Liquid crystal display with transparent storage capacitors for holding electric charges
First Claim
1. A liquid crystal display comprising a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, wherein:
- the first substrate includes thereon;
a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix array;
drain lines formed between columns of the pixel electrodes;
gate lines formed between rows of the pixel electrodes;
thin film transistors, each of said thin film transistors having a source electrode connected to a respective one of the pixel electrodes, a drain electrode connected to a respective one of said drain lines, and a gate electrode connected to a respective one of said gate lines;
a first light-shielding layer having a first aperture shielding light between the pixel electrodes;
a storage capacitor electrode opposed to the pixel electrodes with an interlevel insulation layer interposed therebetween, said storage capacitor electrode being a transparent conductive layer disposed substantially all over the first substrate including under each of said thin film transistors; and
storage capacitors holding charges, the storage capacitors formed in an area where the pixel electrodes are opposed to the storage capacitor electrode; and
the second substrate includes a common electrode extending substantially all over an area where the first and second substrates face each other.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A storage capacitor is constituted by a storage capacitor electrode, made of a transparent and conductive film extending substantially all over a substrate, and pixel electrodes overlapping with the storage capacitor electrode via an interlevel insulation layer. The storage capacitor holds charges. The storage capacitor electrode is positioned such that it faces the entire surface of the pixel electrodes. Since the transparent and conductive storage capacitor electrode does not reduce the aperture ratio, the storage capacitor can have a large capacitance. A signal voltage applied to the storage capacitor electrode is determined so as not to activate the thin film transistors which are not selected. A light-shielding layer is present at a position between pixel electrodes on or under the storage capacitor electrode. The light-shielding layer shields the thin film transistors, gate lines and drain lines from incident light, thereby preventing reduction of contrast of displayed pictures. Further, an anti-reflection layer formed by heat treatment is placed on a boundary between the storage capacitor electrode and the light-shielding layer, and is effective in assuring visibility of the picture on the liquid crystal display.
168 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A liquid crystal display comprising a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, wherein:
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the first substrate includes thereon;
a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix array;
drain lines formed between columns of the pixel electrodes;
gate lines formed between rows of the pixel electrodes;
thin film transistors, each of said thin film transistors having a source electrode connected to a respective one of the pixel electrodes, a drain electrode connected to a respective one of said drain lines, and a gate electrode connected to a respective one of said gate lines;
a first light-shielding layer having a first aperture shielding light between the pixel electrodes;
a storage capacitor electrode opposed to the pixel electrodes with an interlevel insulation layer interposed therebetween, said storage capacitor electrode being a transparent conductive layer disposed substantially all over the first substrate including under each of said thin film transistors; and
storage capacitors holding charges, the storage capacitors formed in an area where the pixel electrodes are opposed to the storage capacitor electrode; andthe second substrate includes a common electrode extending substantially all over an area where the first and second substrates face each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A liquid crystal display comprising a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, wherein:
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the first substrate includes thereon; a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix array; drain lines formed between columns of the pixel electrodes; gate lines formed between rows of the pixel electrodes; thin film transistors, each of said thin film transistors having a source electrode connected to a respective one of the pixel electrodes, a drain electrode connected to a respective one of said drain lines, a semiconductor layer having first and second end regions connected to the source electrode and the drain electrode, respectively, an insulation layer formed on the semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode connected to a respective one of the gate lines and formed on the semiconductor layer with the insulation layer interposed therebetween, stacked in this order; a first light-shielding layer shielding light between the pixel electrodes; storage capacitor electrodes opposing the pixel electrodes with an interlevel insulation layer interposed therebetween, said storage capacitor electrodes being a transparent conductive layer applied practically all over the first substrate; and storage capacitors holding charges, the storage capacitors being formed in an area where the pixel electrodes and the storage capacitor electrodes overlap with one another; and the second substrate includes a common electrode extending substantially all over an area where the first and second substrates face each other.
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12. A method for making a liquid crystal display having a first substrate and a second substrate sandwiching a liquid crystal layer, the method comprising:
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forming a transparent conductive storage capacitor layer covering substantially an entire upper surface of said first substrate except for a first peripheral edge portion of said first substrate; forming a first light-shielding layer on said transparent conductive storage capacitor layer, said first light-shielding layer patterned to have a first aperture; forming an interlevel insulation layer on said transparent conductive storage capacitor layer and said first light-shielding layer; forming a transparent conductive electrode layer on said interlevel insulation layer; patterning said transparent conductive electrode layer to form a plurality of pixel electrodes, a plurality of source electrodes integral with said pixel electrodes, a plurality of drain lines between columns of said pixel electrodes, a plurality of drain electrodes integral with said drain lines, and an input terminal electrode on part of said first peripheral edge portion of said first substrate; forming a semiconductor layer on said patterned transparent conductive electrode layer; forming a gate insulating layer on said semiconductor layer; forming a gate conductive layer on said gate insulating layer; and patterning said semiconductor layer, said gate insulating layer and said gate conductive layer to form a plurality of gate lines between rows of said pixel electrodes and a plurality of gate electrodes integral with said gate lines. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for making a liquid crystal display having a first substrate and a second substrate sandwiching a liquid crystal layer, the method comprising:
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forming a first light-shielding layer on said first substrate, said first light-shielding layer patterned to have a first aperture; forming a transparent conductive storage capacitor layer entirely covering said first light-shielding layer and all portions of an upper surface of said first substrate not covered by said first light-shielding layer, except for a first peripheral edge portion of said first substrate; forming an interlevel insulation layer on said transparent conductive storage capacitor layer; forming a transparent conductive electrode layer on said interlevel insulation layer; patterning said transparent conductive electrode layer to form a plurality of pixel electrodes, a plurality of source electrodes integral with said pixel electrodes, a plurality of drain lines between columns of said pixel electrodes, a plurality of drain electrodes integral with said drain lines, and an input terminal electrode on part of said first peripheral edge portion of said first substrate; forming a semiconductor layer on said patterned transparent conductive electrode layer; forming a gate insulating layer on said semiconductor layer; forming a gate conductive layer on said gate insulating layer; and patterning said semiconductor layer, said gate insulating layer and said gate conductive layer to form a plurality of gate lines between rows of said pixel electrodes and a plurality of gate electrodes integral with said gate lines. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A liquid crystal display having a first substrate and a second substrate sandwiching a liquid crystal layer, said liquid crystal display comprising:
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a first light-shielding layer formed on said first substrate, said first light-shielding layer patterned to have a first aperture; a transparent conductive storage capacitor layer formed entirely covering said first light-shielding layer and all portions of an upper surface of said first substrate not covered by said first light-shielding layer, except for a first peripheral edge portion of said first substrate; an interlevel insulation layer formed on said transparent conductive storage capacitor layer; a transparent conductive electrode layer formed on said interlevel insulation layer, said transparent conductive electrode layer patterned to form a plurality of pixel electrodes, a plurality of source electrodes integral with said pixel electrodes, a plurality of drain lines between columns of said pixel electrodes, a plurality of drain electrodes integral with said drain lines, and an input terminal electrode on part of said first peripheral edge portion of said first substrate; a semiconductor layer formed on said patterned transparent conductive electrode layer; a gate insulating layer formed on said semiconductor layer; and a gate conductive layer formed on said gate insulating layer, wherein said semiconductor layer, said gate insulating layer and said gate conductive layer are patterned to form a plurality of gate lines between rows of said pixel electrodes and a plurality of gate electrodes integral with said gate lines.
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Specification