JP2008096730A - Display panel and color filter substrate used therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain display quality comparable to that of a flat surface state even when the display panel is in a curved surface state. <P>SOLUTION: The liquid crystal display panel 50 is equipped with: an active matrix substrate 20 having a plurality of pixel electrodes 17 and arranged in a matrix; and a color filter substrate 30 having a color filter layer and disposed opposite to the active matrix substrate 20, wherein the color filter layer is equipped with a plurality of coloring layers 18a which are respectively colored with predetermined colors, and extend in parallel to one another along one arrangement direction of the plurality of pixel electrodes 17. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a display panel and a color filter substrate used therefor, and more particularly to a flexible display panel.

  In recent years, in the fields of liquid crystal display devices, organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display devices, and the like, flexible display panels manufactured using a flexible substrate such as a plastic substrate have attracted attention.

For example, Patent Document 1 includes a display panel that can be deformed into a curved state or a planar state around a predetermined axis, and a rod-shaped driver IC that is mounted on the display panel and drives the display panel. A display device is disclosed which is arranged so as to be parallel to an axis when the driver IC is curved. According to this, it is described that even if the driver IC has a relatively long shape, the curved deformation of the display panel can be prevented from being hindered by the driver IC having high rigidity.
JP 2005-338179 A

  FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional liquid crystal display panel 150 that can be bent and deformed.

  The liquid crystal display panel 150 includes an active matrix substrate 120 and a color filter substrate 130 that are arranged to face each other, and a liquid crystal layer 125 provided between the substrates 120 and 130.

  The active matrix substrate 120 includes an insulating substrate 110a such as a plastic substrate, a thin film transistor (hereinafter referred to as “TFT”) 105 provided for each pixel which is the minimum unit of an image on the insulating substrate 110a, And a pixel electrode 117 connected to the drain electrode 114b of the TFT 105. Here, in the active matrix substrate 120, a plurality of pixel electrodes 117 are arranged in a matrix.

  The color filter substrate 130 includes an insulating substrate 110b such as a plastic substrate, a color filter layer 118 provided on the insulating substrate 110b, and a common electrode 119 provided on the color filter layer 118. Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the color filter layer 118 is provided between the colored layers 118a provided in a matrix corresponding to the pixel electrodes 117 on the active matrix substrate 120, and between the colored layers 118a. And a black matrix 118b. Each colored layer 118a is colored, for example, red (R), green (G), or blue (B).

  In the liquid crystal display panel 150, the active matrix substrate 120 and the color filter substrate 130 are bonded together so that the pixel electrodes 117 and the colored layers 118a overlap each other. As shown in FIG. 7, when the liquid crystal display panel 150 is deformed in a curved shape around the axis L, for example, each pixel electrode 117 and each colored layer 118a overlap each other in a region C in FIG. Even in such a case, the pixel electrodes 117 and the colored layers 118a may not overlap each other in the region E in FIG. 8 along the bending direction.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, when the liquid crystal display panel 150 is curved so that the color filter substrate 130 is on the outside, the curvature radius of the color filter substrate 130 is the curvature radius of the active matrix substrate 120. As shown in FIG. 9, for example, the third pixel electrode 117c from the upper left is not only the third colored layer 118a (R3) from the upper left that should be superimposed independently, but also the upper left adjacent to the right. To the fourth colored layer 118a (R4). Then, for example, in the colored layer 118a (R4), not only is the color applied by the originally applied voltage between the pixel electrode 117d and the colored layer 118a (R4), but also the original color is applied between the pixel electrode 117c and the colored layer 118a (R4). Since the color is generated even by an applied voltage that should not be applied, the display quality of the liquid crystal display panel 150 is significantly deteriorated.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object of the present invention is to maintain display quality equivalent to that of a flat state even when the display panel is curved.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, the color filter layer includes a plurality of colored layers that are each colored in a predetermined color and extend in parallel with each other.

  Specifically, a display panel according to the present invention includes an active matrix substrate having a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix, and a color filter substrate disposed opposite to the active matrix substrate and having a color filter layer. In the display panel, the color filter layer includes a plurality of colored layers that are colored in a predetermined color and extend in parallel with each other along one arrangement direction of the plurality of pixel electrodes. Features.

  According to the above configuration, the color filter layer on the color filter substrate is colored in a predetermined color of, for example, red, green, or blue, respectively, along one arrangement direction of the plurality of pixel electrodes on the active matrix substrate. In addition, since a plurality of colored layers extending in parallel to each other are provided, each pixel electrode is provided on a conventional color filter substrate between the pixels arranged along the one arrangement direction. There will be no black matrix. Therefore, each pixel electrode on the active matrix substrate is curved even when the display panel is curved along one arrangement direction of the pixel electrodes, that is, along the extending direction of each colored layer on the color filter substrate. In each region on the color filter substrate corresponding to the above, no black matrix is arranged, and each display layer is arranged in the same manner as in the case where the display panel is in a flat state. Quality is maintained. Thereby, even if the display panel is in a curved state, the display quality equivalent to the flat state is maintained.

  In addition, as described above, in a flexible display panel in which a color filter layer is provided on the substrate side facing the active matrix substrate, even in a curved state, a display quality equivalent to a planar state is maintained, In a flexible display panel, it is not necessary to adopt a color filter on array (CF on Array) structure that greatly affects the yield of the active matrix substrate.

  The active matrix substrate and the color filter substrate may be flexible and may be formed in a curved surface curved along the extending direction of the colored layers.

  According to said structure, since a display panel is formed in the curved surface shape curved along the direction where each colored layer of a color filter substrate is extended, the effect of this invention is show | played concretely. Here, the curved shape of the display panel may be a convex surface or a concave surface.

  A liquid crystal layer may be provided between the active matrix substrate and the color filter substrate.

  According to said structure, the effect of this invention is specifically show | played in the liquid crystal display panel in which the liquid crystal layer was provided between the active matrix substrate and the color filter substrate.

  A light shielding film may be provided between the colored layers of the color filter substrate.

  According to the above configuration, since the light shielding film is provided between the plurality of colored layers extending in parallel to each other, the display panel is curved along the extending direction of each colored layer on the color filter substrate. Even in such a case, the light shielding film is not disposed in each region on the color filter substrate corresponding to each pixel electrode on the active matrix substrate.

  The active matrix substrate and the color filter substrate may be plastic substrates.

  According to the above configuration, since the active matrix substrate and the color filter substrate are plastic substrates having flexibility, the display panel is formed in a curved surface curved along the extending direction of each colored layer of the color filter substrate, The effects of the present invention are specifically demonstrated.

  The color filter substrate according to the present invention is a color filter substrate having a color filter layer for a display panel, and each of the color filter layers is colored in a predetermined color and extends in parallel with each other. It is characterized by having.

  According to the above configuration, each of the color filter layers includes, for example, a plurality of colored layers that are colored in a predetermined color of, for example, red, green, or blue and extend in parallel with each other. Thus, the black matrix provided on the conventional color filter substrate does not exist. Therefore, for example, the display panel is configured by arranging the color filter substrate so as to face the active matrix substrate having a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix, and the display panel is arranged on each color filter substrate. Even when the coloring layer is curved along the extending direction, the black matrix is not disposed in each region on the color filter substrate corresponding to each pixel electrode on the active matrix substrate, and the display panel is As in the case of the planar state, the predetermined colored layers are arranged, so that the display quality equivalent to the planar state is maintained. Thereby, even if the display panel is in a curved state, the display quality equivalent to the flat state is maintained.

  According to the present invention, the color filter layer is provided with a plurality of colored layers that are each colored in a predetermined color and extend in parallel to each other, so that even if the display panel is curved, it is equivalent to the planar state. Display quality can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, a liquid crystal display panel in which a TFT is provided for each pixel will be described as an example of the display panel. In addition, this invention is not limited to the following embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a liquid crystal display panel 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal display panel 50 in a planar state.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid crystal display panel 50 is provided between the active matrix substrate 20, the color filter substrate 30 disposed to face the active matrix substrate 20, and the active matrix substrate 20 and the color filter substrate 30. And a liquid crystal layer 25.

  The active matrix substrate 20 includes a plurality of gate lines (not shown) provided so as to extend in parallel with each other and a plurality of source lines (not shown) provided so as to extend in parallel with each other in a direction orthogonal to each gate line. And the TFT 5 provided at each intersection of each gate line a and each source line, and the pixel electrode 17 provided corresponding to each TFT 5 in a region surrounded by a pair of adjacent gate lines and a pair of source lines. And. Here, in the active matrix substrate 20, pixels that are the minimum unit of an image are configured by the pixel electrodes 17, and a display region is configured by arranging these pixels in a matrix. Note that a capacitance line for forming an auxiliary capacitance may be provided between the gate lines.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the TFT 5 corresponds to the gate electrode 11 provided on the insulating substrate 10 a, the gate insulating film 12 provided so as to cover the gate electrode 11, and the gate electrode 11 on the gate insulating film 12. The semiconductor layer 13 provided in an island shape at a position where the source electrode 14 a and the drain electrode 14 b are provided so as to face each other on the semiconductor layer 13. Here, the gate electrode 11 is a portion protruding laterally with respect to the extending direction of the gate line, and the source electrode 14a is a portion protruding laterally with respect to the extending direction of the source line. The drain electrode 14 b is connected to the pixel electrode 17 through a contact hole formed in the laminated film of the protective insulating film 15 and the interlayer insulating film 16.

  The active matrix 20 has a multilayer laminated structure in which a gate insulating film 12, a protective insulating film 15, and an interlayer insulating film 16 are sequentially laminated on a flexible insulating substrate 10a.

  The gate lines and the gate electrode 11 are provided between the insulating substrate 10 a and the gate insulating film 12.

  Between the gate insulating film 12 and the laminated film of the protective insulating film 15 and the interlayer insulating film 16, the semiconductor layer 13, the source lines 14 a and the drain electrodes 14 b arranged above the semiconductor layer 13, Are provided.

  Pixel electrodes 17 are provided in a matrix on the upper layer of the protective insulating film 15 and the interlayer insulating film 16.

  The color filter substrate 30 has a multilayer stacked structure in which the color filter layer 18 and the common electrode 19 are sequentially stacked on the flexible insulating substrate 10b.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the color filter layer 18 has red (R) and green (G), respectively, along one arrangement direction (vertical direction in the drawing) of the plurality of pixel electrodes 17 on the active matrix substrate 20. ) Or blue (B), and a plurality of colored layers 18a stripe-arranged so as to extend parallel to each other, that is, between 18a (R), 18a (G) and 18a (B), and each colored layer 18a And a light shielding film 18b provided so as to extend in parallel with each other. Here, when the panel size is 2.6 inches (for QVGA, the number of pixels: vertical 320 × RGB × horizontal 240), the size of each colored layer 18a is about 5 cm long × about 54 μm wide and the panel size is 57 inches. In the case of inch (for Full HD, the number of pixels: vertical 1920 × RGB × horizontal 1080), it is about 71 cm long × 200 μm wide.

  The liquid crystal layer 25 is made of a nematic liquid crystal material having electro-optical characteristics.

  In the liquid crystal display panel 50 configured as described above, in each pixel, when a gate signal is sent from the gate line via the gate electrode 11 and the TFT 5 is turned on, the source signal is sent from the source line to the source electrode 14a. A predetermined charge is written into the pixel electrode 17 through the drain electrode 14b and a potential difference is generated between the pixel electrode 17 and the common electrode 19, and a predetermined voltage is applied to the liquid crystal capacitor formed of the liquid crystal layer 25. It is comprised so that. In the liquid crystal display panel 50, an image is displayed by adjusting the transmittance of light incident from the outside by utilizing the change in the alignment state of the liquid crystal molecules according to the magnitude of the voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer 25. Is done.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the liquid crystal display panel 50 is configured to be formed in a curved surface around the axis L along the extending direction of each colored layer 18a. In the liquid crystal display panel 50, since each colored layer 18a on the color filter substrate 30 is provided so as to extend along the curve direction, for example, as shown in FIG. Is larger than the radius of curvature of the active matrix substrate 20, the pixel electrodes 17 (17 a to 17 e) on the active matrix substrate 20 overlap with the colored layer 18 a (R) extending on the color filter substrate 30. .

  Next, with reference to FIG. 2, a method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display panel 50 of the present embodiment will be described with an example. The manufacturing method of this embodiment includes an active matrix substrate manufacturing process, a color filter substrate manufacturing process, and a liquid crystal layer forming process.

<Active matrix substrate manufacturing process>
First, a metal film made of aluminum, molybdenum, or the like is formed on the entire substrate on the insulating substrate 10a such as a plastic substrate (for example, a thickness of about 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm) by a sputtering method with a film thickness of about 3000 mm. Thereafter, a pattern is formed by a photolithography technique to form the gate line and the gate electrode 11.

  Subsequently, a silicon nitride film or the like is formed to a thickness of about 4000 mm on the entire substrate on which the gate line and the gate electrode 11 are formed by a CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) method, thereby forming the gate insulating film 12.

  Further, an intrinsic amorphous silicon film (film thickness of about 2000 mm) and a phosphorus-doped n + amorphous silicon film (film thickness of about 1000 mm) are continuously formed on the entire substrate on the gate insulating film 12 by the CVD method. Thereafter, an island pattern is formed on the gate electrode 11 by a photolithography technique to form a semiconductor layer 13 composed of an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer and an n + amorphous silicon layer.

  Then, a metal film made of aluminum, molybdenum, or the like is formed on the entire substrate on the gate insulating film 12 on which the semiconductor layer 13 is formed by a sputtering method with a film thickness of about 2000 mm, and then a pattern is formed by a photolithography technique. The source line, the source electrode 14a, and the drain electrode 14b are formed.

  Subsequently, the n + amorphous silicon layer of the semiconductor layer 13 is partially etched using the source electrode 14a and the drain electrode 14b as a mask, thereby forming a channel portion. Thereby, the TFT 5 is formed.

  Further, a silicon nitride film or the like is formed with a film thickness of about 3000 mm on the entire substrate on which the TFT 5 is formed by using a CVD method, and then a photosensitive acrylic resin or the like with a film thickness of about 2.0 μm by a spin coating method or the like. After coating, a contact hole is patterned on the drain electrode 14b by photolithography to form a laminated film composed of the protective insulating film 15 and the interlayer insulating film 16.

  Then, an ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) film, which is a compound of indium oxide and tin oxide, is formed over the entire substrate on the interlayer insulating film 16 by a sputtering method with a film thickness of about 1000 mm, and then pattern formation is performed by a photolithography technique. Thus, the pixel electrode 17 is formed.

  Finally, a polyimide resin is applied to the entire substrate on which the pixel electrodes 17 are formed, and then a rubbing process is performed to form an alignment film.

  As described above, the active matrix substrate 20 can be manufactured.

  In the active matrix substrate manufacturing process of this embodiment, the method of forming the semiconductor layer 13 from an amorphous silicon film is exemplified. However, the semiconductor layer 13 may be formed from a polysilicon film, and further, laser annealing treatment may be performed on the amorphous silicon film. May be performed to improve crystallinity.

<Color filter substrate manufacturing process>
First, a black-colored photosensitive resin is formed to a thickness of about 2 μm on the entire substrate on the insulating substrate 10b such as a plastic substrate (for example, a thickness of about 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm), and then a photolithography technique. Then, a light shielding film 18b is formed by pattern formation.

  Subsequently, a color resist colored in red, green, or blue is formed between the respective light shielding films 18b with a film thickness of about 1.5 μm, and then a pattern is formed by a photolithography technique. Is repeated to form the colored layer 18a (R), the colored layer 18a (G) and the colored layer 18a (B). Thereby, the color filter layer 18 which consists of the colored layer 18a and the light shielding film 18b is formed. In the present embodiment, the method of forming the colored layers 18a (R), 18a (G), and 18a (B) by photolithography technology is exemplified. However, in the present invention, the colored layers are formed by an inkjet method or the like. May be.

  Further, the common electrode 19 is formed by forming an ITO film with a thickness of about 1000 mm on the entire substrate on the color filter layer 18.

  Finally, a polyimide resin is applied to the entire substrate on the common electrode 19 and then a rubbing process is performed to form an alignment film.

  The color filter substrate 30 can be manufactured as described above.

<Liquid crystal layer forming step>
First, for example, the color filter substrate 30 manufactured in the color filter substrate manufacturing step is not provided with a liquid crystal inlet portion so as to surround a display region with a sealing material made of a thermosetting epoxy resin or the like by screen printing or a dispenser. By applying to the frame pattern, a seal pattern is formed.

  Subsequently, a spherical spacer made of plastic, silica beads or the like having a diameter (for example, about 5 μm) corresponding to the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 25 is scattered on the display area of the color filter substrate 30 on which the seal pattern is formed. To do. In this embodiment, as a method of arranging the spacers on the substrate, a method of dispersing the spherical spacers on the substrate is exemplified. However, in the present invention, for example, the photo spacers are formed on the active matrix substrate by a photolithography technique. It may be a method of forming.

  Further, the active matrix substrate 20 on which the seal pattern is formed and the color filter substrate 30 on which the spacers are dispersed are bonded together and then heated to cure the seal pattern, thereby producing an empty liquid crystal display panel.

  Finally, after injecting a liquid crystal material into an empty liquid crystal display panel by a decompression method, a UV curable resin is applied to the liquid crystal injection port, and the liquid crystal material is sealed by UV irradiation. Thereby, the liquid crystal layer 25 is formed.

  As described above, the liquid crystal display panel 50 of the present embodiment can be manufactured. Thereafter, the liquid crystal display panel 50 is curved along the direction in which each colored layer 18a extends and fixed in a curved surface, whereby the liquid crystal display panel 50 is curved around the axis L as shown in FIG. Can be manufactured to the state.

  As described above, according to the liquid crystal display panel 50 of the present embodiment, the color filter layer 18 on the color filter substrate 30 extends along one arrangement direction of the plurality of pixel electrodes 17 on the active matrix substrate 20. Since each of the plurality of colored layers 18a is colored red, green, or blue and extends in parallel with each other, each pixel electrode 17 is formed between the pixels arranged along one arrangement direction of the pixel electrodes 17. Therefore, the black matrix 118b (see FIG. 6) provided on the conventional color filter substrate 130 does not exist. Therefore, even when the liquid crystal display panel 50 is curved along one arrangement direction of the pixel electrodes 17, that is, along the extending direction of each colored layer 18 a on the color filter substrate 30, the active matrix substrate In each region on the color filter substrate 30 corresponding to each pixel electrode 17 on 20, the black matrix (118 b) is not disposed, and each colored layer 18 a is similar to the case where the liquid crystal display panel 50 is in a planar state. Therefore, display quality equivalent to that in the flat state can be maintained. Thereby, even if the liquid crystal display panel 50 is in a curved state, the display quality equivalent to the planar state can be maintained.

  In the present embodiment, the color layer 18a of the RGB three-color combination is illustrated, but the present invention is a multi-color combination coloring in which yellow (Y) and cyan (C) are added to the RGB three colors. Even a layer may be a colored layer of a combination of other colors.

  As described above, the present invention is useful for a flexible display panel because it can maintain display quality equivalent to that of a flat state even in a curved state.

It is a perspective view of the liquid crystal display panel 50 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the cross-sectional schematic diagram which showed the liquid crystal display panel 50 which concerns on embodiment of this invention in a planar state. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a color filter substrate 30 constituting a liquid crystal display panel 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the cross-sectional schematic diagram which showed the pixel electrodes 17a-17e and the colored layer 18a (R) in the liquid crystal display panel 50 which concerns on embodiment of this invention in a curved state. FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a conventional liquid crystal display panel 150. FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a color filter substrate 130 constituting a conventional liquid crystal display panel 150. It is a perspective view when the conventional liquid crystal display panel 150 is curved. It is the cross-sectional schematic diagram which showed the state when the conventional liquid crystal display panel 150 is curved. It is the cross-sectional schematic diagram which showed the pixel electrodes 117a-117e and the colored layer 118a (R1-R6) in the conventional curved liquid crystal display panel 150.

Explanation of symbols

17 Pixel electrode 18 Color filter layer 18a Colored layer 18b Light shielding film 20 Active matrix substrate 25 Liquid crystal layer 30 Color filter substrate 50 Liquid crystal display panel

Claims (6)

An active matrix substrate having a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix;
A display panel provided with a color filter substrate disposed opposite to the active matrix substrate and having a color filter layer,
The display panel, wherein the color filter layer includes a plurality of colored layers that are colored in a predetermined color and extend in parallel to each other along one arrangement direction of the plurality of pixel electrodes. The display panel according to claim 1,
The display panel, wherein the active matrix substrate and the color filter substrate are flexible and are formed in a curved surface curved along the extending direction of the colored layers. The display panel according to claim 1,
A display panel, wherein a liquid crystal layer is provided between the active matrix substrate and the color filter substrate. The display panel according to claim 1,
A display panel, wherein a light shielding film is provided between the colored layers of the color filter substrate. The display panel according to claim 1,
The display panel, wherein the active matrix substrate and the color filter substrate are plastic substrates. A color filter substrate having a color filter layer for a display panel,
The color filter substrate, wherein each of the color filter layers includes a plurality of colored layers that are colored in a predetermined color and extend in parallel to each other.

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