Liquid crystal display device and electronic apparatus

• US 20040212763A1
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Tsuchiya, Hitoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,046,322 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/114
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133707 Structures for producing distorted electric fields, e.g. bumps, protrusions, recesses, slits in pixel electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133738 for homogeneous alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133753 with different alignment orientations or pretilt angles on a same surface, e.g. for grey scale or improved viewing angle
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133757 with different alignment orientations

Abstract

The invention provides a transflective liquid crystal display device that has less defects, such as incidental images both in reflective display and transmissive display modes, and that has high luminance and high contrast. The liquid crystal display device according to the invention can include a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a pair of substrates. Each dot area of the display device has a reflective display area and at least two transmissive display areas. The liquid crystal layer can include liquid crystal with negative dielectric anisotropy. The initial alignment state of molecules of the liquid crystal is vertical. An adjusting layer is provided between the liquid crystal layer and one substrate of the pair of substrates. The adjusting layer makes the thickness of the liquid crystal layer different in the reflective display area and the transmissive display area and is provided in the reflective display area. The tilting direction of the liquid crystal molecules is opposite to each other in two adjacent transmissive display areas and the liquid crystal molecules in the reflective display area are in parallel.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a pair of substrates, the liquid crystal layer including liquid crystal with negative dielectric anisotropy, and an initial alignment state of molecules of the liquid crystal being vertical,

dot areas, each dot area having a reflective display area and at least two transmissive display areas;

the display device further comprising;

an adjusting layer provided between the liquid crystal layer and at least one substrate of the pair of substrates, the adjusting layer making a thickness of the liquid crystal layer different in the reflective display area and the transmissive display areas and being provided at least in the reflective display area; and

an alignment restrictor making the liquid crystal molecules in the transmissive display areas tilted from an inside to an outside of the transmissive display area, the tilting direction of the liquid crystal molecules being opposite to each other in two adjacent transmissive display areas, the alignment restrictor restricting the liquid crystal molecules in the reflective display area so as to be in parallel.

2. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, the adjusting layer having a slope in the vicinity of a boundary between the reflective display area and the transmissive display areas;

an electrode that drives the liquid crystal being provided on each internal surface of the pair of substrates; and

the alignment restrictor being at least one of a slit opening projection formed in the electrode.

3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2, the adjusting layer being provided between the liquid crystal layer and one substrate of the pair of substrates;

in a first transmissive display area of two adjacent transmissive display areas in each dot area, the substrate with the adjusting layer has an opening in the electrode on the slope of the adjusting layer, and the other substrate has an opening or a projection in the electrode in a substantially central portion of the first transmissive display area; and

in a second transmissive display area of the two adjacent transmissive display areas in each dot area, the substrate with the adjusting layer has an opening or a projection in the electrode in a substantially central portion of the second transmissive display area, and the other substrate has an opening or a projection in the electrode in a portion-corresponding to a slope of the adjusting layer.

4. An electronic apparatus including the liquid crystal display device according to claim 1.