Radio wave reflection device

Abstract

This radio wave reflection device has: a plurality of reflection elements aligned separately at a predetermined interval in a first direction and a second direction crossing the first direction; and a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed in a region where the plurality of reflection elements are separated, in which the reflection element includes: a patch electrode provided on a first substrate; a ground electrode provided on a second substrate facing the first substrate and overlapping the patch electrode; and a liquid crystal layer between the patch electrode and the ground electrode, and the light-emitting element includes: a first electrode provided on the first substrate; a second electrode provided on the first substrate; and an organic light-emitting layer sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Description

radio wave reflector

[0001] One embodiment of the present invention relates to a radio wave reflecting device capable of controlling the traveling direction of reflected radio waves, and in particular to a radio wave reflecting device having an image display function.

[0002] In the field of wireless communications, research is being conducted into communications using phased array antennas in fifth-generation (5G) communications, which are intended to realize high-speed, high-capacity communications. A phased array antenna device controls the directivity of a fixed antenna by adjusting the amplitude and phase of a high-frequency signal applied to each of a plurality of antenna elements arranged in a plane. Phased array antenna devices require a phase shifter. A phased array antenna device using a phase shifter that utilizes a change in dielectric constant due to the orientation state of liquid crystals has been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-103201

[0004] Mobile communications suffers from poor communication conditions in areas where users are crowded together, such as in front of train stations or at event venues. Large displays are installed in these crowded locations to display advertisements and provide various information. In these crowded locations, it is necessary to install both radio wave reflectors, such as phased array antennas, and information display devices.

[0005] However, it is difficult to secure space for both the radio wave reflector and the information display device, and the information display device reflects radio waves, which affects communication area control using the radio wave reflector.

[0006] In view of such problems, one of the objects of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a radio wave reflecting device with even higher added value.

[0007] A radio wave reflection device according to one embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of reflective elements arranged at predetermined intervals in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in an area where the plurality of reflective elements are spaced apart, wherein the reflective elements include a patch electrode provided on a first substrate, a ground electrode provided on a second substrate opposite the first substrate and overlapping with the patch electrode, and a liquid crystal layer between the patch electrode and the ground electrode, and the light-emitting elements include a first electrode provided on the first substrate, a second electrode provided on the first substrate, and an organic light-emitting layer sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode.

[0008] A radio wave reflection device according to one embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of reflective elements arranged at predetermined intervals in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in an area where the plurality of reflective elements are spaced apart, wherein the reflective elements include a drive electrode provided on a first substrate, a patch electrode provided on a second substrate opposite the first substrate and overlapping with the drive electrode, and a liquid crystal layer between the drive electrode and the patch electrode, and the light-emitting elements include a first electrode provided on the first substrate, a second electrode provided on the first substrate, and an organic light-emitting layer sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode.

[0009] 5 shows a plan view of a reflecting element used in a radio wave reflecting device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional structure between A1-A2 shown in the plan view of the reflecting element used in a radio wave reflecting device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 shows two states in which no voltage is applied between the patch electrode and the ground electrode when the reflecting element used in a radio wave reflecting device according to one embodiment of the present invention is operating. FIG. 8 shows two states in which a voltage is applied between the patch electrode and the ground electrode when the reflecting element used in a radio wave reflecting device according to one embodiment of the present invention is operating. FIG. 9 shows the configuration of a radio wave reflecting device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the 2 rows x 2 columns reflecting elements and multiple pixels shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram of a radio wave reflecting device. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a reflecting plate unit and a pixel. FIG. 13 is a plan layout diagram of an enlarged portion of the reflecting element and the common electrode of the pixel. FIG. 14 is a layout diagram of a reflecting plate unit cell and a pixel as viewed from the dielectric substrate side. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a reflecting plate unit and a pixel. FIG. 16 is a plan layout diagram of a patch electrode as viewed from the opposing substrate side. FIG. 17 is a plan layout diagram of an enlarged portion of the reflecting element and the common electrode of the pixel. FIG. 2 is an enlarged planar layout diagram of a portion of a reflective element and a common electrode of a pixel.

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms, and should not be construed as being limited to the description of the following exemplary embodiments. For clarity of explanation, the drawings may show the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part schematically compared to the actual form. However, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the interpretation of the present invention. Furthermore, in this specification and each drawing, elements similar to those previously described with reference to the previous drawings are designated by the same reference numerals (or reference numerals with a, b, etc. suffixed thereto), and detailed descriptions may be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the letters "first" and "second" attached to each element are convenient labels used to distinguish each element and have no further meaning unless otherwise specified.

[0011] In this specification, when a component or region is referred to as being "on (or under)" another component or region, unless otherwise specified, this includes not only the case where it is directly above (or directly under) the other component or region, but also the case where it is above (or under) the other component or region, i.e., the case where another component is included between the component or region and above (or under) the other component or region.

[0012] A radio wave reflecting device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 11. The radio wave reflecting device according to this embodiment can also be called a liquid crystal reflector, a reflect array, a liquid crystal metasurface reflector, or the like.

[0013] 1. Reflecting Element First, the structure of the reflecting element 102 used in the radio wave reflecting device will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Figures 1 and 2 show the reflecting element 102 used in the radio wave reflecting device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 shows a plan view of the reflecting element 102 as seen from above (the side where radio waves are incident), and Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line A1-A2 shown in the plan view.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the reflective element 102 includes at least a patch electrode 108, a ground electrode 110, and a liquid crystal layer 114. The reflective element 102 may further include a dielectric substrate 104, a counter substrate 106, a first alignment film 112a, and a second alignment film 112b. In the reflective element 102, the dielectric substrate 104 can be considered as a single dielectric layer. The patch electrode 108 is provided on the dielectric substrate 104, and the ground electrode 110 is provided on the counter substrate 106. A first alignment film 112a is provided on the dielectric substrate 104 to cover the patch electrode 108, and a second alignment film 112b is provided on the counter substrate 106 to cover the ground electrode 110. The patch electrode 108 and the ground electrode 110 are disposed opposite each other, with a liquid crystal layer 114 provided between them. A first alignment film 112 a is interposed between the patch electrode 108 and the liquid crystal layer 114 , and a second alignment film 112 b is interposed between the ground electrode 110 and the liquid crystal layer 114 .

[0015] The patch electrode 108 preferably has a shape that is symmetrical with respect to the vertically and horizontally polarized waves of the incident radio wave, and has a square or circular shape in a plan view. FIG. 1 shows a case where the patch electrode 108 is square in a plan view. The shape of the ground electrode 110 is not particularly limited, and it has a shape that extends over substantially the entire surface of the opposing substrate 106 so as to have a larger area than the patch electrode 108. The material for forming the patch electrode 108 and the ground electrode 110 is not particularly limited, and they may be formed using conductive metals or metal oxides. A first wiring 118 may be provided on the dielectric substrate 104. The first wiring 118 is connected to the patch electrode 108. The first wiring 118 is used to apply a control signal to the patch electrode 108. Furthermore, when multiple reflecting elements 102 are arranged, the first wiring 118 is used to connect a patch electrode to an adjacent patch electrode.

[0016] Although not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the dielectric substrate 104 and the counter substrate 106 are bonded together with a sealant. The dielectric substrate 104 and the counter substrate 106 are disposed opposite each other with a gap therebetween, and the liquid crystal layer 114 is provided within the area surrounded by the sealant. The liquid crystal layer 114 is provided to fill the gap between the dielectric substrate 104 and the counter substrate 106. The gap between the dielectric substrate 104 and the counter substrate 106 is 20 μm to 100 μm, for example, 50 μm. A patch electrode 108, a ground electrode 110, a first alignment film 112 a, and a second alignment film 112 b are provided between the dielectric substrate 104 and the counter substrate 106. Therefore, to be precise, the gap between the first alignment film 112 a and the second alignment film 112 b provided on the dielectric substrate 104 and the counter substrate 106, respectively, is the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 114. Although not shown in FIG. 2, a spacer may be provided between the dielectric substrate 104 and the opposing substrate 106 to maintain a constant gap therebetween.

[0017] A control signal that controls the orientation of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 114 is applied to the patch electrode 108. The control signal is a DC voltage signal or a polarity inversion signal in which positive and negative DC voltages alternate. The ground electrode 110 is grounded or receives a voltage at an intermediate level of the polarity inversion signal. Application of the control signal to the patch electrode 108 changes the orientation state of the liquid crystal molecules contained in the liquid crystal layer 114. A liquid crystal material having dielectric anisotropy is used for the liquid crystal layer 114. For example, nematic liquid crystal, smectic liquid crystal, cholesteric liquid crystal, or discotic liquid crystal can be used for the liquid crystal layer 114. The dielectric constant of the liquid crystal layer 114 with dielectric anisotropy changes depending on the change in the orientation state of the liquid crystal molecules. The reflective element 102 can change the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal layer 114 by applying a control signal to the patch electrode 108, thereby delaying the phase of the reflected wave when reflecting radio waves.

[0018] The frequency bands of radio waves reflected by the reflective element 102 are the very high frequency (VHF) band, the ultra high frequency (UHF) band, the super high frequency (SHF) band, the submillimeter wave (THF) band, and the extra high frequency (EHF) band. The liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 114 change their orientation in response to a control signal applied to the patch electrode 108, but the orientation hardly changes with the frequency of the radio waves irradiated onto the patch electrode 108. Therefore, the reflective element 102 can control the phase of the reflected radio waves without being affected by the radio waves themselves.

[0019] FIG. 3 shows a state (referred to as the "first state") in which no voltage is applied between the patch electrode 108 and the ground electrode 110. FIG. 3 also shows a case in which the first alignment film 112a and the second alignment film 112b are horizontal alignment films. In the first state, the long axes of the liquid crystal molecules 116 are aligned horizontally relative to the surfaces of the patch electrode 108 and the ground electrode 110 by the first alignment film 112a and the second alignment film 112b. FIG. 4 shows a state (referred to as the "second state") in which a control signal (voltage signal) is applied to the patch electrode 108. In the second state, the liquid crystal molecules 116 are oriented with their long axes perpendicular to the surfaces of the patch electrode 108 and the ground electrode 110 due to the action of an electric field. The angle at which the long axes of the liquid crystal molecules 116 are aligned can also be set to a direction intermediate between the horizontal and vertical directions, depending on the magnitude of the control signal applied to the patch electrode 108 (the magnitude of the voltage between the counter electrode and the patch electrode).

[0020] When the liquid crystal molecules 116 have positive dielectric anisotropy, the dielectric constant is greater in the second state than in the first state. When the liquid crystal molecules 116 have negative dielectric anisotropy, the apparent dielectric constant is smaller in the second state than in the first state. The liquid crystal layer 114, which has dielectric anisotropy, can also be considered a variable dielectric layer. The reflective element 102 can control the phase of the reflected wave to delay (or not delay) by utilizing the dielectric anisotropy of the liquid crystal layer 114.

[0021] The reflecting element 102 is used as a radio wave reflector that reflects radio waves in a predetermined direction. It is preferable that the reflecting element 102 attenuates the amplitude of the reflected radio waves as little as possible. As is clear from the structure shown in Figure 2, when radio waves propagating through the air are reflected by the reflecting element 102, the radio waves pass through the dielectric substrate 104 twice. The dielectric substrate 104 is formed of a dielectric material such as glass or resin.

[0022] 2. Radio Wave Reflecting Device Next, a radio wave reflecting device 100 in which a reflecting element 102 is integrated will be described. The radio wave reflecting device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 5 to 11. The radio wave reflecting device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention has not only a radio wave reflecting function but also an image display function. First, the radio wave reflecting function of the radio wave reflecting device 100 will be described.

[0023] 5 shows the configuration of a radio wave reflecting device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the radio wave reflecting function of the radio wave reflecting device 100 that can perform two-axis reflection control will be described.

[0024] The radio wave reflecting device 100 has a radio wave reflecting plate 120. The radio wave reflecting plate 120 is composed of a plurality of reflecting plate unit cells 121. Each reflecting plate unit cell 121 is composed of a reflecting element 102 and a switching element (also called a transistor) that controls the reflecting element 102. The plurality of reflecting elements 102 are arranged, for example, in a row direction (X-axis direction shown in FIG. 5 ) and a column direction (Y-axis direction shown in FIG. 5 ) that intersects with the column direction. The reflecting element 102 is arranged so that the patch electrode 108 faces the radio wave incident surface. The radio wave reflecting plate 120 is flat, and a plurality of patch electrodes 108 are arranged in a matrix within the flat surface.

[0025] The radio wave reflecting device 100 has a structure in which multiple reflecting elements 102 are integrated on a single dielectric substrate 104. As shown in FIG. 5 , the radio wave reflecting device 100 has a structure in which the dielectric substrate 104 on which multiple patch electrodes 108 are arranged and the opposing substrate 106 on which a ground electrode 110 is provided are stacked, with a liquid crystal layer (not shown) provided between the two substrates. The radio wave reflector 120 is formed in the area where the multiple patch electrodes 108 and the ground electrode 110 overlap. The cross-sectional structure of the radio wave reflector 120, when viewed from the perspective of each patch electrode 108, is the same as the structure of the reflecting element 102 shown in FIG. 2. The dielectric substrate 104 and the opposing substrate 106 are bonded together with a sealant 128, and a liquid crystal layer (not shown) is provided in the area inside the sealant 128.

[0026] As described above, the reflector unit cells 121 are arranged in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction on the dielectric substrate 104. Furthermore, the dielectric substrate 104 is provided with a plurality of scanning lines 133 extending in the X-axis direction and a plurality of signal lines 132 extending in the Y-axis direction. Each of the plurality of scanning lines 133 is electrically connected to a plurality of patch electrodes 108 arranged in the X-axis direction. In other words, the plurality of patch electrodes 108 arranged in the X-axis direction are connected by the scanning lines 133. Each of the plurality of signal lines 132 is electrically connected to a plurality of patch electrodes 108 arranged in the Y-axis direction. In other words, the plurality of patch electrodes 108 arranged in the Y-axis direction are connected by the signal lines 132.

[0027] The dielectric substrate 104 has a region facing the opposing substrate 106, as well as a peripheral region 122 extending outward from the opposing substrate 106. A first driver IC 123, a second driver IC 124, and a third driver IC 125 are provided in the peripheral region 122. A terminal section 126 is a region for forming a connection with an external circuit, and is connected to, for example, a flexible printed circuit board (not shown). Signals for controlling the first driver IC 123, the second driver IC 124, and the third driver IC 125 are input to the terminal section 126 from the flexible printed circuit board.

[0028] Furthermore, a first drive circuit 129 and a second drive circuit 130 are provided in the region inside the sealing material 128. The first drive circuit 129 and the second drive circuit 130 are connected to a first driver IC 123. The first drive circuit 129 is connected to a plurality of scanning lines 133 and outputs scanning signals to each of the plurality of scanning lines 133. The second driver IC 124 is connected to a plurality of signal lines 132 and outputs control signals of different voltage levels to each of the plurality of signal lines 132. The plurality of scanning lines 133 and the plurality of signal lines 132 are arranged to intersect with each other, with an insulating layer (not shown) sandwiched between them. The first driver IC 123 and the third driver IC 125 control pixels, which will be described later.

[0029] 5 can control the direction of travel of the reflected waves of radio waves irradiated onto the radio wave reflector 120 in the left-right direction of the drawing, centered on a reflection axis VR parallel to the Y-axis direction, and can also control the direction of travel of the reflected waves in the up-down direction of the drawing, centered on a reflection axis HR parallel to the X-axis direction. In other words, because the radio wave reflecting device 100 has a reflection axis VR parallel to the Y-axis direction and a reflection axis HR parallel to the X-axis direction, it can control the reflection angle in the direction about the reflection axis VR as the rotation axis and in the direction about the reflection axis HR as the rotation axis.

[0030] 6 shows a schematic diagram illustrating how the direction of propagation of a reflected wave changes depending on the two reflecting elements 102. When radio waves are incident on reflecting elements 102a and 102b with the same phase, different control signals (V1≠V2) are applied to reflecting elements 102a and 102b, resulting in a larger phase change in the reflected wave from reflecting element 102b than from reflecting element 102a. As a result, the phase of reflected wave R1 reflected from reflecting element 102a differs from the phase of reflected wave R2 reflected from reflecting element 102b (in FIG. 6, the phase of reflected wave R2 leads the phase of reflected wave R1), and the apparent direction of propagation of the reflected wave changes obliquely.

[0031] 6 , the multiple patch electrodes 108 arranged in the Y-axis direction are electrically connected by signal lines 132 and are electrically equipotential. Therefore, it is possible to replace the multiple divided shapes with a continuous strip-shaped electrode in the Y-axis direction. However, because the appropriate size range of the patch electrode 108 depends on the wavelength of the radio waves to be reflected, a strip-shaped electrode would reduce sensitivity to the target wavelength and cause different behavior for vertically polarized waves and horizontally polarized waves. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6 , it is preferable to arrange the patch electrodes 108 in an array with a shape symmetrical with respect to vertically polarized waves and horizontally polarized waves (although FIG. 6 shows a square, a circular shape is also acceptable), and connect the multiple patch electrodes 108 arranged parallel to the reflection axis VR with signal lines 132.

[0032] This principle can be applied to the radio wave reflecting device 100 shown in Figure 5, and for example, by independently controlling the amount of phase change caused by the reflecting elements in both rows and columns, the reflection direction can be controlled in both uniaxial and biaxial directions.

[0033] 2-2. Image Display Function Next, the image display function of the radio wave reflecting device 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 11. The radio wave reflecting device 100 shown in FIG. 5 has an image display function. Specifically, a plurality of pixels 240 are provided in the gaps between adjacent reflecting elements 102. By controlling the plurality of pixels 240, an image can be displayed on the radio wave reflecting device 100.

[0034] Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the 2 rows x 2 columns of reflective elements 102 and the plurality of pixels 240 shown in Fig. 5. In Fig. 7, when the 2 rows x 2 columns of reflective elements 102 are to be described separately, they are referred to as reflective elements 102a to 102d. Similarly, the components of the reflective elements 102 are also described separately.

[0035] In the reflective element 102, when the length L1 of one side of the patch electrode 108 is, for example, 2.8 mm (the size of the patch electrode is, for example, 2.8 mm x 2.8 mm) and the pitch L2 of the patch electrodes 108 is, for example, 3.7 mm, the gap L3 between adjacent patch electrodes 108 is 0.9 mm. ２ ~258,700 μm ２ (For example, if the RGB pixel size is 40 μm ２ ~500μm ２ , monochrome pixel 14 μm ２ ~170μm ２ ) is smaller than the gap between adjacent patch electrodes 108, so multiple pixels 240 can be provided in the gap between adjacent patch electrodes 108. Note that when the frequency of the radio wave is high and the pitch L is small, the upper limit of the pixel size is 258,700 μm. ２ It may be smaller than

[0036] The size of the pixel 240 is equal to the size of the light-emitting element 220. The size of the light-emitting element 220 is 200 μm. ２ ~258,700 μm２ In the gap between two adjacent patch electrodes 108, a plurality of light-emitting elements 220 may be arranged along the X-axis direction, a plurality of light-emitting elements 220 may be arranged along the Y-axis direction, or a plurality of light-emitting elements 220 may be arranged along both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. ２ 108. An example will be described in which a plurality of pixels 240 each having a size of 108 mm are arranged along the X-axis direction in the gaps between the patch electrodes 108. The region in which a plurality of pixels 240 are provided in the gaps between the patch electrodes 108 is also referred to as a display region.

[0037] A pixel 240 is an area corresponding to a display unit capable of controlling the brightness of one color element (e.g., any one of R (red), G (green), and B (blue)). The brightness of one pixel is controlled by further dividing the pixel into multiple sub-pixels and controlling the brightness of each of the multiple sub-pixels. The size of the pixel 240 or the size of the light-emitting element may vary depending on the color element. The pixel 240 includes a light-emitting element and a pixel circuit for driving the light-emitting element. The light-emitting element may be, for example, an organic EL element or an LED chip. In this embodiment, a case where an organic EL element is used as the light-emitting element will be described. The multiple pixels 240 include a pixel 240R that expresses red, a pixel 240G that expresses green, and a pixel 240B that expresses blue. When describing the colors to be expressed separately, the pixels will be referred to as 240R, 240G, and 240B. The components of the pixel 240 will also be similarly described separately.

[0038] 8 is a circuit diagram of a reflector unit cell 121 and a pixel 240 provided in the radio wave reflecting device 100. As shown in Fig. 8, the reflector unit cell 121 has a transistor 210b and a reflecting element 102. The gate electrode of the transistor 210b is connected to the scanning line 113, the source electrode is connected to the first wiring 118, and the drain electrode is connected to the patch electrode of the reflecting element 102. The common electrode 226 of the reflecting element 102 is connected to the common wiring 136.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 8 , three pixels 240 are arranged in the row direction. Each pixel 240 includes elements such as a drive transistor 252, a selection transistor 254, a storage capacitor 256, and a light-emitting element 220. The source electrode of the selection transistor 254 is connected to a signal line 262, and the gate electrode of the selection transistor 254 is connected to a scanning line 258. The source electrode of the drive transistor 252 is connected to an anode power line 264, and the drain electrode of the drive transistor 252 is connected to one end of the light-emitting element 220. The other end of the light-emitting element 220 is connected to a cathode power line 268. The gate electrode of the drive transistor 252 is connected to the drain electrode of the selection transistor 254. The storage capacitor 256 is connected to the gate and drain electrodes of the drive transistor 252. A grayscale signal that determines the light-emitting intensity of the light-emitting element 220 is supplied to the signal line 262 via the third driver IC 125. A scanning signal that selects a pixel to which the above grayscale signal is to be written is supplied to the scanning line 258 via the first driver IC 123 and the second drive circuit 130.

[0040] In this embodiment, the first driver IC 123 to the third driver IC 125 are used to control the operations of the reflector unit cell 121 and the pixel 240, but the number of driver ICs is not particularly limited. The reflector unit cell 121 and the pixel 240 may be controlled using one driver IC.

[0041] 3. Configuration of Radio Wave Reflecting Device 100A FIG. 9 is an example cross-sectional view of a radio wave reflecting device 100a having radio wave reflecting and image display functions. In FIG. 9, the radio wave incident surface / reflecting surface faces the dielectric substrate 104, and the light emitting element 220 also emits light on the dielectric substrate 104 side (bottom emission). FIG. 9 also shows the region where the pixel 240 is provided between the regions where adjacent reflector unit cells 121 are provided. As shown in FIG. 9, the reflecting elements 102a and 102b, and the light emitting element 220 are provided in the region where the reflecting elements 102a and 102b are separated from each other, on the same substrate. A transistor for controlling the reflecting element 102 and a transistor for controlling the light emitting element 220 are also provided on the same substrate.

[0042] 3-1. Pixel Configuration First, we will explain the configuration of the pixel 240. The pixel 240 has a transistor 210a provided on the dielectric substrate 104, and a light-emitting element 220 provided on the transistor 210a.

[0043] Dielectric materials such as glass substrates, quartz substrates, and flexible substrates (polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, triacetyl cellulose, cyclic olefin copolymers, cycloolefin polymers, and other flexible resin substrates) can be used for the dielectric substrate 104 and the opposing substrate 106. Since the radio wave reflecting device 100a emits light from the light emitting element 220 from the dielectric substrate 104 side, it is preferable that the radio wave reflecting device 100a be light-transmitting.

[0044] An underlayer 202 is provided on the dielectric substrate 104. The underlayer 202 is an insulating layer made of an inorganic material such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or aluminum oxide. The underlayer 202 is not limited to a single layer, and may have a laminated structure combining, for example, a silicon oxide layer and a silicon nitride layer. This structure may be appropriately determined taking into consideration adhesion to the dielectric substrate 104 and gas barrier properties for the transistors 210 a and 210 b described below.

[0045] A transistor 210a is provided on the base layer 202. The transistor 210a may have a top-gate structure or a bottom-gate structure. In FIG. 9 , the transistor 210a is a top-gate transistor, and includes a semiconductor layer 204a provided on the base layer 202, a gate insulating layer 206 covering the semiconductor layer 204a, and a gate electrode 208a provided on the gate insulating layer 206. An interlayer insulating layer 212 covering the gate electrode 208a is provided on the transistor 210a. A source electrode 214a and a drain electrode 214b are provided on the interlayer insulating layer 212. The source electrode 214a and the drain electrode 214b are each connected to the semiconductor layer 204a. Note that although the present embodiment will be described assuming that the interlayer insulating layer 212 has a single-layer structure, the interlayer insulating layer 212 may have a stacked structure.

[0046] The materials of each layer constituting the transistor 210a may be known materials and are not particularly limited. For example, the semiconductor layer 204a can generally be made of polysilicon, amorphous silicon, or an oxide semiconductor. The gate insulating layer 206 and the interlayer insulating layer 212 are made of the same material as the base layer 202 and have a single-layer structure or a stacked-layer structure. The gate electrode 208a is made of a metal material such as copper, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, or aluminum. The source electrode 214a and the drain electrode 214b are each made of a metal material such as copper, titanium, molybdenum, or aluminum.

[0047] 9, a scanning line 258 made of the same metal material as that of the gate electrode 208a is provided in the same layer as the gate electrode 208a. Also, although not shown in FIG. 9, a signal line 262 extending in a direction intersecting the scanning line 258 is provided in the same layer as the source electrode 214a and the drain electrode 214b.

[0048] A planarization film 216 is provided on the transistor 210. The planarization film 216 is composed of an organic resin material. Examples of the organic resin material that can be used include known organic resin materials such as polyimide, polyamide, acrylic, and epoxy. These materials are characterized by being capable of being formed into a film by a solution coating method and having a high planarization effect. Although not particularly shown, the planarization film 216 is not limited to a single-layer structure and may have a stacked structure of a layer containing an organic resin material and an inorganic insulating layer.

[0049] A contact hole 223a exposing a portion of the drain electrode 214b is provided in the planarization film 216. The contact hole 223a is an opening for electrically connecting the pixel electrode 218a (described later) and the drain electrode 214b. Therefore, the contact hole 223a is provided so as to overlap a portion of the drain electrode 214b. The drain electrode 214b is exposed at the bottom of the contact hole 223a.

[0050] A pixel electrode 218a is provided on the planarization film 216. The pixel electrode 218a is connected to the drain electrode 214b via a contact hole 223a provided in the planarization film 216. In the radio wave reflecting device 100a, the pixel electrode 218a functions as an anode constituting the light-emitting element 220. The pixel electrode 218a has a different configuration depending on whether the device is a top-emission type or a bottom-emission type. For example, in the case of a top-emission type, the pixel electrode 218a is formed of a metal film with high light reflectivity, or a laminated structure of a transparent conductive layer with a high work function, such as an indium oxide-based transparent conductive layer (e.g., ITO) or a zinc oxide-based transparent conductive layer (e.g., IZO, ZnO), and a metal film. On the other hand, in the case of a bottom-emission type, the pixel electrode 218a is formed of an indium oxide-based transparent conductive layer or a zinc oxide-based transparent conductive layer. In FIG. 9, since the device is a bottom-emission type, a transparent conductive layer is used as the pixel electrode 218a.

[0051] An insulating layer 222 made of an organic resin material is provided on the pixel electrode 218a. Examples of the organic resin material include known resin materials such as polyimide, polyamide, acrylic, epoxy, and siloxane. The insulating layer 222 has an opening on a portion of the pixel electrode 218a. The insulating layer 222 is provided between adjacent pixel electrodes 218a so as to cover the edges of the pixel electrodes 218a and function as a member for separating the adjacent pixel electrodes 218a. For this reason, the insulating layer 222 is also commonly referred to as a "partition wall" or "bank." The portion of the pixel electrode 218a exposed from the insulating layer 222 becomes the light-emitting region of the light-emitting element 220. The opening in the insulating layer 222 preferably has a tapered inner wall. This reduces coverage defects at the edges of the pixel electrodes 218a when forming the light-emitting layer described below. The insulating layer 222 not only covers the end of the pixel electrode 218 a but may also function as a filler for filling a recess due to a contact hole in the planarizing film 216 .

[0052] An organic layer 224 is provided on the pixel electrode 218a. The organic layer 224 has at least a light-emitting layer made of an organic material and functions as a light-emitting portion of the light-emitting element 220. In addition to the light-emitting layer, the organic layer 224 may also include various charge transport layers such as a hole injection layer and / or a hole transport layer, and an electron injection layer and / or an electron transport layer. The organic layer 224 is provided so as to cover the light-emitting region, i.e., so as to cover the opening of the insulating layer 222 in the light-emitting region.

[0053] In this embodiment, an organic layer 224 including a light-emitting layer emitting light of a desired color is provided, and the organic layer 224 including a different light-emitting layer is formed on each pixel electrode 218a to display each of the RGB colors. That is, in this embodiment, the light-emitting layer of the organic layer 224 is discontinuous between adjacent pixel electrodes 218a. Although not shown, the hole injection layer and / or hole transport layer, and the electron injection layer and / or electron transport layer may be provided continuously between adjacent pixel electrodes 218a. Known structures and materials may be used for the organic layer 224, and the configuration of this embodiment is not particularly limited. The organic layer 224 may also have a light-emitting layer emitting white light, and each of the RGB colors may be displayed through a color filter. In this case, the light-emitting layer may be provided continuously on the insulating layer 222. In this case, the color filter may be provided between the dielectric substrate 104 and the base layer 202.

[0054] A common electrode 226 is provided on the organic layer 224 and the insulating layer 222. The common electrode 226 functions as a cathode that constitutes the light emitting element 220. In the example shown in FIG. 9, since the device is a bottom emission type, a metal film with high light reflectivity is used as the common electrode 226.

[0055] The organic layer 224 and the common electrode 226 are provided in common to a plurality of pixels 240. That is, the organic layer 224 and the common electrode 226 are provided over the entire display area. In FIG. 7 , the display area corresponds to a plurality of pixels 240 arranged in the X direction. Therefore, the organic layer 224 and the common electrode 226 are provided in a strip shape in the X direction. Furthermore, the common electrode 226 is provided in each row so as to extend from the first drive circuit 129 to the second drive circuit 130 shown in FIG. 5 . The common electrodes 226 provided in each row may be connected to each other near the first drive circuit 129 or the second drive circuit 130. This can reduce the resistance of the common electrode 226.

[0056] 10 is an enlarged view of two rows and two columns of reflective elements and a plurality of pixels. As shown in FIG. 10, pixels 240 are not provided in the gaps between the patch electrodes 108 in the Y-axis direction, but common electrodes 226 may be provided in the gaps between the patch electrodes 108 in the Y-axis direction. The common electrode 226 may have a lattice shape that does not overlap with the patch electrodes 108. In other words, openings 227 may be provided in the common electrode 226 in the areas overlapping with the patch electrodes 108. Although not shown, it is also preferable that the organic layer 224 not be provided in the areas overlapping with the patch electrodes 108.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 9 , an inorganic insulating layer 228, an organic insulating layer 232, and an inorganic insulating layer 234 are provided on the light-emitting element 220. The inorganic insulating layer 228, the organic insulating layer 232, and the inorganic insulating layer 234 function as a sealing layer 230 to prevent water and oxygen from entering the light-emitting element 220. By providing the sealing layer 230 on the light-emitting element 220, the intrusion of water and oxygen into the light-emitting element 220 can be prevented, thereby improving the reliability of the light-emitting element 220. The inorganic insulating layer 228 and the inorganic insulating layer 234 can be made of, for example, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, or the like. The organic insulating layer 232 can be made of an organic resin material such as polyimide resin, acrylic resin, epoxy resin, silicone resin, fluororesin, or siloxane resin. Note that the sealing film is not limited to the three layers of the inorganic insulating layer 228, the organic insulating layer 232, and the inorganic insulating layer 234 described above, and may be made of an appropriate combination of inorganic insulating layers and organic insulating layers.

[0058] Compared to inorganic materials, the organic material contained in the organic layer 224 is more likely to serve as a path for moisture and oxygen to penetrate. Therefore, it is preferable that the organic layer 224 is not exposed in areas of the radio wave reflecting device 100a that come into contact with air. However, inorganic insulating materials are less flexible than organic materials and are therefore more prone to cracking. These cracks may serve as a path for moisture and oxygen to penetrate. Therefore, by providing the organic insulating layer 232 at least in the area where the light emitting element 220 is provided and providing the inorganic insulating layer 228 and the inorganic insulating layer 234 in contact with each other in other areas, it is possible to suppress the penetration of moisture and oxygen while maintaining the flexibility of the radio wave reflecting device 100.

[0059] The above is the configuration of the pixel 240. Next, a description will be given of the configuration of the reflector unit cell 121. Note that in the description of the reflector unit cell 121, the description of the same configuration as that of the pixel 240 may be omitted as appropriate.

[0060] The reflector unit cell 121 has a transistor 210b provided on the dielectric substrate 104 and a reflecting element 102 provided on the transistor 210b. The reflecting element 102 is provided above the light-emitting element 220.

[0061] The transistor 210b is formed through the same process as the transistor 210a. Therefore, the configuration of the transistor 210b is similar to that of the transistor 210a. The transistor 210b includes a semiconductor layer 204a provided on the base layer 202, a gate insulating layer 206 covering the semiconductor layer 204b, and a gate electrode 208b provided on the gate insulating layer 206. An interlayer insulating layer 212 covering the gate electrode 208b is provided on the transistor 210b. A source electrode 214c and a drain electrode 214d are provided on the interlayer insulating layer 212. The source electrode 214c and the drain electrode 214d are each connected to the semiconductor layer 204b.

[0062] Here, the transistor 210b differs from the transistor 210a in the size of the transistor. The size of the transistor 210b is larger than the size of the transistor 210a. For example, the channel width / channel length of the transistor 210a is 200 μm to 1200 μm / 4 μm, while the channel width / channel length of the pixel transistor 210b is 3 μm to 10 μm / 10 μm to 200 μm. In the case of a display device using an organic EL element, a steady current of about several tens of nA flows through one pixel. In the saturation region, in order to stably flow a minute current, the channel length is large and the channel width is the minimum necessary. The sizes of the transistors 210a and 210b can be set appropriately depending on the size of the reflective element 102 and the size of the pixel 240.

[0063] 9, a scanning line 133 made of the same metal material as that of the gate electrode 208b is provided in the same layer as the gate electrode 208b. Also, although not shown in FIG. 9, a signal line 132 extending in a direction intersecting the scanning line 133 is provided in the same layer as the source electrode 214c and the drain electrode 214d. That is, the gate electrodes 208a, 208b, the scanning line 258, and the scanning line 133 are provided on the gate insulating layer 206. Also, the source electrode 214a, the drain electrode 214b, the source electrode 214c, the drain electrode 214d, the signal line 262, and the signal line 132 are provided on the interlayer insulating layer 212.

[0064] A connection electrode 218b is provided on the planarization film 216. The connection electrode 218b is formed in the same process as the pixel electrode 218a. The connection electrode 218b is connected to the drain electrode 214d via a contact hole 223b provided in the planarization film 216. An insulating layer 222 is provided on the connection electrode 218b. An opening is provided in the insulating layer 222. The insulating layer 222 is also provided in the region where the reflector unit cell 121 is provided. As described above, the organic layer 224 and the common electrode 226 are not formed in the region where the patch electrode 108 is provided. This makes it possible to reduce the influence of coupling between the patch electrode 218 and the transistor 210b.

[0065] An inorganic insulating layer 228 is provided in contact with the insulating layer 222. The inorganic insulating layer 228 covers the side surfaces of the opening of the insulating layer 222, and a contact hole 229 is provided to partially expose the surface of the connection electrode 218b. An organic insulating layer 232 is provided on the inorganic insulating layer 228. The organic insulating layer 232 is provided in a region overlapping the inorganic insulating layer 228. The end of the organic insulating layer 232 is provided near the opening of the insulating layer 222. By providing the organic insulating layer 232, the patch electrode 108 can be provided on a flat surface. An inorganic insulating layer 234 is provided on the organic insulating layer 232. The inorganic insulating layer 234 covers the end of the organic insulating layer 232 and is in contact with the inorganic insulating layer 228. This prevents moisture from penetrating through the end of the organic insulating layer 232. Furthermore, by providing the sealing layer 230, the influence of coupling between the patch electrode 218 and the transistor 210b can be reduced.

[0066] The patch electrode 108 is provided on the inorganic insulating layer 234. The patch electrode 108 is in contact with the inorganic insulating layer 228 and the inorganic insulating layer 234, and is connected to the connection electrode 218b. Although not shown, a first alignment film (corresponding to the first alignment film 112a shown in FIG. 1 ) is provided on the patch electrode 108 and the inorganic insulating layer 234.

[0067] The size of the patch electrode 108 is larger than the size of the pixel electrode. ２ On the other hand, the size of the pixel electrode is several tens of μm. ２ ~several hundred μm ２ Therefore, when the size of the patch electrode 108 is 2.8 mm, it is 300 to 40,000 times larger than the size of the pixel electrode.

[0068] An opposing substrate 106 is provided opposite the dielectric substrate 104. A ground electrode 110 is provided on the opposing substrate 106. The ground electrode 110 is provided on the entire surface of the opposing substrate 106. The ground electrode 110 is provided so as to overlap with the patch electrodes 108 arranged in a matrix. The ground electrode 110 is also provided in an area overlapping with the pixels 240 (light-emitting elements 220). Although not shown, a second alignment film 112b is provided on the surface of the ground electrode 110. The dielectric substrate 104 and the opposing substrate 106 are disposed opposite each other with a gap therebetween, and the liquid crystal layer 114 is provided in an area surrounded by a sealing material.

[0069] In the radio wave reflecting device 100a, radio waves are incident from the dielectric substrate 104 side, reflected by the patch electrode 108, and emitted from the dielectric substrate 104 side. Therefore, it is preferable that wiring or transistors that may obstruct the propagation of radio waves are not disposed between the dielectric substrate 104 and the patch electrode 108. Furthermore, the light emitting element 220 emits light from the dielectric substrate 104 side. Therefore, it is preferable that wiring or transistors that may reduce the aperture ratio of the pixel 240 are not disposed between the dielectric substrate 104 and the light emitting region of the light emitting element 220.

[0070] 11 is a layout diagram of the reflector unit cell 121 and the pixel 240 when viewed from the dielectric substrate 104 side. In Fig. 11, the reflector unit cell 121 includes the transistor 210b, the patch electrode 108, the scanning line 133, and the signal line 132. The pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B include the light-emitting elements 220R, 220G, and 220B, the scanning line 258, and the signal lines 262R, 262G, and 262B. These transistors and wiring are part of the transistors and wiring that make up the radio wave reflecting device 100a, and other components are not shown in the figure.

[0071] In the pixel 240, the scanning line 258 and the signal lines 262R, 262G, and 262B are preferably arranged so as not to overlap with the patch electrodes 108. The scanning line 258 and the signal lines 262R, 262G, and 262B are preferably arranged in the gaps between adjacent patch electrodes 108. The signal lines 262G and 262B have a region extending in the Y-axis direction and a region extending in the X-axis direction. By arranging the signal lines 262G and 262B in a bent manner in the gaps between adjacent patch electrodes 108 in this way, the aperture ratio of the pixel 240 can be improved and the radio wave reflection characteristics can be improved.

[0072] According to the radio wave reflecting device 100a of one embodiment of the present invention, the light-emitting element 220 is provided in an area where adjacent reflecting elements 102 are spaced apart. This allows a display area to be formed in the area where the reflecting elements 102 are spaced apart. This allows a radio wave reflector 120 and a display area including multiple pixels 240 to be formed on the same substrate. Because the radio wave reflection function and the image display function can be integrated, space savings can be achieved compared to when both a radio wave reflecting device and a display device are installed. Furthermore, the area where the pixels 240 are provided is smaller than the area where the reflector unit cells 121 are provided. This suppresses radio wave reflection by the pixels 240. This reduces the impact of the radio wave reflecting device 100a on communication area control.

[0073] 4. Configuration of Radio Wave Reflecting Device 100b FIG. 12 is an example cross-sectional view of a radio wave reflecting device 100b having radio wave reflection and image display functions. In FIG. 12, the radio wave incident surface / reflection surface faces the opposing substrate 106, and the light emission of the light-emitting element 220 also faces the opposing substrate 106 (top emission) in the radio wave reflecting device 100b. FIG. 12 also shows the region where the pixel 240 is provided between the regions where adjacent reflector unit cells 121 are provided. As shown in FIG. 12, the reflecting elements 102a and 102b, and the light-emitting element 220 in the region where the reflecting elements 102a and 102b are separated, are provided on the same substrate. The transistors controlling the reflecting element 102 and the transistors controlling the light-emitting element 220 are also provided on the same substrate. The layout of the reflecting element 102 and the light-emitting element 220 is the same as that shown in FIG. 7. The following description will focus on the differences between the configuration of the light-emitting element 220 and the configuration of the reflecting element 102 in the radio wave reflecting device 100a.

[0074] 4-1. Pixel Configuration In the pixel 240, the drain electrode of the transistor 210a is connected to the pixel electrode 218a of the light-emitting element 220. The radio wave reflecting device 100b shown in FIG. 12 uses a top-emission light-emitting element 220. Therefore, the pixel electrode 218a uses a metal film with high light reflectivity, or a laminate structure of a metal film and a transparent conductive layer with a high work function, such as an indium oxide-based transparent conductive layer (e.g., ITO) or a zinc oxide-based transparent conductive layer (e.g., IZO, ZnO). On the other hand, the above-mentioned transparent conductive layer is used as the common electrode 226. This allows the light emitted from the light-emitting element 220 to be emitted from the opposing substrate 106 side.

[0075] 4-2. Configuration of the Reflecting Element In the radio wave reflecting device 100b shown in FIG. 12, the incident surface / reflecting surface of the radio wave is on the counter substrate 106 side, so the patch electrode 108 is provided on the counter substrate 106 side. The patch electrode 108 functions as a common electrode for the liquid crystal. The drain electrode 214d of the transistor 210b is connected to the drive electrode 109. The drive electrode 109 is arranged to face the rectangular shape of the patch electrode 108. The drive electrode 109 of each reflecting element 102 is provided independently, and adjacent drive electrodes 109 are not connected to each other. The drive electrode 109 is GND for radio waves. This allows radio waves to be incident from the counter substrate 106 side, reflected by the reflecting element 102, and emitted from the counter substrate 106 side.

[0076] The size of the patch electrode 108 and the drive electrode 109 is larger than the size of the pixel electrode. ２ On the other hand, the size of the pixel electrode and the size of the drive electrode 109 are several tens of μm. ２ ~several hundred μm ２ 12, in order to emit light from the light emitting element 220 from the counter substrate 106 side, it is preferable that the patch electrode 108 and the drive electrode 109 do not overlap with the light emitting element 220.

[0077] FIG. 13 is a plan view of the patch electrode 108 and the pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B as viewed from the opposing substrate 106. The patch electrode 108 is rectangular, similar to the radio wave reflecting device 100a, but adjacent patch electrodes 108 are connected by first wiring 118. The pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B are preferably arranged so as not to overlap with the first wiring 118 in the gap L3 between adjacent patch electrodes 108. As shown in FIG. 13, the pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B and the pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B are preferably arranged so as to sandwich the first wiring 118 extending in the Y-axis direction. By using a top-emission light-emitting element 220, transistors and wiring can be arranged below the drive electrode 109, which is grounded with respect to radio waves (on the opposite side to the radio wave incidence direction). This reduces the impact of the transistors and wiring on the reflection characteristics. However, because adjacent drive electrodes 109 are not connected to each other, gaps are generated in the drive electrodes 109, which are GND for radio waves, which may lead to a deterioration in reflection characteristics. Therefore, as shown in Figure 12, by overlapping the common electrode 226 and the drive electrodes 109, it is possible to fill the gaps in the drive electrodes 109, which are GND for radio waves.

[0078] According to the radio wave reflecting device 100b according to one embodiment of the present invention, similar to the radio wave reflecting device 100a, a display area can be formed in the area where adjacent reflecting elements 102 are spaced apart. This allows a radio wave reflector 120 and a display area including multiple pixels 240 to be formed on the same substrate. Because the radio wave reflection function and image display function can be integrated, space can be saved compared to when both a radio wave reflecting device and a display device are installed. Furthermore, the area where the pixels 240 are provided is smaller than the area where the reflector unit cells 121 are provided. Therefore, reflection of radio waves by the pixels 240 can be suppressed. This reduces the impact of the radio wave reflecting device 100a on communication area control.

[0079] [Modifications] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes various other modifications. For example, the above-described embodiment has been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and is not necessarily limited to an embodiment having all of the described configurations. Other configurations may be added to, deleted from, or substituted for part of the configuration of the embodiment and part of the modifications described below. Modifications are described below.

[0080] 12 has been described with reference to a radio wave reflecting device 100b in which the incident surface / reflection surface of the radio wave is on the opposing substrate 106 side and the light emitted by the light emitting element 220 is also on the opposing substrate 106 side (top emission). As a modification of Fig. 12, a case will be described in which the incident surface / reflection surface of the radio wave is on the opposing substrate 106 side and the light emitted by the light emitting element 220 is on the dielectric substrate 104 (bottom emission).

[0081] The radio wave reflecting device 100b shown in FIG. 12 uses a bottom-emission light-emitting element 220. Therefore, the common electrode 226 uses a metal film with high light reflectivity, or a laminated structure of a metal film and a transparent conductive layer with a high work function, such as an indium oxide-based transparent conductive layer (e.g., ITO) or a zinc oxide-based transparent conductive layer (e.g., IZO or ZnO). On the other hand, the pixel electrode 218a uses the transparent conductive layer described above. This allows light emitted from the light-emitting element 220 to be emitted from the dielectric substrate 104 side. The reflector unit cell 121 is as described in FIG. 12 , so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0082] In the case where the incident surface / reflection surface of the radio wave is on the counter substrate 106 side and the light emitting element 220 emits light from the dielectric substrate 104 (bottom emission), the plan view of the patch electrode 108 and the pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B when viewed from the counter substrate 106 side is the same as that shown in Fig. 11. The pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B may be arranged in any manner as long as the light emitting region of the light emitting element 220 does not overlap with the wiring or electrodes that constitute the pixel circuit or the wiring or electrodes that constitute the reflective element.

[0083] According to the radio wave reflecting device described in Modification 1, similarly to the radio wave reflecting devices 100a and 100b, a display area can be formed in the area where adjacent reflecting elements 102 are spaced apart. Furthermore, the incident / reflecting surface of the radio wave can be on the opposing substrate 106 side, and the light emitted by the light emitting element 220 can be on the dielectric substrate 104 side. This allows the incident / reflecting surface of the radio wave to be different from the surface from which the light emitting element 220 emits light. This makes it possible to suppress reflection of radio waves by the pixels 240. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the influence of the radio wave reflecting device 100a on communication area control. Since the other configurations are the same as those of the radio wave reflecting devices 100a and 100b, the radio wave reflecting device described in Modification 1 also achieves similar effects.

[0084] [Variation 2] The layout of the pixels 240 shown in this embodiment is merely an example, and they may be arranged in any manner as long as the light-emitting region of the light-emitting element 220 does not overlap with the wiring or electrodes that constitute the pixel circuit or the wiring or electrodes that constitute the reflecting element. The layout of the pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B shown in FIG. 13 may be applied to the radio wave reflecting device 100a shown in FIG. 9. Alternatively, the layout of the pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B shown in FIG. 7 may be applied to the radio wave reflecting device 100b shown in FIG. 12. Furthermore, although an example in which the pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B are arranged along the X-axis direction has been described in FIGS. 7 and 13, the pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B may be arranged along the Y-axis direction, or may be arranged along both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

[0085] Although the layout shown in FIGS. 7 and 13 has been described in which the pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B are arranged in a single row, they may also be arranged in multiple rows or columns. FIG. 14 is a plan view of the patch electrode 108 and the pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B as viewed from the opposing substrate 106. The pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B are preferably arranged so as not to overlap with the first wiring 118 in the gap L3 between adjacent patch electrodes 108. As shown in FIG. 14, the pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B and the pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B are preferably arranged so as to sandwich the first wiring 118 extending in the X-axis direction. FIG. 14 illustrates an example in which the pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B are arranged in two rows along the X-axis direction.

[0086] Fig. 15 is a plan view of the patch electrode 108 and the pixels 240R, 240G, and 240B as viewed from the opposing substrate 106. Fig. 15 shows a row of pixels 240R, a row of pixels 240G, and a row of pixels 240B in the gap L3 between adjacent patch electrodes 108. This allows the radio wave reflecting device 100 to be endowed with a higher-resolution image display function.

[0087] The radio wave reflecting devices 100 exemplified as one embodiment of the present invention can be combined as appropriate as long as they are not mutually inconsistent. Furthermore, devices in which a person skilled in the art appropriately adds or deletes components or modifies the design, or adds or omits processes or modifies conditions, based on the driving method of the radio wave reflecting device 100 disclosed in this specification and the drawings, are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they include the gist of the present invention.

[0088] Even if there are other effects and advantages different from those brought about by the aspects of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, those that are clear from the description in this specification or that can be easily predicted by a person skilled in the art are naturally understood to be brought about by the present invention.

[0089] 100, 100a to 100c: radio wave reflecting device, 102: reflecting element, 102a to 102d: reflecting elements, 104: dielectric substrate, 106: opposing substrate, 108: patch electrode, 109: driving electrode, 110: ground electrode, 112a: first alignment film, 112b: second alignment film, 114: liquid crystal layer, 116: liquid crystal molecules, 118: first wiring, 120: radio wave reflecting plate, 121: reflecting plate unit cell, 1 22: Peripheral region, 123: First driver IC, 124: Second driver IC, 125: Third driver IC, 126: Terminal portion, 128: Sealant, 129: First drive circuit, 130: Second drive circuit, 132: Signal line, 133: Scanning line, 134: Switching element, 136: Common wiring, 202: Underlayer, 204a: Semiconductor layer, 204b: Semiconductor layer, 206: Gate insulating layer, 20 8a: gate electrode, 208b: gate electrode, 210a: transistor, 210b: transistor, 212: interlayer insulating layer, 214a: source electrode, 214b: drain electrode, 214c: source electrode, 214d: drain electrode, 216: planarization film, 218a: pixel electrode, 218b: connection electrode, 220: light-emitting element, 222: insulating layer, 223a: contact hole, 223b: contact hole, 224: organic layer, 226: common electrode, 227: opening, 228: inorganic insulating layer, 229: contact hole, 230: sealing layer, 232: organic insulating layer, 234: inorganic insulating layer, 240: pixel, 252: drive transistor, 254: selection transistor, 256: storage capacitor, 258: scanning line, 262: signal line, 264: anode power line, 268: cathode power line

Claims

1. A radio wave reflection device comprising: a plurality of reflection elements arranged at a predetermined interval in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction; and a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a region where the plurality of reflection elements are separated, wherein the reflection element includes: a patch electrode provided on a first substrate; a ground electrode provided on a second substrate facing the first substrate and overlapping the patch electrode; and a liquid crystal layer between the patch electrode and the ground electrode, and the light emitting element includes: a first electrode provided on the first substrate; a second electrode provided on the first substrate; and an organic light emitting layer sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode.

2. The radio wave reflection device according to claim 1, further comprising a first transistor and a second transistor provided on the first substrate, wherein the first transistor is connected to the patch electrode and the second transistor is connected to the first electrode.

3. The radio wave reflection device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode has translucency and functions as a pixel electrode, and the second electrode reflects light and functions as a common electrode.

4. The radio wave reflection device according to claim 1, wherein the size of the patch electrode is larger than the size of the first electrode.

5. The radio wave reflection device according to claim 1, wherein the ground electrode overlaps the light emitting element.

6. The radio wave reflection device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode does not overlap the patch electrode.

7. A radio wave reflection device comprising: a plurality of reflection elements arranged at a predetermined interval in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction; and a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a region where the plurality of reflection elements are separated, wherein the reflection element includes: a drive electrode provided on a first substrate; a patch electrode provided on a second substrate facing the first substrate and overlapping the drive electrode; and a liquid crystal layer between the drive electrode and the patch electrode, and the light emitting element includes: a first electrode provided on the first substrate; a second electrode provided on the first substrate; and an organic light emitting layer sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode.

8. The radio wave reflection device according to claim 7, further comprising a first transistor and a second transistor provided on the first substrate, wherein the first transistor is connected to the drive electrode and the second transistor is connected to the first electrode.

9. The first electrode reflects light and functions as a pixel electrode, and the second electrode has translucency and functions as a common electrode, according to the radio wave reflection device of claim 7.

10. The first electrode has translucency and functions as a pixel electrode, and the second electrode reflects light and functions as a common electrode, according to the radio wave reflection device of claim 7.

11. The size of the driving electrode and the size of the patch electrode are larger than the size of the first electrode, according to the radio wave reflection device of claim 7.

12. The driving electrode and the patch electrode do not overlap with the light emitting element, according to the radio wave reflection device of claim 7.

13. The patch electrode is connected to an adjacent patch electrode via a first wiring, and the first wiring does not overlap with the light emitting element, according to the radio wave reflection device of claim 7.

Images