Liquid crystal display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same

• US 20040201815A1
• Filed: 01/02/2004
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Takeshi
• Application Number:
  US10/749,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20040201815A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/156
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133371 Cells with varying thickness of the liquid crystal layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13394 spacers regularly patterned on the cell subtrate, e.g. walls, pillars G02F1/133377 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136222 Colour filters incorporated in the active matrix substrate

Abstract

A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a first gap region with a first gap for interposition of a liquid crystal layer between a first substrate and a second substrate, a second gap region with a second gap that is smaller than the first gap, a first columnar spacer that is formed in the first gap region on the first substrate, and a second columnar spacer that is formed in the second gap region on the first substrate. The contact area of the first columnar spacer, which contacts the first substrate, is greater than the contact area of the second columnar spacer, which contacts the first substrate.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display apparatus configured to have a liquid crystal layer interposed between a first substrate and a second substrate, characterized by comprising:

a first gap region with a first gap for interposition of the liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a second gap region with a second gap that is smaller than the first gap;

a first columnar spacer that is formed in the first gap region on the first substrate; and

a second columnar spacer that is formed in the second gap region on the first substrate,

wherein a contact area of the first columnar spacer, which contacts the first substrate, is greater than a contact area of the second columnar spacer, which contacts the first substrate.

2. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first gap region includes a first color filter layer that mainly passes first color light, the second gap region includes a second color filter layer that mainly passes second color light, and the first color light has a wavelength that is greater than a wavelength of the second color light.

3. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first substrate includes, in the first gap region, a first color filter layer that mainly passes first color light, and includes, in the second gap region, a second color filter layer that mainly passes second color light.

4. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first substrate includes scan lines disposed in a row direction, signal lines disposed in a column direction, switching elements disposed near intersections of the scan lines and the signal lines, and pixel electrodes that are connected to the switching elements and are disposed in a matrix.

5. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first substrate includes a light shield layer that is formed in a picture-frame shape along a peripheral edge of a display region, and the first columnar spacer, the second columnar spacer and the light shield layer are formed of the same material.

6. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first substrate includes a counter electrode that is common for all pixels.

7. A liquid crystal display apparatus configured to have a liquid crystal layer interposed between a first substrate and a second substrate, characterized by comprising:

a first gap region with a first gap for interposition of the liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a second gap region with a second gap that is smaller than the first gap;

a first columnar spacer that is formed in the first gap region on the first substrate; and

a second columnar spacer that is formed in the second gap region on the first substrate,

wherein a dimensions of the first columnar spacer is greater than a dimensions of the second columnar spacer.

8. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the first gap region includes a first color filter layer that mainly passes first color light, the second gap region includes a second color filter layer that mainly passes second color light, and the first color light has a wavelength that is greater than a wavelength of the second color light.

9. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the first substrate includes, in the first gap region, a first color filter layer that mainly passes first color light, and includes, in the second gap region, a second color filter layer that mainly passes second color light.

10. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the first substrate includes scan lines disposed in a row direction, signal lines disposed in a column direction, switching elements disposed near intersections of the scan lines and the signal lines, and pixel electrodes that are connected to the switching elements and are disposed in a matrix.

11. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the first substrate includes a light shield layer that is formed in a picture-frame shape along a peripheral edge of a display region, and the first columnar spacer, the second columnar spacer and the light shield layer are formed of the same material.

12. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the first substrate includes a counter electrode that is common for all pixels.

13. A liquid crystal display apparatus configured to have a liquid crystal layer interposed between a first substrate and a second substrate, characterized by comprising:

a first gap region with a first gap for interposition of the liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a second gap region with a second gap that is smaller than the first gap;

a first columnar spacer that is formed in the first gap region on the first substrate; and

a second columnar spacer that is formed in the second gap region on the first substrate,

wherein a volume of the first columnar spacer is greater than a volume of the second columnar spacer.

14. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the first gap region includes a first color filter layer that mainly passes first color light, the second gap region includes a second color filter layer that mainly passes second color light, and the first color light has a wavelength that is greater than a wavelength of the second color light.

15. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the first substrate includes, in the first gap region, a first color filter layer that mainly passes first color light, and includes, in the second gap region, a second color filter layer that mainly passes second color light.

16. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the first substrate includes scan lines disposed in a row direction, signal lines disposed in a column direction, switching elements disposed near intersections of the scan lines and the signal lines, and pixel electrodes that are connected to the switching elements and are disposed in a matrix.

17. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the first substrate includes a light shield layer that is formed in a picture-frame shape along a peripheral edge of a display region, and the first columnar spacer, the second columnar spacer and the light shield layer are formed of the same material.

18. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the first substrate includes a counter electrode that is common for all pixels.

19. A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display apparatus configured to have a liquid crystal layer interposed between a first substrate and a second substrate, characterized by comprising:

forming a spacer material on the first substrate;

patterning the spacer material with a first size in accordance with a first gap region that includes a first gap for interposition of the liquid crystal layer, and patterning the spacer material with a second size, which is smaller than the first size, in accordance with a second gap region that includes a second gap, which is smaller than the first gap; and

melting the spacer material that is patterned in each of the first gap region and the second gap region, and adjusting a height of the spacer material patterned in the first gap region and a height of the spacer material patterned in the second gap region.