阅读说明：本技术 像素结构 (Pixel structure ) 是由 杜振源 吴振中 林岱佐 于 2019-11-14 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种像素结构，包括基板、设置于基板上且具有第一端、第二端及控制端的薄膜晶体管、电性连接至薄膜晶体管的第一端的第一信号线、电性连接至薄膜晶体管的控制端的第二信号线、电性连接至薄膜晶体管的第二端的像素电极及遮光层。薄膜晶体管的第一端、薄膜晶体管的第二端、薄膜晶体管的控制端、第一信号线及第二信号线的至少一者由一导电层所形成。遮光层设置导电层的顶面及侧壁上。遮光层包括光刻胶及混入光刻胶的多个粒子。(A pixel structure comprises a substrate, a thin film transistor which is arranged on the substrate and is provided with a first end, a second end and a control end, a first signal line which is electrically connected to the first end of the thin film transistor, a second signal line which is electrically connected to the control end of the thin film transistor, a pixel electrode which is electrically connected to the second end of the thin film transistor and a shading layer. At least one of the first end of the thin film transistor, the second end of the thin film transistor, the control end of the thin film transistor, the first signal line and the second signal line is formed by a conductive layer. The light shielding layer is arranged on the top surface and the side wall of the conducting layer. The light shielding layer includes a photoresist and a plurality of particles mixed into the photoresist.)

1. A pixel structure, comprising:

a substrate;

a thin film transistor disposed on the substrate and having a first end, a second end and a control end;

a first signal line electrically connected to the first end of the thin film transistor;

a second signal line electrically connected to the control terminal of the thin film transistor;

a pixel electrode electrically connected to the second end of the thin film transistor, wherein at least one of the first end of the thin film transistor, the second end of the thin film transistor, the control end of the thin film transistor, the first signal line and the second signal line is formed by a first conductive layer; and

the first light shielding layer is arranged on a top surface of the first conducting layer and a side wall of the first conducting layer, wherein the first light shielding layer comprises a first photoresist and a plurality of first particles mixed into the first photoresist.

2. The pixel structure of claim 1, wherein the material of the first photoresist comprises a phenolic resin, an acrylic resin, a siloxane, or a combination thereof.

3. The pixel structure of claim 1, wherein a material of said plurality of first particles comprises carbon, titanium oxide, titanium nitride, or a combination thereof.

4. The pixel structure of claim 1, wherein said plurality of first particles is a plurality of light absorbing particles.

5. The pixel structure of claim 1, wherein the first light-shielding layer comprises:

a first shading pattern arranged on a top surface of the first end of the thin film transistor and a side wall of the first end of the thin film transistor; and

a second shading pattern arranged on a top surface of the second end of the thin film transistor and a side wall of the second end of the thin film transistor;

wherein a gap is formed between the first light-shielding pattern and the second light-shielding pattern.

6. The pixel structure of claim 5, wherein the width of the gap is L ≧ 0.5 μm.

7. The pixel structure of claim 1, wherein a distance d is between a vertically projected edge of the first conductive layer on the substrate and a vertically projected edge of the first light-shielding layer on the substrate, and d is greater than or equal to 0.1 μm and less than or equal to 1.5 μm.

8. The pixel structure of claim 1, wherein the first terminal of the thin film transistor, the second terminal of the thin film transistor, the control terminal of the thin film transistor, the first signal line, and the second signal line are formed by the first conductive layer and a second conductive layer, and the pixel structure further comprises:

an insulating layer disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer; and

and a second light shielding layer disposed on a top surface of the second conductive layer and a sidewall of the second conductive layer, wherein the second light shielding layer includes a second photoresist and a plurality of second particles mixed in the second photoresist.

9. The pixel structure of claim 8, wherein the material of the second photoresist comprises phenolic resin, acrylic resin, siloxane, or a combination thereof.

10. The pixel structure of claim 8, wherein a material of said plurality of second particles comprises carbon, titanium oxide, titanium nitride, or a combination thereof.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a pixel structure.

Background

The display panel comprises a pixel array substrate, an opposite substrate and a display medium arranged between the pixel array substrate and the opposite substrate. The pixel array substrate comprises a substrate and a plurality of pixel structures arranged on the substrate. Each pixel structure comprises a signal wire, an active element electrically connected with the signal wire and a pixel electrode electrically connected with the active element.

Generally, a portion of a signal line and/or an active device is fabricated using a metal layer due to conductivity considerations. The metal layer is good in conductivity but reflective. In an illumination environment, when the display panel is used, a portion of the signal lines and/or the active devices reflect Ambient light, which causes an environmental Contrast (ACR) of the display panel to decrease.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention provides a pixel structure, and a display panel with good optical performance can be manufactured by adopting the pixel structure.

The pixel structure comprises a substrate, a thin film transistor which is arranged on the substrate and is provided with a first end, a second end and a control end, a first signal wire which is electrically connected to the first end of the thin film transistor, a second signal wire which is electrically connected to the control end of the thin film transistor, a pixel electrode which is electrically connected to the second end of the thin film transistor and a first shading layer. At least one of the first end of the thin film transistor, the second end of the thin film transistor, the control end of the thin film transistor, the first signal line and the second signal line is formed by a first conductive layer. The first light shielding layer is disposed on a top surface and a sidewall of the first conductive layer, wherein the first light shielding layer includes a first photoresist and a plurality of first particles mixed in the first photoresist.

In an embodiment of the invention, a material of the first photoresist includes a phenolic resin, an acrylic resin, a siloxane, or a combination thereof.

In an embodiment of the invention, a material of the first particles includes carbon, titanium oxide, titanium nitride, or a combination thereof.

In an embodiment of the invention, the plurality of first particles are a plurality of light absorbing particles.

In an embodiment of the invention, the first light-shielding layer includes a first light-shielding pattern and a second light-shielding pattern. The first shading pattern is arranged on the top surface of the first end of the thin film transistor and the side wall of the first end of the thin film transistor. The second shading pattern is arranged on the top surface of the second end of the thin film transistor and the side wall of the second end of the thin film transistor. A gap is arranged between the first shading pattern and the second shading pattern.

In an embodiment of the invention, the width of the gap is L, and L is greater than or equal to 0.5 μm.

In an embodiment of the invention, a distance d exists between an edge of a vertical projection of the first conductive layer on the substrate and an edge of a vertical projection of the first light shielding layer on the substrate, and d is greater than or equal to 0.1 μm and less than or equal to 1.5 μm.

In an embodiment of the invention, the first terminal of the thin film transistor, the second terminal of the thin film transistor, the control terminal of the thin film transistor, the first signal line and the second signal line are formed by a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. The pixel structure further comprises an insulating layer and a second shading layer. The insulating layer is arranged between the first conducting layer and the second conducting layer. The second light shielding layer is disposed on a top surface of the second conductive layer and a sidewall of the second conductive layer, wherein the second light shielding layer includes a second photoresist and a plurality of second particles mixed into the second photoresist.

In an embodiment of the invention, a material of the second photoresist includes a phenolic resin, an acrylic resin, a siloxane, or a combination thereof.

In an embodiment of the invention, a material of the second particles includes carbon, titanium oxide, titanium nitride, or a combination thereof.

Based on the above, since the light shielding layer is disposed on the top surface and the sidewall of the conductive layer, the light shielding layer can reduce the amount of the ambient light beam reflected by the top surface of the conductive layer and the amount of the ambient light beam reflected by the sidewall of the conductive layer. Therefore, the display panel adopting the pixel structure can have good optical performance, such as: high environmental contrast (ACR).

In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the invention more comprehensible, embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.

Drawings

Fig. 1A to fig. 1F are schematic top views illustrating a manufacturing process of a pixel structure PX according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2A to fig. 2F are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating a manufacturing process of a pixel structure PX according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a part of the light-shielding layer 160 according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a schematic top view of a pixel structure PX-1 according to another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a pixel structure PX-1 according to another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged partial view of the light-shielding layer 190' according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a schematic top view of a pixel structure PX-2 according to another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a pixel structure PX-2 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Description of reference numerals:

110: substrate

120. 150': conductive layer

121: conductive pattern

121a, 151a, 152a, 153 a: the top surface

121b, 151b, 152b, 153 b: side wall

122: second signal line

130. 170: insulating layer

140: semiconductor pattern

150: layer of conductive material

151. 152: conductive pattern

153: first signal line

160. 160 ', 190': light shielding layer

160a, 190 a: photoresist

160b, 190 b: particles

161. 162, 161 ', 162 ', 191 ': shading pattern

163. 163 ', 192': shading line

172: contact window

180: pixel electrode

d: distance between two adjacent plates

L: width of

PX, PX-1, PX-2: pixel structure

T: thin film transistor

x: direction of rotation

I-I': cutting line

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, film, region, or substrate is referred to as being "on" or "connected to" another element, it can be directly on or connected to the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" or "directly connected to" another element, there are no intervening elements present. As used herein, "connected" may refer to physical and/or electrical connections. Further, "electrically connected" or "coupled" may mean that there are additional elements between the elements.

As used herein, "about", "approximately", or "substantially" includes the stated value and the average value within an acceptable range of deviation of the specified value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, taking into account the measurement in question and the specified amount of error associated with the measurement (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system). For example, "about" may mean within one or more standard deviations of the stated value, or within ± 30%, ± 20%, ± 10%, ± 5%. Further, as used herein, "about", "approximately" or "substantially" may be selected based on optical properties, etch properties, or other properties, with a more acceptable range of deviation or standard deviation, and not all properties may be applied with one standard deviation.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present invention and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

Fig. 1A to fig. 1F are schematic top views illustrating a manufacturing process of a pixel structure PX according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2A to fig. 2F are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating a manufacturing process of a pixel structure PX according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2A to 2F correspond to the section lines i-i' of fig. 1A to 1F, respectively.

The following describes a manufacturing process and a structure of a pixel structure PX according to an embodiment of the invention with reference to fig. 1A to 1F and fig. 2A to 2F.

Referring to fig. 1A and fig. 2A, first, a substrate 110 is provided. For example, in the present embodiment, the substrate 110 may be made of glass, quartz, organic polymer, or an opaque/reflective material (e.g., wafer, ceramic, or other suitable materials), or other suitable materials.

Next, a conductive layer 120 is formed over the substrate 110. The conductive layer 120 includes a conductive pattern 121 and a second signal line 122 connected to the conductive pattern 121. In the present embodiment, the conductive pattern 121 may be used as a control terminal of a thin film transistor T (shown in fig. 1D and 2D), and the second signal line 122 may be a scan line.

For example, in the present embodiment, the conductive layer 120 may include molybdenum (Mo) and copper (Cu) stacked on the molybdenum. However, the invention is not limited thereto, and according to other embodiments, other conductive materials may be used for the conductive layer 120. For example: an alloy, a nitride of a metal material, an oxide of a metal material, an oxynitride of a metal material, or a stacked layer of a metal material and other conductive materials.

Next, an insulating layer 130 is formed to cover the conductive layer 120 and a portion of the substrate 110. In the present embodiment, the insulating layer 130 may also be referred to as a gate insulating layer. The material of the insulating layer 130 may be an inorganic material (e.g., silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, or a stacked layer of at least two of the above materials), an organic material, or a combination thereof.

Referring to fig. 1B and 2B, a semiconductor pattern 140 is formed on the insulating layer 130. For example, in the present embodiment, the material of the semiconductor pattern 140 may be a single layer or a multi-layer structure, which includes amorphous silicon, polysilicon, microcrystalline silicon, single crystal silicon, organic semiconductor material, oxide semiconductor material (such as indium zinc oxide, indium gallium zinc oxide, or other suitable materials, or combinations thereof), or other suitable materials, or contain dopants (dopants) therein, or combinations thereof.

Referring to fig. 1C and fig. 2C, a conductive material layer 150 is formed to cover the semiconductor pattern 140 and a portion of the insulating layer 130. For example, in the present embodiment, the conductive material layer 150 may include molybdenum (Mo) and copper (Cu) stacked on the molybdenum. However, the invention is not limited thereto, and according to other embodiments, other conductive materials may be used for the conductive layer 120. For example: an alloy, a nitride of a metal material, an oxide of a metal material, an oxynitride of a metal material, or a stacked layer of a metal material and other conductive materials.

Referring to fig. 1C and fig. 2C, a light-shielding layer 160 is formed on the conductive material layer 150. The light-shielding layer 160 serves as a mask for patterning the conductive material layer 150. In the present embodiment, the light shielding layer 160 may include a light shielding pattern 161, a light shielding pattern 162 separated from the light shielding pattern 161, and a light shielding line 163 connected to the light shielding pattern 161.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a part of the light-shielding layer 160 according to an embodiment of the invention. Referring to fig. 1C, fig. 2C and fig. 3, the light-shielding layer 160 includes a photoresist 160a and a plurality of particles 160b mixed in the photoresist 160 a. The light-shielding layer 160 absorbs light. The plurality of particles 160b are a plurality of light absorbing particles. In this embodiment, the light-shielding layer 160 may be a black photoresist, but the invention is not limited thereto.

For example, in the present embodiment, the material of the photoresist 160a may include phenolic resin, acrylic resin, siloxane, or a combination thereof; the material of the plurality of particles 160b may include carbon, titanium oxide, titanium nitride, or a combination thereof, but the invention is not limited thereto.

Referring to fig. 1C, fig. 1D, fig. 2C and fig. 2D, next, the conductive material layer 150 is patterned by masking with the light-shielding layer 160 to form a conductive layer 150'. The insulating layer 130 is disposed between the conductive layer 150' and the conductive layer 120. The conductive layer 150' includes a conductive pattern 151, a conductive pattern 152, and a first signal line 153. The conductive pattern 151, the conductive pattern 152, and the first signal line 153 substantially overlap the light-shielding pattern 161, the light-shielding pattern 162, and the light-shielding line 163, respectively.

The conductive patterns 151 and 152 are separated from each other and electrically connected to two different regions of the semiconductor pattern 140, respectively. The conductive pattern 151 is connected to the first signal line 153. In this embodiment, the conductive pattern 151 may serve as a first terminal of the tft T, the conductive pattern 152 may serve as a second terminal of the tft T, and the first signal line 153 may be a data line.

The conductive pattern 121 (i.e., the control terminal), the insulating layer 130, the semiconductor pattern 140, the conductive pattern 151 (i.e., the first terminal), and the conductive pattern 152 (i.e., the second terminal) constitute a thin film transistor T. In the present embodiment, the conductive pattern 121 serving as the control terminal is disposed below the semiconductor pattern 140, and the thin film transistor T may be a bottom gate thin film transistor (bottom gate tft). However, the invention is not limited thereto, and according to other embodiments, the thin film transistor T may be a top gate thin film transistor (top gate TFT) or other suitable thin film transistors.

Referring to fig. 1D, fig. 1E, fig. 2D and fig. 2E, the light-shielding layer 160 is then heated to reflow (reflow) the light-shielding layer 160 to form a light-shielding layer 160'. The reflowing light-shielding layer 160 ' is disposed not only on the top surfaces 151a, 152a, and 153a of the conductive layer 150 ' but also on the sidewalls 151b, 152b, and 153b of the conductive layer 150 '. In this embodiment, the heating temperature may be between 130 ℃ and 230 ℃; the heating time may be 10 minutes or 20 minutes, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In one embodiment, the heating temperature may be between 160 ℃ and 230 ℃; in other embodiments, the heating temperature may be between 190 ℃ and 230 ℃. The material of the reflowing light-shielding layer 160' is the same as that of the light-shielding layer 160, and thus, will not be described again.

Referring to fig. 1E and fig. 2E, in the present embodiment, the reflowing light-shielding layer 160 'includes a light-shielding pattern 161', a light-shielding pattern 162 'separated from the light-shielding pattern 161', and a light-shielding line 163 'connected to the light-shielding pattern 161'. The reflowed light-shielding pattern 161' covers the top surface 151a and the sidewalls 151b of the conductive pattern 151 of the thin film transistor T. The reflowed light blocking pattern 162' covers the top surface 152a and the sidewalls 152b of the conductive pattern 152 of the thin film transistor T. The reflowed light-shielding line 163' covers the top surface 153a and the sidewall 153b of the first signal line 153.

In the present embodiment, the light-shielding layer 160 ' may have conductivity, and a gap (i.e., the mark L) is formed between the light-shielding pattern 161 ' and the light-shielding pattern 162 ' respectively covering the conductive patterns 151 and 152 (i.e., the first end and the second end) of the thin film transistor T. The gap (i.e., at the mark L) overlaps with the semiconductor pattern 140 of the thin film transistor T. For example, in the arrangement direction x of the conductive patterns 151 and 152, the gap between the light-shielding patterns 161 'and 162' has a width L, and L ≧ 0.5 μm, but the invention is not limited thereto.

The perpendicular projection edge of the conductive layer 150 'on the substrate 110 is spaced apart from the perpendicular projection edge of the reflowed light-shielding layer 160' on the substrate 110 by a distance d (shown in fig. 2E). For example, in the present embodiment, d is 0.1 μm ≦ 1.5 μm, but the invention is not limited thereto.

Referring to fig. 1F and fig. 2F, in the present embodiment, an insulating layer 170 is formed to cover the reflowed light-shielding layer 160', a portion of the semiconductor pattern 140, and a portion of the insulating layer 130. Then, on the insulating layer 170, a pixel electrode 180 is formed. In the present embodiment, the pixel electrode 180 may be electrically connected to the conductive pattern 152 (i.e., the second end of the tft T) through the contact window 172 of the insulating layer 170 and the light shielding pattern 162'. In this way, the pixel structure PX of the present embodiment is completed.

It is noted that the reflowed light-shielding layer 160 ' covers not only the top surfaces 151a, 152a, and 153a of the conductive layer 150 ', but also the sidewalls 151b, 152b, and 153b of the conductive layer 150 '. That is, the light-shielding layer 160 ' can reduce the amount of ambient light (not shown) reflected by the sidewalls 151b, 152b, 153b of the conductive layer 150 ' as well as the top surfaces 151a, 152a, 153a of the conductive layer 150 '. Thereby, the display panel adopting the pixel structure PX can have good optical performance, such as: high environmental Contrast (ACR).

Fig. 4 is a schematic top view of a pixel structure PX-1 according to another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a pixel structure PX-1 according to another embodiment of the invention. Fig. 5 corresponds to the section line i-i' of fig. 4.

Referring to fig. 1F, fig. 2F, fig. 4 and fig. 5, the pixel structure PX-1 of the present embodiment is similar to the pixel structure PX described above, and the difference therebetween is described as follows.

Referring to fig. 4 and 5, in the present embodiment, a reflowing light-shielding layer 190 ' is disposed on the top surface 121a and the sidewall 121b of the conductive layer 120, and a reflowing light-shielding layer 160 ' is not disposed on the top surfaces 151a, 152a, 153a and the sidewalls 151b, 152b, 153b of the other conductive layer 150 '.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged partial view of the light-shielding layer 190' according to an embodiment of the invention. Referring to fig. 4, 5 and 6, the light-shielding layer 190' includes a photoresist 190a and a plurality of particles 190b mixed into the photoresist 190 a. The light-shielding layer 190' absorbs light. The plurality of particles 190b are a plurality of light absorbing particles. In this embodiment, the light-shielding layer 190' may be a black photoresist, but the invention is not limited thereto.

For example, in the present embodiment, the material of the photoresist 190a may include phenolic resin, acrylic resin, siloxane, or a combination thereof; the material of the plurality of particles 190b may include carbon, titanium oxide, titanium nitride, or a combination thereof, but the invention is not limited thereto.

In the present embodiment, the conductive layer 120 also includes a conductive pattern 121 (i.e., a control terminal of the thin film transistor T) and a second signal line (not shown in fig. 4 and 5, but refer to the second signal line 122 in fig. 1F) connected to the conductive pattern 121, and the reflowing light-shielding layer 190 ' includes a light-shielding pattern 191 ' and a light-shielding line 192 ', wherein the light-shielding pattern 191 ' covers the top surface 121a and the sidewall 121b of the conductive pattern 121, and the light-shielding line 192 ' covers the top surface and the sidewall (not shown) of the second signal line.

Fig. 7 is a schematic top view of a pixel structure PX-2 according to another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a pixel structure PX-2 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 corresponds to the section line i-i' of fig. 7.

Referring to fig. 7 and 8, the pixel structure PX-2 of the present embodiment is similar to the pixel structures PX and PX-1, and the difference therebetween is: in the embodiment, the top surface 121a and the sidewall 121b of the conductive layer 120 are provided with the reflowed light-shielding layer 190 ', and the top surfaces 151a, 152a, 153a and the sidewalls 151b, 152b, 153b of the other conductive layer 150 ' are also provided with the reflowed light-shielding layer 160 '.

In summary, the pixel structure of an embodiment of the invention includes a substrate, a thin film transistor disposed on the substrate and having a first end, a second end and a control end, a first signal line electrically connected to the first end of the thin film transistor, a second signal line electrically connected to the control end of the thin film transistor, a pixel electrode electrically connected to the second end of the thin film transistor, and a reflowing light shielding layer. At least one of the first end of the thin film transistor, the second end of the thin film transistor, the control end of the thin film transistor, the first signal line and the second signal line is formed by a conductive layer.

In particular, a reflowed light shield layer is disposed on the top and sidewalls of the conductive layer. That is, the reflowed light shielding layer can reduce the amount of ambient light reflected by the sidewalls of the conductive layer as well as the top surface of the conductive layer. Therefore, the display panel adopting the pixel structure can have good optical performance, such as: high ambient contrast (AmbientContrast Ratio; ACR).

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the above embodiments, it should be understood that various changes and modifications can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.