JP2012002969A - Electro-optic device and electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electro-optic device that can effectively use a display area and has excellent display quality.SOLUTION: An electro-optic device 1 has an electro-optical material 4 held between a first substrate 61 and a second substrate 51, and comprises a display area 2 having plural pixels and a margin area 3 provided along the circumference of the display area 2. The margin area 3 includes a first margin area 31 that changes its optical characteristics according to an electric signal and a second margin area 32 with fixed optical characteristics. The special margin area 3 provided along the circumference of the display area 2 allows the display area 2 to be effectively used, thereby providing the electro-optic device 1 with excellent display quality.

Description

  The present invention relates to an electro-optical device such as an electrophoretic device or a liquid crystal device, and an electronic apparatus including the same.

In the conventional electro-optical device 100 depicted in FIG. 11, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, the electrophoretic material covers almost the entire surface of the backplane (active matrix substrate). The backplane covered with the electrophoretic material was composed of a display area 2 in which pixel electrodes are arranged in a matrix and a peripheral area 8 located on the outer periphery of the display area 2. In the display area 2, a blank 9 is displayed to make the electro-optical device 100 easier to see.
In addition, in the electro-optical device of Patent Document 2, a dummy electrode is provided in the peripheral area on the outer periphery of the display area, and the electrophoretic material is formed outside the dummy electrode so as to completely cover the display area and the dummy electrode. .

JP 2006-323026 A JP 2006-227053 A

  However, in the conventional electro-optical device 100 typified by Patent Document 1, the peripheral region 8 does not serve for display, and the peripheral region 8 is an uncontrolled intermediate in a frame shape due to a leakage electric field to the electrophoretic material in the region. There is a problem in that the display quality of the electro-optical device as a whole is deteriorated by gradation. In addition, although the display area 2 is an active matrix area, the blank space 9 provided in the display area has only a simple white display and does not substantially function as an active matrix. That is, since the margin 9 is not effectively used in the conventional electro-optical device, there is a problem that the substantial use area 22 is narrowed in the display area where a high-definition image can be displayed by the active matrix.

  The conventional electro-optical device represented by Patent Document 2 also has a problem in that a frame-shaped uncontrolled halftone region is formed on the outer periphery of the dummy electrode, thereby reducing the display quality of the entire electro-optical device. In addition, as in Patent Document 1, there is a problem that a margin is created in the display area, and therefore, a substantial use area of the display area is narrowed.

  This application example has been made to solve at least a part of the above-described problems, and can be realized as the following application examples or forms.

(Application example)
An electro-optical device including an electro-optical material sandwiched between a first substrate and a second substrate, a display area having a plurality of pixels, and a blank area provided outside the display area, The electro-optical device, wherein the margin area includes a first margin area whose optical characteristics change according to an electric signal and a second margin area where the optical characteristics are determined.
According to this electro-optical device, it is possible to minimize the margin provided in the display region or not provide the margin in the display region by providing a dedicated margin region around the display region. That is, according to this electro-optical device, information can be displayed up to the vicinity of the outermost periphery in the display area, so that the display area made up of an active matrix or the like can be used sufficiently effectively.

In addition, it is preferable that a first blank area is provided outside the display area, and a second blank area is provided further outside the first blank area.
The optical characteristics of the second blank area are kept constant, but the optical characteristics of the first blank area change according to the supplied electrical signal. With this configuration, the background color of the display area (for example, white) and the optical characteristics (display color) of the first margin area are aligned and controlled, so that a frame of the same color as the background color of the display area is provided around the display area. A blank area is formed. Thus, the first margin area functions as a display area displaying the margin, and the substantial display area is expanded. Accordingly, the display area of the electro-optical device is substantially expanded.

In addition, in one of the plurality of pixels, a pixel electrode for controlling the optical characteristics of the electro-optic material is provided on the first substrate, and in order to control the optical characteristics of the electro-optic material in the first blank area. It is preferable that the blank electrode is provided on the first substrate.
In this way, when the pixel electrode is formed on the first substrate, the blank electrode can be formed on the first substrate at the same time, so the first blank region can be formed in the electro-optical device without increasing the number of manufacturing processes. It is possible to provide in.

The electro-optic material preferably overlaps the plurality of pixel electrodes and at least a part of the blank electrode in plan view.
In this electro-optical device, a plurality of pixel electrodes are provided in the display area, a blank electrode is formed in the first blank area, and the plurality of pixel electrodes and at least a part of the blank electrode are overlapped in plan view. An optical material is disposed. Of the blank electrode, an electro-optic material is disposed in an inner region adjacent to the display region in plan view. With such a configuration, the optical characteristics can be electrically changed between the entire display area and at least a part of the blank electrode adjacent to the display area in plan view, and the electro-optical device has a blank area around the display area. Is realized.

In addition, it is preferable that the boundary line between the first margin region and the second margin region overlaps the electro-optic material and the margin electrode in plan view.
In this way, the optical characteristics of the electro-optic material located in the boundary line area between the first margin area and the second margin area are always controlled by the margin electrode, so that the first margin area and the second margin area are controlled. An electro-optic material (uncontrolled region) whose optical characteristics are not controlled is not disposed between the region and the region. The uncontrolled area displays intermediate gradations, but such an uncontrolled intermediate gradation display is eliminated by this configuration, and an electro-optical device that realizes high-quality display as a whole is realized.

Moreover, it is preferable that the boundary line of a 1st margin area | region and a 2nd margin area | region is formed in sawtooth shape.
If it carries out like this, the boundary line of a 1st margin area | region and a 2nd margin area | region will become difficult to visually recognize. That is, a seam is not recognized in the blank area, and an electro-optical device that realizes a high-quality display as a whole is realized.

Moreover, it is preferable that the 2nd blank area | region is formed in the 2nd board | substrate.
When the first substrate is an active matrix substrate, a high degree of cleanness is required for manufacturing the first substrate, and strict impurity control needs to be performed. On the other hand, since the second blank area is provided on the second substrate here, it is possible to prevent mixing of members forming the second blank area when the first substrate is formed.

An electronic apparatus comprising the electro-optical device according to any one of the above.
According to this application example, it is possible to provide an electro-optical device that is easy to see, can effectively use the display area, and has a beautiful display.

FIG. 2A is a plan view illustrating an outline of the electro-optical device according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A ′ in FIG. (A): Plan view showing outline of backplane in electro-optical device, (b): Cross-sectional view taken along line A-A ′ of (a). (A): Plan view showing an outline of a front plane in the electro-optical device, (b): A sectional view taken along line A-A ′ of (a). The figure which expanded the Q section of Drawing 1 (b). FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an aspect of a blank area in the electro-optical device according to the second embodiment, and is an enlarged view of a portion G in FIG. (A): Plan view showing outline of electronic device, (b): A sectional view taken along line A-A ′ of (a). FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an outline of an electro-optical device according to Modification Example 1. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an outline of an electro-optical device according to Modification Example 2. FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating an outline of a backplane in an electro-optical device according to Modification 3. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an outline of an electro-optical device according to Modification 4; FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a conventional electro-optical device.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the scales are different for each layer and each member so that each layer and each member has a size that can be recognized on the drawing.

(Embodiment 1)
"Outline of electro-optical device"
1A and 1B schematically show an electro-optical device according to this embodiment, where FIG. 1A is a plan view and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ of FIG.
The electro-optical device 1 includes a display area 2 having a plurality of pixels, and a blank area 3 provided on the outer periphery of the display area 2. Pixels are arranged in a matrix in the display area 2 to form a so-called active matrix portion of the display. The blank area 3 surrounds the display area 2 in a frame shape with a predetermined width. The margin area 3 includes a first margin area 31 and a second margin area 32. A first blank area 31 is formed outside the display area 2, and a second blank area 32 is provided outside the first blank area 31.

  The first blank area 31 is provided with the electro-optical material 4 and electrodes for controlling the optical characteristics thereof. In the present specification, an electrode for controlling the optical characteristics of the electro-optic material 4 in the first blank region 31 is referred to as a blank electrode 311. In the first blank area 31, it is not necessary to display characters or the like as in the display area 2, so the shape of the blank electrode 311 is not particularly limited, and the pixels provided in the display area 2 There is no need to supply an electric signal to the blank electrode 311 using a drive circuit for controlling the margin. For example, when the frame-shaped blank electrode 311 as shown in FIG. 1A is used, the optical characteristics of the first blank region 31 are controlled by a circuit having a much simpler configuration than the drive circuit for controlling the pixels. can do. That is, the display area 2 and the first blank area 31 are controlled independently of each other, and even if the first blank area 31 is provided, the substantial use area of the display area 2 is not narrowed.

  In the second blank area 32, a material (fixed color member 321) having a fixed optical characteristic is arranged. However, the meaning of the phrase “optical characteristics are determined” means that the user cannot intentionally change the optical characteristics, and excludes changes in optical characteristics (so-called fading with time) due to deterioration over time. It is not a thing. The boundary line between the first margin region 31 and the second margin region 32 is called an inner peripheral boundary 33 of the fixed color member.

In this embodiment, as a preferred example, a case where an electrophoretic material is applied to the electro-optical material 4 will be described. Therefore, the electro-optical device 1 is an electrophoretic display, and a suitable example of the electronic device 10 described in detail later with reference to FIG. 6 is an electronic book.
In the following description, the first substrate 61 and the second substrate 51 appear. Of the plurality of surfaces of the first substrate 61, the surface on which the electro-optic material 4 is provided is defined as the front surface, and the front surface The surface opposite to the surface of is defined as the back surface. The front side surface and the back side surface of the second substrate 51 are similarly defined.

  All regions other than the display region 2 in the electro-optical device 1 are defined as peripheral regions. The peripheral area includes a blank area 3 and a non-blank area not shown in FIG. The non-blank area is a non-blank area, and serves as an external electrical connection component (flexible printed circuit board or the like), a protective material installation part for protecting the electro-optical device, a built-in part in the housing, and the like. Except for the non-margin area, most of the peripheral area is the blank area 3, and therefore the blank area 3 substantially coincides with the peripheral area.

  The electro-optical device 1 includes a back plane 6 and a front plane 5. The backplane 6 includes a first substrate 61. A thin film element is formed on the surface of the first substrate 61. For this reason, the backplane 6 is often referred to as an active matrix substrate. The front plane 5 includes a second substrate 51. The electro-optical material 4 is disposed on the surface of the second substrate 51. That is, the electro-optical device 1 includes a first substrate 61 and a second substrate 51, and the electro-optical material 4 is sandwiched between the two substrates. This is the basic configuration of the electro-optical device 1, but in the following, as a preferred example, the embodiment will be described using an example in which the electro-optical device 1 is formed by bonding the back plane 6 and the front plane 5 together.

  Hereinafter, technical details regarding the electro-optical device 1 will be described for each component.

"Backplane"
2A and 2B schematically show a backplane 6 that forms a part of the electro-optical device 1. FIG. 2A is a plan view, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA 'in FIG. . The backplane 6 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  The backplane 6 includes a first substrate 61 and a thin film element layer (not shown). In the thin film element layer, a thin film transistor (TFT: Thin Film Transistor), a thin film capacitor, a thin film diode, a thin film resistor, and the like are formed. The first substrate 61 is a smooth plastic (typically polyester film) substrate having flexibility. On the surface of the first substrate 61, element groups provided in the display region 2, wiring, driving circuits (scanning circuit 35 and signal circuit 36), and the like are formed by thin film elements. These thin film elements are formed on a plastic film by using a transfer technique described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-327836. The display area 2 is typically a quadrangle such as a rectangle, but may be other polygons, circles, ellipses, or heart shapes.

  A plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix in the area that becomes the display area 2 on the first substrate 61, and the pixel electrode 21 is formed in each pixel. The pixel electrode 21 is connected to a pixel TFT 23 provided in each pixel. As a specific example, the gate electrode of the pixel TFT 23 is connected to the scanning line corresponding to the row line, the drain electrode is connected to the signal line corresponding to the column line, and the source electrode is connected to the pixel electrode 21. The plurality of scanning lines are driven by the scanning circuit 35, and the plurality of signal lines are driven by the signal circuit 36. The scanning circuit 35 and the signal circuit 36 are composed of thin film transistors.

  Such a scanning circuit 35 and a signal circuit 36 are provided on the outer periphery of the display region 2, and mounting terminals 37 and wirings are provided in addition to the scanning circuit 35 and the signal circuit 36. The mounting terminal 37 is connected to an external control circuit. An external control circuit supplies power and signals to the drive circuit and the like via the mounting terminal 37 to control the electro-optical device 1. The wiring includes wiring that connects the driving circuits, wiring that connects the driving circuit and the display area 2, and wiring that connects the mounting terminal 37 and the driving circuit. The blank electrode 311 is formed on the outer peripheral portion adjacent to the display area 2 and covers at least a part of the drive circuit and the wiring. The blank electrode 311 is formed of the same material (for example, a transparent conductive film) as the pixel electrode 21 and on the same layer (for example, the uppermost layer of the TFT). The blank electrode 311 is electrically connected to an external control circuit. The external control circuit controls the optical characteristics of the electro-optic material 4 provided on the blank electrode 311 by modulating the potential of the blank electrode 311 or the current value flowing through the blank electrode 311.

  As shown in FIG. 2, when a driving circuit composed of TFTs such as a scanning circuit 35 and a signal circuit 36 is formed on the surface of the backplane 6, the blank electrode 311 is a region that operates at a relatively low speed in the driving circuit. Are preferably overlapped in plan view, and it is preferable not to cover a region that operates at a relatively high speed. The region operating at a relatively low speed is a region where the operation clock frequency of the circuit is generally less than about 1 MHz, and specifically corresponds to the scanning circuit 35 for selecting a scanning line, the output portion of the signal circuit 36, and the like. The output part of the signal circuit 36 is a circuit after the output from the selection circuit such as a shift register or a decoder, for example, a signal processing circuit that creates a signal input to each signal line. On the other hand, the region operating at a relatively high speed is a clock circuit or a selection circuit (shift register circuit or decoder circuit) of the signal circuit 36 that normally requires a high speed operation of 1 MHz or higher.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the signal circuit 36 includes a high-speed operation circuit 361 that operates at a relatively high speed and a low-speed operation circuit 362 that operates at a relatively low speed. The blank electrode 311 overlaps with the low speed operation circuit 362 in plan view, but does not overlap with the high speed operation circuit 361 in plan view.

  As described above, the blank electrode 311 is not provided on a circuit (high-speed operation circuit 361) that requires relatively high-speed operation, and instead, a second blank region 32 is provided as described later with reference to FIG. Accordingly, in a plan view, the low speed operation circuit 362 is provided outside the display area 2, and the high speed operation circuit 361 is further provided outside the display area 2.

  The first substrate 61 may be a hard substrate such as glass.

"Frontplane"
FIG. 3 schematically shows a front plane 5 that forms part of the electro-optical device 1, wherein (a) is a plan view and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ of (a). . The front plane 5 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  The front plane 5 includes a second substrate 51, an electro-optic material 4, a fixed color member 321 and the like. A common electrode (not shown) is provided on the surface of the second substrate 51, and the electro-optic material 4 is disposed on the common electrode. The second substrate 51 is also a flexible plastic smooth substrate (typically a polyester film). The fixed color member 321 is arranged in a frame shape on the outermost periphery of the back surface of the second substrate 51 in plan view. In this embodiment, the electro-optical device 1 is observed from the second substrate side, and the fixed color member 321 is disposed on the second substrate 51. In this case, a transparent electrode is used as a common electrode (not shown).

  The fixed color member 321 has a fixed color tone and is made of a paint having various colors such as white. The paint includes a pigment or dye of a color forming the fixed color member 321 and an adhesive, and the color is fixed to the second substrate 51 by the adhesive being cured. The color of the fixed color member 321 will be described in detail later.

  The fixed color member 321 is formed on the back surface of the second substrate 51 in a frame shape along an end portion (edge portion). This part becomes the second blank area 32 when the front plane 5 and the back plane 6 are bonded together. The area inside the second blank area 32 is the electro-optical active area 41, and the electro-optical active area 41 is visually recognized by the user that the optical characteristics change electrically when the electro-optical device is completed. Area. The electro-optical material 4 overlapping the fixed color member 321 is covered with the fixed color member 321 even if the optical characteristic is electrically changed or the optical characteristic is not controlled. Is not visible. When the front plane 5 and the back plane 6 are bonded together, the electro-optic active region 41 is adjacent to all of the pixel electrodes 21 on the first substrate 61 and the display region 2 as shown in FIG. The blank electrode 311 has a width that covers at least the inner part. In other words, when the electro-optical device 1 is assembled, the inner peripheral boundary 33 determines the width of the fixed color member 321 so as to overlap the electro-optical material 4 and the blank electrode 311 in a plan view.

  The electro-optical material 4 extends from the inside of the display region 2 to the edge portion side of the second substrate 51 from the inner peripheral boundary 33, and the end portion of the electro-optical material 4 is closer to the second substrate than the inner peripheral boundary 33. 51 is provided on the edge portion side. In FIG. 3, the electro-optic material 4 is disposed up to the edge portion of the second substrate 51. With such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 1, when the electro-optical device 1 is assembled, the optical characteristics of the electro-optical material 4 can be changed in the display region 2 and the region where the blank electrode 311 is provided. The electro-optical device 1 including the first blank area 31 around the display area 2 is realized. Of the region in which the blank electrode 311 is provided, a region where a change in optical characteristics of the electro-optic material 4 is visually recognized by the user functions as the first blank region 31. However, in order to reduce the material cost of the electro-optic material 4, the electro-optic material 4 is disposed in a region overlapping the fixed color member 321 in plan view (in the vicinity of the edge of the second substrate 51 below the fixed color member 321). Not necessary.

  The electro-optical material 4 includes a liquid in which a pigment or a dye is dispersed in a solvent, and various coatings such as a die coating method, a gravure coating method, and an inkjet coating method are applied to the front side of the second substrate 51 (film) provided with a common electrode. It is applied using a method.

The fixed color member 321 is disposed on the back side of the second substrate 51 using various printing methods such as a screen printing method before or after the electro-optical material 4 is disposed on the front surface of the second substrate 51. Also good. Alternatively, after the electro-optical material 4 is sandwiched between the first substrate 61 and the second substrate 51, the fixed color member 321 may be printed on the back side of the second substrate 51 by the same method.
The second substrate 51 may be a hard substrate such as glass.

"Size relationship between front and back planes and margin area"
Next, referring to FIG. 1 again, the size relationship between the front plane 5 and the back plane 6 and the size of the margin area 3 will be described. The front plane 5 and the back plane 6 are approximately the same size, or the substrate located on the user side is slightly enlarged. The fixed color member 321 is disposed on the larger substrate. In this embodiment, since the user views the electro-optical device 1 from the second substrate 51 side, the front plane 5 is slightly larger than the back plane 6, and the fixed color member 321 is provided on the second substrate 51. In this way, most of the user-side surface of the electro-optical device 1 is composed of the display region 2 and the blank region 3, and the electro-optical device 1 with high display quality is realized.

  When the first substrate 61 is a flexible substrate such as a plastic, and the thin film element layer is formed on the substrate by TFT using silicon, the second substrate 51 is made larger than the first substrate 61. It is preferable to do this. When a semiconductor circuit is formed using an inorganic material such as a silicon oxide film or a silicon film on a flexible substrate, the inorganic material may break. In particular, when the front plane 5 is bonded, stress tends to concentrate on the edge portion of the second substrate 51. Therefore, if the second substrate 51 is smaller than the first substrate 61, the inorganic material of the first substrate 61 may break at the edge portion of the second substrate 51. This is because when the second substrate 51 is made larger than the first substrate 61, this fear is eliminated and productivity (yield) is improved. Therefore, when the silicon TFT is formed on the flexible first substrate, it is preferable that the second substrate 51 is larger than the first substrate 61 and the fixed color member 321 is installed on the second substrate.

  Regarding the width of the margin electrode, the width of the drive circuit such as the scanning circuit 35 and the signal circuit 36 and the outer peripheral wiring group is about 0.5 mm to 10 mm, so the width of the margin electrode 311 is also about 0.5 mm to 10 mm. Since the optical characteristics of the first blank area 31 are changed by an external signal supplied to the blank electrode 311, power is consumed. Therefore, from the viewpoint of energy saving, it is preferable that the width of the first blank area 31 is narrow. Since the second margin area 32 can be formed by providing the fixed color member 321 as described above, the width of the first margin area 31 is preferably set to the minimum width necessary for alignment with the second margin area 32. On the other hand, the color of the first blank area 31 (for example, white) is the same as the color of the display area 2 (for example, white), and almost no color difference is seen, so that the blank is ideal. In order for the first margin area 31 to function as an ideal margin, a certain size is required. In view of these, the width of the blank electrode 311 is ideally about 1 mm to 5 mm. The margin area 3 may have substantially the same width of the symmetrical side (the lower side with respect to the upper side or the right side with respect to the left side) of the electro-optical device 1. Ideally, the width of the symmetric side is equal in the first blank area 31 alone and the width of the symmetric side is equal in the second blank area 32 alone, but the width of the symmetric side is almost equal in the blank area 3 as a whole. May be.

  If the fixed color member 321 is too large, the ratio of the display area 2 occupied by the back plane 6 and the front plane 5 becomes small and expensive, so the width is about 0.5 mm to 5 mm, ideally 1 mm to 2 mm. 5 mm.

"Color of fixed color member"
Next, the color of the fixed color member 321 will be described.
The fixed color member 321 is created by applying, placing, or sandwiching a material having the same color as the standard background color of the display area 2. The standard background color indicates the background color of the image that has been displayed in the display area 2 for the longest time. In an electronic book, a typical example is white or grayish white. When the standard background color is black and white (not so-called color, white or gray or black), the fixed color member 321 is also black and white, and the lightness is the same as the lightness of the electro-optic material 4 that forms the standard background color. That is, when the lightness index of the fixed color member 321 is L _F and the lightness index of the electro-optic material 4 that is the standard background color is L ₀ , the lightness index difference (ΔL = | L _F −L ₀ |) is obtained. 5 or less. In particular, if the brightness index difference is within 2, it is ideal because the difference cannot be recognized even if you look carefully. Specifically, L _F is determined so as to satisfy the following formula (1).
L ₀ −5 ≦ L _F ≦ L ₀ +5 (1)
When the electro-optical device 1 is a reflection-type optical device as in this embodiment and the standard background color of the display area 2 is white, the white of the electro-optical material 4 has a lightness index of about 65 to 95. The lightness index L of the color member 321 is from 60 or more gray to 100 white.

The brightness index here is one of the L, a, and b color systems (also referred to as L star, a star, and b star) established in 1976 by the CIE (International Lighting Commission). Is an index representing. A lightness index of 100 represents white and 0 represents black. In Japan it is defined by JIS Z 8729, and the reflectance y L = 116 x y ^1/3 - the relationship of the 16.

  In addition to the electrophoretic display shown here, the reflection type optical device includes a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal display device, a cholesteric liquid crystal display device, an electrochromic display device, and the like. The index is the same as above.

"Detailed cross-sectional structure of electro-optical device"
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the electro-optical device 1, and is an enlarged view of a Q portion in FIG.

  In the electro-optical device 1, a first blank area 31 is provided in a frame shape on the outer periphery of the display area 2, and a second blank area 32 is further provided outside the frame area. . The fixed color member 321 constituting the second blank area 32 is provided on the outer peripheral portion on the back side of the second substrate 51, and the blank electrode 311 for controlling the first blank area 31 is on the surface of the back plane 6 and the display area 2. It is provided outside. The electro-optic material 4 is disposed on the entire surface up to the edge portion of the front plane 5. The inner peripheral boundary 33 overlaps the electro-optical material 4 and the blank electrode 311.

  Since the electro-optical device 1 is viewed by the user from the front plane 5 side (the upper side in FIG. 4), and the front plane 5 is larger than the back plane 6, the user-side surface of the electro-optical device has a display area 2 and a blank area. 3 is the main component. The electro-optical material 4 has its optical characteristics controlled by the pixel electrode 21 in the display area, and its optical characteristics are controlled by the blank electrode 311 in the first blank area 31.

  The TFT used for the thin film element layer is an upper gate type, and is a polycrystalline silicon TFT using a polycrystalline silicon film as a semiconductor layer. The upper gate type refers to a configuration in which when a TFT is formed on a substrate, a semiconductor layer is located on the substrate side, a gate insulating film is formed so as to cover the semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode is formed thereon. A polycrystalline silicon TFT can form an N-type transistor and a P-type transistor and can constitute a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuit. In FIG. 4, a pixel TFT 23 is provided in each pixel in the display area 2, and a CMOS drive circuit using TFTs is formed in the peripheral area. 4 is an enlarged view of the Q portion of FIG. 1, the CMOS drive circuit is a signal circuit 36. A pixel electrode 21 is formed of indium tin oxide (ITO) on the uppermost layer of the pixel TFT 23, and a blank electrode 311 is also formed of ITO along the outer periphery of the display region 2. Both the pixel electrode 21 and the blank electrode 311 are formed on an interlayer insulating film constituting the TFT.

  The signal circuit 36 includes a clock generation circuit, a shift register circuit, an output signal shaping circuit connected to the shift register output stage, a level shift circuit, and the like, and a high-speed operation circuit 361 (clock generation circuit and shift register circuit) is the signal circuit 36. The low-speed operation circuit 362 is arranged on the display area 2 side of the signal circuit 36. A blank electrode 311 is formed on the low speed operation circuit 362 and on a scanning circuit (not shown). The electro-optical material 4 sandwiched between the blank electrode 311 and the common electrode 511 displays from white to gray or black according to the potential difference generated between the two electrodes. The first blank area 31 is an area in which the optical characteristics of the electro-optic material 4 are controlled by the blank electrode 311 and does not overlap the fixed color member 321 in plan view. The electro-optic material 4 positioned outside the blank electrode 311 (on the edge side of the blank electrode 311 on the first substrate 61) is not controlled, but is not visually recognized because this portion is covered with the fixed color member 321.

  The electro-optic material 4 includes white fine particles and black fine particles. They are electrically charged to the opposite polarity and are stressed in the opposite direction depending on the electric field. The electro-optical material 4 is sandwiched between the pixel electrode 21 and the blank electrode 311 provided on the uppermost layer of the first substrate 61 and the common electrode 511 provided on the front side 52 of the second substrate 51. The white microparticles and black microparticles change their spatial locations according to the potential difference between the electrode 21 and the common electrode 511 and the potential difference between the blank electrode 311 and the common electrode 511, so that the optical characteristics of the electro-optical device 1 are changed. change.

In a preferred example, the white fine particles constituting the electrophoretic material are titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ), and the black fine particles are carbon black (C). The fixed color member 321 is formed by applying grayish white ink to the outer peripheral portion of the back side 53 of the second substrate 51. The pigment of this ink is the same titanium oxide and carbon black as the white fine particles and black fine particles of the electrophoretic material, and the blending ratio thereof is when the standard background color (white in the case of an electronic book) is displayed in the display area 2. The difference between the lightness index L ₀ of the ink and the lightness index L _{F of the} ink is determined to be within 2.

As described above, according to the electro-optical device 1 according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
The second blank area 32 keeps the optical characteristics constant, but the optical characteristics of the first blank area 31 change according to the electrical signal supplied to the blank electrode 311. Therefore, if the optical characteristics of the display area 2 and the optical characteristics of the first blank area 31 are simultaneously changed with the same color tone, the display area 2 and the first blank area 31 cannot be distinguished. Thus, substantially the first blank area 31 can be regarded as the display area 2, so that the same effect as that of the electro-optical device with an expanded display area can be obtained. In other words, by providing the dedicated margin area 3 outside the display area 2, it is possible to minimize the margin provided inside the display area 2 or not to provide a margin. When the electro-optical device 1 is used as an electronic book, a blank space is essential to make the displayed text easy to read. Conventionally, a margin is provided in a display area made of an active matrix, and an area where information is actually displayed in the display area of the active matrix is reduced by the margin. On the other hand, in the electro-optical device 1, even if information is displayed up to the outermost peripheral pixel located inside the display area 2 (even if a sentence such as text is displayed), a wider blank area 3 is provided on the outer side. It is easy to read because it exists. In the electro-optical device 1, information is displayed up to the vicinity of the outermost periphery of the display area 2, and the display area 2 made of an active matrix can be used sufficiently effectively. In other words, the electro-optical device 1 described in this embodiment has a substantially larger information display area than the conventional electro-optical device having the display area and the peripheral area of the same area.

  The first substrate 61 becomes an active matrix substrate (backplane 6), and the blank electrode 311 is formed simultaneously with the pixel electrode 21. Therefore, the first blank area 31 can be provided in the electro-optical device 1 without increasing the number of manufacturing steps.

  A fixed color member 321 is provided on the high-speed operation circuit 361 instead of the blank electrode 311. If the blank electrode 311 covers the high-speed operation circuit 361, a parasitic capacitance is generated between them, which may cause the circuit to malfunction. In contrast, in the electro-optical device 1, the high-speed operation circuit 361 can reliably operate at high speed without the occurrence of such parasitic capacitance.

  A fixed color member 321 is disposed on the back side of the second substrate 51. In this way, a manufacturing advantage that the fixed color member 321 can be arranged by a simple printing method is obtained.

  Since the first substrate 61 becomes an active matrix substrate, a high degree of cleanness is required for manufacturing the first substrate 61, and it is necessary to strictly control impurities. Therefore, when the fixed color member 321 is arranged on the second substrate 51, it is possible to prevent the members forming the fixed color member 321 from being mixed when the first substrate 61 is formed, and the first substrate 61 having a high-performance thin film element is formed. Can be created with high yield.

  The inner peripheral boundary 33 is always arranged so as to overlap the electro-optical material 4 controlled by the blank electrode 311. In this way, an area where the optical characteristics of the electro-optic material 4 are not controlled, that is, an uncontrolled area is not generated between the first blank area 31 and the second blank area 32. The uncontrolled region of the electro-optic material 4 is displayed in a streak-like or strip-like manner with an uncontrollable intermediate gradation, but the inner peripheral boundary 33 is arranged so as to overlap with the electro-optic material 4 controlled by the blank electrode 311 in plan view. By doing so, these uncontrollable intermediate gradations are not displayed in the region visually recognized by the user, and the electro-optical device 1 having a high display quality without a seam in the margin is realized.

  The brightness index difference between the second margin area 32 and the first margin area 31 is adjusted to be as small as 5 or less. This makes it difficult to recognize the difference between the two areas, and both areas are regarded as one wide blank area. If the margin area is white, black, or gray with no coloration, and the brightness index difference between the second margin area 32 and the first margin area 31 is within two, most people will notice that difference even if they look carefully. This makes it impossible to recognize areas with different brightness in the blank area 3, which is ideal.

  A blank area 3 is formed in a frame shape on the outer periphery of the display area 2, but the width of the symmetrical side of the blank area 3 is made substantially equal. In this case, since symmetry is seen, the electro-optical device 1 with high display quality is obtained.

  A beautiful electro-optical device 1 is provided in which information can be displayed up to the outermost periphery of the display area 2 and the blank area 3 conceals the wiring and circuit, thereby eliminating the adverse effect of the wiring and circuit on the electro-optical material 4 electrically. can do.

  In the above description, the blank area 3 is expressed as “frame-shaped”. However, this means that the blank area 3 is formed on the outer periphery of the electro-optical device 1 along the edge of the electro-optical device 1. Is the meaning. Therefore, if the electro-optical device 1 is a quadrangle, the blank area 3 is literally a square frame. However, if the electro-optical device 1 is not square, the blank area 3 provided on the outer periphery along the edge does not naturally have a “square frame shape”. For example, if the electro-optical device 1 has a circular shape, the “frame-shaped” blank area 3 is actually a donut-shaped blank area 3, but the “frame-shaped” here includes these various shapes. It is out.

  Furthermore, the width of the margin area is expressed as “almost equal”, which means a difference that the human cannot recognize the difference in length at a glance, specifically, the length of the display area 2 is 10%. The difference is less than about%.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the front plane 5 used in the electro-optical device according to this embodiment, and corresponds to an enlarged view of a portion G in FIG.
The electro-optical device according to this embodiment will be described below. In addition, about the component same as Embodiment 1, the same number is attached | subjected and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.
The configuration of the electro-optical device according to the present embodiment is almost the same as the configuration of the electro-optical device 1 according to the first embodiment. In the present embodiment, the shape of the inner peripheral boundary 33 is different from that of the first embodiment. The rest is the same as described in the first embodiment.

  FIG. 5 is an example showing the vicinity of the inner boundary 33. In order to facilitate understanding of the positional relationship between the inner peripheral boundary 33 and the blank electrode 311 formed on the backplane 6, the blank electrode 311 provided in the region corresponding to the G portion in FIG. The pixel electrode 21 is drawn partially overlapping.

  Although it is desirable that the second margin area 32 and the first margin area 31 shown in FIG. 1 have the same brightness, it is generally difficult to make them completely coincide. Further, if the material forming the fixed color member 321 and the material forming the standard background color in the first margin area 31 are different, the second margin area 32 depends on the condition of the external light even if there is no difference in brightness under specific conditions. And the first margin area 31 may be recognized. In short, depending on use conditions, there may occur a situation in which the inner peripheral boundary 33 is recognized as a streak frame inside the blank area 3. In other words, the inner boundary 33 may be visually recognized as a seam inside the blank area 3.

Returning to FIG.
In order to solve this problem, the inner peripheral boundary 33 is formed in a sawtooth shape. The sawtooth shape refers to a situation in which a plurality of polygons such as a triangular shape or a trapezoidal shape having a long side and a short side are repeated. The fixed color member 321 is arranged so that the inner peripheral boundary 33 has a zigzag shape. One of the fixed color member 321 side and the electro-optic active region 41 side is a long side of a polygon such as a base of a triangle or a trapezoid, and the other side is a short side or apex of a polygon such as a vertex of a triangle or a trapezoid. The inner peripheral boundary 33 is formed so that is repeated. The base of the triangle and the long side of the polygon are arranged in parallel to the adjacent edge 54 of the second substrate 51 and the adjacent display area 2 in plan view. Hereinafter, a short side of a polygon such as a vertex or a trapezoid of a triangle is abbreviated as “short side 333 of a saw blade”, and a long side of a triangle or a polygon is abbreviated as “long side 332 of a saw blade”.

  In the example of FIG. 5, elongated triangles are periodically arranged, the inner peripheral boundary 33 is a zigzag line, and the zigzag line as a whole is parallel to the outer peripheral line of the display region 2. In this way, the electro-optic active region 41 and the fixed color member 321 are interdigitated, and the electro-optic active region 41 is thinner on the outer side (the adjacent edge 54 side of the second substrate 51) and thicker on the inner side. The fixed color member 321 is thicker on the outer side (on the side of the adjacent edge 54 of the second substrate 51) and thinner on the inner side. For this reason, it seems to human eyes that the brightness and the color gradually change as it moves inward from the fixed color member 321 at the end, and if the one that is essentially close in hue is used, the boundary can be recognized. Disappear. That is, the stripe-shaped frame forming the inner peripheral boundary 33 disappears, and the brightness gradually changes with a width corresponding to the height 331 of the saw blade (the apex of the triangle or polygon or the distance from the short side to the long side). It becomes. If the change in hue and brightness in the width direction of the band (the height direction of the saw blade) is gradual, the presence of a slight brightness difference is not recognized. Naturally, a blank electrode 311 is provided on the first substrate 61 side where the electro-optic active region is provided in the band.

  Ideally, the vertices of the triangle do not have a width, but actually microscopically have a semicircular shape having a predetermined curvature near the vertices. Therefore, the diameter of the circle is referred to as the apex width. The apex width corresponds to the width of the short side 333 of the saw blade. The width of the short side 333 of the saw blade forming one cycle of the inner peripheral boundary 33 is set to be one tenth or less of the width of the long side 332 of the saw blade, and the long side 332 of the saw blade is a sufficient height of the height 331 of the saw blade. One or less. Specifically, the width of the short side 333 of the saw blade is 0.01 mm to 0.05 mm, the long side 332 of the saw blade is 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm, and the height 331 of the saw blade is 0.5 mm. 5 mm. In this way, since two or more long sides 332 of the saw blade are included per 1 mm, the inner peripheral boundary 33 cannot be confirmed by human eyes, and a hue or brightness band-like change region is formed. Become. In addition, since the aspect ratio (ratio of the height 331 of the saw blade to the long side 332 of the saw blade) is 10 or more, changes in hue and brightness in the width direction of the belt become slow, and the user can You will not even notice the existence of itself. In terms of manufacturing, if the short side length of the saw blade is 0.01 mm to 0.05 mm, it is possible to enjoy the advantage that the fixed color member 321 can be formed by a simple printing method such as screen printing.

  In the first embodiment, the width of the fixed color member 321 is described as approximately 0.5 mm to 5 mm, ideally 1 mm to 2.5 mm. However, when the fixed color member 321 has a saw blade shape, the end of the second substrate 51 ( The average value of the distance from the edge) to the inner boundary 33 corresponds to the width here.

  An example of a specific size is as follows. The width of the blank electrode 311 is 1.5 mm on the left and right sides of the electro-optical device 1 shown in FIG. 1 and 2.5 mm on the upper and lower sides. The distance from the outer peripheral edge of the blank electrode 311 to the edge of the second substrate 51 is 1.25 mm on the left side and the right side, and 0.25 mm on the upper side and the lower side. The longer width (distance from the edge of the second substrate 51 to the apex of the saw blade) of the fixed color member 321 is 2.5 mm on the left side and the right side, and 1.5 mm on the upper side and the lower side. The distance from the edge of the substrate 51 to the base of the triangle forming the saw blade) is 1.5 mm on the left and right sides and 0.5 mm on the upper and lower sides, and the height of the saw blade (triangle height) is 1. 0 mm. The distance from the display area 2 of the electro-optical device 1 to the apex of the saw blade is 0.25 mm on the left side and the right side, and 1.25 mm on the upper side and the lower side. The base length of the triangle forming the saw blade is 0.1 mm. With such a configuration, the electro-optical device 1 has margin areas 3 of the same color as the standard background color of the display portion formed on the outer periphery of the display area 2 at a width of 2.5 mm on all of the upper, lower, left, and right sides. The boundary between the first blank region 31 and the second blank region 32 is formed in a strip shape with a width of 1.0 mm.

(Electronics)
FIG. 6 schematically illustrates an electronic apparatus 10 using the electro-optical device 1 described in detail in the first and second embodiments, where (a) is a plan view and (b) is A in (a). It is sectional drawing in -A '.

  The electronic device 10 is an electronic book and includes the electro-optical device 1 and the housing 7 described in detail in the first and second embodiments. The housing 7 is loaded with a control circuit for controlling the electro-optical device 1, a battery, and the like, and the housing 7 is formed only on one side of the electro-optical device 1.

  In the electro-optical device 1, the blank area 3 surrounds the display area 2 in a frame shape, and the blank area 3 further includes a first blank area 31 and a second blank area 32 that surrounds the outside in a frame shape. The casing 7 is provided in the second margin area 32, and as a result, all the portions other than the casing 7 are the display area 2 or the margin area 3 on the user side of the electronic device 10. ing. The electronic device 10 (electronic book) is also fixed to the housing 7 with a part of the margin, just as a part of the margin is bound in a normal book. In addition, since the front plane 5 and the back plane 6 constituting the electro-optical device 1 are flexible, the electronic device 10 is flexible.

  The housing 7 is formed on a part of one side (right side in the example of FIG. 6) of the electro-optical device 1, and the remaining three sides (left side, upper side, and lower side in the example of FIG. 6) are freely open. Therefore, on these three sides, the edge of the electro-optical device 1 is the edge of the electronic device 10 as it is. With the integration of the circuit board and the downsizing of the battery, the housing portion including these is reduced, and only by covering a part of the outer periphery of the electro-optical device 1, it is light and thin, and in addition to the side where the housing 7 is provided. Can provide a flexible electronic device 10. In the electronic apparatus 10, the electro-optical device 1 can be wound around the housing 7 when not in use, and the electro-optical device 1 can be opened and used when in use.

  In conventional similar electronic devices, a plastic or metal casing is always provided on the outer periphery of an electro-optical device (so-called display). In such a conventional electronic device, the uncontrolled region of the electro-optical material is not visually recognized by concealing the peripheral region of the electro-optical device with the casing. On the other hand, in the electronic apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 6, the housing 7 is provided only on a part of the outer periphery of the electro-optical device 1. In such an electronic apparatus 10, a portion that is not covered by the casing on the outer periphery of the electro-optical device 1 always appears. In the electronic device 10 that has evolved in this way, the uncontrolled region of the electro-optic material 4 cannot be hidden by the housing. However, even in the portion that is not covered by these housings in the electronic device 10, the first blank region Since the uncontrolled region of the electro-optic material 4 can be hidden by the 31 and the second blank region 32, an electronic device with high display quality can be secured. In this respect, the electronic device 10 is suitable not only for an electronic device in which a casing is provided only on a part of the outer periphery of the electro-optical device 1, but in addition to the electronic book shown here, a television or personal computer. And can be applied to information devices such as Internet connection devices.

  As described above, according to the electronic apparatus 10, it is possible to provide a flexible electronic apparatus having no housing around the entire outer periphery of the electro-optical device 1, and the display area 2 is effectively used, and the display quality is high.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment. A modification will be described below.

(Modification 1)
"Example of providing the second margin area on the front side of the second board"
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the electro-optical device according to the first modification. This modified example (FIG. 7) is different from the first embodiment (FIG. 4) in that a fixed color member 321 is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the front side 52 of the second substrate 51. The rest of the configuration is almost the same as in the first embodiment, and a duplicate description is omitted.

  After the common electrode 511 is formed of indium tin oxide (ITO) or the like on the front side 52 of the second substrate 51 such as a plastic film, the electro-optic material 4 is usually applied to the entire surface. In the first modification, instead, the fixed color member 321 is formed on the outer peripheral portion on the common electrode 511, and then the electro-optic material 4 is applied. In this way, the fixed color member 321 is arranged on the front side 52 of the second substrate 51.

As in the first embodiment, the fixed color member 321 is a white or whited gray ink, and uses the same material as the white fine particles and black fine particles of the electrophoretic material. The blending ratio is determined so that the difference between the lightness index L ₀ of the standard background color and the lightness index L _{F of the} ink is within 2. In this way, the color of the fixed color member 321 matches the standard background color of the display area 2 and the color difference due to the second substrate 51 is eliminated as compared with the first embodiment. Most films and glass absorb visible light, so if you compare the same material on the surface of the film or glass with that on the back, it will be faint due to light reflection or absorption by the film or glass. Optical differences occur. This is called a color difference due to the substrate. In the first modification, the fixed color member 321 and the electro-optic material 4 made of the same material are arranged on the surface 52 on the front side of the second substrate 51. Therefore, when the electro-optic device is viewed from the second substrate 51 side, The advantage that the color difference by the 2nd board | substrate 51 is reduced and the difference between the fixed color member 321 and the 1st blank area | region 31 becomes difficult to recognize is recognized. That is, the seam between the standard background of the display area 2, the first margin area 31, and the second margin area 32 is hardly recognized, and an electro-optical device with high display quality is realized.

  Furthermore, it is generally difficult to uniformly apply the electro-optic material 4 to the edge portion of the second substrate 51. However, according to the first modification, the substrate edge portion is provided with the fixed color member 321. 4 need not be applied evenly to the edge of the second substrate 51. It is only necessary that the electro-optical material 4 extends from the inside of the display region 2 toward the edge portion of the second substrate 51 and the end portion of the electro-optical material 4 overlaps the fixed color member 321 in plan view. Therefore, the manufacture of the front plane 5 is facilitated. As described above, the first modification facilitates the manufacture of the front plane 5 forming a part of the electro-optical device 1 and at the same time displays information up to the outermost periphery of the display area 2 and has a more beautiful blank area 3. The device 1 is realized. In addition, when this is incorporated into the electronic apparatus 10 described above, a flexible, light and thin electronic apparatus (electronic book) is realized in which a part of the outer periphery of the electro-optical device 1 is not covered by the casing.

(Modification 2)
“Examples of electro-optic materials as liquid crystal materials”
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an electro-optical device according to the second modification. This modification (FIG. 8) differs from the first embodiment (FIG. 4) in that a liquid crystal material is used as the electro-optic material 4 instead of the electrophoretic material. The rest of the configuration is almost the same as in the first embodiment, and a duplicate description is omitted.

  In the first embodiment, an electrophoretic material is used as the electro-optic material 4. However, as the electro-optic material 4, a liquid crystal material, an organic or inorganic electroluminescence material, an electrochromic material, or the like is used. Also good. Accordingly, the electro-optical device 1 is a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic or inorganic electroluminescence display (also called a light emitting diode display, LED display), an electrochromic display (ECD). Etc. The electro-optical device 1 is used in an electronic device 10 such as an electronic book, a television, a mobile phone, or a personal computer. As described above, the electronic device does not have an outer frame (peripheral housing) that surrounds the entire outer periphery of the electro-optical device 1. 10 is optimal for the electro-optical device 1 used in the apparatus 10. Hereinafter, an example in which a liquid crystal material is used as the electro-optical material 4 will be described.

  The electro-optic material 4 is sandwiched between the first substrate 61 and the second substrate 51, but when the viscosity is low and precise inter-substrate distance control (gap control) is required like the liquid crystal material, the first substrate An enclosing means 42 made of a sealing agent is formed on the front side of 61 or the front side of the second substrate 51, and a region surrounded by the enclosing means 42 is filled with liquid crystal. In the second modification, the fixed color member 321 is provided on the second substrate 51 so as to cover the sealing agent surrounding means 42 and the region 312 where the blank electrode 311 is not provided. In the example of FIG. 8, the polarizing plate 512 is disposed on the back side 53 of the second substrate 51, and the fixed color member 321 is disposed on the polarizing plate 512. In addition, a fixed color member 321 may be disposed under the polarizing plate. Further, in FIG. 8, the fixed color member 321 is provided on the outer peripheral portion on the back side of the second substrate 51, but may be provided on the outer peripheral portion on the front side of the second substrate 51 as described in detail in the first modification. In the present modification, the fixed color member 321 is black, and the first blank area 31 is also displayed in black as a standard.

  The fixed color member 321 may be formed by applying an ink containing a pigment such as carbon black. Alternatively, the same polarizing plate as the polarizing plate 512 may be attached by shifting the polarization direction so as to display black, thereby forming the fixed color member 321.

  With such a configuration, in the electro-optical device according to the second modification, the black blank area 3 is formed on the outer periphery of the display area 2 at a width of 2.5 mm on all sides of the upper, lower, left, and right sides. As a result, information can be displayed up to the outermost periphery of the display area 2, and the blank area 3 conceals the wiring and circuit, so that a beautiful electro-optical device that eliminates the adverse effect of the wiring and circuit on the electro-optical material 4 can be obtained. Created. Further, this electro-optical device was incorporated in the electronic apparatus shown in FIG. The housing 7 here has a mobile phone function, an Internet connection function, and a television reception function, and the housing 7 is formed only on one side of the electro-optical device 1. High-quality electronic devices (mobile phones that can watch TV and connect to the Internet) have been realized.

(Modification 3)
“Example of a drive circuit not built in the backplane”
FIG. 9 is a plan view of the backplane 6 of the electro-optical device according to the third modification. This modification (FIG. 9) differs from the backplane (FIG. 2) of the first embodiment in that the scanning circuit 35 and the signal circuit 36 made of TFT are not formed on the first substrate 61. The rest of the configuration is almost the same as in the first embodiment, and a duplicate description is omitted.

  In this modification, unlike the first embodiment, the drive circuit is not built in. Therefore, a plurality of scanning lines are collected at one place to form a scanning line mounting terminal 371, and the scanning line mounting terminal 371 is formed from a silicon chip. These integrated circuits are connected to form a scanning circuit. Similarly, signal lines are gathered in one place to form a signal line mounting terminal 372, and an integrated circuit made of a silicon chip is connected to the signal line mounting terminal 372 to form a signal circuit. In order to incorporate the electro-optical device 1 into an electronic apparatus having a housing only at a part of the outer peripheral portion shown in FIG. 6, the outer peripheral scanning wiring group connected to the scanning line and the outer peripheral signal wiring group connected to the signal line are both the first substrate. 61 are arranged on one side (right side in FIG. 9), and mounting terminals 37 (scanning line mounting terminals 371 and signal line mounting terminals 372) are provided on this side. In this example, since the number of pixels is small, the peripheral wiring 81 (peripheral scanning wiring group and peripheral signal wiring group) is provided only in the peripheral region on the upper side and the peripheral region on the right side of the display region 2, but the number of pixels can be increased. For example, the outer peripheral wiring may be provided in the peripheral area of all the sides of the display area 2. A marginal electrode 311 covers the peripheral area where the peripheral wiring 81 is arranged in a frame shape. A silicon IC chip is connected to the mounting terminal 37 by a flexible printed circuit or automated tape mounting. After the connection, the front plane 5 is bonded to the mounting terminal 37 in the second blank area 32 as shown in FIG. You may cover it up.

  In this way, even if various signals are applied to the scanning lines and signal lines in order to drive the electro-optical device, there is no possibility that the electro-optical material on the outer peripheral wiring will display unintentionally disorderly, The mounted parts are also not visible. That is, the marginal area 3 is formed in the peripheral area used for wiring and IC mounting, and the electro-optical device 1 that realizes a beautiful appearance while substantially increasing the information display area is realized.

(Modification 4)
“Example of TFT with lower gate type”
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an electro-optical device according to the fourth modification. This modification (FIG. 10) differs from the first embodiment (FIG. 4) in that the TFT is a lower gate type and that the scanning circuit 35 and signal circuit 36 made of TFT are not incorporated. Typically, this is an electro-optical device having the back plane described in Modification 3. The rest of the configuration is almost the same as in the first embodiment, and a duplicate description is omitted.

  In the modified example 4, a lower gate type is used as the TFT, and a gate electrode is formed from the first substrate 61 from the first substrate 61 side, a gate insulating film is formed thereon, and a semiconductor film is formed thereon. The lower gate TFT is mainly used for an amorphous silicon TFT using an amorphous silicon film as a semiconductor film, an oxide TFT using an oxide semiconductor containing zinc oxide as a semiconductor film, and the like.

  In the lower gate type TFT, the pixel electrode 21 and the blank electrode 311 are formed by a source wiring (second wiring 86) connected to the source electrode or a drain wiring (third wiring) connected to the drain electrode. The electro-optic material 4 is disposed between the common electrode 511 provided on the substrate 51. When the outer peripheral wiring 81 is formed by the first wiring 85 and the second wiring 86, the pixel electrode 21 and the blank electrode 311 are formed by the third wiring as shown in FIG. In this case, an interlayer insulating film is provided between the second wiring and the third wiring. When the outer peripheral wiring 81 is formed only by the first wiring 85, the pixel electrode 21 and the blank electrode 311 are formed by the second wiring 86 or the third wiring. When the outer peripheral wiring 81 is made of only the first wiring 85, the second wiring 86 can also be used as the third wiring. When the outer peripheral wiring 81 is made of only the first wiring 85, it is the gate insulating film that takes electrical insulation between the first wiring 85 and the blank electrode 311. If the blank electrode 311 and the fixed color member 321 are not provided, the gate insulating film is thin, so that the electrophoretic material on the outer peripheral wiring 81 displays an uncontrollable intermediate gradation color by the electric signal supplied to the first wiring 85. The display quality is lowered. However, in Modification 4, since the margin electrode 311 or the fixed color member 321 covers the outer peripheral wiring 81, such a problem does not occur, and an electro-optical device with high display quality is realized.

  In the example of FIG. 10, the fixed color member 321 is formed in the outer peripheral region of the back side 53 of the second substrate 51, but the fixed color member 321 may be formed in the outer peripheral region of the front side 52 of the second substrate 51. The material and color of the pigment and dye constituting the fixed color member 321 are the same as those in the first embodiment and other modifications.

(Modification 5)
"Example where the margin area is color"
Modification 5 is different from Embodiment 1 in that the color of the blank area 3 is a color. The rest of the configuration is almost the same as in the first embodiment, and a duplicate description is omitted.
In the description so far, the term “margin area 3” is used for convenience, and in the first embodiment, the margin area 3 is actually white. However, the blank area 3 is not necessarily white, and may be black, gray, red, green, blue, or a combination of these colors depending on circumstances. In the first embodiment, the electro-optical device 1 is a monochrome electrophoretic display, and the electronic apparatus is an electronic book. For this reason, the standard background color of the display area 2 is typically white, which has been represented as the margin area 3 until now. On the other hand, as described in the modification example 2, when the electro-optical device mainly displays color moving images, for example, when an Internet Web or television image is normally displayed, the image displayed for the longest time is specified. Since this is not possible, any color may be used for the margin area 3. For example, for the reasons of design, the color of the margin area 3 is not limited to black and white but may be a color such as green or blue.

(Modification 6)
“Example of viewing the electro-optical device from the first substrate side”
The modification 6 is different from the first embodiment in that the electro-optical device 1 is viewed from the first substrate 61 side. The rest of the configuration is almost the same as in the first embodiment, and a duplicate description is omitted.
In the first embodiment, assuming that the electro-optical device 1 is viewed from the second substrate 51 side, the second blank area 32 is formed on the second substrate 51. On the contrary, as shown in the present modification, the electro-optical device 1 may be viewed from the first substrate 61 side. In this case, the fixed color member 321 is disposed on the first substrate 61. In short, the fixed color member 321 is formed on the first substrate 61 or the second substrate 51 so as to be positioned between the electro-optic material 4 and the eyes of the user. When viewed from the first substrate 61 side, a non-transparent metal film can be used as the common electrode.

(Modification 7)
“Example of common electrode created on the first substrate”
Modification 7 is different from Embodiment 1 in that the common electrode is formed on the first substrate side. The rest of the configuration is almost the same as in the first embodiment, and a duplicate description is omitted.
In the first embodiment, the common electrode 511 is formed on the second substrate 51, but this is not essential, and the common electrode 511 may be formed on the first substrate 61. In this case, the common electrode 511 is provided in each pixel of the first substrate 61, and an electric field having an electric field component parallel to the surface of the first substrate 61 is applied to the electro-optic material 4. It becomes a device.

  In the description so far, the display area has been described as an active matrix, but the display area may be a passive matrix.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electro-optical apparatus, 2 ... Display area, 3 ... Blank area, 4 ... Electro-optical material, 10 ... Electronic device, 21 ... Pixel electrode, 31 ... 1st blank area, 32 ... 2nd blank area, 33 ... Inner peripheral boundary, 51 ... second substrate, 61 ... first substrate, 311 ... margin electrode, 321 ... fixed color member.

Claims (8)

An electro-optical device including an electro-optical material sandwiched between a first substrate and a second substrate, a display region having a plurality of pixels, and a blank region provided outside the display region,
The electro-optical device, wherein the margin area includes a first margin area whose optical characteristics change according to an electric signal and a second margin area where the optical characteristics are determined.   The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the first blank area is provided outside the display area, and the second blank area is provided outside the first blank area. . In one of the plurality of pixels, a pixel electrode for controlling optical characteristics of the electro-optic material is provided on the first substrate,
3. The electro-optical device according to claim 2, wherein a blank electrode for controlling optical characteristics of the electro-optic material is provided on the first substrate in the first blank area.   The electro-optical device according to claim 3, wherein the electro-optical material overlaps the plurality of pixel electrodes and at least a part of the blank electrode in a plan view.   5. The electro-optical device according to claim 4, wherein a boundary line between the first blank area and the second blank area overlaps the blank electrode and the electro-optic material in a plan view. .   The electro-optical device according to claim 5, wherein the boundary line is formed in a saw blade shape.   The electro-optical device according to claim 5, wherein the second blank area is formed on the second substrate.   An electronic apparatus comprising the electro-optical device according to claim 1.

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