KR101278062B1 - Display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

A display panel having improved display quality of an image is disclosed. The display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer. The first substrate includes a gate line and a data line crossing each other to define a unit pixel, a thin film transistor electrically connected to the gate line and a data line, and a pixel electrode electrically connected to the thin film transistor and formed in the unit pixel. The second substrate includes a light blocking film that blocks light, a common electrode formed in the unit pixel to correspond to the pixel electrode, and a domain divider formed on the common electrode to divide the unit pixel into a plurality of domains. The liquid crystal layer is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The domain divider includes a main divider formed long in one direction, a depression having a predetermined length inwardly in the center of the main divider, and a protrusion having a predetermined length outwardly at the end of the main divider. As a result, the formation position of the dark spot generated by the crossing of the electric force lines is made constant, so that the display quality of the image can be further improved.

Domain division, main division, sub division, depression, protrusion

Description

Display panel {DISPLAY PANEL}

1 is a plan view illustrating unit pixels of a display panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a storage wiring, a gate wiring, a gate electrode, a data wiring, a source electrode, a drain electrode, a connecting electrode, and an active layer in the unit pixel of FIG. 1.

3 is a plan view illustrating a pixel electrode in the unit pixel of FIG. 1.

4 is a plan view illustrating a common electrode and a light blocking layer in the unit pixel of FIG. 1.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I-I 'in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a domain divider different from the domain divider illustrated in FIG. 5.

7A, 7B, and 7C are diagrams illustrating an arrangement state of liquid crystals according to shapes of domain division parts in FIG. 1.

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

100: first substrate 120: gate wiring

130: storage wiring 132: main storage unit

134: sub storage unit 150: data wiring

160 thin film transistor 180 pixel electrode

200: second substrate 220: light shielding film

230: color filter 250: common electrode

252: domain divider 300: liquid crystal layer

The present invention relates to a display panel, and more particularly, to a method of manufacturing a display panel with improved display quality of an image.

A liquid crystal display, which is a typical flat panel display device, is a liquid crystal display panel that displays an image by using light transmittance of liquid crystal, and is disposed under the liquid crystal display panel to provide light to the liquid crystal display panel. It includes a backlight assembly (back-light assembly) to provide.

The liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate having a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode, a second substrate having a color filter and a common electrode, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates. .

A gate line and a data line are formed on the first substrate to cross each other, and the thin film transistor and the pixel electrode are formed in a unit pixel defined by the gate and the data line. The thin film transistor is electrically connected to the gate line and the data line, and the pixel electrode is electrically connected to the thin film transistor. In this case, the color filter is formed at a position corresponding to the pixel electrode.

The liquid crystal mode of the liquid crystal display panel includes a twist nematic mode (TN) mode, an in plane switch (IPS) mode, a vertical alignment (VA) mode, and the like. Among the liquid crystal modes, the liquid crystal display panel employing the VA mode has an advantage in that the response speed of the liquid crystal is fast, and thus it has been widely used. More recently, as a VA mode with improved viewing angle characteristics, a patterned vertical alignment (PVA) mode and a multi-domain vertical alignment (MVA) mode having a plurality of domains have been developed.

That is, in the liquid crystal display panel of the PVA mode or the MVA mode, a pixel electrode and a common electrode are divided to divide the unit pixel into a plurality of domains. In this case, since the liquid crystals in the liquid crystal layer are arranged in different directions according to the respective domains, the viewing angle of the image may be further improved.

However, at the point where the domain meets the domain, the liquid crystals are not arranged in a certain direction but are arranged in a distorted manner. As such, when the arrangement of the liquid crystals is not constant at the boundary points of the domains, an image such as afterimages may be generated, and thus, display quality of the image may be deteriorated.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve such a conventional problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a display panel in which liquid crystals are constantly arranged at boundary points of domains to improve display quality of an image.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer.

The first substrate may include a gate line and a data line crossing each other to define a unit pixel, a thin film transistor electrically connected to the gate line and the data line, and a pixel electrode electrically connected to the thin film transistor and formed in the unit pixel. Include.

The second substrate includes a light blocking film that blocks light, a common electrode formed in the unit pixel to correspond to the pixel electrode, and a domain divider formed in the common electrode to divide the unit pixel into a plurality of domains.

The liquid crystal layer is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

On the other hand, the domain dividing portion is formed in one main direction elongated in one direction, a recessed portion having a predetermined length in the inner direction in the center of the main divided portion and a protrusion portion having a predetermined length in the outer direction at the end of the main divided portion Include.

In this case, the protrusion is preferably covered by the light blocking film, and the inner direction and the outer direction are preferably opposite to each other. In addition, the depressions and the protrusions preferably have the same shape as each other when viewed in plan view. In one example, the depression and the protrusion has a triangular shape.

In some embodiments, the domain divider may be an opening formed by removing a portion of the common electrode, or a protrusion formed on the common electrode.

According to the present invention, a depression is formed at the center of the main division, and projections are formed at one end or both ends of the main division, so that the formation position of the dark spot generated by crossing the electric force lines is made constant, thereby improving the display quality of the image. It can improve more.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a plan view illustrating a unit pixel of a display panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a storage wiring, a gate wiring, a gate electrode, a data wiring, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a connection in the unit pixel of FIG. 1. 3 is a plan view illustrating a pixel electrode in the unit pixel of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a common electrode and a light shielding film in the unit pixel of FIG. 1, and FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II ′ of FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a domain divider different from the domain divider illustrated in FIG. 5.

1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, the display panel according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a first substrate 100, a second substrate 200, and a liquid crystal layer 300.

First, the display panel will be briefly described. The first substrate 100 includes a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix, and a thin film transistor that applies a driving voltage to each of the pixel electrodes. And signal lines for operating the thin film transistors, respectively.

The second substrate 200 is disposed to face the first substrate 100. The second substrate 200 includes a common electrode that is disposed on the front surface of the substrate and is transparent and conductive, and color filters disposed to face the pixel electrodes. The color filters include a red color filter, a green color filter, and a blue color filter.

The liquid crystal layer 300 is interposed between the first substrate 100 and the second substrate 200 and rearranged by an electric field formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode. The rearranged liquid crystal layer 300 adjusts the light transmittance of light applied from the outside, and the light whose light transmittance is adjusted passes through the color filters to display an image.

1, 2, 3, and 5, the first substrate 100 according to the present embodiment may include a first transparent substrate 110, a gate wiring 120, a storage wiring 130, and a gate insulating film ( 140, a data line 150, a thin film transistor 160, a connection electrode CE, a passivation layer 170, and a pixel electrode 180.

The first transparent substrate 110 has a plate shape and is made of a transparent material. The first transparent substrate 100 is made of, for example, glass, quartz, sapphire or transparent synthetic resin.

2, a plurality of gate wires 120 are formed in a first direction on the first transparent substrate 110, and a plurality of storage wires 130 are formed in a first direction on the first transparent substrate 110. Is formed. In detail, the storage line 130 includes a main storage unit 132 and a sub storage unit 134.

The main storage unit 132 is formed in the first direction in parallel with the gate wiring 120. The sub storage unit 134 extends from the main storage unit 132 in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and overlaps both ends of the pixel electrode 180 to be described later.

Referring to FIG. 5, the gate insulating layer 140 is formed on the first transparent substrate 110 to cover the gate wiring 120 and the storage wiring 130. The gate insulating layer 140 includes, for example, silicon nitride (SiNx) or silicon oxide (SiOx).

2, a plurality of data lines 150 are formed on the gate insulating layer 140 in a second direction. As the gate line 120 and the data line 150 cross vertically as described above, a plurality of unit pixels having a rectangular shape are defined. In this case, each of the unit pixels preferably has a rectangular shape long in the second direction.

The thin film transistor 160 includes a gate electrode G, an active layer A, a source electrode S, and a drain electrode D. The thin film transistor 160 according to the present exemplary embodiment is formed on one side of the data line 150.

The gate electrode G is a part of the gate wiring 120 formed at one side with respect to the data wiring 150. The active layer A is formed on the gate insulating layer 140 to correspond to the gate electrode G. The source electrode S extends in one direction from the data line 150 to overlap with a portion of the active layer A. For example, the source electrode S has a U-shape. The drain electrode D extends in the second direction spaced apart from the source electrode 120 by a predetermined distance and overlaps a part of the active layer A. FIG.

The connection electrode CE is formed on the gate insulating layer 140 and is formed in each unit pixel. The connection electrode CE is electrically connected to the drain electrode D of the thin film transistor 160.

Referring to FIG. 5, the passivation layer 170 is formed on the gate insulating layer 140 to cover the data line 150, the thin film transistor 160, and the connection electrode CE. The passivation layer 170 may be an organic insulating layer or an inorganic insulating layer. In the protective layer 170, a contact hole 172 is formed at a position corresponding to the connection electrode CE.

3 and 5, the pixel electrode 180 is formed on the passivation layer 170 and is formed in each unit pixel. The pixel electrode 180 is electrically connected to the connection electrode CE through the contact hole 172.

The pixel electrode 180 is made of a transparent conductive material, for example, indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), or amorphous indium tin oxide (a-ITO). ) And so on.

The pixel electrode 180 includes a first pixel portion 182 and a second pixel portion 184. In this case, the second pixel portion 184 is formed in the center portion of each unit pixel, and the first pixel portion 182 has a shape surrounding the outside of the second pixel portion 184. For example, the first pixel portion 182 and the second pixel portion 184 may be electrically connected to each other.

Meanwhile, the pixel electrode 180 is formed to overlap the storage line 130 as shown in FIG. 1. For example, both ends of the pixel electrode 180 overlap the sub storage unit 134 of the storage line 130.

1 and 4, the second substrate 200 according to the present embodiment may include a second transparent substrate 210, a light shielding film 220, a color filter 230, a planarization film 240, and a common electrode ( 250).

The second transparent substrate 210 has a plate shape, is made of a transparent material, and is disposed to face the first transparent substrate 110.

The light blocking film 220 is formed on the second transparent substrate 210 to block light. A more detailed description of the light blocking film 220 will be described later.

The color filter 230 is formed at a position corresponding to the pixel electrode 180 formed in each unit pixel. For example, the color filter 230 may be formed on the second transparent substrate 210 to cover the light blocking film 220. The color filter 230 includes, for example, a red color filter, a green color filter, and a red color filter.

The planarization layer 240 is formed to cover the color filter 230 and the light shielding layer 220 to planarize the surface of the second substrate 200. The planarization film 240 is, for example, an organic insulating film.

The common electrode 250 is formed on the planarization layer 240. The common electrode 250 is made of a transparent conductive material. For example, indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), and amorphous indium tin oxide (a-ITO) ) And so on.

Meanwhile, a domain divider 252 is formed on the common electrode 250 so as to correspond to the pixel electrode 180 to divide each unit pixel into a plurality of domains. That is, the domain divider 252 is formed in a plurality of unit pixels to divide the unit pixels into a plurality of domains.

Specifically, for example, the domain division part 252 formed in the upper portion of each unit pixel extends in the third direction inclined at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the first direction. In this case, the domain divider 252 formed in the upper portion may be formed to cross the centers of the first pixel portion 182 and the second pixel portion 184 formed in the upper portion.

On the other hand, the domain dividing unit 252 formed at the lower portion of each unit pixel extends in the fourth direction perpendicular to the third direction. In this case, the domain divider 252 formed in the lower portion is preferably formed to cross the center of the first pixel portion 182 and the second pixel portion 184 formed in the lower portion.

As such, the domain dividing unit 252 is formed to extend in the third and fourth directions, and thus, the plurality of domains are formed in the third and fourth directions, so that the liquid crystals are in the third and fourth directions. Arranged so that the viewing angle in different directions can be further improved.

Referring to FIG. 5, the domain divider 252 according to the present exemplary embodiment is an opening formed by removing a part of the common electrode 250. However, as shown in FIG. 6, the domain divider 252 may be a protrusion formed on the common electrode 250.

4, each domain division part 252 according to the present embodiment includes a main division part MD, a sub division part SD, a depression part SN, and a protrusion part PT.

The main division part MD has a shape extending in the third direction or the fourth direction so as to correspond to the first pixel part 182 or the second pixel part 184. At this time, the width of the main division (MD) has a range of 9um ~ 10um.

The sub dividing unit SD is connected to one end or both ends of the main dividing unit MD and extends in the first direction or the second direction.

The depression SN is formed in the main division part MD, and is preferably formed in the center of the longitudinal direction of the main division part MD. The depression SN is formed by recessing the center of the main division MD inward. In one example, the depression SN has a triangular shape when viewed in plan, and preferably has an isosceles triangular shape. For example, the height of the triangle is about 3um, the length of the base is preferably in the range of 5um ~ 6um.

The protrusion PT is formed at one end or both ends of the main partition MD. Specifically, the protrusion PT is formed on the opposite side of the sub division SD. The protrusion PT has a shape in which one end or both ends of the main partition MD protrude outward. It is preferable that the protrusion part PT has the same shape as the recessed part SN in planar view, for example, it has a triangular shape, More preferably, it has an isosceles triangular shape.

On the other hand, it is preferable that the light shielding film 220 overlaps the protrusion PT to completely cover the protrusion PT. In addition, the light blocking film 220 may also cover a part or the entirety of the sub dividing unit SD.

7A, 7B, and 7C are diagrams illustrating an arrangement state of liquid crystals according to shapes of domain division parts in FIG. 1. Specifically, FIG. 7A illustrates a simplified view of the domain divider, and FIG. 7B illustrates electric force lines according to the shape of the domain divider of FIG. 7A, and FIG. 7C illustrates an arrangement of liquid crystals according to the electric force lines of FIG. 7B. It is a figure which shows the state.

First, referring to FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C, the protrusion division PT and the depression SN are formed in the domain division part 252. Electric force lines are radiated outward from the center of the point A corresponding to the protrusion PT, and are directed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the domain division part 252. At this time, the electric force lines are sharply bent at the point B corresponding to the depression SN to be directed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the domain division 252. On the other hand, at the center of the point B, an electric force line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the domain division part 252 and an electric force line perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the domain division part 252 intersect.

These electric field lines determine the arrangement of the liquid crystals in the liquid crystal layer 300. That is, the liquid crystals are arranged in a direction parallel to the electric field lines.

On the other hand, in the domain divider 252, the form of the electric field lines, such as the point A and the form of the electric field lines, such as the point B is essentially generated. That is, even when the protrusion PT and the depression SP are not formed in the domain division part 252, the form of the electric force lines such as the point A and the form of the electric force lines such as the B point is generated. However, when the protrusions PT and the depressions SP are not formed in the domain division part 252, the shape of the electric field lines, such as the point A and the shape of the electric field lines, such as the point B, are irregularly generated. There is a problem that the display quality of the image is degraded. Specifically, dark spots are generated at the center of the A point and the center of the B point, and the positions of the dark spots are irregularly generated to degrade the display quality.

Therefore, in order to solve this problem, the protrusions PT and the depressions SP should be formed in the domain divider 252 as in the present embodiment. As such, when the protrusions PT and the depressions SP are formed in the domain divider 252, the shape of the electric force lines as at the point A and the shape of the electric force lines as at the B point may be the protrusions PT and the depression. It is formed at a position corresponding to SP, and the dark spots are generated at a constant position.

In particular, in the present exemplary embodiment, since the light blocking film 220 covers the protrusion PT of the domain division part 252, dark spots formed at positions corresponding to the protrusion PT are not displayed to the outside. As a result, the display quality of the video can be further improved.

Meanwhile, in the present exemplary embodiment, the recess SN and the protrusion PT are formed in the domain divider 252 formed on the common electrode 250, but the pixel division 180 is differently formed. The same technical concept may be applied to the domain divider.

According to the present invention as described above, a depression is formed in the center of the main division, and protrusions are formed at one end or both ends of the main division, so that dark spots generated by crossing electric force lines can be formed at a constant position.

Furthermore, by covering the protrusions with the light shielding film, dark spots formed at positions corresponding to the protrusions can be prevented from being displayed to the outside, thereby improving the display quality of the image.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical and exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (11)

A first substrate having a gate line and a data line crossing each other to define a unit pixel, a thin film transistor electrically connected to the gate line and the data line, and a pixel electrode electrically connected to the thin film transistor and formed in the unit pixel; A second substrate having a light blocking film for blocking light, a common electrode formed in the unit pixel so as to correspond to the pixel electrode, and a domain divider formed in the common electrode to divide the unit pixel into a plurality of domains; And A liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, The domain dividing unit includes a main dividing unit and a sub dividing unit, and the main dividing unit is formed to be elongated in one direction and enters inward in the center thereof, and the sub dividing unit is connected to an end portion of the main dividing unit so that the A protrusion formed to extend in a direction parallel to a side of a unit pixel and protruding in an outward direction at a portion meeting the end of the main division part, And a first side of the protrusion extending in the parallel direction, and a second side of the protrusion extending in the parallel direction. delete The display panel of claim 1, wherein the depression and the protrusion have the same shape when viewed in a plan view. The display panel of claim 3, wherein the depression and the protrusion have a triangular shape. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the protrusion part is covered by the light blocking film. delete The display panel of claim 1, wherein the sub dividing portion has a shape protruding in a direction opposite to the protrusion. The display device of claim 7, wherein the gate line is formed in a first direction, and the data line is formed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. And the main division part is formed in at least one of a third direction inclined at 45 degrees with respect to the first direction and a fourth direction perpendicular to the third direction. The display panel of claim 8, wherein the sub dividing portion is formed in at least one of the first direction and the second direction. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the domain divider is an opening formed by removing a portion of the common electrode. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the domain divider is a protrusion formed on the common electrode.

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