Electro-optical device, manufacturing method thereof, and electronic apparatus

• US 7,898,632 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 138 East LCD Advancements Limited (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Teiichiro, Yokokawa, Magoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, WEN YING PATTY
• Application Number:
  US11/640,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20070146598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,534 Days
• Field of Search: 349/153
• US Class Current: 349/153
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1337 Surface-induced orientation of the liquid crystal molecules, e.g. by alignment layers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1339 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/28 Adhesive materials or arrangements

Abstract

An electro-optical device including a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate, with a sealing material interposed between the first and second substrates, liquid crystals being interposed in at least an effective pixel region between the first and second substrates, comprises an alignment layer that is formed on at least one of the first and second substrates immediately below the sealing material and aligns the liquid crystals, and a lower layer formed below the alignment layer, wherein a transparent conductive layer that is firmly adhered to the alignment layer and the lower layer is formed in a region covering at least the sealing material between the alignment layer and the lower layer.

Claims

1. An electro-optical device comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate facing the first substrate;

a sealing material interposed between the first and second substrates;

liquid crystals interposed between the first and second substrates in at least an effective pixel region;

an alignment layer formed on at least one of the first and second substrates immediately below the sealing material, the alignment layer aligning the liquid crystals;

a lower layer formed below the alignment layer; and

a transparent conductive layer formed between the alignment layer and the lower layer and intimately adhered to the alignment layer and the lower layer, the transparent conductive layer being located in a region overlapping at least the sealing material in plan view,

wherein a groove having a closed loop shape is formed in the region overlapping at least the sealing material, the groove being located at a surface of the lower layer that contacts the transparent conductive layer.

2. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein an external connection terminal is formed on at least one of the first and second substrates, and an electrode is formed in the effective pixel region, and

the transparent conductive layer is formed on the entire surface of a region except the external connection terminal and the electrode between the alignment layer and the lower layer.

3. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the groove is circumferentially formed to surround the effective pixel region.

4. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the groove is plural in number.

5. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein a surface of at least one of the first and second substrates, which contacts the sealing material, has an uneven section formed by the groove.

6. The electro-optical device according to claim 5, wherein the groove has an opening edge formed by the surface of at least one of the first and second substrates, the groove having a right-angled section that contacts with the sealing material.

7. The electro-optical device according to claim 5, wherein the groove has an opening edge formed by the surface of at least one of the first and second substrates, the groove having a obtuse-angled section that contacts with the sealing material.

8. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the lower layer is formed of an insulating film.

9. An electro-optical device comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate facing the first substrate;

a sealing material interposed between the first and second substrates;

liquid crystals interposed between the first and second substrates in at least an effective pixel region;

an alignment layer formed on at least one of the first and second substrates immediately below the sealing material, the alignment layer aligning the liquid crystals;

a lower layer formed immediately below the alignment layer; and

a groove located in a region overlapping at least the sealing material, the groove being formed at a surface of the lower layer that contacts a transparent conductive layer, the groove having a closed loop shape.

10. An electro-optical device comprising:

a pair of first and second substrates with an electro-optical material interposed between the first and second substrates;

a pixel electrode formed of a transparent conductive layer formed on the first substrate, the pixel electrode being formed in a display region;

an alignment layer formed on the pixel electrode, the alignment layer controlling an alignment state of the electro-optical material;

a sealing material that bonds the first and second substrates together, the sealing material being located in a seal region that surrounds the display region;

an optical thin film stacked on the pixel electrode at a position between the first substrate and the pixel electrode, the optical thin film having a middle refractive index between a refractive index of the first substrate and a refractive index of the pixel electrode; and

a seal low-side layer that is formed below the seal material in at least a portion of the seal region, the seal low-side layer being formed of the same film as the pixel electrode, the seal low-side layer including a first portion that is formed in the seal region and has a continuously formed loop shape that surrounds the display region when viewed in plan from the top of the first substrate.

11. The electro-optical device according to claim 10, wherein the seal low-side layer has the same plane pattern as the pixel electrode when viewed in plan from the top of the first substrate.

12. The electro-optical device according to claim 10, wherein the seal low-side layer has a plurality of second portions that are separately formed in the seal region and surround the display region when viewed in plan from the top of the first substrate.

13. The electro-optical device according to claim 10, wherein the optical thin film has a refractive index of 1.6 to 1.8.

14. The electro-optical device according to claim 10, wherein an optical absorption coefficient of the optical thin film is smaller than an optical absorption coefficient of the transparent conductive layer.

15. The electro-optical device according to claim 10, wherein the optical thin film includes at least one of an inorganic nitride film and an inorganic oxynitride film.

16. An electronic apparatus having the electro-optical device according to 10.