In-Cell Touch Sensor Substrate Etching Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the fabrication of in-cell type touch sensor liquid crystal display devices, the omission of the auxiliary insulating layer leads to exposure of the drain electrode and data pad through contact holes, causing deterioration due to etching solutions, resulting in compromised contact properties and increased fabrication costs.
Innovation Solution
An array substrate design that includes an etching preventing pattern, made of the same material as the common electrode, is used to cover the drain contact hole, and a first auxiliary pad pattern covers the data pad, preventing exposure to etching solutions without the need for an additional auxiliary insulating layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the auxiliary insulating layer is omitted to reduce fabrication complexity, then the fabrication process becomes simpler and more cost-effective, but the drain electrode and data pad are exposed to etching solutions causing deterioration and compromised contact properties
Solution Approach 1:
The etching preventing pattern is formed in advance before the common electrode etching process. This preliminary protective layer ensures that when etching solutions are later applied to remove the common electrode, the drain electrode and data pad are already protected, preventing deterioration while maintaining the simplified fabrication process without auxiliary insulating layers
Solution Approach 2:
The etching preventing pattern acts as an intermediary protective layer between the etching solution and the sensitive metal patterns (drain electrode and data pad). This intermediate layer selectively protects the metal patterns from etching damage while allowing the common electrode to be properly etched, thus resolving the contradiction between process simplification and contact reliability
2Loss of substance
If the auxiliary insulating layer is omitted to reduce material usage and cost, then production costs decrease, but exposure to etching solutions causes deterioration of exposed metal patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the auxiliary insulating layer from the fabrication process, eliminating the need for this additional material layer. Instead, the etching preventing pattern (formed as part of the common electrode layer) provides the necessary protection, reducing material usage and production costs while preventing etching solution damage through the protective pattern design
Solution Approach 2:
The common electrode layer serves multiple functions: it acts as the functional common electrode for the display device, and simultaneously forms the etching preventing pattern that protects metal patterns during fabrication. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate auxiliary insulating layers, reducing material usage while maintaining protection against etching damage
Data Source
AI summary
An array substrate for an in-cell type touch sensor liquid crystal display device includes: a substrate; a gate line and a data line on the substrate; a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line; a first passivation layer on the thin film transistor; a common electrode on the first passivation layer; an etching preventing pattern covering the drain contact hole; an x sensing line and a y sensing line on the common electrode; a second passivation layer on the x sensing line and the y sensing line; and a pixel electrode on the second passivation layer.