KR101266573B1 - Liquid Crystal Display Pannel and Method of Fabricating the same - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display panel and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display panel and a method for manufacturing the same, which can stably secure a liquid crystal margin in a liquid crystal display panel having a flat TFT substrate.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a liquid crystal display panel includes a first color filter formed in each of the effective cell regions, and a second color filter formed in the boundary regions between the effective cell regions thinner than the first color filter. A branched first substrate; A second substrate having a pixel electrode formed in a pixel region corresponding to each of the effective cell regions, and a storage electrode overlapping the pixel electrode with an insulating layer interposed therebetween; A first column spacer formed between the first color filter and the storage electrode; And a second column spacer formed between the second color filter and the second substrate.

Description

Liquid Crystal Display Panel and Method for Manufacturing the Same {Liquid Crystal Display Pannel and Method of Fabricating the same}

1 is a perspective view showing a conventional liquid crystal display panel.

2 is a cross-sectional view showing a column spacer for maintaining a cell gap between a conventional color filter substrate and a thin film transistor substrate.

3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a touch failure generated in a liquid crystal display panel.

4 shows a storage electrode of a TFT substrate on which a first column spacer is located;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal display panel according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, taken along the line AA ′. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal display panel according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention taken along the line BB ′. FIG.

7A to 7C are steps illustrating a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

8A to 8C are diagrams illustrating a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

201: first substrate 202: black matrix

204: color filter 206: common electrode

212: gate electrode 213: gate insulating film

214: pixel electrode 217: protective layer

230: column spacer 245: storage electrode

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display panel and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display panel and a method for manufacturing the same, which can stably secure a liquid crystal margin in a liquid crystal display panel having a flat TFT substrate.

In general, a liquid crystal display (LCD) displays an image by adjusting the light transmittance of the liquid crystal using an electric field. To this end, the liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel in which liquid crystal cells are arranged in a matrix, and a driving circuit for driving the liquid crystal display panel. The liquid crystal display panel is provided with pixel electrodes and a reference electrode, that is, a common electrode, for applying an electric field to each of the liquid crystal cells. In general, the pixel electrode is formed for each liquid crystal cell on the lower substrate, while the common electrode is integrally formed on the front surface of the upper substrate. Each of the pixel electrodes is connected to a thin film transistor (hereinafter referred to as "TFT") used as a switching element. The liquid crystal cell is driven along with the common electrode in accordance with the data signal supplied through the TFT.

1 and 2, a conventional liquid crystal display panel includes a TFT substrate 20 and a color filter substrate 10, which are bonded to face each other, and a liquid crystal space formed by two substrates 10 and 20 and a column spacer. And filled liquid crystal 8.

The TFT substrate 20 is formed such that the data line 18 and the gate line 12 insulated from each other with the gate insulating film interposed therebetween on the front surface of the second substrate 21 intersect each other, and the TFT 16 is disposed at the intersection thereof. Is formed. The TFT 16 includes a gate electrode 11 connected to the gate line 12, a source electrode connected to the data line 18, a drain electrode connected to the pixel electrode 14, a channel portion between the source electrode and the drain electrode. It includes an active layer and ohmic contact layer to be formed. The TFT 16 selectively supplies the data signal from the data line 18 to the pixel electrode 14 in response to the gate signal from the gate line 12.

The pixel electrode 14 is positioned in a cell region divided by the data line 18 and the gate line 12 and is made of a transparent conductive material having high light transmittance. The pixel electrode 14 generates a potential difference from the common electrode 6 by the data signal supplied via the drain electrode.

The color filter substrate 10 includes a color filter 4 and a common electrode 6 formed on the rear surface of the first substrate 1. The color filter 4 has a color filter layer of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) colors arranged in a stripe shape to transmit light of a specific wavelength band, thereby enabling color display. A black matrix 2 is formed between the color filters 4 of adjacent colors to absorb the light incident from the adjacent cells, thereby preventing the lowering of the contrast.

The column spacer 13 is generally formed on the gate line 12 or the data line 18 overlapping the black matrix 2. The cell gap of the color filter substrate 10 and the TFT substrate 20 is maintained by the column spacer 13, and the liquid crystal 8 is injected into the cell gap held by the column spacer 13.

In such a liquid crystal display panel, a vertical electric field is formed between the TFT substrate 20 and the color filter substrate 10, whereby the liquid crystal molecules rotate based on dielectric anisotropy. According to the degree of rotation of the liquid crystal molecules, the light transmittance passing through the pixel region is changed, thereby realizing an image.

Meanwhile, the column spacer may be a gap column spacer (hereinafter referred to as "first column spacer") and a pressed column spacer (hereinafter referred to as "second column spacer") depending on whether or not the upper and lower substrates are in close contact with the TFT substrate 20. Are referred to).

In general, the first column spacer is in close contact with the TFT substrate 20 and serves to maintain a cell gap. In addition, in the case of the second column spacer, when the external force is applied to the liquid crystal display panel by being spaced apart from the TFT substrate 20 by a predetermined distance, the second column spacer further serves to prevent deformation of the liquid crystal array.

The first column spacer and the second column spacer are formed inside and outside the effective cell region to form a constant liquid crystal margin, thereby forming a dual structure. That is, the first column spacer is formed in a portion of the effective cell region facing the storage electrode (not shown) of the TFT substrate 20, and the second column spacer is a portion facing the boundary region of the effective cell region (particularly, a gate Part opposite the line).

By the way, in the case of a liquid crystal display panel in which photoacryl is applied as the conventional protective film 17, photoacryl is deposited on the TFT substrate surface without a step to a thickness of about 3 μm, and when the color filter substrate is formed, the culfer filter 4 is formed. Is patterned into a stripe shape, so that all column spacers 13 are in close contact with the TFT substrate 20 as shown in FIG. 2.

When all the column spacers 13 are in close contact with the TFT substrate 20, the contact area of each other increases, thereby increasing the frictional force during touch. The increase in friction results in side effects such as light leakage.

In addition, when a pressure is applied to a specific portion of the liquid crystal display panel held by the column spacer 13 from outside, the arrangement of the liquid crystal 8 is changed as shown in FIG. 3. As a result, a specific portion of the liquid crystal display panel cannot realize an image to be displayed due to the deformation of the liquid crystal 8 arrangement, and such an arrangement deformation of the liquid crystal 8 due to external pressure causes touch defects on the liquid crystal display panel. Generate.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display panel and a method of manufacturing the same that can stably secure liquid crystal margin in a liquid crystal display panel having a flat TFT substrate.

In order to achieve the above object, the liquid crystal display panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a first color filter formed in the effective cell regions, and boundary regions between the effective cell regions thinner than the first color filter. A first substrate having a second color filter formed on the substrate; A second substrate having a pixel electrode formed in a pixel region corresponding to each of the effective cell regions, and a storage electrode overlapping the pixel electrode with an insulating layer interposed therebetween; A first column spacer formed between the first color filter and the storage electrode; And a second column spacer formed between the second color filter and the second substrate.

In addition, the liquid crystal display panel according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a first color filter formed in each of the effective cell regions and a black matrix formed in the boundary regions between the effective cell regions thinner than the color filter. A substrate; A second substrate having a pixel electrode formed in a pixel region corresponding to each of the effective cell regions, and a storage electrode overlapping the pixel electrode with an insulating layer interposed therebetween; A first column spacer formed between the color filter and the storage electrode; And a second column spacer formed between the black matrix and the second substrate.

The first and second column spacers are paired in a first region including the one effective cell region and a boundary region around the pair of effective cell regions, and the pair of column spacers have a predetermined size including the plurality of first regions. It is characterized in that arranged one per second area.

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention forms a first color filter in effective cell regions of a first substrate, and at the same time boundary regions between the effective cell regions of the first substrate. Forming a second color filter thinner than the first color filter; And forming a first column spacer between the first color filter and the storage electrode of the second substrate, and simultaneously forming a second column spacer between the second color filter and the second substrate. .

The forming of the first and second color filters may include forming a photosensitive color filter material on the first substrate with a uniform thickness; Aligning a mask on the photosensitive color filter material, the mask having a blocking portion located in the effective cell regions and a transflective portion located in the boundary regions between the effective cell regions; And exposing the photosensitive color filter material through the mask and then reducing the thickness of the photosensitive color filter material exposed through the transflective portion through a developing process.

In addition, a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel according to a second embodiment of the present invention includes forming a black matrix on a first substrate; Forming a color filter in effective cell regions separated by the black matrix; And forming a first column spacer between the color filter and the storage electrode of the second substrate, and simultaneously forming a second column spacer between the black matrix and the second substrate.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention in addition to the above object will become apparent from the description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8C.

4 illustrates a storage electrode of a TFT substrate on which a first column spacer is located.

Referring to FIG. 4, a TFT substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a storage electrode 145 positioned at the center of the effective cell region. The storage electrode 145 is formed by depositing aluminum (Al) or copper (Cu) or the like by a deposition method such as sputtering and patterning the same.

The storage electrode 145 overlaps the pixel electrode 114 with an insulating layer interposed therebetween to form the storage capacitor 150, thereby responsive to the gate high voltage supplied to the gate line 112. The pixel voltage supplied to the pixel electrode 114 is charged in the pixel electrode 114 to be maintained for a predetermined time.

In addition, the storage electrode 145 is a location where the first column spacer is positioned to prevent the aperture ratio from being reduced even when the column spacer is formed in the effective cell region.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal display panel according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, taken along the line AA ′. FIG.

Referring to FIG. 5, the TFT substrate 220 of the liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention has a gate line 212 intersecting with a data line (not shown) with a gate insulating layer 213 therebetween on the second substrate 221. And a TFT formed at each intersection of the data line and the gate line 212 and overlapped with the pixel electrode 214 and the pixel electrode 214 formed in the cell region provided in the intersection structure of the data line and the gate line 212. And a storage electrode 245 forming a storage capacitor. In particular, such a TFT substrate includes a planarization protective film 217 made of photoacryl to have a thickness of about 3 μm in order to increase the opening ratio.

In addition, the color filter substrate 210 of the liquid crystal display panel may be formed at a position corresponding to the gate line 212 or the data line (not shown) on the first substrate 201 to partition the cell region. The color filter 204 for implementing a color image in the cell region partitioned by the black matrix 202, the common electrode 206 for forming a vertical electric field with the pixel electrode 214, and a cell of a liquid crystal display panel. The column spacer 230 maintains a gap.

In particular, in the present invention, as the TFT substrate 220 is flattened with the photoacrylic protective layer 217, a color filter having a step to solve the problem in which the roles of the first and second column spacers 230A and 230B cannot be separated. 204 is provided.

That is, by providing a mask having a blocking portion and a semi-transmissive portion, the first color filter 204A is formed in the effective cell regions through the blocking portion of the mask, and half of the mask is formed in the boundary regions between the effective cell regions. The second color filter 204B is formed thinner than the first color filter through the transmission part.

As a result, the first column spacer 230A is formed in a portion of the first color filter 204A opposite to the storage electrode 245 of the TFT substrate 220 to be in close contact with the TFT substrate 220. The column spacer 230B is formed at a portion of the second color filter 204B that faces the gate line 212, and is spaced apart from the TFT substrate 220 by a predetermined distance.

Here, the first and second column spacers 230A and 230B are formed in a dual structure by forming a pair in a first region including one effective cell region and a boundary region around the pair, and the pair of columns Spacers are disposed one per second area of a predetermined size including the plurality of first areas.

As such, when the color filter pattern having the step is implemented, in the case of the first column spacer 230A formed in the effective cell region when the color filter substrate 210 and the TFT substrate 220 are bonded to each other, the color filter pattern 210 has a close contact with the TFT substrate 220. It serves to maintain the cell gap.

In addition, in the case of the second column spacer 230B formed at the boundary region between the effective cell regions, the cell gap is further maintained when the external force is applied to the liquid crystal display panel by being spaced apart from the TFT substrate 220 by a predetermined distance. It prevents the deformation of the array.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal display panel according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention taken along the line BB ′. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, in order to solve a problem in that the role separation of the dual column spacer is not performed due to the flattening of the TFT substrate 320, the color filter substrate having the step as in the first embodiment ( 310).

However, a difference from the first embodiment is that the color filter pattern is formed only in the effective cell regions by providing a mask having a blocking part and a transmitting part when patterning the color filter.

Other details are the same as those in the first embodiment, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted below, and only reference numerals will be given.

7A to 7C are diagrams illustrating a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention step by step.

First, an opaque metal is deposited on the first substrate 201, and then an opaque material is patterned by a photolithography process and an etching process using a mask (not shown) to form a black matrix 202 as shown in FIG. 7A. do.

The photosensitive red resin R is entirely coated on the first substrate 201 on which the black matrix 202 is formed. The mask 200 having a transmission region (not shown), a blocking region P1, and a semi-transmissive region P2 is aligned on the first substrate 201 to which the red resin R is coated. Subsequently, the red resin R exposed through the transmission region (not shown) by the photolithography process and the etching process using the mask 100 is removed, and the red resin R which is not exposed through the blocking region P1 is removed. ) Maintains the original coating thickness, the red resin semi-exposed through the semi-transmissive area (P2) becomes thinner to form a red color filter 204R having a step as shown in Figure 7b. .

Although not shown in the drawing, the green and blue color filters are also formed through the same method as the method of forming the red color filter 204R.

Subsequently, a transparent conductive material made of Indium-Tin-Oxide (ITO) is entirely coated on the first substrate 201 on which the red, green, and blue color filters 204R (not shown) are formed. The common electrode 206 is formed.

When the common electrode 206 is formed on the color filter 204 having the step as described above, as shown in FIG. 7C, the first column spacer 230A is disposed on the color filter maintaining the original coating thickness by the blocking part of the mask. ) Is formed, and the first column spacer is in close contact with the TFT substrate 220 in a subsequent process to maintain a cell gap.

In addition, a second column spacer 230B is formed on the color filter having a thickness thinner than the original coating thickness by the transflective portion of the mask, and the second column spacer is spaced apart from the TFT substrate 220 by a predetermined interval in a subsequent process. Therefore, even if an external force is applied to the liquid crystal display panel, the cell gap is further maintained to prevent deformation of the liquid crystal array.

8A to 8C are steps illustrating a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, the second embodiment also uses a color filter substrate 310 having a step like the first embodiment in order to solve the problem that the role separation of the dual column spacer is not performed due to the flattening of the TFT substrate 320. Form.

However, the difference from the first embodiment is that the color filter pattern 304 is formed only in the effective cell regions by providing a mask having a blocking part and a transmitting part when the color filter is patterned.

Other details are the same as those in the first embodiment, so detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted below, and only reference numerals will be given.

As described above, according to the liquid crystal display panel and the method of manufacturing the same according to the present invention, the color filter substrate is formed to be stepped in the TFT flattening structure to which the photoacryl is applied in order to secure a high opening ratio, so that the first column spacer is in close contact with the TFT substrate. The cell gap can be maintained.

In addition, even if an external force is applied to the liquid crystal display panel by being spaced apart from the TFT substrate by a predetermined distance, the second column spacer may further maintain a cell gap to prevent deformation of the liquid crystal array.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the detailed description of the specification, but should be defined by the claims.

Claims (7)

A first substrate having a first color filter respectively formed in the effective cell regions, and a second color filter formed in the boundary regions between the effective cell regions thinner than the first color filter; A second substrate having a pixel electrode formed in a pixel region corresponding to each of the effective cell regions, a storage electrode overlapping the pixel electrode with an insulating layer interposed therebetween, and a planarization protective layer formed on the storage electrode and the insulating layer; ; An interval between the first color filter and the planarization passivation layer is smaller than an interval between the second color filter and the planarization passivation layer, A first column spacer formed between the first color filter and the storage electrode; And a second column spacer formed between the second color filter and the second substrate. A first substrate having a color filter formed in each of the effective cell regions, and a black matrix formed in the boundary regions between the effective cell regions thinner than the color filter; A second substrate having a pixel electrode formed in a pixel region corresponding to each of the effective cell regions, a storage electrode overlapping the pixel electrode with an insulating layer interposed therebetween, and a planarization protective layer formed on the storage electrode and the insulating layer; ; The distance between the color filter and the planarization passivation layer is smaller than the distance between the black matrix and the planarization passivation layer, A first column spacer formed between the color filter and the storage electrode; And a second column spacer formed between the black matrix and the second substrate. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The first and second column spacers are paired in a first region including the effective cell region and a boundary region around the pair of the effective cell regions, and the pair of column spacers are formed per second region having a predetermined size including the first region. Liquid crystal display panel, characterized in that arranged one by one. Forming a first color filter in the effective cell regions of the first substrate, and at the same time forming a second color filter thinner than the first color filter in the boundary regions between the effective cell regions of the first substrate; Wow; Forming a first column spacer between the first color filter and the storage electrode of the second substrate, and simultaneously forming a second column spacer between the second color filter and the second substrate; A pixel electrode and a storage electrode overlapping the pixel electrode are formed in a pixel area corresponding to each of the effective cell regions on a second substrate, and a planarization protective layer is formed on the storage electrode and the insulating layer. Including the steps of: The interval between the first color filter and the planarization passivation layer is narrower than the interval between the second color filter and the planarization passivation layer. 5. The method of claim 4, Forming the first and second color filters, Forming a photosensitive color filter material in a uniform thickness on the first substrate; Aligning a mask on the photosensitive color filter material, the mask having a blocking portion located in the effective cell regions and a transflective portion located in the boundary regions between the effective cell regions; And exposing the photosensitive color filter material through the mask, and then reducing the thickness of the photosensitive color filter material exposed through the semi-transmissive part through a developing process. Forming a black matrix on the first substrate; Forming a color filter in effective cell regions separated by the black matrix; Forming a first column spacer between the color filter and the storage electrode of the second substrate, and simultaneously forming a second column spacer between the black matrix and the second substrate; A pixel electrode and a storage electrode overlapping the pixel electrode are formed in a pixel area corresponding to each of the effective cell regions on a second substrate, and a planarization protective layer is formed on the storage electrode and the insulating layer. Including the steps of: Wherein the distance between the color filter and the planarization passivation layer is narrower than that between the black matrix and the planarization passivation layer. The method according to claim 4 or 6, The first and second column spacers are formed in a pair in a first region including the effective cell region and a boundary region around the effective cell region, and the pair of column spacers have a second size having a predetermined size including the first region. A liquid crystal display panel manufacturing method, characterized in that formed so as to be arranged per area.

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