Display apparatus, a method of manufacturing the same and a color filter

• US 20010004276A1
• Filed: 12/12/2000
• Published: 06/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Urabe, Tetsuo, Fujioka, Takayuki, Shigeno, Nobuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 6,476,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/106
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/201 in the form of arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133514 Colour filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133519 Overcoatings
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133638 Waveplates, i.e. plates with a retardation value of lambda/n

Abstract

A hybrid type display apparatus capable of maintaining color purity in a case of transmission mode display, and improving lightness of color in a case of reflection mode display is provided. This hybrid type display apparatus is comprised of: a pair of substrates comprising a first substrate on a front side and a second substrate on a rear side, disposed in opposite directions spaced apart from each other; a first electrode provided on an internal surface of the first substrate; a second electrode provided on an internal surface of the second substrate; a color filter provided on the first substrate, aligned with a pixel in a portion between the first electrode and the second electrode spaced apart in the opposite directions from each other; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and the second substrates; and a reflection layer provided on the second substrate. The reflection layer has a hole provided for each pixel, which divides a plane of each pixel into a transmission portion within the hole and a reflection portion outside the hole. The color filter comprises a lamination of a colored layer and a transparent layer. The colored layer is formed thinner in the reflection portion than in the transmission layer, and the transparent layer is formed to cover a difference in level between the transmission portion and the reflection portion.

Claims

1. A display apparatus comprising:

a pair of substrates comprising a first substrate on a front side and a second substrate on a rear side, disposed in opposite directions from each other;

a first electrode provided in an internal surface of said first substrate;

a second electrode provided in an internal surface of said second substrate;

a color filter provided on said first substrate, and aligned with a pixel formed in a portion in which said first and said second electrodes oppose to each other;

an electro-optical layer disposed between said pair of substrates; and

a reflection layer provided on an internal surface of said second substrate, wherein;

said reflection layer includes a hole provided for each pixel, thereby dividing each pixel in its plane into a light transmission portion which is within the hole and a light reflection portion which is outside the hole; and

said color filter comprises a lamination of a colored layer and a transparent layer, wherein;

said colored layer is formed thinner in said reflection portion than in said transmission portion, and said transparent layer is formed so as to cover a difference in level of said colored layer caused between the transmission portion and the reflection portion.

2. The display apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein a thickness of said transparent layer is set optimal so that an optical density of said colored layer is adjusted between the transmission portion and the reflection portion.

3. The display apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein said transparent layer comprises a transparent resin film formed in an internal surface of said first substrate, and said colored layer comprises a colored film formed so as to overlap said transparent resin film.

4. The display apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein said transparent layer is formed by a selective etching of a transparent internal surface of said first substrate, and said colored layer comprises a colored film that is formed on the internal surface thereof that is etched.

5. The display apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein said electro-optical layer comprises a liquid crystal layer that has a birefringence property, and a thickness of which is set twofold in the transmission portion than in the reflection portion.

6. A display apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein:

said first electrode is a common electrode that is formed in common across pixels,

said second electrode is a pixel electrode that is isolated for each pixel, and

an active element is formed on said second substrate for driving the pixel electrode.

7. A method of manufacturing a display apparatus which comprises:

a pair of substrates comprising a first substrate on a front side and a second substrate on a rear side, disposed in opposite directions from each other;

a first electrode provided in an internal surface of said first substrate;

a second electrode provided in an internal surface of said second substrate;

a color filter provided on said first substrate, aligned with a pixel formed in a portion in which said first and said second electrodes oppose to each other;

an electro-optical layer disposed between said first and said second substrates; and

a reflection layer provided on the second substrate, said method comprising the steps of;

forming said colored layer to be thinner in said reflection portion than in said transmission portion; and

forming said transparent layer so as to cover a difference in level of the colored layer caused between the transmission portion and the reflection portion.

8. The method of manufacturing the display apparatus according to

claim 7

, comprising the step of:

setting a thickness of said transparent layer at an optimal value such that an optical density of said colored layer is adjusted between the transmission portion and the reflection portion.

9. The method of manufacturing the display apparatus according to

claim 7

, comprising the steps of:

using for said transparent layer a transparent resin film formed on an internal surface of said first substrate; and

using for said colored layer a colored film that is formed so as to overlap said transparent resin film.

10. The method of manufacturing the display apparatus according to

claim 7

, comprising the steps of:

forming said transparent layer by a selective etching of a transparent internal surface of said first substrate; and

providing said colored layer by forming a colored film on said transparent internal surface that is etched.

11. The method of manufacturing the display apparatus according to

claim 7

, comprising the steps of:

using for said electro-optical layer a liquid crystal layer having a birefringence property; and

setting a thickness of said liquid crystal layer to be twofold in the transmission portion of a thickness thereof in the reflection portion.

12. The method of manufacturing the display apparatus according to

claim 7

, comprising the steps of:

providing said first electrode as a common electrode which is formed in common across pixels;

providing said second electrode as a pixel electrode which is isolated for each pixel; and

forming an active element on said second substrate for driving said pixel electrode.

13. A color filter which is formed on a substrate, as colored differently for each pixel, said each pixel being divided, in its plane, into a light transmission region through which a light passes once and a light reflection region through which a light passes twice as an incident light once then as a reflected light, having a lamination structure of a colored layer and a transparent layer, wherein

said colored layer is formed to be thinner in said light reflection region than in said light transmission region;

and

said transparent layer is formed such as to cover a difference in level of said colored layer caused between the light transmission portion and the light reflection portion.

14. The color filter according to

claim 13

, wherein a thickness of said transparent layer is set optimally so that an optical density of said colored layer is adjusted between the light transmission region and the light reflection region.

15. The color filter according to

claim 13

, wherein said transparent layer comprises a transparent resin film formed on a surface of said substrate, and said colored layer comprises a colored film formed so as to overlap said transparent film.

16. The color filter according to

claim 13

, wherein said transparent layer is formed by selectively etching a surface of said substrate, which is transparent, and said colored layer is a colored film formed on the surface of said substrate which is etched.