Semi-transmissive and semi-reflective display

Abstract

A semi-transmissive and semi-reflective display including a plurality of pixels is provided. Each pixel has a transmissive area and a reflective area. Each pixel includes a substrate, a dummy layer, a high-reflectance metal layer and a planarization layer. The dummy layer is disposed on the substrate and includes a plurality of discrete dummy structures. These dummy structures are located in the reflective area. The high-reflectance metal layer is located in the reflective area, and the dummy structures are located between the substrate and the high-reflectance metal layer. The high-reflectance metal layer is located between the dummy structures and the planarization layer. The high-reflectance metal layer has a plurality of high-reflectance convex surfaces corresponding to these dummy structures.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly to a transmissive and reflective display. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Existing technology configures the upper surface of the planarization layer of a transflective display to have multiple convex surfaces protruding towards the light-emitting side, so that a reflective layer disposed thereon can also have multiple convex surfaces protruding towards the light-emitting side, thereby improving the reflectivity of the reflective area. However, due to the limitations of the material properties of the planarization layer, the surface shape of these convex surfaces of the planarization layer is difficult to control, resulting in variations in the efficiency uniformity of the reflective layer, making it impossible to achieve optimal optical performance of the display. [Summary of the Invention]

[0003] The present invention provides a transmissive and reflective display with excellent optical performance.

[0004] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a transmissive and reflective display is provided, comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a transmissive region and a reflective region. Each pixel includes a substrate, a matte layer, a highly reflective metal layer, and a planarization layer. The matte layer is disposed on the substrate and includes a plurality of discrete matte structures. These matte structures are located within the reflective region. The highly reflective metal layer is located within the reflective region, wherein the matte structures are located between the substrate and the highly reflective metal layer. The highly reflective metal layer is located between the matte structures of the matte layer and the planarization layer. The highly reflective metal layer has a plurality of highly reflective convex surfaces corresponding to the matte structures.

[0005] Based on the above, the transflective semi-reflective display provided in the embodiment of the present invention is provided with a plurality of dummy structures. The reflective area of ​​the high reflective metal layer disposed thereon can be increased by using these dummy structures, thereby increasing the reflectivity of the transflective semi-reflective display.

[0006] In order to make the above features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments are described below, and detailed descriptions are given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Implementation Method

[0007] Referring to FIG1A and FIG1B, FIG1A shows a plan view of a transmissive and reflective display according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG1B shows a cross-sectional view along line AA' of FIG1A.

[0008] The transmissive and reflective display 1 includes multiple pixels PX, each pixel PX having a transmissive area TR and a reflective area RR. Each pixel PX includes a substrate 10, a structural layer 20, a matte layer DL, a high-reflectivity metal layer HR, a planarization layer PL, and a transparent conductive layer ITO.

[0009] A matte layer DL is disposed on the substrate 10 and includes a plurality of discrete matte structures DS. These matte structures DS and a high-reflectivity metal layer HR are located within a reflective region RR, wherein the matte structures DS are located between the substrate 10 and the high-reflectivity metal layer HR. The high-reflectivity metal layer HR has a plurality of high-reflectivity convex surfaces corresponding to the matte structures DS, wherein these high-reflectivity convex surfaces protrude toward the stacking direction (i.e., direction Z) of the matte layer DL and the planarization layer PL. Accordingly, compared to planar reflective layers in the prior art, the high-reflectivity metal layer HR has a larger reflective area per unit area of ​​the substrate 10, effectively improving the reflectivity of the reflective region RR.

[0010] It should be noted that in a comparative example not shown, the planarization layer PL, on its upper surface away from the substrate 10, is configured to have a plurality of convex surfaces protruding in the Z direction, and a high-reflectivity metal layer HR is disposed on the upper surface of the transparent conductive layer ITO within the reflective region RR, away from the substrate 10, so that the high-reflectivity metal layer HR can have a plurality of convex surfaces protruding in the Z direction, thereby improving the reflectivity of the reflective region RR. However, due to the material properties of the planarization layer PL, the surface shape of these convex surfaces of the planarization layer PL is difficult to control, thus limiting the effective reflective area of ​​the high-reflectivity metal layer HR. In contrast, the transflective display 1 of this embodiment utilizes these dummy structures DS to form the high-reflectivity convex surfaces of the high-reflectivity metal layer HR. These dummy structures DS, as described below, may include, for example, metal or semiconductor, so the shape of each dummy structure DS is easier to control, and the distribution density of the dummy structures DS can be increased as needed. Therefore, the effective reflective area of ​​the high-reflectivity metal layer HR disposed thereon can be greatly increased, thereby greatly increasing the reflectivity of the reflective region RR.

[0011] In some embodiments, the high-reflectivity metal layer HR may have a reflectivity of greater than or equal to 90% for visible light. In some embodiments, the high-reflectivity metal layer HR may include, for example, silver, but is not limited thereto.

[0012] In this embodiment, the dummy structures DS are disposed in the same layer as the metal layer M2 of the pixel PX, and both are made of the same material. The metal layer M2 includes electrodes S / D, and the electrodes S / D are connected to the transparent conductive layer ITO at the overlap area VIA of the pixel PX. The transparent conductive layer ITO is used as the pixel electrode layer to control the display medium (not shown) of the transflective display 1, which may include, for example, liquid crystal molecules, but is not limited thereto. The electrodes S / D and the semiconductor layer (not shown) in the structure layer 20 define an active element (e.g., a thin-film transistor element) of the pixel PX, and are connected to a data line (not shown) in the structure layer 20. In other words, the electrodes S / D are the source or drain of the active element. It should be noted that since the dummy structures DS are disposed in the same layer as the metal layer M2 and are made of the same material, the dummy structures DS can be produced using existing processes for producing the metal layer M2, thus not increasing the process difficulty and cost of the transflective display 1. In some embodiments, the high-reflectivity metal layer HR may extend into the overlap area VIA to further improve the reflectivity of the transflective semi-transparent display 1.

[0013] On the other hand, the metal layer M2 also includes a plurality of conductive structures CL, and the high-reflectivity metal layer HR has a plurality of high-reflectivity convex surfaces corresponding to these conductive structures CL, wherein these high-reflectivity convex surfaces protrude toward the stacking direction Z of the matte layer DL and the planarization layer PL. Accordingly, the reflectivity of the reflective region RR can be further improved.

[0014] It should also be noted that the transflective display 1 provided according to the embodiments of the present invention is not limited to the structure shown in FIG. 1B. In some embodiments, a plurality of dummy structures DS of the transflective display 1 are disposed on the same layer as a metal layer (not shown) within the structural layer 20, and the metal layer comprises the same material. The metal layer includes the gate of the active element of the pixel PX, and the gate is connected to a data line (not shown) within the structural layer 20. Therefore, the dummy structures DS can be produced through existing processes for producing the gate of the active element, thus without increasing the manufacturing difficulty and cost of the transflective display 1.

[0015] Similarly, in some embodiments, a plurality of dummy structures DS of the transflective display 1 are disposed on the same layer as a semiconductor layer (not shown) within the structural layer 20, and the semiconductor layer comprises the same material. The semiconductor layer includes a semiconductor active layer for the active elements of the pixel PX. Therefore, the dummy structures DS can be produced using existing processes for producing semiconductor active layers, thus not increasing the manufacturing difficulty and cost of the transflective display 1.

[0016] In the above embodiments, the transflective display 1 provided according to the embodiments of the present invention utilizes a plurality of discrete dummy structures DS to provide a non-planar high-reflectivity metal layer HR, which significantly increases the reflective area and effectively improves the reflectivity of the reflective region RR. In some embodiments, the projection of the high-reflectivity metal layer HR of each pixel PX onto the substrate 10 has a first area, the projection of the transflective region TR of each pixel PX onto the substrate 10 has a second area, and the ratio of the first area to the second area is greater than 3.

[0017] Refer to FIG2, which shows a plan view of a transmissive and reflective display according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] The transflective display 2 of this embodiment has a substantially the same structure as the transflective display 1, and also has the same cross-sectional structure as shown in FIG. 1B, which will not be described in detail here. The main difference between the transflective display 2 and the transflective display 1 is that the plurality of conductive structures CL of the metal layer M2 disposed in the same layer as the matte layer DL are configured to have a curved shape in the XY plane. Accordingly, the plurality of highly reflective convex surfaces corresponding to these conductive structures CL have a curved shape in the XY plane. These curved highly reflective convex surfaces have sides facing different directions, so the viewing angles (e.g., horizontal viewing angle and vertical viewing angle) of the transflective display 2 in different directions can be improved by these curved highly reflective convex surfaces.

[0019] It should also be noted that the element having the above-mentioned curved shape is not limited to the conductive structure CL configured on the same layer as the electrode S / D. As shown in FIG2, a plurality of conductive structures M1 are also configured to have a curved shape, wherein the conductive structure M1 and the conductive structure CL are not configured on the same layer, and can be electrically insulated from each other or electrically connected to each other through a through-hole structure. In some embodiments, the conductive structure M1 is configured on the same layer as the gate of the active element of the pixel PX, but is not limited thereto. Furthermore, another highly reflective metal layer may be configured on the conductive structure M1 to further improve the viewing angle of the transflective display 2 in different orientations.

[0020] It should also be noted that the transflective display 2 is not limited to configuring each conductive structure CL and each conductive structure M1 in a curved shape. In some embodiments, each conductive structure CL and each conductive structure M1 may be configured to have a sawtooth shape in the XY plane. Accordingly, the highly reflective convex surfaces corresponding to these conductive structures CL may have a sawtooth shape in the XY plane to improve the viewing angle of the transflective display 2 in different orientations.

[0021] In summary, the transflective semi-reflective display provided in the embodiments of the present invention is provided with a plurality of dummy structures. The reflective area of ​​the high reflective metal layer disposed thereon can be increased by using these dummy structures, thereby increasing the reflectivity of the transflective semi-reflective display. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0022] FIG1A shows a plan view of a transflective display according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG1B shows a cross-sectional view along line AA' of FIG1A. FIG2 shows a plan view of a transflective display according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A transmissive and reflective display, comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a transmissive region and a reflective region, and each pixel comprising: substrate; A dummy layer is disposed on the substrate and includes a plurality of discrete dummy structures, wherein the plurality of dummy structures are located within the reflective region; a highly reflective metal layer is located within the reflective region, wherein the plurality of dummy structures are located between the substrate and the highly reflective metal layer; The device includes a planarization layer, wherein a high-reflectivity metal layer is located between the plurality of dummy structures of the dummy layer and the planarization layer, wherein the high-reflectivity metal layer has a plurality of high-reflectivity convex surfaces corresponding to the plurality of dummy structures, wherein the plurality of dummy structures are disposed in the same layer as a metal layer of the transflective display and are made of the same material as the metal layer, the metal layer includes a plurality of discrete conductive structures, and the high-reflectivity metal layer has a plurality of high-reflectivity convex surfaces corresponding to the plurality of conductive structures.

2. The transflective display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal layer further comprises an electrode electrically connected to a data line of the transflective display.

3. The transflective display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal layer further comprises an electrode electrically connected to a scan line of the transflective display.

4. The transflective display as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the conductive structures is configured to have a curved or serrated shape on a plane.

5. The transmissive and reflective display as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of the highly reflective convex surfaces has a curved or serrated shape on the plane.

6. The transmissive and reflective display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the highly reflective metal layer has a reflectivity of greater than or equal to 90% for visible light.

7. The transmissive and reflective display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the highly reflective metal layer comprises silver.

8. The transflective display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the projection of the highly reflective metal layer of each pixel onto the substrate has a first area, the projection of the transmissive region of each pixel onto the substrate has a second area, and the ratio of the first area to the second area is greater than 3.

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