Liquid crystal display having a modified electrode array

• US 7,280,176 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2003
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Na, Byoung-Sun, Kim, Dong-Gyu, Song, Jang-Kun, Chang, Jong-Woong, Lee, Kye-Hun, Lee, Hyun-Sik, Shim, Jung-Uk, Yuh, Jin-Tae
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, MINH TOAN T
• Application Number:
  US10/389,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20030151711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,666 Days
• Field of Search: 349/141, 349/106, 349/38, 349/44, 349/110
• US Class Current: 349/141
• 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 1/134372 for fringe field switching [FFS] where the common electrode is not patterned
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134381 Hybrid switching mode, i.e. for applying an electric field with components parallel and orthogonal to the substrates

Abstract

A liquid crystal display having electrodes on a single substrate includes a transparent planar electrode elongated in the transverse direction formed on the inner surface of the substrate, and an insulating film is deposited thereon. A plurality of linear electrodes, which are elongated in the longitudinal direction and either transparent or opaque, are formed on the insulating film. When voltages applied, the electric field is symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal central line of the linear electrodes and the longitudinal central line of a region between the linear electrodes, and has parabolic or semi-elliptical lines of force having a center on a boundary line between the planar and the linear electrodes.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display (LCD), comprising:

a first substrate having a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines;

a second substrate facing the first substrate;

a liquid crystal layer formed between the first substrate and second substrate and comprising a plurality of liquid crystal molecules;

a plurality of pixel regions formed between the first substrate and the second substrate and districted by the gate lines and data lines;

a plurality of pixel electrodes formed in the pixel regions, respectively, on the first substrate; and

a plurality of planar common electrodes formed in the pixel regions, respectively, on the first substrate, and electrically connected to each other,

wherein the plurality of pixel electrodes overlap the plurality of common electrodes to form storage capacitors in each pixel region, and wherein each of the plurality of pixel electrodes includes a plurality of linear pixel electrodes connected to each other by a connecting portion, and the common electrode in each pixel region includes a single continuous planer portion extending in a first direction parallel to the connecting portion from a first linear pixel electrode to a last linear pixel electrode connected by the connecting portion, wherein the single continuous planar portion overlaps and runs between each of the linear pixel electrodes in each pixel region.

2. The LCD of claim 1, further comprising an insulating layer formed between the pixel electrodes and the common electrodes.

3. The LCD of claim 2, wherein the pixel electrodes are located under the insulating layer, and the common electrodes are located on the insulating layer.

4. The LCD of claim 2, wherein the pixel electrodes are located on the insulating layer, and the common electrodes are located under the insulating layer.

5. The LCD of claim 4, further comprising a main connection connecting the common electrodes.

6. The LCD of claim 5, further comprising a redundant connection formed on the main connection.

7. The LCD of claim 5, further comprising a redundant connection formed under the main connection.

8. The LCD of claim 5, wherein the main connection is located on the common electrodes.

9. The LCD of claim 1, further comprising:

a light blocking film formed on the first substrate covering a region between the data line and the common electrodes and the pixel electrodes adjacent to the data line.

10. The LCD of claim 1, wherein the pixel electrodes and the common electrodes are located on the same plane.

11. The LCD of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of color filters formed on the second substrate; and

a black matrix formed on the second substrate and having a plurality of openings exposing the color filters,

wherein areas of the openings vary depending on colors of the color filters exposed by the openings.

12. The LCD of claim 11, wherein the area of the opening exposing a blue color filter is greater than the area of the opening exposing a red color filter and the area of the opening exposing a green color filter.

13. The LCD of claim 6, further comprising a buffer layer interposed between the main connection and the redundant connection.

14. The LCD of claim 13, wherein the buffer layer comprises a refractory metal.

15. The LCD of claim 9, wherein part of the light blocking film is formed on the common electrode.

16. The LCD of claim 1, wherein the single continuous planar portion extends in a second direction perpendicular to the connecting portion and parallel to a lengthwise direction of the linear pixel electrodes to substantially the entire length of each of the linear pixel electrodes without overlapping the connecting portion.

17. The LCD of claim 1, wherein at least three linear pixel electrodes are connected by the connecting portion and overlapped by the single continuous planar portion of the common electrode.