LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY APPARATUS

Abstract

A liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus includes an upper substrate having an upper director, a lower substrate having a lower director, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate. The upper director and the lower director aligning liquid crystals included in a liquid crystal layer to widen a viewing angle of the LCD apparatus. A storage electrode having a shape corresponding to the upper director and the lower director is arranged on the lower substrate so that the liquid crystals are rapidly aligned in a predetermined angle to increase an operating speed of the LCD apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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 embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an LCD apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A shows a sectional view taken along line I-I′ shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2B shows a sectional view taken along line II-II′ shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A shows a sectional view taken along line I-I′ shown in FIG. 1, according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3B shows a sectional view taken along line II-II′ shown in FIG. 1, according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of an LCD apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a sectional view taken along line III-III′ shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of an LCD apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7A shows a sectional view taken along line IV-IV′ shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7B shows a sectional view taken along line V-V′ shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 shows a plan view of an LCD apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a sectional view taken along line VI-VI′ shown in FIG. 8.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus, comprising: an upper substrate and a lower substrate opposing each other;a liquid crystal layer arranged between the upper substrate and the lower substrate;a storage capacitor arranged on the lower substrate and comprising a first storage electrode and a second storage electrode;a pixel electrode arranged on the second storage electrode and comprising a lower director having a first lower director coupled with a second lower director; anda common electrode arranged on the upper substrate and comprising an upper director having a first upper director coupled with a second upper director,wherein the second storage electrode is arranged symmetrically about a virtual line passing through a first point defined where the first lower director meets with the second lower director and a second point defined where the first upper director meets with the second upper director, and the second storage electrode extends substantially parallel to the first lower director and the second lower director.

2. The LCD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second storage electrode comprises: a first surface arranged substantially parallel to the first lower director;a second surface arranged substantially parallel to the second lower director;a third surface arranged substantially parallel to the first upper director;a fourth surface arranged substantially parallel to the second upper director;a fifth surface coupled between the first surface and the third surface; anda sixth surface coupled between the second surface and the fourth surface.

3. The LCD apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first surface is arranged substantially parallel to the third surface and substantially orthogonal to the fifth surface, and the second surface is arranged substantially parallel to the fourth surface and substantially orthogonal to the sixth surface.

4. The LCD apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first lower director is arranged between the first upper director and the first surface, and is substantially adjacent to the first surface, and the second lower director is arranged between the second upper director and the second surface, and is substantially adjacent to the second surface.

5. The LCD apparatus of claim 2, wherein the third surface is arranged between the first upper director and the first lower director, and is substantially adjacent to the first upper director, and the fifth surface is arranged between the second upper director and the second lower director, and is substantially adjacent to the second upper director.

6. The LCD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first storage electrode and the second storage electrodes have a substantially similar size and substantially similar shape.

7. The LCD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second storage electrode is arranged on the first storage electrode, and completely covers the first storage electrode.

8. The LCD apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a third lower director arranged where the first lower director meets with the second lower director, the third lower director extending substantially parallel to the virtual line at an obtuse angle relative to the first lower director and the second lower director.

9. The LCD apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a third upper director arranged where the first upper director meets with the second upper director, the third upper director extending substantially parallel to the virtual line at an obtuse angle relative to the first upper director and the second upper director.

10. The LCD apparatus of claim 9, wherein the storage capacitor overlaps with the third upper director.

11. The LCD apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a gate line and a data line arranged on the lower substrate to cross with each other;a gate electrode coupled with the gate line;a source electrode coupled with the data line; anda drain electrode coupled with the second storage electrode.

12. The LCD apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: an insulating layer arranged between the storage capacitor and the pixel electrode.

13. The LCD apparatus of claim 12, wherein the insulating layer includes a contact hole through which the pixel electrode is electrically coupled with the second storage electrode.

14. The LCD apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: a spacer arranged between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, and overlaps with one of the gate line, the gate electrode, and the data line.

15. The LCD apparatus of claim 11, wherein the pixel electrode is arranged substantially parallel to the gate line and the data line.

16. The LCD apparatus of claim 11, wherein the pixel electrode is arranged substantially parallel to the gate line and the lower director.

17. The LCD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper director comprises a first cutting portion in the common electrode and the lower director comprises a second cutting portion in the pixel electrode.

18. The LCD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper director comprises a protrusion arranged on the common electrode, and the lower director comprises a cutting portion in the pixel area.

19. A liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus, comprising: an upper substrate and a lower substrate opposing each other;a data line crossing with a gate line to define a pixel area;a liquid crystal layer arranged between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, the liquid crystal layer including a plurality of liquid crystals;a storage capacitor arranged on the lower substrate and comprising a first storage electrode and a second storage electrode;a pixel electrode arranged in the pixel area and including a lower director; anda common electrode arranged on the upper substrate and including an upper director,wherein the pixel electrode includes an angled surface corresponding to an edge surface of the storage capacitor, and liquid crystals are aligned substantially perpendicular to the angled region.

20. The LCD apparatus of claim 19, wherein liquid crystals positioned substantially adjacent to the upper director or to the lower director are tilted at an angle with respect to a vertical direction between the common electrode and the pixel electrode when an electric field is applied between the common electrode and the pixel electrode.