Liquid crystal display device having a common electrode as a black matrix

• US 7,310,121 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2006
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hirakata, Yoshiharu, Fukunaga, Takeshi, Nishi, Takeshi, Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): QI, ZHI QIANG
• Application Number:
  US11/276,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20060119754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 349 38- 44, 349110-111, 349/138, 349/141, 257/59, 257/21
• US Class Current: 349/38
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133512 Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix G02F1/136209 takes precedence
• 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 1/136209 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 1/136213 Storage capacitors associated with the pixel electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1255 integrated with passive devices, e.g. auxiliary capacitors

Abstract

In a liquid crystal display device which performs image display by controlling a liquid crystal layer by a lateral electric field that is parallel with a substrate, the lateral electric field is formed by a black matrix and a pixel electrode. That is, a common electrode and a black matrix are commonized which are separately provided conventionally. Further, a storage capacitor is formed in an area where the black matrix and a pixel line coextend with a third interlayer insulating film interposed in between. Since the storage capacitor is formed by using all the area where a thin-film transistor is covered with the black matrix, sufficient capacitance can be secured even if the widths of electrodes and wiring lines are reduced in the future.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

an active matrix substrate comprising;

a gate line;

a data line intersecting the gate line;

a thin-film transistor formed at an intersection of the gate line and the data line;

a conductive layer electrically connected to the thin-film transistor, the conductive layer including at least a first portion which functions as a pixel electrode and a second portion which extends in parallel with the gate line; and

a common electrode overlapped with the second portion of the conductive layer, the common electrode being a black matrix;

an opposed substrate that is opposed to the active matrix substrate;

a liquid crystal layer held between the active matrix substrate and the opposed substrate, and driven by an electric field formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, the electric field having a component parallel with the active matrix substrate; and

a storage capacitor formed between an overlapping portion of the common electrode and the second portion of the conductive layer with an insulating film interposed therebetween.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the pixel electrode has a width in a range of 0.1 to 2.0 μ

m.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the black matrix serves as a grounding plane with respect to the gate line, the data line, and other wiring lines.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein a semiconductor layer as an active layer of the thin-film transistor is separated into a base region and a floating island region.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating film is made of an organic resin material and/or an inorganic material and has a thickness in a range of 0.01 to 1.0 μ

m.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating film is made of one or a plurality of materials selected from the group consisting of AlN, AlN_xO_y, Si₃N₄, and SiO_xN_y.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the gate line and the common electrode are formed in different layers.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating film includes an interlayer insulating film.

9. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

an active matrix substrate comprising;

a gate line;

a data line intersecting the gate line;

a thin-film transistor formed at an intersection of the gate line and the data line, the thin-film transistor having, as an active layer, a crystalline silicon film;

a conductive layer electrically connected to the thin-film transistor, the conductive layer including at least a first portion which functions as a pixel electrode and a second portion which extends in parallel with the gate line; and

a common electrode overlapped with the second portion of the conductive layer, the common electrode being a black matrix;

an opposed substrate that is opposed to the active matrix substrate;

a liquid crystal layer held between the active matrix substrate and the opposed substrate, and driven by an electric field formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, the electric field having a component parallel with the active matrix substrate; and

storage capacitor formed between an overlapping portion of the common electrode and the second portion of the conductive layer with an insulating film interposed therebetween.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the pixel electrode has a width in a range of 0.1 to 2.0 μ

m.

11. A device according to claim 9, wherein the black matrix serves as a grounding plane with respect to the gate line, the data line, and other wiring lines.

12. A device according to claim 9, wherein a semiconductor layer as an active layer of the thin-film transistor is separated into a base region and a floating island region.

13. A device according to claim 9, wherein the thin-film transistor having the crystalline silicon film as the active layer has a field-effect mobility that is not less than 20 cm²/Vs in the case of an n-channel type and not less than 10 cm²/Vs in the case of a p-channel type.

14. A device according to claim 9, the insulating film is made of an organic resin material and/or an inorganic material and has a thickness in a range of 0.01 to 1.0 μ

m.

15. A device according to claim 9 wherein the insulating film is made of one or a plurality of materials selected from the group consisting of AlN, AlN_xO_y, Si₃N₄, and SiO_xN_y.

16. A device according to claim 9, wherein the gate line and the common electrode are formed in different layers.

17. A device according to claim 9, wherein the insulating film includes an interlayer insulating film.

18. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

an active matrix substrate comprising;

a gate line;

a data line intersecting the gate line;

a thin-film transistor formed at an intersection of the gate line and the data line;

a first insulating film and a second insulating film formed above the thin-film transistor;

a conductive layer electrically connected to the thin-film transistor, the conductive layer including at least a first portion which functions as a pixel electrode and a second portion which extends in parallel with the gate line; and

a common electrode overlapped with the second portion of the conductive layer, the common electrode being a black matrix;

an opposed substrate that is opposed to the active matrix substrate;

a liquid crystal layer held between the active matrix substrate and the opposed substrate, and driven by an electric field formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, the electric field having a component parallel with the active matrix substrate; and

a storage capacitor formed between an overlapping portion of the common electrode and the second portion of the conductive layer with the second insulating film interposed therebetween, the part of the common electrode being located on the first insulating film.

19. A device according to claim 18, wherein the pixel electrode has a width in a range of 0.1 to 2.0 μ

m.

20. A device according to claim 18, wherein the black matrix serves as a grounding plane with respect to the gate line, the data line, and other wiring lines.

21. A device according to claim 18, wherein a semiconductor layer as an active layer of the thin-film transistor is separated into a base region and a floating island region.

22. A device according to claim 18, wherein the first insulating film is made of an organic resin material and/or an inorganic material and has a thickness in a range of 0.1 to 5.0 μ

m, wherein the second insulating film is made of an organic resin material and/or an inorganic material and has a thickness in a range of 0.01 to 1.0 μ

m, and wherein the second insulating film has a relative dielectric constant larger than that of the first insulating film.

23. A device according to claim 18, wherein the second insulating film is made of one or a plurality of materials selected from the group consisting of AlN, AlN_xO_y, Si₃N₄, and SiO_xN_y.

24. A device according to claim 18, wherein the first insulating film serves as a planarization film.

25. A device according to claim 18, wherein the gate line and the common electrode are formed in different layers.

26. A device according to claim 18, wherein each of the first insulating film and the second insulating film includes an interlayer insulating film.

27. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

an active matrix substrate comprising;

a gate line;

a data line intersecting the gate line;

a thin-film transistor formed at an intersection of the gate line and the data line, the thin-film transistor having, as an active layer, a crystalline silicon film;

a first insulating film and a second insulating film formed above the thin-film transistor;

a conductive layer electrically connected to the thin-film transistor, the conductive layer including at least a first portion which functions as a pixel electrode and a second portion which extends in parallel with the gate line; and

a common electrode overlapped with the second portion of the conductive layer, the common electrode being a black matrix;

an opposed substrate that is opposed to the active matrix substrate;

a liquid crystal layer held between the active matrix substrate and the opposed substrate, and driven by an electric field formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, the electric field having a component parallel with the active matrix substrate; and

a storage capacitor formed between an overlapping portion of the common electrode and the second portion of the conductive layer with the second insulating film interposed therebetween, the part of the common electrode being located on the first insulating film.

28. A device according to claim 27, wherein the pixel electrode has a width in a range of 0.1 to 2.0 μ

m.

29. A device according to claim 27, wherein the black matrix serves as a grounding plane with respect to the gate line, the data line, and other wiring lines.

30. A device according to claim 27, wherein a semiconductor layer as an active layer of the thin-film transistor is separated into a base region and a floating island region.

31. A device according to claim 27, wherein the thin-film transistor having the crystalline silicon film as the active layer has a field-effect mobility that is not less than 20 cm²/Vs in the case of an n-channel type and not less than 10 cm²/Vs in the case of a p-channel type.

32. A device according to claim 27, wherein the first insulating film is made of an organic resin material and/or an inorganic material and has a thickness in a range of 0.1 to 5.0 μ

m, wherein the second insulating film is made of an organic resin material and/or an inorganic material and has a thickness in a range of 0.01 to 1.0 μ

m, and wherein the second insulating film has a relative dielectric constant larger than that of the first insulating film.

33. A device according to claim 27, wherein the second insulating film is made of one or a plurality of materials selected from the group consisting of AlN, AlN_xO_y, Si₃N₄, and SiO_xN_y.

34. A device according to claim 27, wherein the first insulating film serves as a planarization film.

35. A device according to claim 27, wherein the gate line and the common electrode are formed in different layers.

36. A device according to claim 27, wherein each of the first insulating film and the second insulating film includes an interlayer insulating film.

37. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

an active matrix substrate comprising;

a gate line;

a data line intersecting the gate line;

a thin-film transistor formed at an intersection of the gate line and the data line;

a conductive layer electrically connected to the thin-film transistor, the conductive layer including at least a first portion which functions as a pixel electrode and a second portion which extends in parallel with the gate line;

a common electrode, the common electrode being a black matrix; and

a capacitor-forming electrode;

an opposed substrate that is opposed to the active matrix substrate;

a liquid crystal layer held between the active matrix substrate and the opposed substrate, and driven by an electric field formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, the electric field having a component parallel with the active matrix substrate; and

a storage capacitor formed by at least a part of the capacitor-forming electrode and the second portion of the conductive layer with an insulating film interposed therebetween.

38. A device according to claim 37, wherein the gate line and the common electrode are formed in different layers.

39. A device according to claim 37, wherein the insulating film includes an interlayer insulating film.

40. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

an active matrix substrate comprising;

a gate line;

a data line intersecting the gate line;

a thin-film transistor formed at an intersection of the gate line and the data line;

a first insulating film and a second insulating film formed above the thin-film transistor;

a conductive layer electrically connected to the thin-film transistor, the conductive layer including at least a first portion which functions as a pixel electrode and a second portion which extends in parallel with the gate line;

a common electrode, the common electrode being a black matrix and parts of the common electrode being located on the first insulating film; and

a capacitor-forming electrode;

an opposed substrate that is opposed to the active matrix substrate;

a liquid crystal layer held between the active matrix substrate and the opposed substrate, and driven by an electric field formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, the electric field having a component parallel with the active matrix substrate; and

a storage capacitor formed by at least a part of the capacitor-forming electrode and the second portion of the conductive layer with the second insulating film interposed therebetween.

41. A device according to claim 40, wherein the gate line and the common electrode are formed in different layers.

42. A device according to claim 40, wherein each of the first insulating film and the second insulating film includes an interlayer insulating film.