Liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same

• US 20050094083A1
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Philips LCD Company Limited (LG Display Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Young Sik, Kwon, Keuk Sang, You, Myung Ho, Kang, In Byeong
• Granted Patent: US 7,515,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/150
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133382 Heating or cooling of liquid crystal cells other than for activation, e.g. circuits or arrangements for temperature control, stabilisation or uniform distribution over the cell
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136286 Wiring, e.g. gate line, drain line

Abstract

A thin and compact liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel with first and second substrates, each having a display area and a non-display area, which are bonded to each other and separated from each other by liquid crystal material. A thermally conductive layer is formed on any one of the first and second substrates to prevent the liquid crystal material from becoming too cool, thereby preventing temperature-dependent formation of bubbles within the liquid crystal material. Such a liquid crystal display device may be simply fabricated.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a liquid crystal display panel having first and second substrates bonded to each other and separated from each other by liquid crystal material, wherein at least one of the first and second substrates includes a display area and a non-display area; and

a thermally conductive layer on any one of the first and second substrates, wherein the thermally conductive layer prevents a temperature-dependent formation of bubbles within the liquid crystal material.

2. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, further comprising a thermal signal conductor on any one of the first and second substrates and connected to the thermally conductive layer.

3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2, wherein the thermal signal conductor is within the non-display area.

4. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a thermal signal generator on the printed circuit board, wherein the thermal signal generator supplies a thermal signal to the thermal signal conductor; and

a tape carrier package connected between the printed circuit board and the thermal signal conductor.

5. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 4, wherein two or more thermal signal conductors are connected to one tape carrier package.

6. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2, further including:

a first insulating film on the thermally conductive layer,

a first contact hole within the first insulating film exposing the thermally conductive layer;

a gate pattern on the first insulating film, the gate pattern including a gate electrode and a gate line;

a second insulating film on the gate pattern;

a source/drain pattern on the second insulating film, the source/drain pattern including a data line, a source electrode, and a drain electrode;

a protective film on the source/drain pattern;

a second contact hole within the protective film exposing the drain electrode; and

a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode via the second contact hole.

7. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 6, wherein the thermal signal conductor includes:

a first thermal signal electrode connected to the thermally conductive layer, wherein the first insulating film is between the first thermal signal electrode and the thermally conductive layer; and

a second thermal signal electrode connected to the first thermal signal electrode, wherein the second insulating film and the protective film are between the second and first thermal signal electrodes.

8. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 7, wherein the first thermal signal electrode includes the same material as the gate pattern.

9. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 6, wherein the thermal signal conductor includes:

a first thermal signal electrode connected to the thermally conductive layer, wherein the first and second insulating films are between the first thermal signal electrode and the thermally conductive layer; and

a second thermal signal electrode connected to the first thermal signal electrode, wherein the protective film is between the second and first thermal signal electrodes.

10. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 9, wherein the first thermal signal electrode includes the same material as the source/drain pattern.

11. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 6, wherein portions of the thermally conductive layer are absent from regions of the display area occupied by portions of the gate and data lines.

12. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive layer includes a transparent conductive material.

13. A fabricating method of a liquid crystal display device having a liquid crystal display panel with first and second substrates, each of the first and second substrates having a display area and a non-display area, the first and second substrates being bonded together and separated from each other by liquid crystal material, the method comprising:

forming a thermally conductive layer on any one of the first and second substrates to prevent a temperature-dependent formation of bubbles within the liquid crystal material.

14. The fabricating method according to claim 13, further comprising:

forming a thermal signal conductor on any one of the first and second substrates; and

connecting the thermal signal conductor to the thermally conductive layer.

15. The fabricating method according to claim 14, further comprising forming the thermal signal conductor within the non-display area.

16. The fabricating method according to claim 14, further comprising:

forming a printed circuit board;

mounting a thermal signal generator on the printed circuit board, wherein the thermal signal generator supplies a thermal signal to the thermal signal conductor; and

connecting the printed circuit board with the thermal signal conductor via a tape carrier package.

17. The fabricating method according to claim 16, further comprising connecting two or more thermal signal conductors to one tape carrier package.

18. The fabricating method according to claim 14, further comprising:

forming a first insulating film on the thermally conductive layer;

forming a first contact hole within the first insulating film exposing the thermally conductive layer;

forming a gate pattern on the first insulating film, the gate pattern including a gate electrode and a gate line;

forming a second insulating film on the gate pattern;

forming a source/drain pattern on the second insulating film, the source/drain pattern including a data line, a source electrode and a drain electrode;

forming a protective film on the source/drain pattern;

forming a second contact hole within the protective film exposing the drain electrode; and

forming a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode via the second contact hole.

19. The fabricating method according to claim 18, wherein forming the thermal signal conductor includes:

connecting a first thermal signal electrode to the thermally conductive layer such that the first insulating film is between the first thermal signal electrode and the thermally conductive layer; and

connecting a second thermal signal electrode to the first thermal signal electrode such that the second insulating film and the protective film are between the second and first thermal signal electrodes.

20. The fabricating method according to claim 19, further including forming the first thermal signal electrode from the same material as the gate pattern.

21. The fabricating method according to claim 18, wherein forming the thermal signal conductor includes:

connecting a first thermal signal electrode to the thermally conductive layer such that the first and second insulating films are between the first thermal signal electrode and the thermally conductive layer; and

connecting a second thermal signal electrode to the first thermal signal electrode such that the protective film is between the second and first thermal signal electrodes.

22. The fabricating method according to claim 21, further including forming the first thermal signal electrode from the same material as the source/drain pattern.

23. The fabricating method according to claim 18, wherein portions of the thermally conductive layer are absent from regions of the display area occupied by portions of the gate and data lines.

24. The fabricating method according to claim 13, further including forming the thermally conductive layer from a transparent conductive material.