The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 30, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 12, 1997
Apostolos T Voutsas, Vancouver, WA (US);
Yoshi Hibino, Vancouver, WA (US);
Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc., Camas, WA (US);
Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
The invention provides a method of making low-resistance conductors on LCD glass panels for use in the fabrication and interconnection of thin film transistors in active-matrix LCDs. The conductors include pure aluminum metal, which has low resistivity and is suitable for the longer lines and conductors required in large-size (18-inch or more, measured diagonally) LCD panels with resolutions of XGA or better. An underlayer of titanium is first deposited on the glass, followed by an overlaer of aluminum. The Al/Ti conductive sheet material is then masked and etched to form lines and other conductors on the LCD glass substrate. A layer of gate dielectric is then deposited, preferably at a temperature of 300.degree. C. or below. The invention minimizes hillock formation on the aluminum conductors without the additional cost and steps of depositing a capping layer of metal overlying the aluminum, and without the use of acid-treated glass.