Method of fabricating an array substrate
View Patent ↗An array substrate for use in an X-ray sensing device and in an LCD device is fabricated using plasma gas treatment. Especially, an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) transparent conductive metallic layer is plasma-treated by N 2 plasma, He plasma or Ar plasma, before forming the insulation layer on the ITO transparent conductive metallic layer. Thus, the plasma removes the impurities on a surface of the transparent conductive metallic layer and changes the lattice structure of the surface of the transparent conductive metallic layer, and thus the adhesion between the transparent conductive metallic layer and the insulation layer is improved. The defects caused by a gap or a space between the transparent conductive metallic layer and the insulation layer do not occur.
1. A method of fabricating an array substrate, the array substrate having a switching element with a gate electrode, a first insulation layer on the gate electrode, source and drain electrodes over the first insulation layer, and a transparent conductive metallic layer, the method comprising:
treating a surface of the transparent conductive metallic layer with a plasma gas to remove impurities and change a lattice structure of the transparent conductive metallic layer, wherein each of the source and drain electrodes includes a metallic material, and wherein the transparent conductive metallic layer is formed on the first insulation layer and spaced apart from the source electrode; and
forming a second insulation layer in physical contact with a top surface of the transparent conductive metallic layer having the surface treated with the plasma gas and over the switching element,
wherein treating the surface of the transparent conductive metallic layer with plasma gas and forming the second insulation layer are performed in a same chamber.
2. A method of fabricating an array substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the insulation layer is made of silicon nitride (SiNx).
3. A method of fabricating an array substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the treated transparent conductive metallic layer is made of ITO (indium-tin-oxide).
4. A method of fabricating an array substrate according to claim 3 , wherein the treated transparent conductive metallic layer forms a pixel electrode that contacts the drain electrode.
5. A method of fabricating an array substrate according to claim 3 , wherein the treated transparent conductive metallic layer forms a capacitor electrodes.
6. A method of fabricating an array substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the plasma gas includes one of nitrogen (N), helium (He) and argon (Ar).
7. A method of fabricating an array substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the plasma gas includes nitrogen (N).
8. A method of fabricating an array substrate, comprising:
forming a switching device on the substrate, wherein the switching device includes a gate electrode, a first insulation layer on the gate electrode, and source and drain electrodes over the first insulation layer and each of the source and drain electrodes includes a metallic material;
forming a transparent conductive material on the first insulation layer, wherein the transparent conductive material is spaced apart from the source electrode;
exposing a surface of the transparent conductive material on the first insulation layer with a plasma gas to remove impurities and change a lattice structure of the transparent conductive material; and
depositing an insulating material in physical contact with a top surface of the transparent conductive material having the surface exposed with the plasma gas to form a second insulation layer,
wherein exposing the surface of the transparent conductive material with the plasma gas and depositing the insulating material are performed in a same chamber.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising patterning the transparent conductive material prior to exposing the surface of the transparent conductive material with the plasma gas.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the switching device is a thin film transistor having gate, source, and drain electrodes.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the transparent conductive material forms a capacitor electrodes.
12. The method claim 11 , wherein the capacitor electrode is a pixel electrode that contacts the drain electrode.
13. The method claim 8 , further comprising depositing a metal layer on the insulating material.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the insulation layer is made of silicon nitride (SiNx).
15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the transparent conductive metallic material is made of ITO (indium-tin-oxide).
16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the plasma gas includes one of nitrogen (N), helium (He) and argon (Ar).
17. A method of fabricating an array substrate according to claim 8 , wherein the plasma gas includes nitrogen (N).