KR20110045237A - Transflective Electrowetting Display - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A semi-transparent electro wetting display device is provided to be used in any space due and to prevent a picture quality deterioration compared with a general transparent or reflective electro wetting display device. CONSTITUTION: A semi-transparent type electro wetting display device(100) includes a first support substrate(111), a reflective layer(112), a minimum pixel electrode(113), a first insulating layer(114), and a pixel wall. The first support substrate is transparent. The reflective layer reflects the light and forms a pixel opening unit of the first substrate. The pixel electrode is formed in parallel on the first support substrate including the pixel electrode. The pixel wall includes a path which is totally reflects the light an corresponds to the pxiel boundary unit on the first insulating layer.

Description

Transflective Electrowetting Display

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrowetting display device for displaying image information by flowing a fluid injected into a predetermined space formed inside a pixel. More particularly, the present invention relates to a semi-transmissive electrowetting display device capable of ensuring visibility in indoors and outdoors. .

In recent years, as the information age has entered, the display field for visually expressing electrical information signals has been rapidly developed, and various flat panel display devices having excellent performance of thinning, light weight, and low power consumption have been developed. Flat Display Device has been developed and is rapidly replacing the existing Cathode Ray Tube (CRT).

Specific examples of such a flat panel display device include a liquid crystal display device (LCD), a plasma display panel device (PDP), a field emission display device (FED), and an electroluminescent display device. (Electro luminescence Display Device (ELD)) and Electro-Wetting Display (EWD).

Among these, the electrowetting display device visually expresses an information signal by applying an electrowetting phenomenon. Here, the electrowetting phenomenon means a phenomenon in which the interfacial tension of the fluid is changed by an electric field, and the fluid is migrated or deformed. An electrowetting display device injects a hydrophilic liquid and a hydrophobic liquid into a predetermined space inside a pixel, and moves the hydrophobic liquid by changing the interfacial tension of the hydrophilic liquid by an electric field formed by an externally applied voltage. By doing so, an image is displayed. Such an electrowetting display device has an advantageous characteristic of small size, low power consumption, fast response speed, and high color brightness, and thus has recently been in the spotlight as one of the next generation flat panel display devices.

On the other hand, the electrowetting display panel, which is configured to display an image in the electrowetting display device, receives light from an external or backlight unit without emitting light by itself and emits light to the outside through an opening to display image information. Accordingly, the conventional electrowetting display device includes a reflective electrowetting display device for reflecting light incident from the outside and emitting it to the outside, and a transmissive electrowetting display device for transmitting the light generated by the internal backlight unit to the outside. Can be distinguished.

Hereinafter, a transmissive electrowetting display device and a reflective electrowetting display device according to the related art will be described. 1 shows a transmissive electrowetting display device according to the prior art, and FIG. 2 shows a reflective electrowetting display device according to the prior art.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a transmissive electrowetting display device according to the related art is provided in a transmissive electrowetting display panel 10a and an electrowetting display panel 10a in which a plurality of pixels are formed to display image information. It is configured to include a backlight unit 20 for supplying light. The transmissive electrowetting display panel 10a corresponds to a pixel between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate (not shown) and the first substrate 11 and the second substrate (not shown) facing each other. It comprises a liquid layer 12 to be filled. Here, the first substrate 11 is positioned above the backlight unit 20, and the transparent first support substrate 11a to which light generated by the backlight unit 20 is incident, and the pixel openings on the first support substrate 11a. A transparent pixel electrode 11b formed to correspond to the hydrophobic insulating layer 11c and a pixel on the hydrophobic insulating layer 11c that are formed flat on the entire surface of the first supporting substrate 11a including the pixel electrode 11b. A cladding layer 11d formed corresponding to the outer periphery of the opening and having hydrophobicity, and a pixel wall 11e disposed on each pixel boundary portion on the hydrophobic insulating layer 11c. The liquid layer 12 is formed in each pixel to be in contact with at least a part of the cladding layer 11d and includes a hydrophobic liquid 12a having a hydrophobicity and including a phosphor that emits visible light in response to light. And a hydrophilic liquid 12b filled between the first substrate 110 and the second substrate (not shown) so as to surround all of the hydrophobic liquids 12a in each pixel.

The conventional transmissive electrowetting display device configured as described above selectively selects light generated by the backlight unit 20 depending on whether an electric field is formed in the liquid layer 12 by a voltage applied to the pixel electrode 11b. Passing through the hydrophobic liquid 12a generates light of a color corresponding to the hydrophobic liquid 12a, and emits the light generated in this way through the pixel opening, thereby displaying an image.

That is, when no electric field is formed in the liquid layer 12, as shown in FIG. 1A, the hydrophobic liquid 12a is disposed to spread over the entire surface of the insulating layer 11b including the pixel opening. Accordingly, the light generated by the backlight unit 20 and transmitted through the first support substrate 11a, the pixel electrode 11b, and the hydrophobic insulating layer 11c passes through the hydrophobic liquid 12a and is thus hydrophobic liquid 12a. Is generated as light of a color corresponding to the light emission and emitted through the pixel opening. On the other hand, when an electric field is formed in the liquid layer 12, as shown in FIG. 1B, the hydrophilic liquid 12b is disposed to be in contact with a portion of the insulating layer 11b corresponding to the pixel opening, and thus the hydrophobic liquid 12a is formed. Is pushed by the hydrophilic liquid 12b and concentrated in the cladding layer 11d. Accordingly, the light generated in the backlight unit 20 and transmitted to the first support substrate 11a, the pixel electrode 11b, and the hydrophobic insulating layer 11c cannot pass through the hydrophobic liquid 12a. Light of a color corresponding to 12a) is not generated.

In addition, the reflective electrowetting display device according to the related art includes a reflective electrowetting display panel 10b in which a plurality of pixels are formed to display image information, as shown in FIG. 2. The reflective electrowetting display panel 10b corresponds to a pixel between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate (not shown) and the first substrate 11 and the second substrate (not shown) facing each other. It comprises a liquid layer 12 is filled. Here, the first substrate 11 is formed to correspond to the pixel openings on the first support substrate 11a, the first support substrate 11a, and reflect the light 11f and the reflecting electrode 11f. A hydrophobic insulating layer 11c formed flat on the first supporting substrate 11a including the cladding layer 11d and a hydrophobic insulating layer formed corresponding to the periphery of the pixel opening on the hydrophobic insulating layer 11c and having hydrophobicity. The pixel wall 11e formed in each pixel boundary part on 11c is comprised. The liquid layer 12 is formed in each pixel to be in contact with at least a part of the cladding layer 11d and includes a phosphor that emits visible light in response to light, and has a hydrophobic liquid 12a. And a hydrophilic liquid 12b filled between the first and second substrates 11 and a second substrate (not shown) so as to surround all of the hydrophobic liquids 12a in each pixel.

In the conventional reflective electrowetting display device configured as described above, depending on whether an electric field is formed in the liquid layer 12 by the voltage applied to the reflecting electrode 11f, light incident from the outside is selectively hydrophobic liquid ( Passing through 12a) generates light of a color corresponding to the hydrophobic liquid 12a, and emits the light generated in this way through the pixel opening, thereby displaying an image.

That is, when no electric field is formed in the liquid layer 12, the hydrophobic liquid 12a is disposed to spread over the entire surface of the insulating layer 11b including the pixel opening. Accordingly, the light incident from the outside and reflected by the reflecting electrode 11f is generated as light of a color corresponding to the hydrophobic liquid 12a and emitted to the outside. On the other hand, when an electric field is formed in the liquid layer 12, the hydrophilic liquid 12b is arranged to be in contact with a part of the insulating layer 11b corresponding to the pixel opening, so that the hydrophobic liquid 12a is pushed by the hydrophilic liquid 12b. It is collected in the cladding layer 11d. Accordingly, the light incident from the outside and reflected by the reflective electrode 11f cannot pass through the hydrophobic liquid 12a, and light of a color corresponding to the hydrophobic liquid 12a cannot be emitted through the pixel opening. .

As described above, since the conventional transmissive electrowetting display device is driven depending on the light generated by the backlight unit 20, the backlight unit 20 having a large amount of power consumption must be provided, and visibility is guaranteed indoors. There is a problem in that visibility is lowered outdoors where light is brighter than light generated at 20. In addition, since the conventional reflective electrowetting display device is driven depending on the light incident from the outside, visibility may not be ensured when a sufficient amount of light is not supplied from the outside.

On the other hand, the liquid crystal display device which is one of the flat panel display devices displays an image by adjusting the light transmittance of the liquid crystal using an electric field. That is, the liquid crystal display panel displaying an image of the liquid crystal display device, like the electrowetting display panel of the electrowetting display device, does not generate light by itself and receives light generated from the backlight unit to selectively transmit light. Display an image. While the liquid crystal display device is guaranteed visibility in the room, there is a disadvantage that the visibility in the space in which light is brighter than the light generated from the backlight unit cannot be guaranteed.

Accordingly, in recent years, a transflective mode liquid crystal display device for displaying an image using not only light generated in the backlight unit but also light incident from the outside has been proposed so that the liquid crystal display device can be used indoors and outdoors. . Such a transflective liquid crystal display includes a reflective layer disposed to correspond to a part of the pixel openings, and a part of the pixel openings is a reflection area for reflecting light incident from the outside, and the other part of the pixel openings is generated in the backlight unit. It should be a transmission area for transmitting light. That is, since the pixel opening is divided into a reflection area and a transmission area, the actual pixel opening when the liquid crystal display device is driven in the reflection type corresponds only to the reflection area where the reflection layer is formed, and the actual pixel when the liquid crystal display device is driven in the transmission type. The openings correspond only to the transmissive regions where the reflective layer is not formed. As a result, the substantial pixel opening of the transflective liquid crystal display device has a smaller area than the general reflective liquid crystal display device or the transmissive liquid crystal display device, thereby reducing the amount of light emitted to the outside through the pixel opening. Accordingly, the transflective liquid crystal display device has a problem in that image quality is deteriorated as compared with a general transmissive liquid crystal display device or a reflective liquid crystal display device.

Accordingly, the present invention can display an image by using light incident from the outside or light generated from the backlight unit, so that visibility can be guaranteed indoors and outdoors, and can be used without space limitation. An object of the present invention is to provide an electrowetting display device capable of preventing deterioration in image quality compared to an electrowetting display device.

In order to solve this problem, the present invention, a transparent first support substrate; A reflective layer formed corresponding to the pixel openings on the first support substrate and reflecting light; A pixel electrode formed to correspond to the pixel opening on the reflective layer; A first insulating layer formed flat on the first support substrate including the pixel electrode; A pixel wall corresponding to a pixel boundary portion on the first insulating layer and formed of a waveguide for totally reflecting the light; A second support substrate facing and transparent to the first support substrate; A black matrix layer disposed corresponding to an outer periphery of the pixel opening on the second support substrate facing the first support substrate; A first fluid having a hydrophobicity and a phosphor disposed independently in each pixel between the first and second support substrates so as to contact at least a part of the pixel wall and emitting visible light in response to light; ; And a second fluid disposed between the first support substrate and the second support substrate to surround all of the first fluid in each pixel, and having a hydrophilic property. .

Or, the present invention, a transparent first support substrate; A reflective electrode formed to correspond to the pixel opening on the first support substrate and reflecting light; A first insulating layer formed flat on the first support substrate including the reflective electrode; A pixel wall corresponding to a pixel boundary portion on the first insulating layer and formed of a waveguide for totally reflecting the light; A second support substrate facing and transparent to the first support substrate; A black matrix layer disposed corresponding to an outer periphery of the pixel opening on the second support substrate facing the first support substrate; A first fluid having a hydrophobicity and a phosphor disposed independently in each pixel between the first and second support substrates so as to contact at least a part of the pixel wall and emitting visible light in response to light; ; And a second fluid disposed between the first support substrate and the second support substrate to surround all of the first fluid in each pixel, and having a hydrophilic property. .

As described above, the electrowetting display device according to the present invention includes a reflection layer formed to correspond to the pixel opening and a pixel electrode or a reflection electrode formed to correspond to the pixel opening. It is operable with a reflection type that reflects and emits through the pixel openings. And a pixel wall formed of a waveguide that totally reflects the light generated by the backlight unit and delivers the light to the liquid layer, and reflects the light transmitted through the pixel wall to the reflective layer or the reflective electrode and emits the light through the pixel opening. It is operable in transmission type. That is, the electrowetting display device according to the present invention is a transflective electrowetting display device operable in a reflective or transmissive type.

In addition, since the pixel openings are substantially the same when operating in the reflective or transmissive type, deterioration in image quality can be prevented as compared with a general transmissive electrowetting display or reflective electrowetting display.

Hereinafter, an electrowetting display device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3 shows an electrowetting display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the electrowetting display device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, light is applied to the electrowetting display panel 100 and the electrowetting display panel 100 in which a plurality of pixels are formed to display image information. It comprises a backlight unit 200 for supplying.

The electrowetting display panel 100 includes a liquid layer 130 formed for each pixel between the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 facing each other, and between the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120. It is configured to include.

The first substrate 110 corresponds to the transparent first support substrate 111 positioned above the backlight unit 200 and to which light is incident from the backlight unit 200, and the pixel openings on the first support substrate 111. And formed on the first support substrate 111 including the reflective layer 112 reflecting light, the pixel electrode 113 formed corresponding to the pixel opening on the reflective layer 112, and the pixel electrode 113. A first insulating layer 114 having a hydrophobicity, a cladding layer 115 having a hydrophobicity, and a pixel boundary portion of the first insulating layer 114 that is formed to correspond to an outer periphery of the pixel opening on the first insulating layer 114. And a pixel wall 116 corresponding to and formed of a waveguide that totally reflects light.

The second substrate 120 includes a transparent second support substrate 121 and a black matrix layer 122 formed corresponding to an outer periphery of the pixel opening on the second support substrate facing the first substrate 110. It includes a second insulating layer 123 formed flat on the entire surface of the second support substrate 121 including the matrix layer 122 and a transparent common electrode 124 formed on the second insulating layer 123. do.

The liquid layer 130 is formed independently in each pixel such that at least a part of the cladding layer 115 and the pixel wall 116 contact each other, and includes a phosphor that emits visible light in response to light. The branch is filled between the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 to surround both the first fluid (131, hereinafter referred to as 'hydrophobic liquid') and the hydrophobic liquid 131 in each pixel, the hydrophilicity The branch comprises a second fluid (132, hereinafter referred to as 'hydrophilic liquid'). Here, the phosphor included in the hydrophobic liquid 131 corresponds to one of R (red), G (green), and B (blue). The hydrophilic liquid 132 is an electrolyte solution in which the solvent is water. The hydrophilic liquid 132 is a fluid having electrical conductivity, and the light that does not pass through the hydrophobic liquid 131 so as to be greater than or equal to the refractive index of the first insulating layer 113 is pixel. To prevent release through openings. In addition, the refractive index of the hydrophobic liquid 131 is greater than or equal to the refractive index of the pixel wall 116, so that light generated in the backlight unit 200 may be transmitted to the hydrophobic liquid 131 through the pixel wall 116. .

In the electrowetting display device configured as described above, the color corresponding to the phosphor contained in the hydrophobic liquid 131 according to the electric field between two electrodes formed by the voltage applied to each of the pixel electrode 113 and the common electrode 124. Light emitted from the reflective or backlight unit 200 that emits light to the outside and reflects the light incident from the outside to the reflective layer 112 to be emitted through the pixel opening to display an image. A transflective electrowetting display device operable in a transmissive type that transmits through and is emitted through a pixel opening to display an image.

4 illustrates an operation when no voltage is applied to the electrowetting display device illustrated in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 illustrates an operation when a voltage is applied to the electrowetting display device illustrated in FIG. 3.

In the electrowetting display device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, if a voltage is not applied to each of the pixel electrode 113 and the common electrode 124, an electric field is not formed between the two electrodes, and thus, shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. As shown, the hydrophobic liquid 131 is in contact with the front surface of the first insulating layer 114.

At this time, the light (LI) incident from the outside, as shown in Figure 4a, is reflected by the reflective layer 112, the reflected light passes through the hydrophobic liquid 131, the phosphor contained in the hydrophobic liquid 131 It is generated as visible light having a color corresponding to LR (hereinafter referred to as 'reflected light'), and the reflected light LR is emitted through the pixel opening.

Alternatively, the light LB generated by the backlight unit 200 may be a pixel wall 115 formed of a transparent first support substrate 111, a first insulating layer 114, and a waveguide, as shown in FIG. 4B. Transmitted through. The transmitted light is reflected by the reflective layer 112 and passes through the hydrophobic liquid 131 and has visible color LT (hereinafter referred to as 'transmission light') having a color corresponding to the phosphor contained in the hydrophobic liquid 131. ), And the transmitted light LT is emitted through the pixel opening.

On the other hand, in the electrowetting display device according to the embodiment of the present invention, when a voltage is applied to each of the pixel electrode 113 and the common electrode 124, an electric field is formed between the two electrodes, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. As described above, the hydrophilic liquid 132 is in contact with a portion corresponding to the pixel opening on the first insulating layer 113, so that the hydrophobic liquid 131 is pushed by the hydrophilic liquid 132 and concentrated on the cladding layer 114. . That is, the hydrophobic liquid 131 is not in contact with the first insulator 113 in the pixel opening. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 5A, the light LI incident from the outside is hardly reached to the reflective layer 112 by the refractive indices of the first insulating layer 113 and the hydrophilic liquid 132. This is difficult to occur, and even if the reflected light LR passing through the hydrophobic liquid 131 dense in the cladding layer 115 is blocked by the black matrix layer 122, it is blocked from being emitted out of the pixel. In addition, as shown in FIG. 5B, the light LB generated by the backlight unit 200 and transmitted to the hydrophobic liquid 131 through the pixel wall 116 is the first insulating layer 113 and the hydrophilic liquid 132. ) It is difficult to reach the reflective layer 112 by each refractive index, so that it is difficult to generate the transmitted light LT. ) Is blocked from being emitted outside the pixel.

As described above, the electrowetting display device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 is generated by the light LI or the backlight unit 200 that is incident from the outside and passes through the pixel wall 116 to be hydrophobic. The light LB transmitted to the liquid 131 is reflected by the reflective layer 112 formed to correspond to the pixel opening.

In contrast, the electrowetting display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a reflective electrode formed corresponding to the pixel opening and reflecting light instead of the reflective layer 112 and the pixel electrode 113.

6 shows an electrowetting display device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In the electrowetting display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, instead of the reflective layer 112 and the pixel electrode 113, the reflective electrode 117 formed to correspond to the pixel opening and reflect light. Except for including, the configuration and operation of the electrowetting display device shown in Figure 3 is similar.

That is, the electrowetting display device according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a backlight unit for supplying light to the electrowetting display panel 100 and the electrowetting display panel 100 in which a plurality of pixels are formed to display image information. And the electrowetting display panel 100 is formed for each pixel between the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 and the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 that face each other. Liquid layer 130.

The first substrate 110 corresponds to the transparent first support substrate 111 positioned above the backlight unit 200 and to which light is incident from the backlight unit 200, and the pixel openings on the first support substrate 111. Formed on the first support substrate 111 including the reflective electrode 117 and the reflective electrode 117, the first insulating layer 114 having a hydrophobicity, and the first insulating layer A pixel wall 116 formed to correspond to the periphery of the pixel opening on 114 and having a hydrophobic cladding layer 115 and a waveguide corresponding to the pixel boundary on the first insulating layer 114 and totally reflecting light. It is configured to include.

The second substrate 120 includes a transparent second support substrate 121 and a black matrix layer 122 formed corresponding to an outer periphery of the pixel opening on the second support substrate facing the first substrate 110. It includes a second insulating layer 123 formed flat on the entire surface of the second support substrate 121 including the matrix layer 122 and a transparent common electrode 124 formed on the second insulating layer 123. do.

The liquid layer 130 is formed independently in each pixel such that at least a part of the cladding layer 115 and the pixel wall 116 contact each other, and includes a phosphor that emits visible light in response to light. It includes a hydrophobic liquid 131 and a hydrophilic liquid 132 is filled between the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 to surround both the hydrophobic liquid 131 and the hydrophobic liquid 131 in each pixel, It is composed. Here, the phosphor included in the hydrophobic liquid 131 corresponds to one of R (red), G (green), and B (blue). The hydrophilic liquid 132 is an electrolyte solution in which the solvent is water. The hydrophilic liquid 132 is a fluid having electrical conductivity, and the light that does not pass through the hydrophobic liquid 131 so as to be greater than or equal to the refractive index of the first insulating layer 113 is pixel. To prevent release through openings. In addition, the refractive index of the hydrophobic liquid 131 is greater than or equal to the refractive index of the pixel wall 116, so that light generated in the backlight unit 200 may be transmitted to the hydrophobic liquid 131 through the pixel wall 116. .

The electrowetting display device configured as described above has a color corresponding to the phosphor contained in the hydrophobic liquid 131 according to an electric field between two electrodes formed by the voltage applied to each of the reflective electrode 117 and the common electrode 124. Light emitted from the reflective or backlight unit 200 which emits light to the outside and reflects the light incident from the outside to the reflective electrode 117 and is emitted through the pixel opening to display an image to the pixel wall 116 A transflective electrowetting display device operable in a transmissive type that transmits through and is emitted through a pixel opening to display an image.

That is, in the electrowetting display device according to another embodiment of the present invention, if a voltage is not applied to each of the reflective electrode 117 and the common electrode 124, an electric field is not formed between the two electrodes, and thus the hydrophobic liquid 131 ) Contacts the entire surface of the first insulating layer 114.

In this case, the light LI incident from the outside is reflected by the reflective electrode 117, and the reflected light passes through the hydrophobic liquid 131 and is generated as the reflected light LR, and the reflected light LR is the pixel opening. Is released through. Alternatively, the light LB generated by the backlight unit 200 is transmitted through the pixel wall 115 formed of the transparent first support substrate 111, the first insulating layer 114, and the waveguide. The transmitted light is reflected by the reflective electrode 117 and passes through the hydrophobic liquid 131 to generate transmitted light LT having a color corresponding to the phosphor contained in the hydrophobic liquid 131. LT is emitted through the pixel opening.

On the other hand, in the electrowetting display device according to another embodiment of the present invention, when a voltage is applied to each of the reflective electrode 117 and the common electrode 124, an electric field is formed between the two electrodes, so that the hydrophilic liquid 132 is formed. The hydrophobic liquid 131 is pushed by the hydrophilic liquid 132 and concentrated on the cladding layer 114 by contacting a portion corresponding to the pixel opening on the first insulating layer 113. Accordingly, the light L incident from the outside or the light LB generated by the backlight unit 200 and transmitted to the hydrophobic liquid 131 through the pixel wall is reflected by the reflecting electrode 117 and thus, the hydrophobic liquid ( Since it may not pass through 132, the reflected light LR or the transmitted light LT is hardly generated. In addition, even if the reflected light LR or the transmitted light LT is generated through the hydrophobic liquid 132 concentrated in the cladding layer 115, it is blocked by the black matrix layer 122 and blocked from being emitted out of the pixel.

As described above, the electrowetting display device according to the embodiment or the other embodiment of the present invention, the reflective layer 112 and the pixel electrode 113 or the reflective electrode 117 and the backlight unit 200 formed corresponding to the pixel openings. Including a pixel wall 116 formed as a waveguide to transfer the light generated by the hydrophobic liquid 131 to the hydrophobic liquid 131, which is dependent on the light generated by the reflective or backlight unit 200 depending on the light incident from the outside. It is a transflective electrowetting display device that can be driven by both transmission type. In addition, since the substantially openings at the time of driving in each of the reflective or transmissive type are the same, the area of the pixel opening is not reduced compared to the conventional reflective electrowetting display or the conventional transmissive electrowetting display, resulting in deterioration in image quality. Can be prevented.

1 shows a transmissive electrowetting display device according to the prior art.

2 shows a reflective electrowetting display device according to the prior art.

3 shows an electrowetting display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates an operation when no voltage is applied to the electrowetting display device shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 illustrates an operation when a voltage is applied to the electrowetting display device shown in FIG. 3.

6 shows an electrowetting display device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

<Description of identification numbers for the main parts of the drawings>

100: electrowetting display panel 200: backlight unit

111: first support substrate 113: reflective layer

114: pixel electrode 116: pixel wall

122: black matrix layer 131: first fluid

132: second fluid 117: reflective electrode

Claims (9)

A transparent first support substrate; A reflective layer formed corresponding to the pixel openings on the first support substrate and reflecting light; A pixel electrode formed to correspond to the pixel opening on the reflective layer; A first insulating layer formed flat on the first support substrate including the pixel electrode; A pixel wall corresponding to a pixel boundary portion on the first insulating layer and formed of a waveguide for totally reflecting the light; A second support substrate facing and transparent to the first support substrate; A black matrix layer disposed corresponding to an outer periphery of the pixel opening on the second support substrate facing the first support substrate; A first fluid having a hydrophobicity and a phosphor disposed independently in each pixel between the first and second support substrates so as to contact at least a part of the pixel wall and emitting visible light in response to light; ; And And a second fluid disposed between the first support substrate and the second support substrate to surround all of the first fluid in each pixel, and having a hydrophilic property. The method of claim 1, A cladding layer disposed on the first insulating layer to correspond to the periphery of the pixel opening and having hydrophobicity; A second insulating layer formed flat on the entire surface of the second support substrate including the black matrix layer; And And a common electrode formed on the second insulating layer. The method of claim 2, And the first fluid is concentrated in the cladding layer when an electric field is formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode. A transparent first support substrate; A reflective electrode formed to correspond to the pixel opening on the first support substrate and reflecting light; A first insulating layer formed flat on the first support substrate including the reflective electrode; A pixel wall corresponding to a pixel boundary portion on the first insulating layer and formed of a waveguide for totally reflecting the light; A second support substrate facing and transparent to the first support substrate; A black matrix layer disposed corresponding to an outer periphery of the pixel opening on the second support substrate facing the first support substrate; A first fluid having a hydrophobicity and a phosphor disposed independently in each pixel between the first and second support substrates so as to contact at least a part of the pixel wall and emitting visible light in response to light; ; And And a second fluid disposed between the first support substrate and the second support substrate to surround all of the first fluid in each pixel, and having a hydrophilic property. The method of claim 4, wherein A cladding layer disposed on the first insulating layer to correspond to the periphery of the pixel opening and having hydrophobicity; A second insulating layer formed flat on the entire surface of the second support substrate including the black matrix layer; And And a common electrode formed on the second insulating layer. The method of claim 5, And an electric field is formed between the reflective electrode and the common electrode, wherein the first fluid is concentrated in the cladding layer. The method according to claim 2 or 5, And the refractive index of the first insulating layer is greater than or equal to the refractive index of the second fluid. The method according to claim 2 or 5, And a refractive index of the first fluid is greater than or equal to that of the pixel wall. The method according to claim 2 or 5, And a backlight unit positioned below the first support substrate and configured to supply light incident to the first support substrate.

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