DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME

Abstract

A display device includes a gate line and a data line aligned on a substrate, wherein the gate line and the data line cross each other to define a pixel area on the substrate, a gate electrode branching from the gate line, a source electrode branching from the data line on the gate electrode, a drain electrode spaced apart from the source electrode, a reflective electrode extending from the drain electrode, wherein the reflective electrode is formed in the pixel area, and an insulating layer pattern formed on the reflective electrode, wherein a protrusion pattern is provided at a surface of the insulating layer pattern.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be understood in more detail from the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an LCD device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line I-I′ shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A to 3C are enlarged views showing the area “A” in FIG. 2 according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a graph showing reflectance of an LCD device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5A is a graph illustrating reflectance in relation to measurement angles in a conventional LCD device;

FIG. 5B is a graph illustrating reflectance in relation to measurement angles in an LCD device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 6A to 6E are sectional views for illustrating a method of fabricating an LCD device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A display device comprising: a gate line and a data line aligned on a substrate, wherein the gate line and the data line cross each other to define a pixel area on the substrate;a gate electrode branching from the gate line;a source electrode branching from the data line on the gate electrode;a drain electrode spaced apart from the source electrode,a reflective electrode extending from the drain electrode, wherein the reflective electrode is formed in the pixel area; andan insulating layer pattern formed on the reflective electrode, wherein a protrusion pattern is provided at a surface of the insulating layer pattern.

2. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a pixel electrode on the insulating layer pattern, wherein the pixel electrode is electrically connected to the drain electrode.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein the reflective electrode is formed on a portion corresponding to the pixel electrode to define a reflective area and a transmissive area in the pixel area.

4. The display device of claim 3, wherein the insulating layer pattern is formed in the reflective area.

5. The display device of claim 2, wherein the pixel electrode is patterned according to a shape of the protrusion pattern.

6. The display device of claim 2, wherein the pixel electrode has a refractive index higher than a refractive index of the insulating layer pattern.

7. The display device of claim 1, wherein the protrusion pattern is symmetrically formed with respect to a direction vertical to the reflective electrode.

8. The display device of claim 7, wherein the protrusion pattern includes a flat section and sidewall sections inclined with respect to the reflective electrode and an obtuse angle is formed between the flat section and a sidewall section.

9. The display device of claim 7, wherein the protrusion pattern protrudes upwardly while forming a convex curve.

10. The display device of claim 1, wherein the protrusion pattern is asymmetrically formed with respect to a direction vertical to the reflective electrode.

11. The display device of claim 10, wherein the protrusion pattern includes a first sidewall section forming a first inside angle with respect to a line parallel to the reflective electrode, and a second sidewall section forming a second inside angle with respect to a line parallel to the reflective electrode, wherein the second inside angle is larger than the first inside angle.

12. The display device of claim 1, wherein the insulating layer pattern has a height from about 2 μm to about 5 μm, and the protrusion pattern has a height from about 0.5 μm to about 3 μm.

13. A method of fabricating a display device, the method comprising: forming a gate line and a gate electrode branching from the gate line on a substrate;forming a data line crossing the gate line to define a pixel area;forming a source electrode branching from the data line on the gate electrode;forming a drain electrode being spaced apart from the source electrode, forming a reflective electrode extending from the drain electrode into the pixel area; andforming an insulating layer pattern aligned on the reflective electrode, wherein a protrusion pattern is formed at a surface of the insulating layer pattern.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the protrusion pattern is symmetrically formed with respect to a direction vertical to the reflective electrode.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the protrusion pattern includes a flat section and sidewall sections inclined with respect to the reflective electrode and an obtuse angle is formed between the flat section and a sidewall section.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the protrusion pattern protrudes upwardly while forming a convex curve.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the protrusion pattern is asymmetrically formed with respect to a direction vertical to the reflective electrode.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the protrusion pattern includes a first sidewall section forming a first inside angle with respect to a line parallel to the reflective electrode, and a second sidewall section forming a second inside angle with respect to a line parallel to the reflective electrode, wherein the second inside angle is larger than the first inside angle.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the data line, the source electrode, the drain electrode and the reflective electrode are formed at a same process.