BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to the field of display technology, and more particularly, to an array substrate and a method of manufacturing thereof.

Description of Prior Art

Compared with flat displays, curved displays have a wider viewing angle, which can reduce distortion because of close viewing, and can achieve the differentiation of display products. However, the film stress is larger when the display screen is bent. Currently, it is easy for films to break and to affect the display effect when the display screen is bent.

Since film metal traces, insulating layers, and transparent electrodes disposed on sides of the array substrate are brittle inorganic materials, and liquid crystal display screens are bent with a small curvature radius, it is easy for liquid crystal display screens to break and affect the display effect. In particular, the breakage of the metal traces may cause defects such as bright lines or dark lines, which affects the display quality of the array substrate.

Therefore, it is an urgent need to provide a new array substrate and a method of manufacturing the array substrate to reduce stress when the array substrate is bent, thereby improving the reliability of the array substrate.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an array substrate and a method of manufacturing thereof. By defining at least one via hole between adjacent thin film transistors in a bending region, each of the via holes penetrates through the thin film transistor, and can effectively reduce stress between the inorganic layers. The stress is reduced when the array substrate is bent, thereby improving the reliability of the array substrate.

An array substrate comprises a display region and at least one bending region. The array substrate comprises:a substrate;a buffer layer disposed on the substrate;a thin film transistor layer disposed on the buffer layer away from the substrate, and the thin film transistor layer comprises a first metal trace, a plurality of thin film transistors are formed in the thin film transistor layer, at least one via hole is defined between two adjacent thin film transistors, and the via hole penetrates through the first metal trace to a surface of the buffer layer; and an organic layer disposed on the thin film transistor layer, wherein the via hole is filled with the organic layer, and the via hole corresponds to the bending region.

In one embodiment, material of the organic layer comprises a photoresist, and material of the buffer layer comprises silicon nitride or silicon oxide.

In one embodiment, the first metal trace is disposed on a side of the buffer layer away from the substrate, and the thin film transistor layer further comprises:a gate insulating layer disposed on the first metal trace;a semiconductor layer disposed on a side of the gate insulating layer away from the first metal trace;a second metal trace disposed on the semiconductor layer and the gate insulating layer; and a passivation layer disposed on the second metal trace, the semiconductor layer, and the gate insulating layer.

In one embodiment, the first metal trace comprises a plurality of hollow holes, and the plurality of hollow holes are defined by the via hole penetrating the first metal trace.

In one embodiment, a shape of each of the hollow holes comprises a circle or a square, and the hollow holes are evenly distributed on the first metal trace.

In one embodiment, a diameter of each of the hollow holes is 3 to 5 μm.

In one embodiment, the substrate comprises a glass substrate and a transparent base layer, and the transparent base layer is disposed on a side of the glass substrate close to the buffer layer.

In one embodiment, material of the semiconductor layer comprises indium gallium zinc oxide, the second metal trace comprises a source trace and a drain trace, and the source trace and the drain trace are respectively connected to the semiconductor layer.

In one embodiment, the array substrate further comprises a first electrode, and the first electrode is disposed on the organic layer, and the first electrode is connected to the second metal trace.

A method of manufacturing an array substrate comprises following steps:providing a glass substrate, wherein a transparent base layer is coated on the glass substrate, a substrate is formed through pre-baking and solid-baking, and the substrate comprises at least one bending region and a display region; depositing a buffer layer on the substrate; depositing a first metal trace on a side of the buffer layer away from the substrate; depositing a gate insulating layer on the first metal trace; depositing a semiconductor layer on a side of the gate insulating layer away from the first metal trace; depositing a second metal trace on the semiconductor layer and the gate insulating layer; depositing a passivation layer on the second metal trace, the semiconductor layer, and the gate insulating layer; defining at least one via hole in the bending region, wherein the at least one via hole penetrates through the passivation layer, the gate insulating layer, and the first metal trace to a surface of the buffer layer; depositing an organic layer on the passivation layer and in the via hole; and depositing a first electrode on the organic layer, wherein the first electrode is connected to the second metal trace.

A via hole is defined between two adjacent thin film transistors in the bending region, and the via hole penetrates through the passivation layer, the gate insulating layer, and the first metal trace. The stress of the passivation layer and the gate insulating layer can be effectively relieved. At the same time, the hollow hole is defined on the first metal trace perpendicular to the bending direction, the hollow hole is defined by the via hole penetrating the first metal trace, and the hollow hole is filled with the organic layer. The hollow hole is with the organic layer. The organic layer can effectively block the crack propagation in the metal traces, which reduces the risk of the breakage of the entire first metal trace.

