JPS61184586A - Display unit - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Description of the Field to which the Invention Pertains] The present invention relates to a display device that is thin, lightweight, and has flexibility and memory properties.

[Description of conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Display devices using CRTs (cathode ray tubes) have been widely used in television receivers and other applications. However, CRTs have a major problem in that it is difficult to miniaturize or reduce power consumption.

Various display devices called flat panel displays have been proposed to solve these problems with CRTs [for example, Nikkei Electronics, JFx33J r ORT vs. Y Rat Panel Display] ” (pages 67 to 16, Showa J.
5P (published on July λ).

Among these, liquid crystal display devices are particularly miniaturized and portable. The liquid crystal display device is a liquid crystal cell.

The basic structure is a stack of polarizing plates, light reflection/diffusion plates, etc., and the most important liquid crystal cell is two electrode substrates made of glass plates etc. with electrodes for segment or matrix display. It is generally composed of a liquid crystal material (liquid crystal layer) sandwiched between these two electrode substrates.

The detailed structure and operation of the liquid crystal display device are detailed in the above-mentioned literature or in ``Latest Technology of Liquid Crystals'' co-authored by Atsushi Matsumoto and Kiyoshi Tsunoda (Kogyo Kenkyukai, first edition published on June 2, 1939). , the explanation here is omitted.

[Problems to be solved]

In a liquid crystal display device, it is essential to maintain the liquid crystal layer at a constant thickness at all times, so the two sheets of glass that serve as the electrode substrates forming the liquid crystal layer need to be thick. For this reason, liquid crystal display devices are lighter.

The problem was that it was extremely difficult to make it thinner and more flexible.

In addition, there have been attempts to use thin glass plates (for example, 0.3 mm thick) in order to make liquid crystal display devices thinner, but this is limited to devices with extremely small display areas such as for wristwatches. However, large-area display devices still require thick glass plates, making it difficult to make them thinner.

There have also been attempts to use polyester film for electrode substrates in order to give flexibility to liquid crystal display devices, but this requires special means to maintain a constant thickness of the liquid crystal layer, making the structure complicated. There was a problem.

Furthermore, display devices such as liquid crystal display devices do not have memory properties. That is, there is a problem in that driving power is constantly required during display. As one method to solve this problem, it has been proposed to use electrochromic coloring [for example, Applied Physics, Vol. 7, No. 70, "Current Status of Electrochromic Display Elements J" 2～
P P7 Jr, Showa! ``Published in January 3rd year), Transactions of the Institute of Electronics and Communication Engineers (0) No. JAJ--Volume C No. r wo, -
M, 0. -V, O, Electrochromism in Vapor Deposited Thin Films, J (P, l-63t, Published in April 1939), etc. ] However, these were extremely theoretical, with limited electrode configurations and no sufficient consideration given to weight and thinness, and were far from practical.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a practical display device that uses electrochromic coloring, is thin, lightweight, and has flexibility and memory properties. It is in.

[Structure of the invention]

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention, / is the chromic coloring layer, and λ is the voltage as shown in Fig. 2, where the current value increases rapidly above a certain applied voltage in the forward/image feeding direction. V-
It is a control layer that has characteristics at the time of electric current, and is a coloring layer/and a control layer λ.
has a laminated structure.

In addition, 3 is a plurality of strip-shaped column electrodes arranged in parallel on the surface of the control layer 1, and Hiroshi is a plurality of strip-shaped column electrodes arranged in parallel on the surface of the coloring layer 1. Row electrode, column electrode 3
and the row electrode μ are oriented so as to intersect with each other. Coloring layer 1, control and electrode 3. The display unit lOO is configured by ≠. Furthermore, 300 is the column electrode 3
〇〇 is the row electrode control circuit to which the row electrode is connected, ! 00 is a display control circuit that distributes and synchronizes row and column signals, zoi is a display signal input line from a host device, etc., and ! -03, J″0≠ is a signal line.

Note that 1 display section 10orc has a substrate on the surface on the column electrode 3 side.
- A light-transmitting protective film may be provided on the surface on the row electrode μ side.

[Effect]

To explain the operation of the display unit 100 shown in FIG. 1, for example, a voltage v1 is applied to the column electrode 31, and a voltage V is applied to the row electrode $j so that the voltage applied to the control layer becomes equal to or higher than VO. Here, VO is the voltage at which the current I in FIG. 2 begins to rapidly flow in the forward direction. When a voltage is applied in this way, a current passes through the intersection of the column electrode 31 and the row electrode 1 of the control layer, and a voltage is applied only to the electrochromic coloring layer l at this intersection, resulting in a corresponding response. The color developing layer 1 in the area where the color is applied develops color in a dot shape. In this way, by selecting the intersections between the column electrodes 3 and the row electrodes ≠ and coloring them, a matrix display can be performed. The state of this display is
Since the row electrode≠ is optically transparent, it can be visually observed from this side.

In order to perform such a display, in the configuration shown in FIG. It is output to the electrode control circuit 300 and the row electrode control circuit ti-oo. Control circuit 300.

In y-oo, a predetermined display is performed in a matrix manner by sequentially or simultaneously selecting the column and row electrodes corresponding to the display signals of the respective columns and rows and applying a predetermined voltage.

On the other hand, in order to erase the display, the voltage applied to the control layer 2 is the voltage V□ (in the opposite direction in FIG. Apply so that the reverse breakdown voltage (at which the current increases rapidly) or higher.

〔Example〕

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing an enlarged cross section of the display section 100 of the present invention. In the figure, l is an electrochromic coloring layer, and is a tungsten oxide layer (WOB, thickness 0.5 mm).
2 μm), a /2 ion conductive membrane (Ta, O, or neoceptor, 1 μm thick), and a /3 iridium oxide layer (200 μm thick). Further, 2 is a control layer, and 21 is an n-type semiconductor layer (n-type a-si: H1
22 P-type semiconductor layers (P-type a-8i
'Ht thickness 0.5 μm). Furthermore, 3 is a column electrode (a), ≠ is a light-transparent row electrode (semi-transparent electrode of person U),! is a substrate (polyethylene terephthalate, thickness 1
00 μm), 6 is a transparent protective film (parylene). still,
As shown in FIG. 1, column and row electrode control circuits 300 are provided for each of the column electrodes 3 and the row electrodes. 'The leader line to AOO is connected.

Figure 3 is a plan view schematically showing an example of the structure of the column electrodes 3 and row electrodes having the configuration shown in Figure 3. The column electrodes 3 and row electrodes are each arranged in parallel. It is a strip-shaped electrode arranged, and both electrodes 3. The bridges are arranged perpendicular to each other. Note that the column/row electrodes 3. ≠ do not necessarily have to be orthogonal as shown in the figure, but may be arranged so as to intersect diagonally.

The structure of the display section 100 shown in FIG. 3 is manufactured as follows. In other words, a polyethylene terephthalate substrate! Aluminum column electrodes 3 are formed on the top by vapor deposition, followed by forming the diagonal type semiconductor layer 2/, the PH1 semiconductor layer here, and further [each layer of the electrochromic coloring layer 1 (//~/3), Light-transmissive row electrodes are sequentially laminated (by sputtering, vapor deposition, etc.).

), and finally a transparent protective film 6 of parylene is formed by vapor deposition to a thickness of about 1 μm. Since it is manufactured in this manner, the display section is thin and highly flexible.

Next, the operation of the display section shown in FIG. 3 will be explained. First, the control layer is a PN junction formed from P-type a-8i:H and nWa-8l:H. In this case, the breakdown voltage is Vo * 0.6 v in the forward direction and 'm in the reverse direction. ” 4
It becomes 1v. Further, a voltage of approximately O.t V is required to cause the electrochromic coloring layer to develop color. Therefore, the voltage values applied to the column electrodes 3 and the row electrodes and the presence or absence of color development in the electrochromic coloring layer 1 are as shown in Table 1 when the control layer 2 is used in the forward direction.

Table 1 Therefore, in order to write display information, the row electrode control circuit 1Aoo is used to write the row electrode≠1. ≠! ,...,≠nK sequentially 10, +V voltage is applied, and one column electrode control circuit 3
A voltage of 10.6 V is applied to the column electrode 3 having the intersection portion 7 (Figure ≠) to be displayed (colored) by 00. As a result, the row electrode≠ and the column electrode 3 are selected in a matrix manner, and only the electrochromic coloring layer/(tungsten oxide 11 and iridium oxide 13 develop color) in the area corresponding to the intersection 7 of both electrodes is selected. It can be colored, and information can be displayed on the display unit 100 as a collection of colored intersection parts 7. Here, since the coloring of the electrochromic coloring layer has a memory property, the display (coloring) is maintained even if the application of voltage to the first row electrode and the column electrode 3 is stopped. Further, in this embodiment, since color is generated by two layers of tungsten oxide // and iridium oxide 13, clear display can be achieved with low power.

On the other hand, in order to erase the display (color development), the column/row electrodes 3 . Since it is sufficient to apply a reverse voltage higher than the reverse breakdown voltage v2 of the PN junction, which is the control layer λ, to ≠, for example, with all the column electrodes 3 held at a voltage of OV, −j■ is applied to all of the first row electrodes ≠. By applying a voltage of , a current flows in the direction opposite to that during writing, and the electrochromic coloring layer l is entirely decolored. In this case, column/row electrodes 3. It is clear that partial erasure is possible by selectively applying a reverse voltage to ≠.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the display section 10θ of the present invention, in which the ion conductive membrane/2 shown in FIG. 3 is made into a cell. Third
In the figure, the same reference numerals as in FIG. 3 indicate the same functional parts,
t is an electrically insulating wall made of epoxy or the like provided in the ion conductive film/2', and is a cell surrounded by the insulating wall t. Furthermore, as shown in an example in FIG. 6, the celta is disposed so as to correspond to the intersection 7 between the column electrode 3 and the row electrode ≠, and the celta of the ion conductive membrane 72' is separated from each other by the insulating wall r. It is insulated and constructed. The celta can be created by forming an epoxy resin serving as an insulating wall t as shown in FIG. 6 when forming the ion conductive film/2'. The operation (display, erasing), etc. of the display section 100 in FIG.
Although it is similar to the case shown in the figure, since the ion conductive membrane/2' is divided into cells at each intersection 7 of the column and row electrodes, electrical leakage at the ion conductive membrane/2' is prevented and the electrochromic The color development of the color development layer becomes more vivid.

As mentioned above, the display sections shown in FIGS. 3 and 3 perform display in a matrix manner by coloring the electrochromic coloring layer, so they have a resolution equal to or higher than that of conventional display devices, and are flexible. It becomes possible to realize a display device having memory performance and memory performance. The arrangement pitch of the column and row electrodes can be made as small as the sum of the thicknesses of the electrochromic coloring layer/layer and the control layer λ.Furthermore, in the display section 100 shown in FIG.
Since it is made into cells, it is possible to have a smaller cast. However, by changing the intersection angle of row and column electrodes,
The density of the intersection (in other words, the display dot density) can be changed using electrodes of the same width. Furthermore, the control layer is not limited to a PN junction, and as shown in FIG.
Any material having current characteristics may be used.

Figure 7 shows Figure 3 or the display section 100ff shown in Figure 3.
This is a specific example of the display device used.

In the figure, the display unit 100 has the configuration shown in FIG. 3 or 5, and 310 and ≠IO are column and row electrode control circuits 300. ≠L8I for OO, rio is an LSI for the display control circuit jOO, and too is a connector for connecting the signal input line joi. In FIG. 7, display information input to the display control circuit LSIj/θ via the signal input line J-0/Yoshiconnector toot- is distributed into row and column serial signals, and the row electrode control circuit LSI ≠IO and column electrode control circuit LSI 3
/0 is supplied. This signal causes the column and row electrode control circuit L8T310. ≠10, voltage for display or erasing is supplied to each electrode. Further, since the display has a memory property, it is possible to remove the connector 600 after displaying and carry only the present display device.

〔effect〕

In the present invention, the display part is applied to the electrochromic coloring layer by applying a voltage to the electrochromic coloring layer.
Since the layer for controlling current characteristics and the column and row electrodes in which the intersections are arranged in a matrix are laminated, it is possible to realize a display device that is thin and lightweight, and has flexibility and memory properties. Further, according to the display device of the present invention, since it is possible to work by arranging multiple sheets as appropriate on a desk or the like, it is possible to obtain the advantage that one work efficiency can be significantly improved. Furthermore, since it has memory properties, it can be carried around without requiring power to hold it for display.

Also, if transparent materials are used for the two rows of electrodes on the substrate, OHP
This has the advantage that it can also be used as a commercial film.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure H1 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the present invention, Figure 2 is a diagram explaining the voltage-current characteristics of the control layer used in the present invention, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of an embodiment of the display section of the present invention, and Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the voltage-current characteristics of the control layer used in the present invention. is the electrode configuration diagram in Figure 3. The figure is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of another embodiment of the display section of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a plan configuration diagram of FIG. This is a typical example. /... Electrochromic coloring layer, 2... Control layer, 3... Column electrode, ≠... Row electrode, 100... Display section, 300... Column electrode control circuit, 1AOO... Row electrode control circuit, 200... display control circuit. Designated Representative 7°IU, 0. ,. 'loe, v. ,
. 'Ir4 diagram? , Ki Wei Bi 9 ・Cell￥'x6EI 纂7图

Claims (1)

[Claims] An electrochromic coloring layer and a control layer having voltage-current characteristics in which the current value increases rapidly above a certain applied voltage are laminated, and a plurality of strip-shaped column electrodes are arranged in parallel on the surface of the control layer of the laminated body. a display section having a configuration in which a plurality of strip-shaped light-transmitting row electrodes are arranged in parallel and intersecting with the column electrodes on the surface of the coloring layer of the laminate; and the light-transmitting row electrodes are selectively controlled to cause the electrochromic color-forming layer to develop color in a matrix manner.