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the gate electrode/wire layer and the gate insulating film by an etching method using the second resist to expose the auxiliary conductive layer on the pixel electrode;

reforming the second resist, patterning the gate electrode/wire layer by an etching method using the reformed second resist and the predetermined etching solution (B) to form a gate electrode and a gate wire, and selectively patterning the exposed auxiliary conductive layer by an etching method to expose the pixel electrode;

stacking a protective insulating film and a third resist in this order above the substrate on which the pixel electrode are exposed, and forming the third resist in a predetermined shape; and

patterning the protective insulating film by an etching method using the third resist to expose a gate wire pad and the pixel electrode, and patterning the protective insulating film and the gate insulating film on a source/drain wire pad by an etching method to expose the source/drain wire pad.

23. A method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

stacking a first oxide layer, a second oxide layer, an auxiliary conductive layer, and a first resist in this order on a substrate, and forming the first resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the auxiliary conductive layer by an etching method with a predetermined etching solution (B) using the first resist, and patterning the second oxide layer and the first oxide layer by an etching method with a predetermined etching solution (A) to form a source wire, a drain wire, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a pixel electrode;

reforming the first resist, patterning the auxiliary conductive layer by an etching method with the predetermined etching solution (B) using the reformed first resist, and selectively patterning the second oxide layer by an etching method to form a channel part;

stacking a gate insulating film, a gate electrode/wire layer and a second resist in this order on the substrate, the first oxide layer and the auxiliary conductive layer, and forming the second resist in a predetermined shape;

patterning the gate electrode/wire layer by an etching method using the second resist to form a gate electrode and a gate wire;

stacking a protective insulating film and a third resist in this order above the substrate on which the gate electrode and the gate wire are formed, and forming the third resist in a predetermined shape; and

patterning the protective insulating film, the gate insulating film and the auxiliary conductive layer by an etching method using the third resist to expose the pixel electrode; and

reforming the third resist, patterning the protective insulating film and the gate insulating film by an etching method using the reformed third resist to expose a gate wire pad and a drain wire pad.

24. The method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 19, further comprising the step of forming a conducting protective film above at least one of the gate electrode and the gate wire.

25. The method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 20, further comprising the step of forming a conducting protective film above at least one of the gate electrode and the gate wire.

26. The method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 21, further comprising the step of forming a conducting protective film above at least one of the gate electrode, the gate wire and the auxiliary conductive layer.

27. The method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 22, further comprising the step of forming a conducting protective film above at least one of the gate electrode, the gate wire and the auxiliary conductive layer.

28. The method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 23, further comprising the step of forming a conducting protective film above at least one of the gate electrode, the gate wire and the auxiliary conductive layer.

29. The method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 19, wherein the predetermined etching solution (A) is an aqueous oxalic acid solution, and the predetermined etching solution (B) is an acid mixture composed of phosphoric acid, acetic acid and nitric acid or an aqueous solution composed of ammonium cerium nitrate and aqueous hydrogen peroxide.

30. The method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined etching solution (A) is an aqueous oxalic acid solution, and the predetermined etching solution (B) is an acid mixture composed of phosphoric acid, acetic acid and nitric acid or an aqueous solution composed of ammonium cerium nitrate and aqueous hydrogen peroxide.

31. The method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 21, wherein the predetermined etching solution (A) is an aqueous oxalic acid solution, and the predetermined etching solution (B) is an acid mixture composed of phosphoric acid, acetic acid and nitric acid or an aqueous solution composed of ammonium cerium nitrate and aqueous hydrogen peroxide.

32. The method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 22, wherein the predetermined etching solution (A) is an aqueous oxalic acid solution, and the predetermined etching solution (B) is an acid mixture composed of phosphoric acid, acetic acid and nitric acid or an aqueous solution composed of ammonium cerium nitrate and aqueous hydrogen peroxide.

33. The method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 23, wherein the predetermined etching solution (A) is an aqueous oxalic acid solution, and the predetermined etching solution (B) is an acid mixture composed of phosphoric acid, acetic acid and nitric acid or an aqueous solution composed of ammonium cerium nitrate and aqueous hydrogen peroxide.

34. A method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

stacking a first oxide layer, a second oxide layer, an auxiliary conductive layer, and a first resist in this order on a substrate, and forming the first resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the auxiliary conductive layer by an etching method with a predetermined etching solution (B′

) using the first resist, and patterning the second oxide layer by an etching method with a predetermined etching solution (A′

) to form a channel part, a source wire, a drain wire, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a pixel electrode;

reforming the first resist, and selectively patterning the auxiliary conductive layer on the pixel electrode by an etching method with the predetermined etching solution (B′

) using the reformed first resist to expose the pixel electrode;

stacking a gate insulating film, a gate electrode/wire layer and a second resist in this order on the first oxide layer, the second oxide layer and the auxiliary conductive layer, and forming the second resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the gate electrode/wire layer and the gate insulating film by an etching method using the second resist to expose the pixel electrode;

reforming the second resist, and selectively patterning the gate electrode/wire layer by an etching method using the reformed second resist and the predetermined etching solution (B′

) to form a gate electrode and a gate wire;

stacking a protective insulating film and a third resist in this order above the substrate on which the gate electrode and the gate wire are formed and the pixel electrode are exposed, and forming the third resist in a predetermined shape; and

patterning the protective insulating film by an etching method using the third resist to expose a gate wire pad and the pixel electrode, and patterning the protective insulating film and the gate insulating film on a source/drain wire pad by an etching method to expose the source/drain wire pad.

35. A method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

stacking a first oxide layer, a second oxide layer, an auxiliary conductive layer, and a first resist in this order on a substrate, and forming the first resist in a predetermined shape by half-tone exposure;

patterning the auxiliary conductive layer by an etching method with a predetermined etching solution (B′

) using the first resist, and patterning the second oxide layer by an etching method with a predetermined etching solution (A′

) to form a channel part, a source wire, a drain wire, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a pixel electrode;

reforming the first resist, and selectively patterning the auxiliary conductive layer on the pixel electrode by an etching method with the predetermined etching solution (B′

) using the reformed first resist to expose the pixel electrode;

stacking a gate insulating film, a gate electrode/wire layer and a second resist in this order on the first oxide layer, the second oxide layer and the auxiliary conductive layer, and forming the second resist in a predetermined shape;

patterning the gate electrode/wire layer by an etching method with the predetermined etching solution (B′

) using the second resist to form a gate electrode and a gate wire;

stacking a protective insulating film and a third resist in this order above the substrate on which the gate electrode and the gate wire are formed, and forming the third resist in a predetermined shape; and

patterning the protective insulating film by an etching method using the third resist to expose a gate wire pad, and patterning the protective insulating film and the gate insulating film on a source/drain wire pad and the pixel electrode by an etching method to expose the source/drain wire pad and the pixel electrode.

36. The method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 34, further comprising the step of changing the etching resistance of the stacked first oxide layer and/or the stacked second oxide layer by heat treatment.

37. The method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 35, further comprising the step of changing the etching resistance of the stacked first oxide layer and/or the stacked second oxide layer by heat treatment.

38. The method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 34, further comprising the step of forming a conducting protective film above at least one of the gate electrode, the gate wire and the auxiliary conductive layer.

39. The method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 35, further comprising the step of forming a conducting protective film above at least one of the gate electrode, the gate wire and the auxiliary conductive layer.

40. The method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 34, wherein the predetermined etching solution (A) is an aqueous oxalic acid solution, and the predetermined etching solution (B) is an acid mixture composed of phosphoric acid, acetic acid and nitric acid or an aqueous solution composed of ammonium cerium nitrate and aqueous hydrogen peroxide.

41. The method for producing a TFT substrate according to claim 35, wherein the predetermined etching solution (A) is an aqueous oxalic acid solution, and the predetermined etching solution (B) is an acid mixture composed of phosphoric acid, acetic acid and nitric acid or an aqueous solution composed of ammonium cerium nitrate and aqueous hydrogen peroxide.