Transflective liquid crystal display having a relationship between the electrode spacing and cell gap in the reflection and transmission regions

• US 7,995,168 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2006
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Japan Display West Incorporated (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nishimura, Joji, Higa, Masakatsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Merlin; Jessica M
• Application Number:
  US11/437,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20060267891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,905 Days
• Field of Search: 349/114, 349/141
• US Class Current: 349/114
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134363 for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0443 with several sub-pixels for the same colour in a pixel, not specifically used to display gradations G09G3/364 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0456 with a reflective area and a transmissive area combined in one pixel, such as in transflectance pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence

Abstract

A liquid crystal device includes first and second substrates which are arranged so as to face each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, and first and second electrodes which are provided on the first substrate facing the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer is driven by electric fields generated between the first and second electrodes. A reflective display region for reflective display and a transmissive display region for transmissive display are provided in each of a plurality of subpixel regions. A liquid-crystal-layer-thickness-adjusting layer is provided in at least the reflective display region so as to vary the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the subpixel region. A gap between the first and second electrodes in a main direction of an electric field in the transmissive display region is narrower than a gap between the first and second electrodes in a main direction of an electric field in the reflective display region.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal device comprising:

first and second substrates which are arranged so'"'"' as to face each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween; and

first and second electrodes which are provided on the first substrate facing the liquid crystal layer, each of the first and second electrodes having one or more strip electrodes, the liquid crystal layer being driven by electric fields generated between the first and second electrodes,

a reflective display region for reflective display and a transmissive display region for transmissive display being provided in each of a plurality of subpixel regions,

a liquid-crystal-layer-thickness-adjusting layer being provided in at least the reflective display region so as to vary the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the subpixel region,

a gap between the first and second electrodes in a main direction of an electric field in the transmissive display region being narrower than a gap between the first and second electrodes in a main direction of an electric field in the reflective display region,

the one or more strip electrodes of the first electrode and the one or more strip electrodes of the second electrode being alternately arranged substantially in parallel with each other in each of the transmissive display region and the reflective display region, and

a product dt×

Gt of the gap dt between the first electrode and the second electrode in the electric field direction in the transmissive display region and the thickness Gt of the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display region being substantially equal to a product dr×

Gr of the gap dr between the first electrode and the second electrode in the reflective display region and the thickness Gr of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective display region, wherein

the thickness of the liquid crystal layer of the reflective display region is smaller than, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer of the transmissive display region.

2. The liquid crystal device according to claim 1, of the strip electrodes, the one or more strip electrodes arranged in the transmissive display region having a width larger than that of the one or more strip electrodes arranged in the reflective display region.

3. An electronic apparatus comprising the liquid crystal device according to claim 1.