Liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same

1. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

first and second substrates having an active region, data and gate pad portions, and gate and data link portions;

a sealant pattern within a sealant region;

at least one first dummy pattern provided between adjacent ones of the gate link portions;

at least one second dummy pattern provided between adjacent ones of the data link portions; and

a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates,

wherein a width of each of the first and second dummy patterns is less than a width of the sealant pattern.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the width of the first and second dummy patterns are each less than about ¾ of the width of the sealant pattern.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the gate link portions comprise:

a gate metal layer on the first substrate;

a gate insulating layer on the gate metal layer;

a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer; and

a passivation layer on the semiconductor layer.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the data link portions comprise:

a gate insulating layer on the first substrate;

a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer;

a data metal layer on the gate insulating layer; and

a passivation layer on the data metal layer.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first dummy pattern comprises:

a gate metal layer on the first substrate;

a gate insulating layer on the gate metal layer;

a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer; and

a passivation layer on the gate insulating layer.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the second dummy pattern comprises:

a gate insulating layer on the first substrate;

a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer;

a data metal layer on the gate insulating layer; and

a passivation layer on the data metal layer.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein a height of the gate link portions and a height of the data link portions are substantially the same.

8. A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device, comprising:

providing first and second substrates having an active region, gate and data link portions, and a sealant region;

forming a first dummy pattern within the sealant region between adjacent ones of the gate link portions;

forming a second dummy pattern within the sealant region between adjacent ones of the data link portions;

forming a sealant pattern within the sealant region to cover the first and second dummy patterns; and

attaching the first and second substrates.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein forming the first dummy pattern includes:

forming a gate metal layer on the first substrate;

forming a gate insulating layer and a semiconductor layer on the gate metal layer; and

forming a passivation layer on the semiconductor layer.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein forming the second dummy pattern includes:

forming a gate insulating layer and a semiconductor layer on the first substrate;

forming a data metal layer on the semiconductor layer; and

forming a passivation layer on the semiconductor layer.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein widths of the first and second dummy patterns are less than about ¾ of a width of the sealant pattern.

12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein each of the gate link portions comprise:

a gate metal layer on the first substrate;

a gate insulating layer on the gate metal layer;

a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer; and

a passivation layer on the semiconductor layer.

13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein each of the data link portions comprise:

a gate insulating layer on the first substrate;

a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer;

a data metal layer on the gate insulating layer; and

a passivation layer on the data metal layer.

14. The method according to claim 8 , wherein a height of the gate link portions and a height of the data link portions are substantially the same.