Display device

• US 5,784,132 A
• Filed: 06/16/1997
• Issued: 07/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGO, HUYEN LE
• Application Number:
  US08/877,484
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 359/59, 359/67, 359/74, 359/76, 359/79
• US Class Current: 349/44
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136209 Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix, incorporated in the active matrix substrate, e.g. structurally associated with the switching element
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136227 Through-hole connection of the pixel electrode to the active element through an insulation layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence

Abstract

The drive substrate and an opposed substrate are joined to each other through a gap in which a liquid crystal is held. Pixels electrodes are provided on the drive substrate in a matrix form and, an opposed electrode is formed on the entire surface of the opposed substrate. The drive substrate 1 has a plurality of thin film transistors each for switching one of the pixel electrodes, a first interlayer insulating film for covering the thin film transistors, interconnect electrodes patterned on the first interlayer insulating film and connected to the thin film transistors, a second interlayer insulating film for covering the interconnect electrodes and a black matrix patterned on the second interlayer insulating film and used for shielding the thin film transistors beneath the second interlayer insulating film. The black matrix is covered by a planerization layer and the pixel electrodes are patterned on the planerization layer. The pixel electrodes are connected to the interconnect electrodes through the black matrix 10 which is made up of a metal film. In a display device of the active matrix type, an on-chip black structure is thus obtained by providing a black matrix also referred to as a light-shielding layer on a drive substrate.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a first substrate having a plurality of thin film transistors formed thereon, a first interlayer insulating film for covering said thin film transistors;

interconnect electrodes formed on said first interlayer insulating film and connected to said thin film transistors;

a second interlayer insulating film for covering said interconnect electrodes, and

a first light-shielding layer formed on said second interlayer insulating film and used for shielding said film transistors beneath said second interlayer insulating film;

a plurality of pixel electrodes formed above the first light-shielding layer;

a second substrate joined to said first substrate through a predetermined gap and provided with facing electrodes; and

an electro-optical material held in said gap wherein a planerization layer for covering said first light shielding layer is provided and said pixel electrodes are formed on said planarization layer.

2. A display device according to claim 1 wherein said first light-shielding layer is comprised of a metal film and said pixel electrodes are connected to interconnect electrodes beneath said pixel electrodes through said metal film.

3. A display device according to claim 1 wherein said first light-shielding layer is comprised of a metal film having a floating potential and said pixel electrodes are connected directly to said interconnect electrodes, without connecting said first light-shielding layer.

4. A display device according to claim 1 wherein said interconnect electrodes each partially overlap a pixel electrode end above said interconnect electrode, functioning as a light-shielding layer bordering said pixel electrodes.

5. A display device comprising:

a first substrate having a plurality of thin film transistors formed thereon,

a first interlayer insulating film for covering said thin film transistors;

interconnect electrodes formed on said first interlayer insulating film and connected to said thin film transistors;

a second interlayer insulating film for covering said interconnect electrodes, and

a first light-shielding layer formed on said second interlayer insulating film and used for shielding said film transistors beneath said second interlayer insulating film;

a plurality of pixel electrodes formed above the first light-shielding layer;

a second substrate joined to said first substrate through a predetermined gap and provided with facing electrodes; and

an electro-optical material held in said gap wherein a planarization layer for covering said first light shielding layer is provided and said pixel electrodes are formed on said planarization layer, wherein said first substrate is divided into a pixel array unit including said pixel electrodes and said thin film transistors each for switching one of said pixel electrodes and a peripheral unit including a drive circuit for operating said pixel array unit, and said second substrate has a second light-shielding layer aligning with said peripheral unit.

6. A display device according to claim 5 wherein said first light-shielding layer covers regions of said thin film transistors in said pixel array unit, and is also extended to a region of said peripheral unit excluding said drive circuit, and said second light-shielding layer selectively shields only a region of said drive circuit.

7. A display device according to claim 5 wherein said pixel array unit comprises effective pixels each comprising a pixel electrode and a thin film transistor for switching said pixel electrode and dummy pixels each comprising a thin film transistor with no pixel electrode, and said dummy pixels are entirely covered by said first light-shielding layer.

8. A display device according to claim 5 wherein said first light-shielding layer is comprised of a metal film and said pixel electrodes are connected to said interconnect electrodes beneath said pixel electrodes through said metal film.

9. A display device according to claim 5 wherein said first light-shielding layer is comprised of a metal film having a floating potential and said pixel electrodes are connected directly to said interconnect electrodes, without connecting said first light-shielding layer.

10. A display device according to claim 5 wherein said interconnect electrodes each partially overlap a pixel electrode end above said interconnect electrode, functioning as a light-shielding layer bordering said pixel electrodes.

11. A display device comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of transistors formed on the substrate;

a first insulating film formed on said transistors;

a plurality of interconnect electrodes formed through the first insulating film and being connected to the transistors;

a second insulating film formed over said interconnect electrodes;

a first light-shielding film formed on the second insulating film over the transistors; and

a plurality of pixel electrodes formed above the first light shielding film wherein a planarizing layer is formed between the first light-shielding layer and the pixel electrodes.

12. The display device of claim 11, wherein the first light-shielding film connects at least one pixel electrode with the drain of a transistor.

13. The display device of claim 11, wherein the pixel electrodes are insulated from the first light-shielding layer and are electrically connected to the drain of a transistor.

14. The display device of claim 11, further comprising a second substrate having a second light-shielding member aligned over a peripheral unit of said device.

15. The display device of claim 14, further comprising a dummy pixel formed on the first substrate and located beneath said second light-shielding layer.