JP3506250B2 - Liquid crystal display device and driving method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid crystal display device which is superior in visibility and gives high-definition display and allows reflection light and transmission light to be utilized for display. <P>SOLUTION: The liquid crystal display device provided with a liquid crystal display element 100 having a pair of substrates 4 and 5 and a liquid crystal layer 1 sandwiched by the pair of substrates 4 and 5 is provided with a reflection display part 9 for reflection display and a transmission display part 10 for transmission display, and the phase difference between display light on a reflecting means of the reflection display part at the time of bright display and that at the time of dark display is about 90&deg;, and the phase difference between display light emitted from the liquid crystal layer in the transmission display part at the time of bright display and that at the time of dark display is about 180&deg;. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device used in information equipment such as word processors and notebook computers, various video equipment and game equipment, portable VCRs, digital cameras and the like. Particularly, the present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device used both outdoors and indoors, a liquid crystal display device used in an environment where the lighting environment changes drastically, such as an automobile, an aircraft, and a ship, and a driving method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a cathode ray tube (CRT) has been used as a self-luminous display device capable of electrically rewriting display contents.
de Ray Tube) and electroluminescence (EL; E
lectroLuminescence) elements, plasma display panels (PDPs), etc. have been put to practical use.

However, the self-luminous display device has a problem that it consumes a large amount of power because it emits the display light itself and is used for display. Furthermore, since the light emitting surface of the self-luminous display device is itself a display surface having high reflectance, when the self-luminous display device is used,
The so-called washout phenomenon in which the display light cannot be observed is unavoidable in a situation where the ambient light in the environment of use is stronger than the emission brightness, for example, in direct sunlight.

On the other hand, a liquid crystal display device is put to practical use as a color display for displaying characters and images by adjusting the amount of light transmitted from a specific light source without emitting the display light itself. The liquid crystal display device (LCD;
Liquid Crystal Display) is a transmissive liquid crystal display device,
It can be roughly classified into a reflection type liquid crystal display device.

Among them, a color liquid crystal display device which is widely used at present is a transmissive liquid crystal display device using a light source called a background illumination (backlight) on the background, that is, the back surface of the liquid crystal cell. . The transmissive liquid crystal display device has advantages such as thinness and light weight, and its applications are expanding in various fields. On the other hand, it consumes a large amount of power to emit background illumination (backlight). However, although a small amount of power is used for the liquid crystal transmittance modulation, a relatively large amount of power is required.

However, in such a transmissive liquid crystal display device (that is, a transmissive color liquid crystal display device),
The washout phenomenon seen in the self-luminous display device is reduced. This is because the reflectance of the display surface of the color filter layer, which is commonly used in transmissive color liquid crystal display devices, is reduced by a technique for reducing the reflectance of the color filter layer using a black matrix.

However, even when a transmissive color liquid crystal display device is used, it is difficult to observe the display light when the ambient light is very strong and the display light is relatively weak.
Therefore, if the background illumination light is further enhanced in order to solve such a problem, there arises a problem that more power is consumed.

In contrast to the above-described light emitting display device and transmissive liquid crystal display device, the reflective liquid crystal display device uses ambient light to perform display, so that display light proportional to the amount of ambient light can be obtained. . Therefore, the reflective liquid crystal display device has the principle advantage that the above-mentioned washout phenomenon does not occur, and the display can be observed more clearly on the contrary in a very bright place where direct sunlight hits. Further, since the reflective liquid crystal display device does not require background illumination (backlight) in its display, it has an advantage that power for causing the background illumination (backlight) to be emitted can be reduced. ing. Therefore, the reflective liquid crystal display device is particularly suitable for outdoor use such as a mobile information terminal device, a digital camera, and a mobile video camera.

However, in these conventional reflection type liquid crystal display devices, since the ambient light is used for display, the display brightness is highly dependent on the surrounding environment, and the display content is confirmed under the environment where the ambient light is weak. It has a problem that it is not possible. In particular, when a color filter used for realizing color display (color display) is used, the color filter absorbs light, and the display becomes darker. Therefore, in such a case, the above problem becomes more remarkable.

Therefore, an illumination device called a front light has been developed as an auxiliary illumination so that the reflection type liquid crystal display device can be used even in an environment where the ambient light is weak. In the reflective liquid crystal display device, a reflective plate is provided on the back surface of the liquid crystal layer, and thus it is not possible to use background illumination (backlight) as in the transmissive liquid crystal display device. For this reason,
An illuminating device (front light) used in a reflective liquid crystal display device illuminates the reflective liquid crystal display device from the front, that is, the display surface side.

On the other hand, as a liquid crystal display device that makes use of the advantages of the reflection type liquid crystal display device and can be used in an environment where the ambient illumination light is weak, a part of the incident light is transmitted and the remaining incident light is A liquid crystal display device using a so-called semi-transmissive reflective film that reflects light has been put into practical use. A liquid crystal display device that uses both transmitted light and reflected light in this way is generally called a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device.

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-218483 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Application No. 58-92885) discloses TN.
A semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device that performs brightness modulation using a liquid crystal display system that modulates the intensity of transmitted light, such as a (twisted nematic) system and an STN (super twisted nematic) system, is disclosed. In addition, JP-A-7-31
Japanese Patent No. 8929 discloses a transflective liquid crystal display device in which a reflective film arranged in the vicinity of a liquid crystal layer has translucency. Further, JP-A-6-160878 discloses a transmissive liquid crystal display device using an in-plane switching method as a technique for realizing a wide viewing angle.

[0013]

However, in the semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device described in JP-A-59-218483, a semi-transmissive reflective film is arranged on the back surface of the liquid crystal cell when viewed from the observer side. Therefore, it has the following problems (1) and (2).

That is, first, (1) it is difficult to set the brightness that affects the visibility of the display. That is, when the brightness of the semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device is set according to the brightness when performing reflective display, it is necessary to set the brightness high in preparation for use under conditions where the ambient light is insufficient. is there. However, in order to increase the brightness, for example, when the transmittance of a polarizing plate used in the TN method is set to be high, the contrast ratio defined by dividing the brightness of bright display by the brightness of dark display is insufficient in transmissive display. However, the visibility is deteriorated. On the other hand, when the above-mentioned brightness is set according to the brightness when performing the transmissive display, it is desirable to set the brightness so as to increase the contrast ratio, but in this case, the brightness is insufficient in the reflective display. , Deteriorate visibility.

(2) In the reflective display, light passing through the liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the substrates is reflected by the reflective film provided on the back surface of the liquid crystal cell to observe the display. (Double image) is seen, which causes a reduction in resolution, making it difficult to display at high resolution.

In the semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-318929, the reflective film itself has semi-transmissivity, so that it is suitable for the reflective display section and the transmissive display section. It has a problem that it cannot be designed.

Further, the in-plane switching system disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-160878 is used in a transmissive liquid crystal display device, but the liquid crystal alignment on the comb-shaped electrodes does not contribute to display. This is not because the electrode wiring is often made of a non-translucent metal, but the change in liquid crystal orientation is not sufficient for transmissive display.

Therefore, in order to solve these problems, the inventors of the present application tried to apply the display system used for a reflective liquid crystal display capable of suppressing parallax to a transflective liquid crystal display device. It was Specifically, (a) a GH (guest host) system in which a liquid crystal composition containing a dichroic dye (dichroic dye) is mixed in the liquid crystal layer, (b) reflection using one polarizing plate Two types of liquid crystal display system (hereinafter, abbreviated as one-sheet polarizing plate system) were used for semi-transmissive display.

When considering the use of a display system which does not cause parallax, as shown in the two systems (a) and (b) above, the reflective film is arranged so as to be substantially in contact with the liquid crystal layer and added to the reflected light. In order to allow the transmitted light to be used for display as well, the reflective film is provided with a transmissive opening.

As a result, the following problems were further clarified. First, (a) In the GH method, when the concentration of the dichroic dye mixed in the liquid crystal composition is adjusted to be suitable for reflective display, the transmissive display section has a high brightness but lacks a contrast ratio, resulting in a good display. Can't get On the other hand, when the concentration of the dichroic dye mixed in the liquid crystal composition is adjusted to be suitable for transmissive display, a good contrast ratio can be obtained in the transmissive display part, but the brightness is reduced in the reflective display part, which is good. No reflective display can be obtained.

(B) In the case of using the one-sheet polarizing plate system for semi-transmissive display, the liquid crystal orientation and the liquid crystal layer thickness that determine the optical characteristics,
Alternatively, the voltage applied to the liquid crystal that drives them is set according to the reflective display section, or
There are two possible ways of setting a transmission plate by additionally adding a polarizing plate or the like on the back side of the display surface (two-sheet polarizing plate system) and setting according to this transmission display.

First, the display in the transmissive display section when the liquid crystal layer thickness is set to a layer thickness suitable for reflective display will be described. When the liquid crystal layer suitable for reflective display is set, the amount of change in the polarization state due to the orientation change due to the external field such as the electric field of the liquid crystal layer is incident from the front, that is, the display surface side through the liquid crystal layer. The light is again emitted through the liquid crystal layer to the display surface side to reciprocate through the liquid crystal layer and a sufficient contrast ratio can be obtained. However, in this setting, the amount of change in the polarization state of the light that has passed through the liquid crystal layer is insufficient in the transmissive display section. Therefore, in addition to the polarizing plate installed on the viewer side of the liquid crystal cell used for reflective display, that is, the display surface side, a polarizing plate used only for transmissive display is installed on the back surface of the liquid crystal cell when viewed from the viewer side. However, a sufficient display cannot be obtained in the transmissive display section. That is, when the alignment condition of the liquid crystal layer is set to the alignment condition of the liquid crystal layer suitable for the reflective display (liquid crystal layer thickness, liquid crystal alignment, etc.), the transmissive display part has insufficient brightness or has insufficient brightness. However, the transmittance of dark display does not decrease, and a sufficient contrast ratio for display cannot be obtained.

More specifically, in the case of performing the reflective display, the light passing through the liquid crystal layer only once is about ¼.
The alignment state of the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer is controlled by the voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer so that a phase difference in wavelength is imparted. Using a liquid crystal layer set to impart such a phase difference to the light passing through the liquid crystal layer, only the voltage modulation that gives a phase modulation of ¼ wavelength to the light passing through the liquid crystal layer is performed to perform a transmissive display. When the transmissive display section is in the dark display and the transmittance is sufficiently reduced, when the transmissive display section is in the bright display, the polarizing plate on the light emission side absorbs about half the intensity of light, Bright display cannot be obtained. Further, when an optical element such as a polarizing plate and a retardation compensation plate is arranged to increase the brightness when the transmissive display section is in the bright display, the brightness when the transmissive display section is in the dark display is The brightness is about 1/2 of the brightness, and the display contrast ratio becomes insufficient.

Next, display in the reflective display section when the alignment condition of the liquid crystal layer is set to a condition suitable for transmissive display will be described. When performing reflective display with a liquid crystal layer suitable for transmissive display, the liquid crystal orientation is controlled by voltage modulation so that the polarization state of light that passes through the liquid crystal layer only once is modulated between two polarization states that are almost orthogonal to each other. There is a need. Here, the two orthogonal polarization states may be two linear polarizations having orthogonal vibration planes, or left and right circular polarizations, and two ellipses having the same ellipticity. The direction of the major axis may be orthogonal to that of the polarized light and the direction of rotation of the optical electric field may be reversed. In order to realize the modulation of the polarization state between the combination of these two orthogonal polarization states, the liquid crystal layer is voltage-modulated so that a phase difference of ½ wavelength is given to the transmitted light. There is a need. In this way, when the polarization state of light is modulated between two orthogonal polarization states,
In any case, in the transmissive display, by the action of the polarizing plate and the action of the phase difference compensating plate used as necessary,
Sufficient brightness and contrast ratio are feasible.

However, when the above liquid crystal layer is set to realize such control, the transmissive display changes from the bright display to the dark display only once, while the reflective display changes the reflectance. If the liquid crystal orientation change means is the same, such as from a bright display to a dark display, and then to a bright display (for example, when the liquid crystal layer has the same layer thickness and the same initial alignment and is driven by the same voltage). ), The same bright and dark display cannot be realized. The problems that occur in the above cases (a) and (b) are the same in the semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device described in JP-A-7-318929.

Further, the pressure sensing input device (touch panel) used by being superimposed on the liquid crystal display device has a problem that the visibility is apt to be deteriorated because it itself has reflectivity for light. However, this tendency is particularly remarkable in the reflective liquid crystal display device.

Further, the front light unit for improving the visibility of the reflection type liquid crystal display device in the environment where the ambient light is dark is
Most of them have a planar light pipe structure, and since the display contents are observed through the light pipe, there is a problem that visibility is apt to deteriorate.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is excellent visibility and capable of high-resolution display and utilizing both reflected light and transmitted light for display. An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device that can be manufactured.
Further, a further object of the present invention is excellent in visibility, and
It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal display device capable of high-resolution color display and capable of utilizing both reflected light and transmitted light for display.

[0029]

[Means for Solving the Problems] Claim 1 according to the present invention
The liquid crystal display device described, in order to solve the above problems,
A liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal display element having a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates, comprising a reflective display section and a transmissive display section, and the reflective display section and the transmissive display section.
At the same time, the liquid crystal orientations different from each other with respect to the display portion are present, and the phase difference of the display light on the reflection means of the reflection display portion has a difference of ¼ wavelength between the bright display and the dark display, and The phase difference of the display light emitted from the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display section is characterized by a half wavelength difference between the bright display and the dark display.

[0030]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a liquid crystal display device according to a second aspect of the present invention has a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates. A liquid crystal display device comprising: a reflective display portion and a transmissive display portion, wherein the liquid crystal layer thickness of the reflective display portion is thinner than the liquid crystal layer thickness of the transmissive display portion, on the reflective means of the reflective display portion. When the phase difference of the display light of 1 has a wavelength difference of 1/4 between the bright display and the dark display, and the phase difference of the display light emitted from the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display section is the bright display. It is characterized in that there is a difference of ½ wavelength between the dark display and the dark display.

Further, a driving method of a liquid crystal display device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the driving method of the liquid crystal display device according to the first or second aspect , in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, The phase difference of the display light on the reflecting means of the reflective display section is a quarter wavelength difference between the bright display and the dark display, and the position of the display light emitted from the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display section is high. Depending on whether the phase difference is bright or dark,
It is characterized in that a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer so as to have a difference of ½ wavelength .

When realizing the dark display in the reflective display unit, the condition necessary for the ideal dark display is that the polarization state on the reflecting means is consequently a circularly polarized light which may be rotated left or right. Further, a condition necessary for realizing an ideal bright display on the same reflective display unit is that the polarization state on the reflection means is linearly polarized light. If the liquid crystal orientation can be electrically controlled between the dark display and the bright display, the display can be switched.

That is, when realizing the dark display, the phase difference that the light incident on the liquid crystal layer gives to the light before the light reaches the reflecting means (the phase difference of the display light on the reflecting means).
And the phase difference (the phase difference of the display light on the reflecting means) given to the light by the liquid crystal layer until the light incident on the liquid crystal layer reaches the reflecting means when realizing a bright display, There is a difference of substantially 1/4 wavelength (approximately 90 degrees), and the liquid crystal orientation that realizes the difference is, for example, electrically controllable, that is, controlled between circularly polarized light in dark display and linearly polarized light in bright display. It should be possible.

Further, the phase difference given to the light passing through the liquid crystal layer of the transmissive display portion when performing the bright display (the phase difference of the display light emitted from the liquid crystal layer) and the liquid crystal of the transmissive display portion when performing the dark display. The difference between the phase difference given to the light passing through the layer (the phase difference of the display light emitted from the liquid crystal layer) is substantially ½ wavelength (about 1 wavelength).
It is possible to switch the display by electrically controlling the change in the orientation of the liquid crystal layer to 80 °) by applying a voltage.

The amount of change in the phase difference of the light caused by the change in the orientation of the liquid crystal layer due to the voltage is set so as to be suitable for the light traveling back and forth through the liquid crystal layer in the reflective display portion, and the light transmitted through the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display portion. It is desirable to set the display so as to be suitable for display switching.

Therefore, according to each of the configurations described in claims 1 to 3 , it is possible to obtain the amount of change in the phase difference suitable for the reflective display or the transmissive display in the reflective display section and the transmissive display section, respectively. The display can be switched between the display and the dark display.

Further, since the liquid crystal alignments have different alignment states at the same time, for example, when a dye such as a dichroic dye is used for display, a light absorption amount (absorption rate) and an optical anisotropy are used. Makes it possible to change the magnitude of the modulation amount of each optical physical quantity such as the phase difference for each region having a different liquid crystal orientation. Therefore, according to the configuration described in claim 1, it is possible to obtain the transmittance or the reflectance based on the magnitude of the modulation amount of the optical physical quantity according to the alignment state of the liquid crystal layer.
This allows the transmissive display unit and the reflective display unit to set optical parameters independently. Therefore, according to the configuration of claim 1, there is no parallax, a high contrast ratio can be realized, it is possible to improve the visibility when the surroundings are dark, and when the ambient light is strong. However, good visibility can be obtained. Therefore, according to the configuration described in claim 1, a semi-transmissive liquid crystal that has excellent visibility, enables high-resolution display, and can utilize both reflected light and transmitted light for display. A display device can be provided.

Further, when the degree of modulation of each optical physical quantity such as the amount of absorption of light or the phase difference due to optical anisotropy is independently changed in the reflective display section and the transmissive display section, the liquid crystal is applied by applying a voltage. Even when the alignment direction is almost the same in the entire region used for displaying the liquid crystal layer, in the region where the liquid crystal layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer is different, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer is substantially changed in the region. It has the same effect as. In particular, in a GH system that uses a dye such as a dichroic dye and utilizes absorption of light, or a polarizing plate system that utilizes birefringence or optical rotation,
Each phenomenon of light absorption and birefringence that occurs in the liquid crystal layer,
It is a phenomenon that accompanies the propagation of light, and each phenomenon has a relationship between the propagation distance of light in the liquid crystal layer and the degree of those phenomena. Furthermore, since the display light passes twice through the liquid crystal layer in the reflective display section and twice in the transmissive display section, the display light passes through the liquid crystal layer only once. However, when the reflective display section and the transmissive display section are set in the same manner, sufficient brightness and contrast ratio cannot be obtained.

However, according to the structure of the second aspect , it is possible to obtain the transmittance or the reflectance based on the magnitude of the modulation amount of the optical physical quantity in the regions where the liquid crystal layer thickness is different. It is possible to set the optical parameters independently for the display section and the reflective display section. In the above liquid crystal display device, at least the reflection display section is provided with a reflection means (for example, a reflection film or a reflection electrode). According to the configuration described in claim 2, there is no parallax, a high contrast ratio can be realized, visibility can be improved when the surroundings are dark, and good even when the ambient light is strong. It is possible to obtain excellent visibility. Therefore, according to the configuration described in claim 2 , a semi-transmissive liquid crystal having excellent visibility, capable of high-resolution display, and capable of utilizing both reflected light and transmitted light for display. A display device can be provided.

[0041]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is characterized in that the liquid crystal orientation of the reflective display portion and the liquid crystal orientation of the transmissive display portion can be different at the same time. Here, the liquid crystal alignment indicates not only the average alignment orientation of the liquid crystal molecules at a certain point in the liquid crystal layer but also the coordinate dependence of the average alignment orientation with respect to the coordinates taken in the normal direction of the layer of the layered liquid crystal layer. I shall. Therefore, in the present invention, a method for realizing different liquid crystal orientations in the reflective display section and the transmissive display section and an alignment mechanism used in the method will be roughly classified into three types and described.

In the first method, the liquid crystal alignment of the reflective display part and the liquid crystal alignment of the transmissive display part are made by using an alignment mechanism manufactured so that certain conditions of the liquid crystal layer are different between the transmissive display part and the reflective display part. Is a different way.

As the first method, specifically, for example, (1) a method using an alignment mechanism for performing twist alignment so that liquid crystal alignment has completely different twist angles in the transmissive display section and the reflective display section, (2) A method using an alignment mechanism that largely changes the tilt angle of the liquid crystal alignment with respect to the substrate can be used. In addition, in the first method, (3) a method of arranging different liquid crystal materials in the transmissive display section and the reflective display section, and (4) the type and concentration of the dye mixed in the liquid crystal material, And a reflective display unit (in this case, the same liquid crystal material may be used for the transmissive display unit and the reflective display unit), etc., and the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is The alignment mechanism of the present invention is equipped with the mechanism used for realizing the method. Further, the first method and the alignment mechanism used in the method may be a combination of these methods (1) to (4), and depending on these methods and the alignment mechanism used in the method, Different liquid crystal orientations can be realized in the reflective display section and the transmissive display section.

The second method is a method of changing the liquid crystal orientation between the transmissive display section and the reflective display section by the display content rewriting means for rewriting the display content with the passage of time (that is, the liquid crystal orientation is reflected from the transmissive display section and the reflective display section). The orientation mechanism that makes the display unit different is the same as the display content rewriting means). As the display content rewriting means used when this method is adopted, an existing display rewriting means can be used.

As the second method, specifically, for example, (5) a method of rewriting liquid crystal alignment by a method of using different electrodes as an alignment mechanism in the transmissive display section and the reflective display section, that is, It is possible to employ a method in which the voltage itself used as the display content rewriting means is changed between the transmissive display section and the reflective display section. Further, as the second method, (6) the electrodes are the same, but a method of changing the voltage substantially applied to the liquid crystal alignment may be used. When the method of (6) above is adopted, for example, an insulator (for example, an insulating film) having a different layer thickness between the reflective display section and the transmissive display section should be arranged between the liquid crystal layer and the electrode that drives it. Thus, the liquid crystal orientation of the transmissive display portion and the liquid crystal orientation of the reflective display portion driven by the common electrode may be changed. Further, (7) a method of making the directions of the electric field different between the transmissive display portion and the reflective display portion may be used. For example, when displaying is performed by changing the liquid crystal alignment direction in the liquid crystal layer plane by an electrode group which is arranged in parallel to one of the substrates sandwiching the liquid crystal layer and applies different potentials to the liquid crystal layer, it is possible that Since the liquid crystal alignment is significantly different, the regions having different liquid crystal alignment may be used for the reflective display and the transmissive display, respectively. Furthermore, a method of applying different potentials to the liquid crystal layers aligned vertically with respect to the substrate by the same electrode group may be adopted. When the second method is adopted, for example, an electrode, an insulator, or a combination thereof used for realizing the above method corresponds to the alignment mechanism of the present invention, and the obtained liquid crystal display device is , Which are equipped with these orientation mechanisms.

The third method is a method in which the liquid crystal orientation itself is not largely different, but the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer, which is a factor that determines the optical characteristics, is made different between the reflective display portion and the transmissive display portion. In order to realize the method, for example, an insulating film having a different film thickness between the reflective display portion and the transmissive display portion, a substrate having a different layer thickness or shape between the reflective display portion and the transmissive display portion, and the like, It is used as the alignment mechanism.

When the third method is adopted, the liquid crystal orientation may be uniform twisted liquid crystal orientation like the TN method used in a liquid crystal display device using two polarizing plates. Good. In this case, the liquid crystal alignment is aligned between the substrates sandwiching the liquid crystal layer in parallel to the substrates, and the alignment direction is twisted while changing the direction in the substrate plane according to the distance from one substrate. . If this liquid crystal orientation is used in the reflective display section and the transmissive display section by changing the liquid crystal layer thickness, the optical characteristics differ depending on the liquid crystal layer thickness, so that good display can be realized in both the reflective display section and the transmissive display section.

The GH system also has the same effect as when the dye concentration is substantially changed by changing the liquid crystal layer thickness, so that the liquid crystal alignment itself is almost the same in the reflective display part and the transmissive display part. However, good display can be realized in each of the reflective display section and the transmissive display section.

As described above, the method for realizing different liquid crystal orientations in the reflective display section and the transmissive display section and the alignment mechanism used in the method are roughly classified into three types. The liquid crystal display system used in the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention to be realized may be appropriately selected from the group of systems used for displaying the alignment change of the liquid crystal,
It is not particularly limited. The above-mentioned liquid crystal display system used in the present invention is specifically a mode in which a nematic phase of a liquid crystal composition is used for display, for example, TN system, STN system, nematic bistable mode, vertical alignment mode, Hybrid orientation mode, ECB
Various modes such as (electrically controlled biriefringence) mode can be used. In addition, a mode utilizing scattering, for example, a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal mode, a dynamic scattering method, etc. can also be used as the liquid crystal display method used in the present invention. Furthermore, the surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal display method using a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition and the thresholdless switching antiferroelectric liquid crystal display method using an antiferroelectric liquid crystal also use the orientation change for display, and therefore, the present invention It can be used as the above liquid crystal display system used in.

When the third method is adopted, the liquid crystal display method used in the present invention may be a method using optical rotation modulation such as the TN method.
A method that uses retardation modulation such as the CB mode may be used, or a method that absorbs light (absorbance) such as the GH method may be used. When the third method is adopted, including these methods, the liquid crystal layer thickness is the main determining factor of the optical characteristics, and the liquid crystal layer thickness is set thick in the transmissive display section. It is possible to adopt all the methods that have the effect of realizing good display characteristics by setting the liquid crystal layer thickness thin in the reflective display section.

According to the present invention, as described above, the liquid crystal display device includes a pair of substrates having facing surfaces provided with alignment means,
A liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal display element having a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a pair of substrates, wherein at least two different alignment states are simultaneously used in arbitrary and different regions used for display in the liquid crystal layer. And a reflection means is provided in at least one region of the liquid crystal layer having different alignment states, and the region having the different alignment state is used for reflection display. By being used in the display unit and the transmissive display unit that performs transmissive display, it is possible to obtain the transmittance or the reflectance based on the magnitude of the modulation amount of the optical physical quantity according to the alignment state of the liquid crystal layer, It is possible to realize a high contrast ratio without parallax. As a result, it is possible to improve the visibility when the surroundings are dark, and it is possible to obtain good visibility even when the ambient light is strong.

When the degree of modulation of each optical physical quantity such as the amount of absorption of light or the phase difference due to optical anisotropy is changed independently in the reflective display section and the transmissive display section, the liquid crystal is applied by applying a voltage. Even when the alignment direction is almost the same in the entire region used for displaying the liquid crystal layer, in the region where the liquid crystal layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer is different, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer is substantially changed in the region. Since the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention has the same function as that of (1), the liquid crystal display device includes a pair of substrates whose facing surfaces are provided with alignment means, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates. A liquid crystal display device comprising: a liquid crystal layer, wherein a region used for display in the liquid crystal layer is a region having at least two different liquid crystal layer thicknesses, and each region having a different liquid crystal layer thickness is a reflective display. Part and transparent display part Together are needed, at least in the reflective display portion is arranged, reflection means, the liquid crystal layer thickness of the reflective display unit may be configured to be smaller than the transmissive display section.

Also in the above structure, it is possible to obtain the transmittance or the reflectance based on the magnitude of the modulation amount of the optical physical quantity in the regions where the liquid crystal layer thickness is different, whereby the transmissive display portion and the reflective display portion can be obtained. It is possible to set the optical parameters independently. Therefore, according to the above configuration, there is no parallax, it is possible to realize a high contrast ratio, it is possible to improve the visibility when the surroundings are dark, and good visibility even when the ambient light is strong. Can be obtained.

Hereinafter, particularly, the liquid crystal display device which performs good reflective display and good transmissive display by changing the liquid crystal layer thickness between the reflective display portion and the transmissive display portion will be mainly described in Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 1. The second mode will be described.

[First Embodiment] In the present embodiment, the GH
A liquid crystal display device using the method will be described below mainly with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of the liquid crystal display device according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal cell 100 (liquid crystal display element) and, if necessary, a backlight 13 (illumination device) as background illumination means. These liquid crystal cells 10
0 and the backlight 13 are arranged in the order of the liquid crystal cell 100 and the backlight 13 from the observer (user) side.

As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid crystal cell 100 is an electrode substrate in which the liquid crystal layer 1 is provided with an alignment film 2 on the side in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1 (interface on the first substrate in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1). 101
A configuration sandwiched between a (first substrate) and an electrode substrate 102 (second substrate) having an alignment film 3 on the side in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1 (interface on the second substrate in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1). have.

In the electrode substrate 101, an electrode 6 (voltage applying means) for applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer 1 is provided on a substrate 4 made of a transparent glass substrate or the like. Alignment film 2 that has been rubbed so as to cover it
(Orientation mechanism) is formed.

On the other hand, the electrode substrate 10 with the liquid crystal layer 1 sandwiched therebetween.
In order to apply a voltage to the liquid crystal layer 1, the electrode substrate 102 provided so as to face 1 is provided on the substrate 5 having translucency.
An electrode 7 (voltage applying means) as a counter electrode facing the electrode 6 is formed via the insulating film 11.

The insulating film 11 is applied to the display of the liquid crystal layer 1 so that the region used for the display of the liquid crystal layer 1 has at least two (two types in the present embodiment) different liquid crystal layer thicknesses. It is formed so as to have partially different film thicknesses in a region corresponding to the region used. More specifically, the insulating film 11 is formed in a region corresponding to the transmissive display portion 10 so as to have a smaller film thickness than in a region corresponding to the reflective display portion 9.

The reflective display portion 9 on the electrode substrate 102.
A reflective film 8 (reflecting means) that covers the electrodes 7 is formed in a region corresponding to, and a rubbing-treated alignment film 3 (alignment mechanism) covers the electrodes 7 and the reflective film 8. Is formed in.

Here, the electrodes 6 and 7 are made of, for example, ITO.
It is a transparent electrode formed of (indium tin oxide). In addition, a voltage for generating an electric field in the liquid crystal layer 1 is applied to the electrodes 6 and 7, and the display is controlled by applying a voltage according to the display content. ing.

The reflecting film 8 has light reflectivity and is made of, for example, a metal such as aluminum or silver, or a dielectric multilayer film mirror. When the reflective film 8 is made of a conductor, the reflective film 8 may also serve as an electrode instead of the electrode 7. That is, the reflective film 8 may be a reflective pixel electrode that also serves as a liquid crystal drive electrode that drives the liquid crystal layer 1 and a reflective unit. Further, the reflection film 8 may be a color reflection film that reflects light in a wavelength band appropriately selected from visible light.

The material and forming method of each member constituting the electrode substrates 101 and 102 are not necessarily limited to the above description, and conventionally known materials and conventional methods can be used. Further, the configuration of the liquid crystal display device is not limited to the above configuration, for example,
A liquid crystal cell 10 is generated by a signal from a touch panel (pressed coordinate detection type input means) described in the embodiments below.
0 directly from the outside, the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10
It may have a configuration in which a voltage is applied to the electrodes 6 and 7 corresponding to. Further, a TFT element, an active element such as MIM may be provided as the switching element.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electrode substrates 101 and 102 are opposed to each other so that the alignment films 2 and 3 are opposed to each other, and they are bonded together by using an encapsulating sealant or the like, and the liquid crystal composition is introduced into the voids. By doing so, the liquid crystal layer 1 is formed.

The backlight 13 is arranged on the back side of the liquid crystal cell 100, that is, on the back side of the electrode substrate 102 when viewed from the observer (user). The backlight 13
Is mainly composed of a light source 13a and a light guide 13b. The light source 13a is arranged, for example, along the side surface of the light guide 13b, whereby the light guide 13b is
For example, the side surface on which the light source 13a is provided is used as the incident surface, and the light source 13
The light incident from a is emitted to the liquid crystal cell 100 which is the object to be illuminated. An existing lighting device can be used as the backlight 13.

In the liquid crystal display device having the above structure, the substrate 4 is provided in the reflective display portion 9 having the reflective film 8 formed thereon.
Display is performed by controlling the reflection intensity of ambient light incident on the display surface from the side, that is, the viewer side, by changing the liquid crystal alignment. Further, in the transmissive display section 10 in which the reflective film 8 is not formed, the transmitted light intensity of the light incident on the display surface from the substrate 5 side is controlled by the change of the liquid crystal alignment to perform display. In this case, if necessary, the illumination light from the backlight 13 installed on the back surface of the liquid crystal cell 100 may be used.

In the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 1, the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 have different liquid crystal layer thicknesses as described above. As a result, in the liquid crystal display device, the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 have substantially different liquid crystal orientations.

The structure of the liquid crystal display device for obtaining different liquid crystal film thicknesses in the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 will be described below.

In order to obtain different liquid crystal film thicknesses in the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10, for example, as shown in FIG.
The insulating film 11 may be formed so that the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 have different film thicknesses.

The structure for changing the liquid crystal layer thickness between the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 is such that at least one of the substrates holding the liquid crystal (that is, the electrode substrates 101 and 102) is You only have to have it.

Therefore, the insulating film 11 may be provided on the substrate 4 instead of the substrate 5. However, even in such a case, the reflective film 8 is formed on the substrate 5 on the electrode substrate 102 side (that is, on the opposite side of the liquid crystal layer 1 from the display surface side (electrode substrate 101 side)). To be done.

In the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 1, by changing the film thickness of the insulating film 11 in the region corresponding to the reflective display portion 9 and the region corresponding to the transmissive display portion 10 in the insulating film 11. Although the liquid crystal layer thickness is changed between the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10, the reflective display section is formed by forming the substrate 4 or the substrate 5 itself in the same shape as the insulating film 11 shown in FIG. The liquid crystal layer thickness may be changed between 9 and the transmissive display section 10.

Further, the reflective display portion 9 in the insulating film 11
In the area corresponding to and the area corresponding to the transparent display unit 10,
When the film thickness is changed, as shown in FIG. 1, the insulating film 11 in the region corresponding to the transmissive display unit 10 should be thinner than the insulating film 11 in the region corresponding to the reflective display unit 9. Alternatively, the insulating film 11 may be formed in a region corresponding to the reflective display portion 9, and the transmissive display portion 10 may be formed.
The insulating film 11 may not be formed in the region corresponding to.

Furthermore, the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 1
In order to keep the liquid crystal layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 at 0 at a predetermined value, the liquid crystal layer 1 may be provided with a spacer (not shown), and the liquid crystal layer thickness is kept at a predetermined value by another method. May be dripping. For example, when a spherical spacer is arranged in the liquid crystal layer 1, the liquid crystal layer thickness in the reflective display portion 9 having a small liquid crystal layer thickness is substantially equal to the diameter of the spacer.

The pair of substrates prepared as described above, that is, the liquid crystal layer 1 sandwiched by the electrode substrates 101 and 102 is composed of the liquid crystal composition as described above.
As a liquid crystal display system using the liquid crystal layer 1, for example, FIG.
As shown in (1), a liquid crystal composition in which the dichroic dye 12 is mixed is used to generate an electric field in the liquid crystal layer 1 to control the liquid crystal alignment and simultaneously change the alignment direction of the dichroic dye 12. The GH method, in which display is performed by using the change in absorption coefficient due to dichroism, can be used.

Next, the operation of the liquid crystal layer 1 according to the GH system, the liquid crystal film thickness in the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 will be described.
About the display principle when the liquid crystal layer thickness in is different,
This will be described below with reference to FIG.

When a display is performed using the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 1, in the transmissive display section 10, the light from the back of the liquid crystal layer 1 such as the backlight 13 is transmitted to the liquid crystal layer 1 only once as shown by the arrow. A display is performed by passing the light, emitting the light from the display surface, and converting the light into display light. At this time, the liquid crystal layer 1
12 mixed in the liquid crystal composition arranged in
The light absorption rate changes depending on the liquid crystal orientation. Therefore, when the liquid crystal is aligned parallel to the display surface (electrode substrate 101) (hereinafter referred to as parallel alignment) as shown in the transparent display unit 10a, the transmissive display unit 10 has a two-dimensional display. Since the chromatic dye 12 strongly absorbs the light passing through the liquid crystal layer 1, a dark display is obtained, and the transmissive display portion 10b is displayed.
As shown in FIG. 6, when the liquid crystal is vertically aligned with the display surface (electrode substrate 101) (hereinafter, referred to as vertical alignment), light absorption by the dichroic dye 12 is weak, resulting in a bright display. Can be displayed.

On the other hand, in the reflective display section 9, the light incident on the display surface from the viewer side is used for display. That is, the light incident on the display surface passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 and then is reflected by the reflective film 8 as shown by the arrow, passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 again, and is emitted from the display surface to become display light. At this time,
As shown in the reflective display portion 9a, when the liquid crystal is aligned in parallel, the reflective display portion 9 becomes a dark display because the dichroic dye 12 in this portion strongly absorbs light, and the reflective display portion 9b is shown. As described above, when the liquid crystal is vertically aligned, light absorption by the dichroic dye 12 is weak, so that bright display can be performed.

Therefore, a bright display and a dark display can be performed by applying a potential difference between the electrodes 6 and 7 to control the liquid crystal alignment. In this case, the initial alignment state of the liquid crystal is not particularly limited, and for example, the liquid crystal may be parallel aligned when no voltage is applied, may be further twisted, or conversely, the voltage may be changed. It may be vertically aligned when not applied. In the former case (that is, when the liquid crystal alignment when no voltage is applied is a parallel alignment or when the liquid crystal is twisted further), a liquid crystal having a positive dielectric anisotropy can be used as the liquid crystal. . On the other hand, in the latter case (ie,
When the liquid crystal alignment when no voltage is applied is vertical alignment), a liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy can be used as the liquid crystal. Thus, the initial alignment state of the liquid crystal is
Although not particularly limited, it is necessary to adjust the film thickness of the insulating film 11 so that a liquid crystal layer thickness suitable for the mode of liquid crystal alignment used can be obtained.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, in order to easily manufacture the liquid crystal layer 1, the liquid crystal layer 1 is formed by the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10, or a plurality of liquid crystal layers, as in a normal liquid crystal display device. It is preferable to have a structure in which the display pixels are communicated with each other.

Even when the liquid crystal layer 1 is communicated between the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 as described above, when the liquid crystal layer thickness is different between the transmissive display portion 10 and the reflective display portion 9. ,
The distance during which the light finally becoming the display light passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 is the distance at which this light passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 only once in the transmissive display section 10, and this light in the reflective display section 9. It is possible to set the distance to the liquid crystal layer 1 back and forth in almost the same manner.

Therefore, the reflective brightness of the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive brightness of the transmissive display section 10 can be set to be substantially the same, and the contrast ratio in the reflective display section 9 and the contrast ratio in the transmissive display section 10 can be set. And can be set to approximately the same level. In other words, dichroic dye 1
In the GH method that utilizes the absorption of light by 2, since changing the liquid crystal layer thickness between the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 has substantially the same effect as when the dye concentration is changed, By changing the liquid crystal layer thickness between the transmissive display unit 10 and the reflective display unit 9, the concentration of the dichroic dye 12 suitable for the reflective display unit 9 in the liquid crystal composition and the transmissive display unit 1
The mixed density of the dichroic dye 12 suitable for 0 can be made substantially equal. Therefore, the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 1
With the liquid crystal layer 1 communicating with 0, the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 can simultaneously realize good display. That is, in the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10,
The display contrast ratio is about the same, and the brightness of the bright display is about the same.

The brightness in this case indicates the proportion of the light incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflective display section 9 or the transmissive display section 10 that is observed by the viewer as display light, and the contrast ratio is the bright. It shall be defined by dividing the brightness of the display by the brightness of the dark display.

In general, when comparing the contrast ratio suitable for reflective display and the contrast ratio suitable for transmissive display, the contrast ratio suitable for transmissive display is higher than the contrast ratio suitable for reflective display. Required.
Therefore, in order to satisfy this requirement, the liquid crystal layer thickness in the transmissive display unit 10 is set to be smaller than that in the reflective display unit 9 rather than setting the contrast ratio in the reflective display unit 9 and the contrast ratio in the transmissive display unit 10 to be equal. It is effective to set a thicker thickness so that the contrast ratio in the transmissive display section 10 exceeds the contrast ratio in the reflective display section 9 for good display.

Hereinafter, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment will be described based on the above-described display principle with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 by giving concrete examples and comparative examples. The liquid crystal display device according to the embodiment is not limited to the following examples.

Example 1 In this example, when the voltage is not applied to the liquid crystal layer 1, the liquid crystal is aligned substantially perpendicular to the normal to the display surface, and the voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1. A liquid crystal display device using a GH type liquid crystal layer 1 in which liquid crystal is oriented to be inclined with respect to a display surface and has a negative dielectric anisotropy will be described. First, a method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display device will be described below.

First, ITO was formed to a thickness of 140 nm on the transparent substrate 4 by sputtering, and an etching process was performed using photolithography to produce an electrode 6 (transparent electrode) having a predetermined pattern. A glass substrate was used as the substrate 4.

Next, a vertical alignment film was further arranged by offset printing on the surface of the substrate 4 on which the electrodes 6 were formed, and the alignment film 2 was formed by baking this in an oven at 200 ° C. After that, the alignment film 2 was subjected to an alignment treatment by rubbing to manufacture an electrode substrate 101 as a viewer side substrate.

Here, the vertical alignment film has the property of aligning the liquid crystal in the normal direction of the film surface, and further has the property of inclining the liquid crystal alignment about a few degrees from the normal direction by an alignment treatment such as rubbing. Have. Due to this tilt, the liquid crystal alignment after voltage application is further tilted toward the alignment treatment direction.

On the other hand, a photosensitive resin having an insulating property is applied onto the substrate 5 by spin coating, and the photosensitive resin does not remain in the transmissive display section 10 by irradiation with a mask of ultraviolet light. The insulating film 11 was patterned so that the photosensitive resin was formed to a layer thickness of 3 μm. At this time, the pattern edge portion of the insulating film 11 was formed in a sufficiently gentle step shape so that the electrode 7 formed in a later step would not be broken by the step of the insulating film 11. As the substrate 5, the same transparent glass substrate as the substrate 4 was used.

Further, ITO is deposited to 140 nm on the surface of the substrate 5 on which the insulating film 11 is formed by sputtering.
A film is formed, and aluminum having a function of a light-reflecting electrode is further sputtered to a thickness of 200 nm.
A film was formed. Then, the obtained aluminum film is photo-etched so that the aluminum film remains only in the reflective display portion 9 (that is, the portion where the photosensitive resin remains when patterning the photosensitive resin to form the insulating film 11). The reflective film 8 was formed by patterning by lithography and dry etching. Then, the lower ITO film of the reflective film 8 was etched by photolithography to produce an electrode 7 (transparent electrode) having a predetermined pattern.

Next, on the surface of the substrate 5 on which the electrodes 7 and the reflection film 8 are formed, the electrode substrate 1 which is the observer side substrate.
The alignment film 3 was formed by the same method as the alignment film 2 of No. 01. Then, the alignment film 3 was subjected to an alignment treatment by rubbing to manufacture the electrode substrate 102.

Electrode substrate 10 manufactured as described above
A sealing resin (not shown) as an encapsulating sealant is arranged around one of the electrode substrates 1 and 102, and a spherical plastic having a diameter of 4.5 μm is formed on the alignment film forming surface of the other electrode substrate. Spacers were scattered, and as shown in FIG. 1, the electrode surfaces were opposed to each other and the sealing resin was cured under pressure to prepare a liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection. The thickness of the liquid crystal injecting voids (that is, the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1) in the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 of the liquid crystal cell for injecting liquid crystal was measured by measuring the reflected light spectrum. 4.5 μm, 7.5 μm in transmissive display unit 10
Met.

Further, when introducing a liquid crystal composition prepared by mixing a dichroic dye 12 into a liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy into the above liquid crystal injection liquid crystal cell, the concentration of the dichroic dye 12 is The density was adjusted so that a sufficient contrast ratio could be obtained between the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10. Furthermore, a chiral additive that imparts a twist to the alignment of the liquid crystal is added to the above liquid crystal composition, and the alignment treatment is performed on the alignment films 2 and 3, and the liquid crystal between the upper and lower electrode substrates 101 and 102 of the liquid crystal layer 1 is also added. The twisting of the orientation was set to be the same in the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 in the voltage applied state used for dark display. Further, the liquid crystal composition was introduced into the above liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection by a vacuum injection method to manufacture a liquid crystal display device.

When a voltage was applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 while measuring the reflectance of the reflective display section 9 and the transmittance of the transmissive display section 10 in the obtained liquid crystal display device with a microscope, the display characteristics shown in FIG. 2 were obtained. It was The voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 is a rectangular wave whose polarity is inverted every 17 msec, and in FIG. 2, the horizontal axis represents the effective value of the applied voltage and the vertical axis represents the brightness (reflectance or transmittance). . Further, in the figure, a curve 111 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9, and a curve 112 shows the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10.

As shown by the curves 111 and 112, in the above liquid crystal display device, both the brightness (reflectance or transmittance) in the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 decreases with the application of voltage. ing. The applied voltage is 1.
When the applied voltage is 8V, the reflective display portion 9 has a reflectance of 55%, the transmissive display portion 10 has a transmittance of 52%, and when the applied voltage is 5V, the reflective display portion 9 has a reflectance of 11%. The transmissivity of the transmissive display unit 10 was 10%.

That is, according to the above liquid crystal display device, both the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 are
The brightness of the bright display showed a high value of over 50% and the contrast ratio was about 5, and it was possible to realize a display with excellent visibility.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1 Here, a comparative example of the above-mentioned Example 1 will be shown. In Comparative Example 1, except that the liquid crystal display device using the GH method shown in Example 1 was designed so that the liquid crystal layer thickness in the reflective display section 9 and the liquid crystal layer thickness in the transmissive display section 10 were the same. A comparative liquid crystal display device was produced according to the method for producing a liquid crystal display device shown in Example 1.

More specifically, in this comparative example, Example 1 was used.
The insulating film 11 as produced on the substrate 5 was not produced, and a liquid crystal display device in which both the liquid crystal layer thickness in the reflective display portion 9 and the liquid crystal layer thickness in the transmissive display portion 10 were 4.5 μm was produced. That is, the upper and lower electrode substrates facing each other with the liquid crystal layer 1 sandwiched therebetween form a smooth liquid crystal injection liquid crystal cell in the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10, and the liquid crystal injection liquid crystal cell is implemented. A liquid crystal display device was produced by introducing a liquid crystal composition containing the same dichroic dye 12 and chiral additive as in Example 1.

The display characteristics obtained by measuring the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 and the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 in the obtained liquid crystal display device in the same manner as in Example 1 are shown in FIG.

[Comparative Example 2] In Comparative Example 2, a liquid crystal composition having a higher concentration of the dichroic dye 12 than that in Comparative Example 1 was introduced into the same liquid crystal cell as in Comparative Example 1 to prepare a transmissive display section 10. A liquid crystal display device was set in which the brightness and the contrast ratio were optimized.

The display characteristics obtained by measuring the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 and the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 in the obtained liquid crystal display device in the same manner as in Example 1 are shown in Comparative Example 1.
The results are shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, the horizontal axis represents the effective value of the applied voltage, and the vertical axis represents the lightness (reflectance or transmittance). Further, in the figure, a curve 121 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 of Comparative Example 1, and a curve 122 shows the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 of Comparative Example 1. A curve 123 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 of Comparative Example 2, and a curve 124 is a transmissive display unit 1 of Comparative Example 2.
The voltage dependence of the transmittance of 0 is shown.

As shown by the curves 121 and 122, in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Comparative Example 1, the brightness (reflectance or transmittance) in the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 was measured.
Both decrease with the application of a voltage, the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 was 51% when the applied voltage was 1.8 V, whereas the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 was The reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 was 11% and the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 was 22% when the applied voltage was 5V.

That is, according to the liquid crystal display device obtained in Comparative Example 1, although the reflective display portion 9 has a high brightness of more than 50% and the contrast ratio of about 5, the transmissive display portion 10 has a high brightness. Since the liquid crystal layer thickness in the transmissive display portion 10 is the same as the liquid crystal layer thickness in the reflective display portion 9,
Although the brightness of the liquid crystal layer 1 was high, the contrast ratio was low at about 3 and the display quality was low.

Further, as shown by the curves 123 and 124, in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Comparative Example 2, the lightness (reflectance or transmissivity) in the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 is the same as the voltage. Is decreasing with the decrease of
When the applied voltage is 1.8 V, the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 is 2
The transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 was 51% while it was 9%.
%, And when the applied voltage is 5 V, the reflective display unit 9
Had a reflectance of 3%, and the transmissive display portion 10 had a transmittance of 10%.

That is, according to the liquid crystal display device obtained in Comparative Example 2, although the transmissive display portion 10 has a high brightness of more than 50% and the contrast ratio of about 5, the reflective display portion 9 has a high brightness. Since the liquid crystal layer thickness in the reflective display portion 9 is the same as the liquid crystal layer thickness in the transmissive display portion 10,
The contrast ratio is as high as about 10, but the brightness is 30%.
The display was darker than the above.

As is clear from the comparison between Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, in the GH type liquid crystal display device, the contrast ratio of the transmissive display section 10 is equal to or greater than that of the reflective display section 9. It has been found that it is effective to set the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 of the transmissive display section 10 to be larger than the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 of the reflective display section 9 in order to further increase the thickness.

[Second Embodiment] In the first embodiment,
Although the liquid crystal display device using the GH method has been described, as the liquid crystal display method according to the present invention, in addition to the GH method, as shown in FIG.
It is also possible to adopt a method in which the liquid crystal layer 1 is sandwiched between and the retardation or optical rotation of the liquid crystal layer 1 (collectively abbreviated as a polarization conversion action hereinafter) is used for display.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, a liquid crystal display device using the above-mentioned polarization conversion action for display will be mainly shown in FIG.
Will be described below. For convenience of explanation, the constituent elements having the same functions as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment. The liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 4 includes a liquid crystal cell 200 (liquid crystal display element) and, if necessary, the backlight 13 (illumination device). The liquid crystal cell 200 and the backlight 13 are arranged from the side of the observer (user).
They are arranged in order of 3.

As shown in FIG. 4, the liquid crystal cell 200 is an electrode substrate in which the liquid crystal layer 1 has the alignment film 2 on the side in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1 (the interface on the first substrate in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1). 201
It is sandwiched between the (first substrate) and the electrode substrate 202 (second substrate) having the alignment film 3 on the side in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1 (interface on the second substrate in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1). The phase difference compensating plate 16 and the polarizing plate 14 are provided on the outside of the electrode substrate 201 (that is, on the side opposite to the surface facing the electrode substrate 202), and the outside of the electrode substrate 202 (that is, the electrode substrate 2).
On the side opposite to the surface facing 01), the phase difference compensating plate 17 and the polarizing plate 15 are provided. The phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 are provided and used as needed.

The retardation compensating plates 16 and 17 used as necessary in the present invention include various retardation compensating plates such as a stretched polymer film, a liquid crystal alignment fixed polymer film and a liquid crystalline polymer film. Can be used. Its optical function is to prevent coloring, which is often seen when the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 are not used, to change the dependence of lightness on the potential difference of the electrodes 6 and 7, and to change the display viewing angle. Used for.

In the electrode substrate 201, an electrode 6 for applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer 1 is provided on a substrate 4 made of a translucent glass substrate or the like, so that the electrode 6 is covered. The rubbing-treated alignment film 2 is formed.

On the other hand, the electrode substrate 20 with the liquid crystal layer 1 sandwiched therebetween.
In order to apply a voltage to the liquid crystal layer 1, the electrode substrate 202 provided so as to face 1 is provided on the substrate 5 having translucency.
An electrode 7 as a counter electrode facing the electrode 6 is formed via the insulating film 11. However, in the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 4, the electrode 7 in the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 1
The electrode 7 is electrically insulated from the electrode 7 and the voltage is separately applied from the outside of the liquid crystal cell. Then, the reflective display portion 9 on the electrode substrate 202.
A reflective film 8 is formed in a region corresponding to, and a rubbing-treated alignment film 3 is formed so as to cover the electrodes 7 and the reflective film 8. The insulating film 11 is formed such that the film thickness of the region corresponding to the transmissive display portion 10 in the insulating film 11 is thinner than the film thickness of the region corresponding to the reflective display portion 9.

As shown in FIG. 4, the electrode substrates 201 and 202 are arranged so that the alignment film 2 and the alignment film 3 face each other, and are bonded together by using an encapsulating sealant or the like, and the liquid crystal composition is filled in the gap. The liquid crystal layer 1 is formed by introducing the substance.

In the above liquid crystal display device, in bright display,
The liquid crystal layer 1 made of the liquid crystal composition described above is used for the reflective display section 9
And the transmissive display unit 10 communicate with each other.
The liquid crystal of the liquid crystal layer 1 is shown in FIG.
Further, when the liquid crystal molecules are aligned in parallel as shown in the transmissive display portion 10b, a polarization conversion action occurs on the light passing through the liquid crystal layer 1, resulting in a dark display. On the other hand, as shown in the reflective display portion 9a and the transmissive display portion 10a, when the liquid crystal of the liquid crystal layer 1 is vertically aligned, the polarization conversion action is weak and bright display is achieved.

Therefore, with respect to the alignment change in the reflective display portions 9a and 9b and the transmissive display portions 10a and 10b, the polarizing plate 14 on the display surface side and the polarizing plate 15 on the backlight 13 side which are arranged with the liquid crystal layer 1 interposed therebetween. The selective transmission of linearly polarized light by and is used for display as a change in the intensity of display light, so that bright display and dark display are possible. As described above, in this case, in order to compensate the wavelength dependence of the refractive index difference of the liquid crystal layer 1, or to change the voltage dependence of the brightness modulated by the liquid crystal layer 1 as necessary, or , The phase difference compensating plate 16 as shown in FIG.
・ 17 may be used.

Even when the optical anisotropy is used for display as described above, the initial alignment state of the liquid crystal is not particularly limited. For example, the liquid crystal layer 1 in the state where no voltage is applied is displayed on the display surface. In contrast, it may be in a state of being oriented in parallel or may be in a state of being oriented vertically. In the former case (that is, when the liquid crystal alignment in the state where no voltage is applied is a parallel alignment), a liquid crystal having a positive dielectric anisotropy can be used as the liquid crystal. On the other hand, in the latter case (that is, when the liquid crystal alignment in the state where no voltage is applied is vertical alignment), a liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy can be used as the liquid crystal.

As described above, even when the optical anisotropy is used for display, the initial alignment state of the liquid crystal is not particularly limited, but a liquid crystal layer thickness suitable for the mode of liquid crystal alignment to be used is obtained. As described above, it is effective to adjust the film thickness of the insulating film 11.

In order to realize a dark display on the reflective display section 9, first, light polarized by the polarizing plate 14 is prepared. Then, the polarization state is changed by the phase difference compensating plate 16 as needed, and the polarization state is further changed in the liquid crystal layer 1 of the reflective display section 9 whose layer thickness is set smaller than that of the transmissive display section 10. At this time, the condition necessary for ideal dark display is that the polarization state on the reflection film 8 is consequently circularly polarized, which may be either left or right. Further, the condition necessary to realize an ideal bright display with the same reflective display unit 9 is that the polarization state on the reflective film 8 is linearly polarized light. If the liquid crystal orientation can be electrically controlled between the dark display and the bright display, the display can be switched.

That is, when realizing a dark display, the liquid crystal layer 1
The phase difference given to the light by the liquid crystal layer 1 before the light incident on the reflection film 8 reaches the reflection film 8 (the phase difference of the display light on the reflection film 8) and the liquid crystal layer 1 when the bright display is realized. Between the incident light and the phase difference (the phase difference of the display light on the reflection film 8) given to the light by the liquid crystal layer 1 before reaching the reflection film 8,
There is a difference of substantially 1/4 wavelength (approximately 90 degrees), and the liquid crystal orientation that realizes the difference is, for example, electrically controllable, that is, controlled between circularly polarized light in dark display and linearly polarized light in bright display. It should be possible. At this time, the polarization azimuth of the linearly polarized light on the reflective film 8 for realizing bright display may be any azimuth.

In the transmissive display section 10, the light linearly polarized by the polarizing plate 15 is changed in its polarization state by the phase difference compensating plate 17 as necessary, and then the layer thickness is made smaller than that of the reflective display section 9. Display is performed by changing the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 which is set to be thick, and further changing the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 by the phase difference compensating plate 16 as necessary and emitting the light from the polarizing plate 14.

In this case, the polarizing plate 1 is used for display.
4 is a change in the polarization state immediately before entering the No. 4 laser. Therefore,
When performing bright display, the polarization state immediately before entering the polarizing plate 14 may be adjusted so as to be linearly polarized light having the oscillation direction of the transmission axis direction of the polarizing plate 14, and when performing dark display. Is the polarization state immediately before entering the polarizing plate 14,
It may be adjusted so as to be linearly polarized light having a vibrating surface in the absorption axis direction of the polarizing plate 14.

In other words, the transparent display unit 1 is used for bright display.
The phase difference given to the light passing through the liquid crystal layer 1 of 0 (the phase difference of the display light emitted from the liquid crystal layer 1) and the phase difference given to the light passing through the liquid crystal layer 1 of the transmissive display unit 10 when dark display is performed. The change in the orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 is electrically controlled by applying a voltage so that the difference from (the phase difference of the display light emitted from the liquid crystal layer 1) is substantially 1/2 wavelength (approximately 180 degrees). If so, the display can be switched.

Here, the half-wavelength phase control corresponds to controlling the polarization azimuth of the linearly polarized light incident on the polarizing plate 14 from the liquid crystal layer 1 side, and the principal axes of the refractive index are uniformly aligned in parallel. In addition to controlling the retardation by the retardation, the principal axis of the refractive index of the liquid crystal layer 1 is twisted with the twist of the liquid crystal orientation, and the polarization orientation of the linearly polarized light is changed with the change of the twist of the orientation due to the voltage. Is also a polarization conversion action. The polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 that realizes this is a polarization conversion action between general orthogonal polarization states when the application of the phase difference compensation plate 16 or the phase difference compensation plate 17 is also considered.

The liquid crystal alignment which enables the polarization conversion action to realize the control of the polarization state (phase control of light) as described above is
The substrates 4 and 5 may have a parallel orientation (parallel to the display surface) and a uniform parallel orientation (homogeneous orientation).
5 (parallel to the display surface) and twisted between the substrates 4 and 5 (between the upper and lower substrates facing each other with the liquid crystal layer 1 in between) may be twisted. It may be a vertical alignment (homeotropic alignment) that is perpendicular to (vertical to the display surface). Furthermore, a hybrid alignment in which one interface of the liquid crystal layer 1 has a parallel alignment and the other has a vertical alignment can be used.

In this case, specifically, the twist orientation is set to 60 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less between the substrates 4 and 5, or set to 0 degrees or more and 40 degrees or less. Is desirable. The reason for this is that it is possible to satisfy both the conditions suitable for the reflective display unit 9 and the conditions suitable for the transmissive display unit 10 without changing the rubbing direction between the transmissive display unit 10 and the reflective display unit 9. This is because

When mass-producing liquid crystal display devices, the most preferable optical design of the liquid crystal layer 1 is that the display brightness (reflectance or transmittance) is between the upper and lower limits of the range of drive voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer 1. Is a design that changes so as to increase or decrease monotonically.

In consideration of the above driving conditions, the simplest optical design of the liquid crystal layer 1 is that liquid crystal oriented substantially perpendicular to the display surface and liquid crystal oriented substantially parallel to the display surface. In between, the design is such that electro-optical characteristics are achieved in which the display is controlled so that the display brightness monotonously increases or monotonically decreases.

In this case, in particular, by using a parallel alignment film,
When liquid crystal alignment parallel to the display surface is realized as liquid crystal alignment with no voltage applied, there are clearly conditions suitable for reflective display and conditions suitable for transmissive display. Therefore, this condition was calculated by the so-called Jones matrix method, and an appropriate range of the twist angle was calculated.

As a result, it became clear that the twist angle must be set to 0 ° or more and 100 ° or less in order to obtain a good display in the reflective display.

That is, first, in the liquid crystal layer 1 which realizes a good display in the reflective display, the inventors of the present invention have a liquid crystal alignment having a polarization conversion action (when a parallel alignment film is used, substantially no voltage is applied). (Equal to the liquid crystal orientation in the case of 1), it is necessary to efficiently convert circularly polarized light into linearly polarized light, and in order to evaluate this, the liquid crystal layer 1
The reflectance when circularly polarized light was incident on was calculated by the above calculation method. In the calculation, light is incident on the liquid crystal cell 200 in the order of the polarizing plate 14, the phase difference compensating plate 16 that gives a phase difference of 90 degrees, the liquid crystal layer 1, and the reflective film 8, and conversely, the light is polarized from the reflective film 8. The reflectance of the light that propagated up to the plate 14 and was emitted was determined.

As a result, by adjusting the product (Δn · d) of the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) and the refractive index difference (Δn) of the liquid crystal of the liquid crystal layer 1 for each twist angle of the liquid crystal layer 1, the twist angle can be adjusted. It has been revealed that it is possible to convert circularly polarized light into perfect linearly polarized light in the range of 0 ° or more and 70 ° or less.
Further, it has been found that, in the range of more than 70 degrees to 100 degrees, circularly polarized light cannot be made completely linearly polarized, but good display is possible. Then, the maximum value in the visible wavelength of the reflectance up to a twist angle of 70 degrees is 1
When it is set to 00%, Δn of the liquid crystal layer 1 is different for each twist angle.
By adjusting d, the reflectance at a twist angle of 80 degrees at a specific wavelength is 97%, and the twist angle is 90%.
The reflectance in degrees is 83%, and the reflectance in a twist angle of 100 degrees is 72%, and good reflectance can be obtained.
However, when the twist angle exceeds 100 degrees, for example, the reflectance at a twist angle of 110 degrees is 54%, and the reflectance at a twist angle of 120 degrees is 37%, so that circularly polarized light can be efficiently polarized into linearly polarized light. Becomes impossible. That is,
In the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflective display section 9, the twist angle is 0.
It is necessary to set it within the range of not less than 100 degrees and not more than 100 degrees.

In the above description, circularly polarized light is used for calculation in order to evaluate the polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflective display section 9, but in actual display, the liquid crystal layer 1 of the reflective display section 9 is used. It is not always necessary to make the circularly polarized light incident on the liquid crystal layer 1. Even if the liquid crystal layer 1 is designed as described above and linearly polarized light is made incident on the liquid crystal layer 1, a good display can be obtained on the reflective display unit 9.

On the other hand, in order to obtain a good display on the transmissive display section 10, the liquid crystal alignment is a small twist angle (0 ° or more and 40 ° or less) or a large twist angle (60 °). The orientation must be 110 ° or less).

The polarization conversion action required to obtain a good display in the transmissive display section 10 is a basic optical action (first condition), and this basic optical action (first condition) and reflective display. Realistic optical action determined by the relationship with the part 9 (second
Conditions) and.

The reason is that, for example, in the case of the above first condition, in the liquid crystal orientation having the polarization conversion action (when the parallel orientation film is used, it is substantially equal to the orientation when no voltage is applied), In the liquid crystal layer 1 in the transmissive display unit 10,
Efficiently crosses a polarized light (linearly polarized light, circularly polarized light, or elliptically polarized light with a specified polarization state) orthogonal to it (in the case of linearly polarized light, the plane containing the oscillating electric field of light is orthogonal) In the case of linearly polarized light or circularly polarized light, it is necessary to have a function of converting into circularly polarized light whose rotation direction is inverted, and in the case of elliptically polarized light, elliptically polarized light of the same ellipticity with the elliptic principal axis directions orthogonal to each other and having its rotation direction reversed. This is because

Therefore, the inventors of the present invention have made the transmissive display unit 10
In order to evaluate the above action as a property required for the above, the polarization conversion action was obtained by the above calculation method (Jones matrix method), but there is no particular limitation as far as the twist angle range required for this purpose is concerned. Became clear.

In the present invention, the second condition is that the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 have a common optical film on the display surface side (polarizing plate 14 and phase difference compensating plate 16).
Is a constraint that arises due to the use of. The optical films in the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 are set so as to favorably perform reflective display. A different optical film can be set on the surface opposite to the display surface of the liquid crystal display device. This optical film displays the transmissive display unit 10 on the display surface side of the polarizing plate. 14
Further, it is preferable to set the arrangement so that the phase difference compensating plate 16 and the liquid crystal layer 1 on the side of the transmissive display unit 10 cooperate with each other to improve the condition. In order to make such settings, the transparent display unit 1
The polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 at 0 is simply the first
It is important that not only the condition (1) be satisfied, but also that the circularly polarized light can be satisfactorily converted into the counter-rotating circularly polarized light, or that the linearly polarized light can be satisfactorily converted into the orthogonal linearly polarized light.

Therefore, the liquid crystal layer 1 in the transmissive display section 10
On the other hand, in order to evaluate the specific condition satisfying the second condition, the intensity of the light which becomes the circularly polarized light of the reverse rotation when the circularly polarized light is incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 was obtained by the above calculation method. In the calculation, the light is the polarizing plate 1 as the first polarizing plate.
The phase difference compensating plate 17 serving as a first phase difference compensating plate that gives a phase difference of 5 and 90 degrees, and the liquid crystal layer 1 has a slow axis orthogonal to the first phase difference compensating plate that gives a phase difference of 90 degrees. The transmittance was calculated when the phase difference compensating plate 16 as the second phase difference compensating plate and the polarizing plate 14 as the second polarizing plate orthogonal to the first polarizing plate were propagated in this order.

As a result, when the inventors of the present application adjust Δn · d of the liquid crystal layer 1 for each twist angle, when the twist angle is in the range of 0 ° or more and 40 ° or less, the circularly polarized light is rotated in the reverse direction. It has been found that it is converted into circularly polarized light well. Specifically, assuming that the transmittance of light at a visible wavelength when the twist angle is 0 degree is 100%, the light transmittance when the twist angle is 30 degrees is 88.6% and the twist angle is 40 degrees. The light transmittance is 80.8%, the light transmittance is 72.0% when the twist angle is 50 degrees, and the light transmittance is 62.4% when the twist angle is 60 degrees. When the polarization conversion effect of converting polarized light into circularly polarized light of the opposite direction is evaluated by the transmittance, the transmittance decreases as the twist angle increases. Therefore, it is concluded from the above results that it is appropriate to set the upper limit of the twist angle to about 40 degrees.

On the other hand, the twist angle of the transmissive display portion 10 for efficiently converting linearly polarized light into orthogonal linearly polarized light is set to an arbitrary twist angle of 0 degree or more when the wavelength of light is limited to one wavelength. With a twist angle of, a sufficiently efficient transmittance can be realized. However, there is an optimum value for the twist angle in order to obtain a high transmittance in a wide visible wavelength range. Specifically, the twist angle is changed so that the maximum transmittance is 550 nm, which is the center wavelength of the visible wavelength range.
Was adjusted to obtain a wavelength width excluding the upper limit and the lower limit of the wavelength at which a transmittance of 90% or more was obtained when the transmittance at 550 nm was 100%. The transmittance is calculated as follows: when light passes through the polarizing plate 15 serving as the first polarizing plate, the liquid crystal layer 1, and the polarizing plate 14 serving as the second polarizing plate orthogonal to the first polarizing plate, The liquid crystal orientation in the center of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction is arranged so as to form an angle of 45 degrees with the transmission axes of the polarizing plates 14 and 15, and the transmittance at that time is obtained.

As a result, the wavelength width (wavelength range) when the twist angle is 0 degree is 230 nm, the wavelength width when the twist angle is 10 degrees is 235 nm, the wavelength width when the twist angle is 20 degrees is 240 nm, and the twist width is 240 nm. When the angle is 30 degrees, the wavelength width is 245 nm, when the twist angle is 40 degrees, the wavelength width is 250 nm, and when the twist angle is 50 degrees, the wavelength width is 25 nm.
The wavelength width is 265n when the twist angle is 60 degrees at 5 nm.
m, the wavelength width when the twist angle is 70 degrees is 280 nm,
The wavelength width when the twist angle is 80 degrees is 310 nm, the wavelength width when the twist angle is 90 degrees is 330 nm, the wavelength width when the twist angle is 100 degrees is 305 nm, and the wavelength width when the twist angle is 110 degrees is The wavelength width at 255 nm and the twist angle of 120 degrees was 210 nm.

From the above examination, the twist angle is 60.
It has been found that a high transmittance is realized in a wide wavelength range (wavelength range) within a range of not less than 110 degrees and not more than 110 degrees, a good polarization conversion action is realized, and a good display is possible. Therefore, from the above polarization conversion action for circularly polarized light and polarization conversion action for linearly polarized light, the twist angle of the liquid crystal of the transmissive display unit 10 satisfying the second condition is within a range of 0 degrees or more and 40 degrees or less, or It is limited to the range of 60 degrees or more and 110 degrees or less.

As described above, the reflective display portion 9 is in the range of 0 ° to 100 °, the transmissive display portion 10 is in the range of 0 ° to 40 °, or 60 ° to 11 °.
It was revealed that a twist angle within the range of 0 degrees or less gives a good display. That is, as an example of the embodiment of the present invention, the twist angle for obtaining good display in both the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 is 0 degree or more, 4 or more.
The range of 0 degrees or less, or the range of 60 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less is suitable.

In the examples shown below, the twist angles of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 are equal (Examples 2 to 9 and 11).
In, a typical example of using circularly polarized light with a twist angle of 0 degree is Example 11 (the liquid crystal alignment is vertical alignment),
A typical example of using linearly polarized light with a twist angle of 0 degree is Example 3 (adjusted to obtain a good bright display by a phase difference compensating plate). In addition, a typical example of using linearly polarized light with a twist angle of around 70 degrees is Example 5 (adjusted by a phase difference compensating plate to obtain a good bright display).
Is.

According to the above-mentioned study, the twist angle of the liquid crystal layer 1 for obtaining a good display in both the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 is within a range of 0 degree or more and 40 degrees or less,
Alternatively, it is in the range of 60 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less.

In the above description, the magnitude of the twist angle is described only with respect to the positive sign, but the same argument is applied to the negative sign (the twist direction is twisted in the opposite direction) having the same absolute value. It goes without saying that it is effective.

When the twist angle is set small, in any case, the change in the polarization state becomes a function of the product (Δn · d) of the refractive index difference (Δn) and the liquid crystal layer thickness (d), and In the reflective display unit 9, the incident light travels back and forth through the liquid crystal layer 1, and in the transmissive display unit 10, the incident light passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 only once. Therefore, the liquid crystal layer thickness in the transmissive display unit 10 is the liquid crystal layer thickness in the reflective display unit 9. It is desirable to set the thickness thicker than the thickness.

Even in a TN liquid crystal display device using ordinary optical rotation, when the liquid crystal layer is thin, the optical rotation and the change in polarization state due to retardation are indistinguishable, and generally elliptically polarized light is used. Needless to say, the optical rotation used in the TN liquid crystal display device for use in display can be used for the bright display and the dark display using the above-mentioned polarization conversion action. The polarization conversion action in the present invention includes modulation of transmitted light intensity due to these optical rotations.

Further, in the above-mentioned polarization conversion action, in order to change the liquid crystal alignment which can change the polarization state, as described above, it is controlled whether the alignment state of the liquid crystal is parallel or perpendicular to the substrates 4 and 5. Not only the liquid crystal, but also the surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal and the anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal, in which the liquid crystal changes only the alignment direction while maintaining the alignment direction substantially parallel to the substrates 4 and 5, and nematic liquid crystal. , The electrode orientation is changed to change the orientation of the liquid crystal while keeping the orientation of the liquid crystal in a plane parallel to the display surface.

In the above liquid crystal display device, the installation orientation (sticking orientation) of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 can be set appropriately. For example, if the installation orientation of the polarizing plate 14 is set according to the reflective display unit 9, the transmissive display unit 1 is inevitable.
Since the same polarizing plate 14 acts on the display light which transmits 0, the polarizing plate 15 is adjusted in accordance with the installation direction of the polarizing plate 14.
It is sufficient to determine the installation direction of.

As described above, when the liquid crystal alignment having no twist is used for display, when the reflective display section 9 shows, for example, a dark display, the transmissive display section 10 similarly shows, for example, a dark display. However, for example, if the installation orientation of the polarizing plate 15 is changed by 90 degrees while the installation orientation of the polarizing plate 14 remains the same, the display is reversed between the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10. That is, a good display cannot be obtained as it is. Therefore, in order to prevent such inversion of the display, the installation orientation of the polarizing plate 15 is returned to the original position, or independent electrodes are provided to the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10, respectively, so that the electrical display is electrically performed. The driving itself may be reversed only in one of the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 to match the brightness of the display.

Next, the display principle of the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 in the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 4 will be described in more detail.

First, the display principle of the reflective display section 9 will be described below. In order to simplify the description, in the following description, the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 are not used, and the liquid crystal orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 has a twist in the reflective display section 9b and the transmissive display section 10b. Make it not exist. Furthermore, when light having a wavelength of 550 nm passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 only once, the reflective display portion 9b and the transmissive display portion 10b respectively
It is assumed that the layer thicknesses of the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 are adjusted so as to have a phase difference of ¼ wavelength and ½ wavelength, and the liquid crystal composition has a positive dielectric anisotropy. However, the liquid crystal orientation when no voltage is applied is substantially parallel to the substrates 4 and 5, and its orientation is relative to the absorption axis orientation of the polarizing plate 14.
It is assumed that the angle is 45 degrees.

In this case, the liquid crystal orientations in the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 in the state where no voltage is applied are the liquid crystal orientations shown in the reflective display portion 9b and the transmissive display portion 10b,
The liquid crystal orientations in the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 which are changed by the application of the voltage are the liquid crystal orientations shown in the reflective display portion 9a and the transmissive display portion 10a.

In the reflective display portion 9b, the product (Δnd) of the refractive index difference (Δn) of the liquid crystal composition and the liquid crystal layer thickness (d).
Indicates that the quarter wavelength condition is satisfied. Therefore, the ambient light becomes linearly polarized light at the polarizing plate 14 when incident, and becomes circularly polarized light when reaching the reflection film 8 due to the retardation of the liquid crystal layer 1. At this time, since the traveling direction of the incident light is reversed by the reflection film 8 and the circularly polarized light preserves the rotation direction of the oscillating electric field and only the traveling direction is reversed, the circularly polarized light orthogonal to the polarized light at the time of incidence That is, the left and right are circularly polarized light. This circularly polarized light again passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 of the reflective display section 9b to become linearly polarized light parallel to the absorption axis direction of the polarizing plate 14, and is absorbed by the polarizing plate 14 to provide a dark display.

At this time, in the transmissive display portion 10b,
The product (Δn · d) of the refractive index difference (Δn) of the liquid crystal composition and the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) satisfies the ½ wavelength condition. Therefore, the liquid crystal layer 1 has a function of converting the azimuth of the vibrating surface of the incident linearly polarized light into line symmetry with respect to the liquid crystal alignment direction. Therefore, the absorption axis azimuth of the polarizing plate 15 on the light incident side to the transmissive display portion 10b is affected by the above-described action of the liquid crystal layer 1, and the light passing through the polarizing plate 14 is absorbed by the polarizing plate 14 to produce a dark display. Polarizing plate 14 and polarizing plate 1
5 is determined to be parallel to the transmission axis direction.

In this way, the polarizing plate 14 and the polarizing plate 15
However, when they are arranged such that their transmission axis directions are parallel and the liquid crystal orientation forms an angle of 45 degrees from the transmission axis direction,
It was found that both the reflective display portion 9b and the transmissive display portion 10b were dark display.

Next, no voltage is applied to the reflective display section 9b and the transmissive display section 10b (initial alignment state of liquid crystal).
From the above, the action when the orientation state of the liquid crystal is changed substantially perpendicular to the display surface as shown in the reflective display portion 9a and the transmissive display portion 10a by applying a potential difference to the electrodes 6 and 7 will be described below. Explained.

In this case, in the reflective display portion 9a, the ambient light is linearly polarized by the polarizing plate 14, and the liquid crystal layer 1 has no retardation for the linearly polarized light, so that the polarization state of the incident light changes. After reaching the reflective film 8 and further reversing the traveling direction, the light passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 again and is emitted from the polarizing plate 14 while maintaining the azimuth of linearly polarized light orthogonal to the azimuth of the absorption axis of the polarizing plate 14.

Also in the transmissive display portion 10a, similarly to the reflective display portion 9a, the incident light is converted into linearly polarized light by the polarizing plate 15, and passes through the polarizing plate 14 while maintaining the azimuth of the linearly polarized light substantially.

When the polarization conversion action due to the optical anisotropy as described above is used for display, the amount of the polarization conversion action is, for example, when the liquid crystal is aligned in parallel and no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1. Is the twist angle of the alignment of the liquid crystal layer 1,
It is determined by the product (Δn · d) of the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) and the refractive index difference (Δn) of the liquid crystal composition. Therefore, as in the present invention, the transmissive display section 10 having a liquid crystal layer thickness larger than that of the reflective display section 9 means that the brightness and the contrast ratio of the display are improved in the liquid crystal display device that uses the transmitted light and the reflected light for the display. It is effective to make the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 compatible with each other. In addition, the twist angle depends on the reflective display unit 9.
And the transmissive display unit 10 may be different from each other.

Further, when the liquid crystal display device is provided with the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17, it is possible to secure sufficient brightness and contrast ratio with respect to light having a plurality of wavelengths in the visible light region. As a result, a better display can be realized.

Even if the liquid crystal composition and the orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 are the same as those described above, it is possible to reverse the above-mentioned change in display by the action of the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17. That is, for example, if quarter-wave plates are used as the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17, ambient light becomes circularly polarized light when entering the liquid crystal layer 1 by the phase difference compensating plate 16 in the reflective display section 9b. Further, due to the polarization conversion action of the optical anisotropy of the liquid crystal layer 1, it becomes linearly polarized light when reaching the reflection film 8, and after the traveling direction is reversed by the reflection film 8, the polarizing plate 1
4 is again converted into the transmission component of 4 and emitted from the polarizing plate 14, so that a bright display is performed and the liquid crystal alignment is changed to the reflection display portion 9
When it changes as shown in a, the ambient light reaches the reflection film 8 as circularly polarized light, so that dark display occurs.

Further, in the above description, the case where the display is changed from the dark display to the bright display with the increase of the potential difference between the electrodes 6 and 7 has been described, but the change of the display is limited to this. Instead, for example, as described above, the liquid crystal composition used for the liquid crystal layer 1 can be reversed by making the dielectric anisotropy negative and making the initial alignment state of the liquid crystal vertical alignment.

Here, when the initial alignment state of the liquid crystal is set to the vertical alignment, there is a technical feature that the polarization conversion action of the initial alignment is not significantly affected by the manufacturing accuracy of the liquid crystal layer thickness. . Therefore, to take advantage of this feature,
Assigning the initial alignment state to the black display so as to stabilize the black display, which largely affects the display quality, can be a means of high mass productivity. In order to realize this, in particular, it is necessary to make the display black with the polarization conversion action of the vertically aligned liquid crystal layer 1 almost disappeared, and the phase difference compensating plate 16 needs to have a good circular polarization action. Is. That is, the phase difference compensator 16
As such, it is important to have a structure that allows circularly polarized light with a wavelength as wide as possible.

Further, the transmissive display section 10 is arranged, for example, so that the phase difference compensating plate 17 and the phase difference compensating plate 16 have the slow axis directions orthogonal to each other, and the polarizing plate 14 and the polarizing plate 1 are arranged.
5 and 5 are arranged so as to have absorption axis directions orthogonal to each other, the liquid crystal orientation shown in the transmissive display portion 10b provides bright display, and the liquid crystal orientation shown in the transmissive display portion 10a provides dark display.

In the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, the liquid crystal layer thickness is changed between the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 regardless of whether the liquid crystal layer 1 is oriented in parallel or vertically. In the case of the reflection display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10,
In order to make the brightness and the contrast ratio compatible with each other, as described above, in the reflective display unit 9, the light incident from the display surface side through the liquid crystal layer 1 is emitted again to the display surface side through the liquid crystal layer 1. Thus, the transmissive display section 10 displays the light incident from the back side (backlight 13 side) in the liquid crystal layer 1.
The liquid crystal layer thickness in the transmissive display unit 10 is set to be thicker than the liquid crystal layer thickness in the reflective display unit 9 when a display is performed by passing only once through and exiting to the display surface side. It is effective to satisfy the conditions.

Among the liquid crystal display devices according to the present embodiment, the liquid crystal display device in which the polarization state change due to the polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 is used for display by using the polarizing plates 14 and 15 will be described below with reference to FIG. 8 will be described with reference to specific examples and comparative examples, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is not limited to the following examples.

[Embodiments 2 to 4] In Embodiments 2 to 4, the transmissive display unit 10 has a reflection angle of 7.5 μm and is reflected by the same method as the method for manufacturing the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection of Embodiment 1. A liquid crystal injection liquid crystal cell in which the display unit 9 had a liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of 4.5 μm was produced. That is, also in Examples 2 to 4, the photosensitive resin does not remain in the transmissive display portion 10, and in the reflective display portion 9, the insulating film 11 is patterned so that the photosensitive resin is formed to have a layer thickness of 3 μm. By forming it, the liquid crystal layer thickness is set to be thicker in the transmissive display section 10 than in the reflective display section 9. However, in Examples 2 to 4, as shown in FIG. 4, the electrode 7 of the reflective display section 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmissive display section 10 are electrically insulated from each other, and the electrode 7 of the reflective display section 9 is electrically insulated. Electrode patterns were prepared so that voltages were separately applied to the electrodes 7 and the electrodes 7 of the transmissive display unit 10 from the outside.

Furthermore, in Examples 2 to 4, the liquid crystal cell for injecting liquid crystal had a difference in refractive index (Δn) of 0.065 between the liquid crystal compositions containing no chiral agent, and a positive dielectric constant difference. By introducing a liquid crystal composition having directionality by a vacuum injection method, the liquid crystal layer 1 was formed.

Then, the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 are provided outside the respective electrode substrates in the liquid crystal cell thus obtained.
Then, the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were attached to produce a liquid crystal display device. At this time, in Examples 2 to 4, the phase difference compensating plate 17
Is composed of two phase difference compensating plates, and the phase difference compensating plate 16 is
In the third embodiment, one phase difference compensating plate is used, and the second embodiment
In No. 4, it is composed of two phase difference compensating plates. The sticking directions of the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 are
It was determined corresponding to the alignment direction (alignment direction) of the liquid crystal.

In the second embodiment, the liquid crystal alignment is the homogeneous alignment, and the display is NB (normally black).
Mode was used. In Example 3, the liquid crystal alignment was a homogeneous alignment, and the NW (normally white) mode was used for display. Then, in Example 4, a mixture of these (using the NB mode for reflective display and the NW mode for transmissive display) was used.

However, in the above-mentioned Examples 2 to 4, parallel alignment films are used as the alignment films 2 and 3 so that the liquid crystal is aligned parallel to the display surface when no voltage is applied. The rubbing cross angle of the alignment films 2 and 3 was set to 180 degrees and the alignment treatment was performed.

Here, the rubbing crossing angle is, as shown in FIG. 5, in the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection, of the pair of electrode substrates sandwiching the liquid crystal layer 1, the alignment in the electrode substrate which is the viewer side substrate. The orientation treatment orientation of the orientation film 3 (that is, the orientation film 3 on the substrate 5 side) on the other electrode substrate with reference to the rubbing orientation X which is the orientation treatment orientation of the film 2 (that is, the orientation film 2 on the substrate 4 side). The rubbing azimuth Y is defined as the angle measured counterclockwise.

The alignment state of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 1 sandwiched by the alignment films 2 and 3 subjected to the alignment treatment is unique to the alignment property of the alignment films 2 and 3 when there is no electric field or magnetic field. The rubbing crossing angle is determined by the amount of the chiral additive that gives a twist of.

When the rubbing intersection angle is 180 degrees, for example,
A liquid crystal composition containing no chiral additive is aligned without twisting. Further, when the chiral additive induces a twist of left twist in the liquid crystal, for example, the liquid crystal layer 1 is aligned without twisting until a certain amount of the chiral additive is added, and a certain certain amount is added. If it exceeds, 180 degree counterclockwise twist orientation (180 degree left twist orientation) is performed. When the amount of the chiral additive added is further increased, as the amount of the chiral additive increases, 1
A twist of only an integer multiple of 80 degrees is realized.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the alignment film 3 realized by the rubbing intersection angle (180 degrees) described above.
The alignment orientation of the upper liquid crystal is x degrees when the rubbing orientation X of the alignment film 2 disposed on the upper electrode substrate of the liquid crystal layer 1 is x degrees, and x degrees when the chiral additive is not added, and the chiral addition is performed. When the amount of the agent is increased and the upper and lower electrode substrates are twisted 180 degrees to the left, it is expressed as (180 + x) degrees.

In such an alignment treatment, the alignment films 2 and 3 are so-called parallel alignment films that align the liquid crystal in parallel with the alignment film surface, and do not contain a chiral additive and have a different dielectric constant. When a nematic liquid crystal having a positive directionality is used, when no voltage is applied, the liquid crystal molecules are substantially parallel to the upper and lower electrode substrates sandwiching the liquid crystal layer 1 and have a twist-free orientation (that is, a homogeneous orientation). Therefore, with the application of the voltage, the liquid crystal in the central portion of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction undergoes a change in orientation according to the voltage.

Table 1 shows the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15, the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates) in each of the liquid crystal display devices obtained in Examples 2 to 4. 14 and 15 and the azimuths of the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the azimuth of the liquid crystal alignment are shown in each example using a common azimuth reference.

The optical arrangement shown in Table 1 is the arrangement of each optical element on the display surface when an observer observes the display surface, and the phase difference compensating plate 16 or the phase difference compensating plate 17 has a plurality of elements. In the case of being constituted by the phase difference compensating plate, the respective phase difference compensating plates constituting the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 are described in the order of the actual arrangement from the observer side.

Further, since the liquid crystal layer 1 has a non-twisted orientation, the orientation of the entire liquid crystal layer 1 when no voltage is applied (the orientation of the long axis of the liquid crystal molecules) is described. , The orientation of the alignment treatment applied to the alignment film 2 on the substrate 4 side.

Incidentally, each azimuth represents the azimuth from the reference azimuth arbitrarily taken on the display surface in units of degrees, and the retardation of each phase difference compensating plate (that is, the in-plane refractive index difference of the phase difference compensating plate). And (thickness) are the values in nm for monochromatic light with a wavelength of 550 nm.

[0187]

[Table 1]

In addition, the above-mentioned second, third, and fourth embodiments.
The display characteristics of each liquid crystal display device obtained in
This is shown in FIGS. In addition, these display characteristics are
It was measured by the same method as in Example 1, and in each of the above figures, the horizontal axis represents the effective value of the applied voltage and the vertical axis represents the lightness (reflectance or transmittance). In addition, the polarizing plate 14
The transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 not attached with 15 is 100% and the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 before the polarizing plate 14 is adhered is 100%.

In FIG. 6, a curve 211 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 2, and the curve 212 shows 5 shows the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 2.

As shown in FIG. 6, in Example 2, both the reflectance and the transmittance increased with the increase of the applied voltage in the section of the applied voltage of 1V to 2V. The applied voltage is 1
The reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 when V is 3%, the transmissive display portion 1
The transmittance of 0 was 2%, and the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 and the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 were both 40% when the applied voltage was 2V.

Further, in FIG. 7, a curve 221 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 with respect to the voltage between the electrode 6 and the electrode 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 3, 222 indicates the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrode 6 and the electrode 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 3.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the third embodiment, both the reflectance and the transmittance decrease with the increase of the applied voltage in the section of the applied voltage of 1V to 2V. The applied voltage is 1
Reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 when V and transmissive display unit 10
The transmissivity of each was 40%, the transmissivity of the reflective display unit 9 was 3%, and the transmissive display unit 10 was 2% when the applied voltage was 2V.

Further, in FIG. 8, a curve 231 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 with respect to the voltage between the electrode 6 and the electrode 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 4, Reference numeral 232 represents the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrode 6 and the electrode 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 4.

As shown in FIG. 8, in Example 4, in the section where the applied voltage is 1 V to 2 V, the reflectance increases as the applied voltage increases, while the transmittance decreases. When the applied voltage is 1V, the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 is 3%, the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 is 40%, and the applied voltage is 2V.
In this case, the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 is 40%, and the transmissive display unit 1
The transmittance of 0 was 2%.

As described above, in each of the liquid crystal display devices obtained in the above-mentioned Examples 2 to 4, the transmittance and the reflectance change in accordance with the change in the voltage applied to the liquid crystal display device. Both the reflective display and the transmissive display were possible.

Further, visual observation was conducted. In Examples 2 and 3, by applying the same voltage to the electrode 7 in the reflective display section 9 and the electrode 7 in the transmissive display section 10, Since the voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 by the electrode 6 and the electrode 7 is maintained in the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 in the same manner, the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 are bright and dark. It was confirmed that the change of the same was the same, and the inversion of the brightness and darkness of the display did not occur. Further, at the time of this display, even if the intensity of ambient light was changed during the observation, no change in the displayed contents was seen. That is, when the reflective display unit 9 is in the dark display, the transmissive display unit 10 is also in the dark display, and when the reflective display unit 9 is in the bright display, the transmissive display unit 10 is in the bright display. Therefore, even when the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 are driven by using the same electrode 7 as shown in FIG. 1, no display inversion occurs.

On the other hand, in the fourth embodiment, when a voltage is applied in the same manner as in the second and third embodiments, that is, when a voltage of 1 V is applied, the transmissive display section 10 becomes a bright display and a reflective display. Part 9 became a dark display. Also, 2V
When the voltage of 1 was applied, the transmissive display section 10 was in a dark display and the reflective display section 9 was in a bright display. For this reason, the lightness and darkness of the display are inverted between the transmissive display unit 10 and the reflective display unit 9. Due to this inversion, display is performed in an environment with weak ambient light,
When the ambient light is strengthened and reflective display is performed mainly while observing the transmissive display unit 10, the brightness and darkness of the display are reversed, and it is difficult to confirm the display content. From this, as shown in Example 4, the electrode 7 and the transmissive display portion 10 in the reflective display portion 9 were formed.
When the same voltage is applied to the electrode 7 in
It was confirmed that when the mixed mode of NB and NW is used, the reversal of the display between the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 is large, and the visibility is deteriorated.

On the other hand, in the fourth embodiment, when the reflective display portion 9 is brightly displayed, the transmissive display portion 10 is also brightly displayed,
Different voltages are applied to the electrodes 7 in the reflective display section 9 and the electrodes 7 in the transmissive display section 10, that is, the electrodes 7 in the transmissive display section 10 so that the transmissive display section 10 is also in the dark display when the reflective display section 9 is in the dark display. When the voltage (1 V) indicating the dark display is applied to the reflective display unit 9 by the 6 · 7 (orientation mechanism), the transmissive display unit 10 includes the transmissive display unit 1.
A voltage (2 V) that causes 0 to be a dark display is applied, and the reflective display unit 9
When a voltage (2 V) that causes the reflective display section 9 to produce a bright display is applied to the transmissive display section 10,
By applying a voltage (1 V) that produces a bright display, the reversal of the brightness of the display was eliminated, and the same good display state as in Examples 2 and 3 was obtained.

From the above, the above-mentioned Examples 2 to 4
In each of the liquid crystal display devices described above, both the brightness of bright display and the contrast ratio can be compatible with both the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10, and the reflective display unit 9
It can be understood that the lightness and darkness of the display can be matched between the transparent display section 10 and the transparent display section 10, and a display with excellent visibility can be realized. In each of the liquid crystal display devices of Examples 2 to 4, since the contrast ratio in the transmissive display unit 10 exceeds the contrast ratio in the reflective display unit 9, the display quality is further enhanced and good display is achieved. It turns out that can be done.

Next, of the liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment, a liquid crystal display device which utilizes the polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 by the twist alignment of the liquid crystal layer 1 for display will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. A specific example and a comparative example will be described below.The liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment,
The present invention is not limited to the examples below.

[Embodiment 5] In this embodiment, the transmissive display portion 10 is 7.5 μm and the reflective display portion 9 is 4.5 μm by the same method as the method for producing a liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection of the first embodiment.
A liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection having the liquid crystal layer thickness of was prepared. That is, also in this embodiment, the photosensitive resin does not remain in the transmissive display portion 10, and in the reflective display portion 9, the insulating film 11 is patterned so that the photosensitive resin is formed to have a layer thickness of 3 μm. , The transmissive display unit 1 is more than the reflective display unit 9.
The value 0 was set so that the liquid crystal layer was thicker.

However, in this embodiment, as in the second to fourth embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4, the electrode 7 of the reflective display portion 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmissive display portion 10 are electrically insulated from each other, An electrode pattern was prepared so that voltages were separately applied to the electrodes 7 of the reflective display section 9 and the electrodes 7 of the transmissive display section 10 from the outside.

Further, the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plate 14 are provided outside the respective electrode substrates in the above liquid crystal cell.
・ 15 was attached. In the present embodiment, the phase difference compensating plate 1
7 is composed of one phase difference compensating plate, and the phase difference compensating plate 16 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates. These phase difference compensator 1
The sticking orientations of 6 · 17 and the polarizing plates 14 · 15 were determined corresponding to the orientation direction (orientation orientation) of the liquid crystal.

In this example, a liquid crystal display device was produced such that the liquid crystal layer 1 had a twist orientation (the twist angle of the liquid crystal orientation was 70 degrees). In order to perform the alignment treatment, a parallel alignment film was used so that the liquid crystal alignment was parallel alignment when no voltage was applied, and the rubbing treatment was performed so that the rubbing crossing angle was 250 degrees. The rubbing crossing angle is
It shall be as defined above. Then, a liquid crystal composition having a positive dielectric constant anisotropy with a refractive index difference (Δn) of 0.065 is introduced between the electrode substrates in the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection by a vacuum injection method to form a liquid crystal layer. 1 was formed. By such an alignment treatment and the action of the chiral additive added to the liquid crystal composition, the twist angle (twist angle) of the alignment of the liquid crystal can be 70 degrees as described above. In the liquid crystal layer 1 oriented in this way, the orientation changes depending on the voltage from the liquid crystal in the central portion of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction as the voltage is applied.

Table 2 shows the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plate 16.1 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this example.
7 and the optical arrangement of the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14.1.
5 and the azimuth of attachment of the phase difference compensation plates 16 and 17, and
Liquid crystal orientation) is shown using a common orientation criterion.

[Embodiment 6] In this embodiment, as in the case of Embodiment 5, the transmissive display portion 10 has a thickness of 7.5 μm and the reflective display portion is formed by the same method as the method for producing the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection of Embodiment 1. 9 has a liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of 4.5 μm to prepare a liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection. Also, as shown in FIG.
The electrode 7 of the reflective display portion 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmissive display portion 10 are electrically insulated from each other, and a voltage is separately applied to the electrode 7 of the reflective display portion 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmissive display portion 10 from the outside. An electrode pattern was prepared as described above.

The phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 are provided outside the electrode substrates in the above liquid crystal cell.
Was pasted. In this example, one retardation compensating plate was used for each of the retardation compensating plate 16 and the retardation compensating plate 17. These phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plate 14
The sticking azimuth of 15 was determined according to the alignment direction (alignment azimuth) of the liquid crystal.

In this example, a liquid crystal display device was manufactured so that the twist orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 (twist angle of the orientation of the liquid crystal) was 90 degrees. Specifically, as the alignment films 2 and 3, a parallel alignment film is used so that the liquid crystal alignment is parallel when no voltage is applied, and a rubbing treatment is performed so that the rubbing crossing angle is 270 degrees. The alignment treatment was performed by applying. The rubbing intersection angle is in accordance with the above definition. The difference in refractive index (Δ
By introducing a liquid crystal composition having a positive dielectric anisotropy of n) of 0.065 by a vacuum injection method, the liquid crystal layer 1
Was formed. By such an alignment treatment and the action of the chiral additive added to the liquid crystal composition, the twist angle (twist angle) of the alignment of the liquid crystal can be set to 90 degrees as described above. In the liquid crystal layer 1 oriented in this way, the orientation changes depending on the voltage from the liquid crystal in the central portion of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction as the voltage is applied.

Table 2 shows the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plate 16.1 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this example.
7 and the optical arrangement of the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14.1.
5 and the azimuth of attachment of the phase difference compensation plates 16 and 17, and
Liquid crystal orientation) is shown using a common orientation criterion.

The optical arrangement shown in Table 2 is the arrangement of each optical element on the display surface when the observer observes the display surface, and the phase difference compensating plate 16 or the phase difference compensating plate 17 has a plurality of optical elements. In the case of being constituted by the phase difference compensating plate, the respective phase difference compensating plates constituting the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 are described in the order of the actual arrangement from the observer side.

The orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 (the orientation of the long axis of the liquid crystal molecule) is equal to the orientation of the rubbing treatment applied to the orientation film 2 on the substrate 4 side on the substrate 4 side, and on the substrate 5 side.
It is equal to the orientation of the rubbing treatment performed on the alignment film 3 on the substrate 5 side. However, when the alignment azimuth of the liquid crystal in contact with the alignment film 2 is traced to the alignment film 3 side, the twist alignment is left 90 degrees. In the case where the liquid crystal alignment is traced in this way, when the rubbing treatment orientation on the orientation film 2 is considered to be the orientation orientation on the substrate 4 side (hereinafter abbreviated as the substrate 4 orientation orientation), the rubbing of the orientation film 3 is performed. The azimuth is an azimuth that is 180 degrees inverted from the azimuth obtained by tracing the alignment of the liquid crystal according to the twist.
Hereinafter, the orientation direction on the substrate 5 side (hereinafter, abbreviated as the orientation direction of the substrate 5) is defined as the liquid crystal orientation on the substrate 5 in which the orientation of the liquid crystal is traced from the orientation direction of the substrate 4 according to the twist.

Each azimuth in Table 2 represents the azimuth from the reference azimuth arbitrarily taken on the display surface in units of degrees,
The retardation of each retardation compensating plate indicates a value for a monochromatic light having a wavelength of 550 nm in nm unit.

[0213]

[Table 2]

The display characteristics of the liquid crystal display devices obtained in Examples 5 and 6 are shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, respectively. All of these display characteristics were measured by the same method as in Example 1, and in each of the above figures,
The horizontal axis represents the effective value of the applied voltage, and the vertical axis represents the lightness (reflectance or transmittance). In addition, the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 to which the polarizing plates 14 and 15 are not attached is 100%.
%, And the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 before attaching the polarizing plate 14 is 100%.

In FIG. 9, a curve 241 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 5, and the curve 242 shows 5 shows the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 5.

As shown in FIG. 9, in Example 5, both the reflectance and the transmittance increase with the increase of the applied voltage in the section where the applied voltage is 1.2 V or more. The reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 is 3% when the applied voltage is 1V, the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 is 2%, and the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 is 41% when the applied voltage is 4V. The transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 was 40%.

Further, in FIG. 10, a curve 251 indicates an electrode 6 and an electrode 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 6.
Shows the voltage dependence of the reflectivity of the reflective display unit 9 with respect to the voltage between, and the curve 252 shows the transmissive display unit 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 6. The voltage dependence of the transmittance of is shown.

As shown in FIG. 10, in Example 6 as well, in the section where the applied voltage is 1.2 V or more, both the reflectance and the transmittance increase as the applied voltage rises, as in the case of Example 5.
In Example 6, the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 is 3% when the applied voltage is 1V, the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 is 2%, and the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 is 4V when the applied voltage is 4V. The reflectance was 35%, and the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 was 37%.

As described above, in each of the liquid crystal display devices obtained in Examples 5 and 6, the transmittance and the reflectance change in accordance with the change in the voltage applied to the liquid crystal display device. Both the reflective display and the transmissive display were possible.

Further, visual observation was conducted. In Examples 5 and 6, by applying the same voltage to the electrode 7 in the reflective display section 9 and the electrode 7 in the transmissive display section 10, Even when the voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 by the electrode 6 and the electrode 7 is kept in the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 in the same manner to perform display, the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 are also operated. It was confirmed that the change in lightness and darkness was the same, and the inversion of lightness and darkness of the display did not occur. Further, at the time of this display, even if the intensity of ambient light was changed during the observation, no change in the displayed contents was seen. That is, when the reflective display unit 9 is in the dark display, the transmissive display unit 10 is also in the dark display, and when the reflective display unit 9 is in the bright display, the transmissive display unit 10 is also in the bright display. Therefore, in the above-mentioned Example 5,
In Example 6, display inversion did not occur even when the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 were driven by using the same electrode 7 as shown in FIG.

Therefore, in each of the liquid crystal display devices of the fifth and sixth embodiments, both the brightness of bright display and the contrast ratio are compatible with both the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10. In addition to the above, it is possible to make the reflection display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 match the brightness of the display,
A display with excellent visibility can be realized. In each of the liquid crystal display devices of the fifth and sixth embodiments, since the contrast ratio in the transmissive display section 10 exceeds the contrast ratio in the reflective display section 9, the display quality is further improved and good display is achieved. Can be realized.

Further, in the sixth embodiment, the number of the phase difference compensating plates used is smaller than that in the fifth embodiment, the visibility is excellent, and the reflected light capable of high-resolution color display (color display) is provided. It is possible to provide a liquid crystal display device that uses both the transmitted light and the transmitted light for display at a lower cost.

In the above-mentioned embodiments, the liquid crystal display device has been described in which the liquid crystal layer thickness is changed between the reflective display portion and the transmissive display portion to perform favorable reflective display and favorable transmissive display. In the following description, a liquid crystal display device will be described in which the liquid crystal layer thickness in the reflective display section and the liquid crystal layer thickness in the transmissive display section are set to be equal to each other, and good reflective display and good transmissive display are performed.

[Embodiment 3] In the present embodiment, when the liquid crystal layer thickness in the reflective display portion is equal to the liquid crystal layer thickness in the transmissive display portion, the voltage applied to the reflective display portion and the transmissive display portion is changed. Then, a liquid crystal display device that realizes a good reflective display and a good transmissive display by making the liquid crystal orientation different between the reflective display section and the transmissive display section will be described.

In this embodiment, the liquid crystal display device as described above is described with reference to the polarizing plate 14
In the liquid crystal display device in which 15 is used and the retardation of the liquid crystal layer 1 is used for display, the case where the liquid crystal layer thickness is set to be equal in the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 will be described as an example. Further, with reference to FIGS. 11 to 16, specific examples and comparative examples will be described. However, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is not limited to the examples below.

For the sake of convenience of explanation, constituent elements having the same functions as those in the first and second embodiments are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. Further, with respect to the specific overall configuration of the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment, the liquid crystal layer thickness is set to be equal in the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10, but in the second embodiment. The description is omitted here.

In order to set the liquid crystal layer thickness in the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 to be equal as shown in this embodiment, for example, the insulating film 1 formed on the substrate 5 is used.
The electrode 7 may be directly formed on the substrate 5 without forming 1.

[Embodiment 7] This embodiment is the same as Embodiment 1 except that the insulating film 11 made of a photosensitive resin having an insulating property is not formed on the substrate 5 and the reflective display is used as shown in FIG. The electrode 7 of the reflective display section 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmissive display section 10 are electrically insulated from the electrode 7 of the transmissive display section 10.
By the same method as the method for producing the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection in Example 1, except that the electrode patterns were produced so that voltages were separately applied to the electrodes 7 of 0 from the outside of the liquid crystal cell.
Both the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 are 4.5 μm
A liquid crystal cell for injecting liquid crystal having the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) was prepared.

Then, in the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection, a liquid crystal composition containing a chiral agent and having a refractive index difference (Δn) of 0.065 and having a positive dielectric anisotropy was prepared. The liquid crystal layer 1 was formed by introducing by a vacuum injection method.

Outside the respective electrode substrates in the above liquid crystal cell, the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 are provided.
Was pasted. In this embodiment, the phase difference compensating plate 17 is set to 2
The phase difference compensating plate 16 is composed of a single phase difference compensating plate.
Is composed of two retardation compensating plates. The sticking directions of the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were determined corresponding to the alignment direction (alignment direction) of the liquid crystal.

In this embodiment, the liquid crystal is aligned in the liquid crystal layer 1 in parallel to the substrates 4 and 5 (parallel to the display surface),
And, using a liquid crystal layer that is not twist-aligned,
As the liquid crystal display system, a birefringence mode in which the retardation of the liquid crystal layer 1 is used for display was used.

In this embodiment, the transmissive display section 10 has a retardation suitable for reflective display. Here, the reflective display unit 9 is set in the same manner as the reflective display unit 9 of Example 2 in the second embodiment, but the transmissive display unit 10 is used.
The liquid crystal layer thickness is set to be equal to that of the reflective display portion 9, which is different from the second embodiment. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the optical design is performed again in the second embodiment, and the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensation plates 16 and 17 are performed.
Has determined the optical arrangement of. In this embodiment, the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 is set so that the dark display of the transmissive display unit 10 is good.

Further, in the present embodiment, similarly to the second embodiment, parallel alignment films are used as the alignment films 2 and 3 so that the liquid crystal is aligned parallel to the display surface when no voltage is applied. At the same time, the rubbing intersection angle of the alignment films 2 and 3 was set to 180 degrees to perform the alignment treatment.

In such an alignment treatment, the twist angle of the liquid crystal alignment is 0 degree, and the liquid crystal in the central portion of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction is aligned according to the voltage as the voltage is applied. Change occurs.

Table 3 shows the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plate 16.1 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this example.
7 and the optical arrangement of the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14.1.
5 and the azimuth of attachment of the phase difference compensation plates 16 and 17, and
Liquid crystal orientation) is shown using a common orientation criterion.

Comparative Example 3 Here, a comparative example of the above-mentioned Example 7 will be shown. In Comparative Example 3, in the liquid crystal display device shown in Example 7, the phase difference compensating plate 16 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates, while the phase difference compensating plate 17 is composed of one phase difference compensating plate. The liquid crystal display device was designed in the same manner as in Example 7 except that the optical arrangements of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 were set so that the bright display of the transmissive display unit 10 was good. A liquid crystal display device was manufactured. The sticking azimuths of the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were determined according to the liquid crystal alignment direction (alignment azimuth).

Also in this comparative example, as in the case of Example 7, parallel alignment films are used as the alignment films 2 and 3 so that the liquid crystal is aligned parallel to the display surface when no voltage is applied. At the same time, the rubbing intersection angle of the alignment films 2 and 3 was set to 180 degrees to perform the alignment treatment.

In such an alignment treatment, the twist angle of the liquid crystal alignment is 0 degree, and the liquid crystal in the central portion of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction is aligned according to the voltage as the voltage is applied. Change occurs.

Table 3 shows the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plate 16.1 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this comparative example.
7 and the optical arrangement of the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14.1.
5 and the azimuth of attachment of the phase difference compensation plates 16 and 17, and
Liquid crystal orientation) is shown using a common orientation criterion.

[Embodiment 8] In this embodiment, in the liquid crystal display device shown in Embodiment 7, both the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) in the reflective display portion 9 and the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) in the transmissive display portion 10 are 7 Except that the retardation suitable for transmissive display is used for the reflective display unit 9 and the optical arrangements of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensation plates 16 and 17 are set so that the reflective display is good. A liquid crystal display device having the same design as the liquid crystal display device shown in Example 7 was manufactured.

More specifically, in this embodiment, the first embodiment is used.
4, the insulating film 11 made of a photosensitive resin having an insulating property is not formed on the substrate 5, and the electrode 7 of the reflective display portion 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmissive display portion 10 are electrically connected as shown in FIG. Of the first embodiment except that the electrode patterns are formed so that the electrodes 7 of the reflective display portion 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmissive display portion 10 are electrically insulated from each other and the voltages are separately applied from the outside of the liquid crystal cell. Both of the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 have a value of 7.5 by a method similar to the method of manufacturing a liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection.
A liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection having a liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of μm was prepared.

Then, in the liquid crystal cell for injecting the liquid crystal, a liquid crystal composition containing a chiral agent and having a refractive index difference (Δn) of 0.065 and a positive dielectric constant anisotropy was prepared. The liquid crystal layer 1 was formed by introducing by a vacuum injection method.

The phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 are provided outside the electrode substrates in the above liquid crystal cell.
Was pasted. In this embodiment, the phase difference compensating plate 17 is set to 2
The phase difference compensating plate 16 is composed of a single phase difference compensating plate.
Is composed of two retardation compensating plates. The sticking directions of the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were determined corresponding to the alignment direction (alignment direction) of the liquid crystal.

In this example, the liquid crystal is aligned in the liquid crystal layer 1 in parallel with the substrates 4 and 5 (parallel to the display surface),
And, using a liquid crystal layer that is not twist-aligned,
As the liquid crystal display system, a birefringence mode in which the retardation of the liquid crystal layer 1 is used for display was used.

Further, in this embodiment, the retardation suitable for the transmissive display is used for the reflective display section 9. Here, the transmissive display section 10 is set in the same manner as the transmissive display section 10 of Example 2 in the second embodiment, but the reflective display section 9 is set.
The liquid crystal layer thickness is set to be equal to that of the transmissive display portion 10, and is different from the second embodiment. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the optical design is performed again in the second embodiment, and the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plate 16.1.
7 optical arrangements are determined. In this embodiment, the optical arrangements of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 are set so that the reflective display is good.

Further, in the present embodiment, similarly to the second embodiment, parallel alignment films are used for the alignment films 2 and 3 so that the liquid crystal is aligned parallel to the display surface when no voltage is applied. At the same time, the rubbing intersection angle of the alignment films 2 and 3 was set to 180 degrees to perform the alignment treatment.

In such an alignment treatment, the twist angle of the liquid crystal alignment is 0 degree, and the liquid crystal in the central portion of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction is aligned according to the voltage as the voltage is applied. Change occurs.

Table 3 shows the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plate 16.1 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this example.
7 and the optical arrangement of the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14.1.
5 and the azimuth of attachment of the phase difference compensation plates 16 and 17, and
Liquid crystal orientation) is shown using a common orientation criterion.

The optical arrangement shown in Table 3 is the arrangement of each optical element on the display surface when the observer observes the display surface, and the phase difference compensating plate 16 or the phase difference compensating plate 17 has a plurality of optical elements. In the case of being constituted by the phase difference compensating plate, the respective phase difference compensating plates constituting the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 are described in the order of the actual arrangement from the observer side.

Further, since the liquid crystal layer 1 has a non-twisted orientation, the orientation of the entire liquid crystal layer 1 when no voltage is applied (the orientation of the long axis of the liquid crystal molecule) is described. The orientation of the rubbing treatment applied to the alignment film 2 on the substrate 4 side.

Each azimuth represents the azimuth from the reference azimuth arbitrarily taken on the display surface in units of degrees, and the retardation of each retardation compensating plate indicates the value for monochromatic light having a wavelength of 550 nm in nm.

[0252]

[Table 3]

[Comparative Example 4] In this comparative example, in the liquid crystal display device shown in Example 7, the liquid crystal is provided in the liquid crystal layer 1 and the substrate 4 is used.
・ Using a liquid crystal layer oriented parallel to 5 (parallel to the display surface) and twisted by 70 degrees, the polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 due to the twist orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 is used for display. A liquid crystal display device having the same design as that of the liquid crystal display device shown in Example 7 was manufactured except for the above.

More specifically, in this comparative example, Example 1 was used.
4, the insulating film 11 made of a photosensitive resin having an insulating property is not formed on the substrate 5, and the electrode 7 of the reflective display portion 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmissive display portion 10 are electrically connected as shown in FIG. Of the first embodiment except that the electrode patterns are formed so that the electrodes 7 of the reflective display portion 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmissive display portion 10 are electrically insulated from each other and the voltages are separately applied from the outside of the liquid crystal cell. By the same method as the method for producing a liquid crystal cell for injecting liquid crystal, both of the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 have 4.5
A liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection having a liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of μm was prepared.

Further, the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plate 14 are provided outside each electrode substrate in the above liquid crystal cell.
・ 15 was attached. In this comparative example, the phase difference compensating plate 1
7 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates, and the phase difference compensating plate 16 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates. The sticking directions of the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were determined corresponding to the alignment direction (alignment direction) of the liquid crystal.

Furthermore, in this comparative example, the alignment films 2 and 3 were
A parallel alignment film is used so that the liquid crystal alignment becomes parallel when no voltage is applied, and the rubbing treatment is performed so that the rubbing crossing angle becomes 250 degrees.
Orientation processing was performed. The rubbing intersection angle is in accordance with the above definition. The difference in refractive index (Δn) between the electrode substrates in the liquid crystal injection liquid crystal cell is 0.065.
The liquid crystal composition having the positive dielectric anisotropy of was introduced by the vacuum injection method to form the liquid crystal layer 1. By such an alignment treatment and the action of the chiral additive added to the liquid crystal composition, the twist angle (twist angle) of the alignment of the liquid crystal can be 70 degrees as described above. The amount of the chiral additive is adjusted so that the twist angle described above can be obtained. In the liquid crystal layer 1 oriented in this way, the orientation changes depending on the voltage from the liquid crystal in the central portion of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction as the voltage is applied.

In this comparative example, the product (Δn · d) of the refractive index difference (Δn) of the liquid crystal composition suitable for reflective display and the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) was used for the transmissive display section 10. Here, the reflective display unit 9 is set in the same manner as the reflective display unit 9 of Example 5 in the second embodiment, but the transmissive display unit 10 is used.
The liquid crystal layer thickness is set to be the same as that of the reflective display portion 9, which is different from the fifth embodiment. For this reason, in this comparative example, the optical design is performed again in Example 5, and the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 are performed.
Has determined the optical arrangement of. In this comparative example, the optical arrangements of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 are set so that the dark display of the transmissive display unit 10 is good.

Table 4 shows the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plate 16.1 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this comparative example.
7 and the optical arrangement of the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14.1.
5 and the azimuth of attachment of the phase difference compensation plates 16 and 17, and
Liquid crystal orientation) is shown using a common orientation criterion.

[Comparative Example 5] In this comparative example, in the liquid crystal display device of Comparative Example 4, the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plate 1 are provided so that the bright display of the transmissive display section 10 becomes good.
A liquid crystal display device having the same design as that of the liquid crystal display device of Comparative Example 4 was produced except that the optical arrangements of 6 and 17 were set. That is, in this comparative example, in the liquid crystal display device shown in Example 7, the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 is set so that the bright display of the transmissive display unit 10 is good, Moreover, the liquid crystal is formed on the liquid crystal layer 1 by the substrates 4 and 5.
Oriented parallel to (parallel to the display surface), and
A liquid crystal layer having a twisted orientation of 70 degrees is used.
A liquid crystal display device having the same design as that of the liquid crystal display device of Example 7 was produced except that the polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 due to the twisted alignment was used for display.

Table 4 shows the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plate 16.1 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this comparative example.
7 and the optical arrangement of the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14.1.
5 and the azimuth of attachment of the phase difference compensation plates 16 and 17, and
Liquid crystal orientation) is shown using a common orientation criterion.

[Embodiment 9] In this embodiment, in the liquid crystal display device shown in Embodiment 8, the phase difference compensating plate 16 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates, while the phase difference compensating plate 17 is composed of one. It is composed of a phase difference compensating plate, and the liquid crystal is contained in the substrate 4
A liquid crystal layer oriented parallel to 5 (parallel to the display surface) and twisted by 70 degrees was used, and the polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 by the twist orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 was used for display. A liquid crystal display device having the same design as that of the liquid crystal display device shown in Example 8 except for the above was manufactured.

More specifically, in this embodiment, the first embodiment is used.
4, the insulating film 11 made of a photosensitive resin having an insulating property is not formed on the substrate 5, and the electrode 7 of the reflective display portion 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmissive display portion 10 are electrically connected as shown in FIG. Of the first embodiment except that the electrode patterns are formed so that the electrodes 7 of the reflective display portion 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmissive display portion 10 are electrically insulated from each other and the voltages are separately applied from the outside of the liquid crystal cell. Both of the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 have a value of 7.5 by a method similar to the method of manufacturing a liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection.
A liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection having a liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of μm was prepared.

Further, the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plate 14 are provided outside each electrode substrate in the above liquid crystal cell.
・ 15 was attached. In the present embodiment, the phase difference compensating plate 1
7 is composed of one phase difference compensating plate, and the phase difference compensating plate 16 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates. These phase difference compensator 1
The sticking orientations of 6 · 17 and the polarizing plates 14 · 15 were determined corresponding to the orientation direction (orientation orientation) of the liquid crystal.

In this embodiment, the twist alignment of the liquid crystal layer 1 (twist angle of liquid crystal alignment) is 70.
A liquid crystal display device was manufactured so that the frequency was constant. Specifically, a parallel alignment film is used as the alignment films 2 and 3 so that the liquid crystal alignment becomes parallel alignment when no voltage is applied,
The rubbing treatment was performed so that the rubbing crossing angle was 250 degrees, whereby the orientation treatment was performed. The rubbing intersection angle is in accordance with the above definition. Then, a liquid crystal composition having a positive dielectric anisotropy with a refractive index difference (Δn) of 0.065 of the liquid crystal composition of 0.065 is introduced between the electrode substrates in the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection by a vacuum injection method. Thus, the liquid crystal layer 1 was formed. By such an alignment treatment and the action of the chiral additive added to the liquid crystal composition, the twist angle of the liquid crystal alignment is set to 7 as described above.
It can be 0 degrees. The above chiral additive is
The addition amount is adjusted so that the above-mentioned twist angle is obtained. In the liquid crystal layer 1 oriented in this way, the orientation changes depending on the voltage from the liquid crystal in the central portion of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction as the voltage is applied.

Further, in this example, the product (Δ) of the refractive index difference (Δn) of the liquid crystal composition suitable for transmissive display and the liquid crystal layer thickness (d)
n · d) was used for the reflective display section 9. Here, the transmissive display unit 10 is set in the same manner as the transmissive display unit 10 of Example 5 in the second embodiment, but the reflective display unit 9 has the same liquid crystal layer thickness as the transmissive display unit 10. Has been done,
This is different from the fifth embodiment. Therefore, in this embodiment,
In Example 5, the optical design was performed again, and the polarizing plate 1
The optical arrangement of 4 and 15 and the optical arrangement of the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 are determined. In this embodiment, these polarizing plates 1
4.15 and the optical arrangement of the phase difference compensation plates 16 and 17,
The reflection display was set to be good.

Table 4 shows the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plate 16.1 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this example.
7 and the optical arrangement of the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14.1.
5 and the azimuth of attachment of the phase difference compensation plates 16 and 17, and
Liquid crystal orientation) is shown using a common orientation criterion.

The optical arrangements shown in Table 4 are arrangements of the respective optical elements on the display surface when the observer observes the display surface, and the phase difference compensating plate 16 or the phase difference compensating plate 17 is plural. In the case of being constituted by the phase difference compensating plate, the respective phase difference compensating plates constituting the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 are described in the order of the actual arrangement from the observer side. In addition, each azimuth in Table 4 represents the azimuth from the reference azimuth arbitrarily taken on the display surface in units of degrees, and the retardation of each phase difference compensating plate indicates the value for monochromatic light having a wavelength of 550 nm in nm.

[0268]

[Table 4]

As described above, in the liquid crystal display devices according to Example 7 and Comparative Examples 3 to 5 having the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of 4.5 μm, the liquid crystal layer thickness was set to be suitable for reflective display. ing. Therefore, in Example 7 and Comparative Examples 3 to 5 described above, the optical arrangement of the polarizing plate 14 and the phase difference compensating plate 16, which is related only to reflective display, is set to be suitable for reflective display. On the other hand, the liquid crystal layer thickness of the transmissive display portion 10 is set to a liquid crystal layer thickness different from the liquid crystal layer thickness of the transmissive display portion 10 of the liquid crystal display device according to each of the examples of the second embodiment. Therefore, Example 7 and Comparative Example 3 described above
In Nos. 5 to 5, the optical arrangements of the phase difference compensating plate 17 and the polarizing plate 15 were set in accordance with the optical characteristics of the transmissive display section 10 of each liquid crystal display device. That is, in Example 7 and Comparative Example 4, liquid crystal display devices capable of realizing good dark display were manufactured, and in Comparative Example 3 and Comparative Example 5, liquid crystal display devices capable of realizing good bright display were manufactured. .

On the other hand, the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of 7.5 μm
In the liquid crystal display devices according to Example 8 and Example 9 having the above, the liquid crystal layer thickness is set to be suitable for transmissive display. Therefore, in Examples 8 and 9 described above, the polarizing plate 14, the phase difference compensating plate 16, which are related to the transmissive display,
The optical arrangement of the phase difference compensating plate 17 and the polarizing plate 15 is set to be suitable for transmissive display. Therefore, in the above-described eighth and ninth embodiments, the display characteristics of the reflective display unit 9 are determined by the optical arrangement of the polarizing plate 14 and the phase difference compensating plate 16 set for transmissive display.

The display characteristics of the liquid crystal display devices obtained in Example 7, Comparative Example 3, Example 8, Comparative Example 4, Comparative Example 5, and Example 9 are shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, respectively. 13,
This is shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. Incidentally, all of these display characteristics were measured using a microscope as in Example 1. In each of the above figures, the horizontal axis represents the effective value of the applied voltage and the vertical axis represents the brightness (reflectance). Or transmittance). Also,
The transmissive display unit 1 without the polarizing plates 14 and 15 attached
The transmittance of 0 is 100%, and the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 before the polarizing plate 14 is attached is 100%.

In FIG. 11, a curve 261 indicates the seventh embodiment.
The curve 262 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 with respect to the voltage between the electrode 6 and the electrode 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 7, and the curve 262 indicates the electrode 6 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 7. 7 shows the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrode 7 and the electrode 7.

As shown in FIG. 11, in Example 7, in the section where the applied voltage is 1 V to 3 V, the transmittance increases with the increase of the applied voltage, while the reflectance shows the applied voltage of 1 V to 2 V.
In the section of V, it rises as the applied voltage rises, and thereafter it decreases as the applied voltage rises. The reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 is 3% when the applied voltage is 1V, the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 is 3%, and the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 is 40% when the applied voltage is 2V. The transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 is 18%, the reflectivity of the reflective display unit 9 is 28%, and the transmissive display unit 10 is 33% when the applied voltage is 3V.
%Met.

Further, in FIG. 12, a curved line 271 indicates an electrode 6 and an electrode 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Comparative Example 3.
Shows the voltage dependence of the reflectivity of the reflective display unit 9 with respect to the voltage between, and the curve 272 shows the transmissive display unit 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrode 6 and the electrode 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Comparative Example 3. The voltage dependence of the transmittance of is shown.

As shown in FIG. 12, in Comparative Example 3, both the reflectance and the transmittance increase with the increase of the applied voltage in the section of the applied voltage of 1V to 2V. The reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 is 3% when the applied voltage is 1V, the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 is 18%, and the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 is 40% when the applied voltage is 2V. The transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 was 40%.

In FIG. 13, a curve 281 indicates the eighth embodiment.
The voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 with respect to the voltage between the electrode 6 and the electrode 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 8 is shown. A curve 282 indicates the electrode 6 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 8. 7 shows the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrode 7 and the electrode 7.

As shown in FIG. 13, in Example 8, in the section where the applied voltage was 1 V to 2 V, the transmittance increased as the applied voltage increased, while the reflectance was 0.7 V when the applied voltage was 0.7 V.
The applied voltage rises in the section of 1.2V to 1.2V and then decreases in the section of 1.2V to 1.7V with the increase of the applied voltage. 7
In the section of V to 2.3V, the voltage increases again with the increase of the applied voltage. Further, the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 is 24% and the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 is 3% when the applied voltage is 1V.
When the applied voltage is 1.2 V, the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 is 40%, when the applied voltage is 1.7 V, the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 is 3%, and when the applied voltage is 2 V. At that time, the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 was 27%, and the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 was 39%.

In FIG. 14, a curve 291 indicates a comparative example 4.
The voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 with respect to the voltage between the electrode 6 and the electrode 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 4 is shown. A curve 292 indicates the electrode 6 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Comparative Example 4. 7 shows the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrode 7 and the electrode 7.

As shown in FIG. 14, in Comparative Example 4, the reflectance and the transmittance both increased with the increase of the applied voltage in the section of the applied voltage of 1.2V to 3V. The reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 is 3% when the applied voltage is 1.2V, the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 is 1%, and the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 is 3V when the applied voltage is 3V. 36%, transparent display 10
Had a transmittance of 16%.

In FIG. 15, a curve 311 indicates a comparative example 5.
The voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 with respect to the voltage between the electrode 6 and the electrode 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 2 is shown. A curve 312 indicates the electrode 6 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Comparative Example 5. 7 shows the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrode 7 and the electrode 7.

As shown in FIG. 15, in Comparative Example 5, both reflectance and transmittance increase as the applied voltage increases in the section where the applied voltage is 1.2V to 3V. When the applied voltage is 1.2V, the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 is 3%, the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 is 21%, and the applied voltage is 3V.
In this case, the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 is 39%, and the transmissive display unit 1
The transmittance of 0 was 35%.

In FIG. 16, a curve 321 indicates the ninth embodiment.
The voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 with respect to the voltage between the electrode 6 and the electrode 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 9 is shown. A curve 322 indicates the electrode 6 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 9. 7 shows the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrode 7 and the electrode 7.

As shown in FIG. 16, in Example 9, in the section where the applied voltage was 1.2 V to 3 V, the transmittance increased with the increase of the applied voltage, while the reflectance was 0.
In the interval of 9V to 1.7V, the voltage once decreases with the increase of the applied voltage, and thereafter increases with the increase of the applied voltage. Further, the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 is 7% when the applied voltage is 1.2V, the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 is 32%, and the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 when the applied voltage is 1.7V. The ratio is 3%, and the reflective display unit 9 when the applied voltage is 3V.
And the transmissive display section 10 had a transmissivity of 36%.

As is clear from the above Examples and Comparative Examples, a liquid crystal display device using the polarizing plates 14 and 15 for displaying the change in the polarization state due to the polarization conversion action such as retardation or optical rotation of the liquid crystal layer 1. In the case where the liquid crystal layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 is the same in the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10, the same voltage is applied to the electrode 7 in the reflective display portion 9 and the electrode 7 in the transmissive display portion 10. At this time (when the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 are driven with a common voltage), as shown in Example 7 and Comparative Examples 3 to 5,
The brightness and contrast ratio of the transmissive display section 10 are not sufficient at the time of application of a voltage such that the brightness and contrast ratio of the bright display are sufficiently compatible in the reflective display section 9. As shown, when a voltage is applied to the transmissive display unit 10 so that the brightness and contrast ratio of the bright display are sufficiently compatible, the change in the brightness of the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 are applied.
The change in the brightness of does not match, and the display is not good.

However, in each of the liquid crystal display devices obtained in Examples 7, 8 and 9, the electrode 7 in the reflective display section 9 and the electrode 7 in the transmissive display section 10 were used.
By applying different voltages to (and driving the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 with different voltages), good display can be achieved.

That is, in each of the liquid crystal display devices of Examples 7 to 9 described above, by applying different voltages to the electrode 7 in the reflective display section 9 and the electrode 7 in the transmissive display section 10, The transmissive display unit 10 is also used for the reflective display unit 9.
In addition, both the brightness of bright display and the contrast ratio can be compatible with each other, and the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 1 can be used together.
It can be seen that the brightness and the darkness of the display can be matched with 0 and a display with excellent visibility can be realized.

As a result of comparison between the present embodiment and the second embodiment, in the liquid crystal display device which uses the polarization conversion action such as retardation and optical rotation of the liquid crystal layer 1 for display using the polarizing plates 14 and 15, In order to achieve both the brightness and the contrast ratio of the bright display in both the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10, the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the transmissive display unit 10 is set to be smaller than the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflective display unit 9. It turns out that a large setting is effective.

The present embodiment and the second embodiment are the same.
In each of the examples, the liquid crystal display mode is shown in which the liquid crystal orientation in the state where no voltage is applied is parallel to the plane direction of the display surface. By using a liquid crystal material having different properties or using an alignment film having a different property from the exemplified alignment film,
It goes without saying that the vertical alignment mode, the hybrid alignment mode and the like can be used.

Furthermore, whether the liquid crystal display mode is the mode utilizing the retardation or the optical rotation of the liquid crystal layer 1, the liquid crystal layer thickness affects the optical characteristics, and the liquid crystal layer thickness in the reflective display section 9 is the transmissive display mode. It is needless to say that the present invention can realize good optical characteristics for all those which are thinner than the liquid crystal layer thickness in the section 10.

In addition, Example 4 and Example 7 to Example 9
It can be seen that, by applying different voltages to the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 by the electrodes 6 and 7 (orientation mechanism), it is possible to display satisfactorily. In this case, for example, in Examples 4 and 7, by sufficiently applying a voltage to the transmissive display unit 10, it is possible to improve the display of the transmissive display unit 10. In addition, in both Example 8 and Example 9, by adjusting the voltage of the reflective display unit 9,
Good display is possible. Therefore, according to the present embodiment and the second embodiment, in addition to the method of changing the liquid crystal layer thickness between the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10, the voltage between the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 is changed. It can be seen that a good display can be realized by preparing a liquid crystal cell in advance so that the value can be changed.

[Embodiment 4] In the present embodiment, the orientation treatment orientation (rubbing orientation) on the substrate that determines the liquid crystal orientation, that is, the orientation treatment orientation of the orientation film provided on each electrode substrate, is used. A liquid crystal display device that realizes good reflective display and good transmissive display by changing the liquid crystal orientation between the reflective display section and the transmissive display section by changing the liquid crystal orientation between the reflective display section and the transmissive display section will be described.

In this embodiment, a so-called rubbing method is used to uniformly align the liquid crystal layer. In the present embodiment, in order to change the alignment treatment orientation of the alignment film provided on each electrode substrate between the reflective display portion and the transmissive display portion, the alignment film surface is covered with photoresist or the like during the rubbing treatment of the alignment film. It is possible to realize at least two types of liquid crystal alignment. According to this method, liquid crystal alignment suitable for reflective display and liquid crystal alignment suitable for transmissive display can be realized at the same time, and as a result, good reflective display and good transmissive display can be realized. Become.

Hereinafter, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment will be described in more detail. For the sake of convenience of explanation, components having the same functions as those in the first to third embodiments are designated by the same reference numerals. The description is omitted.

First, FIGS. 17 and 18A-18E.
The process of aligning the substrate (electrode substrate 40) used in the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 18A, the contact surface with the liquid crystal layer 1 on the substrate 41 (corresponding to the substrate 4 after forming the electrode 6 or the substrate 5 after forming the electrode 7) constituting the liquid crystal cell is Alignment material is applied (S1) and pre-baked (S
2) Curing (S3) is performed to form an alignment film 42 (corresponding to the alignment film 2 or the alignment film 3) on the contact surface of the substrate 41 with the liquid crystal layer 1.

Next, the alignment film 42 is subjected to a rubbing treatment to perform an alignment treatment of the electrode substrate 40 having the alignment film 42 on the interface with the liquid crystal layer 1 on the substrate 41. At this time, in the present embodiment, first, as shown in FIG. 18B, the rubbing process is partially performed.
Screening is performed by the resist 43 for the rubbing screen. In this case, first, a resist material for a rubbing screen is applied on the alignment film 42 (S4), and after prebaking (S5), a part of the alignment film 42 (first alignment processing region 42a) is exposed. To be,
UV mask exposure (S6), development (S7), and curing (S8) are performed, and then the first alignment treatment region 42.
The rubbing process is applied to a (S9). Next, after the rubbing-processed electrode substrate 40 is washed (S10), FIG.
As shown in FIG. 8C, the resist 43 is peeled off (S11).

Subsequently, in order to realize a liquid crystal alignment different from the liquid crystal alignment in the first alignment treatment region 42a,
As shown in FIG. 18D, the already rubbed portion (first alignment treatment area 42a) is protected by the resist 44 for the rubbing treatment screen, and the untreated portion is rubbed. That is, a resist material for a rubbing treatment screen is applied onto the alignment film 42 from which the resist 43 has been peeled off (S12), and after prebaking (S13), the alignment treatment on the alignment film 42 other than the first alignment treatment region 42a. UV mask exposure (S14) and development (S1) so that the region (second alignment treatment region 42b) is exposed.
5), curing (S16) is performed, and then the first alignment treatment region 4 is formed on the second alignment treatment region 42b.
The rubbing process is performed so that the processing direction is different from that of 2a (S17). Next, the electrode substrate 40 after the rubbing treatment is washed (S18), and then the resist 44 is peeled off (S19) as shown in FIG. As a result, the alignment film 42 that has been subjected to the alignment treatment in two different directions.
(Orientation mechanism) was obtained.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the alignment treatment patterned by the resist is performed twice or more. At this time, at least two types of liquid crystal alignment (for example, alignment directions) are obtained by changing the processing orientation for each alignment processing (in the above description, two orientation processings are performed in two orientations). It is possible to realize a plurality of different types of parallel alignment). In this way, by changing the orientation processing orientation on at least one substrate (electrode substrate), the orientations of the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 can be set independently, and a good display is obtained. It will be possible.

Next, a liquid crystal display device which realizes different liquid crystal orientations in the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 by using the above-mentioned method and uses the polarizing plates 14 and 15 will be described with reference to specific examples. Explained. However, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is not limited to the examples below.

Example 10 In this example, a liquid crystal display device was manufactured according to the method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device shown in Comparative Example 5. Specifically, in Example 1, the insulating film 11 made of a photosensitive resin having an insulating property was not formed on the substrate 5, and as shown in FIG. The electrodes 7 of the reflective display section 9 and the electrodes 7 of the transmissive display section 10 are electrically insulated from the electrodes 7 of the transparent section 10.
In addition, the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 were manufactured by the same method as the method for manufacturing the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection in Example 1, except that the electrode patterns were manufactured so that voltages were separately applied from the outside. However, both have a liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of 4.5 μm.
A liquid crystal cell having a (cell gap) for liquid crystal injection was prepared. Then, on the outside of each electrode substrate in this liquid crystal cell, the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 1 are arranged.
5 was attached. Each of the phase difference compensating plate 16 and the phase difference compensating plate 17 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates.

However, in this embodiment, FIG. 17 and FIG.
Alignment division was performed during the rubbing treatment of the alignment film 3 by the same method as shown in (a) to FIG. That is, in the present embodiment, the alignment film 2 on the substrate 4 side is rubbed in the same direction in the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10, and the alignment film 3 (alignment mechanism) on the substrate 5 side is rubbed. As for the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10, rubbing was performed in different directions between the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 so that the liquid crystal alignment directions were different.

Further, in this embodiment, the reflective display section 9 has
A liquid crystal display mode that is parallel to the display surface (parallel to the substrates 4 and 5) and uses a twisted liquid crystal orientation is used, and the transmissive display unit 10 is parallel to the display surface (parallel to the substrates 4 and 5).
In addition, a display mode utilizing liquid crystal alignment that is not twisted is used.

Further, in this embodiment, the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflective display section 9 has Δn · d of about 270 nm, the twist angle of the liquid crystal alignment is 70 degrees, and the liquid crystal in the transmissive display section 10 is the same. A liquid crystal display device was manufactured in which Δn · d of the layer 1 was about 270 nm and the twist angle of the liquid crystal orientation was 0 degree. As a result, the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 have the liquid crystal layer 1 in communication with each other, and the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 can perform good display without changing the cell gap. A possible liquid crystal display device was obtained.

Table 5 shows the polarizing plates 14 and 15, the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 of the liquid crystal display device obtained in this example.
The optical arrangement (i.e., the sticking azimuths of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the alignment azimuth of the liquid crystal) is shown using a common azimuth reference.

The optical arrangement shown in Table 5 is the arrangement of each optical element on the display surface when the observer observes the display surface, and each phase difference compensating plate constituting the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 is compensated. The plates are shown in the order of actual placement from the observer side. Further, each azimuth in Table 5 represents the azimuth from the reference azimuth arbitrarily taken on the display surface in units of degrees, and the retardation of each phase difference compensating plate indicates the value for monochromatic light having a wavelength of 550 nm in nm.

[0306]

[Table 5]

Next, the operation of each optical element in this embodiment will be described below. First, the case where no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 will be described. In this case, the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer 1 is aligned at the interface between the substrates in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1, that is, the alignment films 2 and 3 provided on each electrode substrate.
Orientation is performed according to the orientation. For example, in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 10, when the chiral additive is not mixed in the liquid crystal composition, the reflective display section 9 is twisted to the left 70 degrees, and the transmissive display section 10 is not twisted. It is in a 0 degree twist orientation state.

Therefore, when no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1, Δn · d of the liquid crystal layer 1 is 2 in the reflective display section 9.
When the thickness is set to about 70 nm, the liquid crystal layer 1 acts, when circularly polarized light is incident, to convert it into linearly polarized light and transmit it. Light entering the liquid crystal layer 1 from the polarizing plate 14 side is converted into circularly polarized light by the phase difference compensating plate 16, further converted from circularly polarized light into linearly polarized light by the liquid crystal layer 1, reaches the reflection film 8, and is reflected. . When the light reflected by the reflection film 8 is linearly polarized on the reflection film 8, it is converted again into the transmission component of the polarizing plate 14, so that a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 in the above liquid crystal display device. If not,
The display of the reflective display unit 9 becomes a bright display.

When no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1, in the transmissive display portion 10, Δn · d of the liquid crystal layer 1 is 25.
When it is set to about 0 nm to 270 nm, the liquid crystal layer 1
Acts as a half-wave plate. That is, the circularly polarized light incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 becomes circularly polarized light orthogonal to the incident circularly polarized light. For example, when right circularly polarized light (clockwise circularly polarized light) is incident, the right circularly polarized light is left. When the light is converted into circularly polarized light (counterclockwise circularly polarized light) and left circularly polarized light is incident, the circularly polarized light is converted into right circularly polarized light. The light incident on the transmissive display unit 10 passes through the polarizing plate 15, is converted into circularly polarized light by the phase difference compensating plate 17, and is incident on the liquid crystal layer 1. Example 1 above
At 0, the circularly polarized light that is incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 from the retardation compensating plate 17 is a circularly polarized light whose polarization state is almost counterclockwise, and this circularly polarized light is incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 and is clockwise. It is converted to polarized light. In the phase difference compensator 16, right-handed circularly polarized light is converted into linearly polarized light in the transmission axis direction of the polarizing plate 14, and left-handed circularly polarized light is converted into linearly polarized light in the absorption axis direction. When no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 in the device, the display of the transmissive display unit 10 is bright.

Next, the case where a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 will be described. When a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1,
The liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer 1 is irrespective of whether it is the reflective display unit 9 or the transmissive display unit 10, and the substrates 4 and 5 depend on the voltage.
And the polarization conversion action is weakened accordingly. That is, since the circularly polarized light prepared by the phase difference compensation plates 16 and 17 passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 as it is, dark display is realized in both the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10.

In the tenth embodiment, the phase difference compensating plate 1
7 is a retardation compensating plate with a retardation of 115 nm. In order to realize good circularly polarized light only with the phase difference compensation plate 17, the retardation of the phase difference compensation plate 17 is
It is desirable that the thickness is about 135 nm, but the transmissive display unit 1
Since the retardation of the liquid crystal layer 1 of 0 does not completely disappear at a practical voltage, the phase difference compensating plate 17 is provided in consideration of this so that a good contrast can be obtained.
Retardation is set.

Further, the phase difference compensating plate 16 is provided in the reflective display portion 9
It has a function of converting the polarization state of light incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 into circularly polarized light having a wide wavelength. In the liquid crystal display device described above, the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflective display section 9 is twisted by 70 degrees, and Δn · d thereof is set to 270 nm. Therefore, in the reflective display unit 9 in the above liquid crystal display device, the light incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 is circularly polarized light, and this circularly polarized light is converted into linearly polarized light by the liquid crystal layer 1 and passes through the liquid crystal layer 1. It reaches the reflection film 8. The linearly polarized light on the reflection film 8 is reflected by the mirror surface of the reflection film 8, passes through each optical element in the reverse order, and finally reaches the transmission axis direction of the polarizing plate 14. Linearly polarized light having an oscillating electric field of Therefore, the reflective display section 9 provides a bright display.

Further, the liquid crystal composition used is mixed with a chiral agent which causes a left twist inherent in the alignment of the liquid crystal. This chiral agent changes the helical pitch specific to the liquid crystal composition in which the chiral agent is mixed, depending on the amount added. Therefore, the helical pitch is adjusted so that the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 have the same voltage dependence of the lightness by utilizing the fact that the minimum voltage at which the liquid crystal alignment starts to change is changed by the helical pitch. Will be possible.

The display characteristics of the liquid crystal display device described in Example 10 produced in this manner are shown in FIG. The display characteristics shown in FIG. 19 were measured by the same method as in Example 1, the horizontal axis represents the effective value of the applied voltage, and the vertical axis represents the brightness (reflectance or transmittance).

In FIG. 19, the curve 331 is the curve of the first embodiment.
0 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 in the liquid crystal display device, and the curve 332 shows the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display portion 10 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 10. Show.

As can be seen from FIG. 19, the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 10 is adapted to perform bright display when no voltage is applied.
A display in a so-called normally white (NW) mode in which the reflectance and the transmittance decrease with the application of a voltage has been realized. Further, in the above liquid crystal display device, the contrast ratio of the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 can be set to be substantially the same, and the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 1 can be set.
It is possible to match the lightness and darkness of the display with 0, and it is possible to realize a display with excellent visibility.

As described above, as a concrete means for changing the liquid crystal orientation between the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10, the twist angle of the liquid crystal layer 1 between the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 is changed. Setting differently is effective for realizing good display in both the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10.

In the tenth embodiment, the reflective display section 9
In order to change the twist angle of the liquid crystal layer 1 between the transmissive display unit 10 and the transmissive display unit 10, rubbing processing in different directions is performed between the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10, and the liquid crystal layer 1 of the reflective display unit 9 is twisted. However, although the liquid crystal layer 1 of the transmissive display section 10 uses a combination in which no twist alignment is used, a means for changing the twist angle of the liquid crystal layer 1 between the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 is particularly It is not limited.

For example, in addition to the above combinations shown in Example 10, (1) both the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflective display section 9 and the liquid crystal layer 1 in the transmissive display section 10 are twist-aligned, but the twist angle and the twist angle are different. Or a combination in which the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflective display section 9 is not twisted but the liquid crystal layer 1 in the transmissive display section 10 is twisted, (3) There may be a combination in which the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 have different inclinations (so-called pretilts) of the liquid crystal with respect to the substrates 4 and 5. Further, (4) the change of the liquid crystal orientation at the substrate interface may be combined with other means of the present invention, (5) the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 have different cell gaps, (6) The reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 may have different electric fields.

[Embodiment 5] In each of the embodiments 2 to 4, good reflective display and good transmissive display are achieved by using a liquid crystal display device in which liquid crystal is aligned parallel to the substrate. I explained the configuration to realize it,
In the present embodiment, the first embodiment of the first embodiment is described.
Similarly, a liquid crystal display device in which the orientation of the liquid crystal is perpendicular to the substrate will be described. However, in this embodiment mode, a design for performing display utilizing birefringence or optical rotatory power (polarization conversion action) of a liquid crystal by using a polarizing plate without mixing a dichroic dye in a liquid crystal layer is performed. It was For the sake of convenience of explanation, hereinafter, constituent elements having the same functions as those of the first to fourth embodiments will be designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment,
A liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy is used for the liquid crystal layer 1. Further, a vertical alignment film for vertically aligning the liquid crystal is used as the alignment films 2 and 3 sandwiching the liquid crystal layer 1. In this case, the liquid crystal molecules are used for the substrates 4 and 5 when no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1.
Although it is oriented substantially perpendicular to the (display surface), it is oriented so as to be inclined from the normal direction of the substrates 4 and 5 with the application of a voltage, and passes in the normal direction of the layered liquid crystal layer 1. A polarization conversion action occurs on light.

Alignment films 2 and 3 in which liquid crystal is aligned parallel to the substrate
The difference between the liquid crystal display device using the liquid crystal display device and the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is that in the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment, a layer at the interface with the electrode substrate in the liquid crystal layer 1 is applied without applying a voltage. Up to that, the liquid crystal is aligned in the normal direction of the substrates 4 and 5. Therefore, in order to make effective use of this, in this embodiment, an NB (normally black) mode is used for displaying black when no voltage is applied. Specifically, in the reflective display unit 9, circularly polarized light is incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 for display. In the transparent display unit 10,
Since the phase difference compensating plate 16 also used for the reflective display acts on the polarization of the light emitted from the liquid crystal layer 1,
Is driven by an electrode pair that electrically connects the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10, and at the same time realizes a dark display, the liquid crystal layer 1 is perpendicular to the substrates 4 and 5 also in the transmissive display. Circularly polarized light is incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 in consideration of the orientation. Therefore, the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plate 16
In combination with 17, the retardation compensating plate of the plurality of retardation compensating plates constituting the retardation compensating plate 17 arranged closer to the liquid crystal layer 1 has a retardation of 135 nm. As a result, in the present embodiment, a good NB
The display can be realized.

Next, the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plate 1
The setting of the liquid crystal layer 1 that gives a good bright display in the above combination with 6 and 17 will be described.

In the present embodiment, the liquid crystal layer 1 is oriented so as to be inclined from the normal line direction of the substrates 4 and 5 as the voltage is applied, as described above. As for the liquid crystal layer 1, when a sufficient voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1, the liquid crystal layer 1 acts on the reflective display portion 9 so as to convert circularly polarized light into linearly polarized light, and acts on the transmissive display portion 10. Preferably acts to convert circularly polarized light into counter-rotating circularly polarized light. When the liquid crystal layer 1 has the above-mentioned conversion action, good bright display can be realized.

In order for the liquid crystal layer 1 to exhibit the above conversion action, for example, the alignment films 2 and 3 should be aligned so as not to cause twist in the liquid crystal, and a chiral additive should not be used in the liquid crystal composition. Is desirable. That is, the retardation of the liquid crystal layer 1 is λ in the reflective display section 9 when the wavelength of incident light is λ by applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer 1.
It is preferable that the liquid crystal layer 1 is set so that the liquid crystal layer 1 changes by / 4 and the transmission display section 10 changes by λ / 2.

When the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflective display section 9 and the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the transmissive display section 10 are set to be different from each other, the liquid crystal layer 1 has the above-mentioned conversion action so that It is easy to set up layer 1 as described above.

Hereinafter, the liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to specific examples. However, the liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment is not limited to the following examples. Absent.

[Embodiment 11] In this embodiment, by the same method as the method for manufacturing a liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection of Embodiment 1,
A liquid crystal cell for injecting liquid crystal having a different liquid crystal layer thickness between the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 is produced, and the alignment films 2 and 3 have a function of vertically aligning the liquid crystal with respect to the substrates 4.5. An alignment film was used. The alignment films 2 and 3 were subjected to an alignment treatment by rubbing so that the liquid crystal was aligned with a slight inclination from the normal direction (vertical direction) of the substrates 4 and 5.

However, in this embodiment, the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) in the reflective display portion 9 is 3 μm, the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) in the transmissive display portion 10 is 6 μm, and the difference in the refractive index (Δ
The liquid crystal layer 1 is formed by using a liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy of n6 of 0.06, and the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plate are formed outside each electrode substrate in the above liquid crystal cell. 14 and 15 were attached to produce a liquid crystal display device. The phase difference compensating plate 16 and the phase difference compensating plate 17 are respectively
It is composed of two phase difference compensators.

Table 6 shows the polarizing plates 14 and 15, the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 of the liquid crystal display device obtained in this example.
The optical arrangement (i.e., the sticking azimuths of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the alignment azimuth of the liquid crystal) is shown using a common azimuth reference.

The optical arrangement shown in Table 6 is the arrangement of each optical element on the display surface when the observer observes the display surface, and each phase difference compensating plate constituting the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 is compensated. The plates are shown in the order of actual placement from the observer side. Further, each azimuth in Table 6 represents the azimuth from the reference azimuth arbitrarily taken on the display surface in units of degrees, and the retardation of each phase difference compensating plate indicates the value for monochromatic light having a wavelength of 550 nm in nm.

[0332]

[Table 6]

FIG. 20 shows the display characteristics of the liquid crystal display device described in this example, which is manufactured in this way. Incidentally, FIG.
The display characteristics described in 0 are measured by the same method as in Example 1, the horizontal axis indicates the effective value of the applied voltage, and the vertical axis indicates the lightness (reflectance or transmittance).

In FIG. 20, the curve 341 is the curve of the first embodiment.
1 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 1, and the curve 342 shows the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 11. Show.

As can be seen from FIG. 20, the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 11 is adapted to perform dark display when no voltage is applied.
A display in a so-called NB mode in which the reflectance and the transmittance increase with the application of a voltage has been realized. Further, in the above liquid crystal display device, the contrast ratio of the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 can be set to be substantially the same, and the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 have the same brightness. Therefore, it is possible to realize a display with excellent visibility.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention in which the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 simultaneously realize different liquid crystal orientations, the reflective display section 9 or the transmissive display section The reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 are provided by using, for at least one of the display units 10, an alignment unit (vertical alignment film) that aligns the liquid crystal vertically to the substrate surface in contact with the liquid crystal (liquid crystal layer 1). It was confirmed that a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device capable of excellent display was realized.

[Embodiment 6] In this embodiment, when the liquid crystal orientation is changed by voltage to perform display, the orientation state of the liquid crystal is displayed on at least one of the reflective display portion and the transmissive display portion. A liquid crystal display device that performs display by changing the orientation of the liquid crystal while maintaining the state parallel to That is, in the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment, the liquid crystal molecules rotate parallel to the display surface (substrate) in at least one of the reflective display portion and the transmissive display portion when a voltage is applied. .

Hereinafter, the liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to specific examples. However, the liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment is not limited to the following examples. Absent. Note that, for convenience of explanation, constituent elements having the same functions as those in the first to fifth embodiments are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[Embodiment 12] In this embodiment, I is used for realizing a wide viewing angle in a transmissive liquid crystal display device.
By using the PS (in-plane switching) mode for semi-transmissive liquid crystal, a liquid crystal display having an optical switch function by rotating liquid crystal molecules parallel to the substrate by an in-plane lateral electric field with respect to the substrate The apparatus will be described below with reference to FIGS. 21 (a) and 21 (b).

Although the IPS mode itself has hitherto been used in the field of transmissive liquid crystal display devices,
Since the liquid crystal orientation change on the comb-shaped electrode used in the S mode is not sufficient for the transmissive display, the liquid crystal orientation on the comb-shaped electrode does not contribute to the display, and a good display cannot be realized. However, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to obtain a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device in which reflective display is realized in a region on the comb-shaped wiring, which cannot be used in the conventional IPS system, and light utilization efficiency is high.

FIG. 21 (a) is a sectional view showing the main part of the liquid crystal display device according to this example when no voltage is applied.
FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of essential parts of the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 21A when a voltage is applied. 21A and 21B, the liquid crystal cell in the liquid crystal display device is shown in a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the electrode wiring (terminal) of the comb-shaped electrode provided in the liquid crystal cell extends. The cross section when cut is shown.

In the liquid crystal display device shown in FIGS. 21A and 21B, the liquid crystal layer 1 has a substrate 51 having a light-transmitting property.
And a light-reflecting comb-shaped electrode 53 (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means, orienting mechanism) to sandwich the light-reflecting substrate 54 and further to the outside of the substrate 51 (that is, the substrate). (On the side opposite to the surface facing 54), the phase difference compensating plate 16 and the polarizing plate 14 are provided, and the substrate 54
On the outer side (that is, on the side opposite to the surface facing the substrate 51), the phase difference compensating plate 17 and the polarizing plate 15 are provided. In this embodiment, the phase difference compensating plate 16 is composed of one phase difference compensating plate, and the phase difference compensating plate 17 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates.

Also in this embodiment, in the liquid crystal display device, one of the pair of substrates provided with the liquid crystal layer 1 sandwiched therebetween, one substrate 54 (electrode substrate), on the glass substrate 52,
A transmissive display unit 1 is formed by applying a photosensitive resin having an insulating property by spin coating and further irradiating it with a mask of ultraviolet light.
No photosensitive resin remains at 0, and in the reflective display portion 9, the insulating film 11 (alignment mechanism) is patterned so that the photosensitive resin is formed to have a predetermined layer thickness. As a result, the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the transmissive display section 10 is set to be smaller than the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflective display section 9.

In the liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment, the insulating film 1 is formed on the glass substrate 52.
1, a comb-shaped electrode 53 (alignment mechanism) having light reflectivity is formed so as to cover 1. The comb-shaped electrode 53 is the liquid crystal layer 1
It is a reflective pixel electrode that also serves as a liquid crystal drive electrode for driving the liquid crystal and a reflective film (reflection means), and is made of a metal having a high light reflectance.

In the above liquid crystal display device, the transmissive display section 1
At 0, the alignment state of the liquid crystal molecules 1a is changed by the electric field applied by the comb electrode 53. In the reflective display section 9, the liquid crystal layer 1 is driven by the electric field generated by the comb-shaped electrode 53, and the reflective action of the comb-shaped electrode 53 is used for display.

In this embodiment, the wiring of the comb-shaped electrode 53 is used for the reflecting means, but the comb-shaped electrode 53 is provided with a concave-convex structure on its surface in order to impart a light scattering property. Alternatively, a film having a light-scattering property may be further formed in a region facing the comb-shaped electrode 53 on the outside of the glass substrate 51.

In the liquid crystal display device shown in FIGS. 21A and 21B, the comb-shaped electrodes 53a.
Different potentials are applied to 53b, and an electric field is generated between the comb electrodes 53a and 53b. As shown in FIG. 21B, the transmissive display unit 10 has comb-shaped electrodes 53a and 53b.
In this portion, the liquid crystal orientation changes greatly while maintaining the orientation parallel to the glass substrate 52 by the pair of comb electrodes (comb electrodes 53a and 53b). The reflective display portion 9 corresponds to directly above the comb-shaped electrodes 53 (comb-shaped electrodes 53a and 53b). In this portion, the liquid crystal alignment is not limited to the change in the orientation along the plane of the glass substrate 52, but also the glass substrate 52. Also changes to the direction perpendicular to. This is as shown in FIG.
At 0, the lines of electric force (shown by broken lines in the figure) are the glass substrate 52.
While it extends substantially parallel to the reflective display section 9
This is because the lines of electric force have a component perpendicular to the glass substrate 52.

Table 7 shows the polarizing plate 1 in the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 of the liquid crystal display device according to this example.
4.15, the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17, and the optical arrangement of the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the sticking directions of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal alignment direction) are common directions. It shows using the standard of.

The optical arrangement shown in Table 7 is the arrangement of each optical element on the display surface when the observer observes the display surface, and each phase difference compensating plate constituting the phase difference compensating plate 17 is , The order of the actual arrangement from the observer side.

The orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 (the liquid crystal molecules 1a
The orientation direction of the long axis is equal to the rubbing orientation on the surface of the substrate 51 on the substrate 51 side, and equal to the rubbing orientation on the surface of the substrate 54 on the substrate 54 side. Less than,
The orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 on the substrate 51 side is the orientation of the substrate 51,
The orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 on the substrate 54 side is referred to as the orientation of the substrate 54.

Further, each azimuth in Table 7 represents the azimuth from the reference azimuth arbitrarily taken on the display surface in units of degrees, and the retardation of each retardation compensating plate has a wavelength of 550 nm.
The values for the monochromatic light of are shown in nm.

Here, the direction in which the electrode wiring (terminal) of the comb-shaped electrode 53 extends is the 65-degree azimuth, and the liquid crystal alignment between the transmissive display section 10 and the reflective display section 9 is accompanied by the application of voltage. The liquid crystal molecules 1a, both of which face the 75-degree azimuth, changed so as to have a larger azimuth than the 75-degree azimuth. Also,
In the liquid crystal display device, Δn · d of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflective display section 9 is set to around 130 nm, and Δn · d of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the transmissive display section 10 is set to around 240 nm.

[0353]

[Table 7]

In the liquid crystal display device set as described above, the reflective display section 9 is used when no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1.
And the transmissive display unit 10 becomes a dark display. When a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 from this state, the liquid crystal molecules 1a
Changes its orientation so that the electrode wiring (terminal) of the comb-shaped electrode 53 deviates from the orientation (65 degrees orientation in the above setting). Therefore, in the above liquid crystal display device, bright display is realized by changing the orientation of the liquid crystal when voltage is applied.

FIG. 22 shows the display characteristics of the liquid crystal display device according to this example manufactured in this manner. Incidentally, FIG.
The display characteristics described in 2 are measured by the same method as in Example 1, the horizontal axis indicates the effective value of the applied voltage, and the vertical axis indicates the lightness (reflectance or transmittance).

In FIG. 22, the curve 351 is the curve of the first embodiment.
2 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 in the liquid crystal display device, and the curve 352 shows the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 12. Show. The reflective display unit 9 has a comb-shaped electrode 53.
Although there are differences in the optical characteristics depending on the position above, the optical characteristics of typical parts are described here.

As can be seen from FIG. 22, in the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 12, both the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 perform dark display when no voltage is applied. In the liquid crystal display device, the reflectance and the transmittance increase with the application of voltage. When the applied voltage is 2V, the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 are both 3%, and when the applied voltage is 5V, the reflectance of the reflective display portion 9 is 35%. Display unit 10
Had a transmittance of 38%. Therefore, according to the liquid crystal display device described above, it is possible to achieve both the brightness of bright display and the contrast ratio for both the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10, and to provide a display with excellent visibility. Can be realized. Further, according to the above liquid crystal display device, the contrast ratio in the transmissive display portion 10 exceeds the contrast ratio in the reflective display portion 9, so that the display quality can be further improved and good display can be performed.

As described above, according to the twelfth embodiment,
It was confirmed that a reflective display was realized in a region on the comb-shaped wiring 53 that could not be used for display in the conventional IPS system, and a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device with high light utilization efficiency could be obtained.

In the present embodiment, as a method of realizing the above-mentioned liquid crystal alignment, besides the method of using a nematic liquid crystal like the above-mentioned IPS mode, a method of using a ferroelectric liquid crystal display mode or an antiferroelectric liquid crystal display is used. A method using a dielectric liquid crystal display mode or the like can be used.

Therefore, in Example 13 below, as another liquid crystal display device that realizes the above-described liquid crystal alignment, a liquid crystal display device using a ferroelectric liquid crystal display mode for display will be described.

[Embodiment 13] In this embodiment, in the liquid crystal display device shown in Embodiment 1, a surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal is used as the liquid crystal material, and the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) is 1 in the transmissive display section 10. .4 .mu.m and 0.7 .mu.m in the reflective display section 9, and .DELTA.n.d of the liquid crystal layer 1 is 130 n in the reflective display section 9.
m, in the transmissive display unit 10 is set to about 260 nm, and instead of forming the reflective film 8 on the electrode 7 corresponding to the reflective display unit 9, it is reflected as an electrode in a region corresponding to the reflective display unit 9. A liquid crystal cell designed in the same manner as the liquid crystal cell shown in Example 1 was prepared except that the electrodes were used.

Specifically, on the substrate 5 (glass substrate),
Since the photosensitive resin does not remain on the transmissive display portion 10, the reflective display portion 9
Then, the insulating film 11 is patterned so that the photosensitive resin is formed to have a layer thickness of 0.7 μm, and a reflective electrode is formed in the insulating film 11 forming portion (reflective display portion 9). A transparent electrode was produced in the forming portion (transmissive display portion 10). The alignment film 3 is formed on the electrode formation surface of the substrate 5.
By forming an alignment treatment by rubbing,
An electrode substrate was produced. The structure of the electrode substrate (counter substrate) arranged to face the electrode substrate is the same as that described in the first embodiment. Then, a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition containing the surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal is introduced between the both electrode substrates to prepare a liquid crystal cell, and the phase difference compensating plate 16 is provided outside each electrode substrate in the liquid crystal cell. 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were attached to produce a liquid crystal display device. In this example,
The phase difference compensating plate 16 is composed of one phase difference compensating plate, and the phase difference compensating plate 17 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates.

Table 8 shows the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plate 16.1 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this example.
7 and the optical arrangement of the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14.1.
5 and the azimuth of attachment of the phase difference compensation plates 16 and 17, and
The orientations of the liquid crystal for bright display and dark display are shown using a common orientation reference.

The optical arrangement shown in Table 8 is the arrangement of each optical element on the display surface when the observer observes the display surface, and each phase difference compensating plate constituting the phase difference compensating plate 17 is , The order of the actual arrangement from the observer side. Further, each azimuth in Table 8 represents the azimuth from the reference azimuth arbitrarily taken on the display surface in units of degrees, and the retardation of each retardation compensating plate indicates the value for monochromatic light having a wavelength of 550 nm in nm.

[0365]

[Table 8]

The liquid crystal display device manufactured in this manner was a liquid crystal display device in which both the reflective display portion 9 and the transmissive display portion 10 had good brightness and contrast ratio.

As described above, in the case of a liquid crystal display device in which the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 simultaneously realize different liquid crystal orientations and liquid crystal layer thicknesses, the liquid crystal layer 1 by applying voltage is applied.
Even if the orientation change direction of (1) changes in the plane of the liquid crystal layer, good display can be obtained as the semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device of the present invention. The liquid crystal display device is an IP
If the S mode is used, the same IPS
It is possible to improve the light utilization efficiency as compared with the conventional transmissive liquid crystal display device using the mode. The liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment can also be used in modes such as ferroelectric liquid crystal.

[Embodiment 7] In this embodiment, a specific element substrate and color filter substrate for active matrix driving which enables the configuration of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention will be described.

When the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is manufactured for the purpose of displaying an image, the ratio of the transmissive display portion and the reflective display portion is determined by the frequency of use in the transmissive display and in the reflective display. It is practically important to design according to.

That is, in the first usage pattern, similarly to the transmissive liquid crystal display device currently used, the transmitted light from the illuminating device (backlight) as the background illuminating means is used for the main display, and the reflective display portion is used. Is a mode of use for preventing washout (hereinafter, abbreviated as transmissive main semitransparent).

The second mode of use is a mode of use in which the reflective display is mainly used for display, and the backlight, which consumes a large amount of power, is often turned off depending on the situation to reduce the power consumption and the ambient lighting. When the light is weak and the display contents cannot be confirmed only by the reflective display, the backlight is turned on to be used (hereinafter, abbreviated as semi-transmission mainly based on reflection).

In such two types of use forms,
Since the main display is different between transmissive display and reflective display, the ratio of the display area between the transmissive display part and the reflective display part and the color design of the color filter for color display are different. become.

Therefore, first, a transmissive-main-transmissive liquid crystal display device which mainly uses transmissivity will be described below by taking a liquid crystal display device using a TFT element, which is one of the active matrix systems, for display as an example. . For convenience of explanation, the constituent elements having the same functions as those in the first to sixth embodiments are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

First, FIG. 23 shows the substrate structure of a transmissive main transflective liquid crystal display device using a TFT element for display.
This will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 23A shows a TF for realizing a transmissive-main-semitransmissive liquid crystal display device according to the seventh embodiment.
FIG. 23B is a plan view of a main part of the T element substrate, and FIG.
The reflective display portion 9 on the TFT element substrate shown in FIG.
It is a figure which shows the drive electrode 19 of (refer FIG.1, FIG.4, FIG.24, FIG. 25), FIG.23 (c) is T shown in FIG.23 (a).
It is a figure which shows the transparent pixel electrode 20 in an FT element substrate.

FIG. 24 shows the TFT shown in FIG.
FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of the element substrate, and more specifically, in the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 23A, the TFT element substrate is further passed through the drive electrode 19 and the transparent pixel electrode 20 to further form a storage capacitor. It is a figure shown in the cross section which passes along the part 26. Further, FIG. 25 shows B of the TFT element substrate shown in FIG.
FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B ', showing a cross-sectional structure of a boundary portion between adjacent pixels.

The pixel electrode 18 for driving the liquid crystal layer 1 (see FIGS. 1 and 4) is shown in FIG. 23 (a), FIG. 24, and FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the reflective display section 9 includes drive electrodes 19 (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means) and transparent pixel electrodes 20 made of ITO (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means). The drive electrode 19 may be a reflective electrode which itself has reflectivity. In addition, the drive electrode 19 and the transparent pixel electrode 20 may be electrically connected to each other when the liquid crystal display system used for display is a display system which does not show inversion of brightness and darkness even when the display is performed with the same voltage. .

The drive electrode 19 and the transparent pixel electrode 20 are connected to the drain terminal 22 of the TFT element 21 which controls the voltage used for display in each pixel unit. Further, a transmissive display opening 19a is formed in the drive electrode 19,
When the drive electrode 19 is a reflective electrode, the transmissive display opening 19a forming region is used as the transmissive display unit 10 for transmissive display.

Under the drive electrode 19, the TFT element 21, the wiring 23 and the wiring 24, the auxiliary capacitance section 26 and the auxiliary capacitance line 27 are arranged. However, since light-shielding materials such as metals are used for these components,
In the present embodiment, the TFT element substrate is manufactured so that these constituent elements are not arranged in the transmissive display opening 19a. In FIG. 23A, the drive electrode 19 is shown by a two-dot chain line.

As shown in FIG. 24, the pixel electrode 18
In the main portion of the drive electrode 19 of the reflective display section 9 for applying a voltage to the reflective display section 9 constituting the above, wirings 23 and 24 for driving the TFT element 21 and the TFT element 21 are formed. The surface of the substrate 19 (TFT element substrate surface) is separated by an organic insulating film 25. The organic insulating film 25 is formed of an organic insulating material having a low dielectric constant and is formed to have a film thickness of 3 μm.
This is because the parasitic capacitance component formed between the pixel electrode 18 and the wiring 23 that becomes the gate wiring of the TFT element 21 or the wiring 24 that becomes the source wiring of the TFT element 21
The purpose of this is to prevent the gate signal waveform and the source signal waveform for controlling the opening / closing operation of No. 1 from being delayed or distorted, thereby enabling high-resolution dot matrix display, and at the same time, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment. This is because the optical characteristics of the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 in FIG.

The pixel electrode 18 corresponds to the TFT element 2
1 is connected to the drain terminal 22. The drain terminal 22 is an n + -type amorphous silicon layer doped in n-type and acts as a drain electrode of the TFT element 21. In the TFT element substrate according to the present embodiment,
I arranged to be in contact with the drain terminal 22
The TO layer is used as the transparent pixel electrode 20, and the drive electrode 19 of the reflective display unit 9 is formed on the organic insulating film 25 which is patterned so as to cover a part of the transparent pixel electrode 20.
Are formed. That is, in the transmissive-main-semitransmissive liquid crystal display device using the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 24, the transparent pixel electrode 20 used for transmissive display and the drive electrode 19 used for reflective display are the organic insulating film 25. Are electrically connected at the pattern boundaries. Further, as shown in FIGS. 24 and 25, the drive electrode 19 of the reflective display section 9 is provided with a
Smooth irregularities may be formed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 25, the organic insulating film 25 is formed so as to cover the wiring 24 connected to the source terminal 28 of the TFT element 21 at the boundary between adjacent pixels on the TFT element substrate. The organic insulating film 2
The drive electrode 19 of the reflective display portion 9 is formed on the surface 5.

The TFT element substrate manufactured in this way is
By appropriately setting the relationship between the film thickness of the organic insulating film 25 and the dielectric constant, the parasitic capacitance component formed by the pixel electrode 18 and the wirings 23 and 24 through the organic insulating film 25 can be suppressed. As shown in FIG.
It is possible to extend the drive electrode 19 of the reflective display unit 9 to a position right above the display electrode 4. In this case, it is possible to design the gap between the adjacent pixel electrodes 18 to be narrow, and in the pixel gap,
Since the leakage electric field from the wirings 23 and 24 to the liquid crystal layer 1 is reduced, the alignment of the liquid crystal layer 1 is less likely to be disturbed. Therefore, by appropriately setting the relationship between the film thickness of the organic insulating film 25 and the dielectric constant, it is possible to control the liquid crystal orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 up to near the boundary between the pixel electrodes 18, and the so-called transmission with a high aperture ratio is possible. A TFT element substrate for a main transflective liquid crystal display device can be manufactured. In the present embodiment, the organic insulating film 25
With an organic insulating material having a relative dielectric constant of 3.5 and a film thickness of 3 μm
Was formed so that

As described above, in the present embodiment, the area that can be used for transmissive display occupies 45% of the entire pixel area, and the area that can be used for reflective display occupies 38% of the entire pixel T.
An FT element substrate was produced. Compared with the fact that the aperture ratio of the transmissive display portion of the transmissive TFT liquid crystal display device, which has been widely used in the past, is about 50% in the TFT element substrate,
Since a substantially equal proportion of the transmissive display section 10 is ensured and the display light intensity of the reflective display section 9 is added to the transmissive display light for display, semi-transmissive transmissive main body with high utilization efficiency of light that can be used for display. It can be said that it is a TFT element substrate of a liquid crystal display device of the type.

As described above, the high light utilization efficiency can be realized in the present embodiment because the TFT element 21 is provided in the reflective display section 9.
This is because it is possible to dispose components that do not transmit light, such as the wiring, the wirings 23 and 24, the auxiliary capacitance section 26, and the auxiliary capacitance line 27. These components impair the light used for liquid crystal display. Because there is no.

Next, a color filter substrate used so as to be opposed to the TFT element substrate thus manufactured is shown in FIG.
6 (a) and FIG. 26 (b) will be described below.

The color filter substrate shown in FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 26A and 26B, color filters 61R and 61R for three colors of red (R), green (G), and blue (B).
G * 61B is formed. These three color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B are each formed of a photosensitive resin in which a pigment is dispersed, and are formed in a stripe shape on the glass substrate 62 according to the pixels of the TFT element substrate by a photolithography technique. The colored layers are formed in a planar shape and are formed separately for each color.

Further, on the surface of the glass substrate 62 on which the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B are formed, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6 (b), these color filters 61R
A smoothing layer 501 made of transparent acrylic resin is provided so as to cover 61G and 61B, and a 140 nm thick counter electrode 502 (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means) of the pixel electrode 18 on the TFT element substrate is provided thereon. IT
O is deposited by sputtering using a shielding mask that covers a region other than a predetermined region. As a result, the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B are separated by transparent regions for each color.

The positional relationship in which the color filter substrate and the TFT element substrate are superposed on each other is as shown in FIG. 26A, and the drive electrode 19 formed on the reflective display portion 9 of the TFT element substrate is used for transmissive display. The opening 19a (that is, the transmissive display portion 10) is completely covered with the R, G, and B stripe-shaped color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B, while the reflective display portion 9 includes the color filter 61R in the drive electrode 19. Only the part of 61G / 61B in the extending direction is covered with the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B.
The transparent area between them is the drive electrode 1 formed on the reflective display portion 9.
9 other areas (the above color filters 61R and 61G
-A portion other than the extending direction of 61B) is arranged to face.

FIG. 27 shows the arrangement of the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 and the color filters 61R, 61G and 61B in combination with the color filter substrate and the TFT element substrate. In FIG. 27, the color filter substrate and the TFT element substrate are overlapped with each other at a position to be used as a liquid crystal display device, and the color filter substrate and the TFT element substrate are cut at a position CC ′ in FIG. 26 (a). CC ′ of the main part of the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG.
FIG.

Thus, the transmissive display section 10 has
Any of R, G, B color filters 61R / 61G /
61B is formed, and the portion of the reflective display section 9 other than the extending direction of the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B corresponds to the transparent region between the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B.

As a result, the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B similar to the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B used for the transmissive display act on a part of the reflective display section 9, and the remaining reflective display section 9 has a color filter. Filter 61R
61G and 61B do not work. As a result, color display (color display) can be performed even with respect to the reflective display, and the reflectance required for the reflective display unit can be secured.

26 (a) and 26 (b).
The transmission colors appearing in the light transmitted through the color filter substrate manufactured as shown in (4) are the same as the transmission colors of R, G, B, R, G, B used in the transmission type liquid crystal display device for each pixel. It may have the color of, and may be appropriately adjusted depending on the application.

TF shown in FIGS. 26 (a) and 27 above.
In the combination of the T element substrate and the color filter substrate, all the transmissive display sections 10 are color filters 61R.
Display is performed with light passing through 61G and 61B, and the reflective display unit 9 performs display using the same color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B as the transmissive display unit 10, and the remaining portion displays color. The display is performed without using the filters 61R, 61G, and 61B. This is because the color filters 61R, 61G, 61B of the transmissive display unit 10 are arranged on the reflective display unit 9.
This is because the brightness is insufficient when the above is used as it is, and the purpose is to supplement the brightness by providing a portion in which the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B are not used in the reflective display unit 9.

Further, as in this embodiment, in consideration of the fact that the display light passes through the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B twice in the reflective display section 9, the color filter 61R. Color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B having higher brightness than 61G and 61B may be provided.

In this embodiment, at least the color filter 61 is provided in at least the transmissive display section 10 according to the purpose of use.
R. 61G. 61B may be formed, and the reflective display unit 9 may have a region (portion) in which the color filters 61R, 61G, 61B are not provided, and only the transmissive display unit 10 may include the color filters 61R, 61G, 61B. The reflective display unit 9 may be configured without using the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B.

A color filter 61R.6 is provided on the reflective display unit 9.
When the 1G / 61B is not provided, the display voltage signal required for the transmissive display is a signal suitable for color display, and the display voltage signal required for the reflective display is a signal suitable for monochrome display. Therefore, for example, the proportion of each pixel of R, G, and B contributing to the brightness is proportional to the luminous transmittance (Y value) of each color in the transmissive display unit 10, but in the reflective display unit 9, each pixel is Therefore, there is a problem in driving that the values become exactly the same.

That is, for example, when comparing the display brightness when only the B pixel is in the bright display and when the G pixel is only in the bright display, the color filters 61R and 61R
In the transmissive display unit 10 in which the G.61B is arranged, the brightness is different in consideration of the luminous transmittance.
This is a problem that the brightness is the same in the reflective display unit 9 in which R, 61G, and 61B are not arranged.

As a method of preventing such a problem, color filters 61R, 61G, and
A method of changing the area of the region of the reflective display unit 9 in which the color display is not performed for each of the R, G, and B pixels in accordance with the Y value of each of the R, G, and B colors of 61B can be given. This allows
The contribution of the reflective display section 9 from the black-and-white display to the brightness of each of the R, G, and B pixels is adjusted by changing the area of the reflective display section 9, and the brightness of the monochrome display based on the area of the reflective display section 9 is adjusted. Can be reflected in the display brightness of each color.

The same effect can be obtained by designing the color filter coverage of the reflective display portion 9 in the order of increasing color, G, R, and B. According to this method
Further, there is an advantage that it is possible to correct a slight green coloring that is seen in an ordinary polarizing plate. Further, when the color filter substrate and the TFT element substrate are arranged so as to be overlapped with each other as shown in FIG. 26A, there is an advantage that the positional accuracy of the superposition of the TFT element substrate and the color filter substrate can be relatively large. . This is because the color filter non-formation portions of the reflective display portion 9 are present on both sides of one pixel, and when one of them increases due to the positional deviation, the other decreases.

When the TFT element substrate and the color filter substrate as described above are used, when a transmissive display is performed, a TFT for a conventional transmissive display is used by using an illumination device (backlight) as background illumination means together. It is possible to display the same as a liquid crystal display device, and even when the ambient light is very strong, the reflected light is similar to the display content of the transmissive display, so it is possible to check the display content. It is possible to realize a high-resolution color liquid crystal display device having no parallax and no washout even when the ambient light is strong.

Next, by changing the constitutions of the TFT element substrate and the color filter substrate, the main usage is used as a liquid crystal display device which uses reflected light of ambient light for display and consumes less power. 28, 29 (a) and 29 (b), regarding the substrate structure of a reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device that uses transmissive display only when it is not sufficient.
Will be described below.

FIG. 28 is a plan view of an essential part of a TFT element substrate for realizing a reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device according to the seventh embodiment. Shows. In FIG. 28, the drive electrode 1
9 is shown by a chain double-dashed line.

As shown in FIG. 28, in the reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device, the size of the transmissive display opening 19a in the drive electrode 19 and the size of the transparent pixel electrode 20 are set to the transmissive-based semi-transmissive type. The liquid crystal display device has the same configuration as the transmissive-main-semitransmissive liquid crystal display device except that the size is set smaller than that of the TFT element substrate used in the liquid crystal display device of the liquid crystal display device.

That is, even in the above-mentioned transflective-type liquid crystal display device, the pixel electrode 18 for driving the liquid crystal layer 1 (see FIGS. 1 and 4) drives the reflective display portion 9 as shown in FIG. Electrode 19 and transparent pixel electrode 20 made of ITO
The drive electrode 19 and the transparent pixel electrode 20 are connected to the drain terminal 22 of the TFT element 21 that controls the voltage used for display in each pixel unit. Further, the drive electrode 19 has a transmissive display opening 19a.
And the drive electrode 19 is a reflective electrode, the transmissive display opening 19a forming region serves as the transmissive display portion 10 (see FIGS. 24, 25, and 27).
Used for transparent display.

Further, a TF is formed below the drive electrode 19.
T element 21, wiring 23 and wiring 24, auxiliary capacitance section 26
And the auxiliary capacitance line 27 are arranged, and these constituent elements are arranged not to be arranged in the transmissive display opening 19a.

However, in the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 28, the ratio of the transmissive display portion 10 is higher than that of the TFT element substrate used in the transmissive main semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device shown in FIGS. 23 (a) to 27. It is set to be smaller, and the proportion of the reflective display unit 9 (see FIGS. 24, 25, and 27) is increased.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the area available for transmissive display as a TFT element substrate for a reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device is 13 times the area of the entire pixel.
%, And the area that can be used for reflective display occupies 70% of the whole pixel.

[0409] The ratio of the transmissive display portion 10 in the TFT element substrate for the above-mentioned reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device is 13%.
Is smaller than the ratio of the transmissive display portion 10 in the TFT element substrate for the transmissive-main-semitransmissive liquid crystal display device. However, a reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device using the TFT element substrate, when performing transmissive display only when the display content cannot be confirmed by reflective display,
Since the power consumption can be reduced by limiting the lighting time of the lighting device (backlight) as the background lighting means, sufficient practicability can be ensured.

Next, the structure of the color filter substrate used in combination with this TFT element substrate is shown in FIG.
This will be described below with reference to (a) and FIG. 29 (b).

As shown in FIGS. 29 (a) and 29 (b), the transmission shown in FIGS. 26 (a) and 26 (b) is also applied to the color filter substrate for the reflection-based semi-transmission type liquid crystal display device. Similar to a color filter substrate for a main transflective liquid crystal display device, three color filters 61R and 61R of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) are formed on a glass substrate 62.
G. 61B is formed in a stripe shape, and these color filters 61R, 61G, 6 are formed on the surface of the glass substrate 62 on which the color filters 61R, 61G, 61B are formed.
A smoothing layer 501 made of a transparent acrylic resin is provided so as to cover 1B, and ITO is formed as a counter electrode 502 of the pixel electrode of the TFT element by sputtering using a shielding mask that covers a region other than a predetermined region. It is a film.

However, the color filter substrate for the reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device shown in FIGS. 29A and 29B is the same as the transmission-based semi-transmission type liquid crystal display device shown in FIGS. 26A and 26B. It is set so that the planar shape of the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B and the spectral transmittance for each color are different from the color filter substrate for the transmissive liquid crystal display device.

Specifically, in a color filter substrate for a reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device, the reflection display portion 9 of the TFT element substrate is replaced by the color filters 61R, 61G and 61B.
Color filter 61R ・ 6 so that it is completely covered with (coloring layer)
1G / 61B is formed, and the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B show a good display in the reflective display, the display light is reflected by the color filter 61R / 61G / 61B twice in the reflective display section 9. In consideration of passing through, the display light is transmitted through the color filters 61R, 61G, 61
It was made to have a high brightness so that it passes through B twice and has a good brightness.

Therefore, in the reflective display section 9, good reflective display is realized by combining the TFT element substrate having a large proportion of the reflective display section 9 as described above and the color filter substrate matching the TFT element substrate as described above. To do.

In the transmissive display section 10, the proportion of the transmissive display opening 19a is small, but the transmissive display section 19 is used only when the ambient light is insufficient due to the combined use of the illuminating device (backlight) as the background illuminating means. Also in the display, the display content can be confirmed. In this respect, the reflection-based transflective liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment is different from the conventional reflection-type liquid crystal display device. The transflective liquid crystal display device of the reflection-based type according to the present embodiment has insufficient color saturation when transmissive display is performed by the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B adjusted for reflective display. Can be confirmed.

Therefore, in the case where color display is performed by the liquid crystal display device of transflective type, the color filters 61R, 61G, 61B are provided at least in the reflective display portion in each pixel.
For color display, and the transmissive display unit 10 does not use the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B, or a color filter in which at least a part of the transmissive display unit 10 is disposed in the reflective display unit 9. 61R / 61G / 61B
Color filters 61R / 61 having saturation equal to or higher than
G.61B is particularly effective.

As described above, in the reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device, the color filters 61R, 61G and 61B are formed at least in the reflection display portion, and the transmission display portion 10 is not provided with the color filters 61R, 61G and 61B. It may be configured to have a region (portion), and the transmissive display unit 10 does not use the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B,
Black and white display may be performed on the transmissive display unit 10. In the latter case, since the light transmittance is increased, the transmissive display unit 10 can be set smaller. This allows
It is possible to secure a larger area for the reflective display portion 9,
It is possible to obtain a better display in the reflective display during normal use.

In this case, as in the transmissive-main-semitransmissive liquid crystal display device, in the reflective-main-semitransmissive liquid crystal display device, the area of the display portion that does not perform color display, that is, the transmissive display in this case. The area of the region of the portion 10 where color display is not performed is R of the color filters 61R, 61G and 61B,
It may be changed for each pixel of R, G, B according to the Y value of each color of G, B. That is, in order to properly set the contribution of the transparent display unit 10 to the brightness of monochrome display in each of the R, G, and B pixels in consideration of the luminous transmittance, the R, G, and B pixels are transparent. Each of the above substrates may be manufactured so that the ratio of the display area is different.

On the other hand, although the power consumption at the time of lighting the lighting device (backlight) as the background lighting means increases, by sufficiently strengthening the illumination light of the lighting device (backlight),
It is also possible to use a high-saturation color filter for the transmissive display unit 10 in accordance with the transmissive display. In this case, not only the saturation but also the color reproducibility of the transmissive display can be secured.
In any case, the lighting device (backlight)
Minimizing the turn-on time is important for reducing power consumption.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, power consumption can be reduced in normal use, no washout occurs in the reflective display section 9, and if necessary, Thus, it is possible to realize a reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device capable of performing transmissive display using a background illumination unit (backlight).

In the above description, the TFT element 21 is used as the active matrix type switching element, and the bottom gate type amorphous silicon TFT element is taken as an example of the TFT element 21. The switching element used in the embodiment is not particularly limited to this, and may be, for example, a polysilicon TFT element or a two-terminal element M.
It may be an IM (Metal Insulator Metal) element or the like. Needless to say, it is not always necessary to use these active elements.

Further, in each liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment, as described above, the TFT element having a structure in which the drive electrode 19 which is a display electrode and the wirings 23 and 24 are separated by the organic insulating film 25. By using the substrate, it is possible to change the liquid crystal layer thickness between the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 by the film thickness of the organic insulating film 25. Moreover, in these liquid crystal display devices, even if the film thickness of the organic insulating film 25 is set to a value of about 3 μm which enables high capacity display in terms of wiring resistance and parasitic capacitance of the TFT element substrate, As shown in the first and second embodiments, it is possible to obtain a sufficient liquid crystal layer thickness difference between the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 to achieve good display.

Therefore, by adopting the TFT element substrate having the structure shown in FIG. 23A or FIG. 28 and the liquid crystal display system described in the first or second embodiment, a liquid crystal display capable of high capacity display can be obtained. The device can be realized.

Further, the TFT element substrate having the structure using the organic insulating film 25 as described above has already been partially put into practical use in a normal TFT element driving type liquid crystal display device for only transmissive display, and is put into mass production. However, there are few technical issues and it is highly practical.

The inventors of the present application have studied the production of a reflection film having good reflection characteristics by providing the reflection film with smooth unevenness in order to prevent the display surface from becoming a mirror surface in a reflection type liquid crystal display device. Are stacked. As a result, it was found that the organic insulating film 25 used in the present invention can also be formed with a similar uneven surface, and TFTs for a transmissive-main-semitransmissive liquid crystal display device shown in FIGS. In the element substrate, unevenness is formed in a portion corresponding to the reflective display section 9.

As described above, in the present embodiment, there are two types of usage of the liquid crystal display device, a transmissive main semi-transmissive type and a reflective main semi-transmissive type, and the main display is a transmissive display. It has been described that the display area ratio between the transmissive display portion and the reflective display portion and the color design of the color filter in the case of color display are different depending on whether the display is performed or the reflective display is performed.

Therefore, in the following eighth embodiment, the ratio between the transmissive display portion and the reflective display portion in the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention will be described.

[Embodiment 8] The ratio between the transmissive display portion and the reflective display portion needs to be set in consideration of visibility.
The brightness perceived by the sight (perceived lightness), which takes into account the phenomenon of human vision adaptation, is given by Stevens et al. (“Brightness F
unction: Effect of Adaptation ”, Journalof the Op
tical Society of America, Vol. 53, No. 3, p375). According to this document, the perceived brightness depends on the adapted brightness, even when the human eye is looking at the same brightness, and there is a quantitative relationship. I understand.

FIG. 30 shows the relationship between the adaptation luminance and the sample luminance, which are produced by converting the units from the literature such as Stevens et al. And which give the equivalent perceptual lightness of 5 bril to 45 bril. In FIG. 30, the horizontal axis represents the adaptation luminance (unit:
cd / m ² ), and the vertical axis represents the brightness of the sample presented to the person (sample brightness (unit: cd / m ² )).

In FIG. 30, point A is the perceived lightness when a person who has adapted to an adaptation luminance of 1 cd / m ² observes a sample having a luminance surface of 10 cd / m ² , and point B is
Adapted to 1700 cd / m ² adaptation brightness of 300c
It represents the perceived lightness when a sample having a luminance surface of d / m ² is observed. From FIG. 30, since the perceptual lightness is the same value (9.4 bril) at the points A and B,
It can be seen that the human perceptual brightness is affected not only by the brightness of the display surface but also by the adaptive brightness.

Therefore, next, the adaptation of the observer to the display surface of the liquid crystal display device will be considered. First, consider what the observer adapts to. When a person observes an object and adapts to the brightness of the object, the object to be adapted is the brightness of the surface of the object to be visually recognized around the visual environment. The brightness of the generally depends on various environmental conditions. However, as one index, it is useful to consider the adaptation object, that is, assume that the surface of the observation object is a reflective surface that reflects ambient light, and consider this case. The reason for this is that, whether indoors or outdoors, a person sees the light source that is emitting light and adapts to it more than a situation that adapts to the reflective surface of an object illuminated by the light source. This is because it is natural to think that there are few. The adaptation of the observer who adapts his vision to the reflective surface of the observation object will be considered below.

When the luminance surface of the observation object is a reflection surface,
The adaptation luminance described in FIG. 30 is represented by a value obtained by multiplying the illuminance on the target surface by an illumination light source that illuminates the target surface to which the observer adapts, by a constant value. When the illuminance is L (unit: lux) and the brightness is B (unit: cd / m ² ), the brightness (B) of the surface having the reflectance of R for the perfect diffuse reflection surface is B = L × R / π. Here, using the reflectance of the surface of the Munsell color chart N5, which is said to have an average reflectance of a normal human observation target, the surface of the Munsell color chart N5 illuminated by a certain illuminance is used. It is appropriate to consider the brightness as the adaptation brightness. In this case, R is 0.2.

Furthermore, the illumination light source illuminating the surface of the Munsell color chip N5, which is a representative of the observation object, is not only the adaptation object, that is, the surface of the Munsell color chip N5, but also the perceived lightness under the adaptation condition. It is assumed that the target sample surface to be evaluated is also illuminated at the same time. Based on this assumption, the perceived lightness of the reflective display section when observing the liquid crystal display device is linked to the illuminance that illuminates the liquid crystal display device through the adaptation luminance. With this, based on the data of psychophysical experiments,
It is possible to specifically select the reflectance and the ratio of the area of the reflective display portion.

According to the studies made by the inventors of the present application, a concrete measure of perceived lightness can be restated as the lightness shown in Table 9.
This is because some combinations of adaptation luminance and sample luminance were actually reproduced, and it was concluded that such brightness representation is appropriate, and it is a measure of the setting of the reflective display unit by the perceived brightness. .

[0435]

[Table 9]

Here, since the typical reflectance (R) of the reflective liquid crystal display device is about 30% in the polarizing plate system, this value is used to display the semi-transmissive liquid crystal display according to the present invention. The operation of the device will be described.

A straight line 601 shown in FIG. 30 has a reflectance of 30.
% Shows the display operation of the liquid crystal display device. That is,
The illuminance of the illumination light source that illuminates the luminance surface to which the observer adapts is L
In the case of (unit: lux), the adaptation luminance of the surface of the Munsell color chip N5 is the reflectance (R) of the surface of the Munsell color chip N5.
= 20%) is applied to the luminance (L / π) of the perfect diffuse reflection surface illuminated by the same illumination, and thus becomes 0.2 × L / π. Similarly, the reflectivity illuminated by the same illumination is 3
The sample brightness of the display surface of the liquid crystal display device (target sample) of 0% is 0.3 × L / π. That is, illuminance (L)
Is changed variously, the horizontal axis 0.2L / π, the vertical axis 0.3L
A straight line obtained by plotting points satisfying the relationship of / π is a straight line 601. Further, similarly to the case where the liquid crystal display device having the reflectance of 30% is used as the target sample, the liquid crystal display device having the reflectance of 10% is used as the target sample, and the horizontal axis is 0.2 L / π and the vertical axis is 0. A straight line obtained by plotting points satisfying the relationship of 1 L / π is a straight line 60.
It is 2.

Next, the usable environment of the above liquid crystal display device having a reflectance of 30% will be considered below. At the illuminance of direct eye light (about 100,000 lux) in fine weather, which is the brightest lighting condition that people experience in daily life,
Adaptation brightness by the surface of Munsell color chart N5 is about 6000c
It becomes d / m ² . At this time, the perceived lightness of the display surface of the liquid crystal display device having a reflectance of 30% is as shown in FIG.
Straight line 605 and straight line 6 showing an adaptation brightness of 6000 cd / m ^2.
The perceived lightness at the intersection with 01 is about 30 bril, and as shown in Table 9, it is a value at which glare is felt.
Further, the perceived lightness under a darker illumination than this is a value lower than the above-mentioned perceived lightness, and the illuminance that can secure the perceived lightness of 10 bril is calculated by back-calculating the above-mentioned formula using the corresponding numerical value of the adaptation luminance. , About 450 lux. That is, if bright display of 10 bril or more and 30 bril or less is required, the minimum illuminance is 450 lux and the maximum illuminance is 100,000 lux, and the above liquid crystal display device is normally used outdoors during daytime and at an illuminance of 450 lux or more. It can be used in a room (for example, a room with illumination of 450 lux or more), but in a darker place, the illuminance is insufficient and it becomes difficult to perceive.

A straight line 603 (FIG. 30) shows the relationship between the adaptation luminance and the sample luminance when the reflectance is 50%. As can be seen from the straight line 603, when reflective display is realized with a reflectance of 50% or more, like ordinary white paper,
The perceived brightness is 30 brill under a high illuminance environment of 1800 lux or more (for example, a room near a bright window or under direct sunlight).
Will exceed. This indicates that white paper feels dazzling in such an environment. Therefore, it is unsuitable to use a display surface having a reflectance of 50% or more in a high illuminance environment from the viewpoint of visibility, and when performing a reflective display in such an environment, the display surface ( It can be seen that the reflectance of the (luminance surface) is preferably about 30%.

On the other hand, in the reflective display with the reflectance of 30% and the reflective display with the reflectance of 10%, which are shown by the straight lines 601, 602, the illuminances giving the perceived lightness of 10 bril are about 450 lux and 3000 lux, respectively. Is. That is,
When the reflectance becomes 1/3, it is necessary to provide 6.7 times brighter illumination. This means that when the intensity of illumination is increased because the reflectance of the liquid crystal display device has dropped, the human eye has to adapt to a bright reflector other than the liquid crystal display device and intensify the illumination to the reciprocal of the reflectance change ratio or more. Is generated.

Further, as can be seen from FIG. 30, the display on a display body having a constant luminance (for example, a general light emitting display device) has a problem that it feels very dark, especially when the surroundings are bright. is doing.

However, in the transflective liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, it is determined by the constant brightness determined by the background illumination light and the transmittance in the transmissive display section and the constant reflectance in the reflective display section. The sum of the brightness (sample brightness) is used for display. That is, in the semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, for example, display with the display brightness shown by the curve 604 shown in FIG. 30 is realized. As shown by the curve 604, in the semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, when the illuminance of the illumination is high, the visibility is ensured by the reflective display, and when the illuminance of the illumination is low, the background illumination is displayed. Visibility can be secured by transmissive display using an illumination device (backlight) as a means.

Further, FIG. 31 shows the result of obtaining the perceived lightness by changing the illuminance by using the display brightness of the transflective liquid crystal display device. For comparison, FIG. 31 also shows the relationship between the illuminance and the perceived lightness in the transmissive liquid crystal display device and the relationship between the illuminance and the perceived lightness in the reflective liquid crystal display device. Here, in the calculation of the perceptual lightness, the reflectance when the entire display area is reflective color display is 30%,
The transmittance is 7.5 when the entire display area is transparent color display.
%, The backlight brightness is 2000 cd / m ² , the illuminance on the surface to which the observer is accommodating is equal to the illuminance on the display surface of the liquid crystal display device, and the reflectance on the surface to be adapted is Munsell color chart N.
Assuming a lightness of 5, it was set to 20%.

In FIG. 31, the value of the perceived lightness when the illuminance is changed differs depending on the ratio (Sr) of the reflective display portions in the displayable area in the transflective liquid crystal display device. A curve 611 indicates the relationship between illuminance and perceived lightness in a normal transmissive liquid crystal display device in which Sr = 0, that is, only transmissive display is performed and reflective display is not performed. The brightness of the display surface of the transmissive liquid crystal display device is 150 cd / m ² , and the perceived brightness is 10 b when the illuminance is about 6000 lux or more.
It will be less than or equal to ril. Therefore, in order to secure the perceived lightness of 10 bril or more by changing a part of the transmissive display part to the reflective display part, as shown by a curve 612, Sr
= 0.1, that is, the area of 1/10 of the displayable area needs to be the reflective display portion.

The curve 613 is a curve showing the relationship between illuminance and perceived lightness in Sr = 1, that is, in a reflective liquid crystal display device which only performs reflective display. The reflectance of the display surface of the reflection type liquid crystal display device is 30% as compared with the perfect diffuse reflection surface.
When the illuminance is about 450 lux or less, the perceived lightness is 10 bril or less. Therefore, in order to secure a perceived lightness of 10 brill or more by changing a part of the reflective display part to a transmissive display part, as shown by a curve 614, Sr = 0.9, that is, 1 in the displayable area. It is necessary to provide a transmissive display portion having an area of / 10.

Further, according to FIG. 31, the Sr value is 0.1 to 0.1.
At 0.9, the perceived lightness is 10 brill or more, 30 b
It is found that a good display of less than ril can be performed, and when Sr is set to 0.30 (curve 615) or 0.50 (curve 616), the perceived lightness is 20 bril or more and less than 30 bril. It can be seen that a bright and good display can be performed.

Surface reflection occurs on the surface of the liquid crystal display device. The effect of display interference due to the surface reflection becomes more remarkable as the surrounding illuminance increases. FIG. 31 also shows the relationship between the perceived lightness due to this surface reflection and the illuminance (curve 617). The surface reflection is greatly affected by the surface treatment, but in the curve 617, the case where the surface reflection occurring at the interface between the medium having the refractive index of 1.5 and the air has the diffusivity similar to that of the perfect diffusing surface ( That is, the reflectance due to surface reflection is 4%.
In the case of), the relationship between the perceived lightness of the surface and the illuminance is shown.
Therefore, considering surface reflection, the area of the reflective display area is
It is preferable that 30% or more of the sum of the area of the reflective display portion and the area of the transmissive display portion (that is, Sr ≧ 0.3) is used for better display.

According to the above analysis, according to the present embodiment, when color display is performed in both the reflective display section and the transmissive display section, the reflection in the sum of the area of the reflective display section and the area of the transmissive display section is reflected. It can be seen that good display can be performed when the area ratio of the display portion is 30% or more and 90% or less.

Even when color display is not used for at least one of the reflective display and the transmissive display, the ratio of the area of each display portion for good display is analyzed by the same method as described above. However, in any case, good display is achieved when the ratio of the area of the reflective display area to the sum of the area of the reflective display area and the area of the transmissive display area is within the above range. can do. still,
Both the transmissive-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device and the reflective-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device described in the seventh embodiment are
The ratio of the area of the reflective display area to the sum of the area of the reflective display area and the area of the transmissive display area is set to the above preferable ratio.

[Embodiment 9] In this embodiment, an active matrix type liquid crystal display device using the liquid crystal display method described in the above Embodiments 1 and 2, more specifically, a TFT element is used. A liquid crystal display device that realizes color display using a substrate will be described with reference to specific examples, but the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is not limited to the following examples.

The steps of manufacturing the above-mentioned active matrix type liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment include a step of manufacturing a TFT element substrate, a step of manufacturing a color filter substrate, and the steps of using these TFT element substrate and color filter substrate. And a step of manufacturing a liquid crystal cell for injecting liquid crystal, and a step of injecting liquid crystal into the obtained liquid crystal cell for injecting liquid crystal to assemble a liquid crystal display device.

Therefore, first, a method of manufacturing an active matrix type liquid crystal display device according to each of the following examples in the present embodiment will be described in order from the manufacturing process of the TFT element substrate.

The TFT element substrate is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 5, the TFT element 21 is formed for each pixel on the transparent substrate 29 by the following steps.

The substrate 2 on which the TFT element 21 is formed
As 9, a glass substrate made of alkali-free glass or the like containing no alkali component was used. First, on the substrate 29, the wiring 23 as the gate wiring and the tantalum to be the auxiliary capacitance line 27 were formed by sputtering, and further patterned to form the wiring 23 and the auxiliary capacitance line 27. At this time, the wiring 23 and the auxiliary capacitance line 27 are patterned so that the steps of the respective wirings (the wiring 23 and the auxiliary capacitance line 27) are smooth, and the wiring 24, which will be described later, is formed on these wirings. Breakage is prevented by improving the coverage.

Further, the wiring 23 and the auxiliary capacitance line 2 are provided.
7, tantalum oxide (Ta ₂ O
₅ ) A layer was formed, and silicon nitride to be a gate insulating film was formed thereon. Furthermore, on top of that, the TFT element 21
A hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer as an intrinsic semiconductor layer (i layer) which will be the switching region of and a silicon nitride layer as an etching stopper layer in this order by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using monosilane gas and sputtering (nitriding). Silicon). Next, after patterning the uppermost silicon nitride layer as an etching stopper layer, the TFT element 21 is formed by CVD using monosilane gas mixed with phosphine gas.
An n ⁺ layer to be the source terminal 28 and the drain terminal 22 was formed. Next, the n ⁺ layer and the i layer were patterned, and the gate insulating film was further patterned.
At this time, the silicon nitride in the connection terminal portion of the wiring 23 (gate wiring) outside the display region was also removed.

Next, ITO which becomes the transparent pixel electrode 20 is
A film was formed by sputtering so as to be in contact with the source terminal 28 and the drain terminal 22, and tantalum to be the wiring 24 as the source wiring was further formed by sputtering. Wiring 2 by patterning this tantalum
4, and the ITO film formed thereunder was patterned to form the transparent pixel electrode 20. The transparent pixel electrode 20 is in contact with the source terminal 28 and the drain terminal 22 as described above, and also plays a role of forming ohmic contact between these terminals (source terminal 28 and drain terminal 22) and the wirings 23 and 24. .

Next, an organic insulating film 2 having a concave-convex structure on its surface is formed on the TFT element 21 as an insulating film for a reflective display portion.
5 is formed, and aluminum that will be the drive electrode 19 of the reflective display section 9 is formed by sputtering so as to come into contact with the transparent pixel electrode 20 in the contact hole that is an opening for transmissive display provided in the organic insulating film 25. By patterning the obtained aluminum film by dry etching, a drive electrode 19 as a reflective electrode having an uneven structure similar to the uneven structure on the surface of the organic insulating film 25 was formed.

In each of the above patterning steps, each constituent element is formed into a required shape based on the design by a photolithography technique. In these photolithography steps, a photosensitive resin film (resist) coating / drying step, a pattern exposure step, a developing step, a resist baking / curing step, a dry etching step, a wet etching step, and a resist peeling / removing step were used in combination.

The concavo-convex structure formed on the reflective display portion 9 was prepared by applying an insulating photopolymerizable resin material and using a pattern exposure step, a developing step and a curing step. That is, a dot-shaped pattern was formed in the developing step, and a smoothing layer was further formed on this dot pattern with the same material. The organic insulating layer 25
Are not formed on the transmissive display portion 10.

On the TFT element substrate manufactured through the above steps, the TFT element 21 is arranged in each pixel, and each pixel is composed of the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10. Two types of TFT element substrates, that is, the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 23A and the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 28, are prepared, and the ratio of the transmissive display portion 10 and the reflective display portion 9 is the above. In Embodiment 7, the ratio is as described in the description of each liquid crystal display device.

Next, the manufacturing process of the color filter substrate will be described. The manufacturing process of the color filter substrate includes a process of forming a colored layer of R, G, and B (color filter) on the substrate, a process of forming a planarizing layer on the color filter,
On the flattening layer, a counter electrode facing the transparent pixel electrode 20 on the TFT element substrate side driven by the TFT element 21 is formed.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 26 (b) or FIG. 29 (b), the color filter substrate has a glass substrate 62 on which red (R), green (G), and blue (B) ) 3 color filters 61R, 61G, 61B
Are formed in a stripe shape, a smoothing layer 501 is formed on the surface of the glass substrate 62 on which the color filters 61R, 61G, 61B are formed so as to cover the color filters 61R, 61G, 61B, and the counter electrode is formed thereon. 502
It was produced by forming.

In the formation of the above color filter substrate,
The color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B were formed by patterning a resin material in which a pigment was dispersed in a photosensitive resin by a photolithography method. As a method for manufacturing the color filters 61R, 61G, 61B, a method other than the method using the dispersion of the pigments described above, for example, an electrodeposition method, a film transfer method, a dyeing method, or the like can be adopted.
It is not particularly limited.

The flattening layer 501 is formed by applying an acrylate resin having a high light transmittance on the surface of the glass substrate 62 on which the color filters 61R, 61G and 61B are formed and curing it by heat. Further, the counter electrode 502 formed on the flattening layer 501 is a counter electrode facing the pixel electrode 18 driven by the TFT element 21, and ITO as a transparent electrode is deposited by sputtering through a mask to obtain a required flat surface. It was formed into a shape.

In the present embodiment, two types of color filter substrates are prepared: a color filter substrate whose saturation is set high for transmissive display and a color filter substrate whose brightness is set high for reflective display. did. Then, the color filter substrate whose saturation is set high is shown in FIG.
The color filter substrate having the pattern shown in FIG. 26B and having the high brightness set was produced in the pattern shown in FIGS. 29A and 29B.

Next, the TFT manufactured as described above
In order to manufacture a liquid crystal display device using an element substrate and a color filter substrate, a process of arranging the TFT element substrate and the color filter substrate to face each other and manufacturing a liquid crystal cell for injecting liquid crystal will be described.

In this step, first, the surfaces of the TFT element substrate and the color filter substrate which face each other (the TFT element 21 forming surface of the TFT element substrate and the color filters 61R and 61R of the color filter substrate, respectively).
A soluble polyimide solution was placed in the liquid crystal display region on the G / 61B formation surface) by an offset printing method, and an alignment film was formed through drying and baking steps. Further, the alignment film was subjected to an alignment treatment for determining the liquid crystal alignment direction by a rubbing method. Whether the alignment film has parallel alignment or vertical alignment depends on each example described later.

Subsequently, one of the thus treated TFT element substrate and color filter substrate is sprinkled with spherical spacers having a uniform particle size, and the other is filled with a liquid crystal layer and at the same time the above-mentioned TFT element substrate and color filter substrate. An encapsulating sealant for fixing the above was printed, and a conductive paste for conducting the counter electrode 502 was arranged from the TFT element substrate side to the color filter substrate side.

TF in the TFT element substrate
The T element 21 forming surface and the color filter 61R / 61G / 61B forming surface of the color filter substrate are arranged so as to face each other, and both substrates (TFT element substrate and color filter substrate) are aligned with each other, and a sealing agent and a conductive material are applied under pressure. The paste was cured.

Through the above steps, a mother glass substrate 21 having a plurality of liquid crystal injecting liquid crystal cells arranged therein was produced, and the mother glass substrate was further divided to produce a liquid crystal injecting cell.

Then, the liquid crystal composition was introduced into the above-mentioned liquid crystal cell not injected with liquid crystal by a vacuum injection method, and a photopolymerizable resin was applied to the liquid crystal introduction port so that the introduced liquid crystal layer would not come into contact with the outside air. By curing with ultraviolet light,
A liquid crystal cell was produced.

Next, in order to prevent electrostatic breakdown of the TFT element 21, the short ring portion arranged at the end of the TFT element substrate is removed so as to short-circuit each wiring terminal, and TF is removed.
An external circuit for driving the T element 21 was connected. Further, a backlight, which is a light source for transmissive display, is arranged to manufacture an active matrix type liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment.

[Embodiment 14] An active matrix liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment uses a GH system.
The liquid crystal display device is a transmissive semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device and uses the GH method in Example 1 of the first embodiment for display.

The liquid crystal composition used in this example is prepared in accordance with Example 1 of the first embodiment. That is, in this example, the liquid crystal composition using the dichroic dye (dichroic dye 12) described in Example 1 was used. In addition, in this example, a vertical alignment film having vertical alignment properties was used as the alignment film, and alignment treatment by rubbing was performed so that uniform vertical alignment was obtained. In this example, since the GH method using the dichroic dye in the liquid crystal composition is adopted,
A retardation compensating plate and a polarizing plate are not attached to the liquid crystal cell.

Further, in this embodiment, since the transmissive display is mainly used, the color filters 61R, 61G and 61B are designed to have high saturation like the conventional transmissive display type color filter, and the color filter substrate is It was arranged as shown in FIGS. 26 (a) and 26 (b). As the TFT element substrate to be combined with this color filter substrate, as shown in FIG. 23A, a TFT element substrate having a large transmissive display opening portion 19a and a wide transmissive display portion 10 was used.

In the liquid crystal display device according to this example, as shown in FIGS. 26 (a) and 26 (b), the drive electrode 19 in the reflective display section 9 is partially (in the drive electrode 19, Color filter 61R / 61G / 61
In the stretching direction of B, the color filters 61R / 61G /
(A portion facing 61B) is covered with the same color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B as the transmissive display opening 19a forming region which becomes the transmissive display portion 10, and there is no color filter and white light is transmitted. It also has parts.

A display signal was input to the liquid crystal display device manufactured as described above, and visual observation was performed. As a result, in this embodiment, it was necessary to constantly turn on the backlight. However, when the backlight was turned on, both the brightness and the contrast ratio were good, and sufficient display was always possible. In addition, the displayed contents were visible even under direct sunlight, and washout did not occur.

That is, in this embodiment, in an environment where the ambient light is weak, a liquid crystal display device having a high brightness is realized by a backlight as in the conventional transmissive liquid crystal display device, while a reflective display is provided when the ambient light is strong. Since the part 9 changes the brightness in proportion to the ambient light, it is possible to confirm the display content, and the washout that occurs in the conventional light emitting display device or the transmissive liquid crystal display device does not occur, and the high resolution color without parallax is provided. A liquid crystal display device can be realized. Further, in this embodiment,
A very good reflective display without parallax (double image) was realized.

[Embodiment 15] An active matrix type liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment uses a GH system.
The liquid crystal display device is a transflective liquid crystal display device, and uses the GH method in Example 1 of the first embodiment for display.

In this example as well, as in Example 14 above, the liquid crystal composition was prepared in accordance with Example 1 of the first embodiment. That is, also in this example, the liquid crystal composition using the dichroic dye (dichroic dye 12) described in Example 1 was used. In addition, in this example, a vertical alignment film having vertical alignment properties was used as the alignment film, and alignment treatment by rubbing was performed so that uniform vertical alignment was obtained. In this example, since the GH method using the dichroic dye in the liquid crystal composition was adopted, the retardation compensating plate and the polarizing plate were not attached to the liquid crystal cell.

Further, in this embodiment, since the reflective display is mainly used, the color filters 61R, 61G and 61B are manufactured so as to have higher brightness than the color filters used in the conventional transmission type liquid crystal display device. The color filter substrate was arranged as shown in FIGS. 29 (a) and 29 (b). TFT combined with this color filter substrate
The element substrate is, as shown in FIG.
TFT in which 9a is set small and the reflective display section 9 is set large
An element substrate was used.

A display signal was input to the liquid crystal display device manufactured as described above, and visual observation was performed. As a result, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment does not require the backlight to be turned on under daytime illumination / external light environment,
Reflective display was possible. In this embodiment, very good reflective display without parallax (double image) was realized. Also,
When the ambient light was so dark that the reflected light could not be observed, the display contents could be visually confirmed by turning on the backlight.

That is, in this embodiment, as described above,
Color filters 61R ・ 61G ・ 6 according to reflective display
Since 1B and the color filter substrate are used, color display can be performed only by reflected light. For this reason, it is possible to turn off the backlight for ordinary indoor lighting or outdoors during the daytime and use the display only by reflection display. Also,
By turning on the backlight as necessary, the visibility can be secured even when the illumination is dark.

In the liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment,
Unlike the conventional transmissive liquid crystal display device, it is not necessary to keep the backlight on all the time, so that power consumption can be reduced, and the reflective display unit 9 does not cause a washout. Accordingly, transmissive display using a backlight can be performed.

[Embodiment 16] An active matrix liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment is a transmissive-main-semitransmissive liquid crystal display device which uses the polarization conversion function of a liquid crystal layer for display. 2 is a liquid crystal display device using the polarizing plate method in Example 5 of 2 for display.

The liquid crystal composition used in this example is prepared in accordance with Example 5 of the second embodiment. Also,
In this embodiment, a liquid crystal cell (TFT liquid crystal panel) in which liquid crystal is injected is provided with a phase difference compensating plate (phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17).
And the polarizing plates (polarizing plates 14 and 15) were attached. Furthermore, in the present example, the alignment treatment was performed on the parallel alignment film by the rubbing method so that the rubbing cross angle was 250 degrees.

Further, in this embodiment, as in the case of the fourteenth embodiment, since the transmissive display is mainly used, the color filter 61R is used.
The 61G and 61B are designed to have a transmission color similar to that of the conventional transmissive display type color filter, and the color filter substrates are arranged as shown in FIGS. 26 (a) and 26 (b). As shown in FIG. 23A, the TFT element substrate to be combined with this color filter substrate has a large transmissive display opening 19a and a wide transmissive display portion 10 T.
An FT element substrate was used.

In the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 26 (a) and 26 (b), the drive electrode 19 of the reflective display portion 9 is partially (drive electrode 19).
In the extending direction of the color filters 61R, 61G, 61B,
(A portion facing the same) is similar to the color filter 61 in the transmissive display opening 19a forming region which becomes the transmissive display portion 10.
It is covered with R, 61G, and 61B, has no color filter, and has a display portion that reflects white light.

A display signal was input to the liquid crystal display device thus manufactured, and visual observation was performed. As a result, in this embodiment, it was necessary to constantly turn on the backlight. However, when the backlight was turned on, both the brightness and the contrast ratio were good, and sufficient display was always possible. In addition, the displayed contents were visible even under direct sunlight, and washout did not occur.

That is, in this embodiment, in an environment where the ambient light is weak, a liquid crystal display device having a high brightness is realized by a backlight as in the conventional transmissive liquid crystal display device, while a reflective display is provided when the ambient light is strong. Since the unit 9 changes the brightness in proportion to the ambient light, it is possible to confirm the display content, and it can be seen that the washout that occurs in the conventional light emitting display device or the transmissive liquid crystal display device does not occur. Further, in this embodiment,
A very good reflective display without parallax (double image) was realized.

[Embodiment 17] An active matrix liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is a reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device using the polarization conversion function of a liquid crystal layer for display. 2 is a liquid crystal display device using the polarizing plate method in Example 5 of 2 for display.

Also in this example, as in Example 16 above, the liquid crystal composition was prepared in accordance with Example 5 of the second embodiment. Also in this embodiment, a liquid crystal cell (TFT liquid crystal panel) in which liquid crystal is injected is provided with a phase difference compensating plate (phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17; see Example 5) and polarizing plates (polarizing plates 14 and 15). I attached it. In the present example, the alignment treatment was performed on the parallel alignment film by the rubbing method so that the rubbing cross angle was 250 degrees.

Further, in this embodiment, as in the case of the above-mentioned fifteenth embodiment, since the reflective display is mainly used, the color filter 61R is
61G and 61B are manufactured so as to have higher brightness than the color filter used in the conventional transmissive liquid crystal display device, and the color filter substrate has a color filter substrate shown in FIGS.
It was arranged as shown in 9 (b). As the TFT element substrate combined with this color filter substrate, as shown in FIG. 28, a TFT element substrate having a small transmissive display opening portion 19a and a large reflective display portion 9 was used.

A display signal was input to the liquid crystal display device manufactured as described above, and visual observation was performed. As a result, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment does not require the backlight to be turned on under daytime illumination / external light environment,
Reflective display was possible. In this embodiment, very good reflective display without parallax (double image) was realized. Also,
When the ambient light was so dark that the reflected light could not be observed, the display contents could be visually confirmed by turning on the backlight.

That is, in this embodiment, as described above,
Color filters 61R ・ 61G ・ 6 according to reflective display
Since 1B and the color filter substrate are used, color display can be performed only by reflected light. For this reason, it is possible to turn off the backlight for ordinary indoor lighting or outdoors during the daytime and use the display only by reflection display. Also,
By turning on the backlight as necessary, the visibility can be secured even when the illumination is dark.

In the liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment,
Unlike the conventional transmissive liquid crystal display device, it is not necessary to keep the backlight on all the time, so that power consumption can be reduced, and the reflective display unit 9 does not cause a washout. Accordingly, transmissive display using a backlight can be performed.

As described above, according to Examples 14 to 17, according to the present embodiment, a high resolution active matrix liquid crystal display which realizes the liquid crystal display method shown in the first and second embodiments. It has been shown that a device can be realized.

[0498] In Examples 14 to 17, the organic insulating film 25 was formed on the active matrix substrate (TFT element substrate).
Although a liquid crystal display device in which the reflective display section 9 and the transmissive display section 10 have different liquid crystal layer thicknesses by using (corresponding to the insulating film 11), other liquid crystal display principles according to the present invention may also be used.
It goes without saying that the same effect can be expected.

[Embodiment 10] In this embodiment, a change in the brightness of the backlight used in the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention will be described below.

There are three main purposes for changing the brightness of the backlight. The first purpose is to ensure visibility. As described in the eighth embodiment, the perceived lightness of a person is defined by the adaptation brightness and the brightness of the display surface. Therefore, in order to realize a display with good visibility, it is effective to change the brightness of the backlight according to the adaptation brightness in accordance with the perceived brightness of human eyes, and as shown in the eighth embodiment. In addition, it is desirable to change the brightness of the display surface by controlling the brightness of the backlight according to the adaptation brightness so that the perceived brightness is 10 bril or more and less than 30 bril. That is, the backlight also serves as a display surface brightness changing unit. Thereby, the visibility can be improved in the situation where the transmissive display mainly contributes to the display. Here, since the value of the perceptual lightness defined in the eighth embodiment is assumed to be the brightness of the display surface that is proportional to the adaptation brightness to which a person adapts, the brightness of the backlight is approximately in accordance with the perceptual brightness. By changing the, it is possible to obtain a good display.

The second purpose is to reduce power consumption. Even if the backlight is turned on or off, the visibility may not be significantly affected. For example, when the liquid crystal display device is a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device, the illuminance of illumination light that illuminates the liquid crystal display device from the surroundings is sufficiently high, and the brightness of the display surface is mainly maintained by the reflective display unit. Is.
In such a case, even if the brightness in the transmissive display is high, it may not affect the brightness of the display surface. In such a case, it is desirable to turn off the backlight in order to reduce power consumption.

A third object is to perform color display on only one of the reflective display and the transmissive display,
By intentionally creating a use state in which color display and monochrome display can be switched by turning on a backlight, one liquid crystal display device has a plurality of functions.

For example, when color display is performed without arranging a color filter in the reflective display portion and color display is performed by arranging a color filter only in the transmissive display portion, the resolution of the reflective display is determined by using the color filter. Since it is possible to make it higher than the transmissive display unit that displays one black and white unit with a plurality of pixels, reflective display performs high resolution black and white
The transmissive display is not high in resolution but can be displayed in color. On the contrary, it is possible to use the color filter only in the reflective display. in this case,
A single liquid crystal display device can have functions for different purposes. Therefore, by switching the color display and the black and white display by turning on the backlight and changing the emission color, the display content can be largely changed depending on the lighting state.

As described above, the brightness of the backlight is
It can be controlled by an appropriate signal each time according to the purpose of use and the situation of use. When changing the luminance of the backlight according to the adaptation luminance described above, the luminance of the backlight is, for the purpose of improving the visibility, for example, the illuminance of illumination incident on the display surface, the type of display of the liquid crystal display device, and the like. It can be controlled according to the visual environment.

When the brightness of the backlight is controlled by the illuminance, the backlight is turned off when the illuminance is high, and the backlight is turned on weakly to avoid glare when the illuminance is low, and the illuminance is in the middle. In such a case, it is desirable to control the lighting state of the backlight such that the backlight is strongly lit.

In this case, depending on the user's condition or the like, whether or not the backlight is turned on and the brightness are controlled by signals from various external devices connected to the liquid crystal cell or the liquid crystal display, timer control, and the like. If done, unnecessary power consumption can be reduced.

Further, in controlling the brightness of the backlight, for example, when the user performs some operation on the device equipped with the liquid crystal display device or only after a certain period of time, the backlight is turned on. Thus, it is possible to reduce the power consumption of the entire device and provide a good display to the user at the same time. The brightness of the backlight may be controlled by various signals other than the illuminance of the illumination incident on the display surface as described above.

[0508] In addition, whether or not the backlight is lit, the brightness, or the reflective display section or the transmissive display section is controlled by a signal input by the user to a touch panel (pressed coordinate detection type input means) which is arranged so as to overlap the display surface of the liquid crystal cell. In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, it is also very effective to control the liquid crystal alignment in the above, or to control the brightness of the backlight by interlocking with other signals that call the user's attention. In this way, by controlling the brightness of the display surface from outside the liquid crystal cell, it is possible to obtain a liquid crystal display device that is compatible with both visibility and low power consumption.

[Embodiment 11] In the present embodiment, when a touch panel (pressed coordinate detection type input means) is used as information input means in a portable device, which is a main field of application of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention, A specific configuration of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention will be described. For the sake of convenience of explanation, the constituent elements having the same functions as those in the first to tenth embodiments will be designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device integrated with an input device is manufactured by stacking a touch panel on the liquid crystal display device of Example 17 in the ninth embodiment. FIG. 32 shows the configuration of the liquid crystal display device integrated with the input device according to the present embodiment. In addition, in the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment, the basic configuration other than the touch panel 71, that is, the configuration of the liquid crystal cell and the backlight 13 is the same as in Example 17 of the ninth embodiment and that of the second embodiment. Since it is similar to the fifth embodiment, it is omitted here.

The touch panel 71 has a transparent electrode layer 72.
And a supporting substrate 75 on which a transparent electrode layer 74 is provided. These movable substrates 73
And the supporting substrate 75 are the transparent electrode layer 72 and the transparent electrode layer 74.
And are opposed to each other, and are arranged so as to have a predetermined gap by a spacer (not shown) so that the respective transparent electrode layers do not contact each other in the energized state. As a result, the transparent electrode layer 72 provided on the movable substrate 73 and the transparent electrode layer 74 provided on the support substrate 75 do not contact each other in the normal state, but the movable substrate 7
By pointing (pressing) 3 with your finger or pen,
They come into contact with each other at designated points. Therefore, the touch panel 71 has the movable substrate 73.
It functions as an input device by detecting the contact position (coordinate position) between the transparent electrode layer 72 and the transparent electrode layer 74 due to the pressing force applied to.

The touch panel 71 is the movable substrate 7
By laminating the phase difference compensating plate 16 and the polarizing plate 14 on the plate 3, the phase difference compensating plate 16 and the substrate 4 of the liquid crystal cell
The phase difference compensating plate 16 and the polarizing plate 14 are integrally arranged. In the present embodiment, in order to obtain the effect of the polarizing plate in Example 17 with the polarizing plate 14 attached on the touch panel 71, the movable substrate 73 and the supporting substrate 75 constituting the touch panel 71 are birefringent. It is made of a non-existent material.

Further, in the present embodiment, the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device is supported by the touch panel 71 so that the liquid crystal display device has a pressing force transmission preventing effect between the touch panel 71 and the substrate 4 of the liquid crystal cell. A gap is provided between the substrate 75 and the substrate 4 of the liquid crystal cell, and the gap is kept constant so that the pressing force on the touch panel 71 is not transmitted to the liquid crystal cell without using a pressing force buffer member.

In the liquid crystal display device integrated with the input device thus configured, the brightness of the backlight 13 is changed by the signal of the touch panel 71, so that the backlight 13 can be displayed when the user is not observing the display. Can be turned off, and the backlight 13 can be turned on as information is input to the touch panel 71. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to realize a liquid crystal display device that achieves both good display and reduced power consumption. Further, according to the present embodiment, the polarizing plate 14 and the touch panel 7 are provided.
By arranging 1 and the liquid crystal cell in the above-mentioned order, the absorption by the polarizing plate 14 can also absorb the unnecessary reflected light by the touch panel 71 and reduce the unnecessary reflected light, thereby improving the visibility. You can

As described above, the inventors of the present application have found that the cause of the problems of the conventional liquid crystal display device is the alignment of the liquid crystal layer at the same time in the transmissive display portion in both the GH system and the polarizing plate system. It was found that this was because the same was set in the reflective display section.

Here, the orientation of the liquid crystal layer means not only the average orientation of the liquid crystal molecules at a certain point in the liquid crystal layer but also the orientation of the average orientation with respect to the coordinates taken in the normal direction of the layered liquid crystal layer. It also indicates the coordinate dependence.

That is, the first liquid crystal display device has a liquid crystal display element having a pair of substrates having alignment means (for example, an alignment film) on the opposite surfaces, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates. A liquid crystal display device comprising: an alignment mechanism for simultaneously causing at least two different alignment states in arbitrary and different regions used for display in the liquid crystal layer (for example, used in display in the liquid crystal layer). At least two types of electrodes, each of which is applied to an arbitrary voltage applied to different and different regions or generates different electric fields, applied voltage, or an arbitrary and different region used for display in the liquid crystal layer. Of different orientations, or formed to have at least two different thicknesses in the area used for display in the liquid crystal layer. An insulating film or substrate, a specific liquid crystal material, a liquid crystal layer structure formed so as to be independently driven, a polarizing plate, a retardation compensating plate, or a combination thereof), and the above liquid crystal layer In at least one of the regions showing different alignment states, a reflection means (for example, a reflection film or a reflection electrode) is arranged, and the region showing the different alignment state performs a reflective display part for performing reflective display and a transmissive display. It has a configuration used for a transmissive display section.

According to the above arrangement, since the liquid crystal alignments have different alignment states at the same time, for example, when a dye such as a dichroic dye is used for display, the light absorption amount (absorptivity), the optical anisotropy, etc. When the property is used, the magnitude of the modulation amount of each optical physical quantity such as the phase difference can be changed for each region having a different liquid crystal orientation. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to obtain the transmittance or reflectance based on the magnitude of the modulation amount of the optical physical quantity according to the alignment state of the liquid crystal layer,
This allows the transmissive display unit and the reflective display unit to set optical parameters independently. Therefore, according to the above configuration, there is no parallax, it is possible to realize a high contrast ratio, it is possible to improve the visibility when the surroundings are dark, and good visibility even when the ambient light is strong. Can be obtained. Therefore, according to the above configuration, the visibility is excellent, and high resolution display is possible,
It is possible to provide a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device that can utilize both reflected light and transmitted light for display.

Further, the second liquid crystal display device has a structure in which, in the first liquid crystal display device, the alignment mechanism is display content rewriting means for rewriting the display content with the passage of time.

According to the above construction, the display content rewriting means and the alignment mechanism can be realized by the same means, and the first liquid crystal display device can be obtained without adding a new construction. it can. In this case, as the display content rewriting means used for taking a plurality of different liquid crystal orientations, the electric liquid crystal orientation control means currently widely used for rewriting the display content with the passage of time is used. That is, it goes without saying that various means such as electrodes, which are used for voltage application, are also possible. in this case,
For example, by using different electrodes for the transmissive display part and the reflective display part, or changing the voltage itself between the transmissive display part and the reflective display part, a plurality of liquid crystal layers having different alignment states can be prepared. Areas can be provided.

Further, when the degree of modulation of each optical physical quantity such as the amount of light absorption or the phase difference due to optical anisotropy is changed independently in the reflective display section and the transmissive display section, the liquid crystal is applied by applying a voltage. Even when the alignment direction is almost the same in the entire region used for displaying the liquid crystal layer, in the region where the liquid crystal layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer is different, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer is substantially changed in the region. It has the same effect as. In particular, in a GH system that uses a dye such as a dichroic dye and utilizes absorption of light, or a polarizing plate system that utilizes birefringence or optical rotation,
Each phenomenon of light absorption and birefringence that occurs in the liquid crystal layer,
It is a phenomenon that accompanies the propagation of light, and each phenomenon has a relationship between the propagation distance of light in the liquid crystal layer and the degree of those phenomena. Furthermore, since the display light passes twice through the liquid crystal layer in the reflective display section and twice in the transmissive display section, the display light passes through the liquid crystal layer only once. However, when the reflective display section and the transmissive display section are set in the same manner, sufficient brightness and contrast ratio cannot be obtained, and the above problems cannot be solved.

Therefore, the third liquid crystal display device has a liquid crystal display element having a pair of substrates each having an aligning means (for example, an alignment film) on the opposite surfaces, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates. A liquid crystal display device comprising: a liquid crystal layer, wherein a region used for display in the liquid crystal layer is a region having at least two different liquid crystal layer thicknesses, and each region having a different liquid crystal layer thickness is a reflective display. And a transmissive display unit, at least the reflective display unit is provided with a reflecting means (for example, a reflective film or a reflective electrode), and the liquid crystal layer thickness of the reflective display unit is smaller than that of the transmissive display unit. Have

According to the above arrangement, it is possible to obtain the transmittance or reflectance based on the magnitude of the modulation amount of the optical physical quantity in the regions where the liquid crystal layer thickness is different, whereby the transmissive display section and the reflective display section can be obtained. With, it becomes possible to set the optical parameters independently. Therefore, according to the above configuration, there is no parallax, it is possible to realize a high contrast ratio, it is possible to improve the visibility when the surroundings are dark, and good visibility even when the ambient light is strong. Can be obtained. Therefore, according to the above configuration, excellent visibility,
Further, it is possible to provide a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device capable of high resolution display and capable of utilizing both reflected light and transmitted light for display.

A fourth liquid crystal display device is the liquid crystal display device according to any one of the first to third liquid crystal display devices, wherein the liquid crystal layer is in contact with a region of at least one of the pair of substrates. The region on the contact surface is provided with alignment means so as to give at least two different alignment directions to the alignment of the interface of the liquid crystal layer in contact therewith.

[0525] As described above, as means for causing the liquid crystal orientations to have different alignment states at the same time, for example, in addition to the display content rewriting means, for example, at least two kinds of interface are provided on the interface on the substrate in contact with the liquid crystal layer. An alignment film or the like that has been subjected to an alignment treatment so as to give different alignment directions to the alignment of the interface of the liquid crystal layer in contact therewith can be used. Thus, in the region on the contact surface of the surface of the substrate, which contacts the region used for displaying the liquid crystal layer, at least two different alignment directions are applied to the alignment of the interface of the liquid crystal layer in contact therewith. When the voltage is applied, the liquid crystal layer exhibits at least two different alignment states at the same time in arbitrary and different regions used for display in the liquid crystal layer, and the alignment in the liquid crystal layer is Reflective display and transmissive display can be performed in regions having different states.

In this case, by changing the elevation angle of the liquid crystal alignment with respect to the substrate and the azimuth angle thereof, it is possible to change both the alignment of the liquid crystal that determines the optical characteristics and the alignment change when a voltage is applied. It is possible to perform a display suitable for each display by the reflective display unit and the transmissive display unit.

According to the above-mentioned means and orientation mechanism, good display can be realized in both the reflective display section and the transmissive display section, but whether color display (color display) or monochrome display is performed, or The ratio of the reflective display section and the transmissive display section depends on the desired display such as whether the reflective display is the main display or the transmissive display is the main display. Exists.

That is, the fifth liquid crystal display device is the liquid crystal display device according to any one of the first to fourth liquid crystal display devices, wherein the ratio of the area of the reflective display portion to the total area of the reflective display portion and the transmissive display portion is occupied. , 30% or more and 90% or less.

With the above arrangement, when color display is performed on both the reflective display section and the transmissive display section, good display can be performed on both the reflective display section and the transmissive display section.

From the viewpoint of visibility, it is desirable that the display contents are not inverted between the reflective display portion and the transmissive display portion. This is because if the display contents of the reflective display unit and the transmissive display unit are reversed in a situation where the lighting environment changes or changes in the lighting environment are difficult to predict, the contrast ratio of the display becomes large due to the intensity of ambient light. This is because such a change in contrast ratio causes a phenomenon similar to that of washout from the viewpoint of visibility, resulting in a significant deterioration in visibility.

Therefore, when the transmissive display section is brightly displayed, the reflective display section simultaneously displays the bright display, and when the transmissive display section is darkly displayed, the reflective display section simultaneously displays the dark display. It is very important for securing.

Therefore, the sixth liquid crystal display device is
In any one of the fifth liquid crystal display devices, the reflective display section simultaneously performs bright display when the transmissive display section performs bright display, and the reflective display section simultaneously performs dark display when the transmissive display section performs dark display. have.

According to the above structure, the sixth liquid crystal display device includes the structure of the first or third liquid crystal display device, so that when the transmissive display unit is in bright display, the reflective display unit is simultaneously displayed. It is possible for the display to be bright and for the reflective display to be dark at the same time when the transmissive display is dark.
In particular, according to the liquid crystal display device, even when the display contents are inverted between the reflective display unit and the transmissive display unit as they are, for example, the display content rewriting means is used for the alignment mechanism and the reflective display unit is used. By separately controlling the rewriting of the display contents with the transparent display unit, it is possible to easily arrange the displays. Therefore, according to the above configuration, good visibility can be ensured.

The seventh liquid crystal display device is the same as the first to sixth liquid crystal display devices.
In any one of the liquid crystal display devices described above, the liquid crystal layer has a configuration including a liquid crystal composition obtained by mixing a liquid crystal with a dye having dichroism.

According to the above arrangement, since the liquid crystal layer is made of a liquid crystal composition in which a dye having a dichroic property is mixed in the liquid crystal, the amount of light absorbed in the reflective display portion and the transmissive display portion is large. Can be optimized.

Further, as a display system for performing good display in both the reflective display unit and the transmissive display unit, it is effective to use a system in which birefringence or optical rotation phenomenon is used for display by using a polarizing plate. .

Therefore, the eighth liquid crystal display device is
The seventh liquid crystal display device has a configuration in which a polarizing plate is arranged on the surface of at least one of the pair of substrates that is not in contact with the liquid crystal layer.

According to the above arrangement, birefringence can be optimized in the reflective display section and the transmissive display section, and good display can be performed. At this time, in order to secure a sufficient display in the transmissive display section in the third liquid crystal display device by using a polarizing plate system in the reflective display section, not only the display surface side but also the light incident side of the transmissive display section is provided. Also needs to have a polarizing plate.

In the eighth liquid crystal display device,
The amount of change in the phase difference of light caused by the orientation change due to the voltage of the liquid crystal layer is set so that it is suitable for the light traveling back and forth through the liquid crystal layer in the reflective display section, and is suitable for the light passing through the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display section. It is desirable to set to when switching the display.

Therefore, the ninth liquid crystal display device is different from the eighth liquid crystal display device in that it is provided with voltage applying means (for example, an electrode) for applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer.
The phase difference of the display light on the reflecting means of the reflective display section when a voltage is applied is approximately 90 between when the bright display is performed and when the dark display is performed.
The voltage is applied so that the display light emitted from the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display section has a phase difference of about 180 degrees between the bright display and the dark display. is doing.

In this case, the liquid crystal alignment in the liquid crystal layer is specifically as shown in the tenth liquid crystal display device.
Between the pair of substrates, the liquid crystal layer is 60 degrees or more, 10
Twist orientation is performed at a twist angle of 0 degrees or less, or, as shown in the eleventh liquid crystal display device, the liquid crystal layer is twisted between the pair of substrates at a twist angle of 0 degrees or more and 40 degrees or less. It is preferably oriented.

The liquid crystal layer is formed between the pair of substrates by 60.
By configuring the liquid crystal display device so that the twist alignment is performed at a twist angle of not less than 100 degrees and not more than 100 degrees, the liquid crystal layer of the transmissive display section displays a polarization change close to optical rotation according to the twist of the liquid crystal orientation. In the reflective display section, the change in polarization due to the control of optical rotation and retardation can be used for display.

Further, by configuring the liquid crystal display device so that the liquid crystal layer is twist-aligned between the pair of substrates at a twist angle of 0 degree or more and 40 degrees or less, the liquid crystal layer of the transmissive display section is formed. Also, in the liquid crystal layer of the reflective display portion, the change in retardation can be used for display.

Therefore, the tenth liquid crystal display device has a structure in which the liquid crystal layer is twist-aligned between the pair of substrates at a twist angle of 60 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less.

In the eleventh liquid crystal display device, the liquid crystal layer is
It has a configuration in which a twist orientation is formed between the pair of substrates at a twist angle of 0 ° or more and 40 ° or less.

According to the ninth to eleventh liquid crystal display devices, the reflection display section and the transmissive display section can obtain the amount of change in the phase difference suitable for the reflective display or the transmissive display, respectively.
It is possible to switch between bright display and dark display.

In the liquid crystal display device of any one of the first to sixth, eighth, and ninth, the alignment change of the liquid crystal is
Sufficient display is possible by only changing the orientation in the plane parallel to the substrate.

That is, the twelfth liquid crystal display device is the liquid crystal display device according to any one of the first to sixth, eighth or ninth liquid crystal display devices,
The liquid crystal display device has a configuration in which at least one of the reflective display unit and the transmissive display unit performs a display by changing the alignment state of the liquid crystal layer by rotating liquid crystal molecules in parallel with the substrate. There is.

Further, according to the following structure, the insufficient liquid crystal alignment which causes the low light transmittance, which is a problem of the conventional in-plane switching system, is positively utilized for display as a reflective display. The low light utilization efficiency of the in-plane switching system can be overcome.

That is, the thirteenth liquid crystal display device is the same as the twelfth liquid crystal display device, wherein the liquid crystal display element includes voltage applying means for generating an electric field in the liquid crystal layer in the in-plane direction of the substrate. And a configuration provided for either one of the transparent display unit and the transparent display unit.

The orientation of the liquid crystal layer may be parallel orientation, which is often used for display in the past, or may be vertical orientation in which the liquid crystal is oriented perpendicular to the substrate.

The fourteenth liquid crystal display device is the same as the liquid crystal display device according to any one of the first to ninth liquid crystal display devices,
At least one of the substrates has a configuration in which an alignment film having a vertical alignment property is provided in a region corresponding to at least one of the reflective display unit and the transmissive display unit on the contact surface with the liquid crystal layer.

As described above, in the case where the substrate is provided with the alignment film having the vertical alignment property and the liquid crystal is in the vertical alignment in which it is aligned vertically with respect to the substrate, there is an advantage that the display contrast ratio becomes good. In addition, in the first to ninth liquid crystal display devices, the liquid crystal display device works effectively for good display.

The fifteenth liquid crystal display device according to any one of the first to fourteenth liquid crystal display devices, wherein at least one of the pair of substrates is one of the reflective display part and the transmissive display part. At least an area corresponding to the reflective display section is provided with an insulating film, and the insulating film is formed so that the area corresponding to the reflective display section is thicker than the area corresponding to the transmissive display section. It has the structure.

That is, the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device has an insulating film on at least one substantially smooth substrate sandwiching the liquid crystal layer, and the insulating film is provided in the reflective display portion in the region corresponding to the transmissive display portion. The film is formed to be thinner than the corresponding region, or the insulating layer is formed only in the region corresponding to the reflective display section and the insulating film is formed in the region corresponding to the transmissive display section. Not not.

According to the above structure, the liquid crystal display region in the liquid crystal layer has at least two different liquid crystal layer thicknesses (that is, the liquid crystal layer thicknesses of the reflective display portion and the transmissive display portion are different from each other). Different liquid crystal display devices) can be easily obtained.

The insulating film not only acts as a means for adjusting the liquid crystal layer thickness, but by forming a display electrode on the surface of the reflective display portion where the insulating film contacts the liquid crystal layer, the liquid crystal layer is formed. Can be applied to the liquid crystal layer without loss.

In this case, a film having light reflectivity is formed as a reflecting means on the substrate arranged opposite to the substrate on the display surface side,
It is effective that the film having light reflectivity has a concavo-convex structure as a means for preventing specularity of reflective display that does not impair the display performance of the transmissive display section, and the insulating film is By having a concavo-convex structure similar to the concavo-convex structure of the film having light reflectivity, the light reflective film having the concavo-convex structure can be easily formed.

The structure for changing the thickness of the liquid crystal layer between the reflective display part and the transmissive display part is sufficient if at least one of the substrates sandwiching the liquid crystal has it. Therefore, the insulating film may be arranged not on the substrate on the side opposite to the display surface side across the liquid crystal layer but on the substrate on the display surface side. However, even in such a case, the reflection means is formed on the substrate on the side opposite to the display surface side with the liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween.

That is, in the fifteenth liquid crystal display device, the insulating film is provided on one of the pair of substrates on the display surface side, and the reflective display section is provided with the insulating film. In addition, the reflecting means may be arranged on the substrate on the opposite side of the substrate on the display surface side with the liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween.

The fifteenth liquid crystal display device may have a structure in which the insulating film has a concavo-convex structure, and the reflecting means having the concavo-convex structure is formed on the insulating film.

When performing color display using each of the above liquid crystal display devices, it is important to design not only the liquid crystal layer but also the color filter layer which is important for color development. According to the study by the inventors of the present application, there are two main usage forms of the transflective liquid crystal display device.

First, in normal use, transmissive display is mainly used, and reflective display is additionally used to prevent washout in an illumination environment where the ambient light is extremely strong, and to provide a light emitting display device. Compared with liquid crystal display devices that only display or transmissive display, it is a form of use that mainly uses transmissive display, which secures a great variety of lighting environments that can be used. Taking advantage of the nature of reflective display that the amount is small, and in an environment with weak lighting,
By using a lighting device called a so-called backlight so as to be used, a large variety of usable environments can be secured as in the previous usage, and the usage is mainly reflective display.

In the above-mentioned usage pattern (usage pattern in which transmissive display is mainly used), at least a region corresponding to at least the transmissive display part in a region constituting the display region of each pixel on one of the pair of substrates. Further, by disposing a color filter having a transmission color, a liquid crystal display device having excellent visibility and capable of high-resolution color display and capable of utilizing both reflected light and transmitted light for display is provided. Can be provided.

When performing color display in this way, at least a color filter having a transmission color is provided in each transmissive display section in each pixel, and no color filter is used in the reflective display section, or It is particularly effective to dispose a color filter having the same lightness as the color filter arranged in the transmissive display part on at least a part of the reflective display part, or to dispose a color filter having a transmissive color having a lightness higher than that. .

This is because, in the case of performing color display, if the color filter of the transmissive display section is used as it is in the reflective display section, the lightness is insufficient. Therefore, when performing color display in the reflective display section, no color filter is used. By providing a region in the reflective display section or by arranging a color filter having a transmissive color with a higher brightness than the transmissive display section in the reflective display section, the brightness can be supplemented, and color display is also possible for the reflective display This is because the reflectance required for the reflective display section can be secured.

Considering that the display light passes through the color filter twice in the reflective display section, the reflective display section should be provided with a color filter having a transmission color having a higher brightness than the transmissive display section. Is desirable.

Further, in a usage mode mainly for transmissive display, when the reflective display section has a region not provided with a color filter, the display voltage signal necessary for transmissive display is a signal suitable for color display. The display voltage signal required for reflective display is a signal suitable for monochrome display in an example in which no color filter is used in the reflective display section. Therefore, in the case where the reflective display unit is not provided with a color filter, the ratio of the pixels of each color contributing to the brightness is proportional to the luminous transmittance of each color in the transmissive display unit, but in the reflective display unit,
Since the colors are the same, in the case where the reflective display unit is not provided with a color filter, the color display of the reflective display unit is not performed in accordance with the luminous transmittance of each color of the color filter used for transmissive display. It is desirable to change the area.

That is, the sixteenth liquid crystal display device is the liquid crystal display device according to any one of the first to fifteenth liquid crystal display devices, in which one of the pair of substrates is used as a transmissive region of the display region of each pixel. A color filter having a transmissive color is arranged in a region corresponding to the display unit, and at least a part of a region corresponding to the reflective display unit in the region constituting the display region corresponds to the transmissive display unit in the substrate. A color filter having the same lightness as the color filter arranged in the area is arranged.

According to the above structure, the brightness is complemented, color display is possible not only in the transmissive display but also in the reflective display, and the reflectance necessary for the reflective display section can be ensured. It is possible to provide a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device which is mainly composed of the above and is capable of color display.

The seventeenth liquid crystal display device is the same as the first to fifteenth liquid crystal display devices, in which one of the pair of substrates is used as a transmissive display portion in a region constituting a display region of each pixel. A color filter having a transmission color is arranged in the corresponding area, and at least a part of the area corresponding to the reflective display section among the areas constituting the display area, in the area corresponding to the transmissive display section in the substrate. It has a configuration in which a color filter having a transmission color having a higher lightness than the arranged color filter is arranged.

According to the above arrangement, when color display is performed, the brightness is complemented, color display is possible not only for transmissive display but also for reflective display, and the reflectance necessary for the reflective display section is secured. It is possible to do mainly with transparent display,
A semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device capable of color display can be provided. In this case, in the reflective display section, the display light passes through the color filter twice. Therefore, in the area corresponding to the reflective display section, by disposing a color filter having a transmissive color having a higher brightness than the color filter disposed in the area corresponding to the transmissive display section of the substrate, the brightness is further increased, A better color display can be performed.

Furthermore, the eighteenth liquid crystal display device is
In the seventeenth liquid crystal display device, a color filter having a transmission color in at least a region corresponding to a transmissive display portion in a region forming a display region of each pixel on one of the pair of substrates. Is arranged, and
The area of a region of the reflective display portion where color display is not performed is set in accordance with the luminous transmittance of the transmitted color of the color filter.

With the above arrangement, the ratio of the pixels of each color contributing to the lightness can be changed by the luminous transmittance of each color, and as a result, a good display can be realized.

In the second usage pattern (usage mode mainly for reflective display), at least the reflective display portion of the area constituting the display area of each pixel on one of the pair of substrates is used. By disposing a color filter having a transmission color in a region corresponding to, it is possible to perform color display with excellent visibility and high resolution, and both reflected light and transmitted light can be used for display. A liquid crystal display device can be provided.

When performing color display as described above, a color filter having a transmissive color is provided at least in each reflective display section for each pixel to perform color display, and a color filter is provided in the transmissive display section. Not used, or
It is particularly effective to dispose at least a part of the transmissive display section a color filter having a transmissive color having the same saturation as or higher than that of the color filter arranged in the reflective display section.

[0577] In a usage form mainly for reflective display,
When a monochrome display is performed without using a color filter in the transmissive display unit, the transmissivity of light increases, so that the transmissive display unit can be set smaller. As a result, a larger area of the reflective display portion can be secured, and a better display can be obtained in the reflective display during normal use.

[0578] In the usage mode mainly for reflective display, by changing the area of the non-color-displayed area of the transmissive display unit according to the luminous transmittance of each color of the color filter used for reflective display, It is possible to properly set the contribution of the transmissive display unit in each pixel to the brightness of the monochrome display in consideration of the luminous transmittance.

That is, the nineteenth liquid crystal display device is the liquid crystal display device according to any one of the first to fifteenth liquid crystal devices, wherein at least one of the substrates constituting the display region of each pixel on one substrate of the pair of substrates. In the area corresponding to the reflective display,
It has a configuration in which a color filter having a transmission color is arranged.

With the above arrangement, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal display device which is excellent in visibility and can perform high-resolution color display when displaying mainly reflective display. In this case, in particular, color display is performed in the reflective display section, and black and white display is performed in the transmissive display section without using a color filter, whereby the light transmittance is increased. Therefore, in such a case, it is possible to set the transmissive display unit to a smaller size, to secure a larger area of the reflective display unit, and to obtain a better display in the reflective display during normal use. Obtainable.

The twentieth liquid crystal display device is the same as the nineteenth liquid crystal display device, but the area of the region of the transmissive display portion where color display is not performed is set in accordance with the luminous transmittance of the transmitted color of the color filter. It has a configuration that is configured.

According to the above arrangement, in the case of displaying mainly reflecting display, the contribution of the transmissive display portion in each pixel from the black and white display to the brightness is appropriately set in consideration of the luminous transmittance. Therefore, a better display can be obtained.

Furthermore, the 21st liquid crystal display device is
In the fifteenth liquid crystal display device, in one of the pair of substrates, a color filter having a transmission color is arranged in a region corresponding to the reflective display portion in a region forming a display region of each pixel, and At least a part of the area corresponding to the transmissive display section among the areas constituting the display area has a transmissive color having saturation equal to or higher than that of the color filter arranged in the area corresponding to the reflective display section on the substrate. The color filter is arranged.

With the above arrangement, good color display can be performed in both the reflective display section and the transmissive display section.
It is possible to provide a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device mainly for reflective display.

Since the above liquid crystal display device is provided with the reflective display portion as described above, it also has the feature of low power consumption in the conventional reflective liquid crystal display device. However, using illumination light that consumes a large amount of power and keeping it in a lighting state causes an increase in power consumption.

Therefore, the twenty-second liquid crystal display device is
The liquid crystal display device according to any one of the twenty-first to twenty-first aspects, wherein the liquid crystal display element is provided with an illuminating device that allows light to enter from a back surface of the liquid crystal display element, and the illuminating device includes a display surface luminance changing unit that changes the luminance of the display surface. It has a double-sided structure.

According to the above arrangement, it is possible to achieve both low power consumption and visibility by changing the brightness of the display surface with the illumination device.

Further, the 23rd liquid crystal display device is the 22nd liquid crystal display device.
In the above liquid crystal display device, the illumination device has a configuration in which the brightness of the display surface is changed so that the perceived lightness is 10 bril or more and less than 30 bril according to the adaptation brightness.

The perceived lightness is defined by the adaptation luminance and the luminance of the display surface. At this time, the above lighting device,
Depending on the display content of the liquid crystal display device or the adaptation brightness that changes depending on the visual environment such as lighting, the brightness of the display surface is adjusted so that the above perceived brightness is obtained by turning on or off or changing the intensity of the lighting. It is very preferable to change it in order to achieve both low power consumption and visibility. In particular, when the illumination device is controlled from the outside of the liquid crystal display element by the pressed coordinate detection type input means such as a touch panel, the above effect becomes more remarkable.

Further, according to the above construction, the visibility in the situation where the transmissive display mainly contributes to the display can be improved, good visibility can be realized, and low power consumption can be realized. Can be realized.

Further, in the transflective liquid crystal display device as described above, it is easier to use the pressed coordinate detection type input means such as a touch panel as compared with a reflection type liquid crystal display device using a so-called front light. This is a great advantage. Therefore, it is effective for a good transmissive type display using such a pressed coordinate detection type input means for a good liquid crystal display device integrated with an input device and having low power consumption.

That is, in the liquid crystal display device according to any one of the first to twenty-third liquid crystal display devices, the twenty-fourth liquid crystal display device is arranged so as to be overlapped with the display surface and is pressed to detect the coordinate position pressed. It has a configuration including a detection type input means.

Therefore, according to the above structure, it is possible to provide a good liquid crystal display device integrated with an input device and having low power consumption.

Furthermore, when such a pressed coordinate detection type input means is used, it is easily detected that the observer is using the display device by the signal of the pressed coordinate detection type input means. According to this signal, changing the brightness of the illuminating device that influences the power consumption of the liquid crystal display device to change the brightness of the display surface or changing the liquid crystal orientation can reduce the power consumption and improve the visibility. It is effective to achieve both.

Therefore, the 25th liquid crystal display device is
Alternatively, in the twenty-third liquid crystal display device, the illuminating device is provided with a pressed coordinate detection type input unit that is arranged on the display surface and detects a coordinate position pressed by being pressed. The brightness of the display surface is changed in association with the output signal of the input means.

According to the above arrangement, the signal of the pressed coordinate detection type input means makes it easy to detect that the observer is using the display device. Therefore, the power consumption of the liquid crystal display device can be detected in accordance with this signal. By changing the brightness of the illuminating device that affects the brightness and the brightness of the display surface, it is possible to reduce power consumption and achieve good visibility.

The twenty-sixth liquid crystal display device is arranged in the first or second liquid crystal display device so as to be superposed on the display surface, and is pressed to detect the coordinate position pressed. The alignment mechanism is configured to change the alignment state of the liquid crystal layer in at least one of the reflective display unit and the transmissive display unit in association with the output signal of the pressed coordinate detection type input unit. There is.

According to the above arrangement, it is possible to easily detect that the observer is using the display device by the signal from the pressed coordinate detecting type input means. Therefore, if the liquid crystal orientation is changed according to this signal. It is possible to achieve both reduction of power consumption and good visibility.

When the liquid crystal display device includes both the pressed coordinate detection type input means and the polarizing plate, the pressed coordinate detection type input means and the polarizing plate are a polarizing plate, a pressed coordinate detection type input means, The liquid crystal display elements are arranged in this order.

That is, the twenty-seventh liquid crystal display device is arranged in the liquid crystal display device according to any one of the first to twenty-sixth liquid crystal devices so as to be overlapped with the display surface and pressed to detect the coordinate position pressed. The detection type input means and the polarizing plate are provided, and the polarizing plate, the pressed coordinate detection type input means, and the liquid crystal display element are arranged in this order.

According to the above structure, it is possible to provide an input device-integrated liquid crystal display device having a polarizing plate and a pressed coordinate detection type input means and utilizing birefringence for display and having low power consumption.

By disposing the polarizing plate, the pressed coordinate detection type input means and the liquid crystal display element in this way, the absorption by the polarizing plate also absorbs the unnecessary reflected light by the pressed coordinate detection type input means, The unnecessary reflected light can be reduced. Therefore, according to the above configuration, the visibility of the liquid crystal display device can be improved and good visibility is realized.

In addition, in the liquid crystal display device, in the first liquid crystal display device, at least a polarizing plate or a phase difference compensating plate is provided on the display surface side of the liquid crystal display device, and the polarizing plate and the phase difference are provided. The compensator and the liquid crystal layer are
The polarization state of the incident light linearly polarized by the polarizing plate is changed by a phase difference compensating plate if necessary, and further changed by the liquid crystal layer of the reflection display section to obtain the reflection display at the time of dark display. The state of polarization on the reflection means of the part,
It may have a configuration of circularly polarized light, which may be either left or right.

With the above arrangement, it is possible to realize ideal dark display in the reflective display section.

In the liquid crystal display device according to the first liquid crystal display device, one of the pair of substrates is provided with one phase difference compensating plate on the outside of the substrate and the other is provided on the outside of the other substrate.
You may have the structure provided with the sheet of phase difference compensation plates.

The phase difference compensating plate is used for preventing coloring, which is often seen when the phase difference compensating plate is not used, changing the dependence of lightness on the potential difference of the electrodes, and changing the display viewing angle. It When the liquid crystal display device includes the phase difference compensating plate, it is possible to secure sufficient brightness and contrast ratio for light having a plurality of wavelengths in the visible light range.

Further, the liquid crystal display device may have a structure in which the phase difference compensating plate and the polarizing plate are arranged outside the pair of substrates in the first liquid crystal display device.

[0609] As a display method for displaying good images in both the reflective display section and the transmissive display section, it is also effective to use a method in which birefringence or light-doping phenomenon is used for display using a polarizing plate. Therefore, according to the above configuration, birefringence can be optimized between the reflective display section and the transmissive display section, and good display can be performed. In addition, the phase difference compensator is used for preventing coloring, which is often seen when the phase difference compensator is not used, changing the dependence of lightness on the potential difference of the electrodes, and changing the display viewing angle. . Therefore,
Since the liquid crystal display device includes the phase difference compensator,
Sufficient brightness and contrast ratio can be ensured for light of a plurality of wavelengths in the visible light region.

[0609]

As described above, the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal display element having a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates. , and a transmissive display section and the reflective display part, the reflective display
Part and the transmissive display part show different liquid crystal alignments at the same time.
And, the phase difference of display light on the reflection means of the reflective display part, there is a light display dark display differences quarter wavelength at the time of the case of, and emits the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display unit The phase difference of the display light is 1 / between bright display and dark display.
This is a configuration having two wavelength differences.

[0610]

[0611]

With the above arrangement, the reflective display section and the transmissive display section can obtain the amount of change in the phase difference suitable for the reflective display or the transmissive display, respectively, and switch the display between the bright display and the dark display. The effect is that it becomes possible.

Further, according to the above construction, since the liquid crystal alignments have different alignment states at the same time, for example, when a dye such as a dichroic dye is used for display, the light absorption amount (absorptivity), the optical When anisotropy is used, the magnitude of the modulation amount of each optical physical quantity such as the phase difference can be changed for each region having a different liquid crystal orientation. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to obtain the transmittance or the reflectance based on the magnitude of the modulation amount of the optical physical quantity according to the alignment state of the liquid crystal layer. With, the optical parameters can be set independently. Therefore,
According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device having excellent visibility, capable of high-resolution display, and capable of utilizing both reflected light and transmitted light for display. This effect is also played.

As described above, the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal display element having a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates, and The liquid crystal layer thickness of the reflective display section is thinner than the liquid crystal layer thickness of the transmissive display section, and the phase difference of the display light on the reflection means of the reflective display section is a bright display. There is a ¼ wavelength difference between the time of dark display and the time of dark display, and the phase difference of the display light emitted from the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display section is ½ wavelength between the case of bright display and the case of dark display. There is a difference in the configuration.

According to the above arrangement, the reflective display section and the transmissive display section can obtain the amount of change in the phase difference suitable for the reflective display or the transmissive display, respectively, and switch the display between the bright display and the dark display. The effect is that it becomes possible.

Further, according to the above construction, it is possible to obtain the transmittance or the reflectance based on the magnitude of the modulation amount of the optical physical quantity in the regions where the liquid crystal layer thickness is different.
Optical parameters can be set independently for the transmissive display unit and the reflective display unit. Therefore, according to the above configuration, the visibility is excellent, and high-resolution display is possible,
It is also possible to provide a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device in which both reflected light and transmitted light can be used for display.

As described above, the driving method of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is the driving method of each of the above liquid crystal display devices, and the phase difference of the display light on the reflection means of the reflection display section is clear. There is a quarter wavelength difference between the display and the dark display, and the phase difference of the display light emitted from the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display section is 1 / between the bright display and the dark display.
The voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer so that the two wavelengths are different.

With the above arrangement, the reflective display section and the transmissive display section can obtain the amount of change in the phase difference suitable for the reflective display or the transmissive display, and the display can be switched between the bright display and the dark display. The effect is that it becomes possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a liquid crystal display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Example 1. FIG.

FIG. 3 is a display characteristic diagram of liquid crystal display devices described in Comparative Examples 2 and 3.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts of a liquid crystal display device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the definition of a rubbing intersection angle.

FIG. 6 is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Example 2.

7 is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Example 3. FIG.

FIG. 8 is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Example 4.

9 is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Example 5. FIG.

FIG. 10 is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Example 6.

11 is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Example 7. FIG.

12 is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Comparative Example 3. FIG.

13 is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Example 8. FIG.

14 is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Comparative Example 4. FIG.

15 is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Comparative Example 5. FIG.

16 is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Example 9. FIG.

FIG. 17 is a process drawing of the alignment treatment of the substrate used in the liquid crystal display device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

18A to 18E are schematic cross-sectional views schematically showing the alignment treatment step shown in FIG.

19 is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Example 10. FIG.

20 is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Example 11. FIG.

FIG. 21 (a) is a cross-sectional view of essential parts of the liquid crystal display device according to Example 12 when no voltage is applied, and FIG.
It is a principal part sectional drawing at the time of voltage application of the liquid crystal display device shown to (a).

22 is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Example 12. FIG.

FIG. 23A is a TFT for realizing a transmissive-main-semitransmissive liquid crystal display device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of an essential part of an element substrate, FIG. 3B is a view showing drive electrodes of a reflective display portion in the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 3A, and FIG. It is a figure which shows a transparent pixel electrode.

FIG. 24 is an A- of the TFT element substrate shown in FIG.
It is a sectional view taken along the line A '.

FIG. 25 is a B- of the TFT element substrate shown in FIG.
It is a sectional view taken along line B '.

FIG. 26A is a color filter formed on a color filter substrate of a transmissive-main-semitransmissive liquid crystal display device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention, and TF shown in FIG.
A main part of the transmissive-main-semitransmissive liquid crystal display device in which the positional relationship between the drive electrodes formed in the reflective display portion of the T element substrate and the transmissive display opening is shown by partially breaking the color filter substrate. It is a top view and (b) is sectional drawing of the color filter substrate shown to (a).

FIG. 27 is a main part C of the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG.
It is a C'line arrow sectional view.

FIG. 28 is a plan view of a principal portion of a TFT element substrate for realizing a reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 29 (a) is a color filter formed on a color filter substrate of a reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention, and a reflection display portion on the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. FIG. 6B is a plan view of a principal part of the reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device showing the positional relationship between the drive electrode formed in FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view of the color filter substrate shown in FIG.

FIG. 30 is an isoline diagram showing the relationship between the adaptation luminance giving the equivalent perceptual lightness and the sample luminance.

FIG. 31 is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship between illuminance and perceived lightness in the semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 32 is a main-portion cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an input device-integrated liquid crystal display device according to an eleventh embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 liquid crystal layer 1a liquid crystal molecules 2 alignment film (alignment mechanism) 3 alignment film (alignment mechanism) 4 substrate 5 substrate 6 electrode (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means, alignment mechanism) 7 electrode (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means) , Alignment mechanism 8 reflective film (reflection means) 9 reflective display section 10 transmissive display section 11 insulating film (alignment mechanism) 12 dichroic dye (alignment mechanism) 13 backlight (illumination device, display surface brightness changing means) 14 polarization Plate 15 Polarizing Plate 16 Phase Difference Compensating Plate 17 Phase Difference Compensating Plate 18 Pixel Electrode (Display Content Rewriting Means, Voltage Applying Means) 19 Drive Electrode (Display Content Rewriting Means, Voltage Applying Means) 19a Transparent Display Opening 20 Transparent Pixel Electrodes (Display content rewriting means, voltage applying means) 21 TFT element 22 drain terminal 23 wiring 24 wiring 25 organic insulating film 26 auxiliary capacitance section 27 auxiliary capacitance line 28 source terminal 29 groups 40 electrode substrate 41 substrate 42 alignment film (alignment mechanism) 42a alignment treatment area 42b alignment treatment region 52 glass substrate 53 comb electrode (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means,
Alignment mechanism) 54 Substrate 61R Color filter 61G Color filter 61B Color filter 62 Glass substrate 71 Touch panel (Pressed coordinate detection type input means) 72 Transparent electrode layer 73 Movable substrate 74 Transparent electrode layer 75 Support substrate 100 Liquid crystal cell (Liquid crystal display element) 101 Electrode substrate 102 Electrode substrate 200 Liquid crystal cell (liquid crystal display element) 201 Electrode substrate 202 Electrode substrate 501 Smoothing layer 502 Counter electrode (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means)

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-8-292413 (JP, A) JP-A-7-318929 (JP, A) JP-A-7-333598 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int .Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02F 1/1335 G02F 1/1333 G02F 1/1337

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pair of substrates and a substrate sandwiched between the pair of substrates.
Display device having a liquid crystal display element having a liquid crystal layer
A reflective display unit and a transmissive display unit, wherein the reflective display unit and the transmissive display unit are different liquids at the same time.
Shows a crystal orientation, and the phase difference of the display light on the reflection means of the reflection display section is
There is a 1/4 wavelength difference between the display and the dark display.
And display light emitted from the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display section
The phase difference between the bright display and the dark display is 1/2 wave.
A liquid crystal display device having different lengths. 2. A pair of substrates and a substrate sandwiched between the pair of substrates.
Display device having a liquid crystal display element having a liquid crystal layer
A is, and a transmissive display section and the reflective display part, the liquid crystal layer thickness of the reflective display part is a liquid crystal layer thickness of the transmissive display portion
Also thin, the phase difference of display light on the reflection means of the reflective display part, there is a difference of 1/4 wavelength between the time of the dark display when bright display, and emits the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display unit The liquid crystal display device is characterized in that the phase difference of the display light to be generated has a difference of ½ wavelength between the bright display and the dark display. 3. The method for driving a liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the phase difference of the display light on the reflection means of the reflection display section is between bright display and dark display. in becomes differences 1/4 wavelength and a phase difference of display light emitted through the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display section, 1/2 wave at the time of the dark display when bright display
A method for driving a liquid crystal display device, characterized in that a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer so as to have a difference in length .