Spacer-Defined Display Contacts for Precise Etching Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing display devices face challenges in manufacturing small-sized contact holes with high resolution and reliability, as current exposure processes limit the miniaturization of these features, leading to potential damage to semiconductor and interlayer insulation layers during etching.
Innovation Solution
The use of first and second spacers, with different thickness ratios and materials, is introduced to reduce contact hole size by acting as etch stoppers and facilitating the deposition of source and drain electrodes, thereby minimizing etching damage and enhancing manufacturing precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional exposure processes are used to form contact holes, then manufacturing process simplicity is maintained, but contact hole size cannot be sufficiently miniaturized and resolution is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into multiple stages: first forming a preliminary contact hole, then sequentially forming first and second spacers with different materials and thicknesses, and finally performing etching in stages. This segmentation enables precise control of contact hole dimensions that cannot be achieved with conventional single-step exposure processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The first and second spacers are formed in advance before the final etching process. These spacers serve as preliminary structures that define the exact contact hole dimensions and act as etch stoppers, allowing the etching process to stop precisely at the desired depth without damaging underlying layers.
2Manufacturing precision
If etching is performed to expose the first electrode, then light emission region is formed, but excessive etching may damage the interlayer insulation layer and semiconductor layer
Solution Approach 1:
The first and second spacers serve as intermediary protective layers during the etching process. These spacers are positioned between the etching tool and the underlying interlayer insulation layer and semiconductor layer, acting as etch stoppers that prevent excessive etching and protect the integrity of the underlying layers while still allowing the first electrode to be exposed.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacers are formed beforehand to provide a protective cushion during etching. The first spacer with greater thickness provides primary protection, while the second spacer provides additional protection and fine-tunes the etching depth control, ensuring that the underlying layers are not damaged by excessive etching.
3Manufacturing precision
If single-layer spacer structure is used, then device structure is simpler, but etching depth control and contact hole miniaturization are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer structure is segmented into two distinct layers: the first spacer with greater thickness that provides primary etch stop protection and defines the main contact hole dimensions, and the second spacer with smaller thickness that provides additional protection and fine-tunes the etching depth. This segmentation enables precise control of etching depth and contact hole miniaturization that cannot be achieved with a single-layer spacer structure.
Data Source
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AI summary
A display device and a method for manufacturing a display device, the device including a semiconductor layer on a substrate; a gate insulation layer and an interlayer insulation layer that overlap the semiconductor layer; contact holes that penetrate the gate insulation layer and the interlayer insulation layer; a source electrode and a drain electrode that are electrically connected with the semiconductor layer through the contact holes; a light emitting diode that is connected with the drain electrode; and first spacers and second spacers between the source electrode and the interlayer insulation layer and between the drain electrode and the interlayer insulation layer in the contact holes.