Transflective LCD Multigap Electrode Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transflective liquid crystal display devices suffer from narrow viewing angles and display failures like afterimages and unevenness due to weak alignment control and disorderly tilting of liquid crystal molecules, especially in multigap structures with protrusions and slopes.
Innovation Solution
A vertically-aligned transflective liquid crystal display device with a multigap structure featuring electrodes with multiple islands and connecting portions, where the boundary sloping area is positioned below the connecting portion to control liquid crystal alignment, ensuring uniform viewing angles and preventing display failures by minimizing the electrode's presence in the boundary sloping area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a multigap structure with protrusions and slopes is used to enable transflective display, then both transmissive and reflective display functions are achieved, but liquid crystal alignment becomes disordered causing narrow viewing angles and display failures
Solution Approach 1:
The pixel electrode is divided into multiple islands that are electrically connected, with each island positioned in a specific region (transmissive or reflective). This segmentation allows independent optimization of electrode placement in each region, avoiding the alignment disorders caused by continuous electrodes crossing boundary sloping areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode structure is designed with different configurations for different regions: islands are positioned specifically in transmissive display regions or reflective display regions, and connecting portions are placed in non-display regions. This local optimization ensures proper liquid crystal alignment in each region while maintaining overall electrode functionality.
2Manufacturing precision
If electrodes are placed in boundary sloping areas to control liquid crystal alignment, then alignment control is improved, but liquid crystal tilting becomes disorderly causing afterimages and unevenness
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode structure extracts the problematic element (continuous electrode) from the boundary sloping area and replaces it with disconnected islands connected by conductors in non-display regions. This removes the source of harmful oblique electric fields that cause disorderly liquid crystal tilting while preserving alignment control capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
Connecting portions serve as intermediaries that electrically connect islands in different regions without directly contacting the liquid crystal in boundary sloping areas. This mediator approach maintains electrical connectivity while avoiding the harmful interaction between electrodes and liquid crystal at sloping boundaries.
3Area of stationary object
If the transmissive display region is made large to improve aperture ratio, then transmissive display brightness increases, but liquid crystal alignment control becomes weaker causing viewing angle limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The transmissive display region contains multiple electrode islands that create localized alignment control points. This segmentation allows the region to be enlarged while maintaining effective alignment control through the distributed islands, preventing the loss of control that would occur with a single large continuous electrode.
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 solution achieves high-contrast, wide-viewing-angle displays without afterimages or unevenness, maintaining display quality by properly controlling liquid crystal alignment and aperture ratio in both reflective and transmissive modes.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid crystal layer disposed between the substrates with the electrodes therebetween... The liquid crystal layer contains liquid crystal that is initially aligned in the vertical direction
Implementation Method 2
is initially aligned in the vertical direction, and is tilted by the application of a voltage
Implementation Method 3
a reflective film formed of a metal film made of aluminum or the like having a light-transmitting window provided on the inner side of the lower substrate. The reflective film functions as a semi-transmissive reflector
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the invention provide a transflective liquid crystal display device that prevents display failure, such as an afterimage and unevenness like stains, and achieves a bright display with a wide viewing angle in both transmissive display and reflective display. The liquid crystal display device of the invention is a vertically-aligned transflective liquid crystal display device having a multigap structure. Each pixel can include, in a dot region, a plurality of islands, and connecting portions for electrically connecting the adjoining islands. Two islands, of the islands, can be disposed in a transmissive display region, and the remaining island is disposed in a reflective display region. A boundary sloping area in which the thickness of a liquid crystal layer continuously changes is disposed right below the connecting portion in the pixel electrode.