Ring Dummy Pattern for Contact Hole Alignment in Display Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
As display apparatuses evolve to higher resolutions, the decreasing gap between circuit structures narrows process margins, making it challenging to form contact holes without defects or short circuits, particularly due to the complexity of layered structures and the need for precise positioning of electrodes and dummy patterns.
Innovation Solution
The display apparatus incorporates a ring dummy pattern that overlaps with the gate electrode and active pattern, allowing for the formation of contact holes that pass through the ring dummy pattern, ensuring accurate electrode connection while maintaining a sufficient process margin and preventing short circuits, even with slight deviations in the formation process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the gap between circuit structures is decreased to achieve higher resolution, then the display resolution is improved, but the process margin is reduced making contact hole formation more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The ring dummy pattern is formed in advance before contact hole formation. This preliminary structure serves as a positioning reference that guides the formation of contact holes, ensuring they are created at the correct locations even when gaps between circuit structures are small. The ring dummy pattern is formed on the second insulating layer before the third insulating layer and contact holes are created, establishing a predetermined geometric reference that simplifies subsequent alignment processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring dummy pattern acts as an intermediary element between the existing circuit structures and the contact holes to be formed. This intermediate structure provides a visual and physical reference that mediates the positioning process, making it easier to form contact holes with accurate positioning in the narrow gaps between circuit structures without requiring direct measurement or complex alignment procedures.
2Ease of manufacture
If the layered structure is simplified to ease manufacturing, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the ability to prevent short circuits is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The ring dummy pattern is formed in advance on the second insulating layer before subsequent layers are deposited. This preliminary structure establishes predetermined positioning references that guide contact hole formation, ensuring accurate electrode connection without requiring complex alignment procedures. The pattern is created before the third insulating layer and contact holes, making the positioning function available throughout the remaining manufacturing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring dummy pattern serves as an intermediary reference structure that simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining reliability. Instead of requiring complex alignment procedures or multiple measurement steps, the ring dummy pattern provides a straightforward visual and physical guide for contact hole formation, making the process easier to manufacture while preventing short circuits through accurate positioning.
3Reliability
If the contact hole positioning is made more precise to avoid short circuits, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ring dummy pattern is formed in advance as a positioning reference structure. This preliminary action establishes the positioning framework before contact holes are formed, allowing for precise contact hole positioning without requiring complex alignment procedures during the contact hole formation step itself. The positioning function is built into the structure beforehand, simplifying the overall process while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring dummy pattern acts as an intermediary reference that enables precise contact hole positioning without increasing device complexity. Instead of adding complex alignment mechanisms or multiple positioning layers, the ring dummy pattern provides a simple yet effective reference structure that guides contact hole formation, achieving high reliability through accurate positioning while maintaining relatively simple device architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A display apparatus including: a base substrate; a first active pattern disposed on the base substrate, a first insulating layer disposed on the first active pattern; a first gate electrode disposed on the first insulating layer; a second insulating layer disposed on the first gate electrode; a ring dummy pattern disposed on the second insulating layer; a third insulating layer disposed on the second insulating layer; and a first drain electrode disposed on the third insulating layer, and electrically connected to the first active pattern through a contact hole which is formed through the third insulating layer, the second insulating layer and the first insulating layer, wherein the first drain electrode is disposed in an opening of the ring dummy pattern.