WO2014005349A1

WO2014005349A1 - Array substrate, liquid crystal display apparatus, and method for manufacturing array substrate

Info

Publication number: WO2014005349A1
Application number: PCT/CN2012/078575
Authority: WO
Inventors: 覃事建
Original assignee: 深圳市华星光电技术有限公司
Priority date: 2012-07-02
Filing date: 2012-07-12
Publication date: 2014-01-09
Also published as: DE112012006496T5; CN102749776A

Abstract

An array substrate comprises a storage electrode layer (520). A surface of the storage electrode layer (520) is sequentially paved with an insulation layer (200) and a transparent electrode layer (800). The storage electrode layer (520) and the transparent electrode layer (800) are isolated only by the insulation layer (200), which increases a capacity of a storage capacitance in comparison with a structure with multi-layer nonmetal mediums. Also disclosed are a liquid crystal display apparatus comprising the array substrate and a method for manufacturing the array substrate.

Description

Array substrate, liquid crystal display device and method for manufacturing array substrate

[Technical Field]

The present invention relates to the field of electronic display, and more particularly to an array substrate, a liquid crystal display device, and a method of fabricating an array substrate.

【Background technique】

The liquid crystal display device comprises a backlight module and a liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal panel is composed of an array substrate and a color film substrate which are opposite to each other. For a liquid crystal panel with a TFT structure, a plurality of TFTs are arranged on the array substrate (as shown in FIG. 1 ). a transparent electrode layer and a plurality of criss-crossing scan lines and data lines, each TFT includes a gate connected to the scan line, a source connected to the data line, and a drain connected to the transparent electrode layer, in order to ensure the TFT The liquid crystal molecules can be deflected in one scanning period. Generally, a storage electrode layer is disposed under the transparent electrode layer, and a storage capacitor is formed between the two, so that the charge can be stored when the TFT is turned on, and the TFT is turned off until the next turn-on. The power is supplied during the period to maintain the deflection of the liquid crystal molecules. In the conventional storage capacitor, the storage electrode layer and the transparent electrode layer are separated by a non-metal film layer such as an insulating layer or a protective layer, and the storage capacitance is small, which adversely stores the amount of electricity.

[Summary of the Invention]

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an array substrate having a larger storage capacitance, a liquid crystal display device, and a method of manufacturing the array substrate.

The object of the present invention is achieved by the following technical solutions:

An array substrate includes a storage electrode layer, and the surface of the storage electrode layer is sequentially provided with an insulating layer and a transparent electrode layer.

Preferably, the array substrate includes a gate electrode layer disposed in parallel with the storage electrode layer, and an insulating layer and an active layer are sequentially disposed above the gate electrode layer, and a source electrode layer is disposed above the active layer a drain electrode layer, one end of the drain electrode layer being electrically connected to one end of the transparent electrode layer. This is a specific structure of the drain electrode layer and the transparent electrode layer, and the drain electrode layer is located on the transparent electrode layer. Above, the two overlap at the edges to form an electrical connection.

Preferably, the active layer includes an a-Si layer and an n+ a-Si layer which are sequentially laid on the insulating layer, and the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer are laid on the n+ a-Si layer. a conductive channel is disposed between the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer, the conductive channel penetrating through the n+a-Si layer, the source electrode layer, the drain electrode layer, and the conductive channel And a surface of the transparent electrode layer is covered with a protective layer. This is a specific TFT structure.

Preferably, the transparent electrode layer is a transparent electrode layer of an indium tin oxide material. This is a specific transparent electrode layer material.

A liquid crystal display device comprising the above array substrate.

A method for manufacturing an array substrate, comprising the steps of:

A: forming a gate electrode layer of the TFT on the glass substrate, and storing the electrode layer, and then laying an insulating layer on the gate electrode layer and the storage electrode layer;

B: A transparent electrode layer is formed on the insulating layer of the corresponding region of the storage electrode layer.

C: The source electrode layer, the drain electrode layer, and the conductive channel of the TFT are completed.

Preferably, the step B includes the following steps:

B1: laying an a-Si layer and an n+a-Si layer on the insulating layer in sequence;

B2: laying a photoresist on the n+a-Si layer, and removing the photoresist of the corresponding region of the storage electrode layer by exposure and development;

B3: etching the a-Si layer and the n+a-Si layer of the corresponding region of the storage electrode layer;

B4: laying a transparent conductive material on the surface of the insulating layer corresponding to the photoresist and the storage electrode layer, and then peeling off the remaining photoresist and the transparent conductive material on the surface thereof, and the remaining transparent conductive material is in the insulating layer corresponding to the storage electrode layer The transparent electrode layer is formed thereon.

With this technical solution, the transparent electrode layer is not required to be manufactured by exposure and development, and the photoresist remaining in the previous process is fully utilized as a mask, and the transparent conductive material on the surface is naturally peeled off when the photoresist is peeled off, and the residual transparent The conductive material naturally forms the desired transparent electrode layer; this saves a mask process, which is beneficial to increase production efficiency and reduce manufacturing costs. Preferably, the step B includes the following steps:

B1: laying a transparent conductive material on the insulating layer;

B2: laying a photoresist on the transparent conductive material, forming a transparent electrode pattern by exposure and development; B3: etching away the transparent conductive material other than the transparent electrode pattern;

B4: laying a-Si layer and n+a-Si layer in sequence on the transparent electrode pattern and the surface of the insulating layer

B5: The remaining photoresist is peeled off, and the exposed transparent conductive material forms the transparent electrode layer.

This is another method for manufacturing a transparent electrode layer. The transparent electrode layer is formed by exposure and development, and the a-Si layer and the n+a-Si layer of the TFT are directly formed by using the residual photoresist as a mask, and a is eliminated. The separate mask process of the -Si layer and the n+a-Si layer helps to increase production efficiency and reduce manufacturing costs.

Preferably, the step C includes the following steps:

C1: laying a metal conductive layer on the surface of the array substrate, covering the transparent electrode layer and the n+a-Si layer;

C2: laying a photoresist on a surface of the metal conductive layer, forming a source pattern and a drain pattern of the TFT by exposure and development, the drain pattern covering one end of the transparent electrode layer;

C3: etching a metal conductive layer to form a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer of the TFT;

C4: completely etching away the exposed n+a-Si layer material between the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer to form a conductive channel;

C5: A protective layer is laid on the surface of the source electrode layer, the drain electrode layer, the conductive channel, and the transparent electrode layer.

This is a specific method for manufacturing the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer. Since the drain pattern covers one end of the transparent electrode layer, and the drain pattern is sequentially stripped, the formed drain electrode layer naturally follows the transparent electrode layer. Overlap, forming an electrical connection.

Preferably, the transparent electrode layer is made of indium tin oxide material. This is a specific transparent electrode layer material.

The invention discloses an array substrate, a liquid crystal display device and a method for manufacturing the array substrate. In the invention, only the insulating layer is separated between the storage electrode layer and the transparent electrode layer, and the insulating layer and the protective layer are separated by a plurality of layers. The structure of the metal film layer increases the capacity of the storage capacitor. [Description of the Drawings]

1 is a schematic structural view of a conventional array substrate;

2 is a schematic structural view of an array substrate of the present invention;

3 is an effect diagram of step a of the embodiment of the present invention;

4 is an effect diagram of step b of an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 5 is an effect diagram of step c of the embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6 is an effect diagram of step d of the embodiment of the present invention;

7 is a view showing an effect of sputtering a transparent electrode layer in step e of the embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 9 is a diagram showing the effect of step f in the embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 10 is an effect diagram of step g of the embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 11 is an effect diagram of step h of the embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 12 is an effect diagram of the step i of the embodiment of the present invention;

Wherein: 100, glass substrate; 200, insulating layer; 300, a-Si layer; 400, N+a-Si layer; 510, gate electrode layer; 520, storage electrode layer; 600, metal conductive layer; a source electrode layer; 620, a drain electrode layer; 700, a protective layer; 800, a transparent electrode layer.

【detailed description】

The present invention discloses a liquid crystal display device comprising a backlight module and a liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal panel is composed of an array substrate and a color filter substrate disposed on each other. The array substrate of the present invention is provided with a plurality of TFTs and a plurality of transparent electrodes. And a plurality of criss-crossing scan lines and data lines, each of the TFTs includes a gate electrode layer connected to the scan line, a source electrode layer connected to the data line, and a drain electrode layer connected to the transparent electrode layer. The array substrate further includes a storage electrode layer, and the surface of the storage electrode layer is sequentially provided with an insulating layer and a transparent electrode layer.

As shown in FIG. 2, the storage electrode layer 520 and the gate electrode layer 510 of the array substrate are all disposed on the glass substrate 100. The gate electrode layer 510 is sequentially provided with an insulating layer 200, an a-Si layer 300 and N+a. -Si a layer 400, a source electrode layer 610 and a drain electrode layer 620 are disposed on the N+a-Si layer 400. A conductive channel is disposed between the source electrode layer 610 and the drain electrode layer 620. The N+a-Si layer 400 is provided with an insulating layer 200 and a transparent electrode layer 800. The drain electrode layer 620 is disposed above the transparent electrode layer 800 and overlaps with one end of the transparent electrode layer 800 to realize electricity. connection. A protective layer 700 is disposed on the surface of the source electrode layer 610, the drain electrode layer 620, the conductive channel, and the transparent electrode layer 800. The transparent electrode layer 800 may be made of a transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide.

In the present invention, only the insulating layer 200 is interposed between the storage electrode layer 520 and the transparent electrode layer 800, and the capacity of the storage capacitor is increased compared to the structure of the multi-layer non-metal medium. The method for fabricating the array substrate of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments.

Embodiment 1

This is a preferred embodiment of the invention, including the steps:

a: as shown in FIG. 3, a metal layer is deposited on the glass substrate 100 by sputtering, and then formed into a gate electrode layer 510 and a storage electrode layer 520 by a coating exposure development method, and the sputtered metal layer material is formed. For high conductivity metals, such as: Al, Cu, Ag, Mo, Cr, Ti, etc., the gate electrode layer 510 and the storage b: as shown in FIG. 4, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method in the gate electrode layer An insulating layer 200 and an active layer (in the order of the a-Si layer 300 and the N+a-Si layer 400) are sequentially deposited on the 510 and the storage electrode layer 520; c: as shown in FIG. 5, on the surface of the active layer (ie, at a photoresist (shown as PR in FIG. 5) is laid on the N+a-Si layer 400, and the photoresist in the corresponding region of the storage electrode layer 520 is removed by exposure and development;

d: removing the active layer of the corresponding region of the storage electrode layer 520 by dry plasma etching (etching the compound gas whose main gas is F), leaving the insulating layer 200 (see FIG. 6);

e: depositing the transparent electrode layer 800 directly by sputtering (the material may be: ITO, germanium, etc.), after the photoresist is stripped, the transparent electrode layer 800 above the TFT active layer is automatically removed, leaving the storage a transparent electrode layer 800 above the electrode layer 520 region and at the TFT pixel (see FIGS. 7, 8);

f: a metal conductive layer 600 is deposited by sputtering, covering the transparent electrode layer 800 and the active layer of the TFT, and the material thereof is a high conductivity metal such as Al, Cu, Ag, Mo, Cr, Ti, etc. (see FIG. 9) ; g: as shown in FIG. 10, a photoresist is deposited on the surface of the metal conductive layer 600 (shown as PR in FIG. 9), and a source pattern and a drain pattern of the TFT are formed by exposure and development, and the drain pattern covers the surface. One end of the transparent electrode layer 800;

h: the metal conductive layer 600 is processed by a wet etching method to form a source electrode layer 610 and a drain electrode layer 620 of the TFT (see FIG. 11); FIG. 12);

j: Finally, a protective layer 700 (passivation) is deposited by CVD, covering the source electrode layer 610, the drain electrode layer 620, the conductive channel and the transparent electrode layer 800 (see Fig. 2).

With this technical solution, the transparent electrode layer is not required to be manufactured by exposure and development, and the photoresist remaining in the previous process is fully utilized as a mask, and the transparent conductive material on the surface is naturally peeled off when the photoresist is peeled off, and the residual transparent The conductive material naturally forms the desired transparent electrode layer; this saves a mask process, and the array substrate can be produced by using only three masks, which is advantageous for improving production efficiency and reducing manufacturing cost. Of course, the structure of the TFT portion in the present invention can also be fabricated by using existing techniques.

Embodiment 2

A method for manufacturing an array substrate, comprising the steps of:

a: depositing a transparent electrode layer 800 directly on the insulating layer 200 by sputtering (the material may be: ΙΤΟ, ΙΖΟ, etc.);

b: laying a photoresist on the transparent conductive material, and forming a transparent electrode pattern over the area of the storage electrode layer 520 and at the TFT pixel by exposure and development;

c: etching away the transparent conductive material other than the transparent electrode pattern;

d: an active layer is laid over the surface of the storage electrode layer 520 and the transparent electrode pattern and the insulating layer 200 at the TFT pixel (the a-Si layer 300 and the N+a-Si layer 400 are sequentially laid);

e: peeling off the remaining photoresist, the exposed transparent conductive material forms the transparent electrode layer 800; f: laying the metal conductive layer 600 by sputtering, covering the transparent electrode layer 800 and the TFT active layer, The material is a high conductivity metal such as: Al, Cu, Ag, Mo, Cr, Ti, etc.;

g: a photoresist is deposited on the surface of the metal conductive layer 600, and a source pattern and a drain pattern of the TFT are formed by exposure and development, and the drain pattern covers one end of the transparent electrode layer 800;

h: processing the metal conductive layer 600 by a wet etching method to form a source electrode layer 610 and a drain electrode layer 620 of the TFT; j: finally depositing a protective layer 700 (passivation) by the CVD method to cover the source electrode layer 610. A drain electrode layer 620, a conductive channel, and a transparent electrode layer 800.

This is another manufacturing method of the array substrate of the present invention. The transparent electrode layer is formed by exposure and development, and the active layer of the TFT (a-Si layer and N+a-Si is directly formed by using the residual photoresist as a mask). Layer), the separate mask process of the a-Si layer and the N+a-Si layer is eliminated, which is advantageous for improving production efficiency and reducing manufacturing cost. Of course, the structure of the TFT portion in the present invention can also be fabricated using existing techniques.

The above is a further detailed description of the present invention in connection with the specific preferred embodiments. It is not intended that the specific embodiments of the invention are limited to the description. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

Rights request

1. An array substrate, including a storage electrode layer, characterized in that an insulating layer and a transparent electrode layer are laid on the surface of the storage electrode layer in sequence.

2. The array substrate according to claim 1, wherein the transparent electrode layer is a transparent electrode layer made of indium tin oxide material.

3. The array substrate according to claim 1, wherein the array substrate includes a gate electrode layer arranged in parallel with the storage electrode layer, and an insulating layer and an active layer are arranged above the gate electrode layer. layer, a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer are laid above the active layer, and one end of the drain electrode layer is electrically connected to one end of the transparent electrode layer.

4. The array substrate according to claim 3, wherein the transparent electrode layer is a transparent electrode layer made of indium tin oxide material.

5. The array substrate according to claim 1, wherein the active layer includes an a-Si layer and an n+a-Si layer sequentially laid on the insulating layer, and the n+a-Si layer A source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer are laid on the layer, a conductive channel is provided between the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer, and the conductive channel penetrates the n+a-Si layer, A protective layer is laid on the surface of the source electrode layer, the drain electrode layer, the conductive channel and the transparent electrode layer.

6. The array substrate according to claim 5, wherein the transparent electrode layer is a transparent electrode layer made of indium tin oxide material.

7. A liquid crystal display device, including an array substrate, and an array substrate including a storage electrode layer, characterized in that an insulating layer and a transparent electrode layer are laid on the surface of the storage electrode layer in sequence.

8. The array substrate according to claim 7, wherein the transparent electrode layer is a transparent electrode layer made of indium tin oxide material.

9. The array substrate according to claim 7, wherein the array substrate includes a gate electrode layer arranged in parallel with the storage electrode layer, and an insulating layer and an active layer are sequentially provided above the gate electrode layer. layer, a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer are laid above the active layer, and one of the drain electrode layers The end is electrically connected to one end of the transparent electrode layer.

10. The array substrate according to claim 7, wherein the active layer includes an a-Si layer and an n+a-Si layer sequentially laid on the insulating layer, and the n+a-Si layer A source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer are laid on the layer, a conductive channel is provided between the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer, and the conductive channel penetrates the n+a-Si layer, A protective layer is laid on the surface of the source electrode layer, the drain electrode layer, the conductive channel and the transparent electrode layer.

11. A method for manufacturing an array substrate, including the steps:

A: Form the TFT gate electrode layer and storage electrode layer on the glass substrate, and then lay an insulating layer on the gate electrode layer and storage electrode layer;

B: Form a transparent electrode layer on the insulating layer in the corresponding area of the storage electrode layer.

C: The source electrode layer, drain electrode layer, and conductive channel of the TFT are completed.

12. The method for manufacturing an array substrate according to claim 11, wherein step B includes the following steps:

B1: Lay a-Si layer and n+a-Si layer on the insulating layer in sequence;

B2: Lay photoresist on the n+a-Si layer, and remove the photoresist in the corresponding area of the storage electrode layer through exposure and development;

B3: Etch away the a-Si layer and n+a-Si layer in the corresponding area of the storage electrode layer;

B4: Lay transparent conductive material on the surface of the insulating layer corresponding to the photoresist and storage electrode layer, then peel off the remaining photoresist and the transparent conductive material on the surface. The remaining transparent conductive material is placed on the insulating layer corresponding to the storage electrode layer. The transparent electrode layer is formed on.

13. The method for manufacturing an array substrate according to claim 12, wherein step C includes the following steps:

C1: Lay a metal conductive layer on the surface of the array substrate, covering the transparent electrode layer and n+a-Si layer; C2: Lay photoresist on the surface of the metal conductive layer, and form the source pattern and drain pattern of the TFT through exposure and development. The drain pattern covers one end of the transparent electrode layer;

C3: Etch the metal conductive layer to form the source electrode layer and drain electrode layer of the TFT; C4: Completely etch away the exposed n+a-Si layer material between the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer to form a conductive channel;

C5: Lay a protective layer on the surface of the source electrode layer, drain electrode layer, conductive channel and transparent electrode layer.

14. The method for manufacturing an array substrate according to claim 11, wherein step B includes the following steps:

B1: Lay transparent conductive material on the insulation layer;

B2: Lay photoresist on the transparent conductive material, and form a transparent electrode pattern through exposure and development;

B3: Etch away the transparent conductive material other than the transparent electrode pattern;

B4: Lay a-Si layer and n+a-Si layer on the surface of the transparent electrode pattern and insulating layer in sequence;

B5: Peel off the remaining photoresist and expose the transparent conductive material to form the transparent electrode layer.

15. The manufacturing method of an array substrate as claimed in claim 14, wherein step C includes the following steps:

C1: Lay a metal conductive layer on the surface of the array substrate, covering the transparent electrode layer and n+a-Si layer;

C2: Lay photoresist on the surface of the metal conductive layer, and form the source pattern and drain pattern of the TFT through exposure and development. The drain pattern covers one end of the transparent electrode layer;

C3: Etch the metal conductive layer to form the source electrode layer and drain electrode layer of the TFT;

C4: Completely etch away the exposed n+a-Si layer material between the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer to form a conductive channel;

16. The manufacturing method of an array substrate according to claim 11, wherein the transparent electrode layer is made of indium tin oxide material.