Casio Computer Co., Ltd.

Toshiaki Higashi

Hiromitsu Ishii

Yayoi Nakamura

Shinichi Shimomaki

Tatsuya Miyakawa

Makoto Miyagawa

An active matrix substrate includes a line layer formed of an Al-based metal layer and a part of which is exposed through a contact hole formed in an insulating film. In the active matrix substrate, pixel electrodes are formed of an ITO film on the insulating film, and a jumper line for connecting a disconnected portion of a protect ring, a surface layer of a data line connecting pad, and a line protecting film are formed at the same time as the pixel electrodes are formed. This reduces the number of fabrication steps. The ITO film is patterned by dry etching due to reactive ion etching using a mixed gas of a hydrogen halide gas and an inert gas, with the temperatures of the center portion and peripheral portion of the substrate substantially equalized to each other.

Transparent electrode forming apparatus and method of fabricating active matrix substrate

A protective film for protecting the channel region of a thin film transistor is formed by a dry etching treatment. Therefore, even if there is a defect in a semiconductor film, pin holes are not formed in a gate insulating film. It follows that the breakdown voltage of the gate insulating film is not lowered even if a scanning signal line, etc., including a gate electrode, are formed of only an Al-based metal film that does not have an anodic oxide film formed on the surface.

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Yokohama, Japan

Toshiaki Higashi