Liquid crystal display with enhanced gate pad protection and method of manufacturing the same

Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display, comprising the steps of: forming on a substrate, a gate line, at least one gate electrode branching out of the gate line, and a gate pad disposed at an end portion of said gate line, said gate pad having a periphery; forming a gate insulating layer over said substrate and on said gate line, said gate electrode, and said gate pad; forming a first protective layer on said gate insulating layer over at least a portion of said periphery of said gate pad; and etching said gate insulating layer using said first protective layer as a mask to form a gate pad contact hole exposing a portion of said gate pad.

Claim 2

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display, comprising the steps of: forming on a substrate, a gate line, at least one gate electrode branching out of the gate line, and a gate pad disposed at an end portion of said gate line, said gate pad having a periphery; forming a gate insulating layer over said substrate and on said gate line, said gate electrode, and said gate pad; forming a first protective layer on said gate insulating layer over at least a portion of said periphery of said gate pad; and etching said gate insulating layer using said first protective layer as a mask to form a gate pad contact hole exposing a portion of said gate pad.

Claim 4

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display, comprising the steps of: forming, on a substrate, a gate line, at least one gate electrode branching out of the gate line, and a gate pad disposed at an end portion of said gate line, said gate pad having a periphery; forming a gate insulating, layer over said substrate and on said gate line, said gate electrode, and said gate pad; forming a first protective layer on said gate insulating layer over at least a portion of said periphery of said gate pad; patterning a semiconductor material to form said first protective layer pad and a semiconductor layer over said gate electrode; patterning a first conductive material to form a drain electrode on a first portion of said semiconductor layer on a first side of said gate electrode and to form a source electrode on a second portion of said semiconductor layer on a second side of said gate electrode; forming a protective layer over said substrate; and selectively etching said protective layer to form a drain contact hole exposing said drain, and to form a portion of a gate pad contact hole over said gate pad which exposes a portion of said gate insulating layer over said gate pad and a portion of said first protective layer; selectively etching said gate insulating layer using said first protective layer as a mask to completely form said gate pad contact hole which exposes a portion of said gate pad; and patterning a second conductive material to form a gate pad terminal in contact with said gate pad via said gate pad contact hole and to form a pixel electrode in contact with said drain via said drain contact hole.

Claim 5

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display, comprising the steps of: forming, on a substrate, a gate line, at least one gate electrode branching out of the gate line, and a gate pad disposed at an end portion of said gate line, said gate pad having a periphery; forming a gate insulating, layer over said substrate and on said gate line, said gate electrode, and said gate pad; forming a first protective layer on said gate insulating layer over at least a portion of said periphery of said gate pad; patterning a semiconductor material to form said first protective layer pad and a semiconductor layer over said gate electrode; patterning a first conductive material to form a drain electrode on a first portion of said semiconductor layer on a first side of said gate electrode and to form a source electrode on a second portion of said semiconductor layer on a second side of said gate electrode; forming a protective layer over said substrate; and selectively etching said protective layer to form a drain contact hole exposing said drain, and to form a portion of a gate pad contact hole over said gate pad which exposes a portion of said gate insulating layer over said gate pad and a portion of said first protective layer; selectively etching said gate insulating layer using said first protective layer as a mask to completely form said gate pad contact hole which exposes a portion of said gate pad; and patterning a second conductive material to form a gate pad terminal in contact with said gate pad via said gate pad contact hole and to form a pixel electrode in contact with said drain via said drain contact hole.

Claim 12

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display, comprising the steps of: forming, on a substrate, a gate line, at least one gate electrode branching out of the gate line, and a gate pad disposed at an end portion of said gate line, said gate pad having a periphery; forming a gate insulating layer over said substrate and on said gate line, said gate electrode, and said gate pad; forming a first protective layer on said gate insulating layer over at least a portion of said periphery of said gate pad; patterning a semiconductor material to form a semiconductor layer over said gate electrode; forming a protective layer over said substrate; and selectively etching said protective layer to form a drain contact hole exposing said drain, and to form a portion of a gate pad contact hole over said gate pad which exposes a portion of said gate insulating layer over said gate pad and a portion of said first protective layer; and selectively etching said gate insulating layer using said first protective layer as a mask to completely form said gate pad contact hole which exposes a portion of said gate pad; patterning a second conducive material on form a gage pad terminal in contact with said gate pad via said gate pad contact hole and to form a pixel electrode in contact with said drain via said drain contact hole; and wherein said forming said first protective layer step patterns a first conductive material to form said first protective layer, to form a drain electrode on a first portion of said semiconductor layer on a first side of said gate electrode and to form a source electrode on a second portion of said semiconductor layer on a second side of said gate electrode.

Claim 13

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display, comprising the steps of: forming, on a substrate, a gate line, at least one gate electrode branching out of the gate line, and a gate pad disposed at an end portion of said gate line, said gate pad having a periphery; forming a gate insulating layer over said substrate and on said gate line, said gate electrode, and said gate pad; forming a first protective layer on said gate insulating layer over at least a portion of said periphery of said gate pad; patterning a semiconductor material to form a semiconductor layer over said gate electrode; forming a protective layer over said substrate; and selectively etching said protective layer to form a drain contact hole exposing said drain, and to form a portion of a gate pad contact hole over said gate pad which exposes a portion of said gate insulating layer over said gate pad and a portion of said first protective layer; and selectively etching said gate insulating layer using said first protective layer as a mask to completely form said gate pad contact hole which exposes a portion of said gate pad; patterning a second conducive material on form a gage pad terminal in contact with said gate pad via said gate pad contact hole and to form a pixel electrode in contact with said drain via said drain contact hole; and wherein said forming said first protective layer step patterns a first conductive material to form said first protective layer, to form a drain electrode on a first portion of said semiconductor layer on a first side of said gate electrode and to form a source electrode on a second portion of said semiconductor layer on a second side of said gate electrode.