BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A is a sectional view showing the structure of a transflective LCD device according to a first embodiment of the present invention and FIGS. 1B and 1C are modification from the structure of FIG. 1A;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing the structure of the LCD device according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 3A and 3B are waveform diagrams each showing potential change of the pixel electrodes 35 and 36 after the pixel data signal has been supplied to the pixel electrodes 35 and 36;
FIG. 4A is a waveform diagram showing a drive signal for the reflective area 21 in a specific stage, and FIG. 4B is a waveform diagram showing a drive signal for the transmissive area 22 in the same specific stage;
FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic sectional views showing light polarization states in the reflective and transmissive areas when the signals shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B are applied;
FIG. 6A is a waveform diagram showing a drive signal for the reflective area 21 in a stage different from FIG. 4, and FIG. 6B is a waveform diagram showing a drive signal for the transmissive area 22 in the same phase as FIG. 6A;
FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic sectional views showing light polarization states in the reflective and transmissive areas when the signals shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B are applied;
FIGS. 8A and 8B are diagrams each obtained by simulation and showing electric field distribution and light transmittance in a dark state;
FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing the structure of the reflection film 16 right under the pixel electrodes 35 and 36 and common electrode 37;
FIGS. 10A to 10D show a fabrication step of process for manufacturing the TFT substrate, wherein FIG. 10A depicts a top plan view thereof, and FIGS. 10B to 10D depict sectional views taken along respective lines shown in FIG. 10A;
FIGS. 11A and 11B show a fabrication step subsequent to the step of FIGS. 10A to 10D, wherein FIG. 10A depicts a top plan view thereof, and FIG. 11B depicts a sectional view taken along line D-D′ in FIG. 11B.
FIGS. 12A to 12D show a fabrication step subsequent to the step of FIGS. 11A and 11B, wherein FIG. 12A is a top plan view thereof, and FIGS. 10B to 10D depict sectional views taken along respective lines shown in FIG. 12A;
FIGS. 13A to 13D show a fabrication step subsequent to the step of FIGS. 12A to 12D, wherein FIG. 13A is a top plan view thereof, and FIGS. 13B to 13D depict sectional views taken along respective lines shown in FIG. 13A;
FIGS. 14A to 14D show a fabrication step subsequent to the step of FIGS. 13A to 13D, wherein FIG. 14A is a top plan view thereof, and FIGS. 14B to 14D depict sectional views taken along respective lines shown in FIG. 14A;
FIGS. 15A to 15D show a fabrication step subsequent to the step of FIGS. 14A to 14D, wherein FIG. 15A is a top plan view thereof, and FIGS. 15B to 15D depict sectional views taken along respective lines shown in FIG. 15A;
FIGS. 16A and 16B show a fabrication step subsequent to the step of FIGS. 15A to 15D, wherein FIG. 16A is a top plan view thereof, and FIG. 16B depicts a sectional view taken along line E-E′ shown in FIG. 16A;
FIGS. 17A to 17D show a fabrication step subsequent to the step of FIGS. 16A and 16B, wherein FIG. 17A is a top plan view thereof, and FIGS. 17B to 17D depict sectional views taken along respective lines shown in FIG. 17A;
FIG. 18 is a schematic sectional view showing the structure of a transflective LCD device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 19 is a table showing a suitable combination of the optical transmission axis of the polarizing films, direction of the longitudinal axis of LC molecules in the LC layer, direction of the optical axis of the λ/2 films with respect to the surface of the substrate;
FIG. 20 is a schematic view showing the polarized state of the light in the LCD device of the second embodiment;
FIG. 21 is a sectional view showing the reflection film 16 right under the pixel electrode 34 and common electrode 35;
FIG. 22A is a schematic sectional view showing a conventional transflective LCD device, and FIG. 22B is a schematic view showing the polarized state of light in the reflective and transmissive areas of the LCD device of FIG. 22A when the light is passed through the first polarizing film, LC layer, and second polarizing film; and
FIG. 23 is a sectional view showing the structure and polarized state of the light in the conventional transflective LCD device described in a patent publication.
Patent Application
20070211198
