Electro-optic device and electronic apparatus

Abstract

To simplify a configuration when a heater and a frame area are provided.SOLUTION: An electro-optic device 10 includes: an element substrate 30 including a light shielding film 330; a heater 230; a counter substrate 20 including a connection unit 231b and a connection unit 231c; and a liquid crystal 50 held by the element substrate 30 and the counter substrate 20. The heater 230 is a frame part 241a with a light-shielding property and conductivity and the frame part is provided along the outside of a display region 5 in planer view and is opened by a slit S1 provided in a position overlapping with the light-shielding film 330 in planer view. The connection unit 231b extends to the outside of the element substrate 30 in planer view from one end of the frame part 241a. The connection unit 231c extends from another end of the frame part 241a to the outside of the element substrate 30 in planer view. The connection parts 231b and 231c are electrically connected to FPC substrates 62 and 63, respectively.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electro-optical device and an electronic device. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in a liquid crystal panel using liquid crystal as an electro-optical layer, optical response decreases when the temperature of the liquid crystal is low. For this reason, a liquid crystal panel is known that has a built-in heater and improves optical response by increasing the temperature of the liquid crystal by the heat generated by the heater (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Specifically, the liquid crystal panel described in Patent Document 1 has liquid crystal sandwiched between a first substrate and a second substrate, a display area when viewed in a plane, and a frame area (partition) defined outside the display area, and a heater is provided on the second substrate so as to overlap the display area and the frame area when viewed in a plane. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-276909 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 requires that a heater and a frame region be separately provided on the second substrate, which causes a problem of a complicated configuration. In consideration of these circumstances, one aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a technique that can simplify the configuration when a heater and a frame region are provided. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problem, an electro-optical device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a first substrate including a first light-shielding member having light-shielding properties, a second substrate including a second light-shielding member, a first connection portion and a second connection portion, and an electro-optical layer sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate or a third substrate, wherein the second light-shielding member has light-shielding properties and is conductive, is arranged along the outside of a display area in a planar view, and has a frame shape opened by a gap arranged at a position overlapping with the first light-shielding member in a planar view, the first connection portion extends from one end of the open frame to the outside of the first substrate in a planar view, and the second connection portion extends from the other end of the open frame to the outside of the first substrate in a planar view, and a first flexible substrate is electrically connected to the first connection portion and the second connection portion. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an optical configuration of a projection type display device to which an electro-optical device according to a first embodiment is applied. [Diagram 2] 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a drive system in the electro-optical device. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration for controlling a heater in the electro-optical device. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an electro-optical device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the electro-optical device. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a pixel circuit in an electro-optical device. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a counter substrate of the electro-optical device. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an element substrate of the electro-optical device. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure of an electro-optical device. [Figure 10] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of an electro-optical device according to a first modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a connection electrode in a first modified example. [Figure 12]FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a counter substrate in a second modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a counter substrate in an electro-optical device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure of an electro-optical device. [Figure 15] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure of an electro-optical device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] Hereinafter, electro-optical devices according to embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the dimensions and scale of each part are appropriately different from the actual ones. In addition, the embodiments described below are preferred specific examples, and therefore various technically preferable limitations are attached, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to these forms unless otherwise specified in the following description to the effect that the present disclosure is limited.

[0008] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an optical configuration of a projection display device 100 to which an electro-optical device according to a first embodiment is applied. As shown in the figure, the projection display device 100 includes electro-optical devices 10R, 10G, and 10B. The projection display device 100 is also provided with a lamp unit 2102 consisting of a white light source such as a halogen lamp. Projection light emitted from the lamp unit 2102 is separated into three primary colors, red (R), green (G), and blue (B), by three mirrors 2106 and two dichroic mirrors 2108. Of these, the R light enters the electro-optical device 10R, the G light enters the electro-optical device 10G, and the B light enters the electro-optical device 10B. Since the optical path of B is longer than the optical paths of R and G, it is necessary to prevent loss in the optical path of B. For this reason, a relay lens system 2121 consisting of an entrance lens 2122, a relay lens 2123, and an exit lens 2124 is provided in the optical path of B.

[0009] In the embodiment, the electro-optical device 10R is a liquid crystal panel having a plurality of pixel circuits. Each of the plurality of pixel circuits includes a liquid crystal element. The liquid crystal element of the electro-optical device 10R is driven based on a data signal corresponding to R as described later, and has a transmittance according to the effective value of the voltage of the data signal. Therefore, in the electro-optical device 10R, the transmittance of the liquid crystal element is individually controlled to generate an R transmission image. Similarly, in the electro-optical device 10G, a G transmission image is generated based on a data signal corresponding to G, and in the electro-optical device 10B, a B transmission image is generated based on a data signal corresponding to B.

[0010] The transmitted images of each color generated by the electro-optical devices 10R, 10G, and 10B are incident on the dichroic prism 2112 from three directions. In the dichroic prism 2112, the R and B light are refracted at 90 degrees, while the G light travels straight. Therefore, the dichroic prism 2112 combines the images of each color. The combined image by the dichroic prism 2112 is incident on the projection lens 2114. The projection lens 2114 enlarges and projects the combined image produced by the dichroic prism 2112 onto a screen Scr.

[0011] The transmission images by the electro-optical devices 10R and 10B are emitted after being reflected by the dichroic prism 2112, whereas the transmission image by the electro-optical device 10G travels straight and is emitted. Therefore, the transmission images by the electro-optical devices 10R and 10B are in a left-right inverted relationship with the transmission image by the electro-optical device 10G.

[0012] 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration for controlling display, which is one of the electrical configurations of the projection display device 100. As shown in the figure, the projection display device 100 includes the above-mentioned electro-optical devices 10R, 10G, and 10B, and a display control circuit 15.

[0013] Video data Vid-in is supplied from a host device (not shown) or other higher-level device in synchronization with a synchronization signal Sync to the display control circuit 15. The video data Vid-in specifies the gradation level of pixels in an image to be displayed, for example, by 8 bits for each of RGB.

[0014] In the projection display device 100, a color image projected on the screen Scr is expressed by synthesizing the transmitted images of the electro-optical devices 10R, 10G, and 10B as described above. Therefore, a pixel, which is the smallest unit of a color image, can be divided into a red subpixel of the electro-optical device 10R, a green subpixel of the electro-optical device 10G, and a blue subpixel of the electro-optical device 10B. However, when it is not necessary to specify the color of the subpixels in the electro-optical devices 10R, 10G, and 10B, or when only brightness is an issue, there is no need to refer to them as subpixels. Therefore, in this description, the display unit in the electro-optical devices 10R, 10G, and 10B will be simply referred to as a pixel.

[0015] The synchronization signal Sync includes a vertical synchronization signal that instructs the start of vertical scanning of the video data Vid-in, a horizontal synchronization signal that instructs the start of horizontal scanning, and a clock signal that indicates the timing of one video pixel in the video data Vid-in.

[0016] The display control circuit 15 separates the video data Vid-in from the higher-level device into R, G, and B components, converts them into analog voltage data signals, and supplies them to the electro-optical devices 10R, 10G, and 10B. Specifically, the display control circuit 15 converts the R component of the video data Vid-in into analog and supplies it to the electro-optical device 10R via the FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits) board 61 as a data signal Vid-R. Similarly, the display control circuit 15 converts the G component of the video data Vid-in into analog and supplies it to the electro-optical device 10G via the FPC board 61 as a data signal Vid-G, and converts the B component into analog and supplies it to the electro-optical device 10B via the FPC board 61 as a data signal Vid-B. The display control circuit 15 supplies the data signals Vid_R, Vid_G, and Vid_B via the FPC board 61 in synchronization with a control signal Ctr for controlling the driving of the electro-optical devices 10R, 10G, and 10B in that order.

[0017] Next, the electro-optical devices 10R, 10G, and 10B will be described. The electro-optical devices 10R, 10G, and 10B have a common structure and differ only in the color, i.e., wavelength, of the light incident thereon. Therefore, the electro-optical devices 10R, 10G, and 10B will be generally described with the reference numeral 10, without specifying the color.

[0018] 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration for controlling heating of the electro-optical device 10. The electro-optical device 10 is provided with a heater 230 and a temperature sensor 17. The heater 230 is an example of a heating member. The temperature control circuit 16 applies a voltage to the heater 230 via FPC boards 62 and 63. The temperature sensor 17 detects the temperature of the electro-optical device 10 and outputs information Temp indicating the temperature as a detected value. The information Temp is supplied to the temperature control circuit 16 via an FPC board other than the FPC boards 62 and 63, for example, an FPC board 61.

[0019] The temperature control circuit 16 controls the voltage applied to the heater 230 so that the temperature indicated by the information Temp becomes the target temperature. Specifically, if the temperature indicated by the information Temp is lower than the target temperature, the temperature control circuit 16 increases the voltage applied to the heater 230. The target temperature is a temperature suitable for use of the electro-optical device 10, and is set in advance in the temperature control circuit 16. Fluctuations in the voltage applied to the heater 230 can be a source of noise. For this reason, the temperature control circuit 16 controls the voltage applied to the heater 230 to be a constant voltage, and switches the applied voltage stepwise, for example, every minute, depending on the temperature indicated by the information Temp.

[0020] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the electro-optical device 10. As shown in FIG. In the electro-optical device 10, which is a liquid crystal panel, as is well known, an opposing substrate 20 provided with a common electrode and an element substrate 30 provided with pixel electrodes are bonded together with a sealant so that their electrode forming surfaces face each other while maintaining a certain gap, and liquid crystal is filled into this gap. The element substrate 30 is an example of a first substrate, the counter substrate 20 is an example of a second substrate, and the liquid crystal 50 is an example of an electro-optical layer.

[0021] 4, in this embodiment, the counter substrate 20 and the element substrate 30 have the same length of sides along the X-axis and are bonded together in an aligned manner. The length of the side of the counter substrate 20 along the Y-axis is approximately the same as the length of the side of the element substrate 30 along the Y-axis, but they are bonded together with a shift along the Y-axis. For this reason, the counter substrate 20 has a protruding portion 200a protruding from the element substrate 30, and the element substrate 30 has a protruding portion 300a protruding from the counter substrate 20.

[0022] In this description, the X-axis refers to an axis that has no fixed orientation in the direction in which scanning lines, which will be described later, extend in the electro-optical device 10, and is aligned with the long side of the display area. Of the directions along the X-axis, the rightward direction in FIG. 4 is referred to as the X-direction. The X-axis is an example of a first axis, and the X-direction is an example of a first direction. Moreover, the Y-axis refers to an axis that intersects with the X-axis in a plan view, has no fixed orientation in the direction in which data lines extend in the electro-optical device 10, and is aligned with the short side of the display area. Of the Y-axis, the direction toward the front in FIG. 4 is referred to as the Y-direction. The Y-axis is an example of a second axis, and the Y-direction is an example of a second direction. A plan view refers to viewing the substrate in a direction perpendicular to the substrate surface, i.e., along the thickness direction of the substrate, and a cross-sectional view refers to viewing the substrate by cutting the substrate in a direction perpendicular to the substrate surface.

[0023] The counter substrate 20 and the element substrate 30 are each made of a light-transmitting and insulating base material such as glass or quartz. The protruding portion 300a is provided with a plurality of terminals, which will be described later, and one end of an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits) substrate 61 is connected to the terminals. The FPC substrate 61 is an example of a second flexible substrate. The other end of the FPC board 61 is connected to the display control circuit 15 and the temperature control circuit 16. As a result, the above-mentioned data signal and control signal are supplied from the display control circuit 15 to the electro-optical device 10, and information indicating temperature, Temp, is supplied from the electro-optical device 10 to the temperature control circuit 16.

[0024] The protruding portion 200a is provided with two terminals connected to the heater 230, and one end of each of the FPC boards 62 and 63 is connected to the FPC boards 62 and 63. The other ends of the FPC boards 62 and 63 are connected to the temperature control circuit 16. As a result, a voltage controlled by the temperature control circuit 16 is applied to the heater 230 via the FPC boards 62 and 63. The FPC boards 62 and 63 are an example of a first flexible board.

[0025] Each of the FPC boards 62 and 63 is configured to be bent by 90 degrees twice. The reason for this is that the temperature control circuit 16 is provided on the same side as the display control circuit 15 with respect to the electro-optical device 10. In the electro-optical device 10 , light from the lamp unit 2102 enters the counter substrate 20 and exits from the element substrate 30 .

[0026] For convenience, a description will now be given of the electrical configuration of the electro-optical device 10. FIG. On the element substrate 30 of the electro-optical device 10, a scanning line driving circuit 360 and a data line driving circuit 370 are provided outside the display area 5 in a plan view.

[0027] In detail, a plurality of scanning lines 36 are provided extending along the X-axis on the element substrate 30. A plurality of data lines 37 are provided extending along the Y-axis and electrically insulated from the scanning lines 36. Pixel circuits 38 are provided in a matrix shape corresponding to the intersections of the scanning lines 36 and the data lines 37.

[0028] If the number of scanning lines 36 is m and the number of data lines 37 is n, pixel circuits 38 are arranged in a matrix of m rows and n columns. Both m and n are integers of 2 or more. In order to distinguish the rows of the matrix in the scanning lines 36 and pixel circuits 38, they may be referred to as 1, 2, 3, ..., (m-1), m rows from the top in the figure. Similarly, in order to distinguish the columns of the matrix in the data lines 37 and pixel circuits 38, they may be referred to as 1, 2, 3, ..., (n-1), n ​​columns from the left in the figure.

[0029] The scanning line driving circuit 360 selects the scanning lines 36 one by one in the order of, for example, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, ..., mth rows in accordance with a control signal Ctr from the display control circuit 15, and sets the scanning signal to the selected scanning line 36 to H level. Note that the scanning line driving circuit 360 sets the scanning signals to the scanning lines 36 other than the selected scanning line 36 to L level. The data line driving circuit 370 latches the data signal supplied from the display control circuit 15 for one row, and outputs it via the data line 37 to the pixel circuit 38 located on that scanning line 36 during the period when the scanning signal to that scanning line 36 is at H level.

[0030] In the region 310a of the protruding portion 300a, there are provided a terminal for supplying a control signal Ctr to the scanning line driving circuit 360, a terminal for supplying a data signal or the like to the data line driving circuit 370, and further a terminal for supplying information Temp from the temperature sensor 17 to the temperature control circuit 16. The multiple terminals provided in the region 310a are an example of a third connection portion.

[0031] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an equivalent circuit of a pixel circuit 38. Note that Fig. 6 shows an equivalent circuit for a total of four pixel circuits 38, two vertically and two horizontally, corresponding to the intersections of two adjacent scanning lines 36 and two adjacent data lines 37. The pixel circuits 38 have the same circuit configuration.

[0032] The pixel circuit 38 includes a transistor 382, ​​a liquid crystal element 384, and a storage capacitor 386. The transistor 382 is, for example, an n-channel thin film transistor. In the pixel circuit 38, a gate electrode of the transistor 382 is electrically connected to the scanning line 36. In addition, a source region of the transistor 382 is electrically connected to the data line 37, and a drain region of the transistor 382 is electrically connected to the pixel electrode 32 and one end of the storage capacitor 386.

[0033] In transistor 382, ​​when the direction of current flow is reversed, the source region and the drain region are swapped. In this description, the region electrically connected to data line 37 is referred to as the source region, and the region electrically connected to pixel electrode 32 is referred to as the drain region. In addition, in this description, "electrically connected" or simply "connected" means a direct or indirect connection or coupling between two or more elements, and includes, for example, a case in which different wirings are connected via contact holes even if two or more elements are not directly connected to each other on an element substrate.

[0034] A common electrode 22 is provided for all pixels so as to face the pixel electrode 32. A constant voltage LCcom is applied to the common electrode 22 over time. As described above, liquid crystal 50 is sandwiched between the pixel electrode 32 and the common electrode 22. Therefore, for each pixel circuit 38, a liquid crystal element 384 is formed in which liquid crystal 50 is sandwiched between the pixel electrode 32 and the common electrode 22. In addition, a storage capacitor 386 is provided electrically in parallel with the liquid crystal element 384. One end of the storage capacitor 386 is electrically connected to the pixel electrode 32, and the other end is electrically connected to a capacitance line 39. A constant voltage over time, for example, a voltage LCcom that is the same as the voltage applied to the common electrode 22, is applied to the capacitance line 39.

[0035] When the scanning signal of a scanning line 36 becomes H level, the transistor 382 of the pixel circuit 38 provided corresponding to that scanning line 36 is turned on. When the transistor 382 is turned on, the data line 37 and the pixel electrode 32 are electrically connected, so that the data signal supplied to the data line 37 reaches the pixel electrode 32 and one end of the storage capacitor 386 via the transistor 382 in the on state. When the scanning line 36 becomes L level, the transistor 382 is turned off, but the voltage of the data signal that has reached the pixel electrode 32 is held by the liquid crystal element 384 and the storage capacitor 386.

[0036] As is well known, in the liquid crystal element 384, the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules changes in response to the electric field generated by the pixel electrode 32 and the common electrode 22. Therefore, the liquid crystal element 384 has a transmittance that corresponds to the effective value of the applied voltage. If the liquid crystal element 384 is in a normally black mode, the transmittance increases as the voltage applied to the liquid crystal element 384 increases.

[0037] The operation of supplying data signals to the pixel electrodes 32 of the liquid crystal elements 384 is executed in the order of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, ..., mth rows in one vertical scanning period. As a result, a voltage corresponding to the data signal is held in each of the liquid crystal elements 384 of the pixel circuits 38 arranged in m rows and n columns, each liquid crystal element 384 has a target transmittance, and a transmitted image of the corresponding color is generated by the liquid crystal elements 384 arranged in m rows and n columns. In this way, the generation of a transmission image is executed for each of RGB, and a color image obtained by combining RGB is projected onto the screen Scr.

[0038] In the electro-optical device 10, the region where a transmission image is generated is a region where the pixel electrodes 32 arranged in a matrix form and the common electrode 22 overlap in a planar view. Therefore, the display region 5 is a region where the pixel electrodes 32 arranged in a matrix form and the common electrode 22 overlap in a planar view.

[0039] The projection display device 100 may be used not only indoors but also outdoors. The optical response of the liquid crystal element 384, specifically, the change characteristic of the transmittance with respect to the voltage change to the liquid crystal element 384, decreases as the temperature decreases. If the optical response of the liquid crystal decreases, it may adversely affect the moving image display, or, if an optical shift element is used, it may not be possible to display according to the shift position, although this is omitted in this description. Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to prevent the optical response from decreasing even when the outside air temperature decreases, a heater 230 is provided for heating the liquid crystal element 384, particularly the liquid crystal 50.

[0040] If the liquid crystal 50 in the display area 5 is heated non-uniformly by the heater 230, the optical response will vary in the display area 5, and the display quality of moving images in particular will decrease. Therefore, first, in this embodiment, the heater 230 is configured to be provided on the outer periphery of the display area 5. A light-shielding film that functions as a frame is provided on the outer periphery of the display area 5, but if the heater 230 and the light-shielding film are provided separately, the configuration will become complicated. Therefore, next, in this embodiment, the heater 230 is provided with light-shielding properties so that it also serves as a light-shielding film that functions as a frame.

[0041] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the counter substrate 20 of the electro-optical device 10, and FIG. 8 is a plan view of the element substrate 30. As shown in FIG. 7 is a view of the electro-optical device 10, in which the counter substrate 20 is separated from the element substrate 30 and viewed from the direction in which light from the lamp unit 2102 is incident, for the purpose of explanation. In this manner, the element substrate 30 is separated from the electro-optical device 10, and the counter substrate 20 on which the heater 230 is provided is viewed from the direction in which light is incident, which is the same as in FIGS. 12 and 13 described later. For the sake of explanation, FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the element substrate 30 of the electro-optical device 10 separated from the counter substrate 20 and viewed from the light incidence direction.

[0042] The sealant 40 is provided along the inner periphery of a rectangular region where the counter substrate 20 and the element substrate 30 overlap in a plan view. 7 and 8, the four corners of a rectangular area where the counter substrate 20 and the element substrate 30 overlap in a plan view are designated as A, B, C, and D, respectively. In other words, the rectangular area is defined by four sides AB, BC, CD, and DA. In the counter substrate 20, the protruding portion 200a is provided outside the side DA, and in the element substrate 30, the protruding portion 300a is provided outside the side BC as indicated by the dashed line.

[0043] 7, the heater 230 is provided in a frame shape between the display area 5 and the sealing material 40. However, the heater 230 is provided with a slit S1 near the midpoint of the side DA, and is electrically divided into one end and the other end. One end is extended to the protruding portion 200a to become a connection portion 231b, and the other end is similarly extended to become a connection portion 231c. In addition, the portion of the heater 230 excluding the connection portions 231b and 231c, in other words, the frame-shaped portion opened by the slit S1, is denoted by the reference symbol 231a. The connection portion 231b is an example of a first connection portion, the connection portion 231c is an example of a second connection portion, and the slit S1 is an example of a gap.

[0044] Such a heater 230 is a wiring film formed by patterning a light-shielding and conductive layer such as aluminum (Al), titanium nitride (TiN), or tungsten silicide (WSi), and electrically has one end and the other end, and generates heat when a current flows from one end to the other.

[0045] Although not particularly shown, the scanning line driving circuits 360 are provided so as to overlap the portions of the frame portion 231a of the heater 230 along the side AB and the portion of the frame portion 231a of the heater 230 along the side CD. That is, the two scanning line driving circuits 360 are provided so as to overlap the portions of both sides of the frame portion 231a along the Y axis. The data line driving circuit 370 is provided so as to overlap the portion of the frame portion 231a of the heater 230 along the side BC. By providing the scanning line driving circuit 360 and the data line driving circuit 370 so as to overlap the heater 230 having light blocking properties, it is possible to prevent light incident from the counter substrate 20 toward the element substrate 30 from penetrating into the transistors constituting the scanning line driving circuit 360 and the data line driving circuit 370. This prevents malfunction of the scanning line driving circuit 360 and the data line driving circuit 370 due to light leakage.

[0046] On the element substrate 30, a light-shielding film 330, the outline of which is indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 8 and hatched in FIG. 8, is provided between the seal material 40 and the display region 5 so as to overlap with the slit S1 in plan view. The light-shielding film 330 is formed by patterning a light-shielding material such as aluminum, titanium nitride, or tungsten silicide, similar to the heater 230. However, since the light-shielding film 330 does not need to be conductive, it may be an organic or inorganic material having light-shielding properties.

[0047] In addition, a light-shielding film for reducing leakage caused by the intrusion of returning light may be provided on the element substrate 30 at the transistor 382 of the pixel circuit 38. In this case, the light-shielding film for reducing leakage and the light-shielding film 330 for hiding the slit S1 can be formed in the same process, so that the process for forming the light-shielding film 330 can be avoided from becoming complicated. Moreover, the light-shielding film 330 is an example of a first light-shielding member, and the heater 230 is an example of a second light-shielding member.

[0048] Next, the cross-sectional structure of the electro-optical device 10 will be described.

[0049] 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the electro-optical device 10 taken along line Ee. Line Ee is a virtual line for cutting the electro-optical device 10 along the Y axis so as to include the connection portion 231b, as shown in FIGS.

[0050] The element substrate 30 includes a base material 31 on which a light-shielding film 330, a driving circuit layer 34, and pixel electrodes 32 are provided in this order. The base material 31 is a substrate having transparency and insulation properties, such as glass or quartz. The light-shielding film 330 is provided by patterning a light-shielding member as described above. Although not described in detail, the driving circuit layer 34 is a circuit layer in which the scanning lines 36, the data lines 37, the pixel circuits 38, the scanning line driving circuit 360, and the data line driving circuit 370 are provided. The pixel electrodes 32 are provided by patterning a conductive layer having transparency and conductivity, such as ITO. In addition, an alignment film and the like are also provided on the element substrate 30, but the description thereof will be omitted.

[0051] The opposing substrate 20 includes a base material 21 on which a heater 230, a connection electrode 251, a lens film 24, and an insulating layer 25 are provided in this order. The base material 21 is a substrate having transparency and insulation properties, such as glass or quartz, similar to the base material 31. The heater 230 is provided by patterning a conductive layer having light blocking properties and electrical conductivity, as described above.

[0052] In order to protect the connection portion 231b, the connection electrode 251 is provided so as to overlap the connection portion 231b by patterning a conductive layer such as ITO, etc. Therefore, the connection electrode 251 is electrically connected to the connection portion 231b. Although the connection portion 231c is not shown in FIG. 9, the connection electrode 251 is similarly provided on the connection portion 231c and electrically connected thereto.

[0053] The lens film 24 is a transparent insulating film including a microlens provided by heat treatment or the like in a one-to-one correspondence with the pixel electrode 32. The insulating layer 25 is a transparent and insulating layer for flattening the undulations caused by the lens film 24. The common electrode 22, like the pixel electrode 32, is a conductive layer having transparency and conductivity, such as ITO.

[0054] The protruding portion 200a is provided with an opening 291 that opens the lens film 24 and the insulating layer 25. The opening 291 exposes the connection electrode 251 before the FPC board 62 is connected. The connection portion 231b is connected to the FPC board 62 via the connection electrode 251 exposed in the opening 291. Although not shown in FIG. 9, the connection portion 231 c is connected to the FPC board 63 via the connection electrode 251 exposed at the opening 291 . The connection electrode 251 covers the connection portion 231b (231c) so that the connection portion 231b (231c) is not exposed at the opening 291, and is provided over an area larger than the opening 291 in a plan view.

[0055] According to the first embodiment, the light-shielding property of the heater 230 functions as a frame for the display area 5. That is, the heater 230 for heating the liquid crystal 50 also serves as a frame for the display area 5, which simplifies the configuration compared to a configuration in which the heater 230 does not serve as a frame. Furthermore, in the heater 230, a gap is generated due to the slit S1 in plan view. For this reason, the heater 230 alone is incomplete as a frame of the display area 5. However, since the slit S1 is blocked by the light-shielding film 330 provided on the element substrate 30, the heater 230 and the light-shielding film 330 form a frame of the display area 5. Even if aluminum is used for heater 230, opening 291 is covered with connection electrode 251. Therefore, before connection with FPC boards 62, 63, corrosion at connection portions 231b, 231c can be prevented.

[0056] 9 shows a structure in which the connection electrode 251 overlaps the connection portions 231b and 231c, but the present invention is not limited to such a structure. Therefore, a first modified example in which the connection electrode 251 is provided in a different manner from that shown in FIG. The shapes of the heater 230 and the light-shielding film 330 in the first modified example in plan view are as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, respectively, and there is no change.

[0057] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the structure of an electro-optical device according to a first modified example of the first embodiment, and FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a relay electrode in the first modified example.

[0058] In the first modified example, the heater 230 including the frame portion 231a and the connection portion 231b is provided by patterning a conductive film, and then the lens film 24 made of an insulating layer is formed. After that, a plurality of contact holes Ct are provided in a range including the connection portion 231b in a plan view, and the insulating layer including the lens film 24 is opened. The connection portion 231b is exposed by the contact holes Ct. In this state, the relay electrode 241 is provided so as to fill the plurality of contact holes Ct. As a result, the relay electrode 241 is electrically connected to the connection portion 231b. The relay electrode 241 is provided by patterning a conductive layer of aluminum, titanium nitride, tungsten silicide, or the like, similarly to the heater 230. The contact holes Ct may be provided in a regular pattern as shown in FIG. 11 in plan view, or may be provided in an irregular pattern.

[0059] In the first modified example, the insulating layer 25 is provided so as to cover the lens film 24 and the relay electrode 241. After that, an opening 292 is provided in the insulating layer 25 to expose the relay electrode 241 in a plan view. In the first modified example, the connection electrode 251 is provided by patterning a conductive layer such as ITO so as to overlap the relay electrode 241 in the opening 292. Therefore, in the first modified example, the connection electrode 251 is electrically connected to the connection portion 231b via the relay electrode 241. The connection electrode 251 may be provided in a process separate from the common electrode 22, or the common electrode 22 and the connection electrode 251 may be provided together by patterning a conductive layer.

[0060] Although only the connection portion 231b is shown in FIG. 10, the connection portion 231c is also similarly provided with a contact hole Ct, a relay electrode 241, an opening portion 292 and a connection electrode 251, and the connection electrode 251 is electrically connected to the connection portion 231c.

[0061] In the first modified example, when the FPC board 62 and the relay electrode 241 are connected using an anisotropic adhesive, the relay electrode 241 and the connection electrode 251 function as buffer materials for the connection portion 231b of the heater 230. This makes it possible to reduce damage caused when the FPC board 62 is thermocompression-bonded. In addition, the relay electrode 241 can reduce the step between the surface of the counter substrate 20 and the connection electrode 251, so that the compression margin between the anisotropic adhesive and the FPC board 62 can be increased. This makes it possible to reduce the risk of a reduction in the contact area between the relay electrode 241 and the FPC board 62. 9, the opening 291 needs to be formed through the lens film 24 and the insulating layer 25 all at once, so that a relatively deep etching is required. In contrast, in the first modified example shown in FIG 10, the etching is divided into two steps, one for the contact hole Ct that opens the lens film 24, and the other for the opening 292 that opens the insulating layer 25. Therefore, each etching amount can be relatively shallow, so that the etching can be facilitated.

[0062] The width of the portion of frame 231a of heater 230 along the X-axis and the width of the portion of frame 231a along the Y-axis do not need to be the same. Therefore, next, a second modified example will be described in which the width of the portion of frame 231a along the X-axis and the width of the portion of frame 231a along the Y-axis are different from each other.

[0063] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a planar shape of a heater 230 on a counter substrate 20 of a second modified example of the first embodiment. The X-axis is an axis along the scanning lines 36, and the Y-axis is an axis along the data lines 37. Therefore, as shown in the figure, generally, the X-axis is the long side of the display area 5, and the Y-axis is the short side of the display area 5. If the width of the frame portion 241a is narrow, the resistance is high and the heat generation is large. Conversely, if the width of the frame portion 241a is wide, the resistance is low and the heat generation is small. Therefore, as shown in the figure, if the width of the part along the X-axis is narrower than the width of the part along the Y-axis, the rectangular display area 5 can be heated uniformly, and the occurrence of variations in optical response in the display area 5 can be suppressed.

[0064] In addition, in frame portion 241a, the portion along the X-axis is an example of a first side, and in frame portion 241a, the portion along the Y-axis is an example of a second side. In addition, in frame portion 241a, the width of the portion along the X-axis refers to the dimension along the Y-axis perpendicular to the X-axis, and the width of the portion along the Y-axis refers to the dimension along the X-axis perpendicular to the Y-axis.

[0065] Next, an electro-optical device 10 according to a second embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, a heater film having transparency heats the display area 5.

[0066] The upper part of FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the counter substrate 20 of the electro-optical device 10 according to the second embodiment, and the lower part of the same figure is a diagram for explaining each element of the heater 230. In the second embodiment, the heater 230 is divided into connection portions 231b and 231c, frame portions 231d and 231e, and a heater film 232.

[0067] The frames 231d and 231e in the second embodiment are obtained by dividing the frame 231a in the first embodiment by the slit S2. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the connection portion 231b and the frame 231d are electrically disconnected from the connection portion 231c and the frame 231e, ignoring the presence of the heater film 232.

[0068] The heater film 232, which is rectangular in plan view, has an outline indicated by a dashed line in the upper part of FIG. 13, and is provided in a hatched region in the lower part of FIG. The heater film 232 is formed by patterning a transparent and conductive conductive layer, such as ITO (indium tin oxide), into a rectangular shape. The heater film 232 is electrically connected only to the portion of the frame portion 231d along the Y-axis and the portion of the frame portion 231e along the Y-axis. In other words, the heater film 232 is electrically disconnected from the portions of the frame portions 231d and 231e along the X-axis to prevent localized current flow.

[0069] In addition to the light-shielding film 330 that shields the slits S1, a light-shielding film 340 that shields the slits S2 is provided on the element substrate 30. In detail, the light-shielding film 340 is provided so as to overlap the slits S2 between the seal material 40 and the display region 5 in a plan view. It is preferable that such a light-shielding film 340 is provided by the same process as the light-shielding film 330.

[0070] The heater film 232 is an example of a transparent electrode. Moreover, the appearance of the electro-optical device 10 according to the second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment, the perspective view of which is shown in FIG.

[0071] Fig. 14 is a partial cross-sectional view of the electro-optical device 10 according to the second embodiment taken along line Ee in Fig. 13, and Fig. 15 is a partial cross-sectional view of the electro-optical device 10 taken along the Y-axis so as to include the connection portion 231b along line Ff in Fig. 13. Note that line Ff is a virtual line for cutting the electro-optical device 10 along the X-axis as shown in Fig. 13.

[0072] In the second embodiment, the refractive film 261 is provided so as to overlap the display area 5 having a rectangular shape in a plan view by patterning an insulating layer formed on the base material 21. After the refractive film 261 is provided, the connection portions 231b, 231c and the frame portions 231d and 231e are provided by patterning a conductive film having light-shielding properties and conductivity.

[0073] Thereafter, the heater film 232 is provided by patterning a conductive layer having transparency and conductivity as described above, as shown in Fig. 13 in plan view. As described above, the heater film 232 is electrically disconnected from the portion of the frame portion 231d along the X-axis as shown in Fig. 14, and is electrically connected to the portion of the frame portion 231d along the Y-axis as shown in Fig. 15.

[0074] After the heater film 232 is provided, the insulating layer is patterned to provide the refractive film 262 so as to overlap the rectangular display area 5 in a plan view. Then, the connection electrode 251 is provided. Note that the connection electrode 251 may be provided first, and then the refractive film 262 may be provided. This is the same as the first embodiment shown in FIG.

[0075] In this configuration, a refractive film 261 is provided on the light incident surface of the heater film 232, ie, the upper surface in the figure, and a refractive film 262 is provided on the light exit surface of the heater film 232, ie, the lower surface in the figure. For example, the upper surface of the heater film 232 is an example of a first surface, and the lower surface of the heater film 232 is an example of a second surface.

[0076] The refractive index of the refractive film 261 is set to a value between the refractive index of the heater film 232 and the refractive index of the substrate 21. For example, if the refractive index of the heater film 232 is 1.80 and the refractive index of the substrate 21 is 1.45, the refractive index of the refractive film 752 is set in the range between them, 1.45 or more and less than 1.80. Also, if the refractive index of the heater film 232 is 2.00 and the refractive index of the substrate 21 is 1.70, the refractive index of the refractive film 261 is set in the range between them, 1.70 or more and less than 2.00. In this way, the refractive index of the refractive film 261 should be equal to or greater than the refractive index of the substrate 21 and less than the refractive index of the heater film 232, and preferably should be equal to or greater than 1.80 and less than 2.00.

[0077] In a configuration in which the refractive film 261 is not provided, the heater film 232 and the substrate 21 come into direct contact with each other. In such a configuration in which they come into contact with each other, the difference between the refractive index of the heater film 232 and the refractive index of the substrate 21 becomes large, and the amount of light reflected at the interface increases. This reduces the amount of light passing through the liquid crystal element 384, lowering the contrast ratio and degrading the display quality. In contrast, in this embodiment, the refractive index difference is reduced because the refractive index film 261 is provided between the heater film 232 and the base material 21, and the reflected light at the interface is reduced. Therefore, the amount of light passing through the liquid crystal element 384 is greater than in a configuration in which the refractive film 261 is not provided, and therefore the decrease in contrast ratio is suppressed, and the decrease in display quality can be suppressed.

[0078] The refractive index of the refractive film 262 provided between the heater film 232 and the lens film 24 is similar to that of the refractive film 261 , and is set to a value between the refractive indexes of the heater film 232 and the lens film 24 . The refraction films 261 and 262 are provided by patterning an insulating layer having insulating properties and transparency, such as a silicon nitride film (SiON), silicon nitride (SiN), or alumina (Al2O3).

[0079] In the second embodiment, the refractive film 261 is provided on the upper surface of the heater film 232, and the refractive film 262 is provided on the lower surface of the heater film 232, but a configuration in which they are provided on only one of the surfaces is also possible. Even in a configuration in which they are provided on only one surface, the amount of reflected light at the interface of that surface is reduced, so that it is increased compared to a configuration in which the other of the refractive films 261 and 262 is not provided.

[0080] In the second embodiment, although not particularly shown, an insulating film may be provided between the base material 21 and the refractive film 261. In a configuration in which an insulating film is provided, the refractive film 261 is located between the insulating film and the heater film 232. Therefore, it is sufficient that the refractive index of the refractive film 261 is equal to or higher than the refractive index of the insulating film and is lower than the refractive index of the heater film 232.

[0081] In the second embodiment, the portion of the protruding portion 200a to which the FPC boards 62, 63 are connected may be configured as in the first modified example of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

[0082] According to the second embodiment, the heater film 232 is electrically connected to the frame portions 231d and 231e, and the heater film 232 covers the display area 5 in a plan view. Therefore, compared to the first embodiment, heat generated by the heater film 232 can be generated evenly across the display area 5, so that uneven heat generation in the display area 5 can be suppressed. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, as described above, the refractive films 261 and 262 suppress the decrease in the contrast ratio, and therefore the decrease in display quality can be suppressed.

[0083] The above-described first and second embodiments (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments, etc.") can be applied and modified as follows. In a configuration in which the counter substrate 20 and the element substrate 30 are bonded to the sealant 40, a separate substrate for protection and dust prevention may be bonded to either the counter substrate 20 or the element substrate 30, and the heater 230 may be provided on the separate substrate. The separate substrate has transparency and insulation properties, and the heater 230 provided on the separate substrate may have a shape similar to that of the heater 230 provided on the counter substrate 20 in the first or second embodiment in a plan view. The separate substrate is an example of a second substrate, and the opposing substrate 20 is an example of a third substrate.

[0084] <Additional Notes> From the above-mentioned exemplary embodiments, the following aspects can be understood, for example.

[0085] An electro-optical device according to one embodiment (embodiment 1) includes a first substrate on which a first light-shielding member is arranged, a second substrate on which a second light-shielding member having electrical conductivity is arranged, and an electro-optical layer arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the second light-shielding member has a first connection portion and a second connection portion arranged along one side of the second substrate, a first portion extending from the first connection portion in a direction intersecting with the one side of the second substrate, a second portion arranged with a gap between the first portion and the second connection portion in a direction intersecting with the one side of the second substrate, a third portion extending from the first portion along the one side of the second substrate outside the display area, and a fourth portion extending from the second portion along the one side of the second substrate outside the display area, and the first light-shielding portion is arranged at a position overlapping the gap between the first portion and the second portion. According to this aspect, the second light-shielding member functions both as a frame that defines the display area and as a heater that heats the display area. Although the second light-shielding member loses its function as a frame in the gaps, the gaps overlap with the first light-shielding member in a plan view, and therefore the first light-shielding member and the second light-shielding member as a whole can function as a frame.

[0086] The electro-optical device according to a second specific aspect of the first aspect includes a first flexible substrate electrically connected to the first connection portion and the second connection portion.

[0087] An electro-optical device according to a specific aspect 3 of aspect 2 includes a second flexible substrate, and the first substrate includes a third connection portion that, in a planar view, is on an edge opposite to the edge on which the first connection portion and the second connection portion are provided, extends outside the second substrate, and is electrically connected to the second flexible substrate.

[0088] In the electro-optical device according to a fourth specific example of the second example, the first flexible substrate is provided with wiring for applying a constant voltage to the second light blocking member.

[0089] The electro-optical device according to a fifth specific example of the fourth example has a temperature sensor, and a constant voltage corresponding to a detection value of the temperature sensor is applied to the wiring of the second flexible substrate. According to the eighth example, the heating of the electro-optical device can be controlled according to the detection value of the temperature sensor.

[0090] In an electro-optical device according to another specific aspect 6 of aspect 1, an insulating film arranged on the second substrate on the surface facing the first substrate has an opening, and the first connection portion and the second connection portion are arranged in the opening.

[0091] In an electro-optical device according to a seventh aspect, which is a specific example of the sixth aspect, the first connection portion and the second connection portion are covered with a relay electrode at the opening portion.

[0092] In an electro-optical device according to another specific aspect 8 of aspect 1, the shape of the frame in the second light-shielding member includes a first side along a first direction and a second side along a second direction that intersects the first direction, and the width of the first side is different from the width of the second side. According to the eighth aspect, in a rectangular display area, it is possible to align heating along the first direction and heating along the second direction.

[0093] In an electro-optical device according to a specific aspect 9 of aspect 8, the first direction is along a short side of the second substrate, the second direction is along a long side of the second substrate, and the width of the first side is wider than the width of the second side.

[0094] In the electro-optical device according to aspect 10, which is another specific example of aspect 1, the second light-shielding member includes a transparent electrode overlapping the display region in a planar view, and a refractive film provided on at least one of a first surface and a second surface of the transparent electrode intersecting with a thickness direction of the second substrate. According to aspect 10, the transparent electrode can heat the display region evenly.

[0095] In an electro-optical device according to an eleventh specific example of the tenth example, the refractive film is disposed between the transparent electrode and an insulating layer, the insulating layer has a refractive index of 1.45 or more and less than 1.70, the refractive film has a refractive index of 1.50 or more and less than 1.80, and the transparent electrode has a refractive index of 1.80 or more and less than 2.00. According to the eleventh example, it is possible to suppress a decrease in transmittance due to the transparent electrode.

[0096] An electro-optical device according to another aspect 12 includes a first substrate including a first light-shielding member, a second substrate arranged opposite to the first substrate, an electro-optical layer arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a third substrate arranged on a surface of either the first substrate or the second substrate opposite to the surface facing the electro-optical layer, the third substrate having a second light-shielding member having conductivity, the second light-shielding member having a first connection portion and a second connection portion arranged along one side of the second substrate, a first portion extending from the first connection portion in a direction intersecting with the one side of the second substrate, a second portion arranged with a gap between the first portion and the second connection portion in a direction intersecting with the one side of the second substrate, a third portion extending from the first portion along the one side of the second substrate outside the display area, and a fourth portion extending from the second portion along the one side of the second substrate outside the display area, the first light-shielding portion being arranged at a position overlapping the gap between the first portion and the second portion.

[0097] An electronic device according to a thirteenth aspect includes the electro-optical device according to any one of the first to twelfth aspects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 10 electro-optical device, 15 display control circuit, 20 opposing substrate, 22 common electrode, 30 element substrate, 32 pixel electrode, 40 sealing material, 50 liquid crystal, 61, 62, 63 FPC substrate, 230 heater 230, 231b, 231c connection portion, 232 heater film.

Claims

1. a first substrate on which a first light blocking member is arranged; a second substrate on which a second light-blocking member having electrical conductivity is disposed; an electro-optic layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; Equipped with The second light blocking member is a first connection portion and a second connection portion provided along one side of the second substrate; a first portion extending in a direction intersecting one side of the second substrate from the first portion; and extending from the second connection portion in a direction intersecting one side of the second substrate. a second portion extending from the first portion along one side of the second substrate to the outside of the display area; a third portion extending from the second portion along one side of the second substrate to the outside of the display area; and a fourth portion The first light-blocking member is disposed at a position overlapping the gap between the first portion and the second portion. There are, Electro-optical device characterized by:

2. a first flexible substrate electrically connected to the first connection portion and the second connection portion; Ru, The electro-optical device according to claim 1 .

3. a second flexible substrate; The first substrate is In a plan view, a side opposite to a side on which the first connection portion and the second connection portion are provided a third contact extending outside the second substrate and electrically connected to the second flexible substrate; The electro-optical device of claim 2 , further comprising a connection.

4. The first flexible substrate is provided with wiring for applying a constant voltage to the second light blocking member. It is being The electro-optical device according to claim 2 .

5. A temperature sensor is provided. The wiring of the first flexible substrate is connected to a constant voltage corresponding to the detected value of the temperature sensor. Applied 5. The electro-optical device according to claim 4.

6. an insulating film disposed on a surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate has an opening; The first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are disposed in the opening portion. The electro-optical device according to claim 1 .

7. The first connection portion and the second connection portion are covered with a relay electrode at the opening portion.

7. The electro-optical device according to claim 6.

8. The second light blocking member is a fifth portion electrically connected to the third portion and extending in a direction intersecting one side of the second substrate; minutes, a sixth portion electrically connected to the fourth portion and extending in a direction intersecting one side of the second substrate; minutes, and The width of the third portion and the width of the fourth portion are equal to the width of the fifth portion and the width of the sixth portion. is different The electro-optical device according to claim 1 .

9. The third portion and the fourth portion are aligned along the long side of the second substrate, the fifth portion and the sixth portion are along a short side of the second substrate, The width of the fifth portion and the width of the sixth portion are greater than the width of the third portion and the width of the fourth portion. It is also spacious. The electro-optical device according to claim 8 .

10. The second light blocking member is a transparent electrode overlapping the display area in a plan view; At least one of the first surface and the second surface of the transparent electrode intersecting the thickness direction of the second substrate a refractive film provided on the The electro-optical device according to claim 1 , comprising:

11. the refractive film is disposed between the transparent electrode and the insulating layer; the refractive index of the insulating layer is equal to or greater than 1.45 and less than 1.70; The refractive index of the refractive film is 1.50 or more and less than 1.80, The refractive index of the transparent electrode is 1.80 or more and less than 2.

00. The electro-optical device according to claim 10 .

12. a first substrate including a first light blocking member; a second substrate disposed opposite the first substrate; an electro-optic layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; On either the first substrate or the second substrate, a substrate facing the electro-optical layer a third substrate on a surface opposite to the surface on which the light-shielding member is formed, the third substrate having a conductive second light-shielding member disposed thereon; Equipped with The second light-shielding member has a first connection portion and a second connection portion provided along one side of the second substrate. a first portion extending from the first connection portion along a direction intersecting one side of the second substrate; and a second connecting portion that is provided with a gap between it and the first portion and that intersects with one side of the second substrate. a second portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the first substrate, and a second portion extending from the first portion along one side of the second substrate. a third portion extending outside the display area, and a third portion extending from the second portion along one side of the second substrate. a fourth portion extending outside the display area; and and The first light-blocking member is disposed at a position overlapping the gap between the first portion and the second portion. There are Electro-optical device characterized by:

13. 13. An electronic device comprising the electro-optical device according to claim 1.

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