Reactive Mesogen Liquid Crystal Domain with Light Blocker Sealant
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid crystal display devices in the patterned vertical alignment (PVA) mode often experience a phenomenon where the boundary portion of a pixel region becomes dark due to light leakage during the manufacturing process, particularly during the one-drop filling (ODF) process, which affects the display's image quality and viewing angle.
Innovation Solution
A display device design that includes a first substrate with a domain forming layer having a depression pattern and a pixel electrode, a second substrate with a common electrode covering the entire surface, a liquid crystal layer containing reactive mesogens, and a light blocker with a higher refractive index than the liquid crystal layer to prevent light from entering the pixel region, along with a sealant to adhere the substrates and block external light.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a patterned transparent electrode is used to form liquid crystal domains in PVA mode, then viewing angle is improved, but boundary portions of pixel regions become dark due to light leakage during manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a light blocker that segments the pixel region boundary, creating a physical barrier that prevents light leakage during manufacturing while maintaining the patterned electrode structure for viewing angle improvement. The light blocker is positioned at the boundary between pixel regions, effectively dividing the optical path without affecting the internal domain structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The light blocker serves as an intermediary element between the pixel electrodes and the external environment. It mediates the optical interaction by blocking stray light from entering the liquid crystal layer during manufacturing, thereby preventing dark boundary portions without interfering with the normal operation of the patterned electrode for viewing angle enhancement.
2Manufacturing precision
If a light blocker is added to prevent light leakage and dark boundaries, then manufacturing precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light blocker is merged with the sealant structure, combining two functions into a single component. The sealant both adheres the substrates and incorporates the light-blocking function, eliminating the need for a separate light blocker layer and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealant is given multi-functionality by incorporating light-blocking properties alongside its primary adhesion function. This universal approach allows a single component to perform multiple roles: sealing the liquid crystal layer, providing mechanical adhesion, and blocking light during manufacturing, thereby avoiding additional structural complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple layers including light blocker and sealant are added to prevent dark boundaries, then manufacturing precision improves, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The light-blocking function is combined with the sealant application process. The sealant mixture includes light-blocking particles or materials, allowing both sealing and light blocking to be achieved in a single manufacturing step rather than requiring separate layers and processes, thereby maintaining precision while simplifying manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealant is formulated as a composite material containing light-blocking components mixed within the sealant matrix. This composite approach integrates the light-blocking property into the sealant itself, eliminating the need for separate light blocker layers and simplifying the manufacturing process while ensuring uniform light blocking at pixel boundaries.
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 effectively prevents the boundary portion of the pixel region from becoming dark, enhances the viewing angle, and simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for a separate pattern on the common electrode, thereby improving the display's quality and productivity.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first and second substrate arrangements and including a plurality of liquid crystal molecules and a reactive mesogen (RM) to fix the liquid crystal molecules to form the liquid crystal domain
Implementation Method 2
The light blocker may include a material having a higher refractive index than that of the liquid crystal layer
Data Source
AI summary
A display device that prevents occurrence of a phenomenon where a boundary portion of a pixel region becomes dark, and a method of manufacturing the same. The display device includes a first substrate arrangement including a domain forming layer having a depression pattern for forming a liquid crystal domain in a pixel region, and a pixel electrode arranged on the domain forming layer, a second substrate arrangement including a common electrode arranged on an entire surface facing the first substrate arrangement, a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first and second substrate arrangements and including a plurality of liquid crystal molecules and a reactive mesogen (RM) to fix the liquid crystal molecules to form the liquid crystal domain, a sealant arranged between the first and second substrate arrangements to adhere the first and second substrate arrangement together and a light blocker arranged between the sealant and the liquid crystal layer to block light incident from an external side of the sealant.