Dual Material Gate Electrode for Flat Panel Display Mask Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high manufacturing cost of large-size and high-resolution flat panel display apparatuses due to the requirement of many masks and mask process steps in forming components like thin film transistors, capacitors, and wirings.
Innovation Solution
A flat panel display apparatus design that includes a substrate with an active layer having a channel, source, and drain region, using a dual gate electrode structure with different materials and a contact portion with exposed contact holes to simplify the manufacturing process, reducing the need for multiple masks and steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If many masks and mask process steps are used to form components like thin film transistors, capacitors, and wirings, then manufacturing precision and component quality are improved, but manufacturing cost and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the gate electrode and contact portion into a single conductive layer that is patterned simultaneously using one mask process. This merging of previously separate fabrication steps into a unified process reduces the total number of masks required while maintaining the precision of component formation, directly addressing the contradiction between manufacturing precision and process complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive layer serves multiple functions: it forms both the gate electrode that controls the thin film transistor and the contact portion that provides electrical connection to the pixel electrode. This multi-functionality allows a single patterning step to create multiple critical components, reducing process complexity while ensuring consistent quality across all components
2Manufacturing precision
If many masks and mask process steps are used to form components like thin film transistors, capacitors, and wirings, then manufacturing precision and component quality are improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the gate electrode and contact portion fabrication into a single mask process, the patent reduces material consumption (fewer masks), equipment usage time, and labor costs. This consolidation maintains manufacturing precision while directly lowering the overall manufacturing cost of the display apparatus
Solution Approach 2:
The patent eliminates the need for separate masks and process steps that would otherwise be required for individual gate and contact formation. By discarding these redundant process elements and recovering the resources they would consume (masks, chemicals, equipment time), the invention achieves cost reduction without sacrificing component quality
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple separate processes are used to form gate electrode and contact portion, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the formation of gate electrode and contact portion into a single patterning operation using one mask. This eliminates the sequential execution of multiple separate processes, thereby increasing manufacturing throughput and productivity while maintaining the precision required for proper component formation through carefully designed pattern geometry
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive layer is designed and positioned in advance to serve dual purposes as both gate electrode and contact portion. This preliminary planning allows a single patterning step to create both components simultaneously, eliminating the need for subsequent separate formation processes and thereby improving manufacturing efficiency without compromising precision
Data Source
AI summary
A display apparatus includes an active layer that overlaps a substrate and comprises a channel region. The display apparatus further includes an insulating layer disposed on the substrate and the active layer. The display apparatus further includes a gate electrode disposed on the insulating layer, overlapping the channel region, and comprising a first gate electrode layer and a second gate electrode layer, wherein the first gate electrode layer is formed of a first material and is disposed between the insulating layer and the second electrode layer, and wherein the second gate electrode layer is formed of a second material that is different from the first material. The display apparatus further includes a contact portion disposed on the insulating layer and comprising a first contact layer that is formed of the first material. The display apparatus further includes a pixel electrode that contacts the first contact layer.