Narrow Bezel Display Substrate via Simultaneous Gate and Contact Patterning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in fabricating liquid crystal display devices in the Plane to Line Switching (PLS) mode is to reduce manufacturing costs while maintaining the existing five mask processes, as current methods require multiple masks and different etching processes for various thin films, making it difficult to achieve a narrow bezel.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a direct contact part (D-CNT) pattern using the existing five mask processes, which allows for the formation of a narrow bezel by patterning the common electrode contact part and direct contact part simultaneously with the gate pattern, eliminating the need for additional masks and reducing defects from static electricity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If additional mask processes are used to form direct contact part pattern, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the formation of the direct contact part pattern with the existing gate pattern formation process by simultaneously patterning both structures using the same mask process. This merging of operations eliminates the need for separate additional mask processes while maintaining the required manufacturing precision for the direct contact part pattern.
Solution Approach 2:
The mask process is designed to serve multiple functions by simultaneously defining both the gate pattern and the direct contact part pattern. This multi-functional approach allows a single mask process to accomplish what would traditionally require separate dedicated processes, thereby reducing overall process complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple different etching processes are used for different thin films, then manufacturing precision is improved, but process complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies etching process parameters such as etchant composition, temperature, or pressure to enable a single etching process to selectively etch different thin film materials with appropriate precision. By adjusting these parameters, the process achieves the differentiation needed for multiple film types without requiring multiple separate etching processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite material structures or stacked thin films with distinct etching characteristics that allow selective etching within a unified process. The composite nature of the layered structure enables differential etching rates or selectivities that maintain manufacturing precision while simplifying the overall process flow.
3Adaptability or versatility
If narrow bezel is achieved through additional patterning processes, then product design flexibility is improved, but manufacturing cost and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The narrow bezel structure is integrated into the existing gate and direct contact part patterning operations. By merging the bezel definition with these established processes, the design flexibility for achieving narrow bezels is realized without adding separate manufacturing steps, thereby avoiding increased fabrication costs.
Data Source
AI summary
A display substrate and its fabricating method have been disclosed. In a horizontal-field-mode liquid crystal display device, while maintaining five mask processes, additional direct contact has been formed to implement a narrow bezel.