Common Electrode Openings Reduce Color Cross-Talk in Array Substrates

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Solution Overview

Problem

Liquid crystal displays suffer from color cross-talk defects due to alignment deviations between gate lines/data lines and black matrices, leading to light interference between pixels, especially at viewing angles.

Innovation Solution

The array substrate design includes a common electrode with strategically placed openings that overlap signal lines, creating irregular electric fields to disorder liquid crystals and act as an equivalent black matrix, reducing color cross-talk by forming dark zones between pixels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a common electrode is arranged directly on signal lines without openings, then the electrode structure is simple and continuous, but color cross-talk occurs due to alignment deviations between signal lines and black matrices

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrode structure simplicityVSAvoidcolor cross-talk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts material from the common electrode to form openings that overlap with signal lines. These openings remove the electrode material in specific regions to create dark zones that prevent light leakage and color cross-talk, directly addressing the harmful effect while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through a single patterning process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by creating non-uniform electrode structure with openings at specific locations (overlapping signal lines) while keeping other regions continuous. The openings have specific shapes (zigzag or wavy lines) to locally disrupt liquid crystal alignment and create dark zones, achieving color cross-talk prevention without compromising overall electrode functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If openings are added to the common electrode to prevent color cross-talk, then color cross-talk is reduced, but the electrode structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor cross-talkVSAvoidelectrode structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the formation of common electrode and its openings into a single patterning process. The opening formation is integrated with the electrode fabrication step, eliminating the need for separate processing steps and reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the increased structural complexity of the electrode itself

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses zigzag or wavy line shapes for the opening edges instead of straight lines. These curved/irregular shapes create more effective liquid crystal disruption and dark zones while being formed in a single patterning step, balancing structural complexity with manufacturing simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Ease of manufacture

If the opening edges are straight lines, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but liquid crystal alignment disruption is insufficient to prevent color cross-talk

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveopening formationVSAvoidcolor cross-talk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs zigzag or wavy line shapes for opening edges instead of straight lines. These irregular shapes create more effective liquid crystal alignment disruption by generating complex electric field distributions, thereby preventing color cross-talk while being formed through standard patterning processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design effectively minimizes color cross-talk by creating disordered liquid crystal arrangements that prevent light interference, enhancing display clarity and reducing defects caused by alignment deviations.

Implementation Method 1

by the electric field generated by edges of slit electrodes in a same plane and the electric field generated between a slit electrode layer and a plate-like electrode layer, a multi-dimensional electric field is formed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectric Field: Electric Field

Implementation Method 2

the liquid crystal molecules between the slit electrodes and right above the slit electrodes and in all alignment directions in the liquid crystal cell can produce rotation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLiquid Crystal Alignment: Liquid Crystals

Data Source

PatentEP3321730B1Array substrate and manufacturing method thereof and display device
Publication Date: 2021.03.24 BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD
  • EP3321730B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2b
  • EP3321730B1 patent drawingFigure 2c~3b
  • EP3321730B1 patent drawingFigure 4a~5

AI summary

An array substrate and its manufacturing method and a display device are provided. The array substrate includes a first signal line (71) extending along a first direction, a common electrode (30) arranged on the first signal line (71) and provided with a first opening (31) which overlaps an orthographic projection, on a plane where the common electrode (30) is located, of the first signal line (71); and the common electrode (30) includes a first portion (30a) partially overlapping the orthographic projection of the first signal line (71) and a second portion (30b) which is arranged outside the orthographic projection of the first signal line (71) and connected to the first portion (30a), and the second portion (30b) and the first portion (30a) are disposed in a same layer. The array substrate can reduce the color cross-talk defect at two sides of a data line (13c) or a gate line (11a).