Display device

Abstract

Embodiments provide a display device including a first substrate; a gate line disposed on the first substrate and extending in a first direction; a storage electrode line extending in the first direction on the same layer as the gate line and including a protrusion partially protruding in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a data line insulated from the gate line and the storage electrode line and extending in the second direction; a drain electrode disposed on the same layer as the data line and including an extension portion superposed with the protrusion; a pixel electrode including a connection portion electrically connected to the extension portion of the drain electrode; and a first spacer disposed on the pixel electrode and partially superposed with the protrusion of the storage electrode line, wherein the first spacer covers edges of the connection portion of the pixel electrode in the first direction.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority and benefit to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0047918, filed on April 21, 2020, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to a display device, and more specifically, to a liquid crystal display. Background Technology

[0003] Among display devices, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are one of the most widely used flat panel displays. They control the alignment of liquid crystals in a liquid crystal layer placed between two substrates by applying voltage to electrodes (pixel electrodes and common electrodes) disposed on substrates facing each other, thereby controlling the amount of transmitted light.

[0004] Meanwhile, most LCD monitors now include touch sensing functionality in addition to their display function, enabling user interaction. Touch sensors can be embedded in the LCD monitor or attached to its display panel. In touch-sensing LCD monitors, pressure can be applied to the display panel when a user's finger or stylus touches it.

[0005] When external pressure is applied to the display panel for various reasons as described above, the alignment of liquid crystal molecules is disturbed. Even after the pressure is removed, the liquid crystal molecules do not return to their original state, thus affecting the alignment of adjacent liquid crystal molecules, resulting in uneven brightness (i.e., bruising phenomenon), which affects display quality.

[0006] The information disclosed above in this background section is intended only to enhance the understanding of the background of the described techniques, and therefore may contain information that does not constitute prior art known to a person skilled in the art in this country. Summary of the Invention

[0007] An embodiment will provide a display device in which bruising is improved.

[0008] An embodiment provides a display device comprising: a first substrate; a gate line disposed on the first substrate and extending in a first direction; a storage electrode line extending in the first direction on the same layer as the gate line and including a protrusion partially projecting in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a data line insulated from the gate line and the storage electrode line and extending in the second direction; a drain electrode disposed on the same layer as the data line and including an extension portion superimposed on the protrusion; a pixel electrode including a connection portion electrically connected to the extension portion of the drain electrode; and a first spacer disposed on the pixel electrode and partially superimposed on the protrusion of the storage electrode line, wherein the first spacer covers the edge of the connection portion of the pixel electrode in the first direction.

[0009] The first spacer may include: a first stacked portion, which is stacked with a connection portion of the pixel electrode and an extension portion of the drain electrode through an opening thereconnected; and a second stacked portion, which is stacked with at least a portion of the drain electrode and the gate line.

[0010] The first spacer can have a T-shape in the plan view.

[0011] The edges of the connecting portions of the pixel electrodes can be covered by the first stacked portion.

[0012] The display device may further include: a color filter disposed between the drain electrode and the pixel electrode; and an insulating film disposed on the color filter.

[0013] Color filters and insulating films may include openings.

[0014] The pixel electrode may further include: a cross-shaped trunk portion, including a horizontal trunk portion extending in a first direction and a vertical trunk portion extending in a second direction; a fine branch portion extending diagonally from the cross-shaped trunk portion; and a horizontal strip portion extending from the connecting portion.

[0015] The width of the connection portion can be 10μm or greater.

[0016] The distance from one end of the vertical trunk to the connecting part can be 7 μm or greater.

[0017] The connecting portion and the fine branch portion connected to the connecting portion can have a diamond shape including an opening.

[0018] Another embodiment provides a display device including a plurality of pixels displaying different colors, wherein the plurality of pixels may include: a gate line disposed on a first substrate and extending in a first direction; a storage electrode line extending in the first direction on the same layer as the gate line and including a protrusion partially projecting in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a data line insulated from the gate line and the storage electrode line and extending in the second direction; a drain electrode disposed on the same layer as the data line and including an extension portion superimposed on the protrusion; a pixel electrode including a connection portion electrically connected to the extension portion of the drain electrode; and a first spacer disposed on the pixel electrode and partially superimposed on the protrusion of the storage electrode line, wherein in at least one of the plurality of pixels, the first spacer covers the edge of the connection portion of the pixel electrode in the first direction.

[0019] The plurality of pixels may include: a first pixel displaying red; a second pixel displaying green; and a third pixel displaying blue.

[0020] The third pixel may include: a second spacer having an area smaller than that of the first spacer.

[0021] The first spacer and the second spacer can be stacked with the connection portion of the pixel electrode and the extension portion of the drain electrode through the openings they are connected to.

[0022] The first spacer may include: a first stacked portion stacked with an opening that connects a connection portion of a pixel electrode and an extension portion of a drain electrode; and a second stacked portion stacked with at least a portion of a drain electrode and a gate line.

[0023] The first spacer can have a T-shape.

[0024] The second spacer can be square in shape.

[0025] The first pixel may include a first color filter, the second pixel may include a second color filter, and the third pixel may include a third color filter. The thickness of the third color filter may be greater than the thickness of the first color filter and the thickness of the second color filter.

[0026] The pixel electrode may further include: a cross-shaped trunk portion, including a horizontal trunk portion extending in a first direction and a vertical trunk portion extending in a second direction; a fine branch portion extending diagonally from the cross-shaped trunk portion; and a horizontal strip portion extending from the connecting portion.

[0027] The angle between the edge of the connecting part and the edge of the horizontal strip that is adjacent to the edge of the connecting part can be 45°.

[0028] According to these embodiments, by positioning the connection portion of the pixel electrode within the side edge of the first spacer, the liquid crystal control capability can be maximized, thereby preventing defects such as scuffing.

[0029] Furthermore, according to the embodiments, a display device with improved display quality and reliability can be provided by arranging different spacers for each pixel area. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 A layout diagram of a pixel of a display device according to an embodiment is shown.

[0031] Figure 2 It shows along Figure 1 A sectional view taken from line II-II′.

[0032] Figure 3 It shows along Figure 1 The sectional view taken from line III-III′.

[0033] Figure 4 It shows Figure 1 The pixel electrode, shielding electrode, and spacer in the display device.

[0034] Figure 5 It shows Figure 4 A magnified view of a portion of the pixel electrode.

[0035] Figure 6 It shows Figure 4 A magnified view of a portion of the pixel electrode.

[0036] Figure 7 A layout diagram of a plurality of pixels of a display device according to an embodiment is shown.

[0037] Figure 8 It shows Figure 7 An enlarged view of a portion of the pixel electrode in a display device.

[0038] Figure 9 An image showing the texture simulation result of a pixel of a display device according to a comparative example and a display device according to an embodiment is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The inventive concept will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments illustrating the inventive concept are shown. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various different ways without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure.

[0040] Parts unrelated to the description will be omitted in order to clearly describe this disclosure, and the same reference numerals indicate the same elements throughout the specification.

[0041] Furthermore, the dimensions and thicknesses of each element are arbitrarily shown in the accompanying drawings for ease of description, and this disclosure is not limited to those shown in the drawings. The thicknesses of layers, films, panels, areas, regions, etc., are exaggerated in the drawings for clarity. The thicknesses of some layers and areas are exaggerated in the drawings for ease of description.

[0042] It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, film, region, or substrate is referred to as being "on" another element, the element may be directly on said other element, or there may be intermediate elements present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" another element, there are no intermediate elements present. Furthermore, in the specification, the terms "on" or "above" indicate that the element is positioned on or below the target portion, and do not necessarily indicate that it is positioned on the upper side of the target portion based on the direction of gravity.

[0043] Furthermore, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the word "comprising" and its variations shall be understood to mean that the said element is included but not excluded any other element.

[0044] Furthermore, throughout the instruction manual, the phrase "in a plan view" or "on a plane" refers to the target portion viewed from the top, while the phrase "in a section" or "on a cross section" refers to the section formed by vertically cutting the target portion viewed from the side.

[0045] Throughout this specification, “connection” refers not only to the direct connection of two or more components, but also to the indirect connection of two or more components through other components, and to the physical or electrical connection between them. Furthermore, it can be referred to by different names depending on location or function, and can also be referred to as the situation where substantially integrated parts are linked to each other.

[0046] The display device according to the embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0047] Figure 1 A layout diagram of one pixel of a display device according to an embodiment is shown. Figure 2 It shows along Figure 1 The sectional view taken by line II-II′. Figure 3 It shows along Figure 1 The sectional view taken from line III-III′.

[0048] Reference Figures 1 to 3 The display device according to the embodiment includes a first display panel 100 and a second display panel 200 facing each other and a liquid crystal layer 3 disposed therebetween.

[0049] First, the first display panel 100 will be described.

[0050] The first display panel 100 includes a first substrate 110 and a gate conductor, a semiconductor layer 154, a data conductor, a color filter 230, a pixel electrode 191, and a first spacer 310 stacked thereon.

[0051] A gate conductor is disposed on a first substrate 110 formed of transparent glass or plastic. The gate conductor may include a gate line 121 and a storage electrode line 131.

[0052] Gate line 121 extends in a first direction DR1 and transmits gate signals. Gate line 121 includes a pair of sub-gate lines 121a and 121b arranged parallel to each other and a gate electrode 124.

[0053] A pair of sub-gate lines 121a and 121b extend parallel to each other in a first direction DR1. A gate electrode 124 is disposed between the pair of sub-gate lines 121a and 121b, and the gate electrode 124 can be disposed and connected between the pair of sub-gate lines 121a and 121b. The pair of sub-gate lines 121a and 121b can transmit the same gate signal.

[0054] Thus, when a gate line 121 is divided and formed into a pair of sub-gate lines 121a and 121b, even if one sub-gate line 121a is damaged due to a short circuit or the like, the other sub-gate line 121b can still transmit the gate signal, which can be advantageous when repairing the display device.

[0055] The storage electrode line 131 extends parallel to the gate line 121 in a first direction DR1 and transmits a predetermined voltage, such as a common voltage. In a plan view, the storage electrode line 131 is spaced apart from the gate electrode 124 and the gate line 121. The storage electrode line 131 includes a first storage electrode line 131a extending in the first direction DR1, a second storage electrode line 131b extending from the first storage electrode line 131a in a second direction DR2, and a protrusion 131c protruding partially from the first storage electrode line 131a in the second direction DR2 toward the pixel electrode 191.

[0056] The gate conductor may include metals such as copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), chromium (Cr), or tantalum (Ta) or their metal alloys, and may be formed as a single layer or multiple layers.

[0057] A gate insulating film 140 is disposed on the gate conductor. The gate insulating film 140 may cover the first substrate 110 and the gate conductor. The gate insulating film 140 may comprise an inorganic insulating material such as silicon oxide or silicon nitride.

[0058] Semiconductor layer 154 and stacked semiconductor layer 155 are disposed on gate insulating film 140. Semiconductor layer 154 and stacked semiconductor layer 155 may comprise semiconductor materials such as oxide semiconductor, amorphous silicon, or polycrystalline silicon. Semiconductor layer 154 forms the active layer of transistor TFT, which will be described later. A plurality of stacked semiconductor layers 155 are disposed in the region where gate line 121 and data line 171 intersect or in the region where storage electrode line 131 and data line 171 intersect, such that they prevent electrical short circuits between the gate conductive layer and the data conductive layer.

[0059] An ohmic contact layer (not shown) may be disposed on the semiconductor layer 154. When the semiconductor layer 154 comprises silicon, the ohmic contact layer (not shown) may comprise silicide or n+ hydrogenated amorphous silicon in which it is heavily doped with an n-type impurity such as phosphorus (P) at a high concentration.

[0060] Data conductors, including data line 171, source electrode 173 and drain electrode 175, are disposed on semiconductor layer 154, stacked semiconductor layer 155 and gate insulating film 140.

[0061] Data line 171 extends in a second direction DR2 perpendicular to the first direction DR1 and transmits data voltage. Data line 171 is configured to intersect gate line 121. Data line 171 can be configured as two data lines 171 disposed on a corresponding side of a pixel PX and superimposed on a pixel PX.

[0062] The source electrode 173 can extend from the data line 171 and be stacked with the gate electrode 124, and it can be substantially U-shaped.

[0063] The drain electrode 175 is separate from the data line 171 and from the source electrode 173. The drain electrode 175 extends toward the central portion of the U-shaped source electrode 173 and includes an extension 177 electrically connected to the pixel electrode 191, which will be described later. The extension 177 of the drain electrode 175 may overlap with the storage electrode line 131. Specifically, the drain electrode 175 may overlap with the protrusion 131c of the storage electrode line 131. The overlap of the extension 177 of the drain electrode 175 and the protrusion 131c of the storage electrode line 131 forms a storage capacitor. Even when no data voltage is applied to the data line 171, the storage capacitor can maintain the voltage applied to the drain electrode 175 and the pixel electrode 191 connected to the drain electrode 175.

[0064] The data conductor may include metals or metal alloys thereof such as aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), gold (Au), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), nickel (Ni), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), chromium (Cr), tantalum (Ta), and may be formed in single or multiple layers.

[0065] A gate electrode 124, a source electrode 173, and a drain electrode 175 together with a semiconductor layer 154 form a transistor TFT. The channel of the transistor TFT can be formed in the semiconductor layer 154 between the source electrode 173 and the drain electrode 175.

[0066] Color filters 230 are disposed on the data conductors. Color filters 230 may include red, green, and blue color filters. Each color filter 230 may be disposed individually in the region defined by gate line 121 and data line 171.

[0067] An insulating film 180, comprising organic insulating materials and inorganic insulating materials such as silicon oxide and silicon nitride, is disposed on the color filter 230. The insulating film 180 may be an organic film and serves to planarize the upper surface of the color filter 230. Additionally, the insulating film 180 prevents contaminants in the color filter 230 from diffusing into the liquid crystal layer 3. In some embodiments, the insulating film 180 may be omitted.

[0068] The insulating film 180 and the color filter 230 include an opening 185 that exposes an extension 177 of the drain electrode 175. The extension 177 of the drain electrode 175 can be physically and electrically connected to the pixel electrode 191 through the opening 185. Therefore, a data voltage can be applied from the drain electrode 175 to the pixel electrode 191.

[0069] Pixel electrode 191 and shielding electrode 198 are disposed on insulating film 180. Pixel electrode 191 and shielding electrode 198 may include transparent conductors such as ITO or IZO or metals such as aluminum, silver, chromium or alloys thereof.

[0070] The pixel electrode 191 includes a cross-shaped trunk portion comprising a horizontal trunk portion 191a extending in a first direction DR1 and a vertical trunk portion 191b extending in a second direction DR2, a fine branch portion 191c extending diagonally from the cross-shaped trunk portion, a connecting portion 191d connecting to an extension 177 connected to the drain electrode 175, a horizontal strip portion 191e extending from the connecting portion 191d, and an outer portion 191f surrounding the edge of the pixel electrode 191.

[0071] Refer to the description that will follow. Figures 4 to 6 Describe the shape of pixel electrode 191 in detail.

[0072] The shielding electrode 198 extends along the first direction DR1 and is spaced apart from the pixel electrode 191. Specifically, it is spaced apart from the horizontal strip portion 191e and the outer portion 191f of the pixel electrode 191. The shielding electrode 198 can be configured to overlap with a portion of the gate line 121. Additionally, the shielding electrode 198 can be configured to overlap with one end of the second storage electrode line 131b. The same voltage as the common electrode 270, described later, can be applied to the shielding electrode 198. Therefore, no electric field is generated between the shielding electrode 198 and the common electrode 270, and the liquid crystal molecules 31 disposed between them can remain in the same orientation as their initial arrangement, unaffected by the voltage applied to the conductive layer. The liquid crystal layer 3 between the shielding electrode 198 and the common electrode 270 maintains its orientation to display black, and the liquid crystal molecules 31 themselves can perform the function of the light-blocking layer 220.

[0073] A first spacer 310 is disposed on a pixel electrode 191. In a plan view, the first spacer 310 includes a first overlapping portion 310a extending partially in a first direction DR1 and a second overlapping portion 310b extending partially from the first overlapping portion 310a in a second direction DR2. The first overlapping portion 310a and the second overlapping portion 310b may form a T-shape.

[0074] The first stacked portion 310a is stacked with at least some of the following: the protrusion 131c of the storage electrode line 131, the connection portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191, the horizontal strip portion 191e of the pixel electrode 191, and the extension 177 of the drain electrode 175. Furthermore, the first stacked portion 310a completely covers the opening 185 that connects the connection portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191 and the extension 177 of the drain electrode 175. That is, the first spacer 310 can be provided while filling the space recessed by the opening 185 of the color filter 230 and the insulating film 180. Additionally, in the plan view, the side edges of the first stacked portion 310a can be stacked with at least a portion of the data line 171.

[0075] The second stacked portion 310b is configured to be stacked with at least some of the gate line 121, gate electrode 124, semiconductor layer 154, source electrode 173, drain electrode 175 and shield electrode 198.

[0076] The first spacer 310 may extend to cover at least one edge portion of the connection portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191 along the first direction DR1. At least one edge of the connection portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191 is disposed in the side edge of the first spacer 310. That is, the side edge of the connection portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191 is disposed within the side edge of the first stacked portion 310a of the first spacer 310. The first spacer 310 is configured to cover at least one edge of the connection portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191 along the first direction DR1, so as to prevent misalignment of the liquid crystal due to uneven surfaces in the region near the opening 185 of the color filter 230 and the insulating film 180. The first spacer 310 may extend to cover two edge portions of the connection portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191 along the first direction DR1.

[0077] The height h0 of the first spacer 310 at the portion overlapping with the drain electrode 175 can be higher than the height h1 of the first spacer 310 at the portion overlapping with the extension 177 of the drain electrode 175 and the pixel electrode 191. The height h1 of the first spacer 310 at the portion overlapping with the extension 177 of the drain electrode 175 can be higher than the height h2 of the first spacer 310 from the upper surface of the pixel electrode 191 at the opening 185 through which the extension 177 of the drain electrode 175 and the pixel electrode 191 contact.

[0078] The display device according to the comparative example does not include the first spacer 310. Therefore, in the comparative example, due to the step of the opening 185 where the pixel electrode 191 and the drain electrode 175 are connected, the liquid crystal molecules 31 can be configured to tilt in the direction of the opening 185. Because the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 31 in the region spaced apart from the opening 185 is inconsistent with the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 31 near the opening 185, a scuffing phenomenon occurs in the display device.

[0079] However, in the display device according to the embodiment, since the first spacer 310 is provided on the pixel electrode 191, misalignment of the liquid crystal due to the step caused by the opening 185 can be prevented. That is, by improving the texture control capability of the liquid crystal, the scuffing phenomenon of the display device can be improved.

[0080] The second display panel 200 will be described below. The second display panel 200 may include a second substrate 210 facing the first substrate 110, a light-blocking layer 220 stacked on the second substrate 210, a cover layer 250, and a common electrode 270. According to embodiments, the cover layer 250 may be omitted, and an alignment film may be disposed on the common electrode 270.

[0081] A light-blocking layer 220 is disposed on a second substrate 210 formed of transparent glass or plastic. The light-blocking layer 220 has an opening in the region where it overlaps with the pixel electrodes 191 of the first display panel 100. The light-blocking layer 220 is configured to overlap with data lines 171, gate lines 121, transistors (TFTs), etc., and is configured not to overlap with most of the pixel electrodes 191. A finger layer disposed on the second substrate 210 is disposed in the same direction as the light-blocking layer 220 relative to the second substrate 210. When the stacking order is viewed from an external direction of the second display panel 200, the light-blocking layer 220 can be considered to be disposed below the second substrate 210.

[0082] A common electrode 270 is disposed on the second substrate 210 to cover all pixels PX so as to receive a common voltage.

[0083] The liquid crystal layer 3 includes a plurality of liquid crystal molecules 31. The liquid crystal molecules 31 exhibit negative dielectric anisotropy, and the liquid crystal molecules 31 of the liquid crystal layer 3 can be aligned such that their long axis is perpendicular to the surfaces of the first display panel 100 and the second display panel 200 in the absence of an electric field. A pixel electrode 191 to which a data voltage is applied, together with the common electrode 270 of the second display panel 200, generates an electric field to determine the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 31 of the liquid crystal layer 3 between the two electrodes 191 and 270. The brightness of light passing through the liquid crystal layer 3 can vary according to the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 31 determined as described above.

[0084] In the following text, reference will be made to Figures 4 to 6 Detailed description of pixel electrode 191, first spacer 310, etc.

[0085] Figure 4 It shows Figure 1 The pixel electrode, shielding electrode, and first spacer in the display device. Figure 5 It shows Figure 4 A magnified view of a portion of the pixel electrode. Figure 6 It shows Figure 4 A magnified view of a portion of the pixel electrode. Here, "partial" can refer to... Figure 4 The “X” area.

[0086] Reference Figures 4 to 6 The pixel electrode 191 includes a cross-shaped trunk portion comprising a horizontal trunk portion 191a extending in a first direction DR1 and a vertical trunk portion 191b extending in a second direction DR2, a fine branch portion 191c extending diagonally from the cross-shaped trunk portion, a connecting portion 191d connecting to an extension 177 connected to the drain electrode 175, a horizontal strip portion 191e extending from the connecting portion 191d, and an outer portion 191f surrounding the edge of the pixel electrode 191.

[0087] A large portion of the fine branch portion 191c may be connected to the outer portion 191f. A portion of the fine branch portion 191c may not be connected to the outer portion 191f. The connecting portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191 may be connected to the fine branch portion 191c extending from the vertical main portion 191b. Additionally, the connecting portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191 may extend from the fine branch portion 191c. The connecting portion 191d and the plurality of fine branch portions 191c connected to the connecting portion 191d may have a diamond shape including openings.

[0088] The horizontal strip portion 191e may extend in the first direction DR1, and the edge of the horizontal strip portion 191e may coincide with the edge of the outer portion 191f.

[0089] The first spacer 310 is configured to overlap with at least a portion of the connection portion 191d and the horizontal strip portion 191e of the pixel electrode 191. Additionally, the first spacer 310 may be configured to overlap with at least a portion of the shielding electrode 198.

[0090] The side edge ed1 of the connection portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191 is disposed inside the side edge ed2 of the first spacer 310 in the first direction DR1. That is, the connection portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191 is disposed within the first spacer 310 in the first direction DR1, and the first spacer 310 is configured to cover at least one edge of the connection portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191, thereby preventing misalignment of the liquid crystal due to steps in the region near the opening 185 of the color filter 230 and the insulating film 180. The first spacer 310 is configured to cover both edges of the connection portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191 in the first direction DR1.

[0091] Reference Figure 5 The connecting portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191 can have a width w of 10 μm or greater. When the connecting portion 191d has a width w of 10 μm or greater, the width w of the connecting portion 191d extending from the fine branch portion 191c to the left of the vertical main portion 191b and the connecting portion 191d extending from the fine branch portion 191c to the right of the vertical main portion 191b can be the same or different. Therefore, cracking of the pixel electrode 191 can be prevented in the display device according to the embodiment.

[0092] Reference Figure 6The connecting portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191 is spaced apart from the vertical trunk portion 191b. In the second direction DR2, the distance d from one end of the vertical trunk portion 191b to the connecting portion 191d can be 7 μm or greater. Furthermore, in the first direction DR1, the distance d from the side end of the vertical trunk portion 191b to the connecting portion 191d can be 7 μm or greater. In this embodiment, the distance d between the vertical trunk portion 191b and the connecting portion 191d is maintained at at least 7 μm, thereby stably controlling the alignment of the liquid crystal. Therefore, the display device according to this embodiment can improve the scuffing phenomenon and enhance display quality.

[0093] In the following text, reference will be made to Figure 7 and Figure 8 The description includes a display device with multiple pixels.

[0094] Figure 7 A layout diagram of a plurality of pixels of a display device according to an embodiment is shown. Figure 8 It shows Figure 7 A magnified view of a portion of the pixel electrodes in a display device. Here, "portion" can refer to... Figure 7 The "Y" part.

[0095] Reference Figure 7 The display device according to an embodiment includes a first pixel PX1, a second pixel PX2, and a third pixel PX3 that are adjacent to each other in a first direction DR1. Each of pixels PX1, PX2, and PX3 includes a gate line 121, a data line 171 intersecting the gate line 121, a transistor TFT connected to the gate line 121 and the data line 171, and a first spacer 310 and a second spacer 320. Here, the first pixel PX1 may be a pixel that displays red or green, the second pixel PX2 may be a pixel that displays red or green that is not displayed by the first pixel, and the third pixel PX3 may be a pixel that displays blue.

[0096] Figure 7 The first pixel PX1 and the second pixel PX2 shown can be compared with the reference. Figures 1 to 6 The description corresponds to one pixel of the display device. Since the third pixel PX3 is mostly the same as the first pixel PX1 and the second pixel PX2, the differences between the first pixel PX1, the second pixel PX2 and the third pixel PX3 will be mainly described below.

[0097] The second spacer 320 is disposed on the pixel electrode 191. In a plan view, the second spacer 320 may have a square shape in which the horizontal and vertical sides are of the same length. The planar area of ​​the second spacer 320 may be smaller than the planar area of ​​the first spacer 310. In some embodiments, the second spacer 320 may have a rectangular shape in which the horizontal and vertical sides are of different lengths, and may be implemented in various shapes such as circles or polygons.

[0098] The second spacer 320 is superimposed on at least a portion of the storage electrode line 131, the pixel electrode 191, and the drain electrode 175. Additionally, the second spacer 320 is superimposed on the opening 185 that connects the connection portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191 and the extension 177 of the drain electrode 175. That is, in the cross-sectional view, the second spacer 320 can be provided to fill the space recessed by the opening 185 of the color filter 230 and the insulating film 180.

[0099] Reference Figure 8 The second spacer 320 is configured to overlap at least a portion of the connection portion 191d and the horizontal strip portion 191e of the pixel electrode 191. The angle between the edge of the connection portion 191d of the pixel electrode 191 and the edge of the adjacent horizontal strip portion 191e can be 45°.

[0100] The thickness of the third color filter 230 included in the third pixel PX3 can be greater than the thickness of the first color filter 230 included in the first pixel PX1 and the thickness of the second color filter 230 included in the second pixel PX2. When the second spacer 320 includes a stacked portion wider than the first spacer 310, the height of the second spacer 320 will be too high, thus increasing the misalignment of the liquid crystal. Conversely, in the display device according to the embodiment, the third pixel PX3 includes a second spacer 320 having a stacked portion smaller than the stacked portions in the first pixel PX1 and the second pixel PX2, thereby improving the control capability of the liquid crystal alignment.

[0101] In the following text, reference will be made to Figure 9 The effect of improving the control of the liquid crystal arrangement in the display device according to the embodiment is described.

[0102] Figure 9 An image showing the texture simulation result of a pixel of a display device according to a comparative example and a display device according to an embodiment is shown.

[0103] Reference Figure 9 According to an embodiment, a pixel PX may include a cross-shaped trunk portion comprising a horizontal trunk portion 191a and a vertical trunk portion 191b, and a fine branch portion 191c extending outward from the cross-shaped trunk portion. Figure 9A pixel PX shown in the diagram can be one of the first pixel PX1, the second pixel PX2, and the third pixel PX3 described above.

[0104] Figure 9 The left-hand side (a) shows a view illustrating the texture simulation results when a pixel PX does not include a spacer. The spacer can be either the first spacer 310 or the second spacer 320 described above.

[0105] exist Figure 9 In the pixel PX shown in (a), a defect occurs in the liquid crystal arrangement due to the step caused by the opening 185 in which the pixel electrode 191 and the drain electrode 175 are connected, resulting in a dark area in the region of the fine branch portion 191c of the pixel electrode 191. Since the dark area is formed in the region where the opening of the fine branch portion 191c is provided, a texture defect in which a scratch phenomenon can be observed occurs.

[0106] Figure 9 The image shown on the right (b) is a view illustrating the texture simulation results when a pixel PX includes a spacer. The spacer can be a first spacer 310 or a second spacer 320.

[0107] exist Figure 9 In pixel PX (b), misalignment of the liquid crystal is prevented by eliminating steps caused by the opening through spacers, so that dark areas are formed only in the cross-shaped main portion of the pixel electrode 191. Since dark areas are formed only in the cross-shaped main portion, it can be confirmed that the scratches in the fine branch portion 191c can be prevented, thereby displaying the image normally.

[0108] While this disclosure has been described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments now considered to be practical, it will be understood that the inventive concept is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but rather is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A display device, the display device comprising: First base; A gate line is disposed on the first substrate and extends in a first direction; The storage electrode line extends in the first direction on the same layer as the gate line and includes a protrusion that partially protrudes in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; The data line is insulated from the gate line and the storage electrode line, and extends in the second direction; The drain electrode is disposed on the same layer as the data line and includes an extension overlapping the protrusion; A pixel electrode, including an extension portion electrically connected to the drain electrode and a connection portion superimposed on the extension portion; as well as A first spacer is disposed on the pixel electrode and overlaps with the protruding portion of the storage electrode line. The first spacer covers the edge of the connection portion of the pixel electrode in the first direction.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein, The first spacer includes: a first stacked portion, which is stacked with the opening that connects the connection portion of the pixel electrode and the extension portion of the drain electrode through the opening; and a second stacked portion, which is stacked with at least a portion of the drain electrode and the gate line.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein, The first spacer has a T-shape in the plan view, and Wherein, the edge of the connecting portion of the pixel electrode is covered by the first stacked portion.

4. The display device according to claim 2, further comprising: A color filter is disposed between the drain electrode and the pixel electrode; And an insulating film, disposed on the color filter, The color filter and the insulating film include the opening.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein, The pixel electrode also includes: The cross-shaped trunk portion includes a horizontal trunk portion extending in the first direction and a vertical trunk portion extending in the second direction; The finer branching portions extend diagonally from the cross-shaped main trunk; and The horizontal strip extends from the connecting portion. Wherein, the width of the connecting portion is 10 μm or greater, or the distance from one end of the vertical main section to the connecting portion is 7 μm or greater, and The connecting portion and the thin branch portion connected to the connecting portion have a rhomboid shape including an opening.

6. A display device, the display device comprising: Multiple pixels can display different colors. The plurality of pixels includes: A gate line is disposed on a first substrate and extends in a first direction; The storage electrode line extends in the first direction on the same layer as the gate line and includes a protrusion that partially protrudes in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; The data line is insulated from the gate line and the storage electrode line, and extends in the second direction; The drain electrode is disposed on the same layer as the data line and includes an extension overlapping the protrusion; A pixel electrode, including an extension portion electrically connected to and superimposed on the drain electrode; and A first spacer is disposed on the pixel electrode and overlaps with the protruding portion of the storage electrode line. In at least one of the plurality of pixels, the first spacer covers the edge of the connection portion of the pixel electrode in the first direction.

7. The display device according to claim 6, wherein, The plurality of pixels includes: a first pixel that displays red; a second pixel that displays green; and a third pixel that displays blue.

8. The display device according to claim 7, wherein, The third pixel includes: a second spacer having an area smaller than that of the first spacer. Wherein, the first spacer and the second spacer are stacked on the opening that connects the connection portion of the pixel electrode and the extension portion of the drain electrode through the opening. The first spacer includes: a first stacked portion stacked with the opening connecting the connection portion of the pixel electrode and the extension portion of the drain electrode; and a second stacked portion stacked with at least a portion of the drain electrode and the gate line. The first spacer has a T-shape.

9. The display device according to claim 7, wherein, The first pixel includes a first color filter, the second pixel includes a second color filter, and the third pixel includes a third color filter, wherein the thickness of the third color filter is greater than the thickness of the first color filter and the thickness of the second color filter.

10. The display device according to claim 6, wherein, The pixel electrode also includes: The cross-shaped trunk portion includes a horizontal trunk portion extending in the first direction and a vertical trunk portion extending in the second direction; The finer branching portions extend diagonally from the cross-shaped main trunk; and The horizontal strip extends from the connecting portion. The angle between one edge of the connecting portion and the edge of the horizontal strip portion adjacent to the one edge of the connecting portion is 45°.

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