JP2006301658A - Liquid crystal display device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that high color purity and brightness are conflicting factors in a conventional reflective color liquid crystal display device, wherein it becomes dark when the color purity is raised, and the color purity is decreased when it becomes bright, and the high color purity and the brightness are hardly realized concurrently. <P>SOLUTION: A signal wiring line group 106 also serving as pixel electrodes and a color filter group 102, 103, 104 are formed so as to be overlapped on a substrate. The width of the color filter of each color is the same as or narrower than that of the corresponding signal wiring line, and no light shield layer is provided between it and the adjacent color filter. Thus, the color purity is gained at the central part of the pixel electrode, and the amount of transmitted light is increased at the peripheral part of the pixel electrode of the color filter to increase the overall brightness. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a structure of a color filter substrate, and further relates to a liquid crystal display device that performs color display using the color filter substrate.

A color liquid crystal display device generally realizes color display by forming a fine color filter inside a panel. The color filter is finely processed by applying an organic film containing a dye or a pigment on a substrate and photolithography. When performing multicolor display, it is common to form red, green, and blue color filters for each dot. Here, the area of the color filter of each color is formed so as to be larger than the area of the pixel electrode displaying the corresponding one dot. In general, a light shielding layer is provided between adjacent pixel electrodes or between color filters. The liquid crystal display device having such a structure is used as a display device for portable electronic devices that have been rapidly spread in recent years. This is because the liquid crystal display device has the light, thin, low power consumption and high display quality required for portable devices. In many cases, a monochrome or single-color reflective liquid crystal display device is used for applications that require lower power consumption, and a transmissive color liquid crystal display device having a backlight is used for applications that require higher display quality. .

In recent years, attention has been focused on reflective color liquid crystal display devices aiming at high display quality such as brightness and high color purity even in a dark environment with low power consumption as an attraction.

Similar to the color filter of the transmissive color liquid crystal display device, the color filter of the reflective color liquid crystal display device is formed by photolithography using an organic film containing a dye or a pigment. However, since the reflective color liquid crystal display device effectively uses external light, the color filter used is required to have high transmittance, and a material having a lower color purity than the color filter material of the transmissive color liquid crystal display device is required. Usually, the film forming conditions are different.

FIG. 2A is a structural plan view of a conventional reflective liquid crystal display device and FIG.

On the color filter substrate 200, a light shielding film (black matrix) 201, R (red)
, G (green), B (blue) color filters 202, 203, 204, and further, an alignment film 207 is formed on the strip transparent electrode 206 through the protective film 205. On the other hand, on the active element substrate 210, there is a transparent pixel electrode 212 connected to the signal line 211 by an MIM (metal / oxide film / metal) element 213, and an alignment film 217 is formed. A liquid crystal 230 is sealed between the two substrates with a specific gap. Further, a polarizing plate 208 is attached to one color filter substrate 200, and a polarizing plate 218 and a reflecting plate 219 are attached to the other active element substrate 210 in accordance with the designated transmission / absorption axes, respectively. Display is performed by controlling the amount of reflected light of the incident light by the electric field between the electrodes applied to the liquid crystal.

Conventional reflective color liquid crystal display devices are elements where high color purity and brightness are contradictory, and it is common knowledge that color purity decreases when color purity is increased, and color purity decreases when it is brightened. The method of making it difficult.

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a reflective type color liquid crystal display device that ensures more color purity and brightness by replenishing brightness with emphasis on color purity.

The liquid crystal display device of the present invention is a liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal disposed between a pair of substrates and a reflecting means, and a plurality of pixels provided on one of the pair of substrates. An electrode and a plurality of color filters that overlap with the pixel electrode in plan and overlap with a part of the reflecting means and correspond to a plurality of different colors, from the area of each pixel electrode Also, the area of each color filter arranged corresponding to each pixel electrode is smaller,
A reduction amount of the color filter area with respect to the pixel electrode area is set in proportion to transmission luminances of the color filters corresponding to the plurality of different colors.
In addition, it is preferable that a light shielding layer is not provided between the color filters corresponding to adjacent pixel electrodes among the plurality of pixel electrodes and adjacent to each other.

According to the above configuration, the width of the color filter is used for a simple matrix type liquid crystal display device or an active matrix type liquid crystal display device using a two-terminal type active element such as MIM (metal / oxide film / metal). The structure is such that the width of the signal wiring line corresponding to this is narrower or the same, and no light shielding layer is provided between adjacent color filters, so that color purity is obtained at the center of the pixel electrode. The overall brightness is improved by increasing the amount of transmitted light around the pixel electrode of the color filter.

Furthermore, according to the above configuration, each color filter is used corresponding to one dot of the pixel electrode group of the liquid crystal display device, which is used in an active matrix type liquid crystal display device using TFT (Thin Film Transistor). Compared to the area of the pixel electrode that displays one dot,
The area of the color filter arranged corresponding to the pixel electrode is the same or narrow, and a light-shielding layer is not provided between adjacent color filters, so that the color is more central in the pixel electrode. This has the effect of improving the overall brightness by increasing the amount of transmitted light at the periphery of the pixel electrode of the color filter by increasing the purity.

The liquid crystal display device of the present invention further includes a light emitter, and performs display by light of the light emitter and display by light reflected by the reflecting means.
Further, when the light emitter is turned on and the brightness of the surrounding environment is darker than the luminance of the light emitter, display is performed by transmitting light from the light emitter, and the light emitter is turned off or When the surrounding environment is brighter than the luminance of the illuminant, display is preferably performed by reflecting light from the surrounding environment by the reflecting means.

According to the above-described configuration, the transflective / reflective color liquid crystal display device has an effect of ensuring color purity and brightness as a reflective type when the surrounding environment is bright and as a transmissive type when the surrounding environment is dark.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a view for explaining an embodiment of an MIM (metal / oxide film / metal) active matrix type liquid crystal display device using a color filter substrate according to the present invention. (A) is a structure top view, (b) is the aa 'sectional drawing.

An R (red), G (green), and B (blue) color filter 102, 103, 104 is formed on the color filter substrate 100, and an alignment film 107 is formed on the strip transparent electrode 106 through the protective film 105. Has been. On the other hand, on the active element substrate 110, the signal line 111 and the MI
There is a transparent pixel electrode 112 connected by an M (metal / oxide film / metal) element 113, and the alignment film 1
17 is formed. A liquid crystal 130 is sealed between the two substrates with a specific gap. Further, a polarizing plate 108 is attached to one color filter substrate 100, and a polarizing plate 118 and a reflecting plate 119 are attached to the other active element substrate 110 in accordance with designated transmission / absorption axes, respectively. Display is performed by controlling the amount of reflected light of the incident light by the electric field between the electrodes applied to the liquid crystal.

Here, there is no light shielding film (black matrix) on the color filter substrate 100,
From the pixel electrode 112, the areas of the R (red), G (green), and B (blue) color filter layers are smaller or equal. In addition, the widths of the color filter layers of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) are smaller or equal than the width of the strip transparent electrode 106. Accordingly, the light incident from the color filter substrate 100 side is given color purity by the light passing through the region of the color filter layer, and the incident light directly enters the active element substrate 110 in the region without the color filter layer.
Since the light is reflected by the reflection plate 119 on the side, it is possible to ensure brightness compared to the conventional reflective liquid crystal display device. The color purity of the color filter is somewhat lowered due to the combination of the two light beams, so that the color purity of the color filter may be increased in order to increase the color purity.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of a simple matrix type liquid crystal display device using a color filter according to the first aspect of the present invention. (A) is a structural plan view, (b) is its a
-A 'sectional view.

On the color filter substrate (common substrate) 300, the strip transparent electrode 30 through the R (red), G (green), and B (blue) color filters 302, 303, 304 and a protective film 305 is provided.
An alignment film 307 is formed on the substrate 6. On the other hand, on the segment substrate 310, segment electrodes 312 are arranged in a strip shape, and an alignment film 317 is formed. A liquid crystal 330 is sealed between the two substrates with a specific gap. Further, the polarizing plate 30 is provided on one common substrate 300.
8. A polarizing plate 318 and a reflecting plate 319 are attached to the other segment substrate 310 in accordance with designated transmission / absorption axes, and the amount of reflected light of the incident light in the surrounding environment is changed between the electrodes applied to the liquid crystal. It is displayed by controlling with.

Here, there is no light-shielding film (black matrix) on the common substrate 300, and R (red), G (green), and the width of the strip-shaped segment electrode electrode 312 and the strip-shaped common electrode electrode 306 are determined.
The width of the B (blue) color filter layer is smaller. Accordingly, the light incident from the color filter substrate 300 side is given color purity by the light passing through the color filter layer region, and the incident light is directly reflected by the reflection plate 319 on the active element substrate 310 side in the region without the color filter layer. Therefore, the brightness can be secured. The color purity of the color filter is somewhat lowered due to the combination of the two light beams, so that the color purity of the color filter may be increased in order to increase the color purity.
[Third Embodiment]
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) active matrix type liquid crystal display device using a color filter substrate according to the present invention. (A) is a structure top view, (b) is the aa 'sectional drawing.

On the color filter substrate 400, R (red), G (green), B (blue) color filters 402, 403, 404, and further on the common electrode 406 through the protective film 405, the alignment film 4
07 is formed. On the other hand, on the active element substrate 410, the transparent pixel electrode 41 connected by a TFT (thin film transistor) 413 controlled by the signal line 411 and the scanning line 415.
2 and an alignment film 417 is formed. The liquid crystal 43 is separated by a specific gap between the two substrates.
0 is enclosed. A polarizing plate 408 is attached to one color filter substrate 400, and a polarizing plate 418 and a reflecting plate 419 are attached to the other active element substrate 410 in accordance with the designated transmission / absorption axes, respectively. Display is performed by controlling the amount of reflected light of the incident light by the electric field between the electrodes applied to the liquid crystal.

Here, there is no light shielding film (black matrix) on the color filter substrate 400,
From the pixel electrode 412, the areas of the R (red), G (green), and B (blue) color filter layers are smaller or equal. Accordingly, the light incident from the color filter substrate 400 side is given color purity by the light passing through the color filter layer region, and the incident light is directly reflected by the reflection plate 419 on the active element substrate 410 side in the region without the color filter layer. Therefore, brightness can be ensured compared with the conventional reflective liquid crystal display device. The color purity of the color filter is somewhat lowered due to the combination of the two light beams, so that the color purity of the color filter may be increased in order to increase the color purity.

[Fourth Embodiment]
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a transflective color liquid crystal display device according to the present invention in which a reflector is disposed outside the substrate. This structure corresponds to a simple matrix type liquid crystal display device or an active matrix type liquid crystal display device using MIM and TFT.

Reference numeral 519 denotes a transflective reflector appropriately containing metal particles, and reference numeral 540 denotes a backlight. When the backlight is turned on and the brightness of the surrounding environment is darker than the brightness of the backlight, display is performed by controlling the amount of light transmitted through the backlight by the electric field between the electrodes on the liquid crystal. In addition, when the backlight is turned off or when the surrounding environment is brighter than the luminance of the backlight, display is performed by controlling the amount of reflected light of the surrounding environment by the electric field between the electrodes on the liquid crystal.

Also in this embodiment, since the same color filter substrate 500 as described in the first to third embodiments is provided, the light incident from the color filter substrate 500 side is not used in the state of being used as a reflection type. Color purity is given by the light passing through the color filter layer region, and since the incident light is directly reflected by the reflection plate 519 on the active element substrate 510 side in the region without the color filter layer, the brightness can be ensured.

[Fifth Embodiment]
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a reflective color liquid crystal display device according to the present invention in which a reflector is disposed inside the substrate. This structure corresponds to a simple matrix type liquid crystal display device or an active matrix type liquid crystal display device using MIM and TFT.

Reference numeral 612 denotes a reflector made of thin-film aluminum, which can realize a brighter display with higher color purity than those of FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 5. In addition, by incorporating a reflector in the panel,
There is an advantage that the image does not look double.

Also in this embodiment, since the same color filter substrate 600 as described in the first to third embodiments is provided, the light incident from the color filter substrate 600 side passes through the region of the color filter layer. Color purity is given by light, and incident light is directly reflected by the reflection plate 612 on the active element substrate 610 side in a region where there is no color filter layer, so that brightness can be ensured.

In the first to fifth embodiments, the color filters are arranged in a mosaic pattern, but the same applies to the delta arrangement. The same applies to the color of the color filter using cyan, magenta, and yellow which are complementary colors of R, G, and B.

The reduction amount of the color filter area with respect to the pixel electrode area may be equal for R, G, and B, but may be set in proportion to the transmission luminance of the color filter. Also, the amount of reduction of the color filter area with respect to the pixel electrode area should be as small as possible to increase color purity.
In order to brighten, the color purity can be reduced. This is similar to the conventional structure, but the brightness and color purity can be ensured compared to the conventional case where the color purity of the color filter itself is lowered and brightened.

In a simple matrix type liquid crystal display device or an active matrix type liquid crystal display device using an MIM, the width of the color filter is narrower than or equal to the width of the corresponding signal wiring line also serving as the pixel electrode, and adjacent to each other. By adopting a structure in which no light-shielding layer is provided between the color filters, the overall brightness is achieved by increasing the color purity at the center of the pixel electrode and increasing the amount of transmitted light around the pixel electrode of the color filter. It has the effect that can be improved.

Further, in an active matrix type liquid crystal display device using TFT (thin film transistor), each color filter color is formed corresponding to one dot of a pixel electrode group of the liquid crystal display device, and one dot is displayed. Compared to the area of the pixel electrode, the area of the color filter disposed corresponding to the pixel electrode is the same or narrow, and a light shielding layer is not provided between adjacent color filters. There is an effect that the overall brightness can be improved by increasing the color purity at the center of the pixel electrode and increasing the amount of transmitted light at the periphery of the pixel electrode of the color filter.

In addition, since the color filter substrate of the present invention can use the same color filter as that for a transmissive liquid crystal display device with high color purity, it is not necessary to change the filter material and manufacturing conditions, so that the efficiency and quality of the manufacturing line can be stabilized. In terms of performance, the burden on material procurement and management is reduced, and as a result, the cost and quality of the color filter substrate can be reduced.

1A is a structural plan view of a liquid crystal display device showing a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a structural plan view (a) of a conventional liquid crystal display device and an aa ′ sectional view (b) thereof. It is the structure top view (a) of the liquid crystal display device which shows 2nd Embodiment of this invention, and its aa 'sectional drawing (b). It is the structure top view (a) of the liquid crystal display device which shows 3rd Embodiment of this invention, and its aa 'sectional drawing (b). It is sectional drawing of the transflective color liquid crystal display device which has arrange | positioned the reflecting plate of the outer side of the board | substrate of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the reflection type color liquid crystal display device which has arrange | positioned the reflecting plate inside the board | substrate of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 ... color filter substrate, 102,
202, 302, 402, 502, 602... R (red) color filter, 103, 203
, 303, 403, 503, 603... G (green) color filter, 104, 204, 30
4,404,504,604 ... B (blue) color filter, 105,205,305,4
05, 505, 605 ... protective film, 106, 206, 306, 506, 606 ... strip transparent electrode, 107, 117, 207, 217, 307, 317, 407, 417, 507, 51
7,607,617 ... Alignment film, 108, 118, 208, 218, 308, 318, 40
8, 418, 508, 518, 608... Polarizing plate, 119, 219, 319, 419, 51
9 ... reflector, 110, 210, 410, 510, 610 ... active element substrate, 310 ...
Segment substrate, 111, 211, 411, 511, 611 ... signal line, 112, 212,
412, 512, 612 ... pixel electrode, 312 ... segment electrode, 113, 213 ... MIM
Element 413... Thin film transistor 114, 214, 414 Pixel electrode connection electrode 41
5 ... scanning line, 201 ... light shielding film (black matrix), 130, 230, 330, 430
, 530, 630 ... liquid crystal, 540 ... backlight.

Claims (4)

A liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal disposed between a pair of substrates and a reflecting means,
A plurality of pixel electrodes provided on one of the pair of substrates;
A plurality of color filters that overlap with the pixel electrode in a plane and overlap with a part of the reflecting means in a plane, and correspond to a plurality of different colors,
The area of each color filter arranged corresponding to each pixel electrode is smaller than the area of each pixel electrode,
A reduction amount of the color filter area with respect to the pixel electrode area is set in proportion to transmission luminances of the color filters corresponding to the plurality of different colors. 2. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein a light shielding layer is not provided between the color filters corresponding to adjacent pixel electrodes among the plurality of pixel electrodes and adjacent to each other. Further comprising a light emitter,
3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein display by light of the light emitter and display by light reflected by the reflecting means are performed. When the light emitter is turned on and the brightness of the surrounding environment is darker than the luminance of the light emitter, display is performed by transmitting the light of the light emitter,
4. The display according to claim 3, wherein display is performed by reflecting light of the surrounding environment by the reflecting means when the light-emitting body is turned off or when the surrounding environment is brighter than the luminance of the light-emitting body. Liquid crystal display device.

Images