IP Library Granted Patent US 8,817,200
Granted Patent B2
US 8,817,200 · App. 13/028,339 · Granted Aug 26, 2014

Liquid crystal display device comprising a TFT with a barrier metal formed of a first layer and a second layer wherein the first layer is denser than the second layer

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,817,200
App. No.
13/028,339
Granted
Aug 26, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A contact resistance in a through-hole with a source or a drain electrode connected to a TFT is decreased, thereby improving the operation efficiency of a display device. In the through-hole, a source portion of the TFT is connected to a source electrode 8 . The source electrode 8 is formed of three layers comprising a barrier metal, an Al alloy 82 , and a cap metal 83 . The barrier metal is divided into a lower layer 81 a in contact with the semiconductor layer and an upper layer 81 b in contact with the Al alloy. The lower layer 81 a of the barrier metal is formed by sputtering, the lower layer 81 a is heat-treated and, subsequently, an upper layer 81 b of the base metal, the Al alloy 82 , and the cap metal 83 are formed continuously by sputtering. Since the upper layer 81 b of the barrier metal in contact with the Al alloy 82 is not oxidized, increase in the contact resistance in the through-hole can be prevented.

Claims (25)

1. The liquid crystal display device comprising:

scanning lines extended in a first direction and arranged in a second direction;

video signal lines extended in the second direction and arranged in the first direction;

pixels, each of which is formed in an area surrounded by one of the scanning lines and the video signal lines, each of the pixels including a switching TFT for switching a video signal supplied to a pixel electrode; and,

driving TFTs, each of which includes a semiconductor layer, at the periphery of a display area;

wherein a source electrode connected with the semiconductor layer of the driving TFT is formed of three layers comprising a barrier metal, an Al-containing metal and a cap metal,

wherein the Al-containing metal is formed on the barrier metal, and the cap metal is formed on the Al-containing metal,

wherein the barrier metal is formed of a first layer in contact with the semiconductor layer of each of the driving TFTs and a second layer in contact with the Al-containing metal, and

wherein each of the first layer, the second layer, and the cap metal is formed of a metal comprising a high melting point metal

wherein the thickness of the first layer is thicker than the thickness of the second layer, and

wherein the first layer is denser than the second layer.

2. The liquid crystal display comprising:

scanning lines extended in a first direction and arranged in a second direction;

video signal lines extended in the second direction and arranged in the first direction;

pixels, each of which is formed in an area surrounded by one of the scanning lines and the video signal lines, each of the pixels including a switching TFT for switching a video signal supplied to a pixel electrode; and,

driving TFTs, each of which includes a semiconductor layer, at the periphery of a display area;

wherein a source electrode connected with the semiconductor layer of the driving TFT is formed of three layers comprising a barrier metal, an Al-containing metal and a cap metal,

wherein the Al-containing metal is formed on the barrier metal, and the cap metal is formed on the Al-containing metal,

wherein the barrier metal is formed of a first layer in contact with the semiconductor layer of each of the driving TFTs and a second layer in contact with the Al-containing metal, and

wherein each of the first layer, the second layer, and the cap metal is formed of a metal comprising a high melting point metal,

wherein the thickness of the first layer is thicker than the thickness of the second layer,

wherein the first layer is denser than the second layer, and

wherein the first layer is in a crystal state and the second layer is in an amorphous state.

3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 , wherein the second layer comprises a layer which is formed on the first layer after the first layer has been subjected to a heat treatment to provide the first layer with a barrier effect.

4. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2 , wherein the second layer comprises a layer which is formed on the first layer after the first layer has been subjected to a heat treatment to provide the first layer with a barrier effect.

Assignments (7)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2025
From: JAPAN DISPLAY INC
To: MAGNOLIA PURPLE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 071890/0202 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Nov 17, 2023
From: PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
Reel/Frame 065615/0327 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 19, 2014
From: HITACHI DISPLAYS, LTD.
To: JAPAN DISPLAY EAST INC.
Reel/Frame 032935/0814 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 19, 2014
From: JAPAN DISPLAY EAST INC.
To: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
Reel/Frame 032935/0870 →
MERGER Recorded Nov 27, 2012
From: IPS ALPHA SUPPORT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 029358/0841 →
COMPANY SPLIT PLAN TRANSFERRING FIFTY (50) PERCENT SHARE OF PATENTS AND APPLICATIONS Recorded Nov 27, 2012
From: HITACHI DISPLAYS, LTD.
To: IPS ALPHA SUPPORT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 029362/0104 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2011
From: ASAI, TARO; GOTOH, JUN; OUE, EIJI; ASUMA, HIROAKI; NAKAYASHIKI, KATSUMI; KURITA, MAKOTO
To: HITACHI DISPLAYS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 025816/0159 →