Liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same

• US 20080136980A1
• Filed: 12/07/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yun, Young-Nam, Moon, Ji-Hye, Rho, Soo-Guy, Lee, Myung-Woo
• Application Number:
  US11/999,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20080136980A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/12
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13394 spacers regularly patterned on the cell subtrate, e.g. walls, pillars G02F1/133377 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires

Abstract

A touch sensor equipped liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate having an image display device, a second substrate having a plurality of column spacers, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second substrates. A touch sensor is driven by pressing on the second substrate. A gap maintaining region combines with the column spacers to maintain a gap between the first and second substrates, and a sensing region formed lower than the gap maintaining region achieves a sensing of the touch sensor responsive to the pressing on the second substrate.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a first substrate having an image display device;

a second substrate having a plurality of column spacers;

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

a touch sensor driven by pressing on the second substrate;

a gap maintaining region combined with the column spacers to maintain a gap between the first and second substrates; and

a sensing region formed lower than the gap maintaining region to achieve a sensing of the touch sensor responsive to the pressing on the second substrate.

2. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of column spacers are substantially equal to each other in height.

3. The liquid crystal display device of claim 2, wherein the column spacers comprise:

a first column spacer contacting the gap maintaining region; and

a second column spacer disposed in the sensing region,

wherein an area of the first column spacer is greater than an area of the second column spacer.

4. The liquid crystal display device of claim 2, wherein the gap maintaining region comprises an insulating layer and a gap maintaining layer.

5. The liquid crystal display device of claim 4, wherein the gap maintaining layer comprises at least one of a gate metal, a data metal and a semiconductor layer.

6. The liquid crystal display device of claim 5, wherein the gap maintaining region further comprises an elastic layer.

7. The liquid crystal display device of claim 6, wherein the elastic layer is formed of an organic material.

8. The liquid crystal display device of claim 2, wherein the sensing region comprises an insulating layer.

9. The liquid crystal display device of claim 8, wherein the sensing region has a sensing recess.

10. The liquid crystal display device of claim 2, wherein the image display device comprises:

a thin film transistor including a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer, a source electrode, and a drain electrode;

a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor; and

a common electrode receiving a common voltage and generating an electric field together with the pixel electrode.

11. The liquid crystal display device of claim 2, wherein the touch sensor comprises:

a first conductive line;

a second conductive line crossing the first conductive line;

a first conductive pad connected to the first conductive line;

a second conductive pad connected to the second conductive line to be spaced apart from the first conductive pad; and

a connecting electrode formed on a surface of the column spacer to electrically connect the first and second conductive pads by pressing on the second substrate.

12. The liquid crystal display device of claim 11, wherein the first and second conductive pads are formed at substantially the same height.

13. The liquid crystal display device of claim 12, wherein the connecting electrode is spaced apart from each of the first and second conductive pads by about 4,000 to about 5,000 Å

.

14. A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device, the method comprising:

forming a gap maintaining region and a sensing region lower than the gap maintaining region on a first substrate;

forming a first conductive pad connected to a first conductive line and a second conductive pad connected to a second conductive line in the sensing region;

forming a second substrate having at least one column spacer formed at positions corresponding to the gap maintaining and sensing regions;

forming a connecting electrode on a surface of the at least one column spacer; and

injecting liquid crystals between the first and second substrates to bond the first and second substrates.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein forming the gap maintaining region and sensing region comprises:

forming an image display device including a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode on the first substrate;

forming the first and second conductive lines and the first and second conductive pads;

patterning a metal layer or a semiconductor layer on the first substrate to form the gap maintaining region; and

forming the sensing region using an insulating layer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the gap maintaining region further comprises forming an elastic layer projected upward.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the elastic layer is formed by patterning an organic layer.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the sensing region further comprises forming a sensing recess by etching the insulating layer.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one column spacer is formed with substantially the same height.