CN118363202A

CN118363202A - Display panel

Info

Publication number: CN118363202A
Application number: CN202310059473.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 陈谚宗; 陈铭良; 陈靖轩; 陈智伟; 陈国峰; 梁呈匡; 林余祐
Original assignee: Hannstar Display Corp
Current assignee: Hannstar Display Corp
Priority date: 2023-01-19
Filing date: 2023-01-19
Publication date: 2024-07-19
Also published as: TWI838188B; TW202430976A

Abstract

The invention provides a display panel which comprises a first substrate, a second substrate, a plurality of pixel structures, a display medium layer and a light-adjusting color resistance layer. The first substrate and the second substrate are overlapped with each other. The pixel structures are arranged on the first substrate and respectively comprise an active element and a reflecting electrode which are electrically connected with each other. The reflective electrode is adapted to reflect external light from the second substrate. The display medium layer is arranged between the reflective electrodes of the pixel structures and the second substrate. The light-adjusting color-resisting layer is arranged between the display medium layer and the reflecting electrodes and is overlapped with the reflecting electrodes. The chromaticity coordinates (x, y) of the color of the external light passing through the light-adjusting color-blocking layer, which is reflected by the reflective electrode and passes through the light-adjusting color-blocking layer again, in the CIE1931 color space are within the range of (0.300± 0.009,0.310 ±0.009).

Description

Display panel

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to display technology, and more particularly, to a display panel.

Background

In response to the energy saving requirement, a total reflection type or a transflective type liquid crystal display panel is proposed. Such display panels are often provided with reflective electrodes to reflect external ambient light for display purposes. In order to increase the reflection efficiency, the reflective electrode is generally manufactured using a metal material having high reflectivity (e.g., silver metal). However, the reflective electrode formed of silver metal is visually cooler, resulting in deviation of color appearance of the display panel.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention is directed to a display panel with high reflectivity, and the color performance of a white picture is better.

According to an embodiment of the invention, a display panel comprises a first substrate, a second substrate, a plurality of pixel structures, a display medium layer and a light modulation color resistance layer. The first substrate and the second substrate are overlapped with each other. The pixel structures are arranged on the first substrate and respectively comprise an active element and a reflecting electrode which are electrically connected with each other. The reflective electrode is adapted to reflect external light from the second substrate. The display medium layer is arranged between the reflective electrodes of the pixel structures and the second substrate. The light-adjusting color-resisting layer is arranged between the display medium layer and the reflecting electrodes and is overlapped with the reflecting electrodes. The chromaticity coordinates (x, y) of the color of the external light passing through the light-adjusting color-blocking layer, which is reflected by the reflective electrode and passes through the light-adjusting color-blocking layer again, in the CIE1931 color space are within the range of (0.300± 0.009,0.310 ±0.009).

In the display panel according to the embodiment of the invention, the light-adjusting color resistance layer covers the plurality of reflective electrodes of the plurality of pixel structures entirely.

In the display panel according to the embodiment of the invention, each of the plurality of pixel structures further includes a transparent conductive layer disposed on the light-adjusting color resistance layer and overlapping the reflective electrode. The light-adjusting color-resisting layer is provided with a contact hole overlapped with the reflecting electrode, and the transparent conductive layer is electrically connected with the reflecting electrode through the contact hole of the light-adjusting color-resisting layer.

In the display panel according to the embodiment of the invention, the film thickness of the light adjusting color resistance layer is in the range of 0.1 micrometers to 1.0 micrometers.

In the display panel according to the embodiment of the invention, a percentage value of a projected area of the light-adjusting color resist layer on the reflective surface of the reflective electrode to an area of the reflective surface is greater than or equal to 30% and less than or equal to 60%.

In the display panel according to the embodiment of the invention, the dimming color resistance layer is a plurality of dimming patterns, and the dimming patterns are respectively overlapped with a plurality of reflecting electrodes of a plurality of pixel structures.

In the display panel according to the embodiment of the invention, the orthographic projections of the plurality of dimming patterns on the first substrate are positioned in the orthographic projections of the plurality of reflective electrodes on the first substrate.

In the display panel according to the embodiment of the invention, the light-adjusting color resistance layer is provided with a plurality of optical microstructures.

In the display panel according to the embodiment of the invention, the gap between any two adjacent ones of the plurality of optical microstructures reveals one of the plurality of reflective electrodes.

In the display panel according to the embodiment of the invention, the reflective electrode is made of silver metal.

In the display panel according to the embodiment of the invention, the light-adjusting color resistance layer is made of white color resistance.

Based on the above, in the display panel according to an embodiment of the invention, the light-adjusting color blocking layer is overlapped on the reflective electrode for reflecting the external light. The chromaticity coordinates (x, y) of the color of the external light reflected by the reflective electrode in the CIE1931 color space can be controlled within the range of (0.300+/-0.009,0.310 +/-0.009) by setting the light-adjusting color resistance layer, so that the color performance of the display panel is improved.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the display panel of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of a display panel according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display panel according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display panel according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display panel according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display panel according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display panel according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the reference numerals

10. 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, 11: a display panel;

101: a first substrate;

102: a second substrate;

120: a gate insulating layer;

140: an insulating layer;

160: a flat layer;

170. 170A, 170B, 170C ", 170D, 170E: a light-adjusting color resistance layer;

170M, 170M ": an optical microstructure;

170op: a contact hole;

170P, 170P-a, 170P-B: a dimming pattern;

175: a transparent conductive layer;

180: a display medium layer;

CP: a conductive pattern;

d: film thickness;

DE: a drain electrode;

EB: external light;

GC1, GC2": a geometric center;

GE: a gate;

OP: an opening;

PX: a pixel structure;

PXA: a pixel region;

RE: a reflective electrode;

rees: a reflecting surface;

SC: a semiconductor pattern;

SE: a source electrode;

T: an active device.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic top view of the display panel of fig. 1. For clarity of presentation, the illustration of the dielectric layer 180 and the second substrate 102 in fig. 1 is omitted from fig. 2.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, the display panel 10 includes a first substrate 101, a second substrate 102, a plurality of pixel structures PX and a display medium layer 180. The first substrate 101 and the second substrate 102 are disposed to overlap each other. The overlapping relationship here means that, for example, two substrates overlap each other along the vertical direction in fig. 1. In the following, unless otherwise mentioned, the overlapping relationship of the two members is defined in this way, and will not be described again. The materials of the first substrate 101 and the second substrate 102 may include glass, quartz, high molecular polymer (such as polyimide, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, or other suitable flexible plates), or other suitable plates.

The display medium layer 180 is disposed between the first substrate 101 and the second substrate 102. In the present embodiment, the display medium layer 180 is, for example, a liquid crystal layer, but not limited to this. The plurality of pixel structures PX are disposed on the first substrate 101, and each of the pixel structures includes an active device T and a reflective electrode RE. The reflective electrode RE is electrically connected to the active device T and adapted to reflect the external light EB from the second substrate 102. In the present embodiment, the reflective electrodes RE of the pixel structures PX define a plurality of pixel regions PXA of the display panel 10. For example, the pixel regions PXA may be arranged in a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows along the horizontal direction and the vertical direction of fig. 2. That is, the pixel areas PXA (or the pixel structures PX) may be arrayed on the first substrate 101.

The display medium layer 180 between the reflective electrodes RE and the second substrate 102 may be driven In a mode of lateral electric field switching (In-PLANE SWITCHING, IPS), fringe field switching (FRINGE FIELD SWITCHING, FFS), electrically controlled birefringence (ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED BIREFRINGENCE, ECB), twisted nematic (TWISTED NEMATIC, TN), super twisted nematic (Super TWISTED NEMATIC, STN), vertical alignment (VERTICAL ALIGNMENT, VA) or optically compensated bend (Optically Compensated Birefringence, OCB).

For example, in the present embodiment, a conductive layer (e.g., a common electrode layer) and a polarizer (not shown) may be disposed on the second substrate 102 of the display panel 10. When the pixel structure PX is enabled, the electric field formed between the reflective electrode RE and the common electrode layer is suitable for driving a plurality of liquid crystal molecules (not shown) of the liquid crystal layer (i.e. the display medium layer 180) to rotate to form an alignment state corresponding to the electric field intensity. The incident external light EB has a specific polarization state after passing through the polarizer. After passing through the liquid crystal layer, the external light EB changes its polarization state according to the arrangement state of the liquid crystal layer, and forms the light-emitting effect with different intensities. Therefore, the display panel 10 can individually control the potentials of the reflective electrodes RE of the pixel structures PX, so that the external light EB reflected by the reflective electrodes RE has the same or different light intensity, thereby achieving the effect of displaying images.

In this embodiment, the method for forming the active device T may include the following steps: the gate electrode GE, the gate insulating layer 120, the semiconductor pattern SC, the source electrode SE, and the drain electrode DE are sequentially formed on the first substrate 101, but are not limited thereto. The semiconductor pattern SC is disposed overlapping the gate electrode GE. The source electrode SE and the drain electrode DE overlap the semiconductor pattern SC and are in electrical contact with different two regions of the semiconductor pattern SC. In the present embodiment, the gate electrode GE of the active device T is optionally disposed under the semiconductor pattern SC to form a bottom-gate thin film transistor (bottom-gate TFT), but not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the gate electrode GE of the active device is also optionally disposed over the semiconductor pattern SC to form a top-gate thin film transistor (top-gate TFT).

It should be noted that the gate electrode GE, the source electrode SE, the drain electrode DE, the semiconductor pattern SC, and the gate insulating layer 120 may be implemented by any gate electrode, any source electrode, any drain electrode, any semiconductor pattern, and any gate insulating layer of the display panel known to those skilled in the art, and the gate electrode GE, the source electrode SE, the drain electrode DE, the semiconductor pattern SC, and the gate insulating layer 120 may be formed by any method known to those skilled in the art, and thus, the description thereof is omitted herein.

Note in particular that, in the present embodiment, the display panel 10 may further include an insulating layer 140 and a plurality of conductive patterns CP. The insulating layer 140 covers the plurality of active devices T. These conductive patterns CP are disposed in the plurality of pixel regions PXA, respectively, and overlap the drain electrode DE of the active device T. The conductive pattern CP overlapping the drain electrode DE penetrates the insulating layer 140 to electrically connect the drain electrode DE. The material of the insulating layer 140 may include an inorganic insulating material (e.g., silicon oxide or silicon nitride) or an organic insulating material (e.g., organic resin).

In this embodiment, the display panel 10 may further include a planarization layer 160. The planarization layer 160 covers the insulating layer 140 and the plurality of conductive patterns CP, and has an opening OP exposing a portion of the surface of the conductive patterns CP. The reflective electrode RE of the pixel structure PX is disposed on the planarization layer 160 and extends into the opening OP to electrically contact the conductive pattern CP. The material of the reflective electrode RE may include a metal (e.g., silver), an alloy (e.g., silver alloy), a nitride of a metal material, an oxide of a metal material, an oxynitride of a metal material, or other suitable materials.

In this embodiment, the reflective electrode RE is made of silver metal with high reflectivity, for example. In particular, in order to control the chromaticity coordinates (x, y) of the external light EB reflected by the display panel 10 within the range of (0.300± 0.009,0.310 ±0.009) in the CIE1931 color space, the display panel 10 is further provided with a light-adjusting color-blocking layer 170 between the reflective electrode RE and the display medium layer 180. The light adjusting color blocking layer 170 is disposed to overlap the reflective electrode RE, and is directly formed on the reflective surface REs of the reflective electrode RE. In the present embodiment, the light-adjusting color-blocking layer 170 is made of white color-blocking material, but is not limited thereto. On the other hand, the thickness d of the light-adjusting color resist layer 170 (e.g., the thickness along the vertical direction of fig. 1) may preferably be in the range of 0.1 to 1.0 μm.

In the present embodiment, the dimming resistive layer 170 is, for example, a plurality of dimming patterns 170P that are structurally separated from each other. The dimming patterns 170P are respectively overlapped with the plurality of reflective electrodes RE of the plurality of pixel structures PX. More specifically, the orthographic projections of the dimming patterns 170P on the first substrate 101 are located within the orthographic projections of the plurality of reflective electrodes RE on the first substrate 101 (as shown in fig. 2).

The percentage value of the projected area of the light modulating color blocking layer 170 on the reflective surface REs of the reflective electrode RE to the area of the reflective surface REs is preferably greater than or equal to 30% and less than or equal to 60%. That is, the dimming pattern 170P of the present embodiment does not completely cover the reflective surface REs of the reflective electrode RE of the corresponding pixel structure PX. From another point of view, the reflective electrode RE of each pixel structure PX may have a portion of the reflective surface REs exposed by the light-adjusting color resist layer 170.

For example, the geometric center GC1 of the reflective electrode RE and the geometric center GC2 of the dimming pattern 170P within each pixel region PXA may optionally overlap each other, but is not limited thereto. It should be noted that, the front projection profile of the dimming pattern 170P on the first substrate 101 of the present embodiment is illustrated by taking a rectangle as an example, and the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, not shown, the front projection profile of the dimming pattern on the first substrate 101 may be a bar, a circle, an ellipse, a polygon, or other suitable shape. On the other hand, although the number of dimming patterns overlapped on the reflective electrode RE of the present embodiment is one, in other embodiments not shown, the number of dimming patterns overlapped on the reflective electrode RE may be two or more.

Since the dimming pattern 170P of the present embodiment covers only a portion of the reflection surface REs of the reflection electrode RE, the influence of the dimming color resistance layer 170 on the electric field intensity and distribution between the reflection electrode RE and the common electrode layer can be reduced, and the design of the film thickness of the dimming color resistance layer 170 can be more flexible. In addition, the display panel 10 can obtain better color performance (such as color rendering of a white screen), and also has overall reflectivity to the external light EB.

For example, in a preferred embodiment, the film thickness d of the dimming pattern 170P may be 0.1 μm, and the percentage value of the projected area of the dimming pattern 170P on the reflective surface REs of the reflective electrode RE to the area of the reflective surface REs is 60%. In another preferred embodiment, the film thickness d of the dimming pattern 170P may be 1 micron, and the percentage value of the projected area of the dimming pattern 170P on the reflective surface REs of the reflective electrode RE to the area of the reflective surface REs is 30%. Accordingly, the color performance and the reflectivity of the display panel 10 can be both achieved. That is, the projected area ratio of the dimming pattern on the reflecting surface of the reflecting electrode is smaller as the film thickness is thicker or larger as the film thickness is thinner, so as to reduce the influence on the electric field intensity and distribution between the reflecting electrode RE and the common electrode layer.

Other embodiments will be listed below to describe the present disclosure in detail, wherein like components will be denoted by like reference numerals, and descriptions of the same technical content will be omitted, and reference is made to the foregoing embodiments for parts, which will not be repeated below.

Fig. 3 is a schematic top view of a display panel according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 3, the display panel 10A of the present embodiment is different from the display panel 10 of fig. 2 only in that: the relative positional relationship of the dimming pattern on the reflective electrode is different. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the dimming pattern 170P-a of the dimming resistive layer 170A in each pixel region PXA is disposed at one side of the deflection reflective electrode RE. For example, the geometric center GC2″ of the dimming pattern 170P-a is disposed offset from the geometric center GC1 of the reflective electrode RE toward the lower right corner of the reflective electrode RE, but is not limited thereto.

Fig. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display panel according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display panel according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 4, the display panel 10B of the present embodiment is different from the display panel 10 of fig. 1 only in that: the dimming pattern covers different areas on the reflective electrode. Specifically, in the display panel 10B of the present embodiment, the dimming pattern 170P-B of the dimming color resist layer 170B in each pixel region PXA can completely cover the reflective surface REs of the reflective electrode RE, and does not protrude beyond the edge of the reflective electrode RE.

However, the present invention is not limited thereto. In another embodiment of the display panel 10C, the light-color-adjusting resistive layer 170C can entirely cover the reflective electrodes RE and the surface of the planarization layer 160 exposed between the reflective electrodes RE, as shown in fig. 5. That is, the light adjusting color resist layer 170C may be an unpatterned color resist layer.

Fig. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display panel according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. Referring to fig. 6, the display panel 11 of the present embodiment is different from the display panel 10C of fig. 5 in that: the display panel 11 of the present embodiment further includes a transparent conductive layer 175 disposed between the reflective electrode RE and the display medium layer 180 and overlapping the reflective electrode RE. The transparent conductive layer 175 may comprise a metal oxide, for example: indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, aluminum tin oxide, aluminum zinc oxide, or other suitable oxide, or a stacked layer of at least two of the foregoing.

It is noted that, in the present embodiment, the light modulating resistive layer 170c″ has a contact hole 170op overlapping the reflective electrode RE, and the transparent conductive layer 175 is electrically connected to the reflective electrode RE through the contact hole 170op of the light modulating resistive layer 170c″. Since the transparent conductive layer 175 is located between the display medium layer 180 and the light-adjusting color-resistant layer 170C ", the electric field intensity and distribution formed between the transparent conductive layer 175 and the common electrode layer are not affected by the light-adjusting color-resistant layer 170C". Also, the design of the film thickness of the light-adjusting color resist layer 170C″ can be more flexible. For example, even though the light-adjusting color-blocking layer 170c″ covers the plurality of reflective electrodes RE entirely, the light-adjusting color-blocking layer 170c″ may have a larger film thickness (e.g., greater than 1 μm) to satisfy the larger chromaticity improvement requirement.

Fig. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display panel according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display panel according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 7, the display panel 10D of the present embodiment is different from the display panel 10B of fig. 4 in that: the configuration of the light-adjusting color resistance layer is different. For example, in the present embodiment, the light-adjusting color resist layer 170D of the display panel 10D may be provided with a plurality of optical microstructures 170M in each pixel region PXA, and the optical microstructures 170M are distributed over the entire reflection surface REs of the reflection electrode RE, so as to increase the uniformity of the external light EB after being reflected by the reflection electrode RE. Specifically, the arrangement relationship between the thickness of the optical microstructures 170M (e.g., the maximum thickness along the normal direction of the reflective surface REs) and the projection area ratio of the optical microstructures on the reflective surface REs of the reflective electrode RE in the embodiment of fig. 1 can be compared with the arrangement relationship between the projection area ratio of the dimming pattern 170P on the reflective surface REs of the reflective electrode RE and the thickness thereof, and will not be described again.

However, the present invention is not limited thereto. In order to reduce the influence of the light-adjusting color-blocking layer on the electric field intensity and distribution between the reflective electrode RE and the common electrode layer, in another embodiment, the light-adjusting color-blocking layer 170E of the display panel 10E is disposed on the reflective surface REs of the reflective electrode RE in a dispersible manner by a plurality of optical microstructures 170m″ in each pixel region PXA (as shown in fig. 8). That is, the optical microstructures 170M″ may be spaced apart from each other and expose a portion of the reflective surface REs of the reflective electrode RE.

In summary, in the display panel according to an embodiment of the invention, the light-modulating color blocking layer is disposed on the reflective electrode for reflecting the external light. The chromaticity coordinates (x, y) of the color of the external light reflected by the reflective electrode in the CIE1931 color space can be controlled within the range of (0.300+/-0.009,0.310 +/-0.009) by setting the light-adjusting color resistance layer, so that the color performance of the display panel is improved.

Finally, it should be noted that: the above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical solution of the present invention, and not for limiting the same; although the invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that: the technical scheme described in the foregoing embodiments can be modified or some or all of the technical features thereof can be replaced by equivalents; such modifications and substitutions do not depart from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A display panel, comprising:

The first substrate and the second substrate are arranged in an overlapping mode;

The pixel structures are arranged on the first substrate and respectively comprise an active element and a reflecting electrode which are electrically connected with each other, and the reflecting electrode is suitable for reflecting external light rays from the second substrate;

The display medium layer is arranged between the reflecting electrodes of the pixel structures and the second substrate; and

The light-adjusting color resistance layer is arranged between the display medium layer and the plurality of reflecting electrodes and is overlapped with the plurality of reflecting electrodes, wherein the chromaticity coordinates (x, y) of the color of the light-adjusting color resistance layer after the external light passing through the light-adjusting color resistance layer is reflected by the reflecting electrodes and passes through the light-adjusting color resistance layer again are in the range of (0.300+/-0.009,0.310 +/-0.009).

2. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the light-modulating color resist layer covers the plurality of reflective electrodes of the plurality of pixel structures entirely.

3. The display panel of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of pixel structures further comprises a transparent conductive layer disposed on the light-modulating color resist layer and overlapping the reflective electrode, wherein the light-modulating color resist layer has a contact hole overlapping the reflective electrode, and the transparent conductive layer is electrically connected to the reflective electrode through the contact hole of the light-modulating color resist layer.

4. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the light-adjusting color resist layer has a film thickness in a range of 0.1 micrometers to 1.0 micrometers.

5. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein a percentage value of a projected area of the light-adjusting color resist layer on a reflection surface of the reflection electrode to an area of the reflection surface is greater than or equal to 30% and less than or equal to 60%.

6. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the light-adjusting color resist layer is a plurality of light-adjusting patterns, and the light-adjusting patterns are respectively overlapped with the plurality of reflective electrodes of the plurality of pixel structures.

7. The display panel of claim 6, wherein orthographic projections of the plurality of dimming patterns on the first substrate are located within orthographic projections of the plurality of reflective electrodes on the first substrate.

8. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the light-modulating color resist layer is provided with a plurality of optical microstructures.

9. The display panel of claim 8, wherein a gap between any two adjacent of the plurality of optical microstructures reveals one of the plurality of reflective electrodes.

10. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the reflective electrode is made of silver metal.

11. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the light-adjusting color resist layer is made of white color resist.