Abstract: A method of repairing severed or damaged data transmission lines of an imager provides a shunt path around the electrical defect in the data transmission line by means of a diode common transmission line. The repair shunt includes a first scan line segment, a common electrode segment, and a second scan line segment, which segments are fused together and to the data line having the electrical defect to bypass the electrical defect. The respective conductive lines are fused together with spot welds formed with the application of a laser. A repaired imager has a data line having an open circuit defect, with respective first and second portions of said data line being coupled to a repair shunt comprising an associated pixel scan line segment and a common electrode segment. In one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of spot welds are provided in the imager array, each in its unwelded state but capable of being welded by the application of heat.

Abstract: A method of repairing an open circuit defect in a damaged address line in a thin film electronic imager array is provided that includes the steps of forming a repair area exposing the open circuit defect and portions of the damaged address line adjoining the defect, with a first protective layer disposed over the array surrounding the repair area; depositing a layer of conductive repair material over the array so that a portion of the conductive repair material is disposed in the repair area to form a repair shunt electrically connecting the portions of the address line adjoining the defect; forming a planarized second protective layer over the array; removing portions of the second protective layer to form a planarized surface on the array on which the conductive repair material is exposed except for the repair shunt underlying a plug portion of the second protective layer disposed over the repair area; removing the conductive repair material from the array surface except for the portion underlying the plug

Abstract: A thin film electronic imager device has a repaired area between an upper conductive layer and an underlying component in the array in which portions of the upper conductive layer and a dielectric layer have been removed such that the upper conductive layer is electrically isolated from the underlying component. The repaired area has a bottom level having a surface comprising material of the underlying component and an intermediate step level having a surface comprising the dielectric layer material that extends around the periphery of the repaired area. The lateral dimension of the intermediate step level is greater than the lateral dimension of the bottom level such that the width of the intermediate level step surface is in the range between about 1 .mu.m and 3 .mu.m. Formation of the structure in the repair area is done by removing material by laser ablation to set back the upper conductive layer from the sidewall of the dielectric material in the region in which the defect was excised.

Abstract: A thin film electronic imager device has a repaired area between an upper conductive layer and an underlying component in the array in which portions of the upper conductive layer and a dielectric layer have been removed such that the upper conductive layer is electrically isolated from the underlying component. The repaired area has a bottom level having a surface comprising material of the underlying component and an intermediate step level having a surface comprising the dielectric layer material that extends around the periphery of the repaired area. The lateral dimension of the intermediate step level is greater than the lateral dimension of the bottom level such that the width of the intermediate level step surface is in the range between about 1 .mu.m and 3 .mu.m. Formation of the structure in the repair area is done by removing material by laser ablation to set back the upper conductive layer from the sidewall of the dielectric material in the region in which the defect was excised.