Electro-optical device, method of manufacturing same, projector and electronic apparatus

• US 6,720,944 B1
• Filed: 06/05/2000
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Ozawa, Kinya, Ishii, Ryo
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alphonse, Fritz
• Application Number:
  US09/509,198
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 345/87, 345/38, 345/50, 349/153, 349/155, 349/151, 349/156
• US Class Current: 345/87
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1339 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1345 Conductors connecting electrodes to cell terminals

Abstract

The invention concerns preventing the occurrence of breakage or short-circuiting caused by spacer members among wires made of conductive layers laminated on one substrate that holds an electro-optical material in an electro-optical apparatus. The electro-optical apparatus may include an electro-optical material provided in a region surrounded by a sealing unit between a pair of substrates, along with a conductive layer laminated on one of the pair of substrates. The sealing unit may be divided into a part having a spacer member and a part not having the spacer member, and the wiring made of the conductive layer, is provided between the part not having the spacer member of the sealing unit and the substrate.

Claims

1. An electro-optical apparatus, comprising:

an electro-optical material provided in a region surrounded by a sealing unit between a pair of substrates;

a conductive layer laminated on one of the pair of substrates, the sealing unit including a part having a spacer member and a part not having the spacer member, and a part of the sealing unit not having the spacer member being provided in a region in which wiring, made of the conductive layer on the one of the substrates, faces the sealing unit, wherein the wiring comprises a plurality of conductive lines in the region defined by the part of the sealing unit not having the spacer member.

2. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 1, the conductive layer including a plurality of conductive layers laminated on the substrate through an interlayer insulating film.

3. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 2, the part of the sealing unit not having the spacer member being a shielding unit for shielding an opening through which the electro-optical material is injected.

4. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 2, at least a part of the conductive layer being a light-shielding film.

5. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising an interlayer insulating film formed on the wiring and planarized.

6. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in an internal sealed region located inside the sealant, viewed from a level of the substrate, and a driving circuit connected to the wiring and which drives the pixel electrodes.

7. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 1, the part of the sealing unit not having the spacer member being a shielding unit for shielding an opening through which the electro-optical material is injected.

8. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 7, at least a part of the conductive layer being a light-shielding film.

9. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 7, further comprising an interlayer insulating film formed on the wiring and planarized.

10. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in an internal sealed region located inside the sealant, viewed from a level of the substrate, and a driving circuit connected to the wiring and which drives the pixel electrodes.

11. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 1, at least a part of the conductive layer being a light-shielding film.

12. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 11, further comprising an interlayer insulating film formed on the wiring and planarized.

13. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in an internal sealed region located inside the sealant, viewed from a level of the substrate, and a driving circuit connected to the wiring and which drives the pixel electrodes.

14. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an interlayer insulating film formed on the wiring and planarized.

15. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 14, further comprising a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in an internal sealed region located inside the sealant, viewed from a level of the substrate, and a driving circuit connected to the wiring and which drives the pixel electrodes.

16. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in an internal sealed region located inside the sealant, viewed from a level of the substrate, and a driving circuit connected to the wiring and which drives the pixel electrodes.

17. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 16, further comprising a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of data lines, which are connected to the pixel electrodes, and which are provided in the internal sealed region, the driving circuit including a scanning line driving circuit and a data line driving circuit for driving the scanning lines and the data lines, respectively, and the data line driving circuit being provided nearer a part where the wiring intersects the sealing unit than where the scanning line driving circuit is located.

18. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 16, comprising a control circuit provided in the internal sealed region for controlling the driving circuits.

19. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a display unit; and

the electro-optical apparatus of claim 1.

20. The electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 19, the conductive layer including a plurality of conductive layers laminated through an interlayer insulating film on the substrate.

21. A projection display device, comprising:

a light source that emits light;

the electro-optical apparatus of claim 1, the electro-optical apparatus modulating the light emitted by the light source, the modulated light being projected onto a screen.

22. The projection display device as set forth in claim 21, conductive layer including a plurality of conductive layers laminated through an interlayer insulating film on the substrate.

23. The electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 1, the part of the sealing unit having a spacer member being greater than the part of the sealing unit not having the spacer member.

24. A method for manufacturing an electro-optical apparatus including one substrate having a conductive layer laminated thereon, and the other substrate, being bonded with a sealing unit including a part having a spacer member and a part not having a spacer member, the method comprising:

forming the sealing unit provided so that a part of the sealing unit not having the spacer member is provided in a region on the substrate in which wiring, made of the conductive layer, faces the sealing unit, wherein the wiring comprises a plurality of conductive lines in the region defined by the part of the sealing unit not having the spacer member.

25. The method for manufacturing an electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 24, the sealing unit forming step including a step of coating the sealant so that an opening for injection of the electro-optical material is provided in the region in which wiring, made of the conductive layer, faces the sealing unit.

26. The method for manufacturing an electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 25, the method further comprising:

forming the wiring from a plurality of the conductive layers laminated on the substrate through an interlayer insulating film before the sealing unit forming step.

27. The method for manufacturing an electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 24, the method further comprising:

forming the wiring from a plurality of the conductive layers laminated on the substrate through an interlayer insulating film before the sealing unit forming step.

28. The method for manufacturing an electro-optical apparatus as set forth in claim 24, the part of the sealing unit having a spacer member being greater than the part of the sealing unit not having the spacer member.