The present application is the U.S. national phase entry of PCT/CN2017/114929 filed on Dec. 7, 2017, which claims the priority of the Chinese patent application No. 201710229279.4 filed on Apr. 10, 2017, the entire disclosures of both are incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to the field of display technologies, and specifically discloses a liquid crystal display panel, a driving method therefor, and a display device.
Typically, in a liquid crystal display panel, two layers of polarizers are required on respective sides of the liquid crystal so as to achieve display of full black, constant bright and different gray scales. However, such an arrangement of double-layered polarizers may often result in greater loss of optical energy.
The present disclosure provides a liquid crystal display panel, a driving method therefor and a corresponding display device, so as to solve or at least alleviate one or more of the technical problems or defects as mentioned above.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a liquid crystal display panel is provided. The liquid crystal display panel comprises: a first substrate and a second substrate arranged oppositely, as well as a plurality of liquid crystal diffraction units arranged in a same layer between the first substrate and the second substrate. Each liquid crystal diffraction unit comprises: a first electrode, a second electrode comprising at least one strip sub-electrode, and liquid crystal sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode. Furthermore, each liquid crystal diffraction unit is configured to change a deflection direction of light passing through each liquid crystal diffraction unit when voltages are applied to the first electrode and the strip sub-electrodes.
Optionally, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in each liquid crystal diffraction unit of the liquid crystal display panel, the strip sub-electrode comprises a group of first strip sub-electrodes and multiple groups of second strip sub-electrodes arranged symmetrically on respective sides of the group of first strip sub-electrodes. Specifically, the group of first strip sub-electrodes comprises one or more first strip sub-electrodes, and each group of second strip sub-electrodes comprises one or more second strip sub-electrodes. Besides, when voltages are applied, each group of second strip sub-electrodes constitutes an odd zone or an even zone of a sub-zone plate. Further optionally, in a specific embodiment, the first strip sub-electrodes and the second strip sub-electrodes all have a same width.
Optionally, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, for each liquid crystal diffraction unit in the liquid crystal display panel, the follow equation satisfies: Aj=√{square root over (jZ1λ)}, wherein Z1 is a distance between a plane of the second electrode and a focusing position of light after passing through the liquid crystal diffraction unit; Aj is a distance between a central position of the liquid crystal diffraction unit and a distal-most end of the jth group of second strip sub-electrodes from the central position, wherein j is a positive integer; and X is a wavelength of light incident on the liquid crystal diffraction unit.
Optionally, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in the liquid crystal display panel as mentioned above, the first substrate comprises a color filter substrate, and the second substrate comprises an array substrate. Furthermore, the second electrode is arranged on a side of the array substrate close to the color filter substrate, and the first electrode is arranged on a side of the color filter substrate close to the array substrate.
Optionally, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the liquid crystal display panel as mentioned above further comprises: a black matrix, wherein the black matrix is arranged on a side of the color filter substrate away from the array substrate; and a lower polarizer, wherein the lower polarizer is arranged on a side of the array substrate away from the color filter substrate.
Optionally, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in the liquid crystal display panel as mentioned above, an orthogonal projection of the group of first strip sub-electrodes on the color filter substrate at least partially overlaps the black matrix.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a driving method for the liquid crystal display panel is further provided. Specifically, the driving method comprises: controlling the plurality of liquid crystal diffraction units by changing voltages applied to the second electrode and the first electrode, thereby achieving display of different gray scales.
Optionally, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the liquid crystal display panel further comprises a black matrix, wherein the black matrix is arranged on a side of the first substrate away from the second substrate. In this case, light passing through the plurality of liquid crystal diffraction units is blocked by the black matrix such that the liquid crystal display panel is in a full black state.
Optionally, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the liquid crystal display panel also further comprises a black matrix, wherein the black matrix is arranged on a side of the first substrate away from the second substrate. In this case, light passing through the plurality of liquid crystal diffraction units are transmitted between adjacent black matrices such that the liquid crystal display panel is in a full bright state. Specifically, the full bright state is achieved by applying a zero voltage to the second electrode and the first electrode. Alternatively, the full bright state is achieved by varying the voltages applied to the second electrode and the first electrode such that light is focused in a position closer to the second electrode as compared to the black matrix after passing through each liquid crystal diffraction unit.
According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a display device is further provided. The display device comprises the liquid crystal display panel as described in any of the above embodiments, and a backlight source. Specifically, the backlight source is a collimated backlight source.
In order to help those skilled in the art to better understand technical solutions of the present disclosure, the present disclosure will be further described in detail with reference to the drawings and the specific embodiments.
It should be pointed out that in the drawings, various components are indicated by reference signs as follows: 10-first substrate; 11-color filter substrate; 12-first electrode; 13-upper polarizer; 20-second substrate; 21-array substrate; 22-second electrode; 220-first or second strip sub-electrode; 221-group of first strip sub-electrodes; 222-group of second strip sub-electrodes; 23-lower polarizer; 3-liquid crystal; 4-liquid crystal diffraction unit; and 5-black matrix.
Referring to
In contrast, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a liquid crystal display panel is provided, comprising a plurality of liquid crystal diffraction units. As shown in
In the liquid crystal display panel as provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure, by applying voltages to the second electrode 22 and the first electrode 12, the liquid crystal 3 sandwiched between the second electrode 22 and the first electrode 12 forms a diffraction zone plate. Furthermore, a value of the voltage is changed so as to control a focal distance of the diffraction zone plate (equivalent to an equivalent lens), thereby controlling a deflection direction of light. In this way, when the liquid crystal diffraction zone plate is applied into a display panel, display of different gray scales can be achieved. By means of the liquid crystal diffraction zone plate as provided in the present embodiment, a simpler manufacture process and a higher turnout can be guaranteed for a liquid crystal display panel comprising it and furthermore a display device comprising it. Meanwhile, with the liquid crystal diffraction zone plate, the upper polarizer can be omitted in the final product of display panel. Thereby, most light emitted from the backlight source will be transmitted, which improves the utilization of backlight.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a liquid crystal display panel is provided, comprising: a first substrate 10 and a second substrate 20 arranged oppositely, as well as a plurality of liquid crystal diffraction units 4 arranged in a same layer between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20. Furthermore, the plurality of liquid crystal diffraction units 4 are configured to control a deflection direction of light passing through the liquid crystal diffraction units 4. Each liquid crystal diffraction unit 4 comprises a first electrode 12, a second electrode 22 comprising a plurality of strip sub-electrodes, as well as liquid crystal 3 sandwiched between the two electrodes 12 and 22. Furthermore, each liquid crystal diffraction unit 4 is further configured to form a sub-zone plate when voltages are applied to the first electrode 12 and the second electrode 22. As shown in
Referring to
It should be pointed out that although the strip sub-electrodes 220 are shown in
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the liquid crystal display panel controls the deflection direction of light passing through the liquid crystal diffraction unit 4 via a liquid crystal diffraction zone plate, thereby achieving display of different gray scales. Therefore, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the upper polarizer can be omitted in the liquid crystal display panel such that most backlight can be transmitted, which improves the utilization of light.
As an optional implementation, in the liquid crystal display panel, the first substrate 10 is a color filter substrate, and the second substrate 20 is an array substrate. Furthermore, the second electrode 22 is arranged on a side of the array substrate close to the color filter substrate, and the first electrode 12 is arranged on a side of the color filter substrate close to the array substrate.
In other words, referring to
Optionally, in the liquid crystal display panel as described above, a black matrix is further provided on a side of the color filter substrate away from the array substrate, and a lower polarizer 23 is further provided on a side of the array substrate away from the color filter substrate.
Optionally, light passing through the liquid crystal diffraction zone plate 4 is focused below the black matrix 5, i.e., closer to a plane of the second electrode 22 as compared to the black matrix 5.
Specifically,
Similarly, a full black display mode of the liquid crystal display panel can be achieved using the following parameters. Specifically, it is assumed that the black matrix 5 is arranged to be 110 μm away from the plane of the second electrode 22. In this case, if light passing through the liquid crystal diffraction zone plate is focused precisely at the black matrix 5, obviously, light will be blocked by the black matrix 5 and thereby a full black display can be achieved. From this perspective of view, when λ=550 nm, Z1=110 μm, and j=1, 2, 3, values of Aj are respectively 7.78 μm, 11 μm and 13.47 μm. This means that distances between the central position and the right end of each group of second strip sub-electrodes 22 are sequentially 7.78 μm, 11 μm and 13.47 μm. In this case, by adjusting the voltages applied to the corresponding second sub-electrode, specifically, to be 0-8V, such that light passing through the diffraction zone plate can be focused exactly at the black matrix 5 of the first substrate 10 and is hence blocked by the black matrix 5 of the first substrate 10. In this way, as shown in
It should be noted that according to teachings of the present disclosure and the common knowledge in the art, those skilled in the art should easily understand that by controlling the voltages applied to the first electrode and the second electrode, transmission through the liquid crystal sandwiched therebetween can be varied, and specifically light incident thereon can be reflected back completely. In this way, opaque odd-zones or even-zones as required for the diffraction zone plate can be obtained by control over voltages applied to different second sub-electrodes.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a driving method for the liquid crystal display panel is further provided. Specifically, the method comprises: controlling the liquid crystal diffraction zone plate by changing voltages applied to the second electrode 22 and the first electrode 12, thereby achieving display of different gray scales.
Optionally, in a specific embodiment, the black matrix 5 will block light passing through the liquid crystal diffraction zone plate such that the liquid crystal display panel is in a full black state.
In other words, as an example, the voltage on the second electrode can be adjusted to be 0-8V for instance such that light is focused exactly at the black matrix 5 of the first substrate 10 after passing through the diffraction zone plate. Thereby, light will be blocked by the black matrix 5 of the first substrate 10, and thereby a full black display is achieved as shown in
Optionally, in another embodiment, light passing through the liquid crystal diffraction zone plate are transmitted between adjacent black matrices 5, and thus the liquid crystal display panel is in a full bright state, specifically as shown in
In other words, as an example, a voltage of 0-10V can be applied to a corresponding second electrode 22 to deflect the liquid crystal 3. In this case, collimated backlight is incident from the lower polarizer, and is capable of passing through the liquid crystal 3. This means that light passing through the liquid crystal diffraction zone plate has a greater divergence angle, and thus diffraction occurs. Specifically, light is transmitted between the black matrices 5 of the first substrate 10 after being focused, thereby achieving the brightest state of display (L255).
Obviously, the above embodiments can be varied in many different ways. For example, different technical parameters for the liquid crystal diffraction zone plate of the display panel can be selected upon needs. Moreover, the size or dimension for the diffraction slits of different liquid crystal diffraction zone plates (i.e., the number of corresponding second sub-electrodes) can be selected upon actual situations.
According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a display device is further provided, comprising the above liquid crystal display panel and a backlight source, wherein the backlight source is a collimated backlight source.
As an example, the backlight source can further be a laser.
According to still another aspect of the present disclosure, a display device is further provided, comprising any liquid crystal display panel as mentioned above. As an example, the display device can be any product or component having a display function, such as but not limited to a liquid crystal display panel, electronic paper, a cellphone, a tablet computer, a television, a display, a notebook computer, a digital photo frame, a navigator and the like.
It can be understood that the above embodiments are only exemplary embodiments adopted for illustrating the principle of the present disclosure, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For a person having ordinary skills in the art, various variations and improvements can be made without deviating from the spirit and essence of the present disclosure, and these variations and improvements are also considered to fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201710229279.4 | Apr 2017 | CN | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/CN2017/114929 | 12/7/2017 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2018/188361 | 10/18/2018 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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