Display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9634041-B2
Application number	US-201414461618-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2014
Priority date	Jan 14, 2014
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

A display apparatus includes a number of pixels. Each pixel includes a substrate including a pixel area and a non-pixel area disposed between adjacent pixel areas, a first electrode disposed on the substrate in the pixel area, and a second electrode extending in a first direction and being spaced apart upward from the substrate by a predetermined distance in the pixel area defining a tunnel-shaped cavity, an image display layer disposed in the tunnel-shaped cavity and driven by an electric field formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, a roof layer disposed on the second electrode, and a sealing layer extending in the first direction, having a black color, and being disposed in the non-pixel area between adjacent pixel areas in a second direction crossing the first direction to seal the tunnel-shaped cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display apparatus comprising:
a plurality of pixels, each pixel defining a pixel area and a non-pixel area surrounding the pixel area, wherein the non-pixel area comprises:
a first non-pixel area extending in a first direction and disposed between adjacent pixel areas in a second direction crossing the first direction; and
a second non-pixel area disposed between adjacent pixel areas in the first direction,
each pixel comprising:
a substrate comprising a black matrix disposed in the second non-pixel area;
a first electrode disposed on the substrate in the pixel area;
a second electrode extending in the first direction to be disposed in the pixel area and the second non-pixel area, and being spaced apart upward from the substrate by a predetermined distance in the pixel area, such that a tunnel-shaped cavity is defined between the second electrode and the substrate;
an image display layer disposed in the tunnel-shaped cavity and driven by an electric field formed between the first electrode and the second electrode;
a roof layer disposed on the second electrode; and
a sealing layer having a black color, and being disposed in the first non-pixel area to seal the tunnel-shaped cavity,
wherein the black matrix and the sealing layer are formed with different materials from one another.

2. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode is disposed adjacent to the substrate in the second non-pixel area, is not disposed adjacent to the substrate in the pixel area, and is spaced apart upward from the substrate in the pixel areas to define the tunnel-shaped cavity.

3. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate further comprises:
a base substrate;
a color filter disposed on the base substrate in the pixel area; and
an organic insulating layer disposed on the color filter and the black matrix.

4. The display apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the sealing layer is disposed on the base substrate in the first non-pixel area and has a same height as the roof layer.

5. The display apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the black matrix comprises a photoresist resin and at least one of a chromium-containing metal material having a black color or a carbon-containing organic material having a black color.

6. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sealing layer comprises at least one of an acryl resin, an ultra-violet curing agent, a photo initiator, a coupling agent, or carbon-containing particles having a black color.

7. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the roof layer is configured to planarize an upper portion of the second electrode.

8. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate further comprises a thin film transistor connected to the first electrode and the thin film transistor is disposed in the first non-pixel area.

9. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image display layer comprises a liquid crystal layer.

10. A method of manufacturing the display apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
forming the plurality of pixels, wherein forming the plurality of pixels comprises:
preparing the substrate including the pixel area and the non-pixel area disposed between the pixel areas;
forming the first electrode on the substrate in the pixel area;
forming a sacrificial layer on the substrate, the sacrificial layer extending in the second direction crossing the first direction and being overlapped with the pixel areas arranged in the second direction;
forming the second electrode on the substrate, the second electrode extending in the first direction and covering the sacrificial layer in the pixel area;
forming the roof layer on the second electrode;
wet-etching the sacrificial layer to form the tunnel-shaped cavity between the second electrode and the substrate in the pixel area;
forming a liquid crystal layer in the tunnel-shaped cavity; and
forming the sealing layer extending in the first direction and being disposed in the non-pixel area between the pixel areas in the second direction to seal the tunnel-shaped cavity, the sealing layer having the black color.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the non-pixel area comprises:
a first non-pixel area disposed between the pixel areas in the second direction and extending in the first direction; and
a second non-pixel area disposed between the pixel areas in the first direction.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein preparing the substrate comprises:
preparing a base substrate;
forming a color filter and a black matrix on the base substrate in the pixel area and the second non-pixel area;
forming an organic insulating layer on the base substrate to cover the color filter and the black matrix; and
removing the organic insulating layer in the first non-pixel area, and wherein the sealing layer is disposed on the base substrate in the first non-pixel area.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the black matrix comprises a photoresist resin and at least one of a chromium-containing metal material having a black color or a carbon-containing organic material having a black color.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein forming the sealing layer comprises:
providing a sealant on the base substrate in the first non-pixel area; and
curing the sealant using an ultraviolet ray to form the sealing layer, wherein the sealant is provided to the first non-pixel area using at least one of an inkjet printing or nozzle printing process.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sealant is formed to a height of the roof layer.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sealing layer comprises at least one of an acryl resin, an ultra-violet curing agent, a photo initiator, a coupling agent, or carbon-containing particles having a black color.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein preparing the substrate further comprises forming a thin film transistor on the base substrate to be connected to the first electrode, wherein the thin film transistor is formed in the first non-pixel area.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the liquid crystal layer comprises:
providing a liquid crystal in fluid state to the first non-pixel area such that the liquid crystal flows into the tunnel-shaped cavity by a capillary phenomenon; and
removing the liquid crystal that remains in the first non-pixel area, wherein the liquid crystal layer is formed by the liquid crystal provided in the tunnel-shaped cavity.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the roof layer is configured to planarize an upper portion of the second electrode.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chae Seung-Yeon
• Choi Sanggun
• Kim Hansu
• Cha Taewoon

Classifications

• G02F2001/136222

  Physics · mapped topic

• H01L27/1259 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G02F1/133512 Primary

  Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix (G02F1/136209 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02F1/133377

  Cells with plural compartments or having plurality of liquid crystal microcells partitioned by walls, e.g. one microcell per pixel · CPC title

• G02F1/136209

  Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix, incorporated in the active matrix substrate, e.g. structurally associated with the switching element · CPC title