JP2010020099A - Display element - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid crystal panel capable of preventing the occurrence of color mixture irrespective of positional deviation caused when assembling an array substrate side and an opposing substrate side and preventing the occurrence of reduction of aperture rate. <P>SOLUTION: In this display element, a colorless layer 43 is formed between a plurality of colored parts 42r, 42g, 42b having a plurality of colors in a color filter layer 42 allowing any of the colored parts to correspond to each of pixel electrodes 35 in opposition to signal wires 32. Even if positional deviation occurs during assembling of the array substrate 15 side and the opposing substrate 16 side, the colored parts 42r, 42g, 42b corresponding to different colors are not overlapped on the same pixel electrode 35 to prevent the signal wires 32 from having a thickness being increased beyond necessity and prevent the occurrence of color mixture. It is unnecessary to form a shielding layer for preventing the occurrence of light leakage among the colored parts 42r, 42g, 42b corresponding to the colors being different from each other to prevent the occurrence of reduction of aperture rate. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a display element having a color filter layer on a counter substrate side.

  In recent years, liquid crystal display devices capable of providing high-performance and high-definition display with high density and large capacity have been put into practical use.

  There are various types of liquid crystal display devices. Among them, pixel electrodes formed in a matrix form are used for reasons such as low crosstalk between adjacent pixels, high contrast display, and easy area enlargement. Active matrix type liquid crystal display elements each including an array substrate that drives a thin film transistor (TFT) as a switching element are often used.

  In an active matrix liquid crystal display element, a black matrix (BM) which is a light shielding layer is provided for the purpose of preventing light leakage between pixels. This black matrix is generally disposed on the counter substrate side, which is disposed opposite to the array substrate through a liquid crystal layer, together with a color filter color layer. For this reason, it is necessary to form a width with a margin with respect to the minimum required width in consideration of a positional shift when the array substrate and the counter substrate are bonded to each other for assembly, so that light is transmitted. There is a problem that the ratio of the opening portion, that is, the opening ratio is lowered.

In order to solve such problems, in recent years, an organic insulating film is formed on wirings such as scanning lines and signal lines arranged in a grid pattern on the array substrate, and a pixel electrode is formed on the uppermost layer. A so-called wiring BM structure has been proposed in which the end of the pixel electrode overlaps with the wiring to use the wiring as a black matrix (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-270623 A

  However, even in the above-described liquid crystal display device, when the color filter layer is formed on the counter substrate side, the wiring width is narrowed to a certain level or more in consideration of color mixing and variation in transmittance due to misalignment during assembly of the array substrate and the counter substrate. Can not do it. Since the minimum signal line width is determined by the ability of the cell process to be applied, such as manufacturing equipment, as the pixel size becomes smaller as the definition becomes higher, the proportion of wiring increases and the aperture ratio decreases. By doing so, there is a problem that the surface brightness is lowered.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides a display element that can suppress color mixing even when misalignment occurs during assembly of the array substrate side and the counter substrate side, and can prevent a decrease in the aperture ratio. The purpose is to do.

  The present invention is a display element comprising an array substrate, a counter substrate disposed opposite to the array substrate, and a light modulation layer interposed between the array substrate and the counter substrate. An array substrate body having translucency in the visible light region, a plurality of wirings arranged on the array substrate body so as to cross each other and not translucent in the visible light region, and corresponding positions of these wirings Switching elements that are disposed and driven by signals supplied from these wirings, and pixel electrodes that are respectively positioned between the wirings that are adjacent to each other and are driven by the switching elements. A counter substrate body having translucency in the visible light region, a counter electrode formed on the counter substrate body, and a pixel electrode formed on the counter substrate body A color filter layer having a plurality of colored portions corresponding to each other, and between the colored portions corresponding to different colors of the color filter layer having translucency in a visible light region in a portion facing the wiring And a colorless layer formed thereon.

  According to the present invention, even when misalignment occurs when the array substrate side and the counter substrate side are assembled, the colored portions corresponding to different colors are unlikely to overlap the same pixel electrode, and color mixing is performed without making the wiring unnecessarily thick. It is not necessary to form a light-blocking layer for preventing light leakage between colored portions corresponding to different colors, for example, and a decrease in aperture ratio can be prevented.

  Hereinafter, the configuration of the display element according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  1 and 4, reference numeral 11 denotes a liquid crystal display device as a display device. The liquid crystal display device 11 includes a liquid crystal panel 12 which is a liquid crystal display element as a display element, and a white planar light beam on the liquid crystal panel 12. And a backlight 13 as a planar light source device that emits light.

  In the liquid crystal panel 12, the array substrate 15 and the counter substrate 16 are arranged to face each other and bonded together by a seal portion (not shown), and a liquid crystal layer 18 as a light modulation layer is interposed between the array substrate 15 and the counter substrate 16, In addition, polarizing plates (not shown) are attached to the outer sides of the array substrate 15 and the counter substrate 16, respectively. In the present embodiment, the liquid crystal panel 12 is an active matrix type color liquid crystal panel, and has a rectangular display area 21 and a frame-shaped peripheral area 22 which is a non-display area located outside the display area 21. And are formed.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the array substrate 15 is formed on the main surface of the glass substrate 25 as the array substrate body, which is an insulating substrate and a transparent substrate having translucency in the visible light region, on the liquid crystal layer 18 side. The scanning lines 31 as a plurality of wirings and the signal lines 32 as a plurality of wirings are formed in a lattice shape (intersection shape) at positions corresponding to. Further, a thin film transistor (TFT) 33 as a switching element is formed at each intersection of the scanning line 31 and the signal line 32, and each of the rectangular shapes surrounded by the scanning line 31 and the signal line 32 is formed. In the region, a substantially rectangular pixel electrode 35 is formed, which is formed of a transparent conductive member having translucency in a visible light region such as ITO, and constitutes a sub-pixel 34. On the pixel electrode 35, an orientation (not shown) is formed. A film is formed. That is, the pixel electrodes 35 are arranged in a matrix in the display area 21. The gate electrode of the thin film transistor 33 is connected to the scanning line 31, the source electrode is connected to the signal line 32, the drain electrode is connected to the pixel electrode 35, and a signal from the gate driver 36 which is a scanning line driving circuit is received. The thin film transistor 33 is controlled to be switched by being applied to the gate electrode via the scanning line 31, and the voltage is applied to the pixel electrode 35 corresponding to the signal input from the source driver 37 which is a signal line driving circuit via the signal line 32. By applying and driving, the thin film transistor 33 can turn on / off the sub-pixels 34 independently.

  The scanning lines 31 and the signal lines 32 are not translucent, that is, formed by a normal film forming process and a patterning process, respectively, using a non-translucent conductive member, and each scanning line 31 corresponds to each pixel electrode. The signal lines 32 are formed so as to overlap positions at both ends in the width direction (horizontal (H) direction) of each pixel electrode 35. Further, the scanning line 31 and the signal line 32 are insulated from the pixel electrode 35 through an organic insulating film 38 having translucency in the visible light region.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the counter substrate 16 is displayed on the main surface on the liquid crystal layer 18 side of the glass substrate 41 as a counter substrate body which is a transparent substrate having insulating properties and translucency in the visible light region. A color filter layer 42 and a colorless layer 43 are formed at a position corresponding to the region 21, and a counter electrode 44 that is a common electrode is formed covering the color filter layer 42 and the colorless layer 43. The counter electrode 44 An alignment film (not shown) is formed on the top.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the color filter layer 42 is formed of, for example, synthetic resin or the like so that the colored portions 42r, 42g, and 42b corresponding to red, green, and blue are in the signal line 32 direction, that is, the vertical (V) direction. Each of the colored portions 42r, 42g, 42b is continuously arranged along the vertical (V) direction, and is in the direction of the scanning line 31, that is, horizontal (H). The colored portions 42r, 42g, and 42b are sequentially and repeatedly arranged in the direction with the colorless layer 43 interposed therebetween. In the present embodiment, three corresponding pixel electrodes 35 form one pixel by the three primary color coloring portions 42r, 42g, and 42b that can form white.

  The colorless layer 43 is formed by a member such as a synthetic resin having translucency in the visible light region and is formed to have approximately the same thickness as the colored portions 42r, 42g, and 42b of the color filter layer 42, and the colored portions 42r, 42g, and 42b It is formed in a longitudinal shape in the vertical (V) direction along each of them. Therefore, these colorless layers 43 are formed at positions facing the respective signal lines 32 in plan view in a state where the array substrate 15 and the counter substrate 16 are bonded together by the seal portion. That is, each colorless layer 43 overlaps both sides of the pixel electrode 35 in the width direction in plan view. The width of the colorless layer 43 is smaller than the colored portions 42r, 42g, and 42b and larger than the signal line 32. That is, the colorless layer 43 has a surplus dimension, that is, a margin M on both sides in the horizontal (H) direction with respect to the signal line 32. Further, the colorless layer 43 is disposed to face the signal line 32.

  The seal part is made of, for example, light (ultraviolet) curable resin.

  The liquid crystal layer 18 is formed of a predetermined liquid crystal material, and corresponds to a voltage applied corresponding to a signal input from the source driver 37 to the signal line 32 between the pixel electrode 35 and the counter electrode 44 by the thin film transistor 33. The light is modulated and transmitted.

  Although not shown, the backlight 13 includes a light source and a light guide (light guide plate) that converts light from the light source into planar light, and is spaced apart from the back side of the liquid crystal panel 12 on the array substrate 15 side. In this state, it is accommodated in a bezel or the like (not shown).

  Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.

  When the liquid crystal panel 12 is manufactured, the array substrate 15 and the counter substrate 16 manufactured by repeating a normal film forming process and a patterning process are bonded together by a seal portion, and the space between the array substrate 15 and the counter substrate 16 is bonded. A liquid crystal material is injected to form a liquid crystal layer 18, and polarizing plates are attached to the array substrate 15 and the counter substrate 16, respectively. The liquid crystal material is not only injected between the substrates 15 and 16 after the array substrate 15 and the counter substrate 16 are bonded, but also dropped when the array substrate 15 and the counter substrate 16 are bonded, for example. May be.

  At this time, the array substrate 15 and the counter substrate 16 are ideally bonded so that the horizontal (H) direction center position of each colorless layer 43 overlaps the center position of each signal line 32. The center position is relatively shifted in the horizontal (H) direction. This shift is absorbed by the margin M generated by the width dimension difference between the colorless layer 43 and the signal line 32, so that there are a plurality of colored portions having different colors with respect to the pixel electrode 35 corresponding to one subpixel 34. There is no overlap in plan view and no color mixing occurs. Note that, when the array substrate 15 and the counter substrate 16 are bonded together, the color portions 42r, 42g, and 42b of the color filter layer 42 are aligned along the vertical (V) direction, although there is also a deviation in the vertical (V) direction. Since it is formed, no color mixing occurs.

  Then, the completed liquid crystal panel 12 and the backlight 13 are accommodated in a bezel or the like, and a power source or an external device is connected to the liquid crystal panel 12 and the backlight 13 to complete the liquid crystal display device 11.

  In the liquid crystal panel 12, a signal is input from the source driver 37 to the signal line 32 in response to an image signal input from an external device or the like.

  The thin film transistor 33 is sequentially scanned by a signal input from the gate driver 36 to the scanning line 31, and a voltage is applied between the pixel electrode 35 and the counter electrode 44 according to the signal input from the source driver 37 to the signal line 32. To do.

  As a result, in each sub-pixel 34, the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 18 is controlled according to the voltage between the electrodes 35 and 44, and the amount of light transmitted through each sub-pixel 34 is set.

  The light emitted from the backlight 13 is shielded by the scanning line 31 and the signal line 32 between the sub-pixels 34 and 34, and the transmission amount set in each sub-pixel 34 within each of the sub-pixels 34. And is transmitted through the colored portions 42r, 42g, and 42b of the color filter layer 42 and emitted, and an image is displayed.

  As described above, in the first embodiment, the colorless layer 43 faces the signal line 32 between the colored portions 42r, 42g, and 42b of the color filter layer 42 corresponding to one of the pixel electrodes 35, respectively. It was set as the structure which forms.

  Therefore, when the array substrate 15 side and the counter substrate 16 side are assembled, even if a positional shift occurs in the adjacent direction of the colored portions 42r, 42g, 42b, that is, in the horizontal (H) direction, the colored portions 42r, 42g, 42b. Since the space is the colorless layer 43, the colored portions of different colors are unlikely to overlap the same pixel electrode 35 in plan view, color mixing can be suppressed without making the signal line 32 thicker than necessary, and for example, the colored portions 42r, It is not necessary to form a light blocking layer such as a black matrix (BM) for preventing light leakage between 42g and 42b, and a decrease in aperture ratio (transmittance) can be prevented.

  In addition, since the colorless layer 43 is formed wider than the opposing signal line 32, a margin (M) in the horizontal (H) direction is formed on the colorless layer 43, and the colorless layer 43 is horizontal when the array substrate 15 and the counter substrate 16 are assembled. Even when a deviation occurs in the (H) direction, the deviation can be absorbed by the margin M, so that the signal line 32 does not easily enter the colored portions 42r, 42g, and 42b in a plan view, and the aperture ratio (transmittance) associated with this advancement is increased. ) Fluctuations can be reduced.

  Furthermore, as described above, the decrease in the aperture ratio can be prevented without providing a light blocking layer such as a black matrix, so that even when the size of the sub-pixel 34 is reduced due to high definition, for example, the signal line 32 is wide. The proportion of the dimension does not increase more than necessary, and the surface brightness can be prevented from decreasing.

  By forming the colorless layer 43 between the colored portions 42r, 42g, and 42b, the color purity in each sub-pixel 34 is reduced, but the color purity in each colored portion 42r, 42g, and 42b is increased. , This decrease in color purity can be offset.

  As a result, it is possible to realize a liquid crystal panel 12 having an excellent display quality, which is free from variations in transmittance due to variation in aperture ratio and color purity degradation due to color mixing.

  Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, about the structure and effect | action similar to the said 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the second embodiment, the liquid crystal panel 12 is a transflective type as shown in FIG.

  That is, in the array substrate 15 of the liquid crystal panel 12, instead of the pixel electrodes 35, pixel electrodes 46 having reflecting portions 46r that reflect light are arranged on both sides in the width direction of the transmitting portion 46p that transmits light.

  The transmissive part 46p is formed of a transparent conductive member having translucency in the visible light region, such as ITO, and is disposed at a position corresponding to the approximate center of each of the colored parts 42r, 42g, and 42b. In addition, the organic insulating film 38 is not formed in a portion corresponding to the transmission portion 46p. Therefore, the transmissive part 46p is located on the glass substrate 25 side at least by the thickness of the organic insulating film 38 with respect to the reflective part 46r.

  The reflective portion 46r is formed of a non-translucent (light reflective) conductive member such as aluminum, for example, and corresponds to both sides in the width direction of the colorless layer 43 from both sides in the width direction of the colored portions 42r, 42g, and 42b. And is electrically connected to the transmission part 46p.

  Further, the counter substrate 16 has an overcoat layer 48 that is a planarizing film covering the color filter layer 42, and a part of the overcoat layer 48 enters between the colored portions 42r, 42g, and 42b and is colorless. Layer 49 is configured. On the overcoat layer 48, a counter electrode 44 and an alignment film (not shown) are formed.

  The colorless layer 49 is an opening region also called a TAF hole, and is opposed to a position outside the center position in the width direction of each reflective portion 46r of the pixel electrode 46, and without using the backlight 13, the reflective portion 46r. When displaying the image by reflecting the incident light by the light, the light passes through the colored portions 42r, 42g, 42b of the color filter layer 42 twice so that the color becomes darker than the desired color (transmittance). It is formed in order to prevent the lowering). The colorless layer 49 faces the signal line 32 and is formed wider than the signal line 32.

  When the liquid crystal panel 12 is manufactured, as in the first embodiment, the array substrate 15 and the counter substrate 16 that are manufactured by repeating a normal film forming process and a patterning process are pasted by a seal portion. In addition, a liquid crystal layer 18 is formed by interposing a liquid crystal material between the array substrate 15 and the counter substrate 16, and polarizing plates are attached to the array substrate 15 and the counter substrate 16, respectively.

  At this time, the array substrate 15 and the counter substrate 16 are ideally bonded so that the center position of each colorless layer 49 in the horizontal (H) direction overlaps the center position of each signal line 32. The center position is relatively shifted in the horizontal (H) direction, and this shift is absorbed by the margin M caused by the width dimension difference between the colorless layer 49 and the signal line 32, so that the pixel electrode corresponding to one sub-pixel 34 is obtained. In contrast to 46, a plurality of colored portions having different colors do not overlap in a plan view, and color mixing does not occur.

  Further, the completed liquid crystal panel 12 and the backlight 13 are accommodated in a bezel or the like, and a power source or an external device is connected to the liquid crystal panel 12 and the backlight 13 to complete the liquid crystal display device 11.

  As in the first embodiment, the planar light from the backlight 13 is aligned in the sub-pixels 34 according to the voltage between the electrodes 35 and 44 in each sub-pixel 34, and the sub-pixels 34 are aligned. The amount of light transmitted through the pixel 34 is set, and is blocked by the scanning line 31 and the signal line 32 between the sub-pixels 34 and 34, and is transmitted according to the set amount of transmission within each of the sub-pixels 34. Then, the light passes through the colored portions 42r, 42g, and 42b of the color filter layer 42 and is emitted.

  Incident light from the display side is transmitted through the counter substrate 16 and the liquid crystal layer 18 to enter the reflective portion 46r of each pixel electrode 46, and is reflected by the reflective portion 46r and transmitted through the liquid crystal layer 18 to be a color filter layer. The light passes through the 42 colored portions 42r, 42g, 42b or the colorless layer 49 and is emitted.

  Therefore, by controlling the amount of planar light from the backlight 13 according to the brightness around the liquid crystal display device 11, the display by the planar light from the backlight 13 and the incident light from the display side can be reduced. The mixing ratio with the display to be reflected is controlled, and an image is displayed.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, the colorless layer is opposed to the signal line 32 between the colored portions 42r, 42g, and 42b of the color filter layer 42 corresponding to one of the pixel electrodes 46, respectively. By having the same configuration as the first embodiment, such as forming 49, not only can the same effects as the first embodiment be achieved, but also an overcoat covering the color filter layer 42 By forming the colorless layer 49 by the layer 48, it is not necessary to separately provide a colorless layer, and a decrease in productivity can be prevented.

  Further, by making the liquid crystal panel 12 a transflective type in which the pixel electrode 46 includes the transmissive portion 46p and the reflective portion 46r, the reflection light is reflected by the reflective portion 46r and displayed in each sub-pixel 34. The aperture area, which is an essential component of the transflective liquid crystal panel 12 for color adjustment, can be used as the colorless layer 49. Not only can the configuration be simplified compared to a configuration in which a colorless layer is separately provided, Since the color purity of the sub-pixel 34 is not lowered, it is not necessary to adjust the color purity of the colored portions 42r, 42g, and 42b.

  In each of the above embodiments, the color filter layer 42 has a vertical stripe shape in which the colored portions 42r, 42g, and 42b are formed along the vertical (V) direction. For example, the colored portions 42r, 42g, and 42b are formed as shown in FIG. It is good also as the horizontal stripe form formed along the horizontal (H) direction, respectively. In this case, by forming the colorless layer 43 so as to correspond to the scanning lines 31, it is possible to achieve the same operational effects as in the above embodiments.

  Further, as the light modulation layer, a layer other than the liquid crystal layer 18 can be used.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows a part of display apparatus provided with the display element of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows a part of display element same as the above. It is a circuit diagram which shows a display element same as the above. It is a top view which shows a display element same as the above. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows a part of display apparatus provided with the display element of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

12 Liquid crystal panels as display elements
15 Array substrate
16 Counter substrate
18 Liquid crystal layer as a light modulation layer
25 Glass substrate as the array substrate
31 Scan lines as wiring
32 Signal lines as wiring
33 Thin-film transistors as switching elements
35, 46 pixel electrodes
41 Glass substrate as counter substrate body
42 Color filter layer
42b, 42g, 42r coloring part
43, 49 colorless layer
44 Counter electrode
48 Overcoat layer

Claims (3)

A display element comprising an array substrate, a counter substrate disposed opposite to the array substrate, and a light modulation layer interposed between the array substrate and the counter substrate,
The array substrate is
An array substrate body having translucency in the visible light region;
A plurality of wirings arranged on the array substrate body so as to cross each other and not transparent in the visible light region,
Switching elements which are arranged corresponding to the intersection positions of these wirings and are respectively driven by signals supplied from these wirings;
A pixel electrode positioned between the wirings adjacent to each other and driven by each of the switching elements;
The counter substrate is
A counter substrate body having translucency in the visible light region;
A counter electrode formed on the counter substrate body;
A color filter layer including a plurality of colored portions formed on the counter substrate body and corresponding to any one of the pixel electrodes;
A transparent layer having a translucency in a visible light region at a portion facing the wiring, and a colorless layer formed between the colored portions corresponding to different colors of the color filter layer. Display element. The display element according to claim 1, wherein the colorless layer is formed wider than the wirings facing each other in plan view. The display element according to claim 1, wherein the colorless layer is formed by an overcoat layer that covers the color filter layer.

Images