This application claims priority from and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0032909, filed on Mar. 27, 2013, which is incorporated by reference for all purposes as if set forth herein.
1. Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to display technology, and more particularly, to a lateral electric field driven liquid crystal display and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Discussion
Conventional liquid crystal displays are flat panel display devices configured to is display an image using a controllable liquid crystal layer. Typically, liquid crystal displays are classified into two general categories based on a driving method thereof, such as lateral electric field mode liquid crystal displays and vertical electric field mode liquid crystal displays. Lateral electric field mode liquid crystal displays are configured to form a lateral electric field between, for example, two electrodes, which drive a liquid crystal layer. Vertical electric field mode liquid crystal displays are configured to form a vertical electric field between, for instance, two electrodes, which drive a liquid crystal layer.
In a vertical electric field driven liquid crystal display, the two electrodes are typically disposed on two respective substrates included in a liquid crystal display panel. In a lateral electric field driven liquid crystal display, the two electrodes are usually disposed on one of the two substrates. It is noted that, in association with lateral electric field driven liquid crystal displays, liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer disposed adjacent to the substrate including the two electrodes are more easily controlled than liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer disposed adjacent to the other substrate not including the two electrodes. In this manner, light transmittance may be reduced, and a driving voltage used to control the liquid crystal molecules is typically higher than a vertical electric field driven liquid crystal display.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and, therefore, it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.
Exemplary embodiments provide liquid crystal displays configured to improve light transmittance and reduce driving voltage.
Exemplary embodiments provide a method of manufacturing the liquid crystal displays.
Additional aspects will be set forth in the detailed description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the disclosure, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
According to exemplary embodiments, a liquid crystal display includes: a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate includes: a first base substrate, a gate line disposed on the first base substrate, a first electrode disposed on the first base substrate, the first electrode configured to receive a driving voltage, a data line crossing the gate line, a bump disposed on and formed along the data line, and a second electrode including: a shielding electrode portion disposed on the bump, and a common electrode portion disposed in association with a center portion of the first electrode, the second electrode configured to receive a reference voltage. The second substrate includes: a second base substrate facing the first base substrate, and color filters disposed on the second base substrate. Adjacent color filters partially overlap one another in a region comprising the bump to provide a protrusion portion protruded from the second base substrate towards the first base substrate.
According to exemplary embodiments, a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display includes: forming a first substrate, forming a second substrate, and forming a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate. Formation of the first substrate includes: forming a gate line and a first electrode on a first base substrate, the first electrode being configured to receive a driving voltage, forming a gate insulating layer on the gate line and is the first electrode, forming a data line on the gate insulating layer to cross the gate line, forming a protective layer on the data line, forming a bump on the protective layer along the data line, and forming a second electrode including a shielding electrode portion disposed on the bump and a common electrode portion disposed in association with a center portion of the first electrode, the second electrode being configured to receive a reference voltage. Formation of the second substrate includes: forming color filters on a second base substrate facing the first base substrate. Adjacent color filters are formed to partially overlap one another in a region including the bump to provide a protrusion portion protruded from the second base substrate towards the first base substrate.
According to exemplary embodiments, the bump is formed along the data line and the shielding electrode portion is formed on the bump. In this manner, the liquid crystal molecules may be more easily controlled and the transmittance may be improved. To this end, the power consumption of the liquid crystal display may be reduced. In addition, since the cell gap may be determined based on the protrusion portion disposed on the second substrate, which is provided by the color pixel, and the bump on the first substrate, a separate spacer, which is typically utilized to maintain the cell gap, may be omitted. To this end, a process of forming the spacer may be omitted when the liquid crystal display is being manufactured. In this manner, the manufacturing process may not only be simplified, but the cost thereof may be reduced.
The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.
In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various exemplary embodiments. It is apparent, however, that various exemplary embodiments may be practiced is without these specific details or with one or more equivalent arrangements. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring various exemplary embodiments.
In the accompanying figures, the size and relative sizes of layers, films, panels, regions, etc., may be exaggerated for clarity and descriptive purposes. Also, like reference numerals denote like elements.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, connected to, or coupled to the other element or layer or intervening elements or layers may be present. When, however, an element or layer is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers present. For the purposes of this disclosure, “at least one of X, Y, and Z” and “at least one selected from the group consisting of X, Y, and Z” may be construed as X only, Y only, Z only, or any combination of two or more of X, Y, and Z, such as, for instance, XYZ, XYY, YZ, and ZZ. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and/or the like, may be used herein for descriptive purposes, and thereby, to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the drawings. Spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of an apparatus in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings. For example, if the apparatus in the drawings is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. Furthermore, the apparatus may be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations), and as such, the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Moreover, the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure is a part. Terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless expressly so defined herein.
While exemplary embodiments are described in association with liquid crystal display devices, it is contemplated that exemplary embodiments may be utilized in association with other or equivalent display devices, such as various self-emissive and/or non-self-emissive display technologies. For instance, self-emissive display devices may include organic light emitting displays (OLED), plasma display panels (PDP), etc., whereas non-self-emissive display devices may include electrophoretic displays (EPD), electrowetting displays (EWD), etc.
Referring to
According to exemplary embodiments, the image display part 300 includes a plurality of gate lines G1 to Gn, a plurality of data lines D1 to Dm, and a plurality of pixels PX. As shown in
The gate lines G1 to Gn and the data lines D1 to Dm are disposed on the first is substrate 100. The gate lines G1 to Gn extend in a first (e.g., row or horizontal) direction and are arranged in a second (e.g., column or vertical) direction. In this manner, the gates lines G1 to Gn are parallel or substantially parallel to each other. The data lines D1 to Dm extend in the second direction and are arranged in the first direction. In this manner, the data lines D1 to Dn are parallel or substantially parallel to each other.
According to exemplary embodiments, each pixel PX, e.g., a pixel connected to an i-th (where “i” is an integer equal to or greater than 1) gate line G1 and a j-th (where “j” is an integer equal to or greater than 1) data line Dj, includes a switching element (e.g., thin film transistor Tr) and a voltage storage device, e.g., liquid crystal capacitor Clc. The thin film transistor Tr includes a gate electrode connected to the i-th gate line G1, a source electrode connected to the j-th data line Dj, and a drain electrode connected to the liquid crystal capacitor Clc. To this end, the liquid crystal capacitor Clc includes a first electrode PE and a second electrode CE, which are disposed on the first substrate 100. In this manner, the first and second electrodes PE and CE are configured as two terminals of the liquid crystal capacitor Clc, and the liquid crystal layer 250 is configured as a dielectric substance of the liquid crystal capacitor Clc. The first electrode PE is electrically connected to, for instance, the drain electrode of the thin film transistor Tr, and, thereby, configured to receive a data voltage from the j-th data line Dj. The second electrode CE is configured to receive a reference voltage Vcom.
In exemplary embodiments, each pixel PX includes a color filter 230 disposed on the second substrate 200 to correspond to the first electrode PE. The color filter 230 is configured to facilitate the display one or more colors, such as one or more primary colors.
Adverting to
According to exemplary embodiments, the gate driver 400 is configured to output (e.g., sequentially output) gate signals to the gates lines G1 to Gn in response to the gate control signal G-CS received from, for example, the timing controller 600. In this manner, the pixels PX may be scanned (e.g., sequentially scanned) by one or more rows based on the gate signals. The data driver 500 is configured to convert the image signals R′G′B′ into one or more data voltages in response to the data control signal D-CS received from, for instance, the timing controller 600. The data voltages may be applied to the image display part 300 in association with one or more of the pixels PX. In this manner, each pixel PX may be “turned on” in response to a corresponding gate signal of the gate signals, and a “turned-on” pixel PX may be configured to receive a corresponding data voltage of the data voltages from the data driver 500 to facilitate the display of a desired image.
According to exemplary embodiments, the timing controller 600, the gate driver 400, and/or the data driver 500 may be implemented via one or more general purpose and/or special purpose components, such as one or more discrete circuits, digital signal processing chips, integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits, microprocessors, processors, programmable arrays, field programmable arrays, instruction set processors, and/or the like.
In exemplary embodiments, the processes described herein may be implemented via software, hardware (e.g., general processor, Digital Signal Processing (DSP) chip, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), etc.), firmware, or a combination thereof. In this manner, the liquid crystal display device 1000 may include or otherwise be associated with one or more memories (not shown) including code (e.g., instructions) configured to cause the liquid crystal display device 1000 to perform one or more of the features/functions/processes described herein.
The memories may be any medium that participates in providing code/instructions to the one or more software, hardware, and/or firmware for execution. Such memories may take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks. Volatile media include dynamic memory. Transmission media include coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics. Transmission media can also take the form of acoustic, optical, or electromagnetic waves. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, CDRW, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, optical mark sheets, any other physical medium with patterns of holes or other optically recognizable indicia, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer can read.
Referring to
According to exemplary embodiments, the first substrate 100 includes a first insulating substrate 110 formed of any suitable material, such as, for example, transparent glass, plastic, etc. As seen in
In exemplary embodiments, the first and second gate lines Gi−1 and G1 extend in a first direction A1 and are spaced apart from each other in a second direction A2 perpendicular (or substantially perpendicular) to the first direction A1. The first and second data lines D1 and Dj+1 extend in the second direction A2 and are spaced apart from each other in the first direction A1. The first and second gate lines Gi−1 and G1 are electrically insulated from the first and second data line Dj and Dj+1 by, for instance, a gate insulating layer 120. In addition, the first and second data lines Dj and Dj+1 may be covered by a protective layer 130.
As shown in
According to exemplary embodiments, the first electrode PE, the thin film transistor Tr, and the second electrode CE are disposed on the first insulating substrate 110. As seen in
As shown in
According to exemplary embodiments, the first electrode PE is formed of the same material as the lower layer M1 of the gate electrode GE. The first electrode PE may be disposed in an area defined by the first and second gate lines Gi−1 and G1 and the first and second data lines Dj and Dj+1, and may be integrally formed as a single unitary and individual unit in each pixel area. It is contemplated; however, that the first electrode PE may be configured in any suitable manner.
The gate electrode GE and the first electrode PE are covered by the gate insulating layer 120. An active layer AL is disposed on the gate insulating layer 120, and first and second ohmic contact layers OC1 and OC2 are disposed on the active layer AL and are spaced apart from each other by a determined distance. The source electrode SE is disposed on, for example, the first ohmic contact layer OC1 and the drain electrode DE is disposed on, for instance, the second ohmic contact layer OC2.
In exemplary embodiments, the source and drain electrodes SE and DE may be covered by the protective layer 130. The protective layer 130 includes a first contact hole (or via) CH1 formed therein and configured to expose a portion of the drain electrode DE. As seen in
Referring to
According to exemplary embodiments, a bump (or protrusion portion) 140 is disposed on the protective layer 130, which is formed along the first and second data lines Dj and Dj+1. In exemplary embodiments, the first substrate 100 may include a plurality of the bumps 140, which may be separated in plural parts in association with each unit pixel or provided with a line shape as the first and second data lines Dj and Dj+1. In addition, when the bump 140 is cut along the first direction A1, which is substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the first and second data lines Dj and Dj+1 extend, the cross section of the bump 140 may exhibit a trapezoidal shape; however, it is contemplated that any other suitable cross-sectional configuration may be utilized. In exemplary embodiments, for example, the bump 140 may have a height h1 in a range from about 2 micrometers to about 4 micrometers, e.g., about 2.5 micrometers to about 3.5 micrometers, such as about 2.9 micrometers to about 3.1 micrometers. To this end, a base of the trapezoidal shape may have a width W3, which may be wider than a width W4 of a corresponding data line (e.g., data line Dj) disposed in association with the bump 140.
According to exemplary embodiments, the second electrode CE includes a shielding electrode portion P1 to cap the bump 140, and a common electrode portion P2 positioned in association with the first electrode PE, such as disposed in a central portion of the first electrode PE. The shielding electrode portion P1 and the common electrode portion P2 is extend along the first and second data lines Dj and Dj+1, and, thereby, are parallel (or substantially parallel) to each other. In addition, the shielding electrode portion P1 and the common electrode portion P2 are electrically connected to each other, and, thereby, are configured to receive the reference voltage Vcom (refer to
A slit SL is formed between the shielding electrode portion P1 and the common electrode portion P2 of the second electrode CE. When a width of the common electrode portion P2 is referred to as W1 and a width of the slit SL is referred to as W2, the width W1 is smaller than the width W2. The width W1 is in a range from about 1.5 micrometers to about 3 micrometers, e.g., about 1.7 micrometers to about 2.8 micrometers, such as about 2.1 micrometers to about 2.4 micrometers, and the width W2 is in a range from about 2.0 micrometers to about 4 micrometers, e.g., about 2.3 micrometers to about 3.7 micrometers, such as about 2.8 micrometers to about 3.2 micrometers. As an example, when the width W1 is about 3 micrometers, the width W2 is about 3.5 micrometers.
According to exemplary embodiments, the shielding electrode portion P1 has a structure to cap (or otherwise cover) the upper and side surfaces of the bump 140, and an edge of the shielding electrode portion P1 extends to the protective layer 140 to overlap with a portion of the first electrode PE. In this manner, the shielding electrode portion P1 may partially overlap the first electrode PE. For instance, a width W5 in which the shielding electrode portion P1 and the first electrode PE are overlapped with each other may be about 1.5 micrometers.
In exemplary embodiments, the bump 140 includes an organic insulating material having a relatively low dielectric constant, e.g., about 3.2, in order to decrease the capacitance between the shielding electrode portion P1 and the first and second data lines Dj and Dj+1. Further, as described above, since the bump 140 is capped by the shielding electrode portion P1, is an electric field caused, at least in part, by the first and second data lines Dj and Dj+1 may be shielded to, thereby, prevent the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 250 from malfunctioning (e.g., not being aligned as desired) in an area adjacent to the first and second data lines Dj and Dj+1.
According to exemplary embodiments, the shielding electrode portion P1 is formed along the upper and side surfaces of the bump 140 to have a protrusion shape protruded toward the second substrate 200. In this manner, the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 250 disposed adjacent to the second substrate 200 may be easily controlled by an electric field generated between the shielding electrode portion P1 disposed on the side surface of the bump 140 and the first electrode PE. This portion of the electric field may increase the transmittance of the image display part 300. Further, a driving voltage used to drive the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 250 may be prevented from being increased, as is typically done in association with conventional, lateral electric field driven liquid crystal displays. In other words, the above-noted portion of the electric field may be utilized to decrease the driving voltage used to control liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 250.
As seen in
Adverting to
According to exemplary embodiments, the second substrate 200 faces the first substrate 100 and is coupled to the first substrate 100. To this end, the liquid crystal layer 250 is disposed between the first and second substrates 100 and 200. A cell gap of the liquid crystal layer 250 may be referred to as “d1.” In this manner, the cell gap d1 may be greater than the height h1 of the bump 140. For example, when the cell gap d1 is about 4 micrometers, the height h1 may be about 3 micrometers.
In exemplary embodiments, when agate signal is applied to a pixel PX through is the second gate line G1, the thin film transistor Tr is “turned on” in response to the gate signal. A data voltage applied to the first data line Dj is applied to the first electrode PE through the drain electrode DE of the “turned-on” thin film transistor Tr. The data voltage corresponds to the driving voltage used to control the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 250. In this manner, the first electrode PE applied with the data voltage is configured to generate an electric field in cooperation with the second electrode CE applied with the reference voltage Vcom. To this end, a direction of the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 250, which are disposed on (or near) the first electrode PE and the second electrode CE, may be controlled in one or more desired manners. According to the controlled direction of the liquid crystal molecules, light passing through the liquid crystal layer 250 may be polarized.
It is noted that, according to exemplary embodiments, the first electrode PE and the second electrode CE form the liquid crystal capacitor Clc (refer to
Referring to
According to exemplary embodiments, various color pixels, such as red, green, and blue color pixels R, G, and B, are disposed on the second insulating substrate 210 to respectively correspond to the openings 221. The red, green, and blue color pixels R, G, and B is are sequentially arranged in the first direction A1. Two color pixels adjacent to each other are spaced apart from each other in the first direction A1, except for a portion thereof. That is, the adjacent two color pixels are overlapped with each other in the portion. For example, the portion in which the two color pixels are overlapped with each other may correspond to a portion disposed in an area in which the black matrix 220 is formed. The portion in which the two color pixels are overlapped with each other and protruded may be referred to as an overlap portion OLP. In this manner, the overcoating layer 240 that covers the color filters 230 may also have a protruded shape along the overlap portion OLP.
According to exemplary embodiments, a protrusion portion PP configured to include the overlap portion OLP and the overcoating layer 240 is disposed on the second substrate 200 and protrudes toward the first substrate 100. The protrusion portion PP may be disposed between the black matrix 220 and the bump 140 of the first substrate 100. In exemplary embodiments, the protrusion portion PP makes contact with the layer disposed on the upper surface of the bump 140, e.g., the shielding electrode portion P1 of the second electrode CE. As such, the cell gap d1 of the liquid crystal layer 250 may be determined based on the relative thicknesses of the protrusion portion PP and the bump 140. That is, when the cell gap of the liquid crystal layer 250, the height of the bump 140, a height of the protrusion portion PP, and a thickness of the shielding electrode portion P1 are “d1,” “h1,” “h2,” and “t1,” respectively, the cell gap d1 is equal to a sum of the height h1, the height h2, and the thickness t1.
Although not shown in figures, when one or more alignment layers are provided in association with the first and second substrates 100 and 200, the cell gap d1 may be equal to a sum of the height h1, the height h2, the thickness t1, and the respective thicknesses of the alignment layers.
As shown in
As described above, when the cell gap d1 is determined by the bump 140 and the protrusion portion PP, a separate spacer, which is typically utilized to maintain the cell gap d1, may be omitted, and a process of forming the spacer may be omitted when the image display part 300 is manufactured. This may not only simplify the manufacturing process of the image display part 300, but may also reduce the costs associated therewith.
Referring to
As described above, when the opening portion OP is provided to correspond to the slit SL, the portion of the first electrode PE, which corresponds to the slit SL, is exposed therethrough. In this manner, when an alignment layer (not shown) is disposed on the second is electrode CE, the alignment layer may directly contact the first electrode PE exposed through the opening portion OP. To this end, electric charges, e.g., impurity ions, may be prevented from being concentrated on the alignment layer, which, thereby, may prevent (or otherwise reduce) the potential of an afterimage from occurring.
Referring to
When a width of the common electrode portion P2 in the first direction A1 is “W1” and a width of the protrusion bar 150 in the first direction A1 is “W6,” the width W1 is greater than the width W6. In exemplary embodiments, when the width W1 is about 3 micrometers, the width W6 is about 2 micrometers. In exemplary embodiments, when a height of the bump 140 is “h1” and a height of the protrusion bar 150 is “h3,” the height h3 is smaller than the height h1. As an example, when the height h1 is about 3 micrometers, the height h3 is about 1 micrometer.
In conventional lateral electric field driven liquid crystal display devices, since the first and second electrodes PE and CE are disposed on the first substrate 100, liquid crystal molecules of an associated liquid crystal layer are typically disposed adjacent to the second substrate 200, and, as such, are usually difficult to control. In addition, when the driving voltage is increased to resolve (or otherwise reduce) the above-noted issue, power consumption is increased.
According to exemplary embodiments, however, when the protrusion bar 150 is formed under the common electrode portion P2, the common electrode portion P2 has a shape protruded towards the second substrate 200. As described above, since the common electrode portion P2 is protruded towards the second substrate 200, the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 250 disposed adjacent to the second substrate 200 may be more easily controlled. As such, a driving voltage may be prevented from being increased, and, in this manner, power consumption may be reduced.
In exemplary embodiments, as the height h3 of the protrusion bar 150 becomes larger, the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 250 disposed adjacent to the second substrate 200 may be more easily controlled. It is noted, however, that the height h3 of the protrusion bar 150 may be limited to the height h1 of the bump 140, as the width W6 of the is protrusion bar 150 is restricted to an area between adjacent bumps 140. In this manner, the height h3 of the protrusion bar 150 may, according to exemplary embodiments, be smaller than the height h1 of the bump 140.
As seen in
As can be readily appreciated from
Referring to
According to exemplary embodiments, a protrusion portion PP configured to include the overlap portion OLP and the overcoating layer 240 is disposed on the second substrate 200 and protrudes toward the first substrate 100. The protrusion portion PP may be disposed between the black matrix 220 and the bump 140 of the first substrate 100. In exemplary embodiments, the protrusion portion PP makes contact with the layer disposed on the upper surface of the bump 140, e.g., the shielding electrode portion P1 of the second electrode CE. As such, the cell gap d1 of the liquid crystal layer 250 may be determined based on the relative thicknesses of the protrusion portion PP and the bump 140. As described above, when the cell gap d1 is determined by the bump 140 and the protrusion portion PP, a separate spacer, which is is typically utilized to maintain the cell gap d1, may be omitted, and a process of forming the spacer may be omitted when the image display part 300 is manufactured. This may not only simplify the manufacturing process of the image display part 300, but may also reduce the costs associated therewith.
Referring to
According to exemplary embodiments, the first and second protrusion bars 161 and 162 extend along the first and second data lines Dj and Dj+1. In other words, the first and second protrusion bars 161 and 162 may extend in the third direction towards the imaginary is center line of a data line (e.g., data line Dj), and, thereby, may further extend in the fourth direction away from the imaginary center line. The first and second protrusion bars 161 and 162 may be separated into plural parts in the unit of a pixel or have a line shape corresponding to the shape of the first and second data lines Dj and Dj+1.
In addition, each of the first and second protrusion bars 150 may exhibit any suitable cross-sectional shape, such as a semi-elliptical shape, a semi-circular shape, etc., when the first and second protrusion bars 150 are cut along the first direction A1 substantially perpendicular to the first and second data lines Dj and Dj+1. In exemplary embodiments, the first and second protrusion bars 161 and 162 are disposed on the first insulating substrate 110 and formed of any suitable organic insulating material.
According to exemplary embodiments, when the first and second protrusion bars 161 and 162 are formed under the first electrode PE, the first electrode PE is also protruded towards the second substrate 200. As described above, since the first electrode PE is protruded towards the second substrate 200, the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 250 disposed adjacent to the second substrate 200 may be more easily controlled. As such, a driving voltage may be prevented (or otherwise reduced) from being increased. This may, in turn, reduce the power consumption of an associated image display part 300.
Referring to
According to exemplary embodiments, when a width of each of the first and second protrusion bars 161 and 162 in the first direction A1 is “W7” and a width of the third protrusion bar 163 in the first direction A1 is “W8,” the width W7 is greater than the width W8. For instance, when the width W7 is about 2 micrometers, the width W8 is about 1.5 micrometers.
As seen in
Referring to
In exemplary embodiments, the first and second gate lines Gi−1 and G1 have a multilayered (e.g., double-layered) structure in which the first and second metal layers are sequentially stacked. The first electrode PE, however, has a single-layer structure of the transparent conductive material of the first and second metal layers.
Although not shown in figures, the first and second gate lines Gi−1 and G1 and the first electrode PE are covered by the gate insulating layer 120. The gate insulating layer 120 is formed of any suitable insulating material, such as, for example, silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxide (SiOx), etc.
Referring to
In addition, although not shown in figures, the active layer AL (refer to
Although not shown in figures, the source electrode SE, the drain electrode DE, and the first and second data lines Dj and Dj+1 are covered by the protective layer 130.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
According to exemplary embodiments, the bridge electrode BE directly contacts the drain electrode DE through the first contact hole CH1 and directly contacts the first electrode PE through the second contact hole CH2. In this manner, the drain electrode DE and the first electrode PE may be electrically connected to each other via the bridge electrode BE.
Referring to
According to exemplary embodiments, the alignment layer is aligned by the light without a rubbing process. The light alignment process does not need to perform a process of planarizing a lower layer disposed under the alignment layer. In this manner, although the first substrate 100 is not flat, alignment defects may be prevented (or otherwise reduced) from occurring as a result of, for example, the bump 140.
As shown in
While certain exemplary embodiments and implementations have been described herein, other embodiments and modifications will be apparent from this description. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to such embodiments, but rather to the broader scope of the presented claims and various obvious modifications and equivalent arrangements.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10-2013-0032909 | Mar 2013 | KR | national |