Semiconductor Display with Light-Condensing Structure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid crystal display devices face challenges in providing clear image recognition in varying light environments, with transmissive devices struggling in bright conditions and reflective devices struggling in low light, and existing technologies fail to efficiently manage power consumption while maintaining high-quality display.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device with both reflective and transmissive modes is developed, utilizing a light-transmitting pixel and a reflective pixel with an oxide semiconductor transistor, along with a light-condensing structure that increases transmitted light without boosting backlight luminance, and a manufacturing method that includes an etching-stop layer to enhance productivity and reduce variation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a transmissive liquid crystal display device uses a backlight, then it can display images in dark environments, but it cannot be recognized in environments with strong external light and consumes high power
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid crystal display device dynamically switches between transmissive mode (using backlight) and reflective mode (using external light) based on ambient lighting conditions. This dynamic adaptation allows the device to optimize power consumption while maintaining display visibility across varying environmental conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The display device incorporates both transmissive and reflective display regions within the same device, enabling it to function in multiple modes. This multi-functionality allows the device to adapt to different lighting environments without requiring separate devices, resolving the contradiction between power consumption and display performance
2Use of energy by moving object
If a reflective liquid crystal display device uses external light, then it achieves low power consumption, but it cannot be recognized in dim environments with weak external light
Solution Approach 1:
The device dynamically switches between reflective mode (for low power consumption in bright environments) and transmissive mode (for adequate brightness in dim environments) based on ambient light detection. This dynamic mode switching resolves the contradiction by adapting power consumption and brightness to environmental conditions
Solution Approach 2:
By incorporating both reflective and transmissive display capabilities in a single device, the system achieves universality across different lighting conditions. The device can function as either reflective or transmissive display depending on environmental requirements, eliminating the need to choose between power consumption and brightness
3Illumination intensity
If a light-condensing structure is added to increase transmitted light, then display brightness improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light-condensing structure uses microlens arrays with curved surfaces to focus and redirect backlight. This optical design efficiently increases the amount of transmitted light reaching the liquid crystal layer without requiring proportionally complex mechanical or structural additions, as the curvature itself performs the light-condensing function
Solution Approach 2:
The light-condensing structure acts as an intermediary optical element between the backlight and liquid crystal layers. This mediator component simplifies the overall system design by decoupling the backlight design from the liquid crystal cell requirements, allowing independent optimization of each component
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
The semiconductor device achieves bright and high-quality display in both modes with reduced power consumption and increased productivity, allowing for efficient image recognition in diverse lighting conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A plurality of structures for condensing light from the backlight is provided in the light-transmitting pixel, whereby the amount of transmitted light can be increased without increasing the luminance of the backlight
Implementation Method 2
a pixel that reflects incident light through a liquid crystal layer
Data Source
AI summary
It is an object to provide a display device of which image display can be favorably recognized. Another object is to provide a manufacturing method of the display device with high productivity. Over a substrate, a pixel electrode that reflects incident light through a liquid crystal layer, a light-transmitting pixel electrode, and a structure whose side surface is covered with a reflective layer and which is positioned to overlap with the light-transmitting pixel electrode are provided. The structure is formed over a light-transmitting etching-stop layer, and the etching-stop layer remains below the structure as a light-transmitting layer.