Electro-optical device and method of manufacturing the same

• US 20050231673A1
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Inoue, Akira, Nagano, Daisuke, Kamijo, Kimitaka, Maeda, Tsuyoshi, Yamazaki, Katsunori, Seki, Takumi, Okamoto, Eiji
• Granted Patent: US 7,327,428 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/139
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134363 for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1365 in which the switching element is a two-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence

Abstract

To simplify a manufacturing process of a transverse electric field mode liquid crystal display device by using a non-linear resistance element such as a TFD (Thin Film Diode) as a switching element. In a liquid crystal display device having a pair of substrates with liquid crystal interposed therebetween, one of the substrates consists of an electrode substrate. On the electrode substrate, there are provided a first group of electrodes, a second group of electrodes crossing the first group of electrodes with an insulating layer interposed therebetween, non-linear resistance elements, one end of each of the non-linear resistance elements being connected to the respective one of the second group of electrodes, and pixel electrodes opposing the first group of electrodes, each pixel electrode being connected to the other end of each of the non-linear resistance elements. Since the non-linear resistance elements have a so-called TFD (MIM) structure made of metal-insulating layer-metal, the manufacturing process is simple. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture the transverse electric field mode display device at low cost.

Claims

1. An electro-optical device, comprising:

a pair of substrates;

electro-optical material interposed between the pair of substrates;

a first group of electrodes on one of the substrates;

a second group of electrodes crossing the first group of electrodes;

an insulating layer interposed between the first and second groups of electrodes;

non-linear resistance elements having at least one end;

one end of each of the non-linear resistance elements being connected to a respective one of the second group of electrodes; and

pixel electrodes opposing the first group of electrodes, each pixel electrode being connected to another end of each of the non-linear resistance elements.

2. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, the non-linear resistance elements being formed by oxidizing material composing the first group of electrodes.

3. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, the insulating layer being formed by oxidizing the first group of electrodes.

4. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, a portion of each of the pixel electrodes overlapping a respective one of the first group of electrodes with the insulating layer interposed therebetween.

5. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, a portion of the first group of electrodes being covered with material composing the second group of electrodes.

6. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, base electrodes made of material composing the first group of electrodes being provided under the second group of electrodes.

7. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, the insulating layer being a resin layer.

8. The electro-optical device according to claim 7, the resin layer being provided only in areas where the first group of electrodes and the second group of electrodes cross each other.

9. The electro-optical device according to claim 7, the resin layer being provided in areas other than areas of the non-linear resistance elements.

10. The electro-optical device according to claim 7, the resin layer being a color filter layer.

11. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a single display unit consisting of a single electrode line in the first group of electrodes;

a pair of the non-linear resistance elements provided on both sides of the electrode line; and

a pair of pixel electrodes provided on both sides of the electrode line.

12. The electro-optical device according to claim 11, the pair of non-linear resistance elements having different electrical characteristics.

13. The electro-optical device according to claim 11, gaps between the electrode line and each electrode of the pair of pixel electrodes being different from each other.

14. The electro-optical device according to claim 1,

each of the pixel electrodes being surrounded by a portion of the respective one of the first group of electrodes, and

the electro-optical device further including a driving circuit to apply a scanning voltage to the first group of electrodes and to apply a driving voltage pulse-width-modulated based on display data to the second group of electrodes.

15. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, each of the pixel electrodes being surrounded by a portion of the first group of electrodes, and

the electro-optical device further including a driving circuit to apply a scanning voltage to the first group of electrodes and to apply a driving voltage voltage-modulated based on display data to the second group of electrodes.

16. An electro-optical device, comprising:

a pair of substrates;

electro-optical material interposed between the pair of substrates;

an electrode layer provided on one of the substrates;

a group of electrodes provided on the electrode layer;

an insulating layer interposed between the group of electrodes and the electrode layer;

non-linear resistance elements having at least one end;

one end of each of the non-linear resistance elements being connected to a respective one of the group of electrodes; and

pixel electrodes provided on the electrode layer with the insulating layer interposed therebetween, each pixel electrode being connected to another end of each of the non-linear resistance elements.

17. The electro-optical device according to claim 16, the electrode layer being made of transparent material.

18. The electro-optical device according to claim 16, the electrode layer being made of reflective material.

19. The electro-optical device according to claim 16, each of the pixel electrodes being surrounded by a portion of the electrode layer, and

the electro-optical device further including a driving circuit to apply a scanning voltage to the electrode layer and to apply a driving voltage pulse-width-modulated based on display data to the group of electrodes.

20. The electro-optical device according to claim 16, the pixel electrode being surrounded by a portion of the electrode layer, and

the electro-optical device further including a driving circuit to apply a scanning voltage to the electrode layer and to apply a driving voltage voltage-modulated based on display data to the group of electrodes.

21. A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device, comprising:

providing a pair of substrates;

interposing electro-optical material between the pair of substrates;

forming and oxidizing electrodes on one of the substrates;

separating a portion of the electrodes to form a first group of electrodes and non-linear resistance elements, the non-linear resistance elements having at least one end;

forming an insulating layer on the first group of electrodes; and

forming a second group of electrodes crossing the first group of electrodes with the insulating layer interposed therebetween, respective ones of the second group of electrodes being connected to one end of each of the non-linear resistance elements, and pixel electrodes opposing the first group of electrodes, each pixel electrode being connected to another end of each of the non-linear resistance elements.

22. The method of manufacturing the electro-optical device according to claim 21, the insulating layer being formed by oxidizing the first group of electrodes.

23. The method of manufacturing the electro-optical device according to claim 21, the insulating layer being formed by coating a resin layer on the first group of electrodes.

24. The method of manufacturing the electro-optical device according to claim 21, further comprising:

forming the second group of electrodes on a portion of the first group of electrodes.

25. The method of manufacturing the electro-optical device according to claim 21, in the forming and oxidizing electrodes on one of the substrates, electrodes are further formed in areas corresponding to the second group of electrodes.

26. A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device, comprising:

providing a pair of substrates;

interposing electro-optical material between the pair of substrates;

forming an electrode layer on one of the substrates;

separating a portion of the electrode layer to form non-linear resistance elements, the non-linear resistance elements having at least one end;

forming an insulating layer on the electrode layer; and

forming a group of electrodes, respective ones of the group of electrodes being connected to one end of each of the non-linear resistance elements, and pixel electrodes, each pixel electrode being connected to another end of each of the non-linear resistance elements.