TFT Source/Drain Electrode Protrusion for Contact Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thin film transistor structures face challenges in reducing source/drain contact resistance and alignment difficulties due to structural height differences and limited contact areas, which affect the performance of display devices like liquid crystal and OLED displays.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a thin film transistor structure with a source/drain electrode protruding from the edge of the active layer, positioned within a groove in an intermediate layer, ensuring the top surface of the electrode is flush with the active layer, and an insulating layer with openings to facilitate conductive connections, thereby reducing contact resistance and alignment issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the source/drain electrode is positioned below the active layer in a conventional TFT structure, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the contact area between the electrode and active layer is limited, resulting in higher contact resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The source/drain electrode is extended in the horizontal dimension by forming protrusions that protrude from the edge portions of the active layer. This dimensional extension increases the contact area between the electrode and active layer without requiring vertical layer stacking changes, thereby reducing contact resistance while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The groove structure is formed in the intermediate layer before depositing the source/drain electrode. This preliminary action positions the electrode within the groove such that its top surface is flush with the active layer, creating optimal contact conditions before subsequent manufacturing steps are performed
2Manufacturing precision
If the source/drain electrode top surface is positioned below the active layer surface, then the structure is simpler to manufacture, but alignment between conductive structures and source/drain region becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The source/drain electrode top surface is positioned at the same level (flush) with the active layer surface, creating an equipotential alignment reference plane. This eliminates height differences that would complicate alignment, allowing conductive structures to be accurately positioned relative to the source/drain region without requiring complex alignment procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate layer is selectively removed to form a groove only in the region where the source/drain electrode requires positioning. This localized modification allows the electrode to be positioned within the groove while maintaining flush alignment with the active layer, achieving precise alignment without modifying the entire device structure
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a thin film transistor structure, an array substrate, and a method for manufacturing a thin film transistor structure. The thin-film transistor structure includes a base substrate, a thin film transistor on the base substrate. Wherein the thin film transistor includes an active layer and a source/drain electrode on a side, facing towards the base substrate, of the active layer. Wherein the source/drain electrode has a protrusion protruding from an edge portion of the active layer in a direction parallel to a surface of the base substrate.