KR20070014584A - Display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

A display panel is provided to reduce the height of a column spacer, thereby improving the uniformity of column spacer, by maintaining the gap between two display substrates using a column spacer portion of a shielding member in addition to the column spacer. A first display substrate(100) has a plurality of pixels. A second display substrate(200) is disposed to face the first display substrate. A column spacer(320) is formed on one or more display substrates of the first and second display substrates, and maintains the gap between the two display substrates. A shielding member(220) is formed on the second display substrate. The shielding member includes a light shielding portion(221) and a column spacer portion(222), wherein the column spacer portion of the shielding member overlaps the column spacer and maintains the gap between the two display substrates.

Description

Display panel {DISPLAY PANEL}

1 is a layout view of a first display panel for a display panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the display panel including the first display panel of FIG. 1 along a line II-II.

3 and 4 are cross-sectional views illustrating respective steps of forming the light blocking member on the second display panel of FIG. 2.

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

100: first display panel 110: first insulating substrate

121: gate line 124: gate electrode

140: gate insulating film 151: linear semiconductor

154: channel portion 171: data line

173 Source electrode 175 Drain electrode

180: protective film 190: pixel electrode

200: second display panel 210: second insulating substrate

220: light blocking member 221: light blocking part

222: spacer 230: color filter

320: column spacer 330: protrusion pattern

The present invention relates to a display panel, and more particularly, to a display panel having improved uniformity of column spacers for maintaining a gap between two display panels constituting the display panel.

The display panel is used for a display device to display an image. There are many types of display panels, and among them, liquid crystal display panels (Liquid Crystal Display Panel), which is smaller and lighter, and whose performance is further improved, is becoming a representative display panel centering on the rapidly developing semiconductor technology.

The liquid crystal display panel generally includes an upper display panel on which a common electrode, a color filter, and the like are formed, a lower display panel on which a thin film transistor, a pixel electrode, and the like are formed, and a liquid crystal material injected between both display panels. By applying different potentials to the pixel electrode and the common electrode, an electric field is formed to change the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules, thereby controlling the light transmittance to represent an image.

However, the LCD has a narrow viewing angle. Therefore, in order to overcome this disadvantage, the long axis of the liquid crystal molecules is vertically aligned (VA mode) with respect to both substrates in the absence of an electric field, and domain division means are provided on the pixel electrode and the common electrode that is the opposite electrode. A method of widening the viewing angle is used. That is, the viewing angle can be widened by adjusting the lying direction of the vertically aligned liquid crystal molecules using a fringe field formed by the domain dividing means. Here, the domain dividing means may include an incision pattern and protrusions formed on the pixel electrode and the common electrode.

When a pixel is divided into two or more domains by using projections on the upper panel, column spacers and projections that maintain the gap between the two display panels are formed together to simplify the manufacturing process. At this time, the column spacer and the protrusion are formed through a photo process using a mask.

However, in general, since the column spacer and the protrusion have a height difference of more than twice, when forming the column spacer and the protrusion together using a single mask, it is difficult to secure uniformity of the column spacer due to the characteristics of the manufacturing method through the photo process. There is this.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a display panel in which uniformity of column spacers for maintaining a gap between both display panels constituting the display panel is improved.

In order to achieve the above object, a display panel according to the present invention includes a first display panel having a plurality of pixels, a second display panel disposed to face the first display panel, and at least one display panel among the first display panel and the second display panel. A column spacer formed on the second display panel to maintain a gap between the two display panels, and a spacer for blocking light on the second display panel and a spacer overlapping the column spacer together to maintain a gap between the two display panels. A shielding member having a portion is formed.

Here, the spacer portion of the light blocking member preferably has a thickness thicker than that of the light blocking portion.

A protrusion pattern may be further formed on the second display panel together with the column spacers.

Preferably, the protrusion pattern divides the pixel into two or more domains.

Preferably, the protrusion pattern has a height of at least half of a height of the column spacer.

The light blocking member is preferably formed through a photo process using a mask including a slit pattern.

As a result, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the column spacers maintaining the gap between the two display panels.

Hereinafter, a display panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, a display panel using an amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin film transistor (TFT) formed by a five-sheet mask process as an example is schematically illustrated. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

In the accompanying drawings, a liquid crystal display panel in a vertical alignment mode is shown in which the incision pattern of the pixel electrode formed on the first display panel and the projection pattern formed on the second display panel are domain dividing means.

In order to clearly describe the present invention, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted, and like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification.

In addition, in the drawings, the thickness of layers, films, panels, regions, etc., are exaggerated for clarity. Like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the specification. When a portion of a layer, film, region, plate, or the like is said to be "on" or "on" another portion, this includes not only when the other portion is "right over" but also when there is another portion in the middle. On the contrary, when a part is "just above" another part, there is no other part in the middle.

1 is a layout view of a first display panel 100 used in a display panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Here, for convenience of description, the column spacer 320, the protrusion pattern 330, and the spacer portion 222 of the light blocking member 220 formed on the second display panel 200 facing the first display panel 100 are dotted lines. Together. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a display panel including the first display panel 100 of FIG. 1 along a line II-II.

The display panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes liquid crystal molecules formed between the first display panel 100, the second display panel 200 facing the first display panel 100, and the first display panel 100 and the second display panel 200. It includes a liquid crystal layer 3, and the column spacer 320 to maintain the gap between the two display panels (100, 200). In this case, the alignment layers 11 and 21 are formed on each of the display panels 100 and 200, and the alignment layers 11 and 21 have directions in which liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 3 are perpendicular to the display panels 100 and 200. Is oriented. In addition, polarizing plates 12 and 22 are attached to outer surfaces of the first display panel 100 and the second display panel 200, respectively.

First, the configuration of the first display panel 100 will be described in detail.

A plurality of gate lines 121 extending mainly in the horizontal direction are formed on the first insulating substrate 110 made of an insulating material such as glass, quartz, ceramic, or plastic. Each gate line 121 has a plurality of portions forming a plurality of gate electrodes 124, and one end portion 129 is widely extended for connection with an external circuit.

The storage electrode wirings are formed on the first insulating substrate 110 in the same layer as the gate line 121. The storage electrode wiring includes the storage electrode line 131 extending parallel to the gate line 121 at the edge of the pixel region and a plurality of storage electrodes 133a, 133b, 133c, and 133d extending therefrom. . The pair of storage electrodes 133a, 133b, 133c, and 133d extend in the vertical direction and are connected to each other by the vertical portions 133a and 133b which are formed by the storage electrode lines 131 extending in the horizontal direction, and the pixel electrodes formed thereafter. An oblique portion 133c and 133d overlapping the incision patterns 191 and 193 of 190 and connecting the vertical portions 133a and 133b. In this case, the sustain electrode wiring may not have a pair of sustain electrodes 133a, 133b, 133c, and 133d, and may be modified into various shapes as necessary.

The gate line 121 and the sustain electrode wirings 131, 133a, 133b, 133c, and 133d are made of a metal such as Al, Ag, Cr, Ti, Ta, Mo, or an alloy containing them. As shown in FIG. 2, the gate line 121 and the sustain electrode line 131 of the embodiment according to the present invention may be formed of a single layer, but have a metal layer of Cr, Mo, Ti, Ta, or an alloy including these having excellent physicochemical properties. It may be made of a multilayer including an Al-based or Ag-based metal layer having a low specific resistance. In addition, the gate line 121 and the sustain electrode wirings 131, 133a, 133b, 133c, and 133d may be made of various metals or conductors, and a multi-layered film may be patterned under the same etching conditions. In addition, the sidewalls of the gate line 121 and the sustain electrode line 131 may be inclined, and the inclination angle with respect to the plate surface of the first insulating substrate 110 may be 30 to 80 °.

A gate insulating layer 140 made of silicon nitride (SiNx) or the like is formed on the gate line 121 and the storage electrode lines 131, 133a, 133b, 133c, and 133d.

A plurality of drain electrodes 175 including a plurality of data lines 171 are formed on the gate insulating layer 140. Each data line 171 mainly extends in a vertical direction, and forms a source electrode 173 by forming a plurality of branches toward each drain electrode 175.

Here, the gate electrode 124, the source electrode 173, and the drain electrode 175 become three electrodes of the thin film transistor.

One end 179 of the data line 171 is also widely extended for connection with an external circuit. In addition, a leg metal piece 172 overlapping the gate line 121 is formed on the gate insulating layer 140.

Like the gate line 121, the data line 171, the source electrode 173, and the drain electrode 175 are also made of a conductive material such as chromium, molybdenum, aluminum, or an alloy containing the same, and may be formed in a single layer or multiple layers. Can be done.

Under the data line 171 and the drain electrode 175, a plurality of linear semiconductors 151 that extend mainly vertically along the data line 171 are formed. Each linear semiconductor 151 made of amorphous silicon extends toward each gate electrode 124, the source electrode 173, and the drain electrode 175 to have a channel portion 154.

Between the semiconductor 151 and the data line 171, the source electrode 173, and the drain electrode 175, a plurality of linear ohmic contacts 161 and islands are formed to reduce the contact resistance between the two. An ohmic contact 165 is formed. The linear ohmic contact 161 has a branched ohmic contact 163, and the island-like ohmic contact 165 faces the ohmic contact 163 about the gate electrode 124. The ohmic contacts 161, 163, and 165 are made of amorphous silicon doped with silicide or n-type impurities at a high concentration.

On the data line 171, the source electrode 173, and the drain electrode 175, an organic material having excellent planarization characteristics and photosensitivity, formed of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), is formed on the data line 171, the source electrode 173, and the drain electrode 175. A passivation layer 180 made of a low dielectric constant insulating material such as -Si: C: O, a-Si: O: F, or an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride is formed.

The passivation layer 180 includes a plurality of contact holes 182 and 185 exposing at least a portion of the end portion 179 of the data line 171 and the drain electrode 175, respectively. In addition, the end portion 129 of the gate line 121 also has a contact portion for connecting with an external driving circuit, and the plurality of contact holes 181 pass through the gate insulating layer 140 and the passivation layer 180 to form a gate line. Expose the end 129 of 121. The plurality of contact holes 183 and 184 respectively exposing a part of the sustain electrode line 131 also penetrate the gate insulating layer 140 and the passivation layer 180.

A plurality of contact assistants 81 and 82 are formed on the passivation layer 180 as well as a plurality of pixel electrodes 190 having cut patterns 191, 192, and 193. The pixel electrode 190 and the contact assistants 81 and 82 are made of a transparent conductor such as indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), or an opaque conductor having excellent light reflection characteristics such as aluminum (Al). .

The cutout patterns 191, 192, and 193 formed on the pixel electrode 190 may have the horizontal cutout pattern 192 formed in the horizontal direction at a position that half-divides the pixel electrode 190, and the pixel electrode 190 divided into half. It includes diagonal cut patterns (191, 193) formed in the diagonal direction in the upper and lower portions of, respectively. The horizontal cutout pattern 192 is formed to penetrate from the right side to the left side of the pixel electrode 190, and the inlet is broadly symmetrically extended. Therefore, the pixel electrode 190 is symmetrically divided by the horizontal cutout pattern 192. At this time, the upper and lower oblique cutting patterns 191 and 193 are perpendicular to each other, in order to evenly distribute the direction of the fringe field in four directions. As described above, the cutting patterns 191, 192, and 193 of the pixel electrode 190 may be domain dividing means for dividing one pixel into a plurality of domains.

In addition, a storage wiring connecting bridge 84 is formed on the same layer as the pixel electrode 190 on the passivation layer 180 to connect two storage electrode lines 131 crossing the gate line 121 and positioned at both sides thereof. have. The storage wiring connection bridge 84 is in contact with the storage electrode 133a and the storage electrode line 131 through contact holes 183 and 184 penetrating through the passivation layer 180 and the gate insulating layer 140. The sustain wiring connection leg 84 overlaps the leg metal piece 172, and these may be electrically connected to each other. The sustain wiring connection bridge 84 serves to electrically connect the entire sustain electrode wiring on the first insulating substrate 110. The storage electrode line 131 may be used to repair a defect of the gate line 121 or the data line 171 if necessary. The leg metal piece 172 is formed to assist the electrical connection between the gate line 121 and the sustain wiring connecting leg 84 when irradiating a laser for such repair.

The contact auxiliary members 81 and 82 are connected to the end portion 129 of the gate line and the end portion 179 of the data line through contact holes 181 and 182, respectively.

Next, the configuration of the second display panel 200 will be described in detail.

Like the first insulating substrate 110, a light blocking member is formed on the second insulating substrate 210 made of an insulating material such as glass, quartz, ceramic, or plastic.

The light blocking member 220 includes a light blocking part 221 that blocks light and a spacer part 222 overlapping the column spacer 320 to maintain a gap between the display panels 100 and 200. The light blocking unit 221 has an opening facing the pixel electrode 190 of the first display panel 100 to block light leaking between neighboring pixels. The light blocking portion 221 is also formed at a position corresponding to the thin film transistor to block external light incident on the semiconductor layer 154 of the thin film transistor. The spacer portion 222 is formed at a position corresponding to the column spacer 320 and has a thickness thicker than that of the light blocking portion 221.

The light blocking member 220 may be made of a photosensitive organic material to which black pigment is added to block light. Here, carbon black, titanium oxide, or the like may be used as the black pigment.

The color filters 230 having three primary colors are sequentially disposed on the second insulating substrate 210 on which the light blocking member 220 is formed. In this case, the color of the color filter 230 is not necessarily limited to the three primary colors, it may be variously configured with one or more colors. The boundary of each color filter 230 is positioned on the light blocking member 220, but is not limited thereto, and the light blocking member 220 may block light leaked by overlapping edges of color filters 230 adjacent to each other. It can have the same function.

A common electrode 270 is formed on the light blocking member 220 and the color filter 230 together with the pixel electrode 190 to form an electric field for driving the liquid crystal molecules and made of a transparent conductive material such as ITO or IZO.

In addition, on the common electrode 270, the column spacer 320 that maintains the gap between the display panels 100 and 200 facing each other and the protrusion pattern 330 which is a domain dividing unit are formed together in the same layer.

The column spacer 320 is formed at a position overlapping the spacer portion 222 of the light blocking member 220 to maintain the gap between the display panels 100 and 200 together with the space portion 222.

The protrusion pattern 330 divides one pixel into a plurality of domains along with the cutting patterns 191, 192, and 193 of the pixel electrode 190 formed on the first display panel 100. That is, by adjusting the direction in which the liquid crystal molecules vertically aligned by the fringe field generated by the cutting patterns 191, 192, and 193 and the protrusion pattern 330 of the pixel electrode 190 are pre-tilted and laid down. It will improve the viewing angle.

In this case, the protrusion pattern 330 preferably has a height of at least half of the height of the column spacer 320. When the height difference between the column spacer 320 and the protrusion pattern 330 is more than twice, it is difficult to secure the uniformity of the column spacer 320 in the process of forming the column spacer 320 and the protrusion pattern 330 together. .

The column spacer 320 and the protrusion pattern 330 are made of a photosensitive insulating material, and the first display panel 100 and the second display panel 200 are disposed to face each other and are coupled to each other by a sealant (not shown).

Although FIG. 2 illustrates a column spacer 320 formed on the second display panel 200, the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, the column spacer 320 may be formed on either one of the first display panel 100 or the second display panel 200, or both the display panels 100 and 200. That is, as long as it overlaps with the spacer portion 222 of the light blocking member 220, the display panel 100 or 200 may be formed anywhere. In this case, the spacer portion 222 of the column spacer 320 and the light blocking member 220 may be formed on the thin film transistor, the gate line 121, the data line 171, or the gate line 121 formed on the first display panel 100. It is disposed so as to correspond to the intersection area of the data lines 171.

By such a configuration, it is possible to ensure uniformity of the column spacers 320 formed in plural. That is, since the column spacer 320 and the spacer portion 222 of the light blocking member 220 together serve to maintain the gap between the display panels 100 and 200, the height of only the column spacer 320 may be reduced. Therefore, the height difference between the column spacer 320 and the protrusion pattern 330 having a relatively small height is reduced. Thus, in the process of forming the column spacer 320 and the protrusion pattern 330 together, it is possible to suppress the non-uniform formation of the column spacer 320.

The manufacturing process of the display panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the formation process of the light blocking member 220 and the column spacer 320.

First, as shown in FIG. 3, the photosensitive organic material 22 to which the black pigment is added is applied onto the second insulating substrate 210, and then exposed using a mask 900 including a slit pattern. Is carried out. The mask 900 may be formed of a transparent substrate 910 and a light blocking film 920.

Next, the exposed photosensitive organic material 22 is developed to form a light blocking member 220 as shown in FIG. 4. At this time, the fully exposed portion becomes the spacer portion 222 of the light blocking member 220, and the portion partially exposed by the slit pattern becomes the light blocking portion 221 of the light blocking member 220.

Subsequently, after the color filter 230 and the common electrode 270 are formed, a photosensitive material made by dissolving a photoreaction initiator and other additives together in a resin is coated thereon.

The photosensitive material is patterned through a photo process to form the column spacer 320 and the protrusion pattern 330. The column spacer 320 is formed at a position overlapping the spacer portion 222 of the light blocking member 220, and the protrusion pattern 330 corresponds to one pixel corresponding to the pixel electrode 190 of the first display panel 100. It is formed to divide into two or more domains.

As such, in the process of forming the column spacer 320 and the protrusion pattern 330 together, the height difference between the column spacer 320 and the protrusion pattern 330 is relatively small, thereby further securing uniformity of the column spacer 320. Will be.

Next, a thin film transistor, a gate line 121, and a data line 171 having the column spacer 320 formed on the second display panel 200 and the spacer portion 222 of the light blocking member 220 formed on the first display panel 100. Alternatively, the first display panel 100 and the second display panel 200 may be aligned to face each other so as to correspond to an intersection area between the gate line 121 and the data line 171, and then, using a sealant (not shown), both display panels may be used. Combine (100, 200).

Next, the liquid crystal layer 3 is filled between the display panels 100 and 200 by using a liquid crystal dropping method or a vacuum injection method to form a display panel.

Although the present invention has been described above, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims set out below.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the column spacers maintaining the gap between the two display panels constituting the display panel.

That is, since the column spacer and the spacer portion of the light blocking member together serve to maintain the gap between the two display panels, the height of only the column spacer can be reduced. Therefore, the height difference between the column spacer and the projection pattern having a relatively small height is reduced. Thus, in the process of forming the column spacer and the protrusion pattern together, it is possible to suppress the non-uniform formation of the column spacer.

Claims (6)

A first display panel having a plurality of pixels, A second display panel disposed to face the first display panel, and A column spacer formed on at least one display panel among the first display panel and the second display panel to maintain a gap between the display panels; Including; And a shielding member on the second display panel, the shielding member blocking light and a spacer portion overlapping the column spacer to maintain a gap between the display panels. The method of claim 1, The spacer panel of the light blocking member has a thickness thicker than that of the light blocking portion. The method of claim 1, A display panel on which the protrusion pattern is further formed together with the column spacer on the second display panel. The method of claim 3, The projection pattern divides the pixel into two or more domains. The method of claim 3, The projection pattern has a height that is at least half the height of the column spacer. The method of claim 1, The light blocking member is formed through a photo process using a mask including a slit pattern.

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