JP2003302518A - Substrate for electrooptic panel and manufacturing method therefor, the electrooptic panel, and electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify a manufacturing process and to lower the cost of a multi- gap type liquid crystal panel by omitting a process of removing an overcoat layer only in a transmission display area. <P>SOLUTION: On a light-transmissive substrate 101, a color filter layer 120R for reflection display is provided so that its external surface is higher than the external surface of a color filter layer 120T for transmission display by a specified value (α). On those color filter layers, the overcoat layer 127 which is uniform in layer thickness is provided, so the external surface of the overcoat layer in the reflection display area is higher than the external surface of the overcoat layer in the transmission display area by the specified value (α). When the liquid crystal panel is constituted by using this substrate for the liquid crystal panel, the liquid crystal panel has a multi-gap structure such that the thickness of the liquid crystal layer is larger in the transmission display area than in the reflection display area by the specified value (α). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transflective liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a multi-gap in which the thickness of a liquid crystal layer is adjusted to an appropriate value between a transmissive display region and a reflective display region within one pixel. Type liquid crystal device.

[0002]

BACKGROUND ART Among various liquid crystal devices, one capable of displaying an image in both a transmissive mode and a reflective mode is called a semi-transmissive reflective liquid crystal device, and is widely used in mobile phones, portable information terminals and the like. .

This transflective liquid crystal device has a first surface
TN (Twisted Nematic) by the transparent first substrate on which the transparent electrode is formed and the transparent second substrate on which the second transparent electrode is formed on the surface side facing the first electrode.
The liquid crystal layer of the mode is sandwiched. The first substrate has a first
Of the transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode are opposed to each other, a light reflection layer forming a reflection display area is formed in the pixel area, and an area corresponding to an opening provided in the light reflection layer is a transmission display area. There is. A polarizing plate is arranged outside each of the first substrate and the second substrate. Further, a backlight device is arranged outside the polarizing plate on the side of the first substrate on which the light reflection layer is formed.

In the liquid crystal device having such a structure, of the light emitted from the backlight device, the light incident on the transmissive display region is incident on the liquid crystal layer from the second substrate side and is optically modulated by the liquid crystal layer. After that, the image is displayed by being emitted as transmission display light from the second substrate side (transmission mode).

Of the external light incident from the second substrate side, the light incident on the reflective display area passes through the liquid crystal layer to reach the reflective layer, is reflected by the reflective layer, passes through the liquid crystal layer again, and reaches the reflective layer. Two
An image is displayed by being emitted as reflected display light from the substrate side of (reflecting mode).

Here, since the reflective display color filter and the transmissive display color filter are formed in each of the reflective display area and the transmissive display area on the first substrate, in either the transmissive mode or the reflective mode. Can also be displayed in color.

As described above, when light modulation is performed by the liquid crystal layer, when the twist angle of the liquid crystal is set to be small, the change in polarization state is the product of the refractive index difference Δn and the layer thickness d of the liquid crystal layer (retardation Δn. Since it is a function of d), if this value is optimized, display with good visibility can be performed.
However, in the transflective liquid crystal device, the transmissive display light passes through the liquid crystal layer only once and is emitted, whereas the reflective display light passes through the liquid crystal layer twice. It is difficult to optimize the retardation Δn · d at the same time for both the reflection display light and the reflection display light.
Therefore, when the layer thickness d of the liquid crystal layer is set so that the display in the reflective mode has good visibility, the display in the transmissive mode is sacrificed. On the contrary, if the layer thickness d of the liquid crystal layer is set so that the display in the transmissive mode has good visibility, the display in the reflective mode is sacrificed.

Therefore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-242226 discloses a transflective liquid crystal device having a structure in which the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective display region is smaller than that of the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display region. There is. Such a liquid crystal device is called a multi-gap type.

This multi-gap structure can be realized by forming an overcoat layer for adjusting the layer thickness on the reflective display region, more specifically, on the reflective display color filter. At this time, no overcoat layer is formed on the transmissive display color filter. By doing so, the layer thickness d of the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display region is increased by the thickness of the overcoat layer in the transmissive display region, so that the retardation Δn for both the transmissive display light and the reflective display light is increased. -D can be optimized, and an image display with good visibility can be performed in both the transmission mode and the reflection mode.

[0010]

In the above-mentioned multi-gap type liquid crystal device, in order to make the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display region and the reflective display region different,
In the transmissive display area, no overcoat layer is formed on the transmissive display color filter, while in the reflective display area, an overcoat layer having a predetermined thickness (for example, d) is formed on the reflective display color filter. To do.
As a result, the transmissive display region and the reflective display region have different liquid layer thicknesses by d.

However, in order to form an overcoat layer having a layer thickness of about d only in the reflective display area as described above, a constant layer thickness is first applied not only to the reflective display area but also to the entire transmissive display area. After forming the overcoat layer by (1), it is necessary to pattern (remove) the overcoat layer only in the transmissive display region by the photolithography technique.

The present invention is for a multi-gap type liquid crystal panel capable of simplifying the manufacturing process and suppressing the cost by omitting the step of removing the overcoat layer only in the transmissive display region as described above. An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate, a manufacturing method thereof, a liquid crystal panel, and an electronic device.

[0013]

In one aspect of the present invention, an electro-optical panel substrate includes a substrate, a first color filter layer disposed on the substrate in a transmissive display region, and a reflective color display layer in the reflective display region. Second placed on the substrate
A color filter layer and an overcoat layer that covers both the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer are provided, and the height of the outer surface of the second color filter layer from the substrate is the first The height of the outer surface of the color filter layer from the substrate is higher by a predetermined value α.

According to another aspect of the invention, the electro-optical panel substrate is arranged so that the substrate, the first display electrode arranged on the substrate, and the first display electrode are opposed to each other. Second display electrodes arranged, a plurality of dots formed in a planar overlapping area of the first display electrode and the second display electrode, and arranged in each transmissive display area of the dot area First color filter layer, a second color filter layer disposed in each reflective display area of the dot area, and an overcoat layer that covers both the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer. The height of the outer surface of the second color filter layer from the substrate is higher than the height of the outer surface of the first color filter layer from the substrate by a predetermined value α.

In the above electro-optical panel substrate, a first color filter layer and a second color filter layer are arranged on a transparent substrate such as glass or plastic. Here, the second color filter layer is provided such that the height of the outer surface of the second color filter layer from the substrate is higher than the height of the outer surface of the first color filter layer from the substrate by a predetermined value. That is, the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer have a structure having a predetermined step difference between them. Then, an overcoat layer is provided on the color filter layers. As a result, the outer surface of the overcoat layer in the area of the second color filter layer is higher than the outer surface of the overcoat layer in the area of the first color filter layer by a predetermined value. Therefore, when an electro-optical panel is constructed using this electro-optical panel substrate, the layer thickness of the electro-optical material layer in the area of the second color filter layer is the same as the electro-optical material layer in the area of the first color filter layer. The multi-gap structure is thicker than the layer thickness by a predetermined value.

That is, in the multi-gap structure, the outer surface of the second color filter layer is preliminarily formed to have a predetermined value which is a preferable difference in the layer thickness of the electro-optical material layer in the region of the first color filter layer and the region of the second color filter layer. If each color filter layer is provided so as to be higher than the outer surface of one color filter layer, a desired multi-gap structure can be obtained only by providing an overcoat layer after that. Therefore, the step of patterning the overcoat layer by photolithography becomes unnecessary, and the manufacturing process can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be suppressed.

In the above electro-optical panel substrate, the layer thickness of the overcoat layer is preferably substantially uniform in the region covering the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer. . As a result, it is possible to accurately provide a preferable difference in layer thickness between the color filter layers.

In the above electro-optical panel substrate,
A recess is formed by the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer corresponding to the position of the transmissive display region, and the overcoat layer is provided along the outer shape of the recess. It is preferable that recesses are formed in the overcoat layer corresponding to the positions.

In the above electro-optical panel substrate,
The height of the outer surface of the overcoat layer in the reflective display area from the substrate is substantially higher than the height of the outer surface of the overcoat layer in the transmissive display area from the substrate by the predetermined value α. The predetermined value α is 1
Preferably, the first color filter layer has an optical density higher than that of the second color filter layer.

In one mode of the above-mentioned electro-optical panel substrate, light is passed once through each of the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer by using a C light source, and the spectral transmittance of each of the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer is passed. When a curve is drawn, it is preferable that the first color filter layer has a smaller integral value of the spectral transmittance curve in the visible light range of 380 nm to 780 nm than the second color filter layer. Further, the first color filter layer preferably has an optical density 1.4 times to 2.6 times that of the second color filter layer, and 1.7 times to 2.3 times that of the second color filter layer. It is even more preferable to have a double optical density. This allows
It is possible to realize a semi-transmissive reflective display having no difference in display image quality during transmissive display and reflective display.

In another aspect of the electro-optical panel substrate, at least three dots are provided.
The first color filter layer and the second color filter layer are formed using a C light source.
When light is passed through each of the color filter layers once, the chromaticity coordinates of the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer are calculated, and when plotted on an xy chromaticity diagram,
The area of the triangle having the chromaticity coordinates of the second color filter layer as the apex is 1.1 times or more and 6.0 times or less the area of the triangle having the chromaticity coordinates of the first color filter layer as the apex. Preferably there is. Accordingly, it is possible to realize a semi-transmissive reflective display in which there is no difference in display image quality between transmissive display and reflective display.

Further, the above-mentioned electro-optical panel substrate, and a counter substrate arranged to face the electro-optical panel substrate,
An electro-optical material layer disposed between the electro-optical panel substrate and the counter substrate, wherein the electro-optical material layer in the transmissive display region has a layer thickness in the reflective display region. It is possible to configure an electro-optical panel thicker than the layer thickness of the electro-optical panel, and in the electro-optical panel, the layer thickness of the electro-optical material layer in the transmissive display region is larger than that of the electro-optical material layer in the reflective display region. The predetermined value α can be increased substantially. The electro-optical panel may include liquid crystal as the electro-optical material. Furthermore, it is possible to configure an electronic device including the electro-optical panel as a display unit.

In still another aspect of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a substrate for an electro-optical panel includes a step of forming a first color filter layer on a substrate in a transmissive display area and a second step on the substrate in a reflective display area. A step of forming a color filter layer, and a step of forming an overcoat layer on both the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer, wherein the second color filter is the second color filter layer. The height of the outer surface of the color filter layer from the substrate is higher than the height of the outer surface of the first color filter layer from the substrate by a predetermined value.

Further, according to still another aspect of the present invention, a substrate, a first display electrode arranged on the substrate, and a second display electrode arranged so as to face the first display electrode. And a plurality of dots formed in a planar overlapping region of the first display electrode and the second display electrode, a transmissive display region of each of the dots, Forming a first color filter layer on the substrate, forming a second color filter layer on the substrate in the reflective display area of each dot, the first color filter layer and the second color filter Forming an overcoat layer on both of the layers, wherein the second color filter has a height of an outer surface of the second color filter layer from the substrate, Forming from the height from the substrate of the outer surface to be higher by a predetermined value.

According to the above-described method for manufacturing an electro-optical panel substrate, the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer are formed on a transparent substrate such as glass or plastic. Here, the second color filter layer is formed such that the height of the outer surface of the second color filter layer from the substrate is higher than the height of the outer surface of the first color filter layer from the substrate by a predetermined value. That is, the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer have a structure having a predetermined step difference between them. Then, an overcoat layer is formed on the color filter layers. As a result, the outer surface of the overcoat layer in the area of the second color filter layer is higher than the outer surface of the overcoat layer in the area of the first color filter layer by a predetermined value. Therefore, when an electro-optical panel is constructed using this electro-optical panel substrate, the layer thickness of the electro-optical material layer in the area of the second color filter layer is the same as the electro-optical material layer in the area of the first color filter layer. The multi-gap structure is thicker than the layer thickness by a predetermined value.

That is, in the multi-gap structure, the outer surface of the second color filter layer is preliminarily formed to have a predetermined value which is a preferable difference in the layer thickness of the electro-optical material layer in the region of the first color filter layer and the region of the second color filter layer. If each color filter layer is provided so as to be higher than the outer surface of one color filter layer, a desired multi-gap structure can be obtained only by providing an overcoat layer after that. Therefore, the step of patterning the overcoat layer by photolithography becomes unnecessary, and the manufacturing process can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be suppressed.

In the above-mentioned method for manufacturing a substrate for an electro-optical panel, the layer thickness of the overcoat layer is substantially uniform in a region covering the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer. It is preferable.
As a result, it is possible to accurately provide a preferable difference in layer thickness between the color filter layers.

The predetermined value α is preferably 1 to 5 μm, and the first color filter layer preferably has an optical density higher than that of the second color filter layer.

In one aspect of the method of manufacturing the substrate for the electro-optical panel, light is passed once through each of the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer by using a C light source. When the spectral transmittance curve is drawn, the first color filter layer preferably has a smaller integral value of the spectral transmittance curve in the visible light range of 380 nm to 780 nm than the second color filter layer.
The first color filter layer preferably has an optical density 1.4 times to 2.6 times that of the second color filter layer, and 1.7 times that of the second color filter layer.
It is more preferable to have an optical density of 2.3 times. Accordingly, it is possible to realize a semi-transmissive reflective display in which there is no difference in display image quality between transmissive display and reflective display.

In another aspect of the method for manufacturing the electro-optical panel substrate, at least three dots are provided, and the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer are formed by using a C light source. When light is passed through each of the above once to calculate chromaticity coordinates of the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer and plotted on an xy chromaticity diagram, The area of the triangle having the chromaticity coordinates as the vertex is preferably 1.1 times or more and 6.0 times or less than the area of the triangle having the chromaticity coordinates of the first color filter layer as the vertex. Accordingly, it is possible to realize a semi-transmissive reflective display in which there is no difference in display image quality between transmissive display and reflective display.

[0031]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[Liquid Crystal Display Panel] First, an embodiment of a liquid crystal display panel to which the present invention is applied will be described. Figure 1
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a transflective liquid crystal display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the liquid crystal display panel 100 is
Substrate 101 and substrate 1 made of glass or plastic
No. 02 and No. 02 are bonded together via a sealing material 103, and a liquid crystal 104 is sealed inside. A retardation plate 105 and a polarizing plate 106 are sequentially arranged on the outer surface of the substrate 102, and a retardation plate 107 and a polarizing plate 108 are sequentially arranged on the outer surface of the substrate 101. A backlight 109 that emits illumination light when performing transmissive display is disposed below the polarizing plate 108.

On the substrate 101, the color filter substrate 1
0 is formed. In FIG. 1, for convenience of explanation,
The color filter substrate 10 is partially shown, and an enlarged view of a portion 130 thereof is shown in FIG. A plan view of the color filter layer of the color filter substrate 10 is shown in FIG.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, as the color filter substrate 10, a transparent resin scattering layer 113 made of acrylic resin or the like is formed on the substrate 101.
The resin scattering layer 113 can be manufactured by forming a light-transmitting resin layer of, for example, acrylic resin on the surface of the substrate 101 such as glass or plastic, and forming a large number of fine concavo-convex structures on the surface. it can.

A reflective layer 111 made of an aluminum alloy or a silver alloy is partially formed on the resin scattering layer 113. The area where the reflective layer 111 is formed is an area used for reflective display (hereinafter, also referred to as “reflective display area”). As a result, the surface of the reflective layer 111 has an uneven shape that reflects the uneven structure of the resin scattering 113 layer.
Therefore, when performing a reflective display using external light, the external light is reflected in a state of being appropriately scattered due to the uneven shape, so that the reflected light can be made uniform and a wide viewing angle can be secured. Becomes

Openings 117 are formed in the reflective layer 111 at predetermined intervals. That is, the portion of the opening 117 is the reflective layer 11
1 is not formed, and the area of this opening 117 becomes the transmissive display area. The area where the reflective layer 111 is formed, that is, the area other than the opening 117 is the reflective display area.

In the reflective display area, a reflective display color filter layer 120R of each color is formed on the reflective layer 111. On the other hand, in the transmissive display area, the resin scattering layer 11
A color filter layer 120T for transmissive display of each color is formed on the surface of the color filter 3. The reason why the reflective display color filter layer 120R and the transmissive display color filter layer 120T are separately formed is that the display colors during the transmissive display and the reflective display can be individually adjusted, which will be described later.

Although the color filter layer for reflective display is shown as 120R in FIG. 3, in reality, as shown in FIG. 2, the color filter layer for reflective display 120R is shown.
Is composed of three colored layers of RGB. That is, the reflective display color filter layer 120R is configured by sequentially arranging the blue (B) coloring layer 120RB, the red (R) coloring layer 120RR, and the green (G) coloring layer 120RG. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the transmissive display color filter layer 120T is a red (R) colored layer 120.
It is configured by sequentially arranging TR, a green (G) colored layer 120TG, and a blue (B) colored layer 120TB. In FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that a cross section of a portion of the red colored layer is shown. Note that, hereinafter, when referring to the colored layers of each color, the reflective display color filter layer 120R and the transmissive display color filter layer 1 are simply referred to.
It will be described as 20T.

A black matrix 120B is formed at the boundary of each pixel region of the reflective display color filter layer 120R. As shown in FIG. 3, the black matrix 120B is formed by stacking colored layers of three RGB colors that form the transmissive display color filter layer 120T. The reason for using the colored layers of the transmissive display color filter layer instead of the reflective display color filter layer is that the transmissive display color filter layer is generally designed to have a higher color density than the reflective display color filter layer. Therefore, by superimposing the three colors, it is possible to form a black matrix having a higher density and a good light-shielding property.

Then, the reflective display color filter layer 12 is formed.
An overcoat layer 127 having a uniform thickness is formed so as to cover the 0R and the transmissive display color filter layer 120T. The overcoat layer 127 functions as a protective layer for protecting the color filter layers 120R and 120T from corrosion and contamination by chemicals during the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display panel.

The liquid crystal display panel 100 of FIG. 1 employs a so-called multi-gap structure. In the multi-gap structure, the thickness of the overcoat layer 127 formed in the transmissive display region and the reflective display region is made different, and the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer is optimized, so that the reflective display mode can be used even in the transmissive display mode. This is also a method for improving display performance.

Further, on the color filter substrate 10, that is, on the surface of the overcoat layer 127, the transparent electrode 1 made of a transparent conductor such as ITO (indium tin oxide).
14 is formed. In the present embodiment, the transparent electrodes 114 are formed in a plurality of parallel stripes.
Further, the transparent electrode 114 extends in a direction orthogonal to the transparent electrode 121 similarly formed in a stripe shape on the substrate 102 shown in FIG.
The constituent parts of the liquid crystal display panel 100 (the reflective layer 111, the color filter layer 120, the transparent electrode 114, the liquid crystal 104, and the transparent electrode 121, which are included in the intersecting region) included in the intersecting region 21 constitute pixels. It has become.

In the liquid crystal display panel 100, when the reflection type display is performed, the external light incident on the area where the reflection layer 111 is formed travels along the path R shown in FIG. 1 and is reflected. It is reflected by the layer 111 and visually recognized by the observer E. On the other hand, when a transmissive display is made,
The illumination light emitted from the backlight 109 travels along the path T shown in FIG. 1 and is visually recognized by an observer E.

In the multi-gap structure as described above, an appropriate value is predetermined as the difference in the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer between the transmissive display area and the reflective display area. Now, FIG. 3 (a)
As shown in the center of, the difference in the layer thickness of the liquid layer between the transmissive display region and the reflective display region, that is, the difference in the upper surface of the transparent electrode 114 (or the upper surface of the overcoat layer 127),
The value α is assumed to be appropriate. At this time, according to the present invention, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), the transmissive display color filter layer 12
The transmissive display color filter layer 120T and the reflective display color filter layer 120R are formed so that the height difference between the upper surface of 0T and the upper surface of the reflective display color filter layer 120B becomes equal to α. That is, referring to FIG. 3A, if the transmissive display color filter layer 120T is formed to have a layer thickness β, the reflective display color filter layer 120 is formed.
R is formed to have a layer thickness of approximately (α + β) (note that the layer thickness of the reflective layer is negligibly small). As a result, the height difference between the upper surface of the transmissive display color filter layer 120T and the upper surface of the reflective display color filter layer 120R becomes α.

For example, in the multi-gap structure, the layer thickness difference between the transmissive display area and the reflective display area is α =
If the thickness of the transmissive display color filter layer 120T is β = about 1 μm, the reflective display color filter layer 120R has a layer thickness of (α + β).
= Needs to be about 3 μm.

Thus, when the overcoat layer 127 is subsequently formed on the transmissive display area and the reflective display area, the upper surface of the reflective display color filter layer 120R in the reflective display area is transparent to the transmissive display area. Is higher than the upper surface of the color filter layer 120T for use by α. Therefore, if the overcoat layer 127 is formed thereon with a predetermined uniform thickness, the above height difference α is maintained even after the overcoat layer 127 is formed. That is, the upper surface of the overcoat layer 127 in the reflective display area is higher than the upper surface of the overcoat layer 127 in the transmissive display area by a height α. As a result, a suitable height α is formed between the transmissive display region and the reflective display region after the overcoat layer is formed, and then the overcoat layer is patterned by photolithography in another step. No process is required. Therefore, the manufacturing process can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be suppressed.

As a comparative example, FIG. 3B shows a layer structure of a liquid crystal panel having a multi-gap structure in which the difference in the layer thickness between the reflective display color filter layer 120R and the transmissive display color filter layer 120T is small. Show. In this case, an overcoat layer is once formed with a predetermined thickness (for example, α) on the entire transmissive display region and the reflective display region, and then the transmissive display color filter layer 12 is formed in the transmissive display region.
The overcoat layer 127 on 0T must be removed by a photolithography technique, and a patterning process for that purpose is required. On the other hand, in the present invention,
At the stage where the overcoat layer is formed with a uniform thickness, there is already a difference in height α between the reflective display region and the transmissive display region, and thus a patterning process by photolithography is not required.

As shown in FIG. 3A, in the structure of the present invention, the overcoat layer functioning as a protective layer is also formed on the transmission color filter, so that the subsequent transparent electrode 114 forming step is performed. In addition to improving the adhesion and stability of the transparent electrode, it is possible to prevent the transmission color filter layer from being damaged by an etchant or a cleaning liquid.

Next, the density of the color filter layer will be described. First, the densities of the transmissive display color filter layer 120T and the reflective display color filter layer 120R will be described. As can be seen from FIG. 1, in the case of reflective display,
External light follows the route R to the reflective color filter layer 120R.
Is observed twice by the observer E. On the other hand, in the case of the transmissive display, the light emitted from the backlight 109 passes through the path T.
Accordingly, the light passes through the transmissive display color filter layer 120T only once and is visually recognized by the observer E. Therefore, theoretically, the optical density of the transmissive display color filter layer 120T is approximately 2 times the optical density of the reflective display color filter layer 120R.
It is preferably doubled. Further, in practice, it is preferable that the optical density of the transmissive display color filter layer 120T is 1.4 to 2.6 times that of the reflective display color filter layer 120R, especially between the reflective display and the transmissive display. In order to reduce the color difference, it is desirable that the range is 1.7 times to 2.3 times.

An example of a chromaticity diagram showing the characteristics of the reflective display color filter layer 120R is shown in FIG. 4A, and an example of a chromaticity diagram showing the characteristics of the transmissive display color filter layer 120T is shown in FIG.
It shows in (b). 4A and 4B, the color filter layer for transmissive display 120T and the color filter layer for reflective display 120R are respectively formed by using a C light source.
Color filter layer 12 for transmitting display by passing light once through
The chromaticity coordinates of 0T and the reflective display color filter layer 120R are calculated and plotted on an xy chromaticity diagram. As can be seen by comparing FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, the transmissive display color filter layer 120T is more RGB than the reflective display color filter layer 120R on the chromaticity diagram.
The element of each color is approximately doubled, that is, the optical density is approximately doubled. By doing so, the color of light that has passed through the reflective display color filter layer 120R twice and the color of light that has passed through the transmissive display color filter layer 120T once become approximately the same, and the display image during reflective display and transmissive display can be obtained. The colors of can be almost matched. From the viewpoint of the area of the color triangle formed by the chromaticity coordinates of the RGB colors on the xy chromaticity diagram, the area St of the transmissive display color filter layer 120T shown in FIG. It is desirable that the area Sr is 1.1 times or more and 6.0 times or less the area Sr of the reflective display color filter layer 120R.

FIG. 5 shows the color filter layer 12 for reflective display.
9 shows the spectral transmittance curves in the visible light region of 0R and the color filter layer for transmission display 120T. 5 (a) and 5
(B) is a diagram in which light is passed through the reflective display color filter layer 120R and the transmissive display color filter layer 120T once using the C light source, and respective spectral transmittance curves are drawn. . Regarding the reflective display color filter layer 120R and the transmissive display color filter layer 120T according to the present invention, the transmissive display color filter layer 1 is used.
The integrated value of the spectral transmittance curve in the visible light region of 20T is
It is desirable that it is smaller than the integral value of the spectral transmittance curve of the reflective display color filter layer 120R in the visible light region. The integrated value of the spectral transmittance curve is the Y value, which indicates the brightness.

Next, the layer thickness of the reflective display color filter layer 120R according to the present invention will be examined. As described above, in order to eliminate the step of patterning the overcoat layer according to the present invention, when the layer thickness difference of the liquid crystal between the transmissive display region and the reflective display region in the ideal multi-gap structure is α, Display color filter layer 120R
And the layer thickness difference between the transmissive display color filter layer 120T is α
Therefore, the reflective display color filter layer 120R needs to be formed thicker than usual (see FIG. 3). However, if the layer thickness is increased with a normal pigment concentration, the concentration of the reflective display color filter becomes too high. Therefore, the solid pigment concentration of the reflective display color filter layer 120R may be reduced by increasing the layer thickness. Usually, the thickness of the reflective display color filter layer 120R is 1 μm.
m, and if it is necessary to form the reflective display color filter layer 120R to have a layer thickness of about 3 μm in the present invention as described above, the pigment solid content concentration of the reflective display color filter layer 120R is about 1 / m. You can set it to 3. Even when the thickness of the reflective display color filter layer 120R is increased in this way, the reflective display color filter layer 120R is also formed.
The optical density is preferably about 1/2 of the optical density of the transmissive display color filter layer 120T.

In the present invention, the arrangement of the colored layers of the color filter is not limited to the arrangement shown in FIG. That is, it is possible to form various arrays such as a stripe array, a delta array, and a diagonal array. In the above embodiment, the transmissive display color filter and the reflective display color filter are independently formed of different materials.
It is also possible to form a single color filter with the same material. Further, in this case, it is also applicable to a type of color filter in which the thickness of the color filter is changed between the transmissive display area and the reflective display area.

[Manufacturing Method] Next, a manufacturing method of the above liquid crystal display panel 100 will be described.

(Method of Manufacturing Color Filter Substrate) First,
A method for manufacturing the color filter substrate 10 shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, as shown in FIG. 6A, the substrate 10
The resin scattering layer 113 is formed on the surface of 1. As a method of forming the resin scattering layer 113, as described above, a translucent resin layer is formed of acrylic resin or the like on the surface of the substrate 101 such as glass or plastic, and a large number of fine uneven structures are formed on the surface. It can be manufactured by forming. As a method of forming the resin scattering layer 113,
Of course, other methods can be adopted.

Next, aluminum, aluminum alloy,
A metal such as a silver alloy is formed into a thin film by a vapor deposition method, a sputtering method, or the like, and is patterned by a photolithography method to form the reflective layer 111. At this time, the reflective layer 111 is formed only in the reflective display area.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, a colored photosensitive resin (photosensitive resist) in which pigments or dyes having a predetermined hue are dispersed is applied and exposed in a predetermined pattern. By performing development and patterning, a color filter layer is formed. That is, the transmissive display color filter layer 120T (that is, the colored layers 120TR, 120TG, and 120TB) is formed in the transmissive display region, and the reflective display color filter layer 120R (that is, the colored layers 120RR and 120RG, in the reflective display region).
120 RB) is formed. At this time, as described above, the reflective display color filter layer 120R is formed to have a smaller pigment solid content concentration and a thicker layer thickness than usual. Assuming that the difference in the thickness of the liquid layer between the transmissive display region and the reflective display region in the multi-gap structure is α, the reflective display color filter layer 120R projects upward by α from the transmissive display color filter layer 120T. To be formed.

Next, the transmissive display color filter layer 120
A black matrix 120B is formed on T. In addition,
The black matrix 120B can be formed of the same material as the colored layers of each color of the transmissive display color filter layer 120T. In that case, in the step of forming the transmissive display color filter layer 120T, the colored layers (120TR, 120TG, and 120TB) are simultaneously formed in order to form a black matrix 120B.
Can also be formed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6C, an overcoat layer 127 made of acrylic resin or the like is formed on the transmissive display color filter layer 120T and the reflective display color filter layer 120R. That is, the transmissive display color filter layer 120T and the reflective display color filter layer 1
An overcoat layer 127 having a predetermined thickness is formed on the entire area of 20R. As a result, the overcoat layer 127 is
The transmissive display color filter layer 120T and the reflective display color filter layer 120R are formed with a uniform layer thickness, and as a result, the upper surfaces of the overcoat layers in the transmissive display region and the reflective display region are different by α. become.

The layer thickness of the overcoat layer 127 formed at this time is preferably about 1.0 to 1.5 μm.
This is because when an attempt is made to form the overcoat layer 127 with a larger thickness, a photosensitive acrylic resin or the like flows into the transmissive display color filter layer 120T having the lowest height, and the layer of the overcoat layer 127 in the transmissive display area is formed. This is because the thickness becomes thicker than the layer thickness of the overcoat layer 127 in the reflective display region, and as a result, the layer thickness difference between the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display region and the reflective display region may become small. In that respect, if the layer thickness is about 1.0 to 1.5 μm, the overcoat layer 127 is formed so as to reflect the uneven shapes of the transmissive display color filter layer 120T and the reflective display color filter layer 120R almost as they are. be able to. In this way, the color filter substrate 10 is manufactured.

(Method for Manufacturing Liquid Crystal Display Panel) Next, a method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display panel 100 shown in FIG. 1 using the color filter substrate 10 thus obtained will be described with reference to FIG.
Will be described with reference to. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the manufacturing process of the display panel 100.

First, the substrate 101 on which the color filter substrate 10 is formed is manufactured by the above method (step S
1) Further, a transparent conductor is deposited on the overcoat layer 127 by a sputtering method and patterned by a photolithography method to form a transparent electrode 11.
4 is formed (step S2). After that, an alignment film made of polyimide resin or the like is formed on the transparent electrode 114, and a rubbing process or the like is performed (step S3).

On the other hand, the substrate 102 on the opposite side is manufactured (step S4), and the transparent electrode 121 is formed by the same method (step S4).
5) Further, an alignment film is further formed on the transparent electrode 121, and rubbing treatment is performed (step S6).

Then, the substrate 101 and the substrate 102 are attached to each other via the sealing material 103 to form a panel structure (step S7). The substrate 101 and the substrate 102 are attached to each other by a spacer or the like (not shown) dispersedly arranged between the substrates so as to have a substantially defined substrate interval.

Then, the liquid crystal 104 is injected from the opening (not shown) of the sealing material 103, and the opening of the sealing material 103 is sealed with a sealing material such as an ultraviolet curable resin (step S8). After the main panel structure is completed in this way, the above-mentioned retardation plate, polarizing plate, etc. are attached to the outer surface of the panel structure by a method such as sticking, if necessary (Step S
9), the liquid crystal display panel 100 shown in FIG. 1 is completed.

[Electronic Equipment] Next, an embodiment in which a liquid crystal device including the above liquid crystal display panel is used as a display device of electronic equipment will be described. FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the overall configuration of this embodiment. The electronic devices shown here are
Liquid crystal display panel 2 similar to the above liquid crystal display panel 100
00 and control means 1200 for controlling this.
Here, the liquid crystal display panel 200 is used as the panel structure 20.
0A and a drive circuit 200B composed of a semiconductor IC or the like
And are conceptually divided and drawn. Also, the control means 120
0 is the display information output source 1210 and the display processing circuit 122.
0, power supply circuit 1230, and timing generator 1
240, and.

The display information output source 1210 is a ROM (Read
Only a memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory) or the like, a storage unit such as a magnetic recording disk or an optical recording disk, and a tuning circuit that tunes and outputs a digital image signal. Based on various clock signals, display information is supplied to the display information processing circuit 1220 in the form of an image signal of a predetermined format or the like.

The display information processing circuit 1220 is serial-
A well-known various circuits such as a parallel conversion circuit, an amplification / inversion circuit, a rotation circuit, a gamma correction circuit, and a clamp circuit are provided, processing of the input display information is executed, and the image information is executed together with the clock signal CLK in the drive circuit 200B.
Supply to. The drive circuit 200B includes a scan line drive circuit, a data line drive circuit, and an inspection circuit. In addition, the power supply circuit 1
230 supplies a predetermined voltage to each component described above.

Next, examples of electronic equipment to which the liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention can be applied will be described with reference to FIG.

First, an example in which the liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention is applied to the display portion of a portable personal computer (so-called notebook personal computer) will be described. Figure 9
FIG. 3A is a perspective view showing the configuration of this personal computer. As shown in the figure, the personal computer 41 includes a main body 412 having a keyboard 411,
And a display portion 413 to which the liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention is applied.

Next, the liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention is
An example applied to the display unit of a mobile phone will be described. FIG. 9B is a perspective view showing the configuration of this mobile phone. As shown in the figure, the mobile phone 42 includes a plurality of operation buttons 421, an earpiece 422, a mouthpiece 423, and a display unit 4 to which the liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention is applied.
24 are provided.

As the electronic apparatus to which the liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention can be applied, in addition to the personal computer shown in FIG. 9A and the mobile phone shown in FIG. 9B, a liquid crystal television, A viewfinder type / monitor direct-viewing type video tape recorder, a car navigation device, a pager, an electronic notebook, a calculator, a word processor, a workstation, a videophone, a POS terminal, a digital still camera and the like can be mentioned.

[Modification] The above-mentioned color filter substrate and liquid crystal display panel are not limited to the above-mentioned examples, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Of course.

For example, the color filter shown in FIG. 2 has a structure that defines the transmissive display area as an opening in the reflective display area, but this structure is merely an example, and the color filter is, for example, a rectangular reflective display color. It is also possible to adopt a structure in which the filter portions and the transmissive display color filter portions are alternately formed adjacent to each other.

In each of the embodiments described above, the passive matrix type liquid crystal display panel has been exemplified, but the electro-optical device of the present invention has an active matrix type liquid crystal display panel (for example, TFT).
It can be similarly applied to a liquid crystal display panel including a (thin film transistor) or a TFD (thin film diode) as a switching element. In addition to liquid crystal display panels, electroluminescence devices, organic electroluminescence devices, plasma display devices,
The present invention can be similarly applied to various electro-optical devices such as an electrophoretic display device and a field emission display (field emission display device).

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure of a liquid crystal display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a structure of a color filter layer of the liquid crystal display panel shown in FIG.

3A and 3B are an enlarged sectional view of a part of the liquid crystal display panel shown in FIG. 1 and a sectional view showing a structure of a liquid crystal display panel in which an overcoat layer is not formed in a transmissive display region as a comparative example.

FIG. 4 is a chromaticity diagram showing characteristics of a reflective display color filter layer and a transmissive display color filter layer of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows spectral transmittance curves of a reflective display color filter layer and a transmissive display color filter layer of the present invention in a visible light region.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the method of manufacturing the color filter substrate of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a process drawing of the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display panel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a configuration block in an embodiment of an electronic device according to the invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of an electronic device to which the liquid crystal display panel according to the embodiment of the invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 color filters 100 LCD display panel 101, 102 substrate 103 sealant 109 backlight 111 reflective layer 113 Resin scattering layer 114 transparent electrode 120T, 120R color filter layer 120B black matrix 127 Overcoat layer

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Tomoyuki Nakano             Seiko, 3-3-3 Yamato, Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture             -In Epson Corporation F term (reference) 2H048 BA11 BA45 BA48 BB02 BB03                       BB07 BB08 BB42                 2H091 FA02Y FA35Y FA50Y FB04                       FC10 GA03 LA12 LA17

Claims (24)

[Claims] 1. A substrate, a first color filter layer disposed on the substrate in a transmissive display region, a second color filter layer disposed on the substrate in a reflective display region, and the first color filter layer. And an overcoat layer that covers both the second color filter layer, and the height of the outer surface of the second color filter layer from the substrate is the height of the outer surface of the first color filter layer from the substrate. A substrate for an electro-optical panel, which is higher than the above by a predetermined value α. 2. A substrate, a first display electrode arranged on the substrate, a second display electrode arranged so as to face the first display electrode, and the first display electrode. A plurality of dots formed in a planar overlapping region with the second display electrode, and a first dot arranged in each transmissive display region of the dot region
A color filter layer, and a second color filter layer disposed in each reflection display area of the dot area.
A color filter layer; and an overcoat layer that covers both the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer, wherein the height of the outer surface of the second color filter layer from the substrate is the first A substrate for an electro-optical panel, which is higher than the height of the outer surface of the color filter layer from the substrate by a predetermined value α. 3. The layer thickness of the overcoat layer is substantially uniform in a region covering the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer. The substrate for an electro-optical panel according to [4]. 4. A recess is formed by the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer so as to correspond to a position of the transmissive display region, and the overcoat layer is provided along the outer shape of the recess. 4. The electro-optical panel substrate according to claim 1, wherein a recess is formed in the overcoat layer at a position corresponding to the position of the recess. 5. The height of the outer surface of the overcoat layer in the reflective display area from the substrate is substantially higher than the height of the outer surface of the overcoat layer in the transmissive display area from the substrate. The electro-optical panel substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is high. 6. The substrate for an electro-optical panel according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined value α is 1 to 5 μm. 7. The substrate for an electro-optical panel according to claim 1, wherein the first color filter layer has an optical density higher than that of the second color filter layer. 8. When the C light source is used to pass light once through each of the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer to draw respective spectral transmittance curves, the first color filter layer is drawn. The electrooptic according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the color filter layer has a smaller integral value of the spectral transmittance curve in the visible light range of 380 nm to 780 nm than the second color filter layer. Substrate for panel. 9. The first color filter layer comprises the second color filter layer.
The substrate for an electro-optical panel according to claim 1, having an optical density 1.4 times to 2.6 times that of the color filter layer. 10. The first color filter layer has an optical density that is 1.7 to 2.3 times that of the second color filter layer, according to any one of claims 1 to 6. A substrate for an electro-optical panel as described above. 11. The plurality of dots are provided in at least three, and a C light source is used to form the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer.
When light is passed through each of the color filter layers once, the chromaticity coordinates of the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer are calculated, and when plotted on an xy chromaticity diagram,
The area of the triangle having the chromaticity coordinates of the second color filter layer as the apex is 1.1 times or more and 6.0 times or less the area of the triangle having the chromaticity coordinates of the first color filter layer as the apex. The substrate for an electro-optical panel according to claim 2, wherein the substrate is provided. 12. The electro-optical panel substrate according to claim 1, an opposite substrate arranged to face the electro-optical panel substrate, the electro-optical panel substrate, and the opposite substrate. And a layer thickness of the electro-optical material layer in the transmissive display region is thicker than a layer thickness of the electro-optical material layer in the reflective display region. An electro-optical panel. 13. The electro-optical panel according to claim 12, wherein the layer thickness of the electro-optical material layer in the transmissive display region is substantially the predetermined value larger than the layer thickness of the electro-optical material layer in the reflective display region. An electro-optical panel characterized by being thick. 14. The electro-optical panel according to claim 12, wherein the electro-optical material includes liquid crystal. 15. An electronic device comprising the electro-optical panel according to claim 12 as a display unit. 16. A step of forming a first color filter layer on a substrate in a transmissive display area, a step of forming a second color filter layer on the substrate in a reflective display area, said first color filter layer and said Forming an overcoat layer on both of the second color filter layers,
The second color filter is formed such that the height of the outer surface of the second color filter layer from the substrate is higher than the height of the outer surface of the first color filter layer from the substrate by a predetermined value. A method for manufacturing a substrate for an electro-optical panel, comprising: 17. A substrate and a first substrate disposed on the substrate.
A display electrode, a second display electrode arranged so as to face the first display electrode, and a planar overlapping region of the first display electrode and the second display electrode are formed. A method of manufacturing a substrate for an electro-optical panel comprising a plurality of dots, the method comprising: forming a first color filter layer on a substrate in a transmissive display area of each dot; and forming a first color filter layer on the substrate in a reflective display area of each dot. To the second
Forming a color filter layer; forming an overcoat layer on both the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer;
The second color filter is formed such that the height of the outer surface of the second color filter layer from the substrate is higher than the height of the outer surface of the first color filter layer from the substrate by a predetermined value. A method for manufacturing a substrate for an electro-optical panel, comprising: 18. The overcoat layer is formed such that a layer thickness thereof is substantially uniform in a region covering the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer. Item 16. A method for manufacturing a substrate for an electro-optical panel according to Item 16 or 17. 19. The method of manufacturing an electro-optical panel substrate according to claim 16, wherein the predetermined value is 1 to 5 μm. 20. The manufacturing of a substrate for an electro-optical panel according to claim 16, wherein the first color filter layer has an optical density higher than that of the second color filter layer. Method. 21. When the C light source is used to pass light once to each of the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer to draw respective spectral transmittance curves, the first color filter layer is drawn. The electrooptic according to any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein the color filter layer has a smaller integral value of the spectral transmittance curve in the visible light range of 380 nm to 780 nm than the second color filter layer. Manufacturing method of panel substrate. 22. The first color filter layer has an optical density which is 1.4 times to 2.6 times that of the second color filter layer. A method for manufacturing the substrate for an electro-optical panel described. 23. The first color filter layer according to claim 16, wherein the first color filter layer has an optical density 1.7 to 2.3 times higher than that of the second color filter layer. A method for manufacturing the substrate for an electro-optical panel described. 24. The first color filter layer and the second layer having at least three dots and using a C light source.
When light is passed through each of the color filter layers once, the chromaticity coordinates of the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer are calculated, and when plotted on an xy chromaticity diagram,
The area of the triangle having the chromaticity coordinates of the second color filter layer as the apex is 1.1 times or more and 6.0 times or less the area of the triangle having the chromaticity coordinates of the first color filter layer as the apex. The method for manufacturing a substrate for an electro-optical panel according to claim 17, wherein the method is used.