Strip-Shaped Gate Branches for Electrostatic Damage Reduction in Thin Film Transistors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thin film transistors (TFTs) in gate driver on array circuits easily accumulate static electricity due to their large gate metal area and narrow gaps, leading to electrostatic damage to adjacent metals.
Innovation Solution
The TFT design incorporates strip-shaped gate branches with a first gap between them, reducing the gate's occupied space and increasing the width of gaps between gate units, which reduces static electricity accumulation and damage to neighboring metals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gate metal area is increased to obtain the necessary aspect ratio of a channel, then the transistor performance is improved, but static electricity accumulation increases and electrostatic damage to adjacent metal becomes more likely
Solution Approach 1:
The gate electrode is divided into multiple strip-shaped gate branches with gaps between them, transforming a continuous large-area metal structure into segmented smaller structures. This segmentation reduces the continuous metal area that can accumulate static electricity while preserving the necessary gate control function for transistor operation
Solution Approach 2:
The gate structure implements different local configurations: strip-shaped branches in certain regions and different gate structures in other regions. This allows optimization of static electricity resistance in specific areas while maintaining transistor performance requirements, creating local variations in electrical properties to prevent charge accumulation
2Area of stationary object
If the gap between metals is reduced to meet the design of the narrow bezel, then the device size is reduced, but electrostatic damage to adjacent metal becomes easier to occur
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the gate into strip-shaped branches with gaps, the effective metal area is reduced without proportionally reducing the overall device footprint. The gaps create natural spacing that reduces electrostatic coupling and damage risk while maintaining the narrow bezel design
Solution Approach 2:
The gate structure transitions from a two-dimensional continuous metal layer to a patterned structure with intentional gaps, effectively utilizing the planar dimension to create spacing. This dimensional approach allows maintaining small device size while incorporating protective spacing to prevent electrostatic damage
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure proposes a thin film transistor and a related circuit. The thin film includes a gate, a drain and a source. The gate includes one or more gate units. The gate unit includes two or more strip-shaped gate branches, and a first gap is arranged between the two adjacent strip-shaped gate branches to separate them.