Gate Electrode Corrosion Prevention in Array Substrate Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The corrosion of a gate electrode by a photoresist stripping solution during the manufacturing of TFT-LCD panels leads to short circuiting between the gate electrode and metal layers, affecting the yield and display effect of the device.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the sequential formation of a first metal layer, a second metal layer, and a protective layer on a substrate, followed by the removal of uncovered layers using dry- and wet-etching, and the use of plasma cleaning with oxygen to strip the photoresist layer, preventing corrosion and hole formation at the gate electrode edges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a photoresist stripping solution is used to remove photoresist, then the photoresist can be effectively removed, but the gate electrode metal layer becomes corroded and hollowed out forming cracks
Solution Approach 1:
A protective layer is introduced as an intermediary between the photoresist and the gate electrode metal layer. This protective layer allows the photoresist stripping solution to remove the photoresist effectively while preventing the solution from corroding the metal layer, thus resolving the contradiction between removal effectiveness and electrode integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical stripping method with a plasma cleaning method to remove the photoresist. This substitution eliminates the corrosive chemical solution entirely, achieving effective photoresist removal without causing any corrosion to the gate electrode metal layer
2Productivity
If the photoresist is stripped using chemical solution, then photoresist removal is achieved, but short circuiting between gate electrode and metal of different layers occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The protective layer serves as a mediator that enables the photoresist stripping process to proceed without causing short circuits between different metal layers. It allows the stripping solution to access and remove the photoresist while blocking the solution from reaching and corroding the gate electrode metal layer, thus maintaining electrical insulation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes chemical stripping with plasma cleaning, which removes photoresist through physical plasma etching rather than chemical dissolution. This eliminates the risk of short circuiting caused by chemical corrosion while maintaining manufacturing 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 method effectively prevents short circuiting between the gate electrode and metal layers, thereby improving the yield and display effect of the array substrate and display device by protecting the metal layers from corrosion during the photoresist removal process.
Implementation Method 1
removing the photoresist layer by a plasma cleaning technique
Implementation Method 2
The gas used in the plasma cleaning technique includes oxygen
Implementation Method 3
removing the protective layer that is not covered by the photoresist layer by dry-etching
Implementation Method 4
removing the second metal layer and the first metal layer that are not covered by the photoresist layer by wet-etching
Data Source
AI summary
The present application provides a method of manufacturing an array substrate, the array substrate, and a display device. In the method, a photoresist layer is removed by a plasma cleaning technique after performing etching to prevent a gate electrode of the array substrate from contacting a stripping solution, thereby preventing a metal layer of the gate electrode from being corroded by the stripping solution.