The present disclosure relates to thin film transistor (TFT) arrays, in particular to isolation structures of photoresist strippers, TFT arrays and preparation methods thereof.
When preparing TFT array matrices in the prior art, as shown in
Therefore, the existing technology needs to be further improved and developed.
An isolation structure of a photoresist stripper, a TFT array and preparation methods thereof are provided in the present disclosure in other to solve the problem(s) mentioned above, that is to solve the problem of the swell of the organic planar layer caused by the penetration of the photoresist stripper.
Technical solutions adopted by the present disclosure to solve the aforesaid technical problem(s) are as follows.
An isolation structure of a photoresist stripper may comprise: a protective layer, and a hardened layer arranged on the protective layer. The hardened layer may be formed by plasma bombarding the protective layer with a gas and be configured for insulating the photoresist stripper.
In an embodiment of the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper, the gas may include one or more of Ar, N2, and BCl3.
In an embodiment of the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper, the protective layer may include an organic planar layer.
In an embodiment of the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper, the isolation structure may further comprise: an electrode arranged under the organic planar layer.
In an embodiment of the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper, the isolation structure may further comprise: an ITO layer arranged on the hardening layer and a photoresist layer arranged on the ITO layer.
In any one aforesaid embodiment of the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper, the parameters of the plasma bombardment may include: temperature: 20-30° C.; pressure: 10-30 mT; bombardment time: 10-20 s; and power density: 2000˜3000 w/cm2.
In any one aforesaid embodiment of the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper, the photoresist stripper may comprise dimethyl sulfoxide and ethanolamine.
A method for preparing an isolation structure of a photoresist stripper, wherein the method for preparing the isolation structure may include the following steps:
In an embodiment of the method for preparing the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper, the gas may include one or more of Ar, N2, and BCl3.
In an embodiment of the method for preparing the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper, the protective layer may be an organic planar layer.
In an embodiment of the method for preparing the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper, the parameters of the plasma bombardment may be: temperature: 20-30° C.; pressure: 10-30 mT; bombardment time: 10-20 s; and power density: 2000-3000 w/cm2.
In an embodiment of the method for preparing the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper, the photoresist stripper may be dimethyl sulfoxide and ethanolamine.
A method for preparing a TFT array may include the following steps:
In an embodiment of the method for preparing the TFT array, the method for preparing the TFT array may further include the following steps:
The beneficial effect of the present disclosure may be as follows: by forming the hardened layer on the surface of the protective layer including the organic planar layer, the hardened layer can prevent chemical agents (such as photoresist stripper) adopted in the subsequent process from getting into the protective layer, so as to keep the photoresist stripper from the protective layer, protecting the protective layer.
The present disclosure can be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments so as to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantage of the present disclosure more clearer and explicit. It shall be appreciated that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain and not to limit the present disclosure.
Please refer to some embodiments of the present disclosure shown in
As shown in
However, the ITO layer 4 is usually arranged on the organic planar (protective) layer. The protective layer 3 is exposed after removing the ITO layer corresponding to the photoresist layer. When using the photoresist stripper in the subsequent process to remove the exposed photoresist layer 5, the photoresist stripper may penetrate into the protective layer 3, causing the protective layer 3 to be swelled; accordingly, the swelled portion may lift the ITO layer, leading to the ITO layer to be peeled off. Once there is a gap between the ITO layer and the protective layer 3, the photoresist stripper can more easily get into the protective layer 3 from the gap. It is naturally not limited to the protective layer 3; other functional layer(s) (such as the bank layer on the electrode) also have similar problem in other application scenarios. The functional layers mentioned above are collectively referred to as protective layer in the present disclosure.
To solve the above-mentioned problem of the swell of the protective layer caused by the penetration of the photoresist stripper, an isolation structure of a photoresist stripper provided in the present disclosure, as shown in
The hardened layer 70 is formed on the surface of the protective layer 30 after plasma bombardment. The hardened layer 70 can prevent chemical reagent(s) (such as the photoresist stripper) used in the subsequent process from getting into the protective layer 30 so as to keep the photoresist stripper out of the protective layer 30, protecting the protective layer 30.
In addition, the hardened layer 70 can also block moisture and prevent moisture from entering the protective layer 30. Plasma bombardment can keep the hardened layer 70 good in roughness and penetration, which is beneficial to the homogenization and penetration of light.
The gas includes one or more of Ar, N2 and BCl3 in a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, gases with relatively stable physical and chemical properties and uneasy involvement in reaction (such as N2, He and Ar) that are employed can also protect the protective layer 30 from the influence of impurity ions. Gases such as BCl3 can also be used for rapid formation of the hardened layer 70, increasing the density of the hardened layer 70 and enhancing the isolation ability of the hardened layer 70.
During the process of plasma bombardment, the above-mentioned gases form plasma which can be manufactured in situ or remotely manufactured and then flowed into a plasma bombardment chamber. Various application methods for producing plasma, including capacitively coupled plasma, inductively coupled plasma, magnetron plasma, electron cyclotron resonance, or microwave, can be employed. The plasma may have a high ion density.
The parameters of plasma bombardment in a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure are: temperature: 20-30° C.; pressure: 10-30 mT; bombardment time: 10-20 s; and power density: 2000˜3000 w/cm2. Specifically, under such parameters of plasma bombardment, a hardened layer 70 with a thickness of 10 nm˜100 nm can be obtained. The thickness of the hardened layer 70 shall not be too thick or too thin; when it is too thick, the penetration efficiency of the protective layer may be decreased; and when it is too thin, the photoresist stripper cannot be completely insulated.
The isolation structure may further include an electrode 20 arranged under the protective layer in a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in
The photoresist stripper may be an organic alkali, for example the photoresist stripper may include dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and ethanolamine (MEA), in a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, the photoresist stripper TOK-106 (30 wt % DMSO and 70 wt % MEA) is adopted. Other photoresist stripper such as NAGASE & CO., LTD (N-300) can naturally also be employed.
In accordance with the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper described in any one of the above embodiments, a TFT array is also provided in a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.
The TFT array according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper described in any one of the above embodiments which is described in detail above.
In accordance with the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper described in any one of the above embodiments, a method for preparing the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper is also provided in a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.
A method for preparing the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure may include the following steps, as shown in
Step S10: providing a protective layer 30.
The protective layer 30 may be specifically an organic planar layer or a bank layer.
Step S20: plasma bombarding the protective layer 30 with gas, and forming a hardened layer 70 on the protective layer to obtain the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper; wherein the hardened layer 70 is configured to insulate the photoresist stripper.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gas includes one or more of Ar, N2, and BCl3. Specifically, the use of gases with relatively stable physical and chemical properties such as N2, He, and Ar, which are not easy to participate in the reaction, can also protect the protective layer 30 from the influence of impurity ions; and gases such as BCl3 can also be used for rapid formation. The hardened layer 70 increases the density of the hardened layer 70 and improves the isolation ability of the hardened layer 70.
The parameters of plasma bombardment in a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure are: temperature: 20-30° C.; pressure: 10-30 mT; bombardment time: 10-20 s; and power density: 2000˜3000 w/cm2. Specifically, under such parameters of plasma bombardment, a hardened layer 70 with a thickness of 10 nm˜100 nm can be obtained. The thickness of the hardened layer 70 shall not be too thick or too thin; when it is too thick, the penetration efficiency of the protective layer may be decreased; and when it is too thin, the photoresist stripper cannot be completely insulated.
The photoresist stripper may include dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and ethanolamine (MEA) in a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure; for example, adopting the photoresist stripper TOK-106 (30 wt % DMSO and 70 wt % MEA). Other photoresist stripper may specifically also be employed. Since organic materials are used in the protective layer, they and the photoresist stripper are easily penetrated into the protective layer, causing the protective layer to be swelled and the ITO layer 40 to be peeled off.
In accordance with the method for preparing the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper described in any one of the above embodiments, a method for preparing a TFT array is also provided in a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.
A method for preparing a TFT array provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure may include the following steps, as shown in
Step S100: providing a substrate 30.
Step S200, preparing an electrode 20 on the substrate 10.
The substrate 10 in the present disclosure may specifically be a glass substrate, a silicon substrate, a flexible substrate, or the like. The electrode 20 here naturally can be a cathode or an anode.
Step S300: preparing a protective layer 30 on the electrode 20; wherein the protective layer 30 is an organic planar layer or a bank layer, which is specifically described above.
Step S400: preparing a hardened layer 70 on the protective layer by using any one of the above-mentioned methods for preparing the isolation structure of the photoresist stripper.
The hardened layer 70 is specifically formed by plasma bombarding the protective layer 30.
Step S500: preparing an ITO layer 40 on the hardened layer 70.
The ITO layer 40 may specifically be prepared by a deposition process.
Step S600: preparing a photoresist layer 50 on the ITO layer 40 and performing photolithography processing.
The photolithography here may specifically include: photomask, exposure, development, etching, etc.; and of course, photolithography processing may also include drying, detecting, cleaning and other steps. As shown in
Step S700: performing stripping processing on the photoresist layer 50 by using a photoresist stripper.
As shown in
In conclusion, an isolation structure of a photoresist stripper, a TFT array, and preparation methods thereof are provided in the present disclosure, in which the isolation structure includes a protective layer and a hardened layer arranged on the protective layer. The hardened layer is formed by plasma bombarding the protective layer with gas(es) and is configured to insulate the photoresist stripper. By forming the hardened layer on the surface of the protective layer including the organic planar layer, the hardened layer can prevent chemical agents (such as photoresist stripper) adopted in the subsequent process from getting into the protective layer, so as to keep the photoresist stripper from the protective layer, protecting the protective layer.
It shall be understood that the application of the present disclosure is not limited to the above examples. For those of ordinary skill in the art, improvements or changes can be made based on the above description, and all these improvements and changes should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims of the present disclosure.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/CN2019/120763 | 11/26/2019 | WO |