Patent ID: 7388638

Claim:
A thin film transistor (TFT) substrate, comprising: a substrate; a plurality of gate lines formed on the substrate, the gate lines extending in a first direction; a plurality of data lines formed on the substrate, the data lines extending in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction; a plurality of pixel electrodes, each of the pixel electrodes being electrically connected to a TFT that is electrically connected to a selected gate line and a selected data line; a protection layer formed on the substrate such that the protection layer covers the gate lines and data lines; and a pattern disposed in a pixel region of the substrate to induce a stepped portion of the protection layer, the pixel region being defined by adjacent gate lines and adjacent data lines, a longitudinal direction of the pattern forming an angle of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees with respect to one of the first and second directions; wherein if a thickness of the pattern is thicker than about 3000 angstroms, then a side of the pattern forms an inclination angle of no more than about 45 degrees, if a thickness of the pattern is in a range of about 2000 angstroms to about 3000 angstroms, then the side of the pattern forms an inclination angle of no more than about 50 degrees, and if a thickness of the pattern is less than a bout 2000 angstroms, then the side of the pattern forms an inclination angle of no more than about 90 degrees.