Methods and system for electrostatic discharge protection of thin-film transistor backplane arrays
The present invention provides devices and methods for testing the electrical performance of thin-film transistor backplane arrays and protecting thin-films during testing and handling.
1. A device for testing a thin-film transistor backplane array comprising:
a first decoder electrically coupled to each of a plurality of row connections on a thin-film transistor backplane array;
a second decoder electrically coupled to each of a plurality of column connections on the thin-film transistor backplane array, wherein the first decoder and the second decoder reside on the same substrate as the thin-film transistor backplane array; and
an electrical component capable of providing a severable electrical connection between a first portion of the device and a second portion of the device, wherein the electrical component comprises a three-terminal fuse that is capable of being activated to sever the electrical connection.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the device is a decoder address line.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the device is a decoder bias line.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the device is a decoder address line and the second portion of the device is a decoder bias line.
5. The device of claim 4 wherein the first decoder is a 1×N decoder.
6. The device of claim 4 wherein the second decoder is a 1×M decoder.
7. The device of claim 6 wherein the second decoder is a 2×N decoder.
8. The device of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the first decoder and at least a portion of the second decoder comprises amorphous silicon.
9. The device of claim 1 wherein the electrical component providing a severable connection between a first portion of the device and a second portion of the device comprises an electrostatic discharge protection component.
10. The device of claim 9 wherein the electrostatic discharge protection component establishes an electrical connection between at least two portions of the device in response to the presence of an electrical current with a magnitude greater than a predetermined level.
11. The device of claim 9 wherein the electrostatic discharge protection component establishes an electrical connection between at least two portions of the device in response to the presence of a voltage with a magnitude greater than a predetermined level.
12. The device of claim 8 wherein:
the first decoder is a 1×N decoder;
the second decoder is a 1×M decoder; and
the electrical component capable of providing a severable connection between the first portion of the device and the second portion of the device comprises an electrostatic discharge protection component.
13. The device of claim 8 wherein:
the first decoder is a 1×N decoder; and
the second decoder is a 1×M decoder.