Active solid-state devices (e.g. – transistors – solid-state diode – Non-single crystal – or recrystallized – semiconductor... – Amorphous semiconductor material
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-10
2003-04-22
Loke, Steven (Department: 2811)
Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode
Non-single crystal, or recrystallized, semiconductor...
Amorphous semiconductor material
C257S066000, C257S072000, C257S347000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06552361
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application incorporates by reference Taiwanese application Ser. No. 89109389, Filed on May 11, 2000.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to the structure and the manufacturing method of a thin film transistor (TFT), and more particularly to a structure and a manufacturing method of a thin film transistor device, which reduces short-circuiting between different metal layers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) are turning up everywhere these days. The LCD, a light, slender display, with a beautiful image that does not tire the eyes even when viewed for hours at a time, is finding its way into many products.
Specific applications with significant growth potential for LCD, include portable computers, desktop computers, audio visual equipment.
The Super-Twisted Nematic mode LCD (STN LCD) and Thin Film Transistor LCD (TFT LCD) are the two popular types of LCDs nowadays. They are usually applied in different devices. Due to the wide viewing angle of the TFT LCD, the TFT LCD is more widely incorporated.
FIG. 1
shows the equivalent circuit of the LCD panel. For the purpose of clearly illustrating, only 3 scan lines
101
and 3 data lines are shown herein. However, it is apparent that the real LCD panel includes more than that.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, there is a crossover capacitor
103
at the crossover of each scan line
101
and data line
102
. The crossover capacitor determines the delay time of the LCD panel. Larger capacitance of the crossover capacitor causes a longer delay time. On the other hand, lower capacitance of the crossover capacitor causes a shorter delay time.
FIG. 2
is the cross-sectional view of the crossover capacitor of a conventional TFT. The crossover capacitor region
200
is composed of a scan line layer
201
, an interlayer
202
and a data line
203
. The scan line layer
201
and the data line layer
203
are both metal layers. As it can be inferred from the names, the scan line layer
201
and the data line layer
203
in
FIG. 2
respectively form the scan line and data line in FIG.
1
. The scan line layer
201
can be, for example, the gate of the TFT. The source region and drain region thereof can be easily inferred and therefore are omitted in FIG.
2
.
The manufacturing methods of the interlayer
202
include at least the following:
1. depositing silicon oxide (SiOx) and performing hydrogen plasma hydrogenation; and
2. depositing silicon nitride (SiNx) by PECVD and high temperature annealing.
During the fabrication of the TFT, the problem of short-circuiting should be overcome, in addition to meeting other basic requirements of the device property like the follow of current and the value of threshold voltage. A short-circuit between two different metal layers causes heavy loading of the system during driving, which therefore interrupts the normal procedure.
FIG. 3
is a cross-sectional view of a crossover capacitor region, having pin holes, of a conventional TFT The crossover capacitor region
300
includes a scan line layer
301
, an interlayer
302
and a data line layer
303
. The chief defect of the TFT in
FIG. 3
is the pin holes
304
, which are formed at the edge of the scan line layer
301
during the formation of the interlayer
302
. The pine holes
304
could be filled with the material of the data line layer
303
in the following procedure of fabricating the data line layer
303
. Consequently, the data line layer
303
is connected with the scan line layer
301
. Due to the fact that the materials of the data line layer
303
and the scan line layer are both conductors, the connection of the data line layer
303
and the scan line layer
301
results in a short-circuit in the crossover capacitor region
300
.
Conventionally, the edges of the lower metal layer, the scan line layer in this case, are etched to be taper-shaped to reduce the occurrence of short-circuit between different metal layers.
FIG. 4
is the cross-sectional view, showing the conventional method to modify the TFT in order to eliminate short-circuiting. The crossover capacitor region as in
FIG. 4
includes a scan line layer
401
, an interlayer
402
and a data line layer
403
. The edges of the scan line layer
401
are etched to be taper-shaped. Therefore, the interlayer
401
formed thereafter could have better step coverage, which consequently reduces the occurrence of the pin holes and short-circuits. It is clear that this method include at least one additional step to etch the lower metal layer, which conflicts the principle of minimizing fabricating steps.
Another method for preventing pin holes is to improve the pre-washing procedure before the deposition of the interlayer. However, to improve the pre-washing procedure requires high-stability of each step, which therefore increases the complexity the process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved and simplified structure and process of forming a TFT, to solve the above-mentioned problems. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lower metal line (the scan line layer) needs not to be etched so as to be taper-like. Also, pre-washing under strict control is not needed. Furthermore, the TFT device of a preferred embodiment of the invention has a higher yield and the percentage of devices formed with short-circuits is greatly reduced.
It is another object of the invention to provide a TFT and a method of forming the same. A planarization layer of polymer is formed on the interlayer to reduce short-circuiting. The planarization layer further reduces the capacitance of the crossover capacitor, and the delay time of the LCD panel using the TFT is therefore minimized. A gate thereof can be designed to be under the data line to increase the aperture ratio.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6100954 (2000-08-01), Kim et al.
patent: 11-125831 (1999-05-01), None
Chen Jr-Hong
Lu I-Min
Industrial Technology Research Institute
Loke Steven
Rabin & Berdo P.C.
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