Background technology
In recent years because the progress of plane display technique causes the development of related industry.Wherein Thin Film Transistor-LCD (TFT-LCD) is compared with traditional crt display unit, and lighter weight, thin volume are arranged, and characteristic such as low power consumption, makes the range of application of TFT thin film transistor monitor very extensive.Thin Film Transistor-LCD is to show on the glass substrate one, makes the film crystal pipe unit in a large number with forming array (array).But the transistor size on the array is very many, in order to control these transistors, with and on pixel electrode, the wiring of whole glass substrate is also just very complicated.In manufacturing process may on the technology some mistake or careless mistake take place, cause sweep trace (Gate/Scan line) or data line (Data/Source line) on the array to produce defectives such as broken string, therefore in order to reduce cost and to improve process yield, the method for various repair break lines or other defective has been proposed.
Common method is to produce many ring-type patch cords (repair lines) structure to solve the problems referred to above around array.Please refer to Fig. 1, this figure is the glass substrate synoptic diagram that has many ring-type patch cords.Many horizontal sweep traces 102 and data line 104 are longitudinally arranged in the array 100 on the glass substrate, and around array, many ring-type patch cord 106 is arranged.
A broken string is regional 108 the time when having on the data line 104, and the transistor that is positioned at regional 108 belows of broken string can can't not operate because receiving signal.Select this moment a ring-type patch cord 106 to repair this broken string zone 108.About in the of 104 two point of crossing with the data line that produces broken string zone 108 by welding ring-type patch cord 106, make it form welding point 110, the signal of this data line 104 will change by ring-type patch cord 106 and is passed to regional 108 belows of broken string, allows the broken string viewing area, regional 108 below can operate as normal.
If data line 104 forms leakage point (leak point) with sweep trace 102 at infall, just data line 104 and sweep trace 102 can cause signal to interfere with each other when infall contacts with each other.The method of repairing this kind disappearance is also the same with the method for repairing broken string, and 104 about two point of crossing with the data line that produces leakage point by welding ring-type patch cord 106, make it form welding point 110, and the cut-out leakage point data line 104 of suitable distance up and down.Allow the signal of data line 104 avoid this leakage point, change by the ring-type patch cord and transmit data.
But the transmission path that the glass substrate that utilizes this method to repair, signal demand are long just can be delivered to transistor, is easy to generate serious signal delay (RC time delay); And repair action and need the large tracts of land panel to move, can cause production efficiency to descend; Add that the ring-type repair line structure needs footprint area to connect up, and has reduced the utilization rate of glass substrate.
Based on above variety of problems, how to allow the signal needn't be through than the longer transmission path after repairing, and do not need to waste in addition the glass substrate area and come layout ring-type patch cord, the target of being pursued for each panel factory now.
Embodiment
The embodiment of two auto-mending LCD structures is below proposed, data line among each embodiment, transmission line, and the formation method of total is the array processes technology of known film liquid crystal display, so give unnecessary details the only relative position of description architecture assembly and effect no longer in detail when describing embodiment.It is required when considering to know this skill person, changes part-structure setting or material, to cooperate the parameter in technology or other design.
First embodiment:
First embodiment illustrates that the present invention covers a complete and continuous conducting layers with the protective seam on the sweep trace.On the protective seam and have a plurality of contacts hole to extend the contact data line downwards.And conductive layer and data line become and connect structure in the lump, and link to each other with data line by the contact hole.In order to when sweep trace breaks, signal can change the conductive layer of walking the top, avoids the broken string zone automatically.When leakage point produces, utilize to cut sweep trace, signal is changed walk the conductive layer of top, avoid leakage point.
Please refer to Fig. 2, it illustrates a kind of auto-mending LCD plane structure chart according to first embodiment of the invention.As shown in Figure 2, pixel electrode 202 can by indium tin oxide (Indium Tin Oxide, ITO) or indium-zinc oxide (Indium Zine Oxide IZO) waits the material of other similarity to constitute.Pixel electrode 202 is scanned line 204 on every side and data line 206 surrounds.Sweep trace 204 does not contact on Different Plane the position each other mutually with data line 206, and wherein data line 206 is positioned at sweep trace 204 tops, and intersects across sweep trace 204.Sweep trace 204 all covers the layer protective layer (not shown) with data line 206 tops.In the present embodiment, the protective seam of sweep trace 204 scopes top also can form an a plurality of contacts hole 208 and a conductive layer 210.This conductive layer 210 is and these pixel electrode 202 same materials, and conductive layer 210 can't contact to some extent with pixel electrode 202.Be easy-to-read below, in the present embodiment, be formed at the conductive layer 210 and the contact hole 208 of protective seam on sweep trace 204 scopes, respectively with conductive layer 210 with contact that hole 208 simply represents.
For the clear structure that is described in present embodiment, and the transmittance process of signal, will explain with Fig. 3.Fig. 3 is sweep trace 204 sectional structure charts 300 that illustrate among Fig. 2 along line I-I I, and hypothesis sweep trace 204 has a broken string zone 308.Form sweep trace 204 on the glass substrate 302 earlier.Sweep trace 204 tops can form one deck gate insulator 304.Then above gate insulator 304, form data line 206, data line 206 and sweep trace 204 all be formed at glass substrate 302 on, and it is crossing to be perpendicular to one another, the centre is separated with gate insulator 304, so continuous mutually.Just data line 206 be positioned at sweep trace 204 on, and intersect across sweep trace 204.
Forming a protective seam 306 afterwards again is covered on data line 206 and the sweep trace 204.This protective seam 306 can be inorganic protective layer, organic protection layer, or the sandwich construction formed of inorganic protective layer and organic protection layer.Then form a plurality of contacts hole 208 on protective seam 306; and extend downward sweep trace 204; in the present embodiment, 208 in hole of contact is formed on the protective seam 306 of sweep trace 204 scopes, and sweep trace 204 does not form with the infall of data line 206 and contacts hole 208.Form at last one deck conductive layer 210 in the protective seam 306 of sweep trace 204 scopes with contact hole 208 on.
Because technologic mistake or careless mistake form regional 308 o'clock an of broken string, the former signal that should be transmitted by sweep trace 204 can can't continue by sweep trace 204 transmission when sweep trace 204.But the setting in contact hole 208 allows conductive layer 210 and sweep trace 204 be connected to each other, sweep trace 204 signals that the script broken string can't pass through, and just automatic conductive layer 210 in contact hole 208 flow to the conductive layer 210 of protective seam 306 tops.After flowing through broken string zone 308, flow back to sweep trace 204 via another contact hole 208, so just can avoid broken string zone 308.
Under normal situation, the impedance of sweep trace 204 is less than conductive layer 210, most of signal can not selected by conductive layer 210 these channel flow mistakes, but to produce broken string regional 308 the time when sweep trace 204, sweep trace 204 becomes infinity in the impedance in this broken string zone 308, signal can flow through broken string zone 308 via top conductive layer 210 automatically, flows back to sweep trace 204 via contact hole 208 more afterwards.
Use identical principle of work, also can bring and repair the abnormal case that sweep trace 204 contacts with data line 206 generations.Please refer to Fig. 4, Fig. 4 illustrates the zone identical with Fig. 2, and hypothesis produces the situation of a leakage point 402.
This moment, sweep trace 204 may form inhomogeneous or other technologic factor because of gate insulator 304 with data line 206, allow sweep trace 204 and data line 206 contact with each other at infall, and produce leakage point 402, the abnormal case that causes the signal of two lines to interfere with each other.As long as utilize the laser of suitable power this moment, cut off the suitable sweep trace 204 of leakage point about 402 by glass substrate below, then the signal of sweep trace 204 conductive layer 110 that will change automatically by the top passes through, so just, can solve because two lines contact with each other, and the abnormal conditions that cause signal to interfere with each other.
Present embodiment also can be applicable on the data line except being applied to sweep trace, contacts the hole this moment and is arranged in protective seam on the data line, and extend the contact data line downwards.Conductive layer then is formed on the protective seam top of data line scope, makes the protective seam on the conductive layer cover data line, becomes with this data line to connect structure in the lump, and links to each other with data line by the contact hole.When broken data wire, according to same principle, data line signal can transfer to is automatically avoided the broken string zone by the conductive layer transmission, as produce data line and sweep trace contacts with each other, produce the situation that leakage point makes abnormal signal, then utilize the laser of suitable power, cut off leakage point suitable data line up and down, can solve the problem of abnormal signal.
Second embodiment:
Second embodiment is for to cover a conductive layer simultaneously with the protective seam on sweep trace and the data line; in order to when sweep trace or data line produce broken string; can utilize this conductive layer to avoid the broken string zone automatically; when leakage point produces; utilize and cut data line; signal is changed walk the conductive layer of top, avoid leakage point.
Please refer to Fig. 5, it illustrates a kind of auto-mending LCD structural drawing according to second embodiment of the invention.As shown in Figure 5, pixel electrode 502 can be made of the material of other similarities such as indium tin oxide or indium-zinc oxide.Pixel electrode 502 is scanned line 504 on every side and data line 506 surrounds.Sweep trace 504 is identical with last embodiment with the structure of data line 510, and the position does not contact on Different Plane mutually each other, and data line 510 intersect be across sweep trace 504 on.Sweep trace 504 all covers the layer protective layer (not shown) with data line 506 tops, and this protective seam can be inorganic protective layer, organic protection layer, or the sandwich construction formed of inorganic protective layer and organic protection layer.
In the present embodiment, sweep trace 504 also can form a plurality of hole 508,510 and conductive layers 512,514 of contacting with the protective seam top of data line 510 scopes.This conductive layer 512,514 and this pixel electrode 202 same materials, and conductive layer 512,514 can't have electric connection with pixel electrode 502.Below be easy-to-read in the present embodiment; be formed at the conductive layer 514 and the contact hole 510 of protective seam on sweep trace 504 scopes; contact hole 510 expressions with sweep trace with sweep trace conductive layer 514 respectively; be formed at the conductive layer 512 and the contact hole 508 of protective seam on data line 506 scopes, contact hole 508 expressions with data line with data line conductive layer 512 respectively.
In the present embodiment, data line conductive layer 512 is a complete and continuous structure, and 514 of sweep trace conductive layers are discontinuous structure.Sweep trace conductive layer 514 can't electrically connect mutually with data line conductive layer 512,514 of sweep trace conductive layers are covered on sweep trace 504 scopes of 506 of two data lines, and this sweep trace conductive layer 514 is as the criterion with the spacing that does not produce electric connection with data line conductive layer 512 minor increment at interval.Because of the most of structure setting of present embodiment identical with first embodiment, only change 514 configurations of sweep trace conductive layer, and increase data line conductive layer 512 and data line connection hole 508, can describe and the first embodiment difference with the auto-mending LCD plane structure chart of Fig. 5, so the sectional structure chart of sweep trace 504 or data line 506 no longer is described in detail in detail.
Because technologic mistake or careless mistake, when forming a broken string zone, the former signal that should be transmitted by data line 506 can can't continue by data line 506 transmission when data line 506.But the setting in data line contact hole 508; allow data line conductive layer 512 and data line 506 be connected to each other; data line 506 signals that the script broken string can't pass through can flow to protective seam top data line conductive layer 512 along data line contact hole 508 interior data line conductive layers 512 automatically.After signal flow is crossed the broken string zone, just can flow back to data line 506 via another data line contact hole 508, so just can avoid the broken string zone.
Under normal situation, the impedance of data line 506 is less than data line conductive layer 512, most of signal can not selected by 512 these pipeline circulations of data line conductive layer, but when data line 506 produces the broken string zone, data line 506 becomes infinity in the impedance in this broken string zone, signal can flow through the broken string zone via top data line conductive layer 512 automatically, flows back to data line 506 via data line contact hole 508 more afterwards.When sweep trace 504 as generation broken string zone, also can utilize identical method to utilize the setting of sweep trace contact hole 510 and sweep trace conductive layer 514, it is regional to allow sweep trace 504 signals avoid broken string automatically, with automatic reparation LCD.
Use identical principle of work, also can bring and repair the abnormal case that sweep trace 504 contacts with data line 506 generations.Please refer to Fig. 6, Fig. 6 illustrates the zone identical with Fig. 5, but sweep trace 504 may be grown inhomogeneous or other technologic factor because of insulation course with data line 506, sweep trace 504 and data line 506 are contacted with each other at infall, produce leakage point 602, and the abnormal case that causes the signal of two lines to interfere with each other.As long as utilize the laser of suitable power this moment, cut off the suitable up and down data line 506 of leakage point 602 by the glass substrate below, then the signal of the data line 506 data line conductive layer 512 that will change automatically by the top passes through, so just, can solve because two lines contact with each other, and the abnormal conditions that cause signal to interfere with each other.
The characteristics of present embodiment are to form simultaneously sweep trace conductive layer 514 and data line conductive layer 512, no matter data line 506 or sweep trace 504 produce when breaking, but all its broken string of auto-mending is regional.Though sweep trace conductive layer 514 is not a complete continuous conducting layers, just on array processes, sweep trace 504 is compared with data line 506, usually thicker and broad, the probability that broken string takes place goes up many than data line 506 less, therefore select to allow the data line conductive layer 512 be that a complete and continuous structure utilizes this structure that the automatic broken line repairing of whole LCD almost can completely be provided for having greatly improved on the process yield, that is to say.
By two kinds of preferred embodiments of the invention described above as can be known, after application the present invention has correction of the defect, allow signal must not walk around longer signal transmission path, can cross defect area, layout patch cord zone in addition not, but to increase glass substrate utilization rate auto-mending broken string, so promote the technology dose rate, must not mobile large tracts of land panel repair break lines, can enhance productivity.
Though the present invention discloses as above with preferred embodiment; right its is not in order to limiting the present invention, anyly has the knack of this skill person, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention; when can being used for a variety of modifications and variations, so protection scope of the present invention is when looking being as the criterion that the claim scope defined.