Transflective fringe field switching liquid crystal display

• US 20050128389A1
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InnoLux Corporation
• Original Assignee: Innolux Display Corporation (InnoLux Corporation)
• Inventors: Yang, Chiu-Lien
• Granted Patent: US 7,414,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/114
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133371 Cells with varying thickness of the liquid crystal layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134363 for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]

Abstract

A liquid crystal display (2) includes: a first substrate (20); a second substrate (22); a liquid crystal layer (21) between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a plurality of pixel regions each defined by respective pixel electrodes (224) and a common electrode (222), for application of a voltage to the liquid crystal layer and formation of a fringe electric field at each pixel region. Each pixel region includes a transmissive region (R) and a reflective region (T). A thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive region is greater than a thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective region.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate;

a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate; and

a plurality of pixel regions each defined by respective pixel electrodes and a common electrode, for application of a voltage to the liquid crystal layer and formation of a fringe electric field at each pixel region;

wherein each of the pixel regions includes a transmissive region and a reflective region, and a thickness of the liquid crystal layer at the transmissive region is greater than a thickness of the liquid crystal layer at the reflective region.

2. The liquid crystal display of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective region is half the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive region.

3. The liquid crystal display of claim 1, wherein the common electrode has a transmissive area corresponding to the transmissive region, and a reflective area corresponding to the reflective region.

4. The liquid crystal display of claim 3, wherein the common electrode is made of an aluminum film, a thickness of the transmissive area is less than 100 nanometers, and a thickness of the reflective area is more than 100 nanometers.

5. The liquid crystal display of claim 3, wherein the transmissive area comprises an indium tin oxide film, the reflective area comprises an aluminum film, and a thickness of the aluminum film is more than 100 nanometers.

6. The liquid crystal display of claim 3, wherein the transmissive area comprises an indium zinc oxide film, the reflective area comprises an aluminum film, and a thickness of the aluminum film is more than 100 nanometers.

7. The liquid crystal display of claim 1, wherein the common electrode comprises a transparent electrode layer, and the pixel electrodes are reflective electrodes.

8. The liquid crystal display of claim 7, wherein the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective region is half the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive region.

9. The liquid crystal display of claim 7, wherein the common electrode comprises an indium tin oxide film.

10. The liquid crystal display of claim 7, wherein the common electrode comprises an indium zinc oxide film.

11. The liquid crystal display of claim 7, wherein the pixel electrodes comprise an aluminum film, and a thickness of the aluminum film is more than 100 nanometers.

12. A liquid crystal display comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate;

a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate; and

a plurality of pixel regions each defined by respective pixel electrodes and a common electrode, for application of a voltage to the liquid crystal layer and formation of a fringe electric field at each pixel region; and

a passivation layer according to the corresponding reflective region is disposed between the first glass sheet and the first alignment film.

13. The liquid crystal display of claim 12, wherein the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective region is half the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive region.

14. The liquid crystal display of claim 12, wherein the common electrode has a transmissive area corresponding to the transmissive region and a reflective area corresponding to the reflective region.

15. The liquid crystal display of claim 14, wherein the common electrode is made of an aluminum film, a thickness of the transmissive area is less than 100 nanometers, and a thickness of the reflective area is more than 100 nanometers.

16. The liquid crystal display of claim 14, wherein the transmissive area comprises an indium tin oxide film, the reflective area comprises an aluminum film, and a thickness of the aluminum film is more than 100 nanometers.

17. The liquid crystal display of claim 14, wherein the transmissive area comprises an indium zinc oxide film, the reflective area comprises an aluminum film, and a thickness of the aluminum film is more than 100 nanometers.

18. The liquid crystal display of claim 12, wherein the common electrode comprises a transparent electrode layer, and the pixel electrodes are reflective electrodes.

19. The liquid crystal display of claim 18, wherein the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective region is half the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive region.

20. The liquid crystal display of claim 18, wherein the common electrode comprises an indium tin oxide film.

21. The liquid crystal display of claim 18, wherein the common electrode comprises an indium zinc oxide film.

22. The liquid crystal display of claim 18, wherein the pixel electrodes comprise an aluminum film, and a thickness of the aluminum film is more than 100 nanometers.

23. The liquid crystal display of claim 12, wherein one surface of the passivation layer has a plurality of bumps.

24. A liquid crystal display comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate;

a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a plurality of pixel regions each defined by respective pixel electrodes and a common electrode, for application of a voltage to the liquid crystal layer and formation of a fringe electric field at each pixel region; and

a plurality of pixel regions including a transmissive region and a reflective region which are respectively defined by the same common electrode having a first thickness and a second thickness smaller than the first thickness.