# US 10,481,437 B1 · Liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing that

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- Number: US 10,481,437 B1
- Document ID: US10481437B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/511,105
- Filed: 2019-07-15
- Published: 2019-11-07
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2008-05-22
- Assignees: Japan Display Inc.; Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Japan Display Inc.; Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hidehiro Sonoda; Chikae Matsui; Noboru Kunimatsu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481437B1

## CPC

- G02F 1/133711: {by organic films, e.g. polymeric films}
- G02F 1/133345: {Insulating layers (G02F1/1335, G02F1/1337, G02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence)}
- G02F 1/133514: {Colour filters}
- G02F 1/1337: Surface-induced orientation of the liquid crystal molecules, e.g. by alignment layers
- G02F 1/133719: {with coupling agent molecules, e.g. silane}
- G02F 1/133723: {Polyimide, polyamide-imide}
- G02F 1/133788: {by light irradiation, e.g. linearly polarised light photo-polymerisation}
- G02F 1/1339: Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells
- G02F 1/13394: {spacers regularly patterned on the cell subtrate, e.g. walls, pillars (G02F1/133377 takes precedence)}
- G02F 1/13396: {Spacers having different sizes}
- G02F 1/134309: {characterised by their geometrical arrangement}
- G02F 1/13439: {characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making}
- G02F 1/136286: {Wiring, e.g. gate line, drain line}
- G02F 1/1368: in which the switching element is a three-electrode device {(G02F1/136277 takes precedence)}
- G02F 1/133519: {Overcoatings}
- G02F 2201/121: common or background
- G02F 2201/123: pixel
- G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS

## Abstract

A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a first alignment film formed over the first substrate, a second substrate, a second alignment film formed aver the second substrate, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first alignment film and the second alignment film, and a projecting portion formed over the second substrate. The first alignment film is a photo alignment film, and a thickness “d2” of the second alignment film over the projecting portion and a film thickness “d1” of a portion of the first alignment film facing the projecting portion satisfy formula (2), d2<d1 (2).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A liquid crystal display device comprising:
a first substrate;
a first alignment film on the first substrate;
a second substrate;
a second alignment film on the second substrate;
a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first alignment film and the second alignment film;
a projecting portion on the second substrate;
a black matrix on the second substrate;
a first electrode in a pixel region, the first electrode between the first alignment film and the first substrate; and
an insulation film between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer,
wherein the first electrode and the insulation film are covered by the first alignment film,
wherein the first alignment film or the second alignment film is a photo alignment film, and
wherein a thickness “d2” of the second alignment film on the projecting portion and a thickness “d1” of the second alignment film on the black matrix satisfy a formula (1),
d2<d1 (1).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 further comprising:
a second electrode formed between the first alignment film and the first substrate,
wherein the liquid crystal layer is controlled by an electric field generated between the first electrode and the second electrode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 further comprising:
a second electrode formed between the first alignment film and the first substrate,
wherein the second electrode is a planar electrode and the first electrode is a linear electrode, and
wherein the first electrode is disposed between the second electrode and the liquid crystal layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, further comprising a facing portion,
wherein the facing portion faces the projecting portion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 4, further comprising:
a semiconductor layer disposed between the facing portion and the first substrate; and
a stacked structure constituted of the semiconductor layer and a metal layer,
wherein the stacked structure is disposed between the facing portion and the first substrate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 4, further comprising a thin film transistor having a source electrode and a drain electrode,
wherein the stacked structure connects either the source electrode or the drain electrode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1,
wherein the first alignment film or the second alignment film includes a coupling agent.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1,
wherein the first alignment film is formed from a material having a skeleton of cyclobutene tetracarboxylic acid.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1,
wherein the first alignment film is made from a material having a skeleton of diamine phenyl ether.

### Claim 10 (depends on 4)

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 4, further comprising:
a gate line;
a thin film transistor; and
a stacked structure constituted of a semiconductor layer and a metal layer,
wherein the gate line overlaps with the thin film transistor and the stacked structure, and
wherein the small projection includes the stacked structure.

### Claim 11

A liquid crystal display device comprising:
a first substrate;
a first alignment film on the first substrate;
a second substrate;
a second alignment film on the second substrate;
a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first alignment lm and the second alignment film;
a projecting portion on the first substrate;
a facing portion on the second substrate;
a black matrix on the first substrate;
a first electrode in a pixel region, the first electrode between the first alignment film and the first substrate; and
an insulation film between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer;
wherein the first electrode and the insulation film are covered by the first alignment film,
wherein the facing portion faces the projecting portion,
wherein the first alignment film or the second alignment film is a photo alignment film, and
wherein a thickness “d2” of the second alignment film on the projecting portion and a thickness “d1” of the second alignment film on the black matrix satisfy a formula (1),
d2<d1 (1).

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11 further comprising:
a second electrode formed between the first alignment film and the first substrate,
wherein the liquid crystal layer is controlled by an electric field generated between the first electrode and the second electrode.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11 further comprising:
a second electrode formed between the first alignment film and the first substrate,
wherein the second electrode is a planar electrode and the first electrode is a linear electrode, and
wherein the first electrode is disposed between the second electrode and the liquid crystal layer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11, further comprising a metal layer disposed between the projecting portion and the first substrate.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11,
wherein the first alignment film or the second alignment film includes a coupling agent.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11,
wherein the first alignment film is formed from a material having a skeleton of cyclobutene tetracarboxylic acid.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11,
wherein the first alignment film is made from a material having a skeleton of diamine phenyl ether.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 11, further comprising:
a gate line,
wherein the gate line is disposed between the first substrate and the projecting portion.