In-plane switching liquid crystal display with bent electrodes

• US 20050213013A1
• Filed: 03/28/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InnoLux Corporation
• Original Assignee: Innolux Display Corporation (InnoLux Corporation)
• Inventors: Yang, Chiu-Lien, Chen, Chueh-Ju
• Granted Patent: US 7,492,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/141
• 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 liquid crystal display (2) includes a first substrate (27), a second substrate (37) and a liquid crystal layer (23) having a plurality of liquid crystal molecules. A number of pixel electrodes (25) and common electrodes (24) are formed on the first substrate, and each of the pixel electrodes and common electrodes include at least two bend portions (241, 242, 243). Each bend portion has a first side and a second side. An original alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules form at least two different angles with the sides of the bend portions of the common and pixel electrodes. When a voltage is applied to the pixel electrodes and the common electrodes, the liquid crystal molecules are aligned along at least three different directions. Therefore, the IPS-LCD can have uniform viewing performance at different viewing angles.

Claims

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

a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite each other and spaced apart a predetermined distance;

a liquid crystal layer having a plurality of liquid crystal molecules interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a plurality of gate lines and data lines formed on the first substrate, thereby defining a plurality of pixel areas; and

a plurality of pixel electrodes and common electrodes formed at the first substrate, each of the pixel electrodes and the common electrodes comprising a plurality of bend portions, each of the bend portions having a first side and a second side;

wherein the first sides and the second sides are aligned along at least three different directions.

2. The in plane switching liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pixel electrodes and the common electrodes each comprise three bend portions.

3. The in plane switching liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first sides and the second sides of the three bend portions are aligned along six different directions.

4. The in plane switching liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first sides and the second sides of the three bend portions are aligned along three different directions.

5. The in plane switching liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first sides and the second sides of the three bend portions are aligned along four different directions.

6. The in plane switching liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first sides and the second sides have a same length.

7. The in plane switching liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first sides have at least two have different lengths, and the second sides have at least two different lengths.

8. The in plane switching liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pixel electrodes and the common electrodes are formed at a same level.

9. The in plane switching liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pixel electrodes are formed at a level different from a level at which the common electrodes are formed.

10. An in plane switching liquid crystal display, comprising:

a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite each other and spaced apart a predetermined distance;

a liquid crystal layer having a plurality of liquid crystal molecules interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a plurality of gate lines and data lines formed at the first substrate, thereby defining a plurality of pixel areas;

a plurality of pixel electrodes and common electrodes;

wherein when the in plane switching liquid crystal display is in a driven state, electric fields aligned along at least three different directions are generated between the pixel and common electrodes in each pixel area.

11. The in plane switching liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 10, wherein the pixel electrodes and the common electrodes each comprise three bend portions for generating the electric fields along the at least three different directions, and each of the three bend portions comprises a first side and a second side.

12. The in plane switching liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first sides and the second sides of the three bend portions are aligned along six different directions.

13. The in plane switching liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first sides and the second sides of the three bend portions are aligned along three different directions.

14. The in plane switching liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first sides and the second sides of the three bend portions are aligned along four different directions.

15. The in plane switching liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first sides and the second sides have a same length.

16. The in plane switching liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first sides have at least two have different lengths, and the second sides have at least two different lengths.

17. The in plane switching liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 10, wherein the pixel electrodes and the common electrodes are formed at a same level.

18. The in plane switching liquid crystal display as claimed in claim 10, wherein the pixel electrodes are formed at a level different from a level at which the common electrodes are formed.

19. A method of making an in plane switching liquid crystal display, comprising:

providing a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite each other and spaced apart a predetermined distance;

disposing a liquid crystal layer having a plurality of liquid crystal molecules interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate;

providing a plurality of gate lines and data lines formed at the first substrate, thereby defining a plurality of pixel areas;

providing a plurality of pixel electrodes and common electrodes;

wherein

when the in plane switching liquid crystal display is in a driven state, electric fields aligned along at least three different directions are generated between the pixel and common electrodes in each pixel area.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said electric fields aligned along said at least three different directions are derived from serpentine extensions of said pixel and common electrodes each with at least two reverse deflections.