Liquid crystal display panel including patterned pixel electrodes having micro slits, electronic apparatus and manufacturing method thereof

• US 8,094,284 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2008
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Inventors: Yang, Rong-Ching, Wu, Ming-Hung, Chen, Chia-Ming, Kuo, Yu-Ping
• Primary Examiner(s): Qi, Mike
• Application Number:
  US12/107,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20080297707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 349/146, 349/129, 349/144, 349/136, 349/145, 349/124
• US Class Current: 349/146
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133707 Structures for producing distorted electric fields, e.g. bumps, protrusions, recesses, slits in pixel electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133753 with different alignment orientations or pretilt angles on a same surface, e.g. for grey scale or improved viewing angle
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133788 by light irradiation, e.g. linearly polarised light photo-polymerisation

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel is provided. A photo-alignment layer and a patterned pixel electrode are formed on a first and a second substrates respectively. A liquid crystal layer is formed between the photo-alignment layer and the patterned pixel electrode. The patterned pixel electrode includes intersected electrodes having a first directional portion and a second directional portion intersected therewith, and stripe electrodes having slits therebetween connect at least one of the first directional portion and the second directional portion. When an electric field between the first and the second substrates is substantially zero, the liquid crystal molecules near the photo-alignment layer have a pre-tilt angle while those on another side are substantially perpendicular to the second substrate. As the liquid crystal layer is driven, the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer are substantially arranged along an extending direction of the slits.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, the method comprising:

forming a photo-alignment layer on a first substrate;

forming a plurality of patterned pixel electrodes on a second substrate, each of the patterned pixel electrodes comprising at least one intersected electrode and a plurality of stripe electrodes, wherein the intersected electrode has at least one first directional portion and at least one second directional portion intersected the first directional portion, the stripe electrodes connect at least one of the first directional portion and the second directional portion, and a plurality of slits is formed among the stripe electrodes; and

forming a liquid crystal layer between the photo-alignment layer of the first substrate and the patterned pixel electrodes of the second substrate, the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer at a side near the photo-alignment layer being arranged at a pre-tilt angle and the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer at another side near the second substrate being substantially perpendicular to the second substrate as an electric field between the first substrate and the second substrate is substantially equal to zero, and the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer being substantially arranged along an extending direction of the slits as the liquid crystal molecules are driven.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a plurality of alignment directions on the photo-alignment layer as the photo-alignment layer is formed, such that the alignment directions are substantially parallel to the extending direction of the slits.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a plurality of alignment directions on the photo-alignment layer as the photo-alignment layer is firmed, such that the alignment directions are substantially parallel to the extending direction of one of the first directional portion and the second directional portion.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein formation of each of the patterned pixel electrodes comprises:

forming a pixel electrode layer on the second substrate; and

patterning the pixel electrode layer to form the intersected electrode, the slits, and the stripe electrodes, the intersected electrode defining at least four regions, the stripe electrodes and the slits disposed in each of the regions, and the stripe electrodes and the slits in each of the regions being substantially parallel to each other.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein one terminal of the stripe electrodes in each of the regions connected to the intersected electrode and the other terminal of the stripe electrodes away from the intersected electrode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein formation of each of the patterned pixel electrodes comprises:

forming a pixel electrode layer on the second substrate; and

patterning the pixel electrode layer to form the intersected electrode, the slits, and the stripe electrodes, the intersected electrode defining at least four regions, the stripe electrodes and the slits disposed in each of the regions, a width of one terminal of at least one part of the stripe electrodes connected to the intersected electrode being substantially different from a width of the other terminal of at least one part of the stripe electrodes away from the intersected electrode.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a connection electrode as each of the patterned pixel electrodes is formed, such that the connection electrode surrounds at least one part of the intersected electrode and at least one part of the stripe electrodes connected to each of the intersected electrodes.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a passivation layer on the second substrate and covers the patterned pixel electrodes.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming an opposite electrode on the first substrate, wherein the opposite electrode is located between the first substrate and the photo-alignment layer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming an active layer on the second substrate and is disposed below the patterned pixel electrodes.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a color filter layer on one of the first substrate and the second substrate.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the stripe electrodes are substantially unparallel to at least one of the first directional portion and the second directional portion.

13. A method for manufacturing an electronic apparatus incorporating the method for manufacturing the LCD panel of claim 1.

14. A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate opposite to the first substrate;

a photo-alignment layer disposed on a surface of the first substrate, and the surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate;

a plurality of patterned pixel electrodes disposed on a surface of the second substrate, the surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate, each of the patterned pixel electrodes having at least one intersected electrode and a plurality of stripe electrodes, wherein the intersected electrode has at least one first directional portion and at least one second directional portion intersected the first directional portion, the stripe electrodes connect at least one of the first directional portion and the second directional portion, and a plurality of slits is formed between the stripe electrodes; and

a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer at a side near the photo-alignment layer being arranged at a pre-tilt angle and the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer at the another side near the second substrate being substantially perpendicular to the second substrate as an electric field between the first substrate and the second substrate is substantially equal to zero, and the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer being substantially arranged along an extending direction of the slits as the liquid crystal molecules are driven.

15. The LCD panel of claim 14, wherein the photo-alignment layer has a plurality of alignment directions substantially parallel to the extending directions of the slits.

16. The LCD panel of claim 14, wherein the photo-alignment layer has a plurality of alignment directions substantially parallel to an extending direction of one of the first directional portion and the second directional portion.

17. The LCD panel of claim 14, wherein at least four regions are defined by the intersected electrodes, the stripe electrodes and the slits are disposed in each of the regions, and the stripe electrodes and the slits in each of the regions are substantially parallel to each other.

18. The LCD panel of claim 17, wherein one terminal of the stripe electrodes in each of the regions is connected the intersected electrode and the other terminal of the stripe electrodes in each of the regions is away from the intersected electrode.

19. The LCD panel of claim 14, wherein a width of one terminal of at least one part of the stripe electrodes connected to the intersected electrode is substantially different from a width of the other terminal of at least one part of the stripe electrodes away from the intersected electrode.

20. The LCD panel of claim 19, wherein the width of the terminal of at least one part of the stripe electrodes connected to the intersected electrode is substantially less than the width of the other terminal of at least one part of the stripe electrodes away from the intersected electrode.

21. The LCD panel of claim 19, wherein the width of at least one part of the stripe electrodes being substantial gradually increases from the terminal thereof connected to the intersected electrode to the another terminal thereof away from the intersected electrode.

22. The LCD panel of claim 14, wherein each of the patterned pixel electrodes comprises a connecting electrode surrounds at least one portion of the intersected electrode and at least one portion of the stripe electrodes.

23. The LCD panel of claim 14, further comprising an opposite electrode disposed on the first substrate, wherein the opposite electrode located between the first substrate and the photo-alignment layer.

24. The LCD panel of claim 14, further comprising a passovation layer disposed on the second substrate, wherein the passivation layer covers the patterned pixel electrodes.

25. The LCD panel of claim 14, further comprising an active layer disposed on the second substrate, wherein the active layer is disposed below the patterned pixel electrodes.

26. The LCD panel of claim 14, further comprising a color filter layer disposed on one of the first substrate and the second substrate.

27. The LCD panel of claim 14, wherein the stripe electrodes are substantially unparallel to at least one of the first directional portion and the second directional portion.

28. An electronic apparatus incorporating the LCD panel of claim 14.