Array Substrate Pad Part for Uniform Metal Film Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional array substrate production methods result in uneven metal film layers due to spacing between magnetron sputtering targets, leading to non-uniform spacer heights and potential display failures.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a pad part in non-display areas of the array substrate, where the sum of thickness of metal film layers in spacing areas equals the thickness of metal film layers facing the targets, ensuring uniformity and supporting the liquid crystal box effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If magnetron sputtering targets are spaced to each other to improve utilization ratio, then target utilization efficiency is improved, but metal film layer thickness uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a pad part with different thickness characteristics in specific spacing areas between targets. This local structural modification compensates for the thinner metal film layers formed in spacing areas, creating different thickness zones intentionally to achieve overall uniformity when combined with the metal film layers
Solution Approach 2:
The pad part is formed in advance in the spacing areas between targets before the magnetron sputtering process. This preliminary action ensures that when metal film layers are subsequently deposited, the combined structure (pad part + metal film layer) achieves uniform thickness despite the targets being spaced apart
2Productivity
If metal film layers are formed in spacing areas between targets, then target utilization is improved, but spacer height uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pad part is specifically positioned in non-display areas corresponding to spacing areas between targets, creating local thickness compensation only where needed. This ensures spacer height uniformity in critical areas while maintaining high target utilization through spacing
Solution Approach 2:
The pad part is formed beforehand in spacing areas to pre-compensate for the thickness deficiency that will occur during subsequent magnetron sputtering. This preliminary thickness preparation ensures that spacers formed on the combined structure achieve uniform height
3Productivity
If metal film layers have non-uniform thickness, then production efficiency is maintained, but liquid crystal box balance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pad part creates local thickness compensation in spacing areas, ensuring that the combined structure (pad part + metal film layer) has uniform thickness. This maintains liquid crystal box balance while allowing targets to be spaced for high production efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The pad part is formed in advance to pre-establish the thickness foundation in spacing areas. This preliminary action ensures that subsequent metal film deposition results in uniform combined thickness, maintaining liquid crystal box balance without compromising production efficiency
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach achieves uniform thickness of film layers in contact with spacers, maintaining the balance of the liquid crystal box and improving the quality of the array substrate and display apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
it needs to deposit metal film layers 10(such as a gate metal layer, a source and drain metal layer) on a transparent substrate 100 by magnetron sputtering
Data Source
AI summary
An array substrate comprising display areas and non-display areas is provided. The non-display area comprises an area in which a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines crossed to each other are located and an area in which thin film transistors are located, the gate lines and the data lines being formed by patterning metal film layers which are formed in the area by magnetron sputtering targets spaced to each other; and wherein a pad part is formed in an area of the non-display areas corresponding to the spacing areas between the targets, a sum of thickness of the metal film layer foamed in the areas corresponding to the spacing areas between the targets and the thickness of the pad part being equal to the thickness of the metal film layer formed in the areas facing the targets.