Liquid crystal alignment method, pixel structure, display panel and display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10042208-B2
Application number	US-201615502168-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2016
Priority date	Mar 9, 2016
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention disclose a liquid crystal alignment method, a pixel structure, a display panel, and a display device, which pertain to the field of display technologies. The liquid crystal alignment method comprises: forming, on a first substrate, at least two spaced apart annular electrode lines; forming an alignment film on the first substrate on which the at least two spaced apart annular electrode lines are formed; disposing a convex lens on the first substrate on which the alignment film is formed, the center point of the convex surface of the convex lens being in contact with the alignment film; irradiating the flat surface of the convex lens with a light source such that the alignment film is formed into an alignment structure, the alignment structure comprising a plurality of annular grooves nested from inside to outside, the orthographic projection of the plurality of annular grooves on a layer where the annular electrode lines reside being located in a spacing region of the at least two spaced apart annular electrode lines; adding a plurality of liquid crystal molecules into the alignment structure such that the plurality of liquid crystal molecules enclose a plurality of annular structures nested from inside to outside. The problem that the quality of the displayed picture is poor can be alleviated or mitigated, and the effect of enhancing the quality of the displayed picture can be achieved.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A liquid crystal alignment method, comprising:
forming at least two spaced apart annular electrode lines on a first substrate;
forming an alignment film on the first substrate on which the at least two spaced apart annular electrode lines are formed;
disposing a convex lens on the first substrate on which the alignment film is formed, the convex lens being enclosed by a flat surface and a convex surface, a center point of the convex surface of the convex lens being in contact with the alignment film;
irradiating the flat surface of the convex lens with a light source such that the alignment film is formed into an alignment structure, the alignment structure comprising a plurality of annular grooves nested from inside to outside, an orthographic projection of the plurality of annular grooves on a layer where the annular electrode lines reside being located in a spacing region of the at least two spaced apart annular electrode lines;
adding a plurality of liquid crystal molecules into the alignment structure such that the plurality of liquid crystal molecules enclose a plurality of annular structures nested from inside to outside.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each of the annular grooves has a width of 10 μm to 200 μm.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein a total exposure of the light source is 1000 mJ/cm 2 to 3000 mJ/cm 2 , a distance between the light source and the first substrate is 1 mm to 10 mm, a radius of curvature of the convex lens is 5 m.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of forming at least two spaced apart annular electrode lines on a first substrate comprises forming the at least two spaced apart annular electrode lines on the first substrate by patterning process.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the light source is an ultraviolet point light source of linearly polarized light.

6. A pixel structure, the pixel structure having a circular ring shape and comprising:
at least two spaced apart annular electrode lines, and
an alignment structure above a layer where the annular electrode lines reside,
wherein the alignment structure comprises a plurality of annular grooves nested from inside to outside, wherein an orthographic projection of the plurality of annular grooves on the layer where the annular electrode lines reside is located in a spacing region of the at least two spaced apart annular electrode lines.

7. The pixel structure according to claim 6 , wherein the at least two spaced apart annular electrode lines are provided on the first substrate.

8. The pixel structure according to claim 7 , wherein liquid crystal molecules enclose within the alignment structure a plurality of annular structures nested from inside to outside.

9. The pixel structure according to claim 7 , wherein the alignment structure is formed by the following steps:
forming an alignment film on the layer where the annular electrode lines reside,
disposing a convex lens above the formed alignment film, the convex lens being enclosed by a flat surface and a convex surface, a center point of the convex surface of the convex lens being in contact with the alignment film, and
irradiating the flat surface of the convex lens with a light source so that the alignment film is formed into the alignment structure.

10. The pixel structure according to claim 6 , wherein each of the annular grooves has a width of 10 μm to 200 μm.

11. The pixel structure according to claim 9 , wherein during a process of forming the alignment structure, a total exposure of the light source is 1000 mJ/cm 2 to 3000 mJ/cm 2 , a distance between the light source and the first substrate is 1 mm to 10 mm, a radius of curvature of the convex lens is 5 m.

12. The pixel structure according to claim 9 , wherein the light source is an ultraviolet point light source of linearly polarized light.

13. A display panel comprising a first substrate, a second substrate and a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the first substrate is provided with a pixel structure, the pixel structure having a circular ring shape and comprising:
at least two spaced apart annular electrode lines, and
an alignment structure above a layer where the annular electrode lines reside,
wherein the alignment structure comprises a plurality of annular grooves nested from inside to outside, wherein an orthographic projection of the plurality of annular grooves on the layer where the annular electrode lines reside is located in a spacing region of the at least two spaced apart annular electrode lines.

14. The display panel according to claim 13 , wherein the at least two spaced apart annular electrode lines are provided on the first substrate.

15. The display panel according to claim 14 , wherein liquid crystal molecules enclose within the alignment structure a plurality of annular structures nested from inside to outside.

16. The display panel according to claim 14 , wherein the alignment structure is formed by the following steps:
forming an alignment film on the layer where the annular electrode lines reside,
disposing a convex lens above the formed alignment film, the convex lens being enclosed by a flat surface and a convex surface, a center point of the convex surface of the convex lens being in contact with the alignment film, and
irradiating the flat surface of the convex lens with a light source so that the alignment film is formed into the alignment structure.

17. The display panel according to claim 13 , wherein each of the annular grooves has a width of 10 μm to 200 μm.

18. The display panel according to claim 17 , wherein during a process of forming the alignment structure, a total exposure of the light source is 1000 mJ/cm 2 to 3000 mJ/cm 2 , a distance between the light source and the first substrate is 1 mm to 10 mm, a radius of curvature of the convex lens is 5 m.

19. The display panel according to claim 16 , wherein the light source is an ultraviolet point light source of linearly polarized light.

Assignees

• Boe Technology Group Co Ltd
• Hefei Xinsheng Optoelectronics Technology Co Ltd
• Hefei Xingsheng Optoelectronics Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jiang Liangliang
• Jiang Songyang
• Guo Lei

Classifications

• G02F1/133753 Primary

  with different alignment orientations or pretilt angles on a same surface, e.g. for grey scale or improved viewing angle · CPC title

• G02F1/1335

  Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. polarisers or reflectors · CPC title

• G02F1/133788 Primary

  by light irradiation, e.g. linearly polarised light photo-polymerisation · CPC title

• G02F1/134309

  characterised by their geometrical arrangement · CPC title

• G02F1/133757

  with different alignment orientations · CPC title