Liquid crystal display device

• US 9,235,090 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2014
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kimura, Hajime, Uochi, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Tina
• Application Number:
  US14/222,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20140204325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133345 Insulating layers G02F1/1335, G02F1/1337, G02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133371 Cells with varying thickness of the liquid crystal layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• 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: G02F 1/134372 for fringe field switching [FFS] where the common electrode is not patterned
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• 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 1/136222 Colour filters incorporated in the active matrix substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136227 Through-hole connection of the pixel electrode to the active element through an insulation layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136286 Wiring, e.g. gate line, drain line
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/121 common or background
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/123 pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/124 interdigital

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to apply a sufficient electrical field to a liquid crystal material in a horizontal electrical field liquid crystal display device typified by an FFS type. In a horizontal electrical field liquid crystal display, an electrical field is applied to a liquid crystal material right above a common electrode and a pixel electrode using plural pairs of electrodes rather than one pair of electrodes. One pair of electrodes includes a comb-shaped common electrode and a comb-shaped pixel electrode. Another pair of electrodes includes a common electrode provided in a pixel portion and the comb-shaped pixel electrode.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a semiconductor layer;

a gate electrode overlapping with the semiconductor layer;

an electrode electrically connected to the semiconductor layer, wherein the electrode is one of a source electrode and a drain electrode;

a pixel electrode electrically connected to the electrode;

a common wiring;

a conductive layer over and electrically connected to the common wiring;

a common electrode over and electrically connected to the conductive layer; and

a liquid crystal layer over the pixel electrode and the common electrode,

wherein the electrode comprises a first material,

wherein the conductive layer comprises a second material which is the same as the first material,

wherein the pixel electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, indium tin oxide containing silicon oxide, and zinc oxide, and

wherein the common electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, indium tin oxide containing silicon oxide, and zinc oxide.

2. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the gate electrode is located over the semiconductor layer.

3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal display device is configured to control orientation of a liquid crystal material of the liquid crystal layer by an electrical field generated between the pixel electrode and the common electrode.

4. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1,

wherein the conductive layer is in contact with a top surface of the common wiring, and

wherein the common electrode is in contact with a top surface of the conductive layer.

5. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is a stacked-layer structure.

6. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor layer comprises polycrystalline silicon.

7. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the material comprised in the pixel electrode is the same as the material comprised in the common electrode.

8. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the pixel electrode and the common electrode are over and in contact with the same surface.

9. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the first material comprised in the electrode is metal.

10. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the pixel electrode has a slit.

11. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the pixel electrode has a comb-shape.

12. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the common electrode has a slit.

13. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the common electrode has a comb-shape.

14. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, further comprising a light-shielding layer, wherein the light-shielding layer and a transistor comprising the semiconductor layer overlap with each other.

15. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a semiconductor layer;

a gate electrode overlapping with the semiconductor layer;

a first insulating layer over the semiconductor layer and the gate electrode;

an electrode electrically connected to the semiconductor layer, wherein the electrode is one of a source electrode and a drain electrode and wherein the electrode is located over the first insulating layer;

a pixel electrode electrically connected to the electrode;

a common wiring, wherein the first insulating layer is located over the common wiring;

a conductive layer over and electrically connected to the common wiring, wherein the conductive layer is located over the first insulating layer and a part of the conductive layer is located in a contact hole of the first insulating layer;

a common electrode over and electrically connected to the conductive layer; and

a liquid crystal layer over the pixel electrode and the common electrode,

wherein the electrode comprises a first material,

wherein the conductive layer comprises a second material which is the same as the first material,

wherein the gate electrode comprises a third material,

wherein the common wiring comprises a fourth material which is the same as the third material,

wherein the pixel electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, indium tin oxide containing silicon oxide, and zinc oxide, and

wherein the common electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, indium tin oxide containing silicon oxide, and zinc oxide.

16. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 15, further comprising:

a second insulating layer over the conductive layer,

wherein the pixel electrode is located over the second insulating layer,

wherein the common electrode is located over the second insulating layer.

17. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 15, wherein the gate electrode is located over the semiconductor layer.

18. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 15, wherein the liquid crystal display device is configured to control orientation of a liquid crystal material of the liquid crystal layer by an electrical field generated between the pixel electrode and the common electrode.

19. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 15,

wherein the conductive layer is in contact with a top surface of the common wiring, and

wherein the common electrode is in contact with a top surface of the conductive layer.

20. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 15, wherein the conductive layer is a stacked-layer structure.

21. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 15, wherein the semiconductor layer comprises polycrystalline silicon.

22. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 15, wherein the material comprised in the pixel electrode is the same as the material comprised in the common electrode.

23. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 15, wherein the pixel electrode and the common electrode are over and in contact with the same surface.

24. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 15, wherein the first material comprised in the electrode is metal.

25. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 15, wherein the pixel electrode has a slit.

26. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 15, wherein the pixel electrode has a comb-shape.

27. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 15, wherein the common electrode has a slit.

28. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 15, wherein the common electrode has a comb-shape.

29. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 15, further comprising a light-shielding layer, wherein the light-shielding layer and a transistor comprising the semiconductor layer overlap with each other.