In-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device

• US 20020097361A1
• Filed: 03/29/2002
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Yong Sung Ham
• Inventors: Ham, Yong Sung
• Granted Patent: US 6,853,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/129
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133757 with different alignment orientations
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134363 for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]

Abstract

An in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device (LCD) is disclosed in which a first portion of one pixel region has alignment direction clockwise inclined relative to the extension direction of the data electrode, and a second portion of the pixel region has alignment direction counterclockwise inclined relative to the extension direction of the data electrode. This in-plane switching mode LCD has an improved viewing angle characteristics.

Claims

1. An in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a first substrate having a plurality of pixels;

data and common electrodes over the first substrate and substantially parallel with a reference direction; and

a first alignment layer over the data and common electrodes, wherein at least one of said plurality of pixels has a plurality of domains, and at least two adjacent domains of said plurality of domains have alignment directions opposite one another with respect to said reference direction.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second substrate facing the first substrate; and

a second alignment layer over the second substrate.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first alignment layer includes a material selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polyamide, polyvinylcinnamate and polysiloxane based materials.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said reference direction includes a longitudinal direction of one of said data and common electrodes.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein said second alignment layer has an alignment direction parallel with an alignment direction of said first alignment layer.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein said second alignment layer has an alignment direction perpendicular to an alignment direction of said first alignment layer.

7. The device according to claim 2, wherein said second alignment layer includes a material selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polyamide, polyvinylcinnamate and polysiloxane based materials.

8. An in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device comprising:

a substrate having a plurality of pixels;

data and common electrodes over the substrate and substantially parallel with a reference direction; and

an alignment layer over the data and common electrodes and having first and second domains adjacent one another, each of said first and second domains having at least one of said pluarily of pixels and an alignment direction opposite that of the other domain with respect to said reference direction.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein said first and second domains have an equal number of pixels.

10. The device according to claim 8, wherein the alignment directions of said first and second domains are symmetrical to one another with respect to said reference direction.

11. The device according to claim 8, wherein said first and second domains each have one pixel.

12. The device according to claim 8, wherein the first and second domains each have two pixels.

13. The device according to claim 8, wherein said reference direction includes a longitudinal direction of one of said data and common electrodes.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein said reference direction includes a longitudinal direction of one of said data and common electrodes.

14. An in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device comprising:

a substrate;

data and common electrodes over the substrate and substantially parallel with a reference direction; and

at least one alignment layer over the data and common electrodes, wherein a surface of said alignment layer has first and second domains adjacent one another, and said first and second domains have alignment directions opposite one another with respect to said reference direction.