Method of making oxide thin film transistor array
First Claim
1. A method of making a TFT substrate for an electronic device, the method comprising:
- sputter depositing an oxide semiconductor layer, directly or indirectly, on a soda-lime based glass substrate;
depositing a gate insulator blanket layer, directly or indirectly, on the oxide semiconductor layer;
depositing a gate metal blanket layer, directly or indirectly, on the gate insulator blanket layer;
applying a mask over one or more portions of the gate metal blanket layer so as to define one or more corresponding masked areas and one or more corresponding unmasked areas;
removing portions of the gate metal blanket layer and portions of the gate insulator blanket layer at or proximate to the one or more unmasked areas;
increasing conductivity of the oxide semiconductor layer at the one or more unmasked areas then patterning the oxide semiconductor layer into a plurality of islands;
disposing a passivation layer across substantially the entire substrate;
patterning the passivation layer so as to define source and drain contact holes;
depositing a layer for source and drain connections; and
wherein all TFT processing steps are performed at or below about 150 degrees C., until a post-annealing activation step is performed at 200-250 degrees C.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Certain example embodiments relate to methods of making oxide thin film transistor arrays (e.g., IGZO, amorphous or polycrystalline ZnO, ZnSnO, InZnO, and/or the like), and devices incorporating the same. Blanket layers of an optional barrier layer, semiconductor, gate insulator, and/or gate metal are disposed on a substrate. These and/or other layers may be deposited on a soda lime or borosilicate substrate via low or room temperature sputtering. These layers may be later patterned and/or further processed in making a TFT array according to certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, all or substantially all TFT processing may take place at a low temperature, e.g., at or below 150 degrees C., until a post-annealing activation step, and the post-anneal step may take place at a relatively low temperature (e.g., 200-250 degrees C.).
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of making a TFT substrate for an electronic device, the method comprising:
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sputter depositing an oxide semiconductor layer, directly or indirectly, on a soda-lime based glass substrate; depositing a gate insulator blanket layer, directly or indirectly, on the oxide semiconductor layer; depositing a gate metal blanket layer, directly or indirectly, on the gate insulator blanket layer; applying a mask over one or more portions of the gate metal blanket layer so as to define one or more corresponding masked areas and one or more corresponding unmasked areas; removing portions of the gate metal blanket layer and portions of the gate insulator blanket layer at or proximate to the one or more unmasked areas; increasing conductivity of the oxide semiconductor layer at the one or more unmasked areas then patterning the oxide semiconductor layer into a plurality of islands; disposing a passivation layer across substantially the entire substrate; patterning the passivation layer so as to define source and drain contact holes; depositing a layer for source and drain connections; and wherein all TFT processing steps are performed at or below about 150 degrees C., until a post-annealing activation step is performed at 200-250 degrees C. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of making a coated article to be used in the production of a TFT substrate for an electronic device, the method comprising:
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sputter depositing, at approximately room temperature, an oxide semiconductor layer, directly or indirectly, on a soda-lime based glass substrate; depositing a gate insulator layer, directly or indirectly, on the oxide semiconductor layer; and depositing a gate metal layer, directly or indirectly, on the gate insulator layer, wherein; a mask is applied over one or more portions of the gate metal layer so as to define one or more corresponding masked areas and one or more corresponding unmasked areas, portions of the gate metal layer and portions of the gate insulator layer are to be removed in areas defined by the mask, conductivity of the oxide semiconductor layer is increased at one or more unmasked areas, after increasing conductivity of the oxide semiconductor layer, patterning the oxide semiconductor layer into a plurality of islands; a passivation layer is disposed across at least a substantial portion of the substrate, the passivation layer is patterned so as to define source and drain contact holes, a layer for source and drain connections is deposited; and wherein all TFT processing steps are performed at or below about 150 degrees C. until a post-annealing activation step is performed at 200-250 degrees C. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification