LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE

• US 20110128491A1
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: TAMURA, Tomohiro, ISHITANI, Tetsuji, KUBOTA, Daisuke, YAMASHITA, Akio
• Granted Patent: US 8,767,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/139
• 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 1/13775 Polymer-stabilized liquid crystal layers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13793 Blue phases

Abstract

In the liquid crystal display device where a liquid crystal layer exhibiting a blue phase is interposed between a first substrate and a second substrate, a pixel electrode layer (first electrode layer) and a common electrode layer (second electrode layer) provided between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer are positioned not to overlap with each other. The pixel electrode layer is formed to cover top and side surfaces of a rib-shaped first structure body which projects into the liquid crystal layer from a surface of the first substrate on the liquid crystal layer side. The common electrode layer is formed to cover top and side surfaces of a rib-shaped second structure body which projects into the liquid crystal layer from the surface of the first substrate on the liquid crystal layer side.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate;

a liquid crystal layer including a liquid crystal material exhibiting a blue phase between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a first structure body having a rib-shaped cross-section between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer;

a second structure body having a rib-shaped cross-section between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer, wherein a part of the second structure body is provided between parts of the first structure body;

a first electrode layer which covers a top surface and a side surface of the first structure body, wherein a first potential is to be applied to the first electrode layer; and

a second electrode layer which covers a top surface and a side surface of the second structure body, wherein a second potential is to be applied to the second electrode layer.

2. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are in contact with the liquid crystal layer.

3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer each have a comb-like shape.

4. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises a chiral agent.

5. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises a photocurable resin and a photopolymerization initiator.

6. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, further comprising a thin film transistor between the first substrate, and the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer,

wherein the first electrode layer is electrically connected to the thin film transistor.

7. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 6, wherein the thin film transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor layer.

8. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the first structure body and the second structure body are formed of a same material.

9. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the first structure body and the second structure body comprises resin.

10. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are formed of a same material.

11. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate;

a liquid crystal layer including a liquid crystal material exhibiting a blue phase is between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a first structure body having a rib-shaped cross-section between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer;

a second structure body having a rib-shaped cross-section between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer, wherein a part of the second structure body is provided between parts of the first structure body;

a first electrode layer which covers a top surface and a side surface of the first structure body, wherein a first potential is to be applied to the first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer which covers a top surface and a side surface of the second structure body, wherein a second potential is to be applied to the second electrode layer; and

a third electrode layer having an opening pattern, wherein the third electrode layer overlaps with the second electrode layer and is provided between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer.

12. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11, wherein the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer, and the third electrode layer are in contact with the liquid crystal layer.

13. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11, wherein the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer, and the third electrode layer each have a comb-like shape.

14. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises a chiral agent.

15. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises a photocurable resin and a photopolymerization initiator.

16. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11, further comprising a thin film transistor between the first substrate, and the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer,

wherein the first electrode layer is electrically connected to the thin film transistor.

17. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 16, wherein the thin film transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor layer.

18. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11, wherein the first structure body and the second structure body are formed of a same material.

20. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are formed of a same material.

19. The liquid crystal display device according to claim wherein the first structure body and the second structure body comprises resin.

21. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate;

a liquid crystal layer including a liquid crystal material exhibiting a blue phase between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a first structure body having a rib-shaped cross-section between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer;

a second structure body having a rib-shaped cross-section between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer;

a first electrode layer which covers a top surface and a side surface of the first structure body, wherein a first potential is to be applied to the first electrode layer; and

a second electrode layer which covers a top surface and a side surface of the second structure body, wherein a second potential is to be applied to the second electrode layer.

22. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 21, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are in contact with the liquid crystal layer.

23. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 21, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer each have a comb-like shape.

24. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 21, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises a chiral agent.

25. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 21, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises a photocurable resin and a photopolymerization initiator.

26. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 21, further comprising a thin film transistor between the first substrate, and the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer,

wherein the first electrode layer is electrically connected to the thin film transistor.

27. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 26, wherein the thin film transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor layer.

28. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 21, wherein the first structure body and the second structure body are formed of a same material.

29. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 21, wherein the first structure body and the second structure body comprises resin.

30. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 21, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are formed of a same material.