Display device, display module including the display device, and electronic device including the display device or the display module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016282686-A1
Application number	US-201615076132-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 21, 2016
Priority date	Mar 26, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A display device with low power consumption and high display quality is provided. The display device includes first and second electrodes. One pixel includes a region in which the distance between the first electrode and the second electrode is constant and a region in which the distance varies; this structure allows the switching operation of liquid crystal to start in a predetermined region, thereby improving the stability of the operation of the liquid crystal. A pixel region is divided into two regions in which the liquid crystals are aligned in the two respective directions when switching is performed, whereby viewing angle characteristics are improved. Furthermore, the supply of a potential to a third electrode suppresses alignment disorder of the liquid crystal and improves the display quality.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A display device comprising a pixel, the pixel comprising:
a first electrode; a second electrode; a liquid crystal; and a first substrate, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are over the first substrate, wherein the liquid crystal is driven by an electric field generated between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the pixel comprises a first region and a second region, wherein, when seen from above, the pixel comprises a distance between the first electrode and the second electrode is constant in the first region and is different between the first region and the second region, and wherein one of the first electrode and the second electrode is a pixel electrode and the other of the first electrode and the second electrode is a commom electrode.

2 . The display device according to claim 1 , further compring a third electrode and a second substrate,
wherein the third electrode is on a side of the second substrate facing the first substrate, and wherein the liquid crystal is driven by electric fields generated between the first to third electrodes.

3 . The display device according to claim 1 , further compring a switching element,
wherein the switching element is electrically connected to one of the first electrode and the second electrode.

4 . The display device according to claim 3 , wherein the switching element is over the first substrate.

5 . The display device according to claim 3 , wherein the switching element is a field-effect transistor.

6 . The display device according to claim 3 , wherein the switching element comprises an oxide semiconductor.

7 . The display device according to claim 1 , further comprising an insulating film between the first electrode and the second electrode.

8 . The display device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first electrode comprises a third region and a fourth region and the second electrode comprises a fifth region and a sixth region, wherein, when seen from above, the third region is line-symmetric to the fourth region, and wherein, when seen from above, the fifth region is line-symmetric to the sixth region.

9 . An electronic device comprising:
the display device according to claim 1 ; and at least one of a switch, a speaker, and a housing.

10 . A display device comprising a pixel, the pixel comprising:
a first electrode; a second electrode; a liquid crystal; and a first substrate, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are over the first substrate, wherein the liquid crystal is driven by an electric field generated between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the pixel comprises a first region and a second region, wherein, in the first region seen from above, a portion of the first electrode is parallel to a portion of the second electrode, wherein, in the second region seen from above, a portion of the first electrode is bent toward a portion of the second electrode, and wherein one of the first electrode and the second electrode is a pixel electrode and the other of the first electrode and the second electrode is a commom electrode.

11 . The display device according to claim 10 , further compring a third electrode and a second substrate,
wherein the third electrode is on a side of the second substrate facing the first substrate, and wherein the liquid crystal is driven by electric fields generated between the first to third electrodes.

12 . The display device according to claim 10 , further compring a switching element, wherein the switching element is electrically connected to one of the first electrode and the second electrode.

13 . The display device according to claim 10 , further comprising an insulating film between the first electrode and the second electrode.

14 . The display device according to claim 10 ,
wherein the first electrode comprises a third region and a fourth region and the second electrode comprises a fifth region and a sixth region, wherein, when seen from above, the third region is line-symmetric to the fourth region, and wherein, when seen from above, the fifth region is line-symmetric to the sixth region.

15 . A display device comprising a pixel, the pixel comprising:
a first electrode; a second electrode; a liquid crystal; and a first substrate, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are over the first substrate, wherein the liquid crystal is driven by an electric field generated between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the pixel comprises a first region and a second region, wherein, in the first region seen from above, a portion of the first electrode is parallel to a portion of the second electrode, wherein, in the second region seen from above, a portion of the first electrode is bent toward a portion of the second electrode, and wherein a distance between the first electrode and the second electrode is different between the first region and the second region.

16 . The display device according to claim 15 , further compring a third electrode and a second substrate,
wherein the third electrode is on a side of the second substrate facing the first substrate, and wherein the liquid crystal is driven by electric fields generated between the first to third electrodes.

17 . The display device according to claim 15 , further compring a switching element,
wherein the switching element is electrically connected to one of the first electrode and the second electrode.

18 . The display device according to claim 15 , further comprising an insulating film between the first electrode and the second electrode.

19 . The display device according to claim 15 ,
wherein the first electrode comprises a third region and a fourth region and the second electrode comprises a fifth region and a sixth region, wherein, when seen from above, the third region is line-symmetric to the fourth region, and wherein, when seen from above, the fifth region is line-symmetric to the sixth region.

Assignees

• Semiconductor Energy Lab

Inventors

• Kubota Yusuke
• Kubota Daisuke

Classifications

• G02F1/134363 Primary

  for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS] · CPC title

• G02F1/136227

  Through-hole connection of the pixel electrode to the active element through an insulation layer · CPC title

• G02F1/134309 Primary

  characterised by their geometrical arrangement · CPC title

• G02F1/1362

  Active matrix addressed cells {(G02F1/134336, G02F1/134363 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G02F1/1368

  in which the switching element is a three-electrode device {(G02F1/136277 takes precedence)} · CPC title