KR20120136693A - Liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A liquid crystal display and a manufacturing method thereof are provided to prevent scratches generated in a shorting bar in a process of cutting a TFT array. CONSTITUTION: A shorting bar is formed in a non-display area and is same as the layer of a pixel electrode(180). The distance between a gate layer and a shorting bar is increased. A metal layer of a gate(162) formed on a display area is formed in the lower part of the shorting bar. The metal layer of the gate and the shorting bar has a gap of 7000Å. A gate insulating layer(164) and a passivation layer(170) are formed between the shorting bar and the gate layer.

Description

Liquid crystal display and its manufacturing method {LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THE SAME}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display, and in particular, a shorting bar for inspecting pixel defects is formed on the same layer as a pixel electrode, and a gate line is formed by a glass chip during a panel cutting process. The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device and a method of manufacturing the same that can improve a data block dim defect caused by a short between gate lines and data lines.

With the development of various portable electronic devices such as mobile communication terminals and notebook computers, there is an increasing demand for a flat panel display device that can be applied thereto.

The flat panel display includes a liquid crystal display device, a plasma display panel, a field emission display device, a light emitting diode display device, and an organic light emitting diode. Organic light emitting diode display devices (OLEDs) are being studied.

Among such flat panel displays, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have advantages in the development of mass production technology, ease of driving means, low power consumption, high definition, and large screen, and are suitable for portable devices, and their application fields are expanding.

The liquid crystal display converts an image signal input from the outside into a data voltage and adjusts the transmittance of light passing through the liquid crystal layers of the plurality of pixels according to the data voltage to display an image according to the image signal.

Such a liquid crystal display includes a process of forming a plurality of patterns including a thin film transistor (TFT) on a TFT array substrate (lower substrate); Forming various patterns including a color filter layer on the color filter array substrate; A liquid crystal cell process in which a TFT array substrate and a color filter array substrate are opposed to each other, and a liquid crystal is injected therebetween; It is produced by performing a; matrix process step of connecting a driving circuit portion to the TFT array substrate.

Here, after the TFT array substrate is manufactured, signal inspection is performed to detect line defects such as shorts, disconnections, and the like of TFTs.

Recently, a shorting bar is used for signal inspection of a TFT array substrate, and a driving signal is applied to a gate line and a data line through the shorting bar to check whether lines and pixels on the TFT array substrate are normally formed.

1 is a view schematically showing a TFT array substrate of a liquid crystal display according to the prior art, and FIG. 2 is a view showing a shorting bar and a data pad formed on the TFT array substrate.

1 and 2, a TFT array substrate of a liquid crystal display according to the prior art includes a display area 10 and a non-display area.

In the display area 10, a plurality of gate lines 12, a plurality of data lines 14, and a plurality of pixels 16 are formed. In this case, each of the plurality of pixels includes a TFT and a storage capacitor Cst.

In the non-display area, a plurality of data pads 20 and a plurality of shorting bars 30 are provided to check whether the plurality of gate lines 12, the plurality of data lines 14, and the plurality of pixels 16 are normally formed. Is formed. A data pad 20 to which a signal is input is connected to one end of the data line, and the data pad 20 is connected to a corresponding shorting bar 30.

Although not shown in FIG. 1, a gate pad for inspecting the gate line may be connected to the gate line, and a separate shorting bar may be connected to the gate pad.

Although FIG. 1 illustrates that three data shorting bars 30 are formed, the number of data shorting bars 30 is not particularly limited, and two or four or more data shortening bars 30 may be formed. When two shorting bars are formed, a plurality of data lines are divided into even lines and odd lines to perform signal inspection.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 2, when six shorting bars 30 are formed, signal inspection is performed by connecting data lines corresponding to 1/6 of a plurality of data lines in common to each shorting bar. .

The TFT array substrate having the above-described configuration performs signal inspection, that is, lighting inspection of each pixel using the shorting bar 30, and then cuts the glass substrate according to the size of the liquid crystal panel after the signal inspection is completed. At this time, the shorting bar 30 is removed on the TFT array substrate by performing a scribing and grinding process along the cutting line 40. That is, the shorting bar 30 is removed by grinding the edge of the TFT array substrate.

In this case, the signal test is a test for determining only whether the pixel is turned on by the on-off signal. Therefore, the VAP test using the vision auto probe device after the shorting bar 30 is removed. Is performed to finally check whether each pixel is defective.

3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A1-A2 of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 3, the shorting bar 30 is formed together during the process of forming a gate line, a data line, and a TFT on the glass substrate 50.

Specifically, the gate array 62 is formed of a metal material on the glass substrate 50, and the gate insulating layers 64 and GI are formed on the glass substrate 50 in the TFT array substrate. Then, to form a TFT, a semiconductor layer 66 (active) is formed on the gate insulating layer 64, and a source / drain 68 layer is formed of a metal material on the semiconductor layer 66. Subsequently, after forming the protective layer 70 (PAS) on the glass substrate 50, the pixel electrode 80 is formed.

The shorting bar 30 is formed in the non-display area together with the source / drain of the TFT by using a metal material for forming the source / drain. In this case, the gate 62 layer and the semiconductor layer 66 have a spacing of 4,000 Å (D1), and the source / drain 68 layer and the pixel electrode 80 layer have a spacing of 3,000 Å (D2). .

Here, after the signal inspection is completed using the shorting bar 30, glass chips generate scratches on the shorting bar 30 during the process of cutting the panel. As a result, a short between the gate line and the data lines, a short and a source / drain 68 layer and a gate 62 layer between the pixel electrode 80 layer and the source / drain 68 layer. Short will occur in the liver.

Due to a short between lines and layers according to a cutting process for removing the short bar 30 from the TFT array substrate, there is a problem in that a data block dim defect occurs during VAP inspection.

Until now, technology development has been made to reduce the occurrence of glass chips in order to reduce scratches of the shorting bar 30 when cutting the panel. However, since the distance between the layers of the pixel electrode 80 from the gate 62 layer is close to 3,000 Å to 4,000 Å, the short-circuit between layers is easily improved even if the glass chip generated during panel cutting is reduced. You can't.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problem, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal display device capable of preventing scratches of the shorting bar when the TFT array substrate is cut after signal inspection using the shorting bar.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a liquid crystal display device including a shorting bar capable of preventing data block dim defects during a vision auto probe inspection. do.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problem, and in a cutting process of removing a shorting bar on a TFT array substrate, a liquid crystal display capable of reducing the occurrence of shorts between lines and layers by changing a layer on which a shorting bar is formed to resist scratches. It is a technical object to provide an apparatus.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, or may be obvious to those skilled in the art from the description and the claims.

A liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines formed to cross each other in a display area of a TFT array substrate; A plurality of pixels defined by the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of gate lines; A plurality of data pads formed in the non-display area of the TFT array substrate so as to be connected to the plurality of data lines; And a plurality of shorting bars configured to be connected to the plurality of data pads in the non-display area, and to apply a test signal to check lighting of the plurality of data lines and the plurality of pixels. The bar is formed on the same layer as the pixel electrode of the pixel.

In the liquid crystal display according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a metal layer of a gate formed in the display area is formed below the shorting bars, and the plurality of shorting bars and the metal layers of the gate have a gap of 7,000 Å. Characterized in that formed.

In the liquid crystal display according to the exemplary embodiment, the plurality of shorting bars may be formed of the same material as the pixel electrode.

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: defining a plurality of pixels by forming a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines to cross each other in a display area of a TFT array substrate; Forming a plurality of data pads connected to the plurality of data lines in a non-display area of the TFT array substrate; And forming a plurality of shorting bars connected to the plurality of data pads in the non-display area, wherein the plurality of shorting bars apply an inspection signal to each of the plurality of data lines and the plurality of pixels. It is formed for the lighting test, characterized in that formed on the same layer as the pixel electrode of the pixel.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, after a signal inspection using a shorting bar, a liquid crystal display capable of preventing scratching of the shorting bar when cutting the TFT array substrate may be provided.

After the shorting bar is removed, the liquid crystal display according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may prevent data block dim defects during vision auto probe inspection of individual liquid crystal panels.

In a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in a cutting process of removing a shorting bar on a TFT array substrate, a layer in which a shorting bar is formed so as to be resistant to scratches is changed to the same layer as a pixel electrode of a display area, and between lines and layers. Short generation can be reduced.

In addition, other features and advantages of the present invention may be newly understood through the embodiments of the present invention.

1 is a view schematically showing a TFT array substrate of a liquid crystal display device according to the prior art.
2 shows a shorting bar and a data pad formed on a TFT array substrate.
3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A1-A2 shown in FIG.
4 is a schematic view of a TFT array substrate of a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
5 illustrates a shorting bar and a data pad of a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B1-B2 of FIG. 5 and illustrating a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Prior to the description with reference to the drawings, the liquid crystal display according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a liquid crystal panel and a driving circuit unit for driving the liquid crystal panel. The present invention focuses on the shorting bar used for cell inspection after manufacturing the lower substrate (TFT array substrate) of the liquid crystal panel. Therefore, illustration and detailed description of the upper substrate (color filter array substrate) of the liquid crystal panel and the driving circuit unit for driving the liquid crystal panel are omitted.

4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a TFT array substrate of a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a shorting bar and a data pad of a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

4 and 5, the TFT array substrate 100 of the liquid crystal display according to the present invention includes a display area 110 and a non-display area.

A plurality of gate lines 112 and a plurality of data lines 114 are formed in the display area 110, and pixels 116 are formed by the intersection of the plurality of gate lines 112 and the plurality of data lines 114. Is defined.

Here, each of the plurality of pixels 116 includes a TFT and a storage capacitor Cst.

In the non-display area, a plurality of data pads 120 and a plurality of shorting bars for checking whether the plurality of gate lines 112, the plurality of data lines 114, and the plurality of pixels 116 are normally formed by a manufacturing process. 130 is formed.

A data pad 120 to which a signal is input is connected to one end of the data line 114, and the data pad 120 is connected to a corresponding shorting bar 130. The shorting bar 130 is formed for IPT (In Processing Test) inspection of the pixels using the plurality of data pads 120.

Although not illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, a gate pad for inspecting the gate line 112 may be separately formed and connected to the gate line 112, and a separate gate shorting bar may be formed and connected to the gate pad.

Although FIG. 3 illustrates that three data shorting bars 130 are formed, the number of data shorting bars 130 is not particularly limited, and two or four or more data shortening bars 130 may be formed. When two shorting bars are formed, a plurality of data lines are divided into even lines and odd lines to perform signal inspection.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 5, when six shorting bars 130 are formed, signal inspection is performed by connecting data lines corresponding to 1/6 of a plurality of data lines in common to one shorting bar. . That is, signal inspection may be performed by connecting the data lines to one shorting bar in units of six multiples.

The TFT array substrate 100 having the above-described configuration performs signal inspection, that is, lighting inspection of each pixel using the shorting bar 130, and then cuts the glass substrate according to the size of the liquid crystal panel after the signal inspection is completed. do.

In this case, the shorting bar 130 is removed on the TFT array substrate 100 by performing a scribing and grinding process along the cutting line 140. After the shorting bar 130 is removed from the TFT array substrate 100, a VAP test using a vision auto probe device is performed to finally inspect each pixel for defects.

In the liquid crystal display according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in order to prevent a short circuit between the lines and layers due to scratches occurring in the shorting bar 130 as in the prior art during the process of cutting the liquid crystal panel on the glass substrate. By changing the layer in which the shorting bar 130 is formed, a scratch resistant structure is proposed.

A plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines are formed in the display area of the TFT array substrate so as to cross each other. The TFT is formed in the display area 110 on the glass substrate 150, and the pixel electrode PXL is formed on the TFT.

In the non-display area of the TFT array substrate, a data pad to which a signal is input is connected at one end of the data line to the data line. In this case, the data pad 120 is connected to a shorting bar which will be described later.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B1-B2 of FIG. 5 and illustrates a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, in the process of forming a pixel electrode on the glass substrate 150, the shorting bar 130 is formed in the non-display area in the same layer as the pixel electrode, so that scratches due to cutting of the liquid crystal panel may be prevented. It has a strong structure.

Specifically, after the metal is deposited on the glass substrate 150, the gate 162 is formed by performing a mask process and an etching process.

Thereafter, an insulating material is coated on the gate 162 to form the gate insulating layer 164 (GI).

Thereafter, in order to form a TFT in the display area 110, a semiconductor material is coated on the gate insulating layer 164, and then a mask process and an etching process are performed to form a semiconductor layer.

Subsequently, after depositing a metal material on the semiconductor layer, a mask process and an etching process are performed to form a source / drain layer.

The gate 162, the gate insulating layer 164, the semiconductor layer, and the source / drain are sequentially formed to form TFTs of respective pixels.

Meanwhile, during the process of forming the semiconductor layer and the source / drain in the display area 110, the non-display area is closed with a separate mask, and the material of the semiconductor layer and the metal of the source / drain are deposited on the non-display area. Do not

Thereafter, the passivation layer 170 (PAS) is formed on the front surface (display area and non-display area) of the glass substrate 150, and then the pixel electrode 180 is formed on the passivation layer 170.

Here, the pixel electrode 180 may be formed of indium tin oxide as an example of a transparent conductive material. In this case, the transparent conductive material is applied not only to the display area 110 of the glass substrate 150 but also to the non-display area to form a transparent electrode.

In the present invention, the shorting bar 130 is formed in the non-display area using the transparent electrode in the display area 110 to form the pixel electrode. In this case, the shorting bar 130 is formed by using a separate mask for forming the shorting bar 130 in the non-display area, in addition to the mask for forming the pixel electrode of the pixel area 110. As a result, the shorting bar 130 is formed in the non-display area on the same layer as the pixel electrode of the display area.

According to the present invention, the shorting bar 130 is formed on the same layer as the pixel electrode 180 in the non-display area so as to be resistant to scratches due to cutting of the liquid crystal panel, thereby reducing the distance between the shorting bar 130 and the gate 162 layer. You can increase it.

In this case, a metal layer of the gate 162 formed in the display area is formed below the shorting bar 130, and the shorting bar 130 and the metal layer of the gate 162 have a gap of 7,000 Å. It is done.

As described above, when the shorting bar 130 is formed on the same layer as the pixel electrode of the display area, the gap D3 between the shorting bar 130 and the gate 162 layer is formed to be about 7,000 占 so that the shorting bar 130 and The gate 162 layer may be prevented from shorting.

In addition, a gate insulating layer 164 and a protective layer 170 are formed between the shorting bar 130 and the gate 162 layer. In addition, since another layer capable of conducting electricity is not formed, a short between lines and layers may be prevented due to the scratch of the shorting bar 130 by the glass chip when the liquid crystal panel is cut.

In addition, the path from the shorting bar 130 to the gate line may be shorter than in the related art, thereby providing an advantageous effect in terms of resistance.

The liquid crystal display according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure and a method of manufacturing the same may prevent scratching of the shorting bar when the TFT array substrate is cut after signal inspection using the shorting bar.

The liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and a method of manufacturing the same may prevent data block dim defects during the inspection of a vision auto probe of an individual liquid crystal panel after the shorting bar is removed.

In the liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and a method of manufacturing the same, a liquid crystal panel is formed by changing a layer on which a shorting bar is formed to be resistant to scratches in a cutting process of removing a shorting bar on a TFT array substrate to the same layer as a pixel electrode of a display area. It is possible to reduce the occurrence of short between lines and layers due to the cutting of.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. It is therefore to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive.

The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the detailed description and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents are to be construed as being included within the scope of the present invention do.

100: TFT array substrate 110: display area
112: gate line 114: data line
116: pixel 120: data pad
130: shorting bar 140: cutting line
150: glass substrate 162: gate
164: gate insulating layer 170: protective layer
180: pixel electrode

Claims (10)

A plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines formed to cross each other in the display area of the TFT array substrate;
A plurality of pixels defined by the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of gate lines;
A plurality of data pads formed in the non-display area of the TFT array substrate so as to be connected to the plurality of data lines; And
A plurality of shorting bars configured to be connected to the plurality of data pads in the non-display area, and to apply a test signal to test lighting of the plurality of data lines and the plurality of pixels;
And the shorting bars are formed on the same layer as the pixel electrodes of the pixels. The method of claim 1,
A metal layer of a gate formed in the display area is formed below the shorting bars.
And the metal layers of the shorting bars and the gates are formed to have a spacing of 7,000 kHz. The method of claim 1,
And a gate insulating layer and a protective layer between the shorting bars and the metal layers of the gate. The method of claim 1,
And the shorting bars are formed of the same material as the pixel electrode. The method of claim 1,
And after the lighting inspection of the plurality of data lines and the plurality of pixels, the plurality of shorting bars are removed from the TFT array substrate. Defining a plurality of pixels by forming a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines to cross each other in the display area of the TFT array substrate;
Forming a plurality of data pads connected to the plurality of data lines in a non-display area of the TFT array substrate; And
And forming a plurality of shorting bars in the non-display area so as to be connected to the plurality of data pads.
The plurality of shorting bars may be formed to inspect a lighting of the plurality of data lines and the plurality of pixels by applying a test signal, and are formed on the same layer as the pixel electrodes of the pixels. . The method according to claim 6,
A metal layer of a gate formed in the display area is formed below the shorting bars;
And the metal layers of the plurality of shorting bars and the gates are formed to have a spacing of about 7,000 kHz. The method according to claim 6,
And a gate insulating layer and a protective layer formed between the plurality of shorting bars and the metal layers of the gate. The method according to claim 6,
And the shorting bars are formed of the same material as the pixel electrode. The method according to claim 6,
And removing the plurality of shorting bars from the TFT array substrate after the lighting inspection of the plurality of data lines and the plurality of pixels.

Images