Liquid crystal device and electronic apparatus

• US 20060267891A1
• Filed: 05/22/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display West Incorporated (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Epson Imaging Devices Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nishimura, Joji, Higa, Masakatsu
• Granted Patent: US 7,995,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/87
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0443 with several sub-pixels for the same colour in a pixel, not specifically used to display gradations G09G3/364 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0456 with a reflective area and a transmissive area combined in one pixel, such as in transflectance pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence

Abstract

A liquid crystal device includes first and second substrates which are arranged so as to face each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, and first and second electrodes which are provided on the first substrate facing the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer is driven by electric fields generated between the first and second electrodes. A reflective display region for reflective display and a transmissive display region for transmissive display are provided in each of a plurality of subpixel regions. A liquid-crystal-layer-thickness-adjusting layer is provided in at least the reflective display region so as to vary the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the subpixel region. A gap between the first and second electrodes in a main direction of an electric field in the transmissive display region is narrower than a gap between the first and second electrodes in a main direction of an electric field in the reflective display region.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal device comprising:

first and second substrates which are arranged so as to face each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween; and

first and second electrodes which are provided on the first substrate facing the liquid crystal layer,

wherein the liquid crystal layer is driven by electric fields generated between the first and second electrodes,

a reflective display region for reflective display and a transmissive display region for transmissive display are provided in each of a plurality of subpixel regions,

a liquid-crystal-layer-thickness-adjusting layer is provided in at least the reflective display region so as to vary the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the subpixel region, and

a gap between the first and second electrodes in a main direction of an electric field in the transmissive display region is narrower than a gap between the first and second electrodes in a main direction of an electric field in the reflective display region.

2. The liquid crystal device according to claim 1,

wherein each of the first and second electrodes has one or more strip electrodes, and

the one or more strip electrodes of the first electrode and the one or more strip electrodes of the second electrode are alternately arranged substantially in parallel with each other in each of the transmissive display region and the reflective display region.

4. The liquid crystal device according to claim 2,

wherein, of the strip electrodes, the one or more strip electrodes arranged in the transmissive display region have a width larger than that of the one or more strip electrodes arranged in the reflective display region.

5. The liquid crystal device according to claim 1,

wherein a product dt×

Gt of the gap dt between the electrodes in the electric field direction in the transmissive display region and the thickness Gt of the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display region is substantially equal to a product dr×

Gr of the gap dr between the electrodes in the reflective display region and the thickness Gr of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective display region.

6. An electronic apparatus comprising the liquid crystal device according to claim 1.

3. A liquid crystal device comprising:

first and second substrates which are arranged so as to face each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween; and

first and second electrodes which are provided on the first substrate facing the liquid crystal layer,

wherein the liquid crystal layer is driven by electric fields generated between the first and second electrodes,

a reflective display region for reflective display and a transmissive display region for transmissive display are provided in each of a plurality of subpixel regions,

a liquid-crystal-layer-thickness-adjusting layer is provided in at least the reflective display region so as to vary the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the subpixel region,

the first and second electrodes are laminated with an insulating film interposed therebetween,

the first electrode has a plurality of strip electrodes, and the second electrode is formed in a region including the plurality of strip electrodes of the first electrodes within the subpixel region, and

a gap between the strip electrodes in a main direction of an electric field in the transmissive display region is narrower than a gap between the strip electrodes in a main direction of an electric field in the reflective display region.