Liquid crystal display apparatus having insulated reflective layer and manufacturing method thereof

• US 7,259,813 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2002
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishida, Satoshi, Yamada, Tsutomu, Oda, Nobuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Schechter; Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Caley; Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US10/330,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20030156240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: 349/113, 349/114, 349/43, 349/44, 349/138, 349/47, 257/59, 257/72
• US Class Current: 349/113
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136227 Through-hole connection of the pixel electrode to the active element through an insulation layer
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/856 comprising reflective means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/878 comprising reflective means

Abstract

On a first substrate are formed a TFT provided to each pixel, an insulating film which covers the TFT, and a reflective layer which is provided on the insulating film so as to be insulated from the TFT and reflects light incident from a second substrate side. The reflective layer is covered with a passivation film on which a first electrode made of a transparent conductive material, such as ITO having the work function equivalent to a second electrode, is formed and connected to the TFT. The passivation film covering the reflective layer prevents the reflective surface of the reflective layer from deteriorating in reflection properties during a process for connecting the TFT and the first electrode. Further, the first and second electrodes having similar characteristics can symmetrically AC drive the liquid crystal layer.

Claims

1. A display apparatus configured by sandwiching a liquid crystal layer between a first substrate having a first electrode and a second substrate having a second electrode, wherein

said first substrate further comprises:

a switching element provided to each pixel and including a thin film transistor in which a gate is formed above an active layer;

a gate insulating film including a silicon oxide and formed between said gate and said active layer of said thin film transistor;

an interlayer insulating flm formed covering said gate and said gate insulating film;

a reflective layer formed above said interlayer insulating film so as to be insulated from said active layer of said film transistor, said reflective layer reflecting light incident from a side of said second substrate and said second electrode, both of which are transparent, into said liquid crystal layer, and

a passivation film formed covering said reflective layer, and wherein

said first electrode made of a transparent conductive material is electrically and directly connected to said active layer via a contact hole formed by opening a hole through at least said gate insulating film, said interlayer insulating film, and said passivation film which are formed between said first electrode and said active layer;

said passivation film has endurance to a slight etching material which exposes a surface of said active layer made of silicon at a bottom of said contact hole; and

said passivation film is made of a silicon oxide.

2. A display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a difference between a work function of said transparent conductive material used for said first electrode and a work function of said transparent conductive material used for said second electrode formed on a liquid crystal layer side of said second substrate is less than or equal to 0.5 eV.

3. A display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a difference between a work function of said transparent conductive material used for said first electrode and a work function of said transparent conductive material used for said second electrode formed on a liquid crystal layer side of said second substrate is less than or equal to 0.5 eV.

4. A display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display apparatus is a liquid crystal display apparatus and a driving frequency for said liquid crystal layer for each pixel is less than 60 Hz.

5. A display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said display apparatus is a liquid crystal display apparatus,

a difference between a work function of said transparent conductive material used for said first electrode and a work function of said transparent conductive material used for said second electrode formed on said liquid crystal layer side of said second substrate is less than or equal to 0.5 eV, and

a driving frequency of said liquid crystal layer for each pixel is less than 60 Hz.

6. A display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said reflective layer has an opening at least in a region of formation of said contact hole.

7. A display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said reflective layer is formed covering almost an entire region of a pixel region other than a region of formation of said contact hole, and

said apparatus is a reflective display apparatus in which light incident from the outside through said second substrate and said second electrode is reflected by said reflective layer to realize display.

8. A display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said reflective layer is formed to cover a portion of a pixel region other than a region of formation of said contact hole,

in a region of formation of said reflective layer, display is realized by reflecting, by said reflective layer, light incident from outside through said second substrate and said second electrode, and

in a region in which said reflective layer is not formed, display is realized by emitting light from a light source provided on said first substrate side through said first substrate and said first electrode to said second substrate side.

9. A display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said passivation film covers an inner wall of said contact hole including a region of said opening of said gate insulating film and said interlayer insulating film.

10. A display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said passivation film further has an optical buffer function.

11. A display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a surface of said reflective layer is slanted.

12. A display device according to claim 1, wherein a layer made of a refractory metal is provided as a lower buffer layer in said reflective layer.

13. A display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a planarizing insulating layer formed covering said interlayer insulating film is provided between said reflective layer and said interlayer insulating film and an opening is formed through said planarizing insulating layer at a region in which said contact hole is formed.

14. A liquid crystal apparatus configured by sandwiching a liquid crystal layer between a first substrate having a first electrode and a second substrate having a second electrode, wherein

said first substrate further comprises:

a switching element provided to each pixel and including a thin film transistor in which a gate is formed above an active layer;

a gate insulating film formed between said gate and said active layer of said thin film transistor;

an interlayer insulating layer formed covering said gate and said gate insulating film;

a first opening formed through said gate insulating film and said interlayer insulating film;

a planarizing insulating layer formed covering said interlayer insulating film;

a reflective layer formed above said planarizing insulating layer, selectively removed at a formation region of said first opening, and insulated from said active layer, said reflective layer reflecting light incident from a side of said second substrate and said second electrode, both of which are transparent, into said liquid crystal layer;

a second opening formed through said planarizing insulating layer at said formation region of said first opening; and

a passivation film formed covering said reflective layer, and wherein

a third opening is formed through said passivation film at a position overlapping said formation region of said first opening and a formation region of said second opening, said third opening having a smaller size than a size of said first opening and a size of said second opening;

said passivation film covers an inner wall of said contact hole including inner walls of said first opening and said second opening; and

said passivation film is made of a silicon oxide.

15. A liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

said passivation film has endurance to a slight etching material which exposes a surface of said active layer made of silicon at a bottom of said contact hole.

16. A liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

said size of said second opening is smaller than said size of said first opening and said size of said third opening is smaller than said size of said second opening.