TFT Array Substrate Light Shielding Layer Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional TFT array substrate manufacturing faces inefficiencies due to mismatched production times between light shielding and low hydrogen layers, leading to low production capacity and risks of cross-contamination, with the low hydrogen layer being unstable and having poor anti-static electric capacity.
Innovation Solution
A TFT array substrate with a light shielding layer comprising a silicon nitride layer and an amorphous silicon layer, and a low hydrogen layer with a silicon oxide layer and a low hydrogen poly-Si layer, allowing for balanced layer formation and improved stability, along with a manufacturing method involving specific layer formation and patterning steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the light shielding layer comprises only one layer of amorphous silicon light shielding layer to reduce manufacturing complexity, then the device for forming the light shielding layer can complete its task quickly, but the production time for the low hydrogen layer (comprising four layers) becomes the bottleneck, leading to mismatched production times and low overall production capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The light shielding layer is segmented into two separate layers: a silicon nitride layer (first light shielding layer) and an amorphous silicon light shielding layer (second light shielding layer). This segmentation allows each layer to be formed by dedicated deposition equipment, enabling parallel processing and eliminating the production bottleneck caused by the low hydrogen layer's multiple layers.
2Device complexity
If many types of layers in the low hydrogen layer are formed by the same machine to reduce equipment complexity, then device complexity is reduced, but cross contamination risks increase and production efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The silicon nitride layer is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as a light shielding layer, a buffer layer, and an anti-static electric layer. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized layers and equipment, allowing existing deposition machines to handle multiple layer types without increasing cross-contamination risks.
3Productivity
If the second silicon oxide layer under the low hydrogen amorphous silicon layer is made thin to reduce production time, then manufacturing speed increases, but the layer becomes unstable and convergence problems occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the problematic thin second silicon oxide layer from the structure. Instead, it uses a silicon nitride layer as the buffer layer between the glass base and the amorphous silicon light shielding layer, which provides both mechanical stability and electrical functionality without causing convergence issues.
4Device complexity
If the amorphous silicon light shielding layer is directly formed on the glass base to simplify the structure, then device complexity is reduced, but the anti-static electric capacity becomes poor
Solution Approach 1:
The silicon nitride layer is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as a light shielding layer, a buffer layer, and an anti-static electric layer. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized layers and equipment, allowing existing deposition machines to handle multiple layer types without increasing cross-contamination risks.
Data Source
AI summary
A TFT array substrate and a manufacturing method of the same are disclosed by the present disclosure. The TFT array substrate includes a base, a light shielding layer, and a low hydrogen layer. The light shielding layer includes a silicon nitride layer formed on the base, and an amorphous silicon light shielding layer formed on the silicon nitride layer. The low hydrogen layer includes a silicon oxide layer formed on the amorphous silicon light shielding layer of the light shielding layer, and a low hydrogen Poly-Si layer formed on the silicon oxide layer. The layer number of the light shielding layer is equal to that of the low hydrogen layer. The time of manufacturing the light shielding layer matched that of manufacturing the low hydrogen layer, which enhances whole capacity of the TFT array substrate dramatically, and reduces risk of the manufacturing process.