Abstract:
A liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of gate lines and data lines crossing each other to define a plurality of pixel regions, a plurality of thin film transistors, each disposed in one of the pixel regions, and a plurality of pixel electrodes, each disposed in one of the pixel regions, wherein the thin film transistor includes at least one Ti layer.

Description:
[0001]    This is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/664,931, filed September 22, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference. The present invention claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 88430/2002 filed in Korea on Dec. 31, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a display device and method of fabricating a display device, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display device and a method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    In flat panel display devices having active devices, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, thin film transistors (TFTs) are disposed in each pixel region to drive pixel cells in the display device. A driving method using the TFTs is commonly referred to as an active matrix driving method, wherein the active devices are placed within each pixel region and are arranged in a matrix configuration to drive the individual pixel cells. 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of an LCD device according to the related art. In  FIG. 1 , an LCD device includes an N×M-number of pixels arranged along vertical and horizontal directions wherein each pixel includes a TFT  10  formed at crossing regions of a gate line  3 , which receives a scan signal from an external driving circuit, and a data line  5 , which receives an image signal. The TFT  10  includes a gate electrode  11  connected to the gate line  3 , a semiconductor layer  12  formed on the gate electrode  11  to be activated by a scan signal supplied to the gate electrode  11 , and source and drain electrodes  13  and  14  formed on the semiconductor layer  12 . In addition, a pixel electrode  16  is formed within a display region of the pixel and is connected to the drain electrode  14  to drive liquid crystal molecules according to the activation of the semiconductor layer  12 . 
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view along I-I′ of  FIG. 1  according to the related art. In  FIG. 2 , the TFT  10  is formed on a first substrate  20  made of a transparent material, such as a glass, and includes the gate electrode  11  formed on the first substrate  20 , a gate insulating layer  22  deposited over the first substrate  20 , the semiconductor layer  12  formed on the gate insulating layer  22 , the source and drain electrodes  13  and  14  formed on the semiconductor layer  12 , and a passivation layer  24  disposed over an entire area of the first substrate  20 . In addition, a pixel electrode  16  is formed on the passivation layer  24  and is connected to the drain electrode  14  through a contact hole  26 . 
         [0008]    In  FIG. 2 , a black matrix  32  and a color filter layer  34  are formed on a second substrate made of a transparent material, such as glass. The black matrix  32  is formed in a non-display region, such as the TFT forming region, and in a region between pixels to block light transmission in the non-display region. In addition, the color filter layer  34  includes red (R), green (G), and blue (B) layers formed on the second substrate  30 , wherein the first and second substrates  20  and  30  are bonded together with a liquid crystal material layer  40  formed therebetween. 
         [0009]      FIGS. 3A-3I  are cross sectional views of a method of fabricating an LCD device according to the related art. In  FIG. 3A , a metal layer  11   a  is deposited on a first substrate  20  (i.e., TFT substrate), and a photoresist layer  60   a  is deposited on the metal layer  11   a , wherein the deposited photoresist layer  60   a  is then baked at a certain temperature. Next, a mask  70  is positioned above the baked photoresist layer  60   a , and light, such as ultraviolet light, is irradiated onto the photoresist layer  60   a.    
         [0010]    In  FIG. 3B , a developer is applied to the photoresist layer  60   a , thereby forming a photoresist pattern  60  on the metal layer  11   a . Accordingly, since the photoresist is a negative photoresist, regions that are not affected by the ultraviolet light are removed by the developer. 
         [0011]    In  FIG. 3C , a portion of the metal layer  11   a  covered by the photoresist pattern  60 , is removed by applying an etchant to the metal layer  11   a . Accordingly, a gate electrode  11  is formed on the first substrate  20 . 
         [0012]    In  FIG. 3D , a gate insulating layer  22  is formed over the first substrate  20  and a semiconductor layer  12   a  is formed thereon. Then, a photoresist layer is deposited on the semiconductor layer  12   a  and ultraviolet light is irradiated onto the photoresist layer using a mask. Next, a developer is applied to portions of the photoresist layer that may been irradiated with the ultraviolet light to form a photoresist pattern  62  on the semiconductor layer  12   a.    
         [0013]    In  FIG. 3E , an etchant is applied to the semiconductor layer  12   a  using the photoresist pattern  62  as an etch-blocking mask to form a semiconductor layer  12  on the insulating layer  22 . 
         [0014]    In  FIG. 3F , a metal layer (not shown) is deposited on an entire surface of the first substrate  20 , and a photoresist pattern (not shown) is formed on the metal layer using a mask. Then, the metal layer is etched using the photoresist pattern as an etch-blocking mask to form source and drain electrodes  13  and  14  on the semiconductor layer  12 . 
         [0015]    In  FIG. 3G , a passivation layer  24  is deposited on the first substrate  20  including the source and drain source electrodes  13  and  14 . Then, a portion of the passivation layer  24  formed on the drain electrode  14  is etched using the photolithographic processes described above, thereby forming a contact hole  26  exposing a portion of the drain electrode  14 . 
         [0016]    In  FIG. 3H , a transparent material, such as indium tin oxide (ITO), is deposited on the passivation layer  24  and etched using the above-described photolithographic processes to form a pixel electrode  16  on the passivation layer  24 . In addition, the pixel electrode  16  is electrically connected to the drain electrode  14  via the contact hole  26  formed in the passivation layer  24 . 
         [0017]    In  FIG. 3I , a black matrix  32  and a color filter layer  34  are formed on a second substrate  30  (i.e., color filter substrate), and the first and second substrates  20  and  30  are bonded together with a liquid crystal material layer  40  sandwiched therebetween. 
         [0018]    Accordingly, as described above, the source and drain electrodes  13  and  14  and the semiconductor layer  12  are formed using photolithographic processes including the photoresist layers. However, using the photoresist layers is problematic. For example, the photolithographic processes are complicated since the photoresist patterns are formed through repeated processing including photoresist depositing, baking, irradiating, and developing. In addition, the baking process actually includes a soft baking process and a hard baking process that are performed at separate temperatures. 
         [0019]    Moreover, since the fabrication processes include forming of a plurality of patterns (or electrodes), a plurality of photoresist processes are required. Accordingly, since photoresist processing must be performed to create each of the patterned lines, fabrication costs increase. For example, the fabrication costs of the photoresist process are approximately 40-45% of a total cost of the TFT substrate process. 
         [0020]    Furthermore, the fabrication processes generate significant amounts of environment contaminants. In general, since the photoresist layer is formed by deposited photoresist material using a spin coating method, most of the photoresist material may be discarded. Accordingly, the discarded photoresist material increases fabrication costs of the TFT substrate and introduces contaminants into the environment. 
         [0021]    In addition, performance of the LCD device may degrade due to remnant amounts of the photoresist material. For example, since the photoresist material is coated using the spin coating method, it is difficult to control a thickness of the photoresist layer. Accordingly, the photoresist layer has a non-uniform thickness and portions of the photoresist layer may remain after the photoresist pattern is supposed to be completed removed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a liquid crystal display device and a method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
         [0023]    An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device that includes a TiN layer formed during fabrication. 
         [0024]    Another object of the present invention to provide a method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device having simplified fabrication processes and reduced fabrication costs. 
         [0025]    Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. 
         [0026]    To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of gate lines and data lines crossing each other to define a plurality of pixel regions, a plurality of thin film transistors, each disposed in one of the pixel regions, and a plurality of pixel electrodes, each disposed in one of the pixel regions, wherein the thin film transistor includes at least one Ti layer. 
         [0027]    In another aspect, a liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of gate lines and data lines cross each other to define a plurality of pixel regions, a thin film transistor in each pixel region, a pixel electrode in each pixel region, and a metal masking layer in the thin film transistor. 
         [0028]    In another aspect, a method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device includes providing a first substrate, forming a gate electrode on a first substrate, forming a gate insulating layer on an entire surface of the first substrate including the gate electrode, forming a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer, forming source/drain electrodes on the semiconductor layer, forming a passivation layer on the gate insulating layer and the source/drain electrodes, and forming a pixel electrode on the passivation layer, wherein at least one of the gate electrode, semiconductor layer, source/drain electrodes, and pixel electrode is formed using a Ti layer and a TiN layer. 
         [0029]    In another aspect, a method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device includes forming a gate electrode on a first substrate, forming a gate insulating layer on an entire surface of the first substrate, forming a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer, forming source/drain electrodes on the semiconductor layer, forming a passivation layer on the source/drain electrodes, and forming a pixel electrode on the passivation layer, wherein at least one of the gate electrode, semiconductor layer, source/drain electrodes, and pixel electrode is formed using a Ti masking layer and Ti pattern. 
         [0030]    In another aspect, a patterning method includes forming an etching subject layer on a substrate, forming a Ti layer on the etching subject layer, irradiating light onto the Ti layer using a mask to form a TiN layer, etching the TiN layer to form a Ti pattern layer, etching the etching subject layer using the Ti pattern layer, and removing the Ti pattern layer. 
         [0031]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detail description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0032]    The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
           [0033]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of an LCD device according to the related art; 
           [0034]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view along I-I′ of  FIG. 1  according to the related art; 
           [0035]      FIGS. 3A-3I  are cross sectional views of a method of fabricating an LCD device according to the related art; 
           [0036]      FIGS. 4A-4F  are cross sectional views of an exemplary patterning method for an LCD device according to the present invention; 
           [0037]      FIGS. 5A-5F  are cross sectional views of another exemplary patterning method for an LCD device according to the present invention; 
           [0038]      FIGS. 6A-6J  are cross sectional views of an exemplary method of fabricating an LCD device according to the present invention; 
           [0039]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of an exemplary LCD device according to the present invention; and 
           [0040]      FIGS. 8A-8D  are cross sectional views of another exemplary method of fabricating an LCD device according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0041]    Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
         [0042]      FIGS. 4A-4F  are cross sectional views of an exemplary patterning method for an LCD device according to the present invention. In  FIG. 4A , a metal layer  103  may be formed on a substrate  101  made of an insulating material, such as glass or semiconductor materials, and a Ti layer  110  may be formed on the metal layer  103  by evaporating or sputtering processes, for example. 
         [0043]    In  FIG. 4B , regions of the metal layer  103  that will be used to form a metal pattern may be blocked using a mask  107 , and light, such as ultraviolet or laser light, may be irradiated onto unblocked portions of the Ti layer  110 . Accordingly, the light may be irradiated within a nitrogen atmosphere, wherein the portions of the Ti layer  110  that have been irradiated with light may be converted into TiN during a nitrification process. Initially, the nitrification process begins from an upper surface of the Ti layer  110  that receives the light, whereby an entire thickness of the Ti layer  110  eventually is converted into TiN. 
         [0044]    In  FIG. 4C , a Ti layer  110   b  may be formed in the region where the metal pattern is be formed, and a TiN layer  110   a  may be formed in the regions where the metal layer  103  is to be subsequently etched. 
         [0045]    In  FIG. 4D , the Ti layer  110   b  may be patterned by removing the TiN layer  110   a  using a dry etching process. During the dry etching process, an etching rate of TiN to Cl 2  gas is faster than an etching rate of Ti, wherein Cl 2  gas or a Cl 2  mixed gas may be used as the etching gas. 
         [0046]    In  FIG. 4E , portions of the metal layer  103  may be removed using wet or dry etching processes, wherein the portion of the metal layer  103  blocked with the Ti pattern  110   b  may remain on the surface of the substrate  101 . 
         [0047]    In  FIG. 4F , the Ti pattern  110   b  may be remove by an etching process. During the wet etching process, since HF reacts with Ti to form TiF, which may be removed, and SO 4  ions do not react with Ti, an acid, except for H 2 SO 4 , may be used as the etchant. During the dry etching process, the Ti pattern  110   b  may be removed, wherein Cl 2  or a Cl 2  mixed gas may be used as the etching gas. 
         [0048]      FIGS. 5A-5F  are cross sectional views of another exemplary patterning method for an LCD device according to the present invention. In  FIG. 5A , a metal layer  203  may be formed on a substrate  201  made of an insulating material, such as glass or semiconductor material, and a TiOx layer, such as TiO 2 , may be deposited on the metal layer  203 . The TiOx layer  210  may be directly formed on the metal layer  203  by evaporating or sputtering methods. In addition, the TiOx layer  210  may be formed by depositing a Ti layer on the metal layer  203  and oxidizing the deposited Ti by supplying heat and irradiating the Ti layer with light. 
         [0049]    In  FIG. 5B , a mask  207  may be used to prevent portions of the TiOx layer  210  from being exposed to light, such as ultraviolet or laser light. Accordingly, surface portions of the TiOx layer  210  may be formed to have hydrophilic properties. For example, TiO 2  has hydrophobic properties, but when the TiO 2  is exposed to ultraviolet or laser light, OH radicals are generated on a surface of the TiO 2  to covert the surface from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. By irradiating the ultraviolet or laser light onto the TiOx layer, a contact angle, which is commonly considered a standard for measuring wettability of a surface of a solid, gradually decreases. Accordingly, when the ultraviolet or laser light is irradiated for a certain amount of time (i.e., 1 hour), the contact angle is approximately 0 degrees (i.e., the TiOx layer is converted to have hydrophilic properties). 
         [0050]    In  FIG. 5C , by irradiating ultraviolet rays to the TiOx layer, the TiOx layer is divided into a first TiOx layer  210   a  having a surface  211  possessing hydrophilic properties and a second TiOx layer  210   b  having hydrophobic properties. Accordingly, when an etching solution (i.e., etchant), such as H 2 SO 4  or an alkali group-based etching solution, is applied to the first and second TiOx layers  210   a  and  210   b  each having different surface properties, OH radicals of the first TiOx layer  210   a  having hydrophilic properties are combined with SO 4  ions. In other word, a surface of the first TiOx layer  210   a  may be protected by the OH radicals. 
         [0051]    In  FIG. 5D , only the second TiOx layer  210   b  may be removed by the etching solution so that only the first TiOx layer  210   a , which is a TiOx pattern, may remain on a surface of the metal layer  203 . 
         [0052]    In  FIG. 5E , an etching solution may be used to remove portions of the metal layer  203 , wherein a patterned portion  203   a  of the metal layer  203  under the first TiO 2  layer  210   a  may remain on the surface of the substrate  201 . 
         [0053]    In  FIG. 5F , an etching gas, such as Cl 2 /N 2  or CF 4 /Cl 2 , may be applied to the first TiO 2  layer  210   a  to remove the first TiO 2  layer  210   a , thereby forming the patterned portion  203   a  of the metal layer  203  on the surface of the substrate  201 . 
         [0054]      FIGS. 6A-6J  are cross sectional views of an exemplary method of fabricating an LCD device according to the present invention. In  FIG. 6A , a metal, such as Al, an Al alloy, or Cu, may be deposited on a first substrate  320  made of a transparent material, such as glass, to form a metal layer  311   a . Then, a Ti layer  370   a  may be formed on the metal layer  311   a . Next, a mask  380  may be positioned above the Ti layer  370   a  and light, such as ultraviolet rays or laser light, may be irradiated in a nitrogen environment. Accordingly, as detailed above, regions of the Ti layer  370   a  irradiated by the light are converted into TiN layer. 
         [0055]    In  FIG. 6B , the regions of the converted TiN layer may be removed by applying an etching gas, such as Cl 2  gas or a Cl 2  mixed gas, wherein only a Ti pattern  370  may remain on the surface of the metal layer  311   a.    
         [0056]    In  FIG. 6C , the metal layer  311   a  may be etched using a dry or wet etching process, wherein only portions of the metal layer  311   a  under the Ti pattern  370  may remain on the surface of the substrate  320 . Accordingly, a gate electrode  311  and the overlying Ti pattern  370  may remain on the first substrate  320 . Although the gate electrode  311  is shown to include a single layer structure, the gate electrode  311  may include a plurality of layers. 
         [0057]    Then, a gate insulating layer  322  may be deposited over an entire surface of the first substrate  320  using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, a semiconductor layer  312   a  may be deposited on the gate insulating layer  322 , and a Ti layer  372   a  may be formed on the semiconductor layer  312   a . Next, a region of the Ti layer  372   a  may be covered using a mask  381  and light, such as ultraviolet rays or laser light, may be irradiated in a nitrogen atmosphere onto other regions of the Ti layer  372   a  not covered by the mask  381 . Accordingly, the regions of the Ti layer  372   a  not covered by the mask  381  may be converted into TiN. 
         [0058]    In  FIG. 6D , the TiN regions of the Ti layer  372   a  may be removed by applying an etching gas, such as Cl 2  gas or a Cl 2  mixed gas, wherein only the Ti pattern  372  may remain on the surface of the semiconductor layer  312   a.    
         [0059]    In  FIG. 6E , portions of the semiconductor layer  312   a  not covered the Ti pattern  372  (in  FIG. 6D ) may be removed to form a semiconductor layer  312  on the surface of the gate insulating layer  322 . Then, a metal layer  313   a , such as Cr, Mo, Al, an Al alloy and Cu, may be formed on an entire surface of the first substrate  320  and a Ti layer  374   a  may be formed on the metal layer  313   a . When the light is irradiated onto the Ti layer  374   a , portions of the Ti layer  374   a  not covered by a mask  382  may be converted in TiN. 
         [0060]    In  FIG. 6F , the converted TiN may be removed using an etching gas to form a Ti pattern  374  on the surface of the metal layer  313   a.    
         [0061]    In  FIG. 6G , the metal layer  313   a  may be etched using the Ti pattern  374  as a masking layer and the Ti pattern  374  may be removed. Accordingly, a source electrode  313  and a drain electrode  314  may be formed on the surface of the semiconductor layer  312 . Although not shown, the source and drain electrodes  313  and  314  may each include a plurality of layers. Then, a passivation layer  324  may be deposited over an entire surface of the first substrate  320  and a Ti layer  376   a  may be formed on the passivation layer  324 . Next, light may be irradiated onto the Ti layer  376   a , wherein portions of the Ti layer  376   a  not covered by a mask  383  may be converted into TiN. 
         [0062]    In  FIG. 6H , the TiN may be removed using an etching gas to form a Ti pattern  376  on the surface of the passivation layer  324 . 
         [0063]    In  FIG. 6I , the passivation layer  324  may be dry-etched using the Ti pattern  376  as a masking layer to form a contact hole  326 , and the Ti pattern  376  may be removed. Then, a transparent electrode  316   a  made of ITO (indium Tin Oxide) or IZO (indium zinc oxide), for example, may be formed on the passivation layer  324  including the contact hole  326 , and a Ti layer  378   a  may be formed on the passivation layer  324 . Next, a mask  384  may be positioned above the Ti layer  378   a , and light may be irradiated onto portions of the Ti layer  378   a  not covered by the mask  384 , thereby forming a Ti pattern (not shown) on the surface of the transparent electrode  316   a.    
         [0064]    In  FIG. 6J , the transparent electrode  316   a  may be etched using the Ti pattern (not shown) and the Ti pattern may be removed. Accordingly, a pixel electrode  316  may be formed on the surface of the passivation layer  324  and may be connected to the drain electrode  314  via the contact hole  326 . In addition, a black matrix  332  and a color filter layer  334  may be formed on a second substrate  330 , and the first and second substrates  320  and  330  may be bonded together with a liquid crystal material disposed therebetween. 
         [0065]    Alternatively, the Ti masking layers of  FIGS. 6A-6J  may not be removed such that the Ti masking layers remain in the final LCD device.  FIG. 7  shows an exemplary LCD device that includes the Ti masking layers. Since the exemplary device of  FIG. 7  may be fabricated by a method similar to the method shown in  FIGS. 6A-6J , descriptions of similar structures of the LCD device shown in  FIGS. 6A-6J  have been omitted. 
         [0066]    In  FIG. 7 , Ti layers  470 ,  472  and  474  may be formed on a gate electrode  411 , a semiconductor layer  412 , and source and drain electrodes  413  and  414 , respectively. Since Ti has good electrical contact characteristics and low electrical resistance, the Ti layers  470 ,  472 , and  474  may be removed or may included in the LCD device. When the Ti layers  470 ,  472 , and  474  are to be included in the LCD device, removal processes (i.e., etching processes) of the Ti masking layers (i.e., Ti patterns) may not be necessary, thereby simplifying the fabrication processes. 
         [0067]    In  FIG. 7 , since the Ti layers  472  may remain on the semiconductor layer  412  and the semiconductor layer  412  may include silicon, the Ti layers  472  may react with the silicon in the semiconductor layer  412  to form Ti-silicon compounds. Accordingly, since the Ti-silicon compounds have low contact resistance, the semiconductor layer  412  may be ohmically-contacted with the source and drain electrodes  413  and  414 . That is, the Ti-silicon compounds may function as ohmic contact layers between the source and drain electrodes  413  and  414  and the semiconductor layer  412 . 
         [0068]    In the method shown in  FIGS. 6A-6J , the LCD device may be fabricated using only the Ti masking layers. However, the LCD device may be fabricated using both the Ti masking layers and the photoresist layers. Accordingly, the Ti masking layers of the LCD device shown in  FIG. 7  may be formed on at least one of the gate electrode  411 , the semiconductor layer  412 , and the source and drain electrodes  413  and  414 . In addition the Ti masking layers may also be formed on all patterned layers of the LCD device. 
         [0069]      FIGS. 8A-8D  are cross sectional views of another exemplary method of fabricating an LCD device according to the present invention. In  FIG. 8A , a gate electrode  511  and a first Ti pattern  570  may be formed on a first substrate  520  using a Ti masking layer and/or a photoresist layer. Then, a gate insulating layer  522  may be deposited over an entire surface of the first substrate  520 . Next, a semiconductor layer  512  and second Ti pattern layers  572  may be formed on the gate insulating layer  522 . In addition, a source electrode  513 , a drain electrode  514 , and third Ti pattern layers  574  may be formed on the second Ti pattern layers  572 . 
         [0070]    Next, a passivation layer  524  may be formed on an entire surface of the first substrate  520  upon which the source and drain electrodes  513  and  514  may be formed. Then, a TiOx layer  576   a  may be formed on the passivation layer  524 , wherein light, such ultraviolet light or laser light, may be irradiated onto surface portions of the TiOx layer  576   a  using a mask  582 . Accordingly, a surface region of the TiOx layer  576   a  upon which the light has not been irradiated may have hydrophobic properties, and the surface portions  577  (in  FIG. 8B ) of the TiOx layer  576   a  upon which the light has been irradiated may have hydrophilic properties. 
         [0071]    In  FIG. 8B , an etching solution, such as an alkali-based solution or H 2 SO 4 , may be applied to different surface portions of the TiOx layer. Accordingly, the unexposed surface portions of the TiOx layer having the hydrophobic properties may be removed so that only a first TiOx layer pattern  576  having the hydrophilic properties remains on the surface of the passivation layer  524 . In addition, the surface portions  577  of the TiOx layer pattern  576  may remain on the surface of the TiOx layer pattern  576 . Then, a portion of the passivation layer  524  may be etched using the first TiOx layer pattern  576  as an etch-blocking layer to form a contact hole  526  exposing a portion of one of the third Ti pattern layers  574  that corresponds to the drain electrode  514 . Alternatively, the surface portions  577  of the first TiOx layer pattern  576  may be removed since TiO 2  has a resistivity of 10 3  Ωcm and a transmittivity of about 85%. Accordingly, the first TiO 2  pattern  576  may not necessarily adversely affect light transmission of the LCD device. 
         [0072]    In  FIG. 8C , a TiOx layer  578   a  may be formed on the first TiOx layer pattern  576  including in the contact hole  526 . Then, a transparent electrode  516   a , such as ITO or IZO, may be deposited on an entire surface of the first substrate  520  and the TiOx layer  578   a . Next, light may be irradiated onto surface portions of the transparent electrode  516   a  using a mask  584  to cover regions of the transparent electrode  516   a  corresponding to the semiconductor layer  512 . Accordingly, the surface portions of the transparent electrode  516   a  upon which the light is irradiated may be converted to have hydrophilic properties, and the surface of the transparent electrode  516   a  upon which the light is not irradiated may have hydrophobic properties. 
         [0073]    In  FIG. 8D , the transparent electrode  516   a  may be etched, wherein the exposed surfaces of the transparent electrode  516   a  having the hydrophilic properties may be remove and the unexposed surfaces of the transparent electrode  516   a  having the hydrophobic properties may remain on the surface of the TiOx layer  578   a . Accordingly, only a second TiOx pattern  579  including the surface of the transparent electrode  516   a  having the hydrophilic properties may remain. 
         [0074]    In  FIG. 8E , an etchant may be applied to the TiOx layer  578  using the second TiOx pattern  579  as a mask layer, wherein the unexposed portions of the TiOx layer  578  may be removed. Accordingly, a pixel electrode may be formed. In addition, similar to the first TiOx pattern  576 , the second TiO 2  pattern  578  may be removed or may remain on the pixel electrode layer  516 . 
         [0075]    A second substrate  530  may include a black matrix  532  and a color filter layer  534 , wherein the first and second substrates  520  and  530  may be bonded together with a liquid crystal material  540  disposed therebetween. 
         [0076]    According to the present invention, a LCD device may be formed using patterns formed of Ti and/or TiOx. However, the LCD device may be fabricated using only Ti, both Ti and a photoresist, or both Ti and TiOx. In addition, the LCD device may be fabricated by using Ti, TiOx, and the photoresist in combination. 
         [0077]    In addition, according to the present invention, the LCD device may be fabricated with a Ti layer on at least one of the gate electrode, the semiconductor layer, and the source electrode/drain electrode. Moreover, it is possible to form the TiOx layer on at least one of the passivation layer and the pixel electrode, or form the TiOx layer on the gate electrode, the semiconductor layer, and the source electrode/drain electrode. 
         [0078]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the LCD device and method of fabricating an LCD device of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.