Liquid crystal display device

• US 7,876,402 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2008
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TCL China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co. Ltd. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jae-Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): INADOMI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US11/972,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20080218656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 349/96, 359/486
• US Class Current: 349/96
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133536 Reflective polarizers G02F1/13362 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133548 Wire-grid polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133565 inside the LC elements, i.e. between the cell substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13363 Birefringent elements, e.g. for optical compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133631 with a spatial distribution of the retardation value
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133638 Waveplates, i.e. plates with a retardation value of lambda/n
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1337 Surface-induced orientation of the liquid crystal molecules, e.g. by alignment layers

Abstract

A liquid crystal display device includes an upper panel comprising an alignment layer attached on an inner surface of the upper panel and a polarizer attached on an outer surface of the upper panel, a lower panel including a first surface and an opposite second surface, the first surface facing the inner surface of the upper panel, a phase retardation layer and a plurality of metallic lines disposed on the first surface of the lower panel, the plurality of metallic lines disposed substantially parallel to each other and which extend in a first direction, liquid crystal molecules injected between the upper and lower panels and a backlight unit comprising a light source which emits light toward the lower panel and a reflector which reflects light from the lower panel, wherein the phase retardation layer is disposed between the plurality of metallic lines and the second surface of the lower panel.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

an upper panel comprising an inner surface and an outer surface;

an alignment layer, the alignment layer attached on the inner surface of the upper panel and a polarizer attached on the outer surface of the upper panel;

a lower panel including a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite to the first surface, the first surface facing the inner surface of the upper panel;

a plurality of metallic lines disposed on the first surface of the lower panel, the plurality of metallic lines disposed substantially parallel to each other and wherein the plurality of metallic lines extend in a first direction;

a phase retardation layer disposed on the first surface of the lower panel;

liquid crystal molecules injected between the upper panel and lower panel; and

a backlight unit comprising a light source which emits light toward the lower panel and a reflector which reflects light reflected from the lower panel,

wherein the phase retardation layer is disposed between the plurality of metallic lines and the lower panel, and

wherein intervals between the plurality of metallic lines are narrower than wavelengths of visible rays.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of metallic lines reflect light with a polarization component in the first direction and allow light with a polarization component in a second direction to transmit therethrough, the second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of metallic lines contact the liquid crystal molecules to align the liquid crystal molecules in the first direction.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the polarizer allows light with a polarization component in the first direction to transmit therethrough.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the phase retardation layer includes a slower axis and a faster axis, and changes circular polarization to linear polarization or linear polarization to circular polarization by creating a phase difference between light in the slower axis direction and light in the faster axis direction of one quarter wavelength.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the slower axis or the faster axis of the phase retardation layer makes an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to the first direction or a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

7. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

an upper panel comprising an inner surface and an outer surface;

an alignment layer attached on the inner surface of the upper panel;

a polarizer attached on the outer surface of the upper panel;

a lower panel including a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite to the first surface, the first surface facing the inner surface of the upper panel;

a plurality of metallic lines disposed on the first surface of the lower panel, the plurality of metallic lines disposed substantially parallel to each other and which extend in a first direction;

liquid crystal molecules injected between the upper and lower panels; and

a backlight unit comprising a light source which emits light toward the lower panel and a reflector which reflects light made incident from the lower panel,

wherein the lower panel comprises a thin film transistor, a pixel electrode, a phase retardation layer and an insulation substrate, and the phase retardation layer is disposed on the insulation substrate, the thin film transistor is disposed on the phase retardation layer, the pixel electrode is disposed on the thin film transistor and the plurality of metallic lines are disposed on the pixel electrode, and

wherein intervals between the plurality of metallic lines are narrower than wavelengths of visible rays.