Patent ID: 8258556

Claim:
A thin film transistor comprising: a gate electrode; a gate insulating layer formed on the gate electrode; a semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating layer and disposed opposite the gate electrode; a source electrode and a drain electrode that are formed at least in part on the semiconductor layer and face each other, the source electrode and the drain electrode each having branches, the branches of the source electrode extending toward the drain electrode, the branches of the drain electrode extending toward the source electrode, and the branches of the source electrode arranged in alternating manner with the branches of the drain electrode; a passivation layer formed on the source electrode, the drain electrode, and a portion of the semiconductor layer that is not covered with the source electrode and the drain electrode; and a shielding electrode formed on the passivation layer and disposed on a region between the source electrode and the drain electrode, the shielding electrode being electrically connected to a signal line configured to transmit at least one of a gate-off voltage and a ground voltage, wherein the shielding electrode overlaps the gate electrode, wherein the shielding electrode provides a common voltage shielding for the region on which it is disposed, wherein the shielding electrode comprises a transparent electrode, and wherein edges of the shielding electrode substantially overlap edges of the region between the source electrode and the drain electrode in plan view.