Patent EP0511593B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5367179A
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US
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Thin-film transistor having electrodes made of aluminum, and an active matrix panel using same
Assignee: Casio Computer Co Ltd
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Filing: 1992-11-12
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Granted: 1994-11-22
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Expires: 2012-11-12
Abstract
Abstract A thin-film transistor comprises a gate electrode formed on an insulating substrate, a gate insulating film covering the gate electrode and the insulating substrate, an i-type semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating film, and a source electrode and a drain electrode electrically connected to two ends of the i-type semiconductor layer, respectively. The gate electrode is made of aluminum alloy containing high-melting-point metal such as Ti and Ta and oxygen or nitrogen or both.
Inventors
- 👤 Hisatoshi Mori
- 👤 Syunichi Sato
- 👤 Naohiro Konya
- 👤 Ichiro Ohno
- 👤 Hiromitsu Ishii
- 👤 Kunihiro Matsuda
- 👤 Junji Shiota
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 05:32
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/01; H10D30/021; H10D30/031; H10D30/0312; H10D30/0314; H10D30/0316; H10D30/0321; H10D30/60; H10D30/67; H10D30/6729; H10D30/6737; H10D30/6739; H10D30/674; H10D30/6741; H10D30/6743; H10D30/6746; H10D86/00; H10D86/40; H10D86/441; H10D86/443; H10D86/60; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/63; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6334; H10P14/6336; H10P14/69; H10P14/694; H10P14/6943; H10P14/69433
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
A thin-film transistor comprising: an insulating substrate; a gate electrode formed on the insulating substrate and made of aluminum alloy containing a high-melting-point metal and 4 at % or more of oxygen or nitrogen or both; a gate insulating film formed on said gate electrode; an i-type semiconductor layer formed on said gate insulating film; and a source electrode and a drain electrode electrically connected to two ends of said i-type semiconductor layer, respectively.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
74 words
A thin-film transistor comprising: an insulating substrate; a gate electrode formed on the insulating substrate and made of aluminum alloy containing a high-melting-point metal and 4 at % or more of oxygen or nitrogen or both; a gate insulating film formed on said gate electrode; an i-type semiconductor layer formed on said gate insulating film; and a source electrode and a drain electrode electrically connected to two ends of said i-type semiconductor layer, respectively.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The thin-film transistor according to claim 1, wherein said gate electrode is made of aluminum alloy containing titanium and oxygen.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The thin-film transistor according to claim 1, wherein said gate electrode is made of aluminum alloy containing titanium and nitrogen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The thin-film transistor according to claim 1, wherein said gate electrode is made of aluminum alloy containing tantalum and oxygen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The thin-film transistor according to claim 1, wherein said aluminum alloy contains at least one selected from the group consisting of titanium and tantalum, and about 4 at % or more of nitrogen or oxygen.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The thin-film transistor according to claim 1, wherein said high-melting-point metal consists of at least one selected from the group consisting of titanium and tantalum.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The thin-film transistor according to claim 1, wherein said source electrode and said drain electrode are made of aluminum alloy substantially identical to the aluminum alloy forming said gate electrode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
178 words
A thin-film transistor panel comprising: an insulating substrate; a plurality of transparent pixel electrodes arranged in rows and columns on said insulating substrate; a plurality of thin-film transistors each located at one of said pixel electrodes, respectively, each having a gate electrode, an gate insulating film formed on the gate electrode, an i-type semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating film, and a source electrode and a drain electrode electrically connected to two ends of the i-type semiconductor layer, respectively, and each having one of the source and drain electrodes connected to the associated pixel electrode; a plurality of scan lines expending parallel to one another, each connecting the gate electrodes of the thin film transistors of the same row and made of aluminum alloy containing a high-melting-point metal and 4 at % or more of oxygen or nitrogen or both; and a plurality of data lines expending parallel to one another, each connecting the source electrodes or drain electrodes of the thin-film transistors of the same column, which are other than those connected to the pixel electrodes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
178 words
A thin-film transistor panel comprising: an insulating substrate; a plurality of transparent pixel electrodes arranged in rows and columns on said insulating substrate; a plurality of thin-film transistors each located at one of said pixel electrodes, respectively, each having a gate electrode, an gate insulating film formed on the gate electrode, an i-type semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating film, and a source electrode and a drain electrode electrically connected to two ends of the i-type semiconductor layer, respectively, and each having one of the source and drain electrodes connected to the associated pixel electrode; a plurality of scan lines expending parallel to one another, each connecting the gate electrodes of the thin film transistors of the same row and made of aluminum alloy containing a high-melting-point metal and 4 at % or more of oxygen or nitrogen or both; and a plurality of data lines expending parallel to one another, each connecting the source electrodes or drain electrodes of the thin-film transistors of the same column, which are other than those connected to the pixel electrodes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The thin-film transistor panel according to claim 8, wherein said high-melting-point metal consists of at least one selected from the group consisting of titanium and tantalum.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
The thin-film transistor panel according to claim 8, wherein the gate electrode of each of said thin-film transistors is integral with an associated one of said scan lines and is made of aluminum alloy substantially identical to the aluminum alloy forming said scan line.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The thin-film transistor panel according to claim 8, wherein said data lines are made of aluminum alloy containing at least one selected from the group consisting of titanium and tantalum, and about 4 at % or more of nitrogen or oxygen.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
83 words
The thin-film transistor panel according to claim 8, wherein the gate electrode of each of said thin-film transistors is integral with an associated one of said scan lines and is made of aluminum alloy substantially identical to the aluminum alloy forming said scan line, the source electrode and the drain electrode of each of said thin-film transistors are made of the same aluminum alloy as the gate electrode, and said data lines are made of the same aluminum alloy as the gate electrode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
93 words
A thin-film transistor assembly comprising: an insulating substrate; and a thin-film transistor, formed on the insulating substrate, the thin-film transistor including: a semiconductor layer having opposite ends; an insulating film; a source electrode and a drain electrode electrically connected to the opposite ends of said semiconductor layer; and a gate electrode formed on the insulating film to face the semiconductor layer, at least one of said electrodes contacting the insulating substrate and being made of aluminum alloy containing a high-melting-point metal, and about 4 at % or more of oxygen, nitrogen, or both.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
93 words
A thin-film transistor assembly comprising: an insulating substrate; and a thin-film transistor, formed on the insulating substrate, the thin-film transistor including: a semiconductor layer having opposite ends; an insulating film; a source electrode and a drain electrode electrically connected to the opposite ends of said semiconductor layer; and a gate electrode formed on the insulating film to face the semiconductor layer, at least one of said electrodes contacting the insulating substrate and being made of aluminum alloy containing a high-melting-point metal, and about 4 at % or more of oxygen, nitrogen, or both.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The thin-film transistor according to claim 13, wherein said aluminum alloy contains titanium and oxygen.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The thin-film transistor according to claim 13, wherein said aluminum alloy contains titanium and nitrogen.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The thin-film transistor according to claim 13, wherein said aluminum alloy contains tantalum and oxygen.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
The thin-film transistor according to claim 13, wherein said alloy contains at least one selected from the group consisting of titanium and tantalum, and about 4 at % or more of nitrogen or oxygen.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
139 words
An active matrix panel comprising: an insulating substrate; a plurality of transparent electrodes arranged in rows and columns on said insulating substrate; a plurality of thin-film active elements arranged in rows and columns and each located at one of said transparent electrodes respectively, each having a first electrode connected to said transparent electrode, and a second electrode for supplying voltage via said first electrode to said transparent electrode, at least one of said electrodes contacting the insulating substrate and being made of aluminum alloy containing a high-melting-point metal and about 4 at % or more of oxygen, nitrogen, or both; and a plurality of voltage supplying lines arranged on said insulating substrate along at least one of the rows and columns, said voltage supplying lines being connected to said thin-film active elements to supply voltage to said second electrode.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
139 words
An active matrix panel comprising: an insulating substrate; a plurality of transparent electrodes arranged in rows and columns on said insulating substrate; a plurality of thin-film active elements arranged in rows and columns and each located at one of said transparent electrodes respectively, each having a first electrode connected to said transparent electrode, and a second electrode for supplying voltage via said first electrode to said transparent electrode, at least one of said electrodes contacting the insulating substrate and being made of aluminum alloy containing a high-melting-point metal and about 4 at % or more of oxygen, nitrogen, or both; and a plurality of voltage supplying lines arranged on said insulating substrate along at least one of the rows and columns, said voltage supplying lines being connected to said thin-film active elements to supply voltage to said second electrode.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The thin-film transistor according to claim 13, wherein said high-melting-point metal consists of at least one selected from the group consisting of titanium and tantalum.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-11-21 | 1998-05-23 | 1998-11-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-11-21 | 2002-05-23 | 2002-11-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-11-21 | 2006-05-23 | 2006-11-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |