Liquid display and method of making same

• US 6,262,789 B1
• Filed: 11/27/1998
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zvi Yaniv
• Original Assignee: Zvi Yaniv
• Inventors: Yaniv, Zvi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, TARIFUR RASHID
• Application Number:
  US09/200,571
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 349/106, 349/122, 349/86, 349/123, 427/510
• US Class Current: 349/122
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133377 Cells with plural compartments or having plurality of liquid crystal microcells partitioned by walls, e.g. one microcell per pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133753 with different alignment orientations or pretilt angles on a same surface, e.g. for grey scale or improved viewing angle
• 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 2203/34 Colour display without the use of colour mosaic filters

Abstract

A liquid crystal display device includes a substrate having one or more electrodes formed onto one major surface thereof. The substrate and electrodes are then coated with a layer of a dielectric material through which is formed a plurality of openings or vias. Into the openings is disposed a layer of a light influencing material, such as a color filter medium, a liquid crystal material, or an alignment material. In the embodiment in which the light influencing material is a liquid crystal material, it is possible to put one or more different liquid crystal materials into each opening. This allows two adjacent openings to project light of a substantially different character, based on the differing material disposed in each opening. A method for forming a liquid crystal device such as that described above includes the step of providing a liquid crystal display substrate, and forming at least one, and preferably a plurality of electrodes on a surface thereof. Thereafter, a layer of dielectric material is formed onto the surface of the electrodes and substrate. The dielectric material is the treated, as by a laser, to form a plurality of holes or openings therein. Into the openings is disposed the light influencing material.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device having at least one picture element, said liquid crystal display device comprising:

A first display substrate having first and second major surfaces, said substrate having a plurality of display electrodes formed on one of said major surfaces;

A layer of a dielectric material disposed over said plurality of display electrodes, said dielectric layer having a plurality of openings formed therein, a plurality of such openings being formed over each said display electrode;

A layer of liquid crystal material disposed in each said opening; and

Wherein each said picture element is defined by one of said display electrodes and the layer of dielectric material having a plurality of openings formed over the corresponding display electrode.

2. A liquid crystal display device as in claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal material in a first said opening may be different than the liquid crystal material in a second said opening.

3. A liquid crystal display device as in claim 2, wherein the liquid crystal material disposed in a first opening is optimized for a different color than the liquid crystal material disposed in a second opening.

4. A liquid crystal display as in claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal display includes a plurality of picture elements, each picture element including at least one of said electrodes.

5. A liquid crystal display device as in claim 1, therein said layer of dielectric material is fabricated of a material selected from the group consisting of organic or inorganic polymers, polyimides, silicon oxides, silicon nitrides and combinations thereof.

6. A liquid crystal display device as in claim 1, wherein said layer of liquid crystal material is selected from the group of materials consisting of nematic, smectic, cholesteric, chiral nematic, chiral smectic, polymer dispersed liquid crystals, polymer stabilized cholesteric texture, and combinations thereof.

7. A liquid crystal display device as in claim 1, wherein said substrates are fabricated of a substantially transparent material selected from the group of materials consisting of plastics, glasses and combinations thereof.

8. A liquid crystal display device as in claim 1, wherein said device is a reflective display device.

9. A liquid crystal display device as in claim 1, wherein said display is an active matrix display device.

10. A liquid crystal display device as in claim 1, further including a second substrate, said second substrate is fabricated of a non-glass material.