Liquid Crystal Display Spacer Placement for Light Leakage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid crystal display apparatuses face challenges in achieving high contrast and preventing light leakage due to disordered liquid crystal alignment around spacers, particularly in active matrix type displays using lateral electric fields.
Innovation Solution
The formation of spacers on the primary pixel electrode or common electrode, which have low light transmittance, effectively prevents light leakage by being placed in regions where the electric field does not activate the liquid crystals, thereby improving contrast and allowing for a greater view angle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spacers are placed in regions where liquid crystals are activated by electric fields, then the cell gap is maintained, but light leakage occurs due to disordered liquid crystal alignment around spacers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the properties of different regions in the display device. Specifically, the electrode regions are designed with low light transmittance (to mask light leakage) while the electrode gap regions maintain high light transmittance (for display functionality). This spatial differentiation of properties resolves the contradiction by allowing spacers to be placed in electrode regions without compromising overall display quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of light leakage into a beneficial outcome by strategically placing low-transmittance electrode patterns in regions where light leakage occurs. The disordered liquid crystal alignment around spacers, which causes light leakage, is masked by the electrode structures, thereby transforming the harmful light leakage into an acceptable design feature.
2Illumination intensity
If electrode regions have high light transmittance for good display, then display quality improves, but light leakage from spacer regions becomes more visible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by creating spatial variation in light transmittance properties. Electrode regions are designed with low transmittance to mask light leakage, while electrode gap regions maintain high transmittance for display. This allows the system to simultaneously achieve good display quality in active regions while suppressing light leakage in spacer regions through targeted transmittance control.
3Manufacturing precision
If spacers are formed on substrates to maintain cell gap, then cell gap uniformity improves, but contrast ratio deteriorates due to light leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating transmittance properties in different spatial regions. Low-transmittance electrode patterns are placed in spacer regions to mask light leakage and maintain contrast ratio, while high-transmittance regions are maintained in electrode gaps for display. This spatial differentiation allows the system to achieve both cell gap uniformity and high contrast ratio simultaneously.
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 configuration enhances contrast and view angle by minimizing light leakage from disordered liquid crystal alignment while maintaining high transmittance in the electrode gap between the pixel and common electrodes, supporting various pixel pitches and resolutions.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid crystal display apparatus of such a lateral electric field mode comprises a pixel electrode and a counter electrode that are formed in an array substrate, and switches a liquid crystal molecule by a lateral electric field substantially parallel to the main surface of the array substrate
Implementation Method 2
switches a liquid crystal molecule by a lateral electric field
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a first spacer, a second spacer which is different in height from the first spacer, and a liquid crystal layer held between an array substrate and a counter substrate. The first spacer is provided at an intersection of a source wiring line and an auxiliary capacitive line, and the second spacer is provided in at least a contact hole.