Active solid-state devices (e.g. – transistors – solid-state diode – Non-single crystal – or recrystallized – semiconductor... – Amorphous semiconductor material
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-22
2001-10-23
Ngô ;, Ngâ ;n V. (Department: 2814)
Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode
Non-single crystal, or recrystallized, semiconductor...
Amorphous semiconductor material
C257S072000, C257S350000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06307216
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to thin film transistor panels for liquid crystal displays (LCDs), more in detail, to wire structures for repairing defects due to disconnection of data lines.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, thin film transistor liquid crystal displays include a plurality of gate lines transmitting scan signals, a plurality of data lines transmitting display signals and intersecting the gate lines, a plurality of pixel regions defined by the intersecting of the gate lines and the data lines, and thin film transistors (TFTs) formed in the pixel regions. Such TFT-LCDs are formed by depositing a plurality of thin films, one at a time, and etching the same. However, the films may break open in specific areas, causing a disconnection of the portions of the films.
To prevent the disconnection, the data lines are either doubled at portions where they overlap the gate lines, or another metal layer is deposited and patterned either over or under the data lines, to form repair lines. This method is disclosed in the currently pending U.S. application, application Ser. No. 09/174,429, filed on Oct. 19, 1999, entitled “LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAYS AND MANUFACTURING METHODS THEREOF” by Sang-Soo KIM, Dong-Gyu KIM and Woon-Yong, PARK. This pending application is hereby incorporated by reference.
In the former method above, it is difficult to repair the data lines disconnected in areas other than where the data lines intersect the gate lines.
In the latter method above, an additional metal layer is deposited and patterned to form the redundancy lines, and an insulating film is etched to form contact holes for connecting the redundancy lines and the data lines. Therefore, additional steps are required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above problems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a redundancy line structure used to effectively repair disconnection defects of the data lines.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a redundancy line structure formed without introducing additional steps.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a redundancy line structure preventing short-circuited defects between the upper substrate and the lower substrate and the same between adjacent pixels.
To achieve the above objects, each redundancy line formed in every pixel and located under the data line is connected to a connect pattern located outside the data line so a short-circuited defect between the connect pattern and the upper substrate can be repaired.
In a thin film transistor panel for liquid crystal displays according to the embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of gate lines are formed on a substrate and arranged in a first direction. A plurality of data lines are located between adjacent gate lines and arranged in a second direction. A gate insulating film covers the gate lines and the redundancy lines. Data lines are formed thereon, arranged in the second direction and intersect the repair lines. A passivation film covers the data lines. Conductive connect patterns are formed thereon. The conductive connect pattern does not overlap the data line but is located outside the data line. The conductive connect pattern electrically couples the two redundancy lines located opposite each other with respect to the gate line.
The redundancy line may be divided into a first redundancy line and a second redundancy line that are respectively connected to the conductive connect pattern, and the third redundancy line separated from and located between the first and the second redundancy lines. It is preferable that portions of the first and the second redundancy lines that are connected to the conductive connect pattern are slanted outward from the data line. The conductive connect pattern may be made of the same material as the pixel electrode.
Furthermore, the redundancy line may be divided into the first redundancy line and the second redundancy line that are respectively connected to the conductive connect patterns. It is preferable that portions of the first and the second redundancy lines that are connected to the conductive connect pattern are bent outward from the data line.
It is preferable to make the redundancy line of the same material as the gate line.
A secondary gate line that is parallel to the gate lines may be formed and located between the two adjacent gate lines, and connecting lines that couple the gate line and the secondary gate line may be formed.
Additionally, a thin film transistor panel for liquid crystal displays according to another embodiment of the present invention includes redundancy lines formed and respectively located in every pixel, and conductive connect patterns respectively coupling any end of the redundancy line and the data line.
Both ends of the redundancy line are preferably bent outward from the data line, and the conductive connect pattern may be made of the same material as the pixel electrode.
A secondary gate line that is parallel to the gate lines, formed and located between the adjacent gate lines, and connecting lines that couple the gate line and the secondary gate line may be formed.
Redundancy lines are respectively formed in every pixel and divided into two portions in at least one pixel out of every several pixels, or preferably in one pixel out of every 2-10 pixels.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5303074 (1994-04-01), Salisbury
patent: 5734450 (1998-03-01), Irie et al.
patent: 5856854 (1999-01-01), Hyun
Baek Bum-Ki
Hong Mun-Pyo
Huh Sung-Wook
Kim Jang-Soo
Howrey Simon Arnold & White , LLP
Ngô ; Ngâ ;n V.
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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