Display panel and method of manufacturing the same

• US 8,767,167 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lim, Sung-Hoon, Nam, Seung-Ho, Min, Jee-Hong, Choi, Jae-Ho, Hwang, Jung-Hwan, Hwang, Sam-Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Caley, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAN, JIA X
• Application Number:
  US13/239,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20120194451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 349/12, 349/187, 345/173, 345/104, 178/18.01, 359/643
• US Class Current: 349/187
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

The display panel includes an opposite substrate and an array substrate. The opposite substrate includes a first substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a first wire electrode formed on the first surface, a first transparent electrode formed on the first surface and partially overlapping with the first wire electrode, and a common electrode formed on the second surface. The first wire on the first surface is formed before the first transparent electrode on the first surface. The array substrate includes a second substrate including a third surface facing the second surface, and a pixel layer formed on the third surface and facing the common electrode.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a display panel, the method comprising:

forming a first wire electrode on a first surface of a first substrate;

forming a common electrode on a second surface opposite to the first surface, of the first substrate;

forming a pixel layer on a third surface of a second substrate;

assembling the first substrate with the formed first wire and common electrodes thereon, with the second substrate, such that the third surface of the second substrate faces the second surface of the first substrate; and

forming a first transparent electrode on the first surface of the first substrate and partially overlapping with the first wire electrode on the first substrate, after the assembling the first substrate including the formed first wire electrode thereon, with the second substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the first wire electrode comprises:

sequentially forming a wire electrode layer and a first photoresist layer on the first surface; and

developing the first photoresist layer and etching an exposed portion of the wire electrode layer to form the first wire electrode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein

the first wire electrode includes one of aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu), and

the exposed portion of the wire electrode layer is wet-etched.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sequentially forming a first transparent electrode layer and a second photoresist layer on the first surface after the forming the first wire electrode, and before the forming the common electrode.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second photoresist layer overlaps the first wire electrode and the first transparent electrode layer.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the forming the first transparent electrode comprises:

developing the second photoresist layer and etching an exposed portion of the first transparent electrode layer to form the first transparent electrode extending in a first direction and arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

forming a spacer on the first transparent electrode after the forming the first transparent electrode, by further developing the second photoresist layer remaining on the first transparent electrode.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein

the transparent electrode layer includes indium-tin-oxide or indium-zinc-oxide, and

the first transparent electrode layer is dry-etched.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of opposing ends of the first transparent electrode is formed on the first wire electrode, and the first transparent electrode partially overlaps with the first wire electrode.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assembling a third substrate including a second wire electrode and a second transparent electrode with the first substrate, such that the second wire electrode and the second transparent electrode respectively face the first wire electrode and the first transparent electrode of the first substrate.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the third substrate is a first polarizer having a first polarizing axis.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

forming a second polarizer having a second polarizing axis substantially perpendicular to the first polarizing axis, on a fourth surface opposing the third surface of the second substrate.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming color filters on the second surface of the first substrate; and

forming an overcoat layer on the color filters, before the forming a common electrode.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming a pixel layer comprises:

forming a switching element and a pixel electrode in a display area of the third surface of the second substrate.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the assembling the first substrate with the second substrate comprises:

forming a seal member in a peripheral area surrounding the display area; and

forming a liquid crystal layer by injecting a liquid crystal to a space formed by the seal member.