JP2002049332A - Electrooptical device and electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid crystal element, a display device and electronic equipment which use a two-terminal type nonlinear elements which are excellent in display characteristics and are small in power consumption. SOLUTION: In the intersecting part between a counter electrode on a counter substrate and a data line on an element substrate, the distance between both electrodes is increased by denting the substrate of the part. Therefore, the intersecting capacity component can be reduced and the power consumption of the liquid crystal element can be reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an electro-optical device such as a liquid crystal device having a two-terminal type nonlinear element and an electronic apparatus using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, liquid crystal display devices have been widely used in electronic devices such as televisions, personal computers, and mobile phones because of their improved display quality, thinness, light weight, and low power consumption. . Among liquid crystal display devices, in a field where high display quality is required, there is a great demand for an active matrix drive type liquid crystal display device using switching elements. As a switching element of a liquid crystal element using active matrix driving, a thin film transistor using amorphous or polycrystalline silicon is most widely used. On the other hand, metal-insulating film-
A liquid crystal element using a two-terminal non-linear element such as a metal element (hereinafter abbreviated as MIM or MIM element), a diode, and a varistor as a switching element has a relatively simple structure, and therefore has an advantage in cost. Widely applied to small and medium-sized display devices.

A liquid crystal element using the above-mentioned two-terminal type nonlinear element has a structure in which a liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between a pair of substrates arranged opposite to each other, as shown in JP-A-5-40280.
Hereinafter, a substrate having a two-terminal nonlinear element is referred to as an element substrate, and a substrate disposed to face the element substrate is referred to as an opposing substrate. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a part of the liquid crystal element. A data line 101 as a first wiring and a pixel electrode 103 are connected by a two-terminal nonlinear element 102 on the element substrate 10. Image data is applied to the data lines. Here, the two-terminal nonlinear element 102 is an MIM element, for example, a form in which a metal piece 102a (for example, chromium) is formed on a protrusion from the data line 101 made of tantalum via a thin insulating layer (not shown). It has become.

The opposing substrate 11 is a data line 101 of the element substrate.
A scanning line 104 as a second wiring is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the above. A selection potential is sequentially applied to the scanning lines.
The portion where the scanning line 104 overlaps the pixel electrode 103 in a plane functions as a counter electrode.

[0005] A liquid crystal layer (not shown) having a thickness of several μm is interposed between the element substrate 10 and the counter substrate 11.

In the above description, 104 is the scanning line, 1
Although it has been described that 01 is a data line, a signal may be applied such that 101 serves as a scanning line and 104 serves as a data line. In the following description of the related art and the embodiment of the present invention, 101 indicates a data line,
The case where 04 is a scanning line will be described as an example, but the reverse case is essentially the same.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the liquid crystal device of FIG.
In the conventional liquid crystal display device, the width of the scanning line 105 is constant because the counter electrode 104 is formed in a stripe shape.
The length was almost the same as 6. Therefore, the data line 102
A relatively large parasitic capacitance is formed at the intersection (cross-hatched portion in the figure) 107 between the electrodes and the scanning lines 104.

Since a predetermined voltage waveform is applied between the data line 102 and the scanning line 104 when driving the liquid crystal element, the parasitic capacitance is charged and discharged, and the power consumption is increased. .

This problem is already known, and there is, for example, JP-A-11-38427 in order to solve this problem. According to this, at the portion where the data line 102 and the scanning line 104 intersect, the width of at least one of the two wires is reduced, thereby reducing the area of the portion where the two wires intersect, thereby reducing the capacitance formed. The size is reduced and the power consumption is reduced.

[0010]

However, in this method, the average resistance of the electrodes is increased in order to narrow the wiring, and display unevenness or the like occurs unless the electrode material is reduced in resistance.
The image quality is reduced. In other words, it is necessary to form a wiring with a low-resistance material, which increases the cost. When the material is opaque, the aperture ratio is reduced.

[0011]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is directed to an electro-optic material sandwiched between a pair of substrates, wherein a plurality of electro-optic materials are provided on one of the one substrates. A first wiring, a plurality of second wirings provided on the other substrate so as to intersect with the first wiring, a two-terminal nonlinear element connected to the first wiring, A pixel electrode connected to a non-linear element, wherein a data signal is applied to one of the first wiring and the second wiring;
In the electro-optical device in which a scanning signal is applied to the other of the first wiring and the second wiring, at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate has at least the first and second wirings. It is characterized in that it has a shape that is recessed in a direction opposite to the facing direction at a position overlapping in a plane.

Further, in the electro-optical device according to the present invention, an electro-optical material is sandwiched between a pair of substrates, and a plurality of first wirings provided on one of the one substrates and the other are provided. A plurality of second wirings provided on the substrate so as to intersect the first wirings; a two-terminal nonlinear element connected to the first wiring; and a pixel connected to the two-terminal nonlinear element And a data signal is applied to one of the first wiring and the second wiring, and the first wiring and the second wiring
In the electro-optical device in which the scanning signal is applied to the other of the wirings, the distance between the first wiring and the second wiring is larger than the distance between the pixel electrode and the second wiring. Are also arranged to be longer.

According to the present invention, the gap between the two electrodes at the intersection of the data line and the counter electrode is widened and the capacitance is reduced, so that the power consumption for driving the electro-optical device is reduced. it can.

In the above invention, a recess may be provided on the first substrate at least at a position overlapping the second wiring in a plane, and the first wiring may be provided on the recess.

[0015] Further, the second substrate may be provided with a concave portion at least at a position overlapping with the first wiring in a plane.

Further, the electronic apparatus of the present invention includes the above-mentioned electro-optical device, a display information processing circuit for controlling the electro-optical device, and a power supply circuit for supplying power to the electro-optical device and the display information processing circuit. It is characterized by including.

In such an electronic device, power consumption can be reduced.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a part of a liquid crystal element using a two-terminal nonlinear element obtained by the present invention.

In the figure, a groove-shaped recess is provided in a portion of the element substrate 100 where the data lines 101 are arranged. The data line 101 is formed thereon. FIG. 3 shows another configuration.
Are exactly the same as in the conventional configuration shown in FIG.

Further, except that a groove-shaped recess is formed in the element substrate 100, the steps of manufacturing a liquid crystal element are exactly the same as those in the prior art and can be easily realized, so that the description is omitted.

Here, it is possible to form a recess in the element substrate 100 by a chemical method such as patterning and etching, but it is also possible to use another physical method. An appropriate material may be deposited on a portion other than the portion where the data line 101 is arranged, and the portion where the data line 101 is arranged may be relatively recessed.

With the above configuration, the data line 1
01 and the scanning line 106 are longer than the distance between the scanning line 106 and the pixel electrode 103. Therefore, the distance between the data line 101 and the scanning line 106 is larger than when the groove is not provided on the element substrate 100. Therefore, the value of the capacitance formed when the data line 101 and the scanning line 106 intersect can be reduced, and power consumption is reduced. At this time, since the widths of the data lines 101 and the scanning lines 104 are not narrowed similarly to the liquid crystal element of the related art, their electrode resistances do not increase, and it is not necessary to lower these electrodes.

Here, it is sufficient that the distance between the two electrodes can be increased at the portion where the data line 101 and the scanning line 104 intersect, and it is not limited to the shape of the present embodiment. Alternatively, at least one of the opposing substrates 11 may be provided with a recess at a portion where the data line 101 and the scanning line 104 intersect, and each electrode may be formed thereon. Therefore, instead of providing a concave portion on the element substrate side, a concave portion may be provided in a portion which planarly overlaps with the data line on the counter substrate side. Further, it is not always necessary to form the recess in a groove shape as in this embodiment. The deeper the recess, the lower the power consumption. However, the depth can be appropriately set in consideration of design and manufacturing requirements.

In this embodiment, in order to further reduce power consumption, in addition to this embodiment, the data line 101 and the scanning line 106 are used.
It is not limited that the width of these electrodes is made narrower and that the resistance of these electrodes is reduced at the intersections of.

[Second Embodiment] In this embodiment, the first
This is an example relating to a liquid crystal display device including the liquid crystal element described in the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 shows a configuration example thereof. 2 includes a display information output source 201, a display information processing circuit 202, a drive circuit 203, a liquid crystal panel 204, a clock generation circuit 205, and a power supply circuit 206. A display information output source 201 includes a memory circuit and a tuning circuit, outputs display information based on a clock signal from a clock generation circuit 205, and outputs
04 is controlled. The display information processing circuit 202 can include, for example, an amplification circuit, a gamma correction circuit, a gradation generation circuit, a clamp circuit, and the like. The driving circuit 203 includes a scanning signal driving circuit and a data signal driving circuit.
04 is driven. Power supplied to each circuit or panel is provided by a power supply circuit 206.

Examples of the electronic device having such a configuration include a portable terminal, a personal computer, a television, a liquid crystal projector, and a device having a touch panel.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the drawings based on several embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and may be embodied in various forms. It is possible. In particular, the concave shape of the element substrate or the counter substrate at the intersection between the electrodes can be appropriately changed in design. Further, the present invention has been described by taking as an example the application to a liquid crystal element, but it is also possible to apply the invention to other electro-optical devices, for example, electroluminescence, plasma displays and the like.

The liquid crystal display device and the electronic device according to the present invention are not limited to those described in the second embodiment, but include various electronic devices including at least the electro-optical device according to the present invention.

[0030]

According to the electro-optical device to which the present invention is applied, the capacitance at the intersection of the data line and the counter electrode can be reduced, and the power consumption for driving can be reduced.

Further, electronic equipment using the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention can reduce power consumption.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a part of a liquid crystal element according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a liquid crystal display device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a part of an element substrate of a conventional liquid crystal element.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a conventional liquid crystal element.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101: Data line 102: 2-terminal nonlinear element 102a: Metal piece forming a 2-terminal nonlinear element 103: Pixel electrode 104: Scan line 105: Scan line width 106: Pixel electrode width 107: Intersection between electrodes

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2H090 JA03 JC03 LA04 2H092 JA03 JB12 KA16 KA18 NA25 NA26 PA01 5C094 AA13 AA22 AA48 AA53 BA04 BA43 CA19 DA12 DA13 DB01 DB04 EA04 EA10 EB02 FA01 FA02 FB12 FB15

Claims (5)

[Claims] An electro-optic material is sandwiched between a pair of substrates. A plurality of first wirings are provided on one of the pair of substrates and the first wiring is provided on the other substrate. A plurality of second wirings intersecting with the first wiring, a two-terminal nonlinear element connected to the first wiring, and a pixel electrode connected to the two-terminal nonlinear element. In an electro-optical device in which a data signal is applied to one of a first wiring and a second wiring and a scanning signal is applied to the other of the first wiring and the second wiring, the first substrate or the first An electro-optical device, wherein at least one of the two substrates has a concave shape in a direction opposite to a facing direction at a position where at least the first and second wirings overlap in a plane. . 2. An electro-optic material sandwiched between a pair of substrates, wherein a plurality of first wirings are provided on one of the one substrates, and the first wirings are provided on the other substrate. A plurality of second wirings intersecting with the first wiring, a two-terminal nonlinear element connected to the first wiring, and a pixel electrode connected to the two-terminal nonlinear element. A data signal is applied to one of the first wiring and the second wiring;
In an electro-optical device in which a scanning signal is applied to the other of the first wiring and the second wiring, a distance between the first wiring and the second wiring is equal to a distance between the pixel electrode and the second wiring. An electro-optical device, wherein the electro-optical device is arranged to be longer than a distance from a second wiring. 3. A concave portion is provided in the first substrate at least at a position overlapping with the second wiring in a plane, and the first substrate has a concave portion.
2. The wiring according to claim 1, wherein the wiring is provided on the recess.
Or the electro-optical device according to 2. 4. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein a concave portion is provided in the second substrate at least at a position overlapping with the first wiring in a plane. 5. An electro-optical device according to claim 1, a display information processing circuit for controlling said electro-optical device, and a power supply circuit for supplying power to said electro-optical device and said display information processing circuit. An electronic device comprising: