Liquid crystal display device and method for fabricating the same

• US 20050243262A1
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: LG Philips LCD Company Limited (LG Display Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yoo, Won Hyung, Kim, Jong Woo
• Granted Patent: US 7,656,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/156
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133388 with constructional differences between the display region and the peripheral region
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13394 spacers regularly patterned on the cell subtrate, e.g. walls, pillars G02F1/133377 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13396 Spacers having different sizes

Abstract

A liquid crystal display (LCD) device is divided into an active region and a liquid crystal margin region. The LCD includes a thin film transistor substrate that includes gate and data lines crossing each other to define pixel regions, and thin film transistors in the active region. A color filter substrate has column spacers in the active region that contact a portion corresponding to a region of the thin film transistor and the gate or data lines. The column spacers contacting the thin film transistor region provide an elastic gap between the substrates. The column spacers in the gate/data line region are separated from the color filter substrate. Other column spacers are formed in the liquid crystal margin region in a honeycomb arrangement. A liquid crystal layer is disposed between the thin film transistor and color filter substrates.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display (LCD) device having an active region and a liquid crystal margin region, the LCD device comprising:

a first substrate having a thin film transistor array in the active region, the thin film transistor array including thin film transistors and gate and data lines crossing each other to define pixel regions;

a second substrate having a first column spacer in the active region at a portion corresponding to a channel region of one of the thin film transistors, and a plurality of second column spacers formed in the liquid crystal margin region; and

a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second substrates.

2. The LCD device of claim 1, further comprising a third column spacer formed on the second substrate between first column spacers, the third column spacers separated from the first substrate at a portion corresponding to the gate line or the data line.

3. The LCD device of claim 2, wherein the first, second and third column spacers have the same height.

4. The LCD device of claim 1, wherein the first column spacer provides an elastic gap between the first and second substrates and contacts the first substrate.

5. The LCD device of claim 4, wherein the elastic gap is about 0.2 μ

m to 0.6 μ

m.

6. The LCD device of claim 1, wherein the second column spacers are arranged in a honeycomb shape.

7. The LCD device of claim 6, wherein the second column spacers are squares, and the adjacent second column spacers are arranged in a square.

8. The LCD device of claim 1, wherein the thin film transistors are “

U”

-channel thin film transistors that contain gate electrodes extending from the gate lines, “

U”

-shaped source electrodes, and drain electrodes extending between the source electrodes.

9. The LCD device of claim 8, wherein the first column spacer contacts a portion corresponding to the drain electrode of the one of the thin film transistors.

10. The LCD device of claim 8, wherein the first column spacer contacts a portion corresponding to the source electrode of the one of the thin film transistors.

11. The LCD device of claim 8, wherein the first column spacer contacts a portion corresponding to the gate electrode of the one of the thin film transistors.

12. The LCD device of claim 1, wherein first column spacers are disposed every pixel region.

13. The LCD device of claim 1, wherein first column spacers are disposed every three n pixel regions, where n is a natural number.

14. The LCD device of claim 1, wherein first column spacers are formed along a diagonal direction with respect to the gate or data lines.

15. The LCD device of claim 1, further comprising an alignment layer formed on facing surfaces of the first and second substrates.

16. A liquid crystal display (LCD) device comprising:

first and second substrates facing each other, each substrate including an active region and a liquid crystal margin region;

a plurality of gate and data lines crossing each other on the first substrate to define a plurality of pixel regions in the active region;

a plurality of thin film transistors formed at crossing points of the gate and data lines;

a plurality of pixel electrodes and common electrodes formed on the first substrate in the pixel regions;

a black matrix layer formed on the second substrate at portions other than the pixel regions in the active region;

a color filter layer formed on the second substrate corresponding to the pixel regions in the active region;

an overcoat layer formed on the second substrate in the active region;

a first column spacer formed on the overcoat layer corresponding to a channel region of one of the thin film transistors;

a plurality of second column spacers formed on the second substrate corresponding to the liquid crystal margin region; and

a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second substrates.

17. The LCD device of claim 16, further comprising a third column spacer formed on the overcoat layer between first column spacers, the third column spacer separated from the first substrate in a portion corresponding to the gate line or the data line.

18. The LCD device of claim 17, wherein the first, second and third column spacers have the same height.

19. The LCD device of claim 16, wherein the first column spacer provides an elastic gap between the first and second substrates and contacts the first substrate.

20. The LCD device of claim 19, wherein the elastic gap is about 0.2 μ

m to 0.6 μ

m.

21. The LCD device of claim 16, wherein the second column spacers are arranged in a honeycomb shape.

22. The LCD device of claim 21, wherein the second column spacers are squares, and adjacent second column spacers are arranged in a square.

23. The LCD device of claim 16, wherein the thin film transistors are “

U”

-channel thin film transistors that contain gate electrodes extending from the gate lines, “

U”

-shaped source electrodes, and drain electrodes extending between the source electrodes.

24. The LCD device of claim 23, wherein the first column spacer contacts a portion corresponding to the drain electrode of the one of the thin film transistors.

25. The LCD device of claim 23, wherein the first column spacer contacts a portion corresponding to the source electrode of the one of the thin film transistors.

26. The LCD device of claim 23, wherein the first column spacer contacts a portion corresponding to the gate electrode of the one of the thin film transistors.

27. The LCD device of claim 16, wherein first column spacers are disposed every pixel region.

28. The LCD device of claim 16, wherein first column spacers are disposed every three n pixel regions, where n is a natural number.

29. The LCD device of claim 16, wherein first column spacers are formed along a diagonal direction with respect to the gate or data lines.

30. The LCD device of claim 16, further comprising an alignment layer on facing surfaces of the first and second substrates.

31. The LCD device of claim 16, wherein the black matrix layer is disposed in the liquid crystal margin region between the second column spacers and the second substrate.

32. The LCD device of claim 16, wherein the black matrix and overcoat layers are disposed in the liquid crystal margin region between the second column spacers and the second substrate.

33. The LCD device of claim 16, wherein the black matrix, color filter and overcoat layers are disposed in the liquid crystal margin region between the second column spacers and the second substrate.

34. A liquid crystal display (LCD) device comprising:

first and second substrates facing each other, each substrate including an active region and a liquid crystal margin region;

a plurality of gate and data lines crossing each other on the first substrate to define a plurality of pixel regions in the active region;

a plurality of thin film transistors formed at crossing points of the gate and data lines;

a plurality of pixel electrodes formed on the first substrate in the pixel regions;

a black matrix layer formed on the second substrate at portions other than the pixel regions in the active region;

a color filter layer formed on the second substrate corresponding to the pixel regions in the active region;

a common electrode formed on the second substrate in the active region;

a first column spacer formed on the common electrode of the second substrate corresponding to a channel region of one of the thin film transistors;

a plurality of second column spacers formed on the second substrate corresponding to the liquid crystal margin region; and

a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second substrates.

35. The LCD device of claim 34, further comprising a third column spacer formed on the common electrode between first column spacers, the third column spacer separated from the first substrate in a portion corresponding to the gate line or the data line.

36. A liquid crystal display (LCD) device having an active region and a liquid crystal margin region, the LCD device comprising:

a first substrate having a thin film transistor array in the active region, the thin film transistor array including a plurality of gate and data lines crossing each other to define a plurality of pixel regions and thin film transistors;

a second substrate having a first column spacer contacting a portion corresponding to the thin film transistors in the active region, and a plurality of second column spacers formed in the liquid crystal margin region; and

a liquid crystal layer formed between the first and second substrates.

37. The LCD device of claim 36, further comprising a third column spacer formed on the second substrate between the first column spacers, the third column spacer separated from the first substrate in a portion corresponding to the gate line or the data line.

38. The LCD device of claim 37, wherein the first, second and third column spacers have the same height.

39. The LCD device of claim 36, wherein the first column spacers provide an elastic gap between the first and second substrates and contact the first substrate.

40. The LCD device of claim 39, wherein the elastic gap is about 0.2 μ

m to 0.6 μ

m.

41. The LCD device of claim 36, wherein the second column spacers are arranged in a honeycomb shape.

42. The LCD device of claim 41, wherein the second column spacers are squares, and adjacent second column spacers are arranged in a square.

43. The LCD device of claim 36, wherein the thin film transistors are “

U”

-channel thin film transistors that contain “

U”

-shaped source electrodes and drain electrodes extending between the source electrodes.

44. The LCD device of claim 43, wherein the first column spacers contact portions corresponding to the drain electrodes.

45. The LCD device of claim 36, wherein the thin film transistors have gate electrodes, source electrodes, and drain electrodes connected with the pixel electrodes, and one of the first column spacers is in contact with a portion corresponding to one of the source electrodes.

46. The LCD device of claim 36, wherein the thin film transistors have gate electrodes, source electrodes, and drain electrodes connected with the pixel electrodes, and one of the first column spacers is in contact with a connection portion between one of the drain electrodes and one of the pixel electrodes.

47. A method for fabricating an LCD device, the method comprising:

preparing first and second substrates, each substrate having an active region and a liquid crystal margin region;

forming a thin film transistor array including a plurality of gate and data lines and thin film transistors on the active region of the first substrate, the gate and data lines crossing each other to define a plurality of pixel regions;

forming a first column spacer in contact with a portion of the first substrate corresponding to a channel region of one of the thin film transistors in the active region, and a plurality of second column spacers formed in the liquid crystal margin region; and

disposing a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising forming a third column spacer on the second substrate between first column spacers, the third column spacer separated from the first substrate at a portion corresponding to the gate line or the data line.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the first, second, and third column spacers have the same height.

50. The method of claim 47, further comprising bonding the first and second substrates to each other such that the first column spacer provides an elastic gap between the first and second substrates.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the elastic gap is about 0.2 μ

m to 0.6 μ

m.

52. The method of claim 47, wherein the second column spacers are arranged in a honeycomb shape.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the second column spacers are squares, and adjacent second column spacers are arranged in a square.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein the second column spacers are formed by an exposure and development process using a mask having a plurality of transmission and blocking regions.

55. The method of claim 47, further comprising forming first column spacers disposed every pixel region.

56. The method of claim 47, further comprising forming first column spacers disposed every three n pixel regions, where n is a natural number.

57. The method of claim 47, further comprising forming first column spacers formed along a diagonal direction with respect to the gate or data lines.

58. The method of claim 47, further comprising forming an alignment layer on facing surfaces of the first and second substrates.

59. A display device containing an active region and a margin region, the display device comprising:

a first substrate containing, in the active region, gate lines and data lines that cross each other to form pixel regions, thin film transistors associated with the pixel regions, and pixel electrodes associated with the pixel regions;

a second substrate opposing the first substrate;

a first spacer disposed in the active region and formed on one of the first and second substrates, the first spacer contacting the second substrate and a portion of the first substrate corresponding to one of the thin film transistors; and

a plurality of second spacers disposed in the margin region.

60. The device of claim 59, further comprising a third spacer disposed in the active area on the one of the first and second substrates at a portion corresponding to the gate line or the data line.

61. The device of claim 60, wherein the first, second and third spacers have the same height.

62. The device of claim 59, further comprising a fluid repository between the active region and the margin region.

63. The device of claim 59, wherein the second spacers are arranged in a honeycomb shape.

64. The device of claim 60, wherein the second substrate comprises a black matrix layer in the active region, the first spacer disposed between the black matrix layer and the portion of the first substrate corresponding to the one of the thin film transistors.

65. The device of claim 64, wherein the third spacers are disposed between the black matrix layer and the gate or data lines.

66. The device of claim 59, wherein at least some of the second spacers contact both the first and second substrates.

67. The device of claim 59, wherein at least some of the second spacers do not contact both the first and second substrates.

68. The device of claim 59, further comprising pixel and common electrodes formed on the same substrate.

69. The device of claim 59, further comprising pixel and common electrodes formed on different substrates.

70. A display device containing an active region and a margin region, the display device comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate opposing the first substrate;

first spacers disposed in the active region that are formed on one of the first and second substrates, at least some of the first spacers contacting both the first and second substrates; and

second spacers disposed in the margin region.

71. The device of claim 70, wherein at least some of the first spacers contact only one of the first and second substrates

72. The device of claim 70, wherein at least some of the second spacers contact both the first and second substrates

73. The device of claim 70, wherein at least some of the second spacers contact only one of the first and second substrates

74. The device of claim 70, further comprising different layers disposed on at least one of the first and second substrates in the active region than in the margin region.

75. The device of claim 70, further comprising a fluid repository between the active region and the margin region.

76. The device of claim 70, wherein the second spacers are arranged in a honeycomb shape.

77. The device of claim 70, wherein the second substrate comprises a black matrix layer, the spacers in the active region disposed between the first substrate and the black matrix layer.

78. The device of claim 70, further comprising pixel and common electrodes formed on the first substrate.

79. The device of claim 70, further comprising pixel electrodes formed on the first substrate and common electrodes formed on the second substrate.