JP2010048918A - Electro-optical device and electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To display high quality images in an electro-optical device, such as a liquid crystal device by reducing unhardened areas in the sealant, for example, and improve its reliability. <P>SOLUTION: The electro-optical device includes a pair of a first and second panels (10, 20), a plurality of pixel electrodes (9) arranged on the first panel (10) and consisting of transparent conductive materials, a sealant (52) joining the first and second panels each other in the sealing area (52a) around the pixel area (10a) where a plurality of pixel electrodes are arranged, a light shading film (53) provided inside the sealing area at least on one of the first and second panels to determine the perimeter of the pixel area, and a peripheral transparent electric conductive film (60) provided around the pixel area in a certain area of the light shading area (53a) where the light shading film is formed on the first panel and made by patterning the same transparent conductive material as the pixel electrodes simultaneously with the plurality of pixel electrodes. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technical field of an electro-optical device such as a liquid crystal device, and an electronic apparatus such as a liquid crystal projector including the electro-optical device.

  In a liquid crystal device which is an example of this type of electro-optical device, for example, a pair of substrates are bonded together with a sealing material such as an ultraviolet curable resin in a sealing region through a predetermined gap, and liquid crystal is sealed between the substrates. . On one substrate, pixel electrodes made of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) film are arranged in a matrix, for example, in the image display region, and on the other substrate, a counter electrode made of ITO film is provided facing the pixel electrode. . A voltage based on an image signal is applied to the liquid crystal layer between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode to change the alignment state of the liquid crystal molecules, thereby changing the light transmittance for each pixel. In this way, the image display is performed in the image display region by changing the light passing through the liquid crystal layer according to the image signal.

  In such a liquid crystal device, for example, for the purpose of reducing the level difference caused by the thickness of the pixel electrode on the surface of the stacked structure on one substrate, a seal region in the same layer as the pixel electrode on one substrate is used. In some cases, an ITO film is formed on a part of the film. For example, according to Patent Document 1, it is said that by forming the ITO film so as to overlap a part of the seal region, it is possible to prevent a decrease in moisture resistance and a decrease in adhesive strength.

JP 2007-10706 A

  However, when the ITO film is formed on a part of the seal region as described above, light such as ultraviolet curable resin is irradiated on the seal material from one substrate side in the manufacturing process. When the sealing material made of the curable adhesive material is cured, a part of the light may be reflected on the surface of the ITO film. Therefore, there is a technical problem that a part of the sealing material is not sufficiently irradiated with light, and the part may remain as an uncured part without being sufficiently cured. For this reason, when the uncured portion of the sealing material enters the image display area, there may be a problem in display, and a technical problem of lowering the reliability of the apparatus also occurs.

  The present invention has been made in view of, for example, the above-described problems. For example, an uncured portion in a sealing material can be reduced, a high-quality image can be displayed, and a highly reliable electro-optical device and the electro-optical device It is an object to provide an electronic device including the above.

  In order to solve the above problems, an electro-optical device according to an aspect of the invention includes a pair of first and second substrates, a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged on the first substrate and made of a transparent conductive material, and the plurality of pixel electrodes. In a sealing region along the periphery of the pixel region where the first and second substrates are arranged, a sealing material for bonding the first and second substrates together, and an inner periphery of the sealing region on at least one of the first and second substrates A light-shielding film that is provided on a side and defines a periphery of the pixel region; and a part of the light-shielding region on the first substrate where the light-shielding film is provided along the periphery of the pixel region, and And a peripheral transparent conductive film formed by patterning simultaneously with the plurality of pixel electrodes from the same transparent conductive material as the plurality of pixel electrodes.

  According to the electro-optical device of the present invention, the pair of first and second substrates are alternately arranged by the sealing material in the sealing region along the periphery of the pixel region or the pixel array region (or also referred to as “image display region”). An electro-optic material such as liquid crystal is sandwiched between the pair of first and second substrates. The first substrate has a laminated structure in which, for example, a transistor for switching pixels and wirings such as scanning lines and data lines are laminated on a glass substrate, for example, NSG (non-silicate glass) as the uppermost layer. Alternatively, an interlayer insulating film made of a silicon oxide film is formed. The second substrate is made of, for example, a glass substrate. On the first substrate, transparent pixel electrodes made of a transparent conductive material such as an ITO film are arranged in a matrix, for example. On the second substrate, a counter electrode made of a transparent conductive material such as an ITO film is arranged as a pixel electrode. Opposed. An alignment film made of an organic material such as polyimide or an inorganic material such as silica (SiO 2) is provided on each of the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, and the electro-optical device is not operated due to the surface shape effect in these alignment films. In this state, the electro-optical material takes a predetermined alignment state between the pair of first and second substrates. During operation of the electro-optical device, a voltage based on an image signal is applied to the electro-optical material between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, and the orientation state of the electro-optical material changes. The light transmittance for each pixel changes due to such a change in the orientation state of the electro-optical material. As a result, the light passing through the electro-optical material changes according to the image signal, and image display is performed in the pixel region.

  In the present invention, the periphery (that is, the frame or the outline) of the pixel region is defined by a light shielding film made of, for example, Cr (chrome) or the like provided on at least one of the first and second substrates. In other words, the light shielding film functions as a frame light shielding film (also referred to as a “peripheral parting film”) that defines the periphery of the pixel area as the display area. The light-shielding film is irradiated with light such as ultraviolet irradiation on a sealing material made of a photo-curing adhesive material such as ultraviolet curable resin on the inner side of the seal area along the periphery of the pixel area (that is, the side where the pixel area is located). The periphery of the pixel region is defined with a predetermined width, for example, while ensuring a design margin for preventing the interference (that is, maintaining a predetermined distance from the seal region so as not to overlap the seal region). Formed.

  Particularly in the present invention, a peripheral transparent conductive film formed by patterning simultaneously with a plurality of pixel electrodes from the same transparent conductive material as the plurality of pixel electrodes is formed in a part of the light shielding region on the first substrate. It is provided along. Here, the “light-shielding region” according to the present invention is a region provided with a light-shielding film that defines the periphery of the pixel region, and has a frame shape located on the inner peripheral side of the seal region where light is shielded by the light-shielding film. This is a light shielding region. That is, the peripheral transparent conductive film is made of the same type of transparent conductive material as the pixel electrode made of a transparent conductive material such as an ITO film, for example, on a part of the frame-shaped light shielding region on the first substrate, around the pixel region. It is provided along. The peripheral transparent conductive film includes, for example, a plurality of main body portions arranged so as to surround a pixel region at the same arrangement pitch as a pixel pitch in which a plurality of pixel electrodes are arranged, and main bodies adjacent to each other among the plurality of main body portions. And is typically held at a predetermined potential (for example, the same potential as the ground potential or the potential supplied to the counter electrode (ie, the counter electrode potential)). Is done.

  Therefore, in the manufacturing process, it can be avoided that a part of the sealing material is left uncured due to the peripheral transparent conductive film. That is, in the present invention, in particular, the peripheral transparent conductive film is provided in a part of the light shielding region located on the inner peripheral side of the seal region, and is not provided in the seal region. Therefore, in the manufacturing process, when the seal material is irradiated with light from the first substrate side to cure the seal material made of the photocurable adhesive material, a part of the light is reflected on the surface of the peripheral transparent conductive film. Since a part of the sealing material is not sufficiently irradiated with light, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the part remains as an uncured part without being sufficiently cured. As a result, it is possible to prevent a display problem from occurring due to the uncured portion of the sealing material entering the pixel region, and the reliability of the device can be improved.

  Further, if the peripheral transparent conductive film is configured to be held at a predetermined potential, the pixel electrode arranged on the peripheral side in the pixel region (in other words, the pixel electrode arranged near the edge of the pixel region) It is possible to reduce the adverse electromagnetic influence from the periphery of the pixel region. That is, the peripheral transparent conductive film can function as an electromagnetic shield that reduces or prevents an electromagnetic adverse effect on the pixel electrodes arranged on the peripheral side in the pixel region. Therefore, display defects (for example, display unevenness) around the pixel region caused by electromagnetic adverse effects from the periphery of the pixel region can be almost or completely eliminated in practice.

  In addition, the peripheral transparent conductive film is provided in a part of the light-shielding region on the first substrate along the periphery of the pixel region, so that a rubbing process is caused due to a step between the surface of the first substrate and the surface of the pixel electrode. Rabbits such as rubbing cloth abrasion powder, which can sometimes be generated, can easily remain in the region where the peripheral transparent conductive film is formed (that is, a part of the light shielding region that does not contribute to display). That is, it is possible to reduce or prevent the rabbet from remaining in the pixel region and adversely affecting the image display.

  In addition, as described above, since the peripheral transparent conductive film is formed by patterning simultaneously with the plurality of pixel electrodes from the same transparent conductive material as the plurality of pixel electrodes, the laminated structure on the first substrate is complicated. And the manufacturing process is not complicated.

  As described above, according to the electro-optical device of the present invention, for example, an uncured portion in the sealing material can be reduced, a high-quality image can be displayed, and the reliability of the device can be improved. it can.

  In one aspect of the electro-optical device of the present invention, the peripheral transparent conductive film is held at a predetermined potential.

  According to this aspect, the peripheral transparent conductive film can be functioned more reliably as an electromagnetic shield that reduces or prevents electromagnetic adverse effects on the pixel electrodes arranged on the peripheral side in the pixel region. Here, the “predetermined potential” means a potential that is fixed at least for a predetermined period regardless of the content of the image data. For example, a potential that is completely fixed at a constant potential with respect to the time axis, such as a ground potential or a ground potential, may be used. Alternatively, like the counter electrode potential supplied to the counter electrode, for example, it is fixed to the first fixed potential in the odd field period related to the image signal and fixed to the second fixed potential in the even field period. The potential may be fixed at a constant potential for a certain period of time with respect to the time axis.

  In the aspect in which the above-described peripheral transparent conductive film is maintained at a predetermined potential, the peripheral transparent conductive film and the first substrate are disposed on a lower layer side through an interlayer insulating film than the peripheral transparent conductive film on the first substrate. The peripheral transparent conductive film includes a constant potential line that has a portion overlapping in plan view and is supplied with the predetermined potential, and the peripheral transparent conductive film is connected to the constant potential line and a contact hole formed in the interlayer insulating film. And may be electrically connected.

  In this case, the peripheral transparent conductive film is held at a predetermined potential by being electrically connected to the constant potential line through the contact hole. Therefore, the peripheral transparent conductive film can function reliably as an electromagnetic shield.

  In another aspect of the electro-optical device according to the aspect of the invention, the light-shielding film is disposed on the first substrate with a gap having a predetermined width as viewed in plan.

  According to this aspect, it can reduce or prevent that the light irradiation with respect to the sealing material which consists of a photocurable adhesive material is prevented by the light shielding film or a surrounding transparent conductive film, and can reduce the uncured part in a sealing material still more reliably. That is, according to this aspect, when irradiating light to the sealing material, the sealing material is interposed through a gap having a predetermined width between the sealing region provided with the sealing material and the light shielding region provided with the light shielding film. It is possible to sufficiently irradiate light also from the side surface side, and the uncured portion in the sealing material can be more reliably reduced.

  In another aspect of the electro-optical device of the present invention, the electro-optical material sandwiched between the first and second substrates and an inorganic material formed on the plurality of pixel electrodes, the orientation state of the electro-optical material is changed. And an alignment film to be regulated.

  According to this aspect, since the alignment film is formed from an inorganic material, if the alignment film is made of an organic material such as polyimide, a rubbing treatment that is necessary is unnecessary. Rabbi can be avoided from remaining in the pixel region and adversely affecting the image display.

  In order to solve the above problems, an electronic apparatus according to the present invention includes the above-described electro-optical device according to the present invention (including various aspects thereof).

  According to the electronic apparatus of the present invention, since the electro-optical device of the present invention described above is provided, a projection display device, a television, a mobile phone, an electronic notebook, and a word processor capable of performing high-quality image display. Various electronic devices such as a viewfinder type or a monitor direct view type video tape recorder, a workstation, a videophone, a POS terminal, and a touch panel can be realized.

  The operation and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the best mode for carrying out the invention described below.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, a drive circuit built-in TFT (Thin Film Transistor) active matrix drive type liquid crystal device, which is an example of the electro-optical device of the present invention, is taken as an example.
<First Embodiment>
The liquid crystal device according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, the overall configuration of the liquid crystal device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of the liquid crystal device according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line H-H ′ of FIG. 1.

  1 and 2, in the liquid crystal device 100 according to the present embodiment, the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20 are arranged to face each other. A liquid crystal layer 50 is sealed between the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20, and the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20 are surrounded by an image display region 10a as an example of the “pixel region” according to the present invention. They are bonded to each other by a sealing material 52 provided in a sealing region 52a located in the area. The sealing material 52 is made of a photo-curing adhesive material such as an ultraviolet curable resin for bonding the two substrates, and after being applied on the TFT array substrate 10 in the manufacturing process, it is cured by light irradiation such as ultraviolet irradiation. It is what was done.

  In FIG. 1, a light-shielding frame light-shielding film 53 that defines the frame area 53a of the image display area 10a is provided on the counter substrate 20 side in parallel with the inside of the seal area 52a in which the sealing material 52 is disposed. . The frame light shielding film 53 is an example of the “light shielding film” according to the present invention, and the frame region 53a is an example of the “light shielding region” according to the present invention.

  A data line driving circuit 101 and an external circuit connection terminal 102 are provided along one side of the TFT array substrate 10 in a region located outside the sealing region 52 a where the sealing material 52 is disposed. Further, the scanning line driving circuit 104 is provided so as to be covered with the frame light shielding film 53 inside the seal region 52 a along two sides adjacent to the one side. On the TFT array substrate 10, vertical conduction terminals 106 for connecting the two substrates with the vertical conduction material 107 are arranged in regions facing the four corner portions of the counter substrate 20. Thus, electrical conduction can be established between the TFT array substrate 10 and the counter substrate 20.

  On the TFT array substrate 10, a lead wiring 90 is formed for electrically connecting the external circuit connection terminal 102 to the data line driving circuit 101, the scanning line driving circuit 104, the vertical conduction terminal 106, and the like. .

  In FIG. 2, on the TFT array substrate 10, wirings such as a pixel switching TFT 30 (see FIG. 3), a scanning line 11 (see FIG. 3), a data line 6 (see FIG. 3), which are driving elements, are formed. A laminated structure is formed. In the image display area 10a, pixel electrodes 9 are provided in a matrix form on the upper layer of wiring such as pixel switching TFTs, scanning lines, and data lines. On the pixel electrode 9, an alignment film 16 made of an organic material such as polyimide is formed so as to cover the pixel electrode 9. The alignment film 16 is rubbed and has a function of aligning the alignment of liquid crystal molecules when no voltage is applied. The alignment film 16 may be formed of an inorganic material such as silica (SiO 2).

  On the other hand, a light shielding film 23 is formed on the surface of the counter substrate 20 facing the TFT array substrate 10. The light shielding film 23 is formed of, for example, a light shielding metal film or the like, and is patterned, for example, in a lattice shape in the image display region 10a on the counter substrate 20. A counter electrode 21 made of a transparent material such as ITO is formed in a solid shape on the light shielding film 23 so as to face the plurality of pixel electrodes 9. On the counter electrode 21, an alignment film 22 made of an organic material such as polyimide is formed. The alignment film 22 may be formed of an inorganic material such as silica (SiO2).

  Further, the liquid crystal layer 50 is made of, for example, a liquid crystal in which one or several types of nematic liquid crystals are mixed, and takes a predetermined alignment state between the pair of alignment films.

  Although not shown here, in this embodiment, as will be described later with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7, the frame region 53 a on the TFT array substrate 10 includes a pixel electrode 9 and a TFT 30. In order to simulate the portion, a dummy pixel portion having the same structure as the pixel portion and a peripheral transparent conductive film 60 formed by patterning simultaneously with the pixel electrode 9 from the same transparent conductive material as the pixel electrode 9 are provided. .

  Although not shown here, on the TFT array substrate 10, in addition to the data line driving circuit 101 and the scanning line driving circuit 104, a sampling circuit for sampling the image signal on the image signal line and supplying it to the data line, A precharge circuit for supplying a precharge signal of a predetermined voltage level to the data line in advance of the image signal, an inspection circuit for inspecting the quality, defects, etc. of the liquid crystal device during manufacture or at the time of shipment, and an inspection pattern Etc. may be formed.

  Next, an electrical configuration of the pixel portion of the liquid crystal device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a plurality of pixel portions of the liquid crystal device according to this embodiment.

  In FIG. 3, a plurality of pixel portions 500 are arranged in a matrix in the image display region 10a of the liquid crystal device 100 according to the present embodiment. Each of the plurality of pixel portions 500 includes a pixel electrode 9 and a TFT 30 for controlling the switching of the pixel electrode 9, and the data line 6 to which an image signal is supplied is electrically connected to the source of the TFT 30. Has been. The image signals VS1, VS2,..., VSn to be written to the data lines 6 may be supplied line-sequentially in this order, or may be supplied for each of a plurality of data lines 6 adjacent to each other. Good.

  Further, the scanning line 11 is electrically connected to the gate of the TFT 30, and the scanning signals G1, G2,..., Gm are applied to the scanning line 11 in a pulse-sequential manner in this order at a predetermined timing. It is configured. The pixel electrode 9 is electrically connected to the drain of the TFT 30, and the image signal VS1, VS2,..., VSn supplied from the data line 6a is obtained by closing the switch of the TFT 30 serving as a switching element for a certain period. Write at a predetermined timing.

  Image signals VS1, VS2,..., VSn written to the liquid crystal via the pixel electrode 9 are constant between the counter electrode 21 (see FIG. 2) formed on the counter substrate 20 (see FIG. 2). Hold for a period. The liquid crystal modulates light and enables gradation display by changing the orientation and order of the molecular assembly depending on the applied voltage level. In the normally white mode, the transmittance for incident light is reduced according to the voltage applied in units of each pixel, and in the normally black mode, the light is incident according to the voltage applied in units of each pixel. The light transmittance is increased, and light having a contrast corresponding to an image signal is emitted from the liquid crystal device as a whole.

  In order to prevent the image signal held here from leaking, a storage capacitor 70 is added in parallel with the liquid crystal capacitor formed between the pixel electrode 9 and the counter electrode 21. One electrode of the storage capacitor 70 is electrically connected to the drain of the TFT 30 in parallel with the pixel electrode 9, and the other electrode is electrically connected to the capacitor wiring 400. In the present embodiment, the capacitor wiring 400 is extended to a peripheral region located around the image display region 10a, and is connected via the vertical conduction terminal 106 included in the routing wiring 90 described above with reference to FIG. The counter electrode 21 is electrically connected to a counter electrode potential line for supplying a counter electrode potential.

  Next, the peripheral transparent conductive film of the liquid crystal device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the peripheral transparent conductive film of the liquid crystal device according to the present embodiment in the C1 portion shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a region where the peripheral transparent conductive film of the liquid crystal device according to the present embodiment is formed.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in this embodiment, in particular, a plurality of pixel electrodes 9 are formed on a part of the frame region 53 a on the TFT array substrate 10 from the same transparent conductive material (that is, ITO film) as the plurality of pixel electrodes 9. At the same time, a peripheral transparent conductive film 60 formed by patterning is provided along the periphery of the image display region 10a. The peripheral transparent conductive film 60 has a main body portion 61 and a connection portion 62 as will be described later with reference to FIG. 6, but FIG. 4 shows only the main body portion of the peripheral transparent conductive film 60 for convenience of explanation. The connection portion is not shown.

  More specifically, in FIGS. 4 and 5, the peripheral transparent conductive film 60 is a dummy along the periphery of the image display region 10a in which the dummy pixel portion including the dummy pixel electrode 9d is provided in the frame region 53a. An area 53a2 located outside the pixel area 53a1 (that is, on the seal area 52a side) is formed so as to surround the image display area 10a. Here, the dummy pixel portion is configured in the same manner as the pixel portion 500 including the pixel electrode 9 described above with reference to FIG. That is, the dummy pixel portion (i) is formed from the same film as the pixel electrode 9 (that is, formed by patterning simultaneously with the pixel electrode 9 from the same transparent conductive material as the pixel electrode 9) and the pixel electrode. 9 has dummy pixel electrodes 9d arranged at the same arrangement pitch as the arrangement pitch (that is, pixel pitch) 9 and (ii) the same stacked structure as the TFT 30, and controls the switching of the dummy electrodes 9d. And (iii) a storage capacitor that is electrically connected to the TFT and the dummy pixel electrode 9 d and has the same stacked structure as the storage capacitor 70.

  FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a planar pattern of the peripheral transparent conductive film of the liquid crystal device according to this embodiment. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A ′ of FIG. 4.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the peripheral transparent conductive film 60 includes a plurality of body portions 61 arranged so as to surround the image display region 10a at the same arrangement pitch as the pixel pitch in which the plurality of pixel electrodes 9 are arranged, It has the connection part 62 which connects between the mutually adjacent main body parts 61 among the several main body parts 61. FIG.

  4 and 7, a constant potential line 710 is formed in a region 53a2 located outside the dummy pixel region 53a1 in the frame region 53a. The constant potential line 710 is electrically connected to the capacitor wiring 400 described above with reference to FIG. 3 (in other words, electrically connected to the counter electrode potential line), and is maintained at the counter electrode potential. . The constant potential line 710 is disposed on the lower layer side than the peripheral transparent conductive film 60 via the interlayer insulating film 44 (in FIG. 7, the interlayer insulating film disposed on the upper layer side than the TFT 30 and the like on the TFT array substrate 10). 43).

  The peripheral transparent conductive film 60 is electrically connected to the constant potential line 710 through a contact hole 81 opened in the interlayer insulating film 44, and is a counter electrode as an example of the “predetermined potential” according to the present invention. It is held at a potential.

  In particular, the peripheral transparent conductive film 60 is provided in the region 53a2 which is a part of the frame region 53a located on the inner peripheral side of the seal region 52a as described above, and is not provided in the seal region 52a. . Therefore, in the manufacturing process, when the sealing material 52 is irradiated with light such as ultraviolet rays from the TFT array substrate 10 side to cure the sealing material made of a photo-curing adhesive material such as ultraviolet curable resin, part of the light is transparent in the periphery. By reflecting on the surface of the conductive film 60, a part of the sealing material 52 is not sufficiently irradiated with light, so that it is possible to avoid a situation in which the part remains uncured without being sufficiently cured. As a result, it is possible to prevent a display defect from occurring due to the uncured portion of the sealing material 52 entering the image display region 10a, and the reliability of the apparatus can be improved.

  Further, particularly in the present embodiment, the peripheral transparent conductive film 60 is electrically connected to the constant potential line 710 and held at the counter electrode potential as described above. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the adverse electromagnetic influence from the outside of the frame region 53a on the pixel electrodes 9 (and the dummy pixel electrodes 9d) arranged on the peripheral side in the image display region 10a. That is, the peripheral transparent conductive film 60 can function as an electromagnetic shield that reduces or prevents an electromagnetic adverse effect on the pixel electrodes 9 arranged on the peripheral side in the image display region 10a. Therefore, display defects (for example, display unevenness) around the image display area 10a caused by electromagnetic adverse effects from the periphery of the image display area 10a (specifically, outside the frame area 53a). Can be eliminated almost or completely in practice. As a result, according to the liquid crystal device 100 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to display a high-quality image.

  In addition, particularly in the present embodiment, the peripheral transparent conductive film 60 is provided in the region 53a2 which is a part of the frame region 53a on the TFT array substrate 10 along the periphery of the image display region 10a. A region 53a2 in which the peripheral transparent conductive film 60 is formed (that is, rubbish debris such as abrasion powder of a rubbing cloth, which may occur during the rubbing process due to a step between the surface of the array substrate 10 and the surface of the pixel electrode 9 (that is, It can easily remain in a part of the frame area 53a which is a light shielding area that does not contribute to display. That is, it is possible to reduce or prevent the rabbi from remaining in the image display area 10a and adversely affecting the image display.

  In addition, particularly in the present embodiment, the peripheral transparent conductive film 60 is formed by patterning simultaneously with the plurality of pixel electrodes 9 from the same transparent conductive material as the plurality of pixel electrodes 9, as described above. There is no complication of the laminated structure on the array substrate 10 or complicated manufacturing process.

  4 and 5, particularly in the present embodiment, the frame region 53a and the seal region 52a are disposed across a gap region 610a having a predetermined width d1 when viewed in plan on the TFT array substrate 10. In other words, the frame light-shielding film 53 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is disposed with a gap between the seal region 52a and the predetermined width d1 when viewed in plan on the TFT array substrate 10.

  Therefore, it is possible to reduce or prevent the light irradiation to the sealing material 52 made of the photocurable adhesive material from being hindered by the frame light shielding film 53. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce or prevent light irradiation on the sealing material 52 from being hindered by the peripheral transparent conductive film 60 provided in the region 53a2 which is a part of the frame region 53a. Therefore, the uncured portion in the sealing material 52 can be more reliably reduced. That is, when the sealing material 52 is irradiated with light, the sealing region 52a provided with the sealing material 52 and the frame region 53a provided with the frame light shielding film 53 (in other words, the region provided with the peripheral transparent conductive film 60). 53a2) through the gap of the predetermined width d1 can sufficiently irradiate light from the side surface side of the sealing material 52, and the uncured portion of the sealing material 52 can be further reliably reduced.

  As described above, according to the liquid crystal device 100 according to the present embodiment, a high-quality image can be displayed and the reliability of the device can be improved.

In this embodiment, the alignment films 16 and 22 (see FIG. 2) are described as an example of an organic alignment film made of an organic material such as polyimide. However, the alignment films 16 and 22 are For example, it may be configured as an inorganic alignment film formed from an inorganic material such as silica (SiO 2) by, for example, oblique deposition. In this case, the rubbing process for the alignment film is not required, and for example, the rubbing residue such as the abrasion powder of the rubbing cloth remains in the image display area 10a, and the situation in which the image display is adversely affected can be avoided.
<Electronic equipment>
Next, the case where the liquid crystal device which is the above-described electro-optical device is applied to various electronic devices will be described. Here, a projector using the above-described liquid crystal device as a light valve will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a configuration example of the projector.

  As shown in FIG. 8, a projector 1100 includes a lamp unit 1102 made of a white light source such as a halogen lamp. The projection light emitted from the lamp unit 1102 is separated into three primary colors of RGB by four mirrors 1106 and two dichroic mirrors 1108 arranged in the light guide 1104, and serves as a light valve corresponding to each primary color. The light enters the liquid crystal panels 1110R, 1110B, and 1110G.

  The configurations of the liquid crystal panels 1110R, 1110B, and 1110G are the same as those of the liquid crystal device described above, and are driven by R, G, and B primary color signals supplied from the image signal processing circuit. The light modulated by these liquid crystal panels enters the dichroic prism 1112 from three directions. In the dichroic prism 1112, R and B light is refracted at 90 degrees, while G light travels straight. Therefore, as a result of the synthesis of the images of the respective colors, a color image is projected onto the screen or the like via the projection lens 1114.

  Here, paying attention to the display images by the liquid crystal panels 1110R, 1110B, and 1110G, the display image by the liquid crystal panel 1110G needs to be horizontally reversed with respect to the display images by the liquid crystal panels 1110R and 1110B.

  In addition, since light corresponding to each primary color of R, G, and B is incident on the liquid crystal panels 1110R, 1110B, and 1110G by the dichroic mirror 1108, it is not necessary to provide a color filter.

  In addition to the electronic device described with reference to FIG. 8, a mobile personal computer, a mobile phone, a liquid crystal television, a viewfinder type, a monitor direct view type video tape recorder, a car navigation device, a pager, and an electronic notebook , Calculators, word processors, workstations, videophones, POS terminals, devices with touch panels, and the like. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to these various electronic devices.

  In addition to the liquid crystal device described in the above embodiment, the present invention also includes a reflective liquid crystal device (LCOS) in which elements are formed on a silicon substrate, a plasma display (PDP), a field emission display (FED, SED), The present invention can also be applied to an organic EL display, a digital micromirror device (DMD), an electrophoresis apparatus, and the like.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit or idea of the invention that can be read from the claims and the entire specification, and an electro-optical device with such a change. In addition, an electronic apparatus including the electro-optical device is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

It is a top view which shows the structure of the liquid crystal device which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is the H-H 'sectional view taken on the line of FIG. 3 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a plurality of pixel units of the liquid crystal device according to the first embodiment. FIG. It is a top view which shows schematic structure of the peripheral transparent conductive film of the liquid crystal device which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the area | region in which the peripheral transparent conductive film of the liquid crystal device which concerns on 1st Embodiment is formed. It is a top view which shows the plane pattern of the peripheral transparent conductive film of the liquid crystal device which concerns on 1st Embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A ′ of FIG. 4. It is a top view which shows the structure of the projector which is an example of the electronic device to which the electro-optical apparatus is applied.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 9 ... Pixel electrode, 9d ... Dummy pixel electrode, 10 ... TFT array substrate, 10a ... Image display area, 16 ... Orientation film, 20 ... Counter substrate, 21 ... Counter electrode, 22 ... Orientation film, 23 ... Light shielding film, 44, 43 ... Interlayer insulating film, 50 ... Liquid crystal layer, 52 ... Sealing material, 52a ... Sealing region, 53 ... Frame light shielding film, 53a ... Frame region, 60, 61, 62 ... Peripheral transparent conductive film, 81 ... Contact hole, 710 ... Constant potential line

Claims (6)

A pair of first and second substrates;
A plurality of pixel electrodes arranged on the first substrate and made of a transparent conductive material;
A seal material for bonding the first and second substrates together in a seal region along the periphery of the pixel region in which the plurality of pixel electrodes are arranged;
A light shielding film provided on an inner peripheral side of the seal region on at least one of the first and second substrates, and defining a periphery of the pixel region;
The plurality of pixel electrodes are formed on the first substrate along a periphery of the pixel region in a part of the light shielding region provided with the light shielding film, and from the same transparent conductive material as the plurality of pixel electrodes. An electro-optical device comprising: a peripheral transparent conductive film formed by patterning at the same time.   The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral transparent conductive film is held at a predetermined potential. The first transparent substrate is disposed on a lower layer side than the peripheral transparent conductive film via an interlayer insulating film, and has a portion overlapping the peripheral transparent conductive film in plan view on the first substrate, and the predetermined potential is With a constant potential line supplied,
The electro-optical device according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral transparent conductive film is electrically connected to the constant potential line through a contact hole opened in the interlayer insulating film.   4. The electricity according to claim 1, wherein the light shielding film is disposed with a gap of a predetermined width from the seal region when viewed in plan on the first substrate. 5. Optical device. An electro-optic material sandwiched between the first and second substrates;
The electro-optical device according to claim 1, further comprising: an alignment film that is formed of an inorganic material on the plurality of pixel electrodes and regulates an alignment state of the electro-optical material.   An electronic apparatus comprising the electro-optical device according to claim 1.

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