Abstract:
A thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate includes a stack structure disposed to raise an extended electrode of a drain electrode of a thin film transistor. Therefore, a contact hole does need to be very deep to expose the extended electrode of the drain electrode.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/683,842, filed on Jan. 7, 2010, which was based on, and claims priority from, Taiwan Patent Application Serial Number 98108983, filed Mar. 19, 2009, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirely. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a display apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD). 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    With respect to a LCD, a pixel aperture ratio directly affects the utilization rate of a backlight source, and also affects the display brightness of the LCD. One of the major factors affecting the pixel aperture ratio is the area of a contact hole disposed on a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate. Generally speaking, if the area of the contact hole is smaller, the area of a pixel region will be larger, and also the pixel aspect ratio will be larger. 
         [0006]    However, due to the limitation of the current etching technique, if the area of the contact hole is too small, the contact hole in general cannot pass through an insulation layer smoothly. Particularly, with respect to a COA (Color Filter On Array) structure or an UHA (Ultra High Aperture) structure, since it is very difficult for the current etching technique to fabricate a contact hole having a high aspect ratio on a color resist, the contact hole has to be designed to have a sufficiently large area so as to ensure a certain yield level. However, this design will definitely affect the pixel aperture ratio. Hence, a designer is usually trapped in this dilemma and cannot have a breakthrough. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    An aspect of the present invention is to provide a TFT array substrate in which a stack structure is used to raise an extended electrode of a drain electrode of a TFT, and thus a contact hole does not need to be very deep for exposing the extended electrode of the drain electrode to contact a pixel electrode. 
         [0008]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, a TFT array substrate includes a substrate, a first patterned conductive layer, a first insulation layer, a semiconductor layer, a second patterned conductive layer, a second insulation layer, a contact hole, and a pixel electrode. The first patterned conductive layer is disposed on the substrate, and includes a scan line, a gate electrode, and a float electrode, wherein the gate electrode is electrically connected to the scan line. The first insulation layer is disposed on the first patterned conductive layer. The semiconductor layer is disposed on the first insulation layer, and includes a channel area. The second patterned conductive layer is disposed on the first insulation layer, and includes a source electrode, a drain electrode, a data line crossing the scan line, and an extended electrode of the drain electrode. The gate electrode, the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the channel area constructs a TFT, wherein the source electrode is electrically connected to the data line, and the extended electrode of the drain electrode is partially overlapped with the float electrode. The second insulation layer is disposed on the second patterned conductive layer. The contact hole passes through the second insulation layer and exposes a portion of the extended electrode of the drain electrode. The pixel electrode is electrically connected to the extended electrode of the drain electrode through the contact hole. 
         [0009]    According to another embodiment of the present invention, a TFT array substrate includes a substrate, a first patterned conductive layer, a first insulation layer, a semiconductor layer, a second patterned conductive layer, a second insulation layer, a contact hole, and a pixel electrode. The first patterned conductive layer is disposed on the substrate, and includes a scan line and a gate electrode, wherein the gate electrode is electrically connected to the scan line. The first insulation layer is disposed on the first patterned conductive layer. The semiconductor layer is disposed on the first insulation layer, and includes a channel area and a first semiconductor area. The second patterned conductive layer is disposed on the first insulation layer, and includes a source electrode, a drain electrode, a data line crossing the scan line, and an extended electrode of the drain electrode. The gate electrode, the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the channel area constructs a TFT, wherein the source electrode is electrically connected to the data line, and the extended electrode of the drain electrode is partially overlapped with the first semiconductor area. The second insulation layer is disposed on the second patterned conductive layer. The contact hole passes through the second insulation layer and exposes a portion of the extended electrode of the drain electrode. The pixel electrode is electrically connected to the extended electrode of the drain electrode through the contact hole. 
         [0010]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are examples, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a schematic top view showing a TFT array substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a schematic cross-sectional diagram viewed along line  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a schematic cross-sectional diagram showing a TFT array substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cutting position thereof is similar to that of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a schematic cross-sectional diagram showing a TFT array substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cutting position thereof is similar to that of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a schematic cross-sectional diagram showing a TFT array substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cutting position thereof is similar to that of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a schematic cross-sectional diagram showing a TFT array substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cutting position thereof is similar to that of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a schematic top view showing a TFT array substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a schematic top view showing a TFT array substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a schematic top view showing a TFT array substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a schematic top view showing a TFT array substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2  is a schematic cross-sectional diagram viewed along line  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the TFT array substrate includes a substrate  110 , a first patterned conductive layer  120 , a first insulation layer  130 , a semiconductor layer  140 , a second patterned conductive layer  150 , a second insulation layer  160 , a contact hole  170 , and a pixel electrode  180 . 
         [0023]    The first patterned conductive layer  120  is disposed on the substrate  110 , and includes a scan line  122  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ), a gate electrode  124 , and a float electrode  126 , wherein the gate electrode  124  is electrically connected to the scan line  122  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). The material forming the substrate  110  can be such as glass or plastic. The material forming the first patterned conductive layer  120  can be metal such as aluminum, copper, silver, gold, or any combination thereof, or alloy thereof. 
         [0024]    The first insulation layer  130  is disposed on the first patterned conductive layer  120 . Concretely speaking, the first insulation layer  130  can at least cover the gate electrode  124  as a gate dielectric layer of a TFT  200 . The material forming the first insulation layer  130  can be one of various dielectric materials such as silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, and silicon oxynitride, or any combination thereof. 
         [0025]    The semiconductor layer  140  is disposed on the first insulation layer  130 , and includes a channel area  142 . Concretely speaking, the channel  142  can be disposed above the gate electrode  124 , and opposite to the gate electrode  124  with the first insulation layer  130  sandwiched therebetween. 
         [0026]    The second patterned conductive layer  150  is disposed on the first insulation layer  130 , and includes a source electrode  152 , a drain electrode  154 , a data line  156  crossing the scan line  122  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ), and an extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154 . The gate electrode  124 , the source electrode  152 , the drain electrode  154 , and the channel area  142  constructs the TFT  200 , wherein the source electrode  152  is electrically connected to the data line  156  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ), and the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154  is partially overlapped with the float electrode  126 . Detailedly speaking, at least one portion of the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154  is stacked above the float electrode  126 , i.e. a portion of the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154  overlaps the float electrode  126  with the first insulation  130  sandwiched between the extended electrode  158  and the float electrode  126 , so that when viewed from the top, the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154  is at least partially overlapped with the float electrode  126 . The material forming the second patterned conductive layer  150  can be metal such as aluminum, copper, silver, gold, or any combination thereof, or alloy thereof. 
         [0027]    The second insulation layer  160  is disposed on the second patterned conductive layer  150 , and can be formed from an organic or inorganic material. Further, when the TFT array substrate has a COA or UHA structure, a third insulation layer (not shown) also can be optionally formed on the second insulation layer  160 , and can be formed from an organic material layer  205  such as a color resist or a color filter layer; or formed from an inorganic material. The second insulation layer  160  and the third insulation layer (not shown) can be used to planarize the TFT array substrate, and in another embodiment, also can provide the required filtering function, wherein the second insulation  160  and the third insulation layer (not shown) can be formed from the same material, such as a color filter layer. 
         [0028]    In order to electrically contact the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154 , the contact hole  170  is generally formed on the second insulation layer  160  and the organic material layer  205 , and passes through the second insulation layer  160  and the organic material layer  205  to expose a portion of the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154 , so that the pixel electrode  180  can be electrically connected to the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154  through the contact hole  170 . For example, the pixel electrode  180  is formed on the portion of the organic material layer  205  and is electrically connected to the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154  through the contact hole  170 . 
         [0029]    In this embodiment, since the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154  has the float electrode  126  formed thereunder, and thus the extended electrode  158  can be effectively raised. That is, the contact hole  170  does not need to be very deep to expose the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154 . Consequently, even though the current etching technique fails to fabricate the contact hole  170  having a high aspect ratio on the color resist, yet since the contract hole  170  does not require a deep depth, the area of the contact hole  170  still can be relatively small, thereby promoting the pixel aperture ratio. 
         [0030]    In detail, the float electrode  126  is an electrode which is not electrically connected to any elements. Since the float electrode  126  is not electrically connected to any elements (directly or indirectly), the potential of the float electrode  126  is generally equal or close to the ground potential. Also, since the potential of the float electrode  126  is equal or close to the ground potential, no noticeable capacitance effect between the float electrode  126  and there will be the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154  and the operation of the TFT array substrate will not be affected. 
         [0031]    Further, the aforementioned semiconductor layer  140  can further include a first semiconductor area  144  disposed between the first insulation layer  130  and the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154 , i.e. the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154  can be partially overlapped with the first semiconductor area  144 . In other words, at least one portion of the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154  is stacked on the first semiconductor area  144 . Detailedly speaking, a portion of the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154  overlaps the float electrode  126  with the first insulation  130  and the first semiconductor area  144  sandwiched between the extended electrode  158  and the float electrode  126 , so that when viewed from the top, the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154  at least partially cover the first semiconductor area  144  and the float electrode  126 , thereby further raising the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154 . 
         [0032]    Concretely speaking, in this embodiment, a height HT between a surface of the substrate  110  and a top surface of the extended electrode  158  exposed through the contact hole  170  is ranged between about 3700 Å and about 14000 Å, a height HP between the surface of the substrate  110  and a bottom surface of the extended electrode  158  contacting the first semiconductor area  144  is ranged between about 1500 Å and about 10000 Å. It should be understood that the aforementioned size is merely stated as an example for explanation, and is not used to limit the embodiments of the present invention. One of ordinary skill in the art may flexibly adjust the height of the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154  in accordance with actual needs. 
         [0033]      FIG. 3  is a schematic cross-sectional diagram showing a TFT array substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cutting position thereof is similar to that of  FIG. 2 . The difference between this embodiment and the previous embodiment is that: in the previous embodiment, the channel  142  is separated from the first semiconductor area  144 ; but in this embodiment, the channel  142  and the first semiconductor area  144  are connected to each other. One of ordinary skill in the art may flexibly choose the method for implementing the channel  142  and the first semiconductor area  144  in accordance with actual needs. 
         [0034]    Also, in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , an edge of the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154  is substantially aligned with an edge of the float electrode  126 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto. One of ordinary skill in the art may flexibly choose the relative position between the float electrode  126  and the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154  in accordance with actual needs. 
         [0035]    For example, in another embodiment, a projection position of an edge of the extended electrode  158  located away from the drain electrode  154  protrudes a distance R from an edge of the float electrode  126  located away from the gate electrode  124 , wherein the distance R is ranged between about 0 μm and about 10 μm, as shown in  FIG. 4 . Alternatively, a projection position of an edge of the extended electrode  158  located away from the drain electrode  154  shrinks a distance P from an edge of the float electrode  126  located away from the gate electrode  124 , and the distance P is ranged between about 0 μm and about 10 μm, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0036]    Besides using the float electrode  126  to raise the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154 , one of ordinary skill in the art may optionally omit the float electrode  126 , and merely use the first semiconductor area  144  to raise the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154 . In the below,  FIG. 6  is used as an example to concretely explaining the aforementioned technical contents. 
         [0037]      FIG. 6  is a schematic cross-sectional diagram showing a TFT array substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cutting position thereof is similar to that of  FIG. 2 . The difference between this embodiment and the previous embodiments is that: this embodiment does not dispose the float electrode on the substrate, but merely disposes the first semiconductor area  144  between the first insulation layer  130  and the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154 . Detailedly speaking, a height HT between a surface of the substrate  110  and a top surface of the extended electrode  158  exposed through the contact hole  170  is ranged between about 3200 Å and about 13500 Å, and a height HP between a surface of the substrate  110  and a bottom surface of the extended electrode  158  contacting the first semiconductor area  144  is ranged between about 1000 Å and about 9500 Å. 
         [0038]    In other words, one of ordinary skill in the art should flexibly choose the structure stacked under the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154  in accordance with actual needs, and it is not necessary to choose the float electrode  126 . Concretely speaking, one of ordinary skill in the art may choose only using the float electrode  126 ; only using the first semiconductor area  144 ; or simultaneously using both of the float electrode  126  and the first semiconductor area  144  to raise the extended electrode  158  of the drain electrode  154 . 
         [0039]    Further, although the shape of the float  126  depicted in  FIG. 1  substantially is a square, yet the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto. The shape of the float electrode  126  also can be a polygon as shown in  FIG. 7 ; an ellipse as shown in  FIG. 8 ; or a circle. One of ordinary skill in the art may flexibly choose the appropriate shape in accordance with actual needs. 
         [0040]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For example, one of ordinary skill in the art also can integrate a common electrode  210  into the TFT array substrate as shown in  FIG. 9  without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.