DISPLAY DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS

• US 20140354931A1
• Filed: 04/28/2014
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Inventors: Kurasawa, Hayato, Matsushima, Toshiharu
• Granted Patent: US 9,696,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/124
• 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 1/134363 for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134381 Hybrid switching mode, i.e. for applying an electric field with components parallel and orthogonal to the substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/124 interdigital
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/128 field shaping

Abstract

According to an aspect, a display device has a first electrode, a second electrode and liquid crystal layer. When a voltage is not applied to the first and second electrodes, the major axes of the liquid crystal molecules are oriented in a third direction. When a voltage is applied between the first and second electrodes, the major axes are oriented so as to rise in a direction perpendicular to a first substrate while rotating clockwise in a vicinity of one of long sides of comb tooth portion that face each other and counterclockwise in a vicinity of the other of the long sides. An angle between an electrode base-side portion of a long side of each comb tooth portions and the third direction is larger than an angle between a distal end-side portion of the long side of each comb tooth portions and the third direction.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a first substrate that has a first electrode and a second electrode,

the first electrode including an electrode base extending in a first direction and a plurality of comb tooth portions having comb-teeth-like shape, which extend in a second direction different from the first direction, and which protrude from the electrode base at constant intervals from each other by slits,

each of the comb tooth portions having a joint portion with the electrode base being laminated on an upper or lower side thereof;

a second substrate that faces the first substrate; and

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

when a voltage is not applied to the first electrode and the second electrode, the major axes of the liquid crystal molecules are oriented so as to be aligned in a third direction parallel to the second direction, whereas

when a voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, the major axes of the liquid crystal molecules are oriented so as to rise in a direction perpendicular to the first substrate while rotating in an in-plane direction of the first substrate, clockwise in a vicinity of one of long sides of the comb tooth portions that face each other in a width direction of the slits and counterclockwise in a vicinity of the other of the long sides, and

an angle formed between an electrode base-side portion of a long side of each of the comb tooth portions and the third direction is larger than an angle formed between a distal end-side portion of the long side of each of the comb tooth portions and the third direction.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein

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

the first orientation film is subjected to an orientation treatment in the third direction parallel to the second direction, and

the second orientation film is subjected to an orientation treatment in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the distal end-side portion of each long side of each of the comb tooth portions is parallel to the second direction.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein a distal end of each of the comb tooth portions is arranged so as to extend into a slit formed between two comb tooth portions that face each other in an extending direction of the comb tooth portions.

7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the long sides of each of the comb tooth portions form a curve continuing from the electrode base-side portion to the distal end-side portion.

8. The display device according to claim 1, wherein an angle formed between the extending direction of the comb tooth portions and the second direction is smaller than an angle formed between the distal end-side portion of each long side of each of the comb tooth portions and the extending direction.

9. The display device according to claim 8, wherein an angle formed between the extending direction of the comb tooth portions and the second direction is half a difference between an angle formed between the distal end-side portion of one of long sides of the comb tooth portions that face each other in the width direction of the slits and the extending direction and an angle formed between the distal end-side portion of the other of the long sides of the comb tooth portions that face each other in the width direction of the slits and the extending direction.

10. The display device according to claim 1, wherein

the extending direction of the comb tooth portions is parallel to the second direction,

the angle formed between the distal end-side portion of one of long sides of the comb tooth portions that face each other in the width direction of the slits and the extending direction is equal to the angle formed between the distal end-side portion of the other of the long sides of the comb tooth portions that face each other in the width direction of the slits and the extending direction, and

the angle formed between the electrode base-side portion of one of long sides of the comb tooth portions that face each other in the width direction of the slits and the extending direction is equal to the angle formed between the electrode base-side portion of the other of the long sides of the comb tooth portions that face each other in the width direction of the slits and the extending direction.

11. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal layer is configured such that when a voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, the liquid crystal molecules in a vicinity of one of the long sides of the comb tooth portions that face each other in the width direction of the slits formed between the adjacent comb tooth portions, and the liquid crystal molecules in a vicinity of the other of the long sides of the comb tooth portions that face each other rotate in respective directions opposite to each other.

12. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the electrode base is made of a light-transmitting conductive material.

13. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the electrode base is made of a metallic material.

14. The display device according to claim 1, wherein each of the comb tooth portions is made of a light-transmitting conductive material.

15. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the electrode base is provided beneath the joint portion.

16. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

the display device according to claim 1; and

a controller that supplies an input signal to the display device.

3. A display device, comprising:

a first substrate that has a first electrode and a second electrode,

the first electrode including an electrode base extending in a first direction and a plurality of comb tooth portions having comb-teeth-like shape, which extend in a second direction different from the first direction, and which protrude from the electrode base like teeth of a comb at constant intervals from each other by slits,

each of the comb tooth portions having a joint portion with the electrode base being laminated on an upper or lower side thereof;

a second substrate that faces the first substrate; and

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

when a voltage is not applied to the first electrode and the second electrode, the major axes of the liquid crystal molecules are oriented so as to be aligned in a third direction orthogonal to the second direction, whereas

when a voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, the major axes of the liquid crystal molecules are oriented so as to rise in a direction perpendicular to the first substrate while rotating, in an in-plane direction of the first substrate, clockwise in a vicinity of one of long sides of the comb tooth portions that face each other in a width direction of the slits and counterclockwise in a vicinity of the other of the long sides, and

an angle formed between an electrode base-side portion of a long side of each of the comb tooth portions and the second direction is larger than an angle formed between a distal end-side portion of the long side of each of the comb tooth portions and the second direction.

4. The display device according to claim 3, wherein

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

the first orientation film is subjected to an orientation treatment in a fourth direction orthogonal to the second direction, and

the second orientation film is subjected to an orientation treatment in a fifth direction opposite to the fourth direction of the first orientation film.

17. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

the display device according to claim 3; and

a controller that supplies an input signal to the display device.