LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS

• US 20140293177A1
• Filed: 03/28/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Inventors: Matsushima, Toshiharu
• Granted Patent: US 9,513,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/33
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134363 for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]

Abstract

According to an aspect, a liquid crystal display device includes: a first substrate and a second substrate that face each other; a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a first electrode and a second electrode provided between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer. The first electrode includes: an electrode base portion that extends in a first direction; and a plurality of comb-shaped portions that protrude from the electrode base portion at a fixed distance away from each other, and extend in a second direction different from the first direction. Each of the comb-shaped portions is configured such that a width thereof at a protrusion start position of the electrode base portion is smaller than a number obtained by multiplying an array pitch of adjacent comb-shaped portions by 0.5.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a first substrate and a second substrate that face each other;

a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; and

a first electrode and a second electrode provided between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer, wherein

the first electrode includes;

an electrode base portion that extends in a first direction; and

a plurality of comb-shaped portions that protrude from the electrode base portion at a fixed distance away from each other, and extend in a second direction different from the first direction, and

each of the comb-shaped portions is configured such that a width thereof at a protrusion start position of the electrode base portion is smaller than a number obtained by multiplying an array pitch of adjacent comb-shaped portions by 0.5.

2. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the width of the comb-shaped portion at the protrusion start position of the electrode base portion is smaller than a number obtained by multiplying the array pitch of adjacent comb-shaped portions by 0.45.

3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are arranged in a position where a horizontal electric field for driving the liquid crystal layer is generated.

4. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 3, wherein the first electrode is layered over the second electrode via an insulating layer.

5. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein

when a voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode,

in the liquid crystal layer, liquid crystal molecules in an area near one of long sides of the comb-shaped portions that face each other in a width direction of a slit between adjacent comb-shaped portions and liquid crystal molecules in an area near the other one of the long sides of the comb-shaped portions that face each other rotate in opposite directions to each other.

6. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first orientation film provided between the first electrode and the liquid crystal layer; and

a second orientation film provided between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer, wherein

the first orientation film is subjected to an orientation process in a first orientation direction that is a parallel direction to the second direction,

the second orientation film is subjected to an orientation process in a second orientation direction that is antiparallel to the first orientation direction, and

when a voltage is not applied between the first electrode and the second electrode,

long axes of liquid crystal molecules are aligned and oriented in the first orientation direction.

7. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 6, wherein

when a voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode,

long-axis directions of the liquid crystal molecules are oriented so that the liquid crystal molecules rise toward a direction perpendicular to the first substrate while rotating clockwise in an area near one of long sides of the comb-shaped portions that face each other in a width direction of a slit and rotating counterclockwise in an area near the other one in an in-plane direction of the first substrate.

8. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein a comb protruded length by which the comb-shaped portion protrudes from the electrode base portion in the second direction is equal to or less than 45 μ

m.

9. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 8, wherein a width of the electrode base portion in the second direction is equal to or less than 4 μ

m.

10. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein

one of the first electrode and the second electrode is one of pixel electrodes each of which is partitioned for each pixel,

the pixel electrodes are arrayed in a matrix, and

the second direction is different from directions in which the pixel electrodes are arrayed in a row and in a column.

11. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a liquid crystal display device according to claim 1; and

a control device that supplies an input signal to the liquid crystal display device.