Liquid crystal display with wide viewing angle

• US 20050280749A1
• Filed: 06/03/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TCL China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co. Ltd. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: You, Doo-Hwan, Lyu, Jae-Jin, Jung, Mee-Hye, Choi, Nak-Cho
• Granted Patent: US 7,554,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/43
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133707 Structures for producing distorted electric fields, e.g. bumps, protrusions, recesses, slits in pixel electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134336 Matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134345 Subdivided pixels, e.g. for grey scale or redundancy
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134354 the sub-pixels being capacitively coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136213 Storage capacitors associated with the pixel electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1255 integrated with passive devices, e.g. auxiliary capacitors

Abstract

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a LCD panel includes an active matrix substrate, a patterned substrate disposed opposite to the active matrix substrate, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the active matrix substrate and the patterned substrate. The active matrix substrate includes a transistor, a pixel electrode having a first sub-pixel electrode and a second sub-pixel electrode, a first electrode connected to the second sub-pixel electrode, and a second electrode connected to the source electrode of the transistor and the first sub-pixel electrode. The second electrode is coupled to the first electrode so as to form a capacitor. The active matrix substrate can include a protective insulating layer between the second electrode and the pixel electrode, and the protective insulating layer can include a color filter layer. The semiconductor layer of the transistor can extends such that a portion of the semiconductor layer has the same boundary as the second electrode. The patterned substrate has an aperture that divides the liquid crystal layer into a plurality of domains. The first and second electrodes are formed along a portion of the aperture of the patterned substrate.

Claims

1. An active matrix substrate comprising:

a transistor, wherein the transistor comprises a gate line, a semiconductor layer, an insulating layer between the gate line and the semiconductor layer, a source electrode, and a drain electrode;

a pixel electrode comprising a first sub-pixel electrode and a second sub-pixel electrode;

a first electrode connected to the second sub-pixel electrode; and

a second electrode connected to the source electrode of the transistor and the first sub-pixel electrode,

wherein the second electrode is coupled to the first electrode so as to form a capacitor.

2. The active matrix substrate of claim 1 further comprising a protective insulating layer between the second electrode and the pixel electrode.

3. The active matrix substrate of claim 2, wherein the protective insulating layer comprises silicon nitride.

4. The active matrix substrate of claim 2, wherein the protective insulating layer comprises a color filter layer.

5. The active matrix substrate of claim 2, wherein the protective insulating layer comprises a first protective layer and a second protective layer.

6. The active matrix substrate of claim 5, wherein the first protective layer comprises silicon nitride, and the second protective layer comprises a polymer.

7. The active matrix substrate of claim 6, wherein the second protective layer is thicker than the first protective layer.

8. The active matrix substrate of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor layer of the transistor extends such that a portion of the semiconductor layer has the same boundary as the second electrode.

9. A liquid crystal display comprising;

an active matrix substrate;

a patterned substrate disposed opposite to the active matrix substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the active matrix substrate and the patterned substrate,

wherein the active matrix substrate comprises;

a transistor, wherein the transistor comprises a gate line, a semiconductor layer, an insulating layer between the gate line and the semiconductor layer, a source electrode, and a drain electrode;

a pixel electrode comprising a first sub-pixel electrode and a second sub-pixel electrode;

a first electrode connected to the second sub-pixel electrode; and

a second electrode connected to the source electrode of the transistor and the first sub-pixel electrode, wherein the second electrode is coupled to the first electrode so as to form a capacitor.

10. The liquid crystal display of claim 9 further comprising a protective insulating layer between the second electrode and the pixel electrode.

11. The liquid crystal display of claim 10, wherein the protective insulating layer comprises silicon nitride.

12. The liquid crystal display of claim 10, wherein the protective insulating layer comprises a color filter layer.

13. The liquid crystal display of claim 10, wherein the protective insulating layer comprises a first protective layer and a second protective layer.

14. The liquid crystal display of claim 13, wherein the first protective layer comprises silicon nitride, and the second protective layer comprises a polymer.

15. The liquid crystal display of claim 14, wherein the second protective layer is thicker than the first protective layer.

16. The liquid crystal display of claim 9, wherein the semiconductor layer extends such that a portion of the semiconductor layer of the transistor has the same boundary as the second electrode.

17. The liquid crystal display of claim 9, wherein the patterned substrate has an aperture that divides the liquid crystal layer into a plurality of domains.

18. The liquid crystal display of claim 17, wherein first electrode is formed along a portion of the aperture of the patterned substrate.

19. The liquid crystal display of claim 17, wherein second electrode is formed along a portion of the aperture of the patterned substrate.

20. A method of operating a liquid crystal display comprising a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates, the method comprising:

applying a data voltage signal via a data line to a pixel electrode, the pixel electrode comprising a first sub-pixel electrode and a second sub-pixel electrode;

applying the data voltage signal to the first sub-pixel electrode;

reducing the data voltage signal to a reduced data voltage signal; and

applying the reduced data voltage signal to the second sub-pixel electrode.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

said reducing the data voltage signal to the reduced data voltage signal comprises reducing the data voltage signal using a coupling capacitor.