Liquid crystal display device

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD [Detailed description of the invention]

【0001】

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

The present invention relates to an information device such as a word processor and a notebook computer, a liquid crystal display device used for various video devices and game devices, a portable VCR, a digital camera, and the like, and more particularly, in particular, outdoors and indoors. It relates to a liquid crystal display device used together and a liquid crystal display device used in an environment where the lighting environment changes drastically, such as an automobile, an aircraft, and a ship.

【0002】

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as a self-luminous display device that can electrically rewrite the display contents, a cathode ray tube (CRT), an electroluminescence (EL) element, a plasma display panel (PDP), etc. have been used. It has been put to practical use.

【0003】

However, since the self-luminous display device emits the display light itself and is used for the display, there is a problem that the power consumption is large. Further, since the light emitting surface of the self-luminous display device itself is a display surface having a high reflectance, when the self-luminous display device is used, the ambient light of the usage environment is stronger than the light emission brightness. For example, in direct sunlight, the so-called washout phenomenon in which the display light cannot be observed is unavoidable.

【0004】

On the other hand, a liquid crystal display device has been put into practical use as a color display that displays characters and images by adjusting the amount of transmitted light from a specific light source without emitting the display light itself. The liquid crystal display device (LCD) can be roughly classified into a transmissive liquid crystal display device and a reflective liquid crystal display device.

【0005】

Among them, the one that is particularly widely used at present as a color liquid crystal display device is a transmissive liquid crystal display device that uses a light source called a background illumination (backlight) on the background, that is, the back surface of the liquid crystal cell. The transmissive liquid crystal display device has advantages such as thinness and light weight, and its application is expanding in various fields, but on the other hand, it consumes a large amount of electric power to emit a background light (backlight). However, although the power used for the transmittance modulation of the liquid crystal is small, a relatively large amount of power is required.

【0006】

However, in such a transmissive liquid crystal display device (that is, a transmissive color liquid crystal display device), the washout phenomenon observed in the self-luminous display device is reduced. This is because the reflectance of the display surface of the color filter layer, which is conveniently used in the transmissive color liquid crystal display device, is reduced by a technique for reducing the reflectance of the color filter layer using a black matrix or the like.

【0007】

However, even when a transmissive color liquid crystal display device is used, it is difficult to observe the display light when the ambient light is very strong and the display light is relatively weak. Therefore, if the background illumination light is further increased in order to solve such a problem, a problem of consuming more power is brought about.

【0008】

In contrast to the above-mentioned light emitting type display device and transmissive liquid crystal display device, the reflective liquid crystal display device uses ambient light for display, so that display light proportional to the amount of ambient light can be obtained. Therefore, the reflective liquid crystal display device has a principle advantage that the above-mentioned washout phenomenon does not occur, and the display can be observed more clearly in a very bright place such as in direct sunlight. Further, since the reflective liquid crystal display device does not require a background illumination (backlight) for its display, it has an advantage that it is possible to reduce the electric power for causing the background illumination (backlight) to emit light. ing. Therefore, the reflective liquid crystal display device is particularly suitable for outdoor use such as a portable information terminal device, a digital camera, and a portable video camera.

【0009】

However, since these conventional reflective liquid crystal display devices use ambient light for display, the display brightness is highly dependent on the surrounding environment, and the display content cannot be confirmed in an environment where the ambient light is weak. It has a problem. In particular, when a color filter used to realize a color display (color display) is used, the display becomes even darker because the color filter absorbs light. Therefore, in such a case, the above problem becomes even more prominent.

【0010】

Therefore, a lighting device called a front light has been developed as an auxiliary lighting so that the reflective liquid crystal display device can be used even in an environment where ambient light is weak. In the reflective liquid crystal display device, a reflector is installed on the back surface of the liquid crystal layer, and it is not possible to use background lighting (backlight) like the transmissive liquid crystal display device. Therefore, the lighting device (front light) used in the reflective liquid crystal display device illuminates the reflective liquid crystal display device from the front, that is, from the display surface side.

【0011】

On the other hand, as a liquid crystal display device that takes advantage of the reflective liquid crystal display device and enables use in an environment where the ambient illumination light is weak, a part of the incident light is transmitted and the remaining incident light is reflected. A liquid crystal display device using a so-called semi-transmissive reflective film has been put into practical use. A liquid crystal display device that uses both transmitted light and reflected light in this way is generally called a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device.

【0012】

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-218483 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-92885), etc., modulates the transmitted light intensity such as TN (twisted nematic) method and STN (super twisted nematic) method. A transflective liquid crystal display device that performs brightness modulation using a liquid crystal display method is disclosed. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-318929 discloses a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device in which a reflective film arranged in the vicinity of the liquid crystal layer has semi-transparency. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-160878 discloses a transmissive liquid crystal display device using an impression switching method as a technique for realizing a wide viewing angle.

【0013】

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

However, the semitransparent liquid crystal display device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-218483 has a semitransparent reflective film arranged on the back surface of the liquid crystal cell when viewed from the observer side, and therefore has the following problems. It has points (1) and (2).

【0014】

That is, first of all, (1) it is difficult to set the brightness that affects the visibility of the display. That is, when setting the brightness of the transflective liquid crystal display device according to the brightness when performing reflection display, it is necessary to set the brightness high in preparation for use under conditions where ambient light is insufficient. is there. However, if the transmittance of the polarizing plate used in the TN method is set high in order to increase the brightness, for example, in the transmission display, the contrast ratio defined by dividing the brightness of the bright display by the brightness of the dark display is insufficient. However, the visibility is deteriorated. On the other hand, when the above brightness is set according to the brightness in the case of transparent display, it is desirable to set the brightness so as to increase the contrast ratio, but in this case, the brightness is insufficient in the reflection display. , Deteriorates visibility.

【0015】

Further, in (2) reflection display, the light passing through the liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the substrates is reflected by the reflection film provided on the back surface of the liquid crystal cell to observe the display, so that the parallax (double) in the reflection display is observed. Image) is seen, causing a decrease in resolution, making high-resolution display difficult.

【0016】

Further, in the semitransmissive liquid crystal display device described in JP-A-7-318929, since the reflective film itself has semitransparency, an optical design suitable for the reflective display unit and the transmissive display unit is not suitable. It has the problem that it is possible.

【0017】

Further, although the impression switching method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-160878 is used in a transmissive liquid crystal display device, the liquid crystal orientation on the comb-shaped electrode does not contribute to the display. This is not because the electrode wiring is often made of a non-transmissive metal, but because the change in liquid crystal orientation is insufficient for transmission display.

【0018】

Therefore, in order to solve these problems, the inventors of the present application have attempted to apply the display method used for the reflective liquid crystal display capable of suppressing parallax to the transflective liquid crystal display device. Specifically, (a) a GH (guest host) method in which a liquid crystal composition in which a dichroic dye (dichroic dye) is mixed in a liquid crystal layer is arranged, and (b) reflection using one polarizing plate. We have diligently studied the use of two methods, the type liquid crystal display method (hereinafter abbreviated as the single polarizing plate method), for semi-transmissive display.

【0019】

When considering the use of a display method that does not cause parallax as shown in the above two methods (a) and (b), the reflective film is arranged so as to be substantially in contact with the liquid crystal layer, and the transmitted light is added to the reflected light. The reflective film is provided with a transmissive opening so that it can be used for display.

【0020】

As a result, the following problems were further clarified. First, in the (a) GH method, when the concentration of the dichroic pigment mixed in the liquid crystal composition is adjusted so as to be suitable for the reflection display, the transmissive display portion has a high brightness but a insufficient contrast ratio, resulting in a good display. Cannot be obtained. On the other hand, when the concentration of the dichroic pigment mixed in the liquid crystal composition is adjusted so as to be suitable for transmission display, a good contrast ratio can be obtained in the transmission display portion, but the brightness is lowered in the reflection display portion, which is good. You cannot get a reflective display.

【0021】

In addition, (b) when the single polarizing plate method is used for semi-transmissive display, the setting of the liquid crystal orientation and liquid crystal layer thickness that determine the optical characteristics, or the voltage applied to the liquid crystal that drives them is set in the reflection display unit. It is conceivable that the setting is made according to the above, or the transparent display is performed by adding a polarizing plate or the like to the back surface of the display surface (two-sheet polarizing plate method) and the setting is made according to the transparent display.

【0022】

First, the display in the transmissive display unit when the liquid crystal layer thickness is set to a layer thickness suitable for the reflection display will be described. When the liquid crystal layer suitable for the reflection display is set, the amount of change in the polarization state due to the change in orientation due to the external field such as the electric field of the liquid crystal layer is incident from the front, that is, from the display surface side through the liquid crystal layer. When the light passes through the liquid crystal layer again and is emitted to the display surface side, it reciprocates in the liquid crystal layer and a sufficient contrast ratio can be obtained. However, in this setting, the amount of change in the polarization state of the light passing through the liquid crystal layer is insufficient in the transmission display unit. Therefore, in addition to the polarizing plate installed on the observer side of the liquid crystal cell used for the reflection display, that is, the display surface side, the polarizing plate used only for the transmission display is installed on the back surface of the liquid crystal cell when viewed from the observer side. However, sufficient display cannot be obtained with the transparent display unit. That is, when the orientation condition of the liquid crystal layer is set to the orientation condition of the liquid crystal layer suitable for the reflection display (liquid crystal layer thickness, liquid crystal orientation, etc.), the lightness of the transmissive display unit is insufficient or sufficient. However, the transmittance of the dark display does not decrease, and a sufficient contrast ratio for display cannot be obtained.

【0023】

More specifically, when the reflection display is performed, the orientation state of the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer is the liquid crystal layer so that a phase difference of about 1/4 wavelength is given to the light passing through the liquid crystal layer only once. It is controlled by the voltage applied to. Using a liquid crystal layer set to impart such a phase difference to the light passing through the liquid crystal layer, only voltage modulation that gives 1/4 wavelength phase modulation to the light passing through the liquid crystal layer is performed to display a transmissive display. When this is done, when the transmittance when the transmissive display unit is dark display is sufficiently lowered, when the transmissive display unit is bright display, the polarizing plate on the light emitting side absorbs about half the intensity of light, which is sufficient. I can't get a clear display. Further, if optical elements such as a polarizing plate and a phase difference compensation plate are arranged in order to increase the brightness when the transmissive display unit is in bright display, the brightness when the transmissive display unit is in dark display is the same as in bright display. The brightness is about 1/2 of the brightness, and the contrast ratio of the display is insufficient.

【0024】

Next, the display on the reflection display unit when the orientation condition of the liquid crystal layer is set to a condition suitable for transmission display will be described. When reflection display is performed with a liquid crystal layer suitable for transmission display, the liquid crystal orientation is controlled by voltage modulation so that the polarization state of light passing through the liquid crystal layer only once is modulated between two substantially orthogonal polarization states. There is a need. Here, the two orthogonal polarized states may be two linearly polarized light having orthogonal vibration planes, left and right circularly polarized light, and two ellipses having the same ellipticity. Polarized light may have a long axis direction orthogonal to each other and the rotation direction of the optical electric field reversed. In order to realize the modulation of the polarization state between the combination of these two orthogonal polarization states, the liquid crystal layer is voltage-modulated so as to give a phase difference of 1/2 wavelength to the transmitted light. There is a need. When the polarization state of light is modulated between two orthogonal polarization states in this way, in any case, the light is transmitted by the action of the polarizing plate and the action of the contrast compensation plate used as needed. Sufficient brightness and contrast ratio can be achieved in the display.

【0025】

However, when the above liquid crystal layer is set in order to realize such control, the variation of the reflectance is displayed brightly in the reflective display while the transparent display changes from the bright display to the dark display only once. When the means for changing the orientation of the liquid crystal is the same (for example, when the thickness of the liquid crystal layer is the same, the initial orientation is the same, and the liquid crystal is driven by the same voltage), the display is the same. Light and dark display cannot be realized. The problems that occur in the cases (a) and (b) above are the same in the transflective liquid crystal display device described in JP-A-7-318929.

【0026】

Further, the pressure sensing input device (touch panel) used by being superposed on the liquid crystal display device has a problem that the visibility is liable to be deteriorated because it has the reflectivity to light itself, and in particular, it has a problem. This tendency is remarkable in the reflective liquid crystal display device.

【0027】

In addition, most of the front light units that improve the visibility of the reflective liquid crystal display device in an environment where the ambient light is dark have a flat light pipe structure, and the displayed contents are observed through the light pipe. It has the problem that the sex tends to deteriorate.

【0028】

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is that it has excellent visibility, high-resolution display is possible, and both reflected light and transmitted light can be used for display. The purpose is to provide a liquid crystal display device. A further object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device having excellent visibility, capable of high-resolution color display, and capable of using both reflected light and transmitted light for display. ..

【0029】

[Means for solving problems]

As a result of diligent studies to achieve the above object, the inventors of the present application have found that the cause of the problem of the conventional liquid crystal display device is the orientation of the liquid crystal layer at the same time in both the GH method and the polarizing plate method. We have found the conclusion that this is because the transmission display unit and the reflection display unit are set in the same manner, and have completed the present invention.

【0030】

Here, the orientation of the liquid crystal layer is not only the average orientation orientation of the liquid crystal molecules at a certain point of the liquid crystal layer, but also the coordinate dependence of the average orientation orientation with respect to the coordinates taken in the normal direction of the layered liquid crystal layer. Is also shown.

【0031】

That is, in the liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 according to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, between a pair of substrates on which an alignment means (for example, an alignment film) is provided on opposite surfaces and the pair of substrates. A liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal display element having a sandwiched liquid crystal layer, and an orientation for simultaneously taking at least two different orientation states in arbitrary and different regions used for display in the liquid crystal layer. Mechanism (for example, an electrode used for display in the liquid crystal layer to apply different voltage to an arbitrary and different region or generate a different electric field, an applied voltage, or an optional used for display in the liquid crystal layer. An alignment film provided in each of the different regions and oriented in at least two different orientations, or an insulating film formed so as to have at least two different thicknesses in the region used for display in the liquid crystal layer. And a substrate, a specific liquid crystal material, a liquid crystal layer structure formed so as to be driven independently, a polarizing plate, a retardation compensation plate, or a combination thereof, etc.), and different orientations in the liquid crystal layer. A reflecting means (for example, a reflecting film or a reflecting electrode) is arranged in at least one region showing a state, and the regions showing different orientation states are a reflection display unit that performs reflection display and a transmission display unit that performs transmission display. It is characterized by being used in.

【0032】

According to the above configuration, since the liquid crystal orientations have different orientation states at the same time, for example, when a dye such as a dichroic dye is used for display, the light absorption amount (absorption rate) and optical anisotropy are used. In some cases, the magnitude of the modulation amount of each optical physical quantity such as the phase difference can be changed for each region where the liquid crystal orientation is different. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to obtain the transmittance or the reflectance based on the magnitude of the modulation amount of the optical physical quantity according to the orientation state of the liquid crystal layer, whereby the transmittance display unit and the reflection display unit can be obtained. It is possible to set the optical parameters independently with and. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to realize a high contrast ratio without parallax, improve visibility when the surroundings are dark, and have good visibility even when the ambient light is strong. Can be obtained. Therefore, according to the above configuration, a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device having excellent visibility, capable of high-resolution display, and capable of using both reflected light and transmitted light for display is provided. be able to.

【0033】

Further, in the liquid crystal display device according to claim 2 according to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the alignment mechanism rewrites the display contents with the passage of time in the liquid crystal display device according to claim 1. It is characterized by being a display content rewriting means.

【0034】

According to the above configuration, the display content rewriting means and the alignment mechanism can be realized by the same means, and the liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 can be obtained without adding a new configuration. .. In this case, as the display content rewriting means used to take a plurality of states in which the liquid crystal orientation is different, the electrical liquid crystal orientation control means currently widely used for rewriting the display content with the passage of time. That is, it goes without saying that it is possible to use various means used for applying voltage, such as electrodes. In this case, for example, by using different electrodes for the transmission display unit and the reflection display unit, or by changing the voltage itself between the transmission display unit and the reflection display unit, an orientation state in which the liquid crystal orientation is different in the liquid crystal layer can be obtained. A plurality of regions having can be provided.

【0035】

Further, when the degree of modulation of each optical physical quantity such as the amount of light absorption and the phase difference due to optical anisotropy is changed independently between the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit, the orientation direction of the liquid crystal due to the application of voltage is changed. Even when the entire region used for displaying the liquid crystal layer is substantially the same, in regions where the liquid crystal layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer is different, it is substantially the same as when the orientation direction of the liquid crystal layer is changed in the region. Has an action. In particular, in the GH method that uses a dye such as a dichroic dye and uses light absorption, and the polarizing plate method that uses birefringence and optical rotation, each phenomenon of light absorption and birefringence that occurs in the liquid crystal layer is , All are phenomena associated with the propagation of light, and each phenomenon has a relation between the propagation distance of light in the liquid crystal layer and the degree of those phenomena. Further, the display light passes through the liquid crystal layer twice in the reflective display unit by reciprocating, and passes through the liquid crystal layer only once in the transmissive display unit. Therefore, when the liquid crystal orientations are almost the same, the liquid crystal layer thickness However, when the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit are set in the same manner, sufficient brightness and contrast ratio cannot be obtained, and the above-mentioned problem cannot be solved.

【0036】

Therefore, in the liquid crystal display device according to claim 3 according to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a pair of substrates on which an alignment means (for example, an alignment film) is provided on opposite surfaces and a pair of substrates. A liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal display element having a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the two, and a region used for display in the liquid crystal layer is composed of at least two types of regions having different liquid crystal layer thicknesses. Each region having a different liquid crystal layer thickness is used for the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit, and at least the reflection display unit is provided with a reflection means (for example, a reflection film or a reflection electrode) of the reflection display unit. The liquid crystal layer is characterized in that it is smaller than the transmissive display unit.

【0037】

According to the above configuration, it is possible to obtain the transmittance or the reflectance based on the magnitude of the modulation amount of the optical physical quantity in the region where the liquid crystal layer thickness is different, whereby the optical parameter is obtained in the transmission display unit and the reflection display unit. Can be set independently. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to realize a high contrast ratio without parallax, improve visibility when the surroundings are dark, and have good visibility even when the ambient light is strong. Can be obtained. Therefore, according to the above configuration, a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device having excellent visibility, capable of high-resolution display, and capable of using both reflected light and transmitted light for display is provided. be able to.

【0038】

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 4 according to the present invention is the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in order to solve the above problems, at least one of the pair of substrates. The region on the contact surface in contact with the region used for displaying the liquid crystal layer on the substrate is provided with an orientation means so as to give at least two different orientation directions to the orientation of the liquid crystal layer interface in contact with the region. It is characterized by.

【0039】

As described above, as means for having the liquid crystal orientations having different orientation states at the same time, for example, in addition to the display content rewriting means shown in claim 2, for example, at least two are applied to the interface on the substrate in contact with the liquid crystal layer. An alignment film or the like that has been oriented so as to give different types of orientation directions to the orientation of the liquid crystal layer interface in contact with the orientation film can be used. In this way, the orientation means so as to give at least two different orientation directions to the orientation of the liquid crystal layer interface in contact with the region on the contact surface in contact with the region used for displaying the liquid crystal layer on the substrate surface. When a voltage is applied, the liquid crystal layer exhibits at least two different orientation states at the same time in arbitrary and different regions for use in display on the liquid crystal layer, and the orientation in the liquid crystal layer. Reflective display and transparent display can be performed in regions with different states.

【0040】

In this case, by changing the elevation angle of the liquid crystal orientation with respect to the substrate and the azimuth angle thereof, both the orientation of the liquid crystal that determines the optical characteristics and the orientation change when a voltage is applied can be changed, and the reflection display can be changed. It becomes possible to perform a display suitable for each display by the unit and the transparent display unit.

【0041】

According to the present invention, good display can be realized in both the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit by the means and the orientation mechanism described above, but whether color display (color display) or black-and-white display is performed is performed. Alternatively, depending on the desired display, such as whether the display is mainly based on the reflective display or the transparent display, the ratio between the reflective display unit and the transparent display unit is the optimum ratio for performing a good display. Exists.

【0042】

That is, the liquid crystal display device according to claim 5 according to the present invention has the reflection display unit and the transmission display in the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 in order to solve the above problems. The feature is that the ratio of the area of the reflection display part to the total area of the part is 30% or more and 90% or less.

【0043】

Further, from the viewpoint of visibility, it is desirable that the display contents are not inverted between the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit. This is because when the lighting environment changes or the change in the lighting environment is difficult to predict, if the display contents are reversed between the reflective display unit and the transmitted display unit, the contrast ratio of the display increases depending on the intensity of the ambient light. This is because it fluctuates, and from the viewpoint of visibility, such a fluctuation of the contrast ratio causes a phenomenon similar to that of washout, and causes a significant deterioration in visibility.

【0044】

Therefore, when the transparent display unit is a bright display, the reflective display unit simultaneously displays a bright display, and when the transparent display unit is a dark display, the reflective display unit simultaneously displays a dark display, in order to ensure visibility. And it's very important.

【0045】

Therefore, in the liquid crystal display device according to claim 6 according to the present invention, in order to solve the above problem, the transparent display unit is clear in the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The feature is that the reflective display unit becomes a bright display at the same time as the display, and the reflective display unit becomes a dark display at the same time when the transparent display unit is a dark display.

【0046】

Further, in the liquid crystal display device according to claim 7, in order to solve the above problems, in the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the liquid crystal layer is formed into a liquid crystal. It is characterized by comprising a liquid crystal composition in which a dye having a dichroism is mixed.

【0047】

According to the above configuration, the liquid crystal layer is composed of a liquid crystal composition obtained by mixing a dye having dichroism into the liquid crystal, so that the amount of light absorbed by the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit is optimized. can do.

【0048】

Further, as a display method for both the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit to perform good display, it is also effective to use a method of utilizing birefringence or optical rotation phenomenon for display using a polarizing plate.

【0049】

Therefore, the liquid crystal display device according to claim 8 according to the present invention is the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. The polarizing plate is arranged on the non-contact surface side of at least one substrate with the liquid crystal layer.

【0050】

According to the above configuration, the birefringence can be optimized in the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit, and good display can be performed. At this time, in order to use a polarizing plate method for the reflection display unit and secure sufficient display on the transmission display unit in the liquid crystal display device according to claim 3, light incident on the transmission display unit as well as the display surface side is incident. It is necessary to have a polarizing plate on the side as well.

【0051】

Further, in the liquid crystal display device according to claim 8, the amount of change in the phase difference of light caused by the change in orientation due to the voltage of the liquid crystal layer is set in the reflection display unit so as to be suitable for light reciprocating in the liquid crystal layer, and is transmitted. It is desirable that the display unit is set to be suitable for the light transmitted through the liquid crystal layer in order to switch the display.

【0052】

Therefore, the liquid crystal display device according to claim 9 according to the present invention is a voltage application means (for example, an electrode) for applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer in the liquid crystal display device according to claim 8 in order to solve the above problems. ), The voltage applying means has a phase difference of the display light on the reflecting means of the reflecting display unit at the time of applying a voltage of about 90 degrees between the bright display and the dark display. It is characterized in that a voltage is applied so that the phase difference of the display light emitted from the liquid crystal layer in the transmission display unit is approximately 180 degrees between the bright display and the dark display.

【0053】

In this case, the liquid crystal orientation in the liquid crystal layer is, specifically, as shown in claim 10, the liquid crystal layer is twist-oriented between the pair of substrates at a twist angle of 60 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less. Or, as shown in claim 11, it is preferable that the liquid crystal layer is twist-oriented between the pair of substrates at a twist angle of 0 degrees or more and 40 degrees or less.

【0054】

By configuring the liquid crystal display device so that the liquid crystal layer is twist-oriented between the pair of substrates at a twist angle of 60 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less, the liquid crystal is oriented in the liquid crystal layer of the transmissive display unit. The change in polarized light close to the optical rotation according to the twist of the light crystal can be used for display, and the change in polarized light due to the control of the optical rotation and the retardation can be used for the display in the reflection display unit.

【0055】

Further, by configuring the liquid crystal display device so that the liquid crystal layer is twist-oriented between the pair of substrates at a twist angle of 0 degree or more and 40 degrees or less, reflection is also reflected in the liquid crystal layer of the transmission display unit. Also in the liquid crystal layer of the display unit, changes in retardation can be used for display.

【0056】

Further, in the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, 8 or 9, the change in the orientation of the liquid crystal is sufficient even if the orientation is changed in a plane parallel to the substrate. Display is possible.

【0057】

That is, the liquid crystal display device according to claim 12 according to the present invention is the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, 8 or 9, in order to solve the above problems. The element is characterized in that at least one of the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit is rotated in parallel with the substrate to change the orientation state of the liquid crystal layer for display.

【0058】

Further, in the present invention, the imperfect switching method is developed by positively utilizing the insufficient liquid crystal orientation, which causes low light transmittance, which is a problem of the conventional imprint switching method, as a reflection display. It is possible to overcome the low light utilization efficiency.

【0059】

That is, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the liquid crystal display device according to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention has the liquid crystal display element according to the twelfth aspect in the in-plane direction of the substrate on the liquid crystal layer. It is characterized in that a voltage applying means for generating an electric field is provided corresponding to either one of the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit.

【0060】

Further, the orientation of the liquid crystal layer may be a parallel orientation that has been often used for display, but may be a vertical orientation in which the liquid crystal is oriented perpendicular to the substrate.

【0061】

The liquid crystal display device according to claim 14 according to the present invention is the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, 12 or 13, in order to solve the above problems. One of the substrates is characterized in that an alignment film having vertical orientation is provided in a region corresponding to at least one of the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit on the contact surface with the liquid crystal layer. ..

【0062】

As described above, when the substrate is provided with an alignment film having vertical orientation and the liquid crystal is vertically oriented with respect to the substrate, there is an advantage that the contrast ratio of the display is improved. , The liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, 12 or 13 is effective in performing good display.

【0063】

In addition, the liquid crystal display device according to claim 15 according to the present invention is the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 14 in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. At least one of the substrates includes an insulating film in at least a region corresponding to the reflective display portion of the reflective display unit and the transmissive display unit, and the insulating film has a film thickness corresponding to the reflective display unit. Is characterized in that it is formed so as to be thicker than the region corresponding to the transparent display portion.

【0064】

That is, the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device has an insulating film on at least one substantially smooth substrate that sandwiches the liquid crystal layer, and the insulating film is a region corresponding to a transmission display portion and a region corresponding to a reflection display portion. The film is formed to be thinner than the above, or the insulating layer is formed only in the region corresponding to the reflection display portion, and the insulating film is not formed in the region corresponding to the transmission display portion.

【0065】

According to the above configuration, the area used for display in the liquid crystal layer is a liquid crystal display device having at least two kinds of different liquid crystal layer thicknesses (that is, a liquid crystal display having different liquid crystal layer thicknesses in the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit). The device) can be easily obtained.

【0066】

Further, the insulating film not only acts as a means for adjusting the thickness of the liquid crystal layer, but also drives the liquid crystal layer by forming a display electrode on the surface of the reflection display unit where the insulating film comes into contact with the liquid crystal layer. The voltage can be applied to the liquid crystal layer without loss.

【0067】

In this case, a light-reflecting film is formed on the substrate facing the display surface side substrate as a reflecting means, and the fact that the light-reflecting film has a concavo-convex structure is displayed by the transmission display unit. It is effective as a means for preventing the mirror surface of the reflection display that does not impair the performance and the resolution, and the insulating film has a concavo-convex structure similar to the concavo-convex structure of the film having light reflectivity. The light-reflecting film having the above can be easily formed.

【0068】

Further, when color display is performed using the liquid crystal display device of the present invention, it is important to design not only the liquid crystal layer but also the color filter layer which is important for color development. According to the studies by the inventors of the present application, there are two main usage patterns of the transflective liquid crystal display device.

【0069】

One is that the transmission display is mainly used in normal use, and the reflection display is additionally used to prevent washout in a lighting environment where the ambient light is very strong. It is a usage pattern that mainly uses transmissive display, which ensures a great variety of usable lighting environments compared to only liquid crystal display devices, and the other is that it consumes less power in normal use. In an environment where lighting is weak, the so-called backlight is lit and used to ensure a great variety of usable environments as in the previous usage pattern. It is a usage pattern mainly for reflection display.

【0070】

In the above usage mode (usage mode mainly for transparent display), one of the pair of substrates is transparent to at least the region corresponding to the transparent display portion among the regions constituting the display region of each pixel. To provide a liquid crystal display device that has excellent visibility, enables high-resolution color display, and can use both reflected light and transmitted light for display by arranging a color filter having color. Can be done.

【0071】

When color display is performed in this way, each pixel is provided with a color filter having at least a transparent color in the transparent display unit, and no color filter is used in the reflective display unit, or the reflective display is performed. It is particularly effective to arrange a color filter having the same brightness as the color filter arranged in the transparent display unit in at least a part of the unit, or to arrange a color filter having a transparent color having a higher brightness than that.

【0072】

This is because if the color filter of the transmissive display unit is used as it is for the reflective display unit, the brightness will be insufficient. When color display is also performed in the reflective display unit, a region where the color filter is not used is provided in the reflective display unit. By arranging a color filter having a transmissive color higher than that of the transmissive display unit in the reflective display unit, the lightness can be supplemented, color display is possible even for the reflective display unit, and the reflective display unit is capable of color display. This is because the required reflectance can be secured.

【0073】

Considering that the display light passes through the color filter twice in the reflection display unit, it is desirable that the reflection display unit is provided with a color filter having a transmission color having a higher brightness than the transmission display unit.

【0074】

Further, in the usage mode mainly for the transmission display, when the reflection display unit has a region in which the color filter is not provided, the display voltage signal required for the transmission display is a signal suitable for the color display, and the reflection display. The display voltage signal required for the above is a signal suitable for black-and-white display in an example in which no color filter is used for the reflection display unit. Therefore, when the reflection display unit is not provided with a color filter, the ratio of the pixels of each color contributing to the brightness is proportional to the visual transmittance of each color in the transmission display unit, but is equal for each color in the reflection display unit. Therefore, when the reflection display unit is not provided with a color filter, the area of the area where the color display of the reflection display unit is not performed is set according to the visual transmittance of each color of the color filter used for the transmission display. It is desirable to change.

【0075】

That is, the liquid crystal display device according to claim 16 according to the present invention is one of the pair of substrates in the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 15 in order to solve the above problems. A color filter having a transparent color is arranged in a region corresponding to a transparent display portion among the regions constituting the display area of each pixel, and corresponding to a reflective display portion among the regions constituting the display region. It is characterized in that a color filter having the same brightness as the color filter arranged in the region corresponding to the transparent display portion on the substrate is arranged in at least a part of the region.

【0076】

In addition, the liquid crystal display device according to claim 17 according to the present invention is one of the pair of substrates in the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 15 in order to solve the above problems. A color filter having a transparent color is arranged in a region corresponding to a transparent display portion among the regions constituting the display area of each pixel, and corresponding to a reflective display portion among the regions constituting the display region. It is characterized in that a color filter having a transparent color having a higher brightness than the color filter arranged in the region corresponding to the transparent display portion on the substrate is arranged in at least a part of the region.

【0077】

Further, the liquid crystal display device according to claim 18 according to the present invention is one of the pair of substrates in the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 17 in order to solve the above problems. A color filter having a transparent color is arranged in at least a region corresponding to a transparent display portion among the regions constituting the display region of each pixel on the substrate of the above, and the visible transmittance of the transparent color of the color filter is adjusted. In addition, the area of the area where the color display of the reflection display unit is not performed is set.

【0078】

Further, in the second usage mode (usage mode mainly for reflection display), it corresponds to at least the reflection display unit in the area constituting the display area of each pixel in one of the pair of boards. By arranging a color filter having a transmitted color in the area, it is possible to display a color with excellent visibility and high resolution, and a liquid crystal display device capable of using both reflected light and transmitted light for display. Can be provided.

【0079】

Then, in the case of performing color display in this way, isn't it possible to arrange at least a color filter having a transparent color in the reflective display unit for color display in each pixel and use a color filter in the transparent display unit? Alternatively, it is particularly effective to arrange at least a part of the transmission display unit a color filter having the same saturation as the color filter arranged in the reflection display unit or having a transmission color having a higher saturation.

【0080】

In a usage pattern mainly for reflection display, when black-and-white display is performed without using a color filter in the transmission display unit, the light transmittance increases, so that the transmission display unit can be set even smaller. .. As a result, a larger area of the reflection display unit can be secured, and a better display can be obtained in the reflection display during normal use.

【0081】

Further, in the usage mode mainly for the reflection display, by changing the area of the region where the color display of the transmission display portion is not performed according to the visual transmittance of each color of the color filter used for the reflection display, in each pixel. The contribution of the transparent display unit to the brightness of the black-and-white display can be appropriately set in consideration of the visual transmittance.

【0082】

That is, the liquid crystal display device according to claim 19 according to the present invention is one of the pair of substrates in the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 15 in order to solve the above problems. A color filter having a transparent color is arranged in at least a region corresponding to a reflection display portion among the regions constituting the display region of each pixel on the substrate of the above.

【0083】

In addition, the liquid crystal display device according to claim 20 according to the present invention, in order to solve the above problem, in the liquid crystal display device according to claim 19, in accordance with the visual transmittance of the transmitted color of the color filter, The feature is that the area of the area where the color display of the transparent display unit is not performed is set.

【0084】

Further, the liquid crystal display device according to claim 21 according to the present invention is one of the pair of substrates in the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 15 in order to solve the above problems. A color filter having a transparent color is arranged in a region corresponding to a reflection display portion in the region constituting the display region of each pixel, and the region corresponding to the transparent display portion in the region constituting the display region. It is characterized in that at least a part of the region is provided with a color filter having a transmission color having a saturation equal to or higher than that of the color filter arranged in the region corresponding to the reflection display portion of the substrate.

【0085】

Further, since the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes the reflection display unit as described above, it also has the feature of low power consumption in the conventional reflection type liquid crystal display device. However, using an illumination light having a large power consumption and keeping it in a lit state leads to an increase in power consumption.

【0086】

Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 21, in which the liquid crystal display element is covered with the liquid crystal. A illuminating device that injects light from the back surface of the display element is provided, and the illuminating device also serves as a display surface brightness changing means for changing the brightness of the display surface.

【0087】

According to the above configuration, by changing the brightness of the display surface by the lighting device, it is possible to achieve both low power consumption and visibility.

【0088】

Further, the liquid crystal display device according to claim 23 according to the present invention has a perceived brightness of 10 bril according to the adaptive brightness in the liquid crystal display device according to claim 22 in order to solve the above problems. As described above, the feature is that the brightness of the display surface is changed so as to be less than 30 bril.

【0089】

The perceived brightness is defined by the adaptive brightness and the brightness of the display surface. At this time, the above-mentioned lighting device turns on, off, or changes the intensity of the lighting according to the display content of the liquid crystal display device and the adaptive brightness that changes depending on the visual environment such as lighting, so that the above-mentioned perceived brightness can be obtained. It is very preferable to change the brightness of the display surface so as to obtain it in order to achieve both low power consumption and visibility. In particular, when the lighting device is controlled from the outside of the liquid crystal display element by a pressing coordinate detection type input means such as a touch panel, the above effect becomes even more remarkable.

【0090】

Further, according to the above configuration, the visibility in the situation where the transparent display mainly contributes to the display can be improved, good visibility can be realized, and power consumption can be reduced. be able to.

【0091】

Further, in the transflective liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, it is easier to use a pressing coordinate detection type input means such as a touch panel as compared with a reflective liquid crystal display device using a so-called front light. There is a big advantage. Therefore, it is effective to realize a good display in a semitransparent type using such a pressing coordinate detection type input means for a liquid crystal display device integrated with a good input device and having low power consumption.

【0092】

That is, the liquid crystal display device according to claim 24 according to the present invention is arranged so as to overlap the display surface in the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 23 in order to solve the above problems. It is characterized in that it is provided with a pressing coordinate detection type input means for detecting the pressed coordinate position by being pressed.

【0093】

Further, when such a pressing coordinate detection type input means is used, it is easily detected by the signal of the pressing coordinate detecting type input means that the observer is using the display device. Therefore, this signal. Changing the brightness of the display surface by changing the brightness of the lighting device, which affects the power consumption of the liquid crystal display device according to the above, and changing the liquid crystal orientation achieve both reduction of power consumption and good visibility. It is effective for.

【0094】

Therefore, the liquid crystal display device according to claim 25 according to the present invention is arranged and pressed on the display surface in the liquid crystal display device according to claim 22 or 23 in order to solve the above problems. The lighting device includes a pressing coordinate detecting type input means for detecting the pressed coordinate position, and the lighting device is characterized in that the brightness of the display surface is changed in conjunction with the output signal of the pressing coordinate detecting type input means.

【0095】

Further, the liquid crystal display device according to claim 26 according to the present invention is arranged and pressed on a display surface in the liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 or 2 in order to solve the above problems. A pressing coordinate detection type input means for detecting the pressed coordinate position is provided, and the alignment mechanism is linked to an output signal of the pressing coordinate detection type input means in at least one of the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit. It is characterized by changing the orientation state of the liquid crystal layer.

【0096】

Further, when the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes both the pressing coordinate detection type input means and the polarizing plate, the pressing coordinate detecting type input means and the polarizing plate are the polarizing plate and the pressing coordinate detecting type input means. , Liquid crystal display elements are arranged in this order.

【0097】

That is, the liquid crystal display device according to claim 27 according to the present invention is arranged so as to overlap the display surface in the liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 26 in order to solve the above problems. A pressing coordinate detection type input means and a polarizing plate for detecting the pressed coordinate position by being pressed are provided, and the polarizing plate, the pressing coordinate detection type input means, and a liquid crystal display element are arranged in this order. It is characterized by that.

【0098】

By arranging the polarizing plate, the pressing coordinate detection type input means, and the liquid crystal display element in this way, the absorption by the polarizing plate also absorbs the unnecessary reflected light by the pressing coordinate detection type input means, and the unnecessary reflected light is absorbed. It can be reduced. Therefore, according to the above configuration, the visibility of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention can be improved.

【0099】

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is characterized in that the liquid crystal orientation of the reflection display unit and the liquid crystal orientation of the transmission display unit can be in different states at the same time. Here, the liquid crystal orientation indicates not only the average orientation orientation of the liquid crystal molecules at a certain point of the liquid crystal layer, but also the coordinate dependence of the average orientation orientation with respect to the coordinates taken in the normal direction of the layered liquid crystal layer. It shall be. Therefore, in the present invention, a method for realizing different liquid crystal orientations in the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit and an orientation mechanism used in the method will be described by roughly classifying them into three types.

【0100】

The first method is to make the liquid crystal orientation of the reflection display unit different from the liquid crystal orientation of the transmission display unit by using an orientation mechanism prepared so that certain conditions of the liquid crystal layer differ between the transmission display unit and the reflection display unit. The method.

【0101】

Specifically, as the first method, for example, (1) a method using an orientation mechanism for twisting the liquid crystal so that the transmissive display unit and the reflective display unit have completely different twist angles, (2). Examples thereof include a method using an orientation mechanism that greatly changes the inclination angle of the liquid crystal alignment with respect to the substrate. Further, in the first method, (3) a method of arranging different liquid crystal materials in the transmissive display unit and the reflective display unit, and (4) the type and concentration of the dye mixed in the liquid crystal material are displayed in the transmissive display unit. (In this case, the same liquid crystal material may be used for the transmissive display unit and the reflective display unit) and the like, and the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes such a method. The mechanism developed when the method is realized is provided as the orientation mechanism of the present invention. Further, the first method and the orientation mechanism used in the method may be a combination of the methods (1) to (4), and the orientation mechanism used in these methods and the method may be used. It is possible to realize different liquid crystal orientations in the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit.

【0102】

The second method is a method in which the liquid crystal orientation is different between the transparent display unit and the reflective display unit by a display content rewriting means that rewrites the display content with the passage of time (that is, the liquid crystal orientation is changed between the transparent display unit and the reflective display unit). The orientation mechanism that makes the difference is the same as the display content rewriting means). As the display content rewriting means used when this method is adopted, an existing display rewriting means can be used.

【0103】

Specifically, as the second method, specifically, (5) a method of rewriting the liquid crystal orientation by using different electrodes for the transmission display unit and the reflection display unit as the orientation mechanism, that is, rewriting the display contents. A method of changing the voltage itself used as the means between the transmission display unit and the reflection display unit can be adopted. Further, as the second method described above, (6) the electrodes are the same, but a method of changing the voltage substantially applied to the liquid crystal orientation may be used. When the method (6) above is adopted, for example, an insulator (for example, an insulating film) having a different layer thickness for the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit is arranged between the liquid crystal layer and the electrode for driving the liquid crystal layer. Therefore, the liquid crystal orientation of the transmission display unit driven by the common electrode and the liquid crystal orientation of the reflection display unit may be changed. Also, (7) A method of differentiating the direction of the electric field between the transmission display unit and the reflection display unit may be used. For example, when the liquid crystal orientation direction is changed in the liquid crystal layer plane by a group of electrodes arranged parallel to one of the substrates sandwiching the liquid crystal layer and giving different potentials to the liquid crystal layers, the display is performed between the electrodes and on the electrodes. Since the liquid crystal orientations are significantly different in the above, the regions having different liquid crystal orientations may be used for the reflection display and the transmission display, respectively. Further, a method of giving different potentials to the liquid crystal layers vertically oriented with respect to the substrate by the same electrode group may be adopted. When the second method is adopted, for example, electrodes, insulators, or a combination thereof used in realizing the above method correspond to the orientation mechanism of the present invention, and the obtained liquid crystal display device , It is equipped with these orientation mechanisms.

【0104】

The third method is a method in which the liquid crystal orientation itself is not significantly different, but the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer, which is an element that determines the optical characteristics, is different between the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit. For example, an insulating film formed in a different film thickness between the reflective display unit and the transmissive display unit, a substrate formed in a different layer thickness or shape in the reflective display unit and the transmissive display unit, and the like are used in the above-mentioned alignment mechanism. Used as.

【0105】

When the third method is adopted, a uniformly twisted liquid crystal orientation may be used for the liquid crystal orientation, for example, as in the TN method used in a liquid crystal display device using two polarizing plates. In this case, the liquid crystal orientation is parallel to the substrate between the substrates sandwiching the liquid crystal layer, and the orientation direction is twisted while changing the direction in the substrate plane according to the distance from one substrate. .. If this liquid crystal orientation is used for the reflective display unit and the transmissive display unit by changing the liquid crystal layer thickness, since the optical characteristics differ depending on the liquid crystal layer thickness, good display can be realized in both the reflective display unit and the transmissive display unit.

【0106】

Further, even in the GH method, since the effect is substantially the same as when the dye concentration is changed by changing the liquid crystal layer thickness, even if the liquid crystal orientation itself is almost the same in the reflection display part and the transmission display part, Good display can be realized in each of the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit.

【0107】

As described above, the methods for realizing different liquid crystal orientations in the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit and the orientation mechanism used in the methods are roughly classified into three types, which are realized by these methods and the orientation mechanism. The liquid crystal display method used in the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention may be appropriately selected from a group of methods used for displaying the change in orientation of the liquid crystal, and is not particularly limited. Specifically, the above-mentioned liquid crystal display method used in the present invention is a mode in which the nematic phase of the liquid crystal composition is used for display, for example, a TN method, an STN method, a nematic bistable mode, a vertical orientation mode, and the like. Hybrid orientation mode, ECB (electrically controlled birie fringencence) Various modes such as electric field control birefringence mode can be used. Further, a mode utilizing scattering, for example, a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal mode, a dynamic scatter method, or the like can also be used as the liquid crystal display method used in the present invention. Further, a surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal display method using a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition and a thresholdless switching antiferroelectric liquid crystal display method using an antiferroelectric liquid crystal also use the orientation change for display, and thus the present invention. It can be used as the above-mentioned liquid crystal display method used in.

【0108】

Further, when the third method is adopted, the liquid crystal display method used in the present invention may be a method using optical rotation modulation such as the TN method, and the retardation modulation is performed as in the ECB mode. The method may be used, or a method in which the light absorption rate (absorbance) is modulated, such as the GH method, may be used. When the above-mentioned third method is adopted, the liquid crystal layer thickness is a main determinant of the optical characteristics including these methods, and the liquid crystal layer thickness is set to be thick in the transmissive display unit. It is possible to adopt all the methods which have the effect of realizing good display characteristics by setting the liquid crystal layer thickness thin in the reflection display unit.

【0109】

In the present invention, as described above, the liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display element having a pair of substrates having orientation means applied to opposite surfaces and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates. The display device is provided with an orientation mechanism for simultaneously taking at least two different orientation states in arbitrary and different regions used for display in the liquid crystal layer, and has different orientation states in the liquid crystal layer. A liquid crystal is formed by arranging a reflective means in at least one of the indicated regions and using the regions showing different orientation states for the reflective display unit for performing the reflective display and the transmissive display unit for performing the transmissive display. It is possible to obtain a transmittance or a reflectance based on the magnitude of the modulation amount of the optical physical quantity according to the orientation state of the layer, and it is possible to realize a high contrast ratio without a difference in distance. As a result, it is possible to improve the visibility when the surroundings are dark, and it is possible to obtain good visibility even when the ambient light is strong.

【0110】

Further, when the degree of modulation of each optical physical quantity such as the amount of light absorption and the phase difference due to optical anisotropy is changed independently between the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit, the orientation direction of the liquid crystal due to the application of voltage is changed. Even when the entire region used for displaying the liquid crystal layer is substantially the same, in regions where the liquid crystal layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer is different, it is substantially the same as when the orientation direction of the liquid crystal layer is changed in the region. Since it has an action, the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a liquid crystal display element having a pair of substrates having orientation means applied to opposite surfaces and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates. In a liquid crystal display device, a region used for display in the liquid crystal layer is composed of regions having at least two types of different liquid crystal layer thicknesses, and each region having different liquid crystal layer thicknesses is transparent to a reflective display unit. In addition to being used for the display unit, at least the reflective display unit may be provided with reflective means, and the liquid crystal layer thickness of the reflective display unit may be set smaller than that of the transmissive display unit.

【0111】

Also in the above configuration, the transmittance or reflectance based on the magnitude of the modulation amount of the optical physical quantity in the region where the liquid crystal layer thickness is different can be obtained, whereby the optical parameters can be set in the transmission display unit and the reflection display unit. It can be set independently. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to realize a high contrast ratio without parallax, improve visibility when the surroundings are dark, and have good visibility even when the ambient light is strong. Can be obtained.

【0112】

Hereinafter, in particular, the liquid crystal display device that performs good reflection display and good transmission display by changing the liquid crystal layer thickness between the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit will be mainly described in Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2. Will be described by.

【0113】

[Embodiment 1] In the present embodiment, a liquid crystal display device using the GH method will be described below mainly with reference to FIG.

【0114】

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the liquid crystal display device according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal cell 100 (liquid crystal display element) and, if necessary, a backlight 13 (lighting device) as a background lighting means. The liquid crystal cell 100 and the backlight 13 are arranged in the order of the liquid crystal cell 100 and the backlight 13 from the observer (user) side.

【0115】

As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid crystal cell 100 has an electrode substrate 101 (first) having an alignment film 2 on the side where the liquid crystal layer 1 is in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1 (the interface on the first substrate in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1). 1 substrate) and an electrode substrate 102 (second substrate) having an alignment film 3 on the side in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1 (the interface on the second substrate in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1). doing.

【0116】

The electrode substrate 101 is provided with an electrode 6 (voltage applying means) for applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer 1 on a substrate 4 made of a translucent glass substrate or the like, and covers the electrode 6. , The alignment film 2 (alignment mechanism) subjected to the rubbing treatment is formed.

【0117】

On the other hand, in the electrode substrate 102 provided so as to face the electrode substrate 101 with the liquid crystal layer 1 interposed therebetween, an insulating film 11 is provided on the translucent substrate 5 in order to apply a voltage to the liquid crystal layer 1. An electrode 7 (voltage applying means) as a counter electrode facing the electrode 6 is formed therethrough.

【0118】

The insulating film 11 is used for display in the liquid crystal layer 1 so that the region used for display in the liquid crystal layer 1 has at least two different liquid crystal layer thicknesses (two types in the present embodiment). It is formed so as to have a partially different film thickness in the region corresponding to the region. More specifically, the insulating film 11 is formed so that the film thickness is thinner in the region corresponding to the transmission display unit 10 than in the region corresponding to the reflection display unit 9.

【0119】

A reflective film 8 (reflection means) covering the electrode 7 is formed in a region of the electrode substrate 102 corresponding to the reflection display portion 9, and an alignment film 3 (alignment mechanism) that has been subjected to a rubbing treatment is formed therein. It is formed so as to cover the electrode 7 and the reflective film 8.

【0120】

Here, the electrodes 6 and 7 are, for example, transparent electrodes formed by ITO (indium tin oxide). Further, a voltage for generating an electric field in the liquid crystal layer 1 is applied to the electrodes 6 and 7, and the display is controlled by applying a voltage corresponding to the display content. ing.

【0121】

Further, the reflective film 8 has light reflectivity, and is manufactured of, for example, a metal such as aluminum or silver, a dielectric multilayer mirror, or the like. When the reflective film 8 is made of a conductor, the reflective film 8 may also function as an electrode instead of the electrode 7. That is, the reflective film 8 may be a reflective pixel electrode that also serves as a liquid crystal driving electrode for driving the liquid crystal layer 1 and a reflecting means. Further, the reflective film 8 may be a color reflective film that reflects light in a wavelength band appropriately selected from visible light.

【0122】

The materials and forming methods of the members constituting the electrode substrates 101 and 102 are not necessarily limited to the above description, and conventionally known materials and commonly used methods can be used. Further, the configuration of the liquid crystal display device is not limited to the above configuration, and for example, the liquid crystal cell 100 may be configured by a signal from a touch panel (pressing coordinate detection type input means) or the like described in the embodiment described later. It may have a configuration in which a voltage is applied directly to the electrodes 6 and 7 corresponding to the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 from the outside. Further, the switching element may have a configuration in which an active element such as a TFT element or MIM is provided.

【0123】

As shown in FIG. 1, the electrode substrates 101 and 102 are arranged so as to face each other so that the alignment films 2 and 3 face each other, are bonded together using an encapsulating sealant or the like, and the liquid crystal composition is introduced into the gaps thereof. , The liquid crystal layer 1 is formed.

【0124】

Further, the backlight 13 is arranged on the back side of the liquid crystal cell 100, that is, on the back side of the electrode substrate 102 when viewed from the observer (user). The backlight 13 is mainly composed of a light source 13a and a light guide body 13b. The light source 13a is arranged along the side surface of the light source 13b, for example, so that the light source 13b is illuminated with light incident from the light source 13a, for example, with the side surface on the side where the light source 13a is arranged as an incident surface. It is designed to emit light to the liquid crystal cell 100, which is an object. As the backlight 13, an existing lighting device can be used.

【0125】

In the liquid crystal display device having the above configuration, in the reflection display unit 9 on which the reflection film 8 is formed, the reflection intensity of ambient light incident on the display surface from the substrate 4 side, that is, the observer side is controlled by the change in the liquid crystal orientation. And it is designed to display. Further, in the transmission display unit 10 on which the reflection film 8 is not formed, the transmitted light intensity of the light incident on the display surface from the substrate 5 side is controlled by the change in the liquid crystal orientation to perform the display. In this case, if necessary, the illumination light from the backlight 13 installed on the back surface of the liquid crystal cell 100 may be used.

【0126】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 1 is manufactured with different liquid crystal layer thicknesses for the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10. As a result, the liquid crystal display device has substantially different liquid crystal orientations in the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10.

【0127】

Here, the configuration of the liquid crystal display device for obtaining different liquid crystal film thicknesses in the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 will be described below.

【0128】

In order to obtain different liquid crystal thicknesses between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, the insulating film 11 is provided with different film thicknesses between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10. It may be formed so as to have.

【0129】

It should be noted that at least one of the substrates sandwiching the liquid crystal (that is, the electrode substrates 101 and 102) has a configuration for changing the liquid crystal layer thickness between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10. All you have to do is.

【0130】

Therefore, the insulating film 11 may be arranged on the substrate 4 instead of the substrate 5. However, even in such a case, the reflective film 8 is formed on the substrate 5 on the electrode substrate 102 side (that is, the display surface side (electrode substrate 101 side) is opposite to the liquid crystal layer 1 on the opposite side). Will be done.

【0131】

In the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 1, the reflective display unit is formed by changing the film thickness of the insulating film 11 between the region corresponding to the reflective display unit 9 and the region corresponding to the transmissive display unit 10 in the insulating film 11. The thickness of the liquid crystal layer is changed between 9 and the transmissive display unit 10. However, by forming the substrate 4 or the substrate 5 itself into the same shape as the insulating film 11 shown in FIG. 1, the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 9 are transmitted. The liquid crystal layer thickness may be changed by the display unit 10.

【0132】

Further, when the film thickness of the insulating film 11 is changed between the region corresponding to the reflection display unit 9 and the region corresponding to the transmission display unit 10, as shown in FIG. 1, the region corresponding to the transmission display unit 10 The insulating film 11 may be formed so as to be thinner than the thickness of the insulating film 11 in the region corresponding to the reflection display portion 9, or the insulating film 11 may be formed in the region corresponding to the reflection display portion 9. The insulating film 11 may not be formed in the region that is formed and corresponds to the transmissive display unit 10.

【0133】

Further, in order to keep the liquid crystal layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 at a predetermined value, a spacer (not shown) may be arranged in the liquid crystal layer 1, and another method may be used. The liquid crystal layer thickness may be maintained at a predetermined value. For example, when a spherical spacer is arranged on the liquid crystal layer 1, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflection display unit 9 having a thin liquid crystal layer thickness is substantially equal to the diameter of the spacer.

【0134】

The substrate pair prepared as described above, that is, the liquid crystal layer 1 sandwiched between the electrode substrates 101 and 102 is composed of the liquid crystal composition as described above. As a liquid crystal display method using the liquid crystal layer 1, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, a liquid crystal composition in which a dichroic dye 12 is mixed in a liquid crystal is used, and an electric field is generated in the liquid crystal layer 1 to cause liquid crystal orientation. A GH method can be used in which the orientation direction of the dichroic dye 12 is changed at the same time as the control, and the display is performed using the change in the absorption coefficient due to the dichroism.

【0135】

Next, the operation of the liquid crystal layer 1 by the GH method and the display principle when the liquid crystal film thickness in the reflection display unit 9 and the liquid crystal layer thickness in the transmission display unit 10 are different will be described below with reference to FIG. ..

【0136】

When displaying using the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 1, the transmissive display unit 10 allows light from behind the liquid crystal layer 1 such as the backlight 13 to pass through the liquid crystal layer 1 only once, as shown by an arrow. Display is performed by emitting light from the display surface and using it as display light. At this time, the light absorption rate of the dichroic dye 12 mixed in the liquid crystal composition arranged in the liquid crystal layer 1 changes depending on the liquid crystal orientation. Therefore, as shown in the transmission display unit 10a, when the liquid crystal is oriented parallel to the display surface (electrode substrate 101) (hereinafter, referred to as parallel orientation), the transmission display unit 10 has two in this portion. Since the color dye 12 strongly absorbs the light passing through the liquid crystal layer 1, the display becomes dark, and as shown in the transmission display unit 10b, the liquid crystal is oriented perpendicularly to the display surface (electrode substrate 101) (hereinafter, vertical). When it is oriented (referred to as orientation), light absorption by the dichroic dye 12 is weak, so that the display becomes clear and can be displayed.

【0137】

On the other hand, the reflection display unit 9 uses the light incident on the display surface from the observer side for display. That is, as shown by the arrow, the light incident on the display surface passes through the liquid crystal layer 1, is reflected by the reflective film 8, passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 again, and is emitted from the display surface to become the display light. At this time, as shown in the reflection display unit 9a, the reflection display unit 9 becomes a dark display because the dichroic dye 12 in this portion strongly absorbs light when the liquid crystal is aligned in parallel, and the reflection display unit 9 becomes a reflection display unit. As shown in 9b, when the liquid crystal is vertically oriented, the dichroic dye 12 absorbs light weakly, so that the display becomes clear and can be displayed.

【0138】

Therefore, by giving a potential difference between the electrode 6 and the electrode 7 to control the liquid crystal orientation, bright display and dark display become possible. In this case, the initial orientation state of the liquid crystal is not particularly limited. For example, the liquid crystal may be oriented in parallel when no voltage is applied, may be further twisted, or conversely, the voltage may be applied. It may be vertically oriented when not applied. In the former case (that is, when the liquid crystal orientation when no voltage is applied is parallel orientation or further twisted), a liquid crystal having a positive dielectric anisotropy can be used as the liquid crystal. .. On the other hand, in the latter case (that is, when the liquid crystal orientation when no voltage is applied is vertical orientation), a liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy can be used as the liquid crystal. As described above, the initial orientation state of the liquid crystal is not particularly limited, but it is necessary to adjust the film thickness of the insulating film 11 so that the liquid crystal layer thickness suitable for the liquid crystal orientation form to be used can be obtained. Is.

【0139】

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, in order to easily manufacture the liquid crystal layer 1, the liquid crystal layer 1 is a reflection display unit 9 and a transmission display unit 10, or a plurality of display pixels, as in a normal liquid crystal display device. It is preferable to have a structure that communicates with each other.

【0140】

Even when the liquid crystal layer 1 communicates between the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 in this way, if the liquid crystal layer thickness differs between the transmissive display unit 10 and the transmissive display unit 9, the final result is The distance between the light that becomes the display light passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 is the distance that this light passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 only once in the transmission display unit 10 and the distance that this light passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflection display unit 9. It is possible to set in almost the same way as the reciprocating distance of 1.

【0141】

Therefore, the reflection brightness of the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission brightness of the transmission display unit 10 can be set to be substantially the same, and the contrast ratio of the reflection display unit 9 and the contrast ratio of the transmission display unit 10 are approximately the same. It can be set to the same degree. In other words, in the GH method that utilizes the absorption of light by the dichroic dye 12, changing the liquid crystal layer thickness between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 is substantially the same as when the dye concentration is changed. Since the same effect is obtained, by changing the liquid crystal layer thickness between the transmissive display unit 10 and the reflective display unit 9, the mixed concentration of the dichroic dye 12 suitable for the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display of the liquid crystal composition. The mixing concentration of the dichroic dye 12 suitable for Part 10 can be made substantially equal. Therefore, the liquid crystal layer 1 in which the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 communicate with each other enables the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 to simultaneously realize good display. That is, the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 have the same display contrast ratio and the same brightness of the bright display.

【0142】

The brightness in this case indicates the ratio of the light incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 that is observed by the observer as the display light in the reflection display unit 9 or the transmission display unit 10, and the contrast ratio is the brightness of the bright display. Is defined by dividing by the brightness of the dark display.

【0143】

Further, in general, when comparing the contrast ratio suitable for the reflection display and the contrast ratio suitable for the transmission display, it is required that the contrast ratio suitable for the transmission display is higher than the contrast ratio suitable for the reflection display. .. Therefore, in order to satisfy this requirement, rather than setting the contrast ratio in the reflection display unit 9 and the contrast ratio in the transmission display unit 10 to be equal, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the transmission display unit 10 is set to be higher than the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflection display unit 9. It is effective to set the thickness thicker so that the contrast ratio in the transmissive display unit 10 exceeds the contrast ratio in the reflective display unit 9 in order to perform a good display.

【0144】

Hereinafter, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 based on the above-mentioned display principle with reference to specific examples and comparative examples. The liquid crystal display device according to the above is not limited to the following embodiments.

【0145】

[Example 1] In this embodiment, the liquid crystal is oriented substantially perpendicular to the display surface normal when no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1, and the liquid crystal is displayed by applying the voltage to the liquid crystal layer 1. A liquid crystal display device using a GH-type liquid crystal layer 1 using a liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy and oriented at an angle with respect to a surface will be described. First, a method of manufacturing the liquid crystal display device will be described below.

【0146】

First, an ITO of 140 nm was formed on a transparent substrate 4 by sputtering, and an electrode 6 (transparent electrode) having a predetermined pattern was produced by etching using photolithography. A glass substrate was used as the substrate 4.

【0147】

Next, a vertical alignment film was further placed on the electrode 6 forming surface of the substrate 4 by offset printing, and the alignment film 2 was formed by firing this in an oven at 200 ° C. Then, the alignment film 2 was subjected to an orientation treatment by rubbing to prepare an electrode substrate 101 as an observer-side substrate.

【0148】

Here, the vertically aligned film has a property of orienting the liquid crystal in the normal direction of the film surface, and further has a property of inclining the liquid crystal orientation by about several degrees from the normal direction by an orientation treatment such as rubbing. Due to this inclination, the liquid crystal orientation after applying the voltage is further inclined toward the orientation processing direction.

【0149】

On the other hand, a photosensitive resin having an insulating property is applied onto the substrate 5 by spin coating, and further, by irradiating with a mask of ultraviolet light, no photosensitive resin remains in the transmission display unit 10, and the photosensitive resin in the reflection display unit 9. The insulating film 11 was patterned so that the film had a layer thickness of 3 μm. At this time, the pattern edge portion of the insulating film 11 is formed in a sufficiently gentle stepped shape so that the electrode 7 formed in the subsequent step is not torn by the stepped step of the insulating film 11. As the substrate 5, a transparent glass substrate similar to that of the substrate 4 was used.

【0150】

Further, an ITO film of 140 nm was formed by sputtering on the insulating film 11 forming surface of the substrate 5, and an aluminum functioning as a light-reflecting electrode was further formed by sputtering at 200 nm. Next, the obtained aluminum film is photographed so that the aluminum film remains only on the reflection display portion 9 (that is, the portion where the photosensitive resin remains when the photosensitive resin is patterned to form the insulating film 11). The reflective film 8 was formed by patterning by lithography and dry etching. Further, the ITO film under the reflective film 8 was etched by using photolithography to prepare an electrode 7 (transparent electrode) having a predetermined pattern.

【0151】

Next, the alignment film 3 was formed on the surface on which the electrode 7 and the reflection film 8 were formed on the substrate 5 by the same method as the alignment film 2 of the electrode substrate 101, which is the observer side substrate. Then, the alignment film 3 was subjected to an orientation treatment by rubbing to prepare an electrode substrate 102.

【0152】

Of the electrode substrates 101 and 102 produced as described above, a sealing resin (not shown) as an encapsulating sealant is arranged around one of the electrode substrates, and the alignment film is formed on the other electrode substrate. A spherical plastic spacer having a diameter of 4.5 μm was sprayed on the resin, and as shown in FIG. 1, the sealing resin was cured under pressure with the electrode surfaces facing each other to prepare a liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection. When the thickness of the liquid crystal injection gap (that is, the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1) in the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 of the liquid crystal injection liquid crystal cell was measured by measuring the reflected light spectrum, the reflection display unit 9 showed. It was 4.5 μm and 7.5 μm in the transparent display unit 10.

【0153】

Further, when introducing a liquid crystal composition obtained by mixing the dichroic dye 12 into a liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy into the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection, the concentration of the dichroic dye 12 is determined by the reflection display unit. The density was adjusted so that a sufficient contrast ratio could be obtained between 9 and the transparent display unit 10. Further, a chiral additive that imparts a twist to the orientation of the liquid crystal is added to the liquid crystal composition, and the alignment treatment is applied to the alignment films 2 and 3, and the liquid crystal between the upper and lower electrode substrates 101 and 102 of the liquid crystal layer 1 is formed. The twist of orientation was set to be the same for the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 in the voltage-applied state used for dark display. Further, the liquid crystal composition was introduced into the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection by the vacuum injection method to produce a liquid crystal display device.

【0154】

When a voltage was applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 while measuring the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 and the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 in the obtained liquid crystal display device with a microscope, the display characteristics shown in FIG. 2 were obtained. The voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 is a square wave whose polarity is inverted every 17 msec. In FIG. 2, the horizontal axis shows the effective value of the applied voltage, and the vertical axis shows the brightness (reflectance or transmittance). .. Further, in the figure, the curve 111 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9, and the curve 112 shows the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10.

【0155】

As shown in the curves 111 and 112, in the above liquid crystal display device, the brightness (reflectance or transmittance) of the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 both decrease with the application of a voltage. Further, when the applied voltage is 1.8V, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 is 55%, the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 is 52%, and when the applied voltage is 5V, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 is The reflectance was 11%, and the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 was 10%.

【0156】

That is, according to the above liquid crystal display device, both the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 show a high value of the brightness of the bright display exceeding 50% and a contrast ratio of about 5. It was possible to realize a display with excellent visibility.

【0157】

[Comparative Example 1] Here, a comparative example of the above-mentioned Example 1 is shown. In Comparative Example 1, the liquid crystal display device using the GH method shown in Example 1 was designed so that the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflection display unit 9 and the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the transmission display unit 10 were the same, except that the liquid crystal display device was designed to have the same thickness. A liquid crystal display device for comparison was produced according to the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display device shown in Example 1.

【0158】

More specifically, in this comparative example, the insulating film 11 as formed on the substrate 5 of Example 1 is not formed, and the liquid crystal layer thickness in the reflection display unit 9 and the liquid crystal layer thickness in the transmission display unit 10 are different. Both 4.5 μm liquid crystal display devices were manufactured. That is, the upper and lower electrode substrates facing each other across the liquid crystal layer 1 both produce a smooth liquid crystal injection cell for liquid crystal injection by the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10, and the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection is used. A liquid crystal display device was produced by introducing a liquid crystal composition in which a dichroic dye 12 and a chiral additive were mixed in the same manner as in Example 1.

【0159】

FIG. 3 shows the display characteristics obtained by measuring the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 and the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 in the obtained liquid crystal display device by the same method as in Example 1.

【0160】

[Comparative Example 2] In Comparative Example 2, a liquid crystal composition having a higher concentration of the dichroic dye 12 than that of Comparative Example 1 was introduced into the same liquid crystal cell as in Comparative Example 1, and the brightness of the transmission display unit 10 was adjusted. A liquid crystal display device set so as to have an optimum contrast ratio was produced.

【0161】

The display characteristics obtained by measuring the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 and the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 in the obtained liquid crystal display device by the same method as in Example 1 are combined with the results of Comparative Example 1. Figure 3 shows.

【0162】

In FIG. 3, the horizontal axis shows the effective value of the applied voltage, and the vertical axis shows the brightness (reflectance or transmittance). Further, in the figure, the curve 121 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 of Comparative Example 1, and the curve 122 shows the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 of Comparative Example 1. Further, the curve 123 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 of Comparative Example 2, and the curve 124 shows the voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 of Comparative Example 2.

【0163】

As shown in Curve 121 and Curve 122, in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Comparative Example 1, the brightness (reflectance or transmittance) in the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 is both as the voltage is applied. Although it has decreased, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 was 51% when the applied voltage was 1.8V, whereas the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 was 66%, and the applied voltage was 5V. At this time, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 was 11%, and the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 was 22%.

【0164】

That is, according to the liquid crystal display device obtained in Comparative Example 1, the reflection display unit 9 obtained a high brightness of more than 50% and a contrast ratio of about 5, but the transmission display unit 10 showed the transmission. Since the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the display unit 10 is the same as the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective display unit 9, the brightness of the liquid crystal layer 1 is high, but the contrast ratio is as low as about 3, and the display quality is low.

【0165】

Further, as shown in Curve 123 and Curve 124, in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Comparative Example 2, the brightness (reflectance or transmittance) in the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 both decreased due to the decrease in voltage. Although it decreased with this, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 was 29% when the applied voltage was 1.8V, whereas the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 was 51%, and the applied voltage was also reduced. When 5V, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 was 3%, and the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 was 10%.

【0166】

That is, according to the liquid crystal display device obtained in Comparative Example 2, the transmission display unit 10 obtained a high brightness of more than 50% and a contrast ratio of about 5, but the reflection display unit 9 obtained the reflection. Since the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the display unit 9 is the same as the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the transmission display unit 10, the contrast ratio is as high as about 10, but the brightness is less than 30%, resulting in a dark display.

【0167】

As is clear from the comparison between Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, the contrast ratio of the transmission display unit 10 is equal to or higher than the contrast ratio of the reflection display unit 9 in the GH type liquid crystal display device. It was found that it is effective to set the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 of the transmission display unit 10 to be larger than the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 of the reflection display unit 9.

【0168】

[Embodiment 2] In the first embodiment, the liquid crystal display device using the GH method has been described. However, as the liquid crystal display method according to the present invention, in addition to the GH method, as shown in FIG. A method may be adopted in which the substrates 4 and 5 are sandwiched between the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation and optical rotation of the liquid crystal layer 1 (hereinafter collectively abbreviated as polarization conversion action) are used for display.

【0169】

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the liquid crystal display device using the polarization conversion action for display will be described below mainly with reference to FIG. For convenience of explanation, the components having the same functions as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same numbers, and the description thereof will be omitted.

【0170】

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment. The liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 4 includes a liquid crystal cell 200 (liquid crystal display element) and, if necessary, the backlight 13 (lighting device). The liquid crystal cell 200 and the backlight 13 are arranged in the order of the liquid crystal cell 200 and the backlight 13 from the observer (user) side.

【0171】

As shown in FIG. 4, the liquid crystal cell 200 has an electrode substrate 201 (No. 1) having an alignment film 2 on the side where the liquid crystal layer 1 is in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1 (the interface on the first substrate in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1). 1 substrate) and an electrode substrate 202 (second substrate) having an alignment film 3 on the side in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1 (the interface on the second substrate in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1), and further The retardation compensation plate 16 and the liquid crystal 14 are provided on the outside of the substrate 201 (that is, the side opposite to the surface facing the electrode substrate 202), and the surface facing the outside of the electrode substrate 202 (that is, the surface facing the electrode substrate 201). On the opposite side), a phase difference compensating plate 17 and a liquid crystal plate 15 are provided. The phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 are provided and used as needed.

【0172】

For the above phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 used as necessary in the present invention, various phase difference compensating plates such as a stretched polymer film, a liquid crystal alignment fixed polymer film, and a liquid crystal polymer film shall be used. Can be done. Its optical action is to prevent coloring that is often seen when the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 are not used, to change the dependence of brightness on the potential difference of electrodes 6 and 7, and to change the display viewing angle. Used for.

【0173】

Further, in the electrode substrate 201, an electrode 6 for applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer 1 is provided on a substrate 4 made of a translucent glass substrate or the like, and a rubbing process is performed so as to cover the electrode 6. The alignment film 2 is formed.

【0174】

On the other hand, in the electrode substrate 202 provided so as to face the electrode substrate 201 with the liquid crystal layer 1 interposed therebetween, an insulating film 11 is provided on the translucent substrate 5 in order to apply a voltage to the liquid crystal layer 1. An electrode 7 as a counter electrode facing the electrode 6 is formed through the electrode 7. However, in the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 4, the electrode 7 in the reflection display unit 9 and the electrode 7 in the transmission display unit 10 are electrically insulated, and a voltage is applied separately from the outside of the liquid crystal cell. Have. A reflective film 8 is formed in the region of the electrode substrate 202 corresponding to the reflective display portion 9, and a rubbing-treated alignment film 3 is formed so as to cover the electrodes 7 and the reflective film 8. Has been done. Further, the insulating film 11 is formed so that the film thickness of the region corresponding to the transmission display unit 10 in the insulating film 11 is thinner than the film thickness of the region corresponding to the reflection display unit 9.

【0175】

As shown in FIG. 4, the electrode substrates 201 and 202 are arranged so that the alignment film 2 and the alignment film 3 face each other, are bonded together using an encapsulating sealant or the like, and the liquid crystal composition is introduced into the gaps thereof. By doing so, the liquid crystal layer 1 is formed.

【0176】

In the liquid crystal display device, the liquid crystal layer 1 made of the liquid crystal composition described above has a structure in which the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 communicate with each other in the bright display. When the liquid crystal of the liquid crystal layer 1 is oriented in parallel as shown in the reflection display unit 9b and the transmission display unit 10b in FIG. 4, a polarization conversion action is generated on the light passing through the liquid crystal layer 1 and a dark display is performed. It becomes. On the other hand, as shown in the reflection display unit 9a and the transmission display unit 10a, when the liquid crystal of the liquid crystal layer 1 is vertically oriented, the polarization conversion action is weak and the display is bright.

【0177】

Therefore, the orientation change in the reflection display units 9a / 9b and the transmission display units 10a / 10b is a straight line between the polarizing plate 14 on the display surface side and the polarizing plate 15 on the backlight 13 side arranged so as to sandwich the liquid crystal layer 1. By using the polarization selective transmission action for display as a change in the intensity of display light, bright display and dark display become possible. As described above, in this case, in order to compensate for the wavelength dependence of the refractive index difference of the liquid crystal layer 1, or to change the voltage dependence of the brightness modulated by the liquid crystal layer 1 as necessary, or , In order to change the viewing angle of the display, the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 as shown in FIG. 4 may be used.

【0178】

Even when the optical anisotropy is used for display in this way, the initial orientation state of the liquid crystal is not particularly limited, and for example, the liquid crystal layer 1 in the state where no voltage is applied is parallel to the display surface. It may be in a vertically oriented state, or it may be in a vertically oriented state. In the former case (that is, when the liquid crystal orientation in the state where no voltage is applied is parallel orientation), a liquid crystal having a positive dielectric anisotropy can be used as the liquid crystal. On the other hand, in the latter case (that is, when the liquid crystal orientation in the state where no voltage is applied is vertical orientation), a liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy can be used as the liquid crystal.

【0179】

As described above, even when the optical anisotropy is used for display, the initial orientation state of the liquid crystal is not particularly limited, but the liquid crystal layer thickness suitable for the form of the liquid crystal orientation to be used can be obtained. , It is effective to adjust the film thickness of the insulating film 11.

【0180】

In order to realize dark display by the reflection display unit 9, first, linearly polarized light is prepared by the polarizing plate 14. Then, if necessary, the polarization state is changed by the phase difference compensating plate 16, and the polarization state is further changed by the liquid crystal layer 1 of the reflection display unit 9 whose layer thickness is set to be thinner than that of the transmission display unit 10. At this time, the condition necessary for the ideal dark display is that, as a result, the polarization state on the reflective film 8 is circularly polarized light that can be rotated either left or right. Further, a condition necessary for realizing an ideal bright display on the same reflection display unit 9 is that the polarization state on the reflection film 8 is linearly polarized light. Then, if the liquid crystal orientation can be electrically controlled between the dark display and the bright display, the display can be switched.

【0181】

That is, the phase difference (the phase difference of the display light on the reflective film 8) that the liquid crystal layer 1 gives to the light before the light incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 reaches the reflective film 8 when the dark display is realized. , With the phase difference (phase difference of the display light on the reflective film 8) given to the light by the liquid crystal layer 1 before the light incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 reaches the reflective film 8 when the bright display is realized. There is a substantial difference of 1/4 wavelength (approximately 90 degrees) between them, and the liquid crystal orientation that achieves this is, for example, electrically controllable, that is, between circularly polarized light in dark display and linearly polarized light in bright light display. It suffices if it can be controlled between them. At this time, the polarization direction of the linearly polarized light on the reflective film 8 that realizes the bright display may be any direction.

【0182】

Further, in the transmission display unit 10, the light linearly polarized by the polarizing plate 15 is changed by the phase difference compensating plate 17 as necessary, and then the layer thickness is set to be thicker than that of the reflection display unit 9. The display is performed by changing the liquid crystal layer 1 and, if necessary, changing the color difference compensating plate 16 and emitting light from the polarizing plate 14.

【0183】

In this case, what is used for display is the change in the polarization state immediately before the incident on the polarizing plate 14. Therefore, in the case of bright display, the polarization state immediately before the incident on the polarizing plate 14 may be adjusted so as to be linearly polarized light having the vibration direction of the transmission axis direction of the polarizing plate 14, and dark display is performed. In this case, the polarization state immediately before the incident on the polarizing plate 14 may be adjusted so as to be linearly polarized light having a vibrating plane in the absorption axis direction of the polarizing plate 14.

【0184】

That is, the phase difference given to the light passing through the liquid crystal layer 1 of the transmissive display unit 10 when performing bright display (the phase difference of the display light emitted from the liquid crystal layer 1) and the transmissive display unit 10 when performing dark display. The orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 so that the difference from the phase difference given to the light passing through the liquid crystal layer 1 (the phase difference of the display light emitted from the liquid crystal layer 1) is substantially 1/2 wavelength (approximately 180 degrees). It is possible to switch the display by electrically controlling the change of the above by applying a voltage.

【0185】

Here, the half-wavelength phase control corresponds to controlling the polarization direction of the linearly polarized light incident on the polarizing plate 14 from the liquid crystal layer 1 side, and is based on the retardation in which the refractive index principal axis is uniformly oriented in parallel. Polarized light including not only the control of the phase difference but also the polarization phenomenon in which the refractive index main axis of the liquid crystal layer 1 is twisted with the twist of the liquid crystal orientation and the polarization direction of the linearly polarized light is changed with the change of the twisting voltage of the orientation. It is a conversion action. The polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 that realizes this is a polarization conversion action between general orthogonal polarization states when the application of the retardation compensation plate 16 and the retardation compensation plate 17 is also taken into consideration.

【0186】

The liquid crystal orientation that enables the polarization conversion action that realizes the control of the polarization state (phase control of light) as described above is parallel to the substrates 4 and 5 (parallel to the display surface) and uniform parallel orientation (homogeneous). Orientation) may be the orientation (twist orientation) that is parallel to the substrates 4 and 5 (parallel to the display surface) and twisted between the substrates 4 and 5 (between the upper and lower substrates facing each other across the liquid crystal layer 1). It may be, or it may have a vertical orientation (homeotropic orientation) perpendicular to the substrates 4 and 5 (perpendicular to the display surface). Further, a hybrid orientation in which one interface of the liquid crystal layer 1 is parallel-oriented and the other is vertically oriented can also be used.

【0187】

In this case, the twist orientation is specifically set to 60 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less between the substrates 4 and 5, or 0 degrees or more and 40 degrees or less. desirable. The reason for this is that it is possible to achieve both the conditions suitable for the reflection display unit 9 and the conditions suitable for the transmission display unit 10 without changing the rubbing direction between the transmission display unit 10 and the reflection display unit 9. This is to become.

【0188】

In mass production of liquid crystal display devices, the most preferable optical design of the liquid crystal layer 1 is to monotonically increase the display brightness (reflectance or transmittance) between the upper limit and the lower limit of the range of the drive voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer 1. Or it is a design that changes to decrease monotonically.

【0189】

Considering the above driving conditions, the simplest optical design of the liquid crystal layer 1 is between a liquid crystal oriented substantially perpendicular to the display surface and a liquid crystal oriented substantially parallel to the display surface. The design is such that the electro-optical characteristics are achieved in which the display is controlled so that the display brightness increases or decreases monotonically.

【0190】

In this case, in particular, when a parallel alignment film is used to realize liquid crystal orientation parallel to the display surface as liquid crystal orientation without voltage application, conditions suitable for reflection display and conditions suitable for transmission display are met. It clearly exists. Therefore, this condition was obtained by the so-called Jones matrix method calculation, and the appropriate range of the twist angle was obtained.

【0191】

As a result, it was clarified that the twist angle must be set to 0 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less in order to obtain a good display in the reflection display.

【0192】

That is, first, the inventors of the present application have stated that in the liquid crystal layer 1 that realizes a good display in the reflection display, the liquid crystal alignment having a polarization conversion action (when a parallel alignment film is used, substantially no voltage is applied). In order to find out that it is necessary to efficiently convert circularly polarized light into linearly polarized light in (equal to liquid crystal orientation), and to evaluate this, the reflectance when circularly polarized light is incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 is calculated by the above calculation method. Asked by. In the calculation, the light is incident on the liquid crystal cell 200 in the order of the polarizing plate 14, the retardation compensating plate 16, the liquid crystal layer 1, and the reflective film 8 which give a phase difference of 90 degrees, and conversely, the light is polarized from the reflective film 8. The reflectance of the light propagating up to the plate 14 and emitted was determined.

【0193】

As a result, the twist angle is 0 degrees or more by adjusting the product (Δn · d) of the refractive index difference (Δn) of the liquid crystal of the liquid crystal layer 1 and the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) for each twist angle of the liquid crystal layer 1. It was clarified that it is possible to convert circularly polarized light into perfect linearly polarized light within the range of 70 degrees or less. We also found that within the range of more than 70 degrees to 100 degrees, circularly polarized light cannot be completely linearly polarized light, but good display is possible. Then, when the maximum value of the reflectance up to 70 degrees in the visible wavelength is set to 100%, the twist at a specific wavelength is twisted by adjusting Δn · d of the liquid crystal layer 1 for each twist angle. The reflectance at an angle of 80 degrees is 97%, the reflectance at a twist angle of 90 degrees is 83%, and the reflectance at a twist angle of 100 degrees is 72%, so that good reflectance can be obtained. However, when the twist angle exceeds 100 degrees, for example, the reflectance at a twist angle of 110 degrees is 54%, and the reflectance at a twist angle of 120 degrees is 37%, so that circularly polarized light is efficiently polarized into linearly polarized light. Becomes impossible. That is, in the liquid crystal layer 1 of the reflection display unit 9, it is necessary to set the twist angle within the range of 0 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less.

【0194】

In the above description, circularly polarized light was used in the calculation to evaluate the polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflection display unit 9, but in the actual display, the liquid crystal layer 1 of the reflection display unit 9 is not necessarily circular. It is not necessary to incident polarized light, and even if the liquid crystal layer 1 is designed as described above and linearly polarized light is incident on the liquid crystal layer 1, good display can be obtained by the reflection display unit 9.

【0195】

On the other hand, in order to obtain a good display on the transmissive display unit 10, the liquid crystal orientation is such that the twist angle is small (0 degrees or more, 40 degrees or less) or the twist angle is large (60 degrees or more, 110 degrees). Must be oriented (less than degree).

【0196】

The polarization conversion action required to obtain a good display on the transmission display unit 10 is the basic optical action (first condition), this basic optical action (first condition), and the reflection display section 9. It is necessary to satisfy the realistic optical action (second condition) determined by the relation of.

【0197】

The reason is, for example, in the case of the first condition, in the liquid crystal orientation having a polarization conversion action (when a parallel alignment film is used, it is substantially equal to the orientation when no voltage is applied), the transmission display unit. In the liquid crystal layer 1 in 10, a certain polarized light (linearly polarized light, circularly polarized light, or elliptically polarized light whose polarization state is specified) is efficiently polarized (in the case of linearly polarized light, the oscillating electric field of light). Linearly polarized light whose planes include orthogonal, circularly polarized light whose rotation direction is inverted in the case of circularly polarized light, and elliptically polarized light with the same ellipticity in which the main axis orientation of the ellipsoid is orthogonal and whose rotation direction is inverted) This is because it requires the action of converting to.

【0198】

Therefore, the inventors of the present application have obtained the polarization conversion action by the above calculation method (Jones matrix method) in order to evaluate the above action as a property required for the transmission display unit 10, and the twist angle required for this purpose. It became clear that there are no particular restrictions contrary to the range of.

【0199】

Further, the second condition is caused in the present invention because the optical film (polarizing plate 14 and retardation compensating plate 16) on the display surface side common to the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 is used. It is a constraint. The optical films in the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 are set to perform good reflection display. A different optical film can be set on the surface opposite to the display surface of the liquid crystal display device, but this optical film displays the display of the transmission display unit 10 on the above-mentioned polarizing plate which is an optical film on the display surface side. It is preferable to set the arrangement so as to cooperate with the 14 and the phase difference compensating plate 16 and the liquid crystal layer 1 on the transmission display unit 10 side to improve the arrangement. In order to make such a setting, the polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the transmission display unit 10 not only satisfies the first condition above, but also can satisfactorily convert circularly polarized light to circularly polarized light in the opposite direction. Alternatively, it is important to be able to satisfactorily convert linearly polarized light into orthogonal linearly polarized light.

【0200】

Therefore, in order to evaluate specific conditions for the liquid crystal layer 1 in the transmission display unit 10 that satisfy the second condition, when circularly polarized light is incident on the liquid crystal layer 1, the light becomes circularly polarized light in the opposite direction. The intensity was determined by the above calculation method. The calculation is based on the calculation of the polarizing plate 15 as the first polarizing plate, the phase difference compensating plate 17 as the first phase difference compensating plate that gives a phase difference of 90 degrees, and the phase difference of the liquid crystal layer 1 and 90 degrees. A phase difference compensating plate 16 as a second phase difference compensating plate having a slow axis orthogonal to the first retarding compensating plate, and a polarizing plate as a second polarizing plate orthogonal to the first polarizing plate. The transmittance when propagating in the order of 14 was calculated.

【0201】

As a result, the inventors of the present application adjust the Δn · d of the liquid crystal layer 1 for each twist angle, and when the twist angle is within the range of 0 degrees or more and 40 degrees or less, the circularly polarized light becomes circularly polarized light in the opposite direction. We have found that it is converted well. Specifically, when the light transmittance at the visible wavelength when the twist angle is 0 degrees is 100%, the light transmittance when the twist angle is 30 degrees is 88.6% and when the twist angle is 40 degrees. The light transmittance is 80.8%, the light transmittance is 72.0% when the twist angle is 50 degrees, and the light transmittance is 62.4% when the twist angle is 60 degrees. When the polarization conversion action to be converted is evaluated by the transmittance, the transmittance decreases as the twist angle increases. Therefore, from the above results, it was concluded that it is appropriate to set the upper limit of the twist angle to about 40 degrees.

【0202】

On the other hand, the setting of the twist angle of the transmission display unit 10 that efficiently converts linearly polarized light into orthogonal linearly polarized light is an arbitrary twist angle having a twist angle of 0 degrees or more when the wavelength of light is limited to one wavelength. Therefore, a sufficiently efficient transmittance can be realized. However, in order to obtain high transmittance in a wide range of visible wavelengths, there is an optimum value for the twist angle. Specifically, when the twist angle is changed and Δn · d of the liquid crystal layer 1 is adjusted so that the central wavelength of the visible wavelength range, 550 nm, has the maximum transmittance, and the transmittance at 550 nm is set to 100%. The wavelength width excluding the upper and lower limits of the wavelength at which a transmittance of 90% or more can be obtained was obtained. The transmittance is calculated when light passes through the polarizing plate 15 as the first polarizing plate, the liquid crystal layer 1, and the polarizing plate 14 as the second polarizing plate orthogonal to the first polarizing plate. The liquid crystal orientation at the center of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction is arranged so as to form an angle of 45 degrees with the transmission axes of the polarizing plates 14 and 15, and the transmittance at that time is obtained.

【0203】

As a result, the wavelength width (wavelength range) when the twist angle is 0 degrees is 230 nm, the wavelength width when the twist angle is 10 degrees is 235 nm, the wavelength width when the twist angle is 20 degrees is 240 nm, and the twist angle is 30. When the twist angle is 40 degrees, the wavelength width is 245 nm, when the twist angle is 40 degrees, the wavelength width is 250 nm, when the twist angle is 50 degrees, the wavelength width is 255 nm, when the twist angle is 60 degrees, the wavelength width is 265 nm, and the twist angle. When the twist angle is 70 degrees, the wavelength width is 280 nm, when the twist angle is 80 degrees, the wavelength width is 310 nm, when the twist angle is 90 degrees, the wavelength width is 330 nm, and when the twist angle is 100 degrees, the wavelength width is 305 nm. The wavelength width when the twist angle was 110 degrees was 255 nm, and the wavelength width when the twist angle was 120 degrees was 210 nm.

【0204】

From the above studies, a high transmittance is realized in a wide wavelength width (wavelength range) within a range where the twist angle is 60 degrees or more and 110 degrees or less, a good polarization conversion action is realized, and a good display is possible. It turned out to be. Therefore, from the above polarization conversion action for circularly polarized light and the polarization conversion action for linearly polarized light, the twist angle of the liquid crystal of the transmission display unit 10 satisfying the second condition is 0 degrees or more, 40 degrees or less, or Limited to 60 degrees or more and 110 degrees or less.

【0205】

As described above, the reflection display unit 9 is in the range of 0 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less, the transmission display unit 10 is in the range of 0 degrees or more and 40 degrees or less, or 60 degrees or more and 110 degrees or less. It was clarified that the twist angle within the range gives a good display. That is, as an example of the embodiment of the present invention, the twist angle for obtaining good display in both the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 is within the range of 0 degrees or more, 40 degrees or less, or 60. The range of more than 100 degrees and less than 100 degrees is appropriate.

【0206】

In the following examples, in the example in which the twist angles of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 are the same (Examples 2 to 9 and 11), the twist angle is 0. A typical example of using circularly polarized light in degrees is Example 11 (liquid crystal orientation is vertical orientation), and a typical example of using linearly polarized light with a twist angle of 0 degrees is Example 3 (phase difference compensating plate). (Adjusted so that the display is better). Further, a typical example in which linearly polarized light is used when the twist angle is around 70 degrees is Example 5 (adjusted so that a good bright display is obtained by a phase difference compensating plate).

【0207】

According to the above-mentioned examination, the twist angle of the liquid crystal layer 1 for obtaining good display in both the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 is within the range of 0 degrees or more, 40 degrees or less, or 60 degrees. As mentioned above, it is within the range of 100 degrees or less.

【0208】

In the above explanation, the magnitude of the twist angle has been described only for positive signs, but the same argument is valid for negative signs with the same absolute value (twisted in the opposite direction). Needless to say.

【0209】

When the twist angle is set small, the change in the polarization state becomes a function of the product (Δn · d) of the refractive index difference (Δn) and the liquid crystal layer thickness (d), and the reflection display unit. In 9, the incident light reciprocates in the liquid crystal layer 1, and in the transmission display unit 10, the incident light passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 only once. Therefore, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the transmission display unit 10 is compared with the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflection display unit 9. It is desirable to set it thicker.

【0210】

Even in a TN liquid crystal display device that uses normal optical rotation, if the liquid crystal layer thickness is thin, it becomes indistinguishable between optical rotation and changes in the polarization state due to retardation, and elliptically polarized light is generally used for display. Therefore, it goes without saying that the optical rotation used in the TN liquid crystal display device can be used for bright display and dark display using the above-mentioned polarization conversion action. The polarization conversion action in the present invention also includes modulation of transmitted light intensity by these optical rotations.

【0211】

Further, in the above polarization conversion action, the change in the liquid crystal orientation that can change the polarization state is limited to those that control whether the liquid crystal orientation state is parallel or perpendicular to the substrates 4 and 5 as described above. Instead, liquid crystals such as surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystals and antiferroelectric liquid crystals that change only in the orientation direction while maintaining the orientation orientation almost parallel to the substrates 4 and 5, or nematic liquid crystals are used. Also included are those that change the orientation of the liquid crystal while keeping the orientation of the liquid crystal in a plane parallel to the display surface by changing the electrode structure.

【0212】

Further, in the above liquid crystal display device, the installation orientation (pasting orientation) of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 can be appropriately set. For example, if the installation orientation of the polarizing plate 14 is set according to the reflection display unit 9, the same polarizing plate 14 inevitably acts on the display light transmitted through the transmission display unit 10, so that the polarizing plate 14 inevitably acts. The installation orientation of the polarizing plate 15 may be determined according to the installation orientation of the polarizing plate 15.

【0213】

As described above, when the liquid crystal orientation having no twist is used for the display, when the reflection display unit 9 shows, for example, a dark display, the transmissive display unit 10 also shows, for example, a dark display. However, for example, if the installation orientation of the polarizing plate 14 is changed by 90 degrees while the installation orientation of the polarizing plate 14 remains the same, the display is inverted between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10. That is, a good display cannot be obtained as it is. Therefore, in order to prevent such display inversion, the installation orientation of the polarizing plate 15 is restored, or independent electrodes are provided to the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 to electrically provide them. The drive itself may be inverted by only one of the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 to match the brightness of the display.

【0214】

Next, the display principle of the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 in the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 4 will be described in more detail.

【0215】

First, the display principle of the reflection display unit 9 will be described below. In order to simplify the explanation, the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 are not used in the following description, and the liquid crystal orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 has a twist in the reflection display unit 9b and the transmission display unit 10b. Make it not exist. Further, when light having a wavelength of 550 nm is transmitted through the liquid crystal layer 1 only once, the reflection display unit 9b and the transmission display unit 10b are reflected so as to have a phase difference of 1/4 wavelength and 1/2 wavelength, respectively. It is assumed that the layer thicknesses of the display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 are adjusted, the liquid crystal composition has positive dielectric anisotropy, and the liquid crystal orientation when no voltage is applied is approximately the same as that of the substrates 4 and 5. It is assumed that the orientation is parallel and the orientation is 45 degrees with respect to the absorption axis orientation of the polarizing plate 14.

【0216】

In this case, the liquid crystal orientation in the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 in the non-voltage applied state is the liquid crystal orientation shown in the reflection display unit 9b and the transmission display unit 10b, and is changed by the application of the voltage. The liquid crystal orientation in the transmission display unit 10 is the liquid crystal orientation shown in the reflection display unit 9a and the transmission display unit 10a.

【0217】

In the reflection display unit 9b, the product (Δn · d) of the difference in refractive index (Δn) of the liquid crystal composition and the thickness (d) of the liquid crystal layer satisfies the 1/4 wavelength condition. Therefore, the ambient light is linearly polarized by the polarizing plate 14 when incident, and is circularly polarized when it reaches the reflective film 8 due to the retardation of the liquid crystal layer 1. At this time, the traveling direction of the incident light is reversed by the reflective film 8, and the circularly polarized light preserves the rotation direction of the oscillating electric field and only the traveling direction is reversed. That is, the left and right sides are inverted circularly polarized light. This circularly polarized light passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 of the reflection display unit 9b again and becomes linearly polarized light parallel to the absorption axis orientation of the polarizing plate 14, and is absorbed by the polarizing plate 14 to be dark-displayed.

【0218】

At this time, in the transmission display unit 10b, a half wavelength condition is satisfied for the product (Δn · d) of the difference in refractive index (Δn) of the liquid crystal composition and the thickness (d) of the liquid crystal layer. Therefore, the liquid crystal layer 1 has an action of converting the direction of the incident linearly polarized vibration plane into line symmetry with respect to the liquid crystal orientation direction. Therefore, the absorption axis orientation of the polarizing plate 15 on the incident side of the light to the transmission display unit 10b is darkened by the light passing through the polarizing plate 14 being absorbed by the polarizing plate 14 due to the above-mentioned action of the liquid crystal layer 1. It is determined so as to be parallel to the transmission axis orientation of the polarizing plate 14 and the polarizing plate 15.

【0219】

In this way, when the polarizing plate 14 and the polarizing plate 15 are arranged so that their transmission axis orientations are parallel and the liquid crystal orientation is at an angle of 45 degrees from the transmission axis orientation, the reflection display unit 9b and the transmission are transmitted. It was found that both display units 10b were dark.

【0220】

Next, by applying a potential difference to the electrodes 6 and 7 from the voltage-free state (initial orientation state of the liquid crystal) shown in the reflection display unit 9b and the transmission display unit 10b, the orientation state of the liquid crystal is changed to the reflection display unit 9a. And, as shown in the transparent display unit 10a, the operation when the voltage is changed substantially perpendicular to the display surface will be described below.

【0221】

In this case, in the reflection display unit 9a, the ambient light is linearly polarized by the polarizing plate 14, and the liquid crystal layer 1 has no retardation with respect to the linearly polarized light. Therefore, the incident light is a reflective film without changing the polarization state. After reaching 8 and further reversing the traveling direction, it passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 again and exits from the polarizing plate 14 while maintaining the direction of linearly polarized light orthogonal to the absorption axis direction of the polarizing plate 14.

【0222】

Further, in the transmission display unit 10a as well, similarly to the reflection display unit 9a, the incident light is linearly polarized by the polarizing plate 15 and passes through the polarizing plate 14 while substantially maintaining the direction of the linearly polarized light.

【0223】

When the polarization conversion action due to optical anisotropy as described above is used for display, the amount of this polarization conversion action is, for example, when the liquid crystals are aligned in parallel and no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1. It is determined by the twist angle of the orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 and the product (Δn · d) of the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) and the refractive index difference (Δn) of the liquid crystal composition. Therefore, the fact that the transmissive display unit 10 has a liquid crystal layer thickness thicker than that of the reflective display unit 9 as in the present invention determines the brightness and contrast ratio of the display in the liquid crystal display device that uses the transmitted light and the reflected light for display. , It is effective to make both the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 compatible with each other. The twist angle may be different between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10.

【0224】

Further, when the liquid crystal display device is provided with the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17, sufficient brightness and contrast ratio can be secured for light having a plurality of wavelengths in the visible light region, and as a result, it is possible to secure sufficient brightness and contrast ratio. , Even better display is feasible.

【0225】

Further, even if the liquid crystal composition and orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 are the same as those described above, the above change in display can be reversed by the action of the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17. That is, for example, if a 1/4 wavelength plate is used as the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17, in the reflection display unit 9b, the ambient light is circularly polarized when it is incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 by the phase difference compensating plate 16. Further, due to the polarization conversion action due to the optical anisotropy of the liquid crystal layer 1, when it reaches the reflective film 8, it becomes linearly polarized light, and after the traveling direction is reversed by the reflective film 8, it is converted again into the transmissive component of the polarizing plate 14. Since it is emitted from the polarizing plate 14, it becomes a bright display, and when the liquid crystal orientation changes as shown in the reflection display unit 9a, the ambient light reaches the reflection film 8 with circularly polarized light, so that it is dark. It becomes a display.

【0226】

Further, in the above description, the case where the display changes from the dark display to the bright display as the potential difference between the electrode 6 and the electrode 7 increases has been described, but the change in the display is limited to this. Instead, for example, as described above, the inversion can be achieved by making the dielectric anisotropy of the liquid crystal composition used for the liquid crystal layer 1 negative and setting the initial orientation state of the liquid crystal to vertical orientation.

【0227】

Here, when the initial orientation state of the liquid crystal is set to vertical orientation, it has a technical feature that the polarization conversion action of the initial orientation is not significantly affected by the fabrication accuracy of the liquid crystal layer thickness. Therefore, in order to take advantage of this feature, assigning the initial orientation state to the black display so that the black display, which greatly affects the display quality, is stable can be a means with high mass productivity. In particular, in order to realize this, it is necessary to make the display black in a state where the polarization conversion action of the vertically oriented liquid crystal layer 1 has almost disappeared, and the phase difference compensating plate 16 needs to have a good circular polarization action. Is. That is, it is important that the phase difference compensating plate 16 has a configuration in which it is circularly polarized in the widest possible wavelength.

【0228】

Further, the transmission display unit 10 is arranged so that, for example, the retardation compensation plate 17 and the retardation compensation plate 16 have orthogonal phase axis orientations, and the polarizing plate 14 and the polarizing plate 15 are orthogonal to each other. When arranged so as to have the absorption axis orientation, the liquid crystal orientation shown in the transmission display unit 10b is bright display, and the liquid crystal orientation shown in the transmission display unit 10a is dark display.

【0229】

Regardless of whether the liquid crystal layer 1 is oriented in parallel or vertically, when the thickness of the liquid crystal layer is changed between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 in the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention. In order to achieve both brightness and contrast ratio in the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10, as described above, in the reflection display unit 9, the light incident from the display surface side through the liquid crystal layer 1 is re-entered. Display is performed by emitting light to the display surface side through the liquid crystal layer 1, and in the transmission display unit 10, light incident from the back side (backlight 13 side) passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 only once and reaches the display surface side. When displaying by emitting light, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the transmission display unit 10 is set to be thicker than the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflection display unit 9, and as a result, it is effective to satisfy the above-mentioned conditions.

【0230】

Hereinafter, among the liquid crystal display devices according to the present embodiment, the liquid crystal display devices using the polarizing plates 14 and 15 for displaying the change in the polarization state due to the polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 will be described in FIGS. 4 to 8. Although specific examples and comparative examples will be described with reference to the above, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is not limited to the following examples.

【0231】

[Examples 2 to 4] In Examples 2 to 4, the transmission display unit 10 is 7.5 μm and the reflection display unit 9 is formed by the same method as the method for producing the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection in Example 1. A liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection having a liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of 4.5 μm was prepared. That is, also in Examples 2 to 4, the photosensitive resin does not remain in the transmissive display unit 10, and the reflective display unit 9 patterns the insulating film 11 so that the photosensitive resin is formed in a layer thickness of 3 μm. By forming the film, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer of the transmissive display unit 10 is set to be thicker than that of the reflective display unit 9. However, in Examples 2 to 4, as shown in FIG. 4, the electrode 7 of the reflection display unit 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmission display unit 10 are electrically insulated, and the electrode 7 of the reflection display unit 9 is electrically insulated. An electrode pattern was prepared so that a voltage was separately applied to the electrode 7 of the transmission display unit 10 and the electrode 7 from the outside.

【0232】

Further, in Examples 2 to 4, the liquid crystal having a positive dielectric anisotropy has a refractive index difference (Δn) of 0.065 in the liquid crystal composition containing no chiral agent in the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection. The liquid crystal layer 1 was formed by introducing the composition by the vacuum injection method.

【0233】

Then, the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were attached to the outside of each electrode substrate in the liquid crystal cell thus obtained to produce a liquid crystal display device. At this time, in the second to fourth embodiments, the phase difference compensating plate 17 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates, and the phase difference compensating plate 16 is composed of one phase difference compensating plate in the third embodiment. In Examples 2 and 4, it was composed of two phase difference compensation plates. The sticking directions of the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were determined according to the orientation direction (orientation direction) of the liquid crystal.

【0234】

Further, in Example 2, the liquid crystal orientation was homogenic orientation, and the NB (normally black) mode was used for the display. In Example 3, the liquid crystal orientation was homogenous orientation, and the NW (normally white) mode was used for display. Then, in Example 4, a mixture of these (NB mode was used for reflection display and NW mode was used for transmission display) was used.

【0235】

However, in Examples 2 to 4 above, a parallel-oriented alignment film is used for the alignment films 2 and 3 so that the liquid crystal is oriented parallel to the display surface when no voltage is applied, and the alignment film 2 is used. The orientation process was performed with the rubbing intersection angle of 3 set to 180 degrees.

【0236】

Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the rubbing crossing angle is defined as the alignment film 2 (of the pair of electrode substrates sandwiching the liquid crystal layer 1 in the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection) in the electrode substrate which is the observer side substrate. That is, the rubbing is the orientation processing direction of the alignment film 3 (that is, the alignment film 3 on the substrate 5 side) on the other electrode substrate with reference to the rubbing orientation X which is the alignment processing direction of the alignment film 2) on the substrate 4 side. The azimuth Y is defined as the angle measured counterclockwise.

【0237】

The orientation state of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 1 sandwiched between the alignment-treated alignment films 2 and 3 shows the orientation of the alignment films 2 and 3 and the twist peculiar to the liquid crystal in the absence of an electric field, a magnetic field, or the like. It is determined by the amount of the chiral additive to be given and the rubbing crossing angle.

【0238】

When the rubbing cross angle is, for example, 180 degrees, the liquid crystal composition without the chiral additive is oriented without twisting. Further, when the chiral additive induces a left-twist twist in the liquid crystal, for example, the liquid crystal layer 1 is oriented without twisting until the amount of the chiral additive added reaches a certain amount, and a certain amount is applied. When it exceeds, it twists 180 degrees to the left (180 degrees left twist). Then, when the amount of the chiral additive added is further increased, a twist of only an integral multiple of 180 degrees is realized as the amount of the chiral additive increases.

【0239】

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the orientation of the liquid crystal on the alignment film 3 realized by the rubbing intersection angle (180 degrees) described above is the rubbing orientation X of the alignment film 2 arranged on the electrode substrate on the upper side of the liquid crystal layer 1. When is x degree, x degree when no chiral additive is added, and (180 + x) when the amount of chiral additive is increased and twisted 180 degrees to the left between the upper and lower electrode substrates. ) Degree.

【0240】

In such an alignment process, the alignment films 2 and 3 are so-called parallel alignment films that orient the liquid crystal in parallel with the alignment film surface, and the chiral additive is not mixed in, and the dielectric anisotropy is high. When a positive nematic liquid crystal is used, the liquid crystal molecules take a twist-free orientation (that is, an anisotropic orientation) that is substantially parallel to the upper and lower electrode substrates sandwiching the liquid crystal layer 1 when no voltage is applied, and the voltage. Along with the application of, the orientation of the liquid crystal in the central portion of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction changes according to the voltage.

【0241】

Table 1 shows the optical arrangements of the polarizing plates 14 and 15, the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14 and 15) in the liquid crystal display devices obtained in Examples 2 to 4. And the orientation of the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17 and the orientation of the liquid crystal) are shown in each example using a common orientation reference.

【0242】

The optical arrangement shown in Table 1 is the arrangement of each optical element on the display surface when the observer observes the display surface, and the phase difference compensation plate 16 or the phase difference compensation plate 17 has a plurality of phase difference compensation plates. In the case of being composed of plates, each phase difference compensating plate constituting the above phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 is described in the order of actual arrangement from the observer side.

【0243】

Further, since the liquid crystal layer 1 has an orientation that does not twist, the orientation orientation of the entire liquid crystal layer 1 when no voltage is applied (the orientation orientation of the long axis of the liquid crystal molecule) is described. This is the orientation of the alignment treatment applied to the alignment film 2 on the side.

【0244】

Each orientation represents the orientation from the reference orientation arbitrarily taken on the display surface in units of degrees, and the retardation of each phase difference compensating plate (that is, the difference in refractive index and the thickness in the plane of the phase difference compensating plate). (Product) indicates the value for monochromatic light with a wavelength of 550 nm in nm.

【0245】

[table 1]

<img file="JPH11242226A_D0001.tif" />【0246】

Further, the display characteristics of the liquid crystal display devices obtained in the second, third, and fourth embodiments are shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, respectively. All of these display characteristics were measured by the same method as in Example 1. In each of the above figures, the horizontal axis represents the effective value of the applied voltage, and the vertical axis represents the brightness (reflectance or transmittance). Rate) is shown. Further, the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 to which the polarizing plates 14 and 15 are not attached is set to 100%, and the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 before the polarizing plates 14 are attached is set to 100%.

【0247】

In FIG. 6, curve 211 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 on the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 2, and curve 212 shows the voltage dependence of the example. The voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in 2 is shown.

【0248】

As shown in FIG. 6, in the second embodiment, both the reflectance and the transmittance increase as the applied voltage increases in the section where the applied voltage is 1 V to 2 V. Further, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 is 3% when the applied voltage is 1V, the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 is 2%, and the reflectance and transmission display of the reflection display unit 9 when the applied voltage is 2V. The transmittance of part 10 was 40% for both.

【0249】

Further, in FIG. 7, curve 221 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 3, and curve 222 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9. The voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 3 is shown.

【0250】

As shown in FIG. 7, in Example 3, in the section where the applied voltage is 1 V to 2 V, both the reflectance and the transmittance decrease as the applied voltage increases. Further, when the applied voltage is 1V, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 and the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 are both 40%, and when the applied voltage is 2V, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 is 3% and the transmittance is transmitted. The transmittance of the display unit 10 was 2%.

【0251】

Further, in FIG. 8, curve 231 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 4, and curve 232 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9. The voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 4 is shown.

【0252】

As shown in FIG. 8, in Example 4, in the section where the applied voltage is 1 V to 2 V, the reflectance increases as the applied voltage increases, while the transmittance decreases. Further, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 is 3% when the applied voltage is 1V, the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 is 40%, and the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 when the applied voltage is 2V is 40%. , The transmittance of the transparent display unit 10 was 2%.

【0253】

As described above, in all of the liquid crystal display devices obtained in Examples 2 to 4 above, the transmittance and the reflectance change with the change of the voltage applied to the liquid crystal display device. , Both reflection display and transmission display were possible.

【0254】

Further, when visual observation was carried out, in Examples 2 and 3, the same voltage was applied to the electrode 7 in the reflection display unit 9 and the electrode 7 in the transmission display unit 10 to obtain the electrode 6 and the electrode 6. Since the voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 by the electrodes 7 is maintained in the same manner by the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 for display, the change in brightness between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 changes. The same was true, and it was confirmed that there was no inversion of light and darkness of the display. Further, at the time of this display, no change in the displayed content was observed even if the intensity of the ambient light was changed during the observation. That is, when the reflection display unit 9 is a dark display, the transparent display unit 10 is also a dark display, and when the reflection display unit 9 is a bright display, the transparent display unit 10 is also a bright display. Therefore, even when the same electrode 7 is used for the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 as shown in FIG. 1, the display does not reverse.

【0255】

On the other hand, in the fourth embodiment, when a voltage is applied in the same manner as in the second and third embodiments, that is, when a voltage of 1 V is applied, the transmission display unit 10 becomes a bright display and the reflection display unit 9 becomes a bright display. It became a dark display. Further, when a voltage of 2 V was applied, the transmission display unit 10 became a dark display and the reflection display unit 9 became a bright display. Therefore, the brightness of the display is reversed between the transparent display unit 10 and the reflective display unit 9. Due to this inversion, if the display is performed in an environment where the ambient light is weak and the ambient light is strengthened and the reflection display is performed mainly when observing the transmission display unit 10, the brightness of the display is inverted and the display content is displayed. It was difficult to confirm. From this, as shown in Example 4, when the same voltage is applied to the electrode 7 in the reflection display unit 9 and the electrode 7 in the transmission display unit 10, reflection is performed in the mixed mode of NB and NW. It was confirmed that the display inversion between the display unit 9 and the transparent display unit 10 was large, which deteriorated the visibility.

【0256】

On the other hand, in the fourth embodiment, when the reflection display unit 9 is brightly displayed, the transparent display unit 10 is also displayed brightly, and when the reflective display unit 9 is darkly displayed, the transparent display unit 10 is also darkened at the same time. A different voltage is applied to the electrode 7 in the reflection display unit 9 and the electrode 7 in the transmission display unit 10, that is, the reflection display unit 9 darkens the reflection display unit 9 by the electrodes 6 and 7 (alignment mechanism). When the indicated voltage (1V) is applied, a voltage (2V) at which the transmission display unit 10 becomes a dark display is applied to the transmission display unit 10, and the reflection display unit 9 displays a bright display on the reflection display unit 9. When a voltage (2V) is applied to the transmissive display unit 10, by applying a voltage (1V) at which the transmissive display unit 10 makes a bright display, the inversion of the light and darkness of the display is eliminated, and the second embodiment and The same good display condition as in Example 3 was obtained.

【0257】

From the above, each of the liquid crystal display devices of Examples 2 to 4 has both the brightness of the bright display and the contrast ratio for both the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10. It can be seen that the light and darkness of the display can be matched between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10, and a display having excellent visibility can be realized. Further, in each of the liquid crystal display devices of Examples 2 to 4 above, since the contrast ratio in the transmission display unit 10 exceeds the contrast ratio in the reflection display unit 9, the display quality is further improved and good display is achieved. It turns out that you can do.

【0258】

Next, among the liquid crystal display devices according to the present embodiment, the liquid crystal display device that utilizes the polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 due to the twist orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 for display is specified with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. The liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to a specific example and a comparative example, but the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is not limited to the following examples.

【0259】

[Example 5] In this embodiment, the transmission display unit 10 has a liquid crystal layer thickness of 7.5 μm and the reflection display unit 9 has a liquid crystal layer thickness of 4.5 μm by the same method as the method for producing a liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection in Example 1. A liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection was produced. That is, also in this embodiment, the photosensitive resin does not remain in the transmissive display unit 10, and the reflective display unit 9 forms the insulating film 11 in a pattern so that the photosensitive resin is formed in a layer thickness of 3 μm. , The thickness of the liquid crystal layer of the transmissive display unit 10 is set to be thicker than that of the reflective display unit 9.

【0260】

However, in this embodiment, as in Examples 2 to 4, as shown in FIG. 4, the electrode 7 of the reflection display unit 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmission display unit 10 are electrically insulated, and the reflection display unit is provided. An electrode pattern was prepared so that a voltage was separately applied to the electrode 7 of 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmission display unit 10 from the outside.

【0261】

Further, the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were attached to the outside of each electrode substrate in the above liquid crystal cell. In this embodiment, the phase difference compensating plate 17 is composed of one phase difference compensating plate, and the phase difference compensating plate 16 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates. The sticking directions of the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were determined according to the orientation direction (orientation direction) of the liquid crystal.

【0262】

In this embodiment, a liquid crystal display device is manufactured so that the twist orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 (the twist angle (twist angle) of the orientation of the liquid crystal is 70 degrees. Specifically, the voltage is applied to the alignment films 2 and 3. The alignment treatment was performed by using a parallel orientation alignment film and performing a rubbing treatment so that the rubbing intersection angle was 250 degrees so that the liquid crystal orientation would be parallel orientation when the liquid crystal orientation was not applied. The rubbing intersection angle shall be in accordance with the above definition, and a liquid crystal composition having a positive dielectric constant anisotropy with a refractive index difference (Δn) of 0.065 between the electrode substrates in the liquid crystal injection liquid crystal cell. The liquid crystal layer 1 was formed by introducing by the vacuum injection method. As described above, the twist angle (twist angle) of the liquid crystal orientation was caused by the action of the chiral additive added to the liquid crystal composition and the alignment treatment. The degree of the liquid crystal layer 1 oriented in this way can be set to 70 degrees. With the application of a voltage, the orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 at the center in the layer thickness direction of the liquid crystal layer 1 changes according to the voltage.

【0263】

Table 2 shows the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15, the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensating plate) in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this embodiment. The sticking orientations of 16 and 17 and the orientation orientation of the liquid crystal) are shown using a common orientation standard.

【0264】

[Example 6] In this example as well, as in Example 5, the transmission display unit 10 is 7.5 μm and the reflection display unit 9 is 4.5 μm by the same method as the method for producing the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection in Example 1. A liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection having the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of the above was prepared. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the electrode 7 of the reflection display unit 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmission display unit 10 are electrically insulated, and the electrode 7 of the reflection display unit 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmission display unit 10 are An electrode pattern was prepared so that a voltage was separately applied from the outside.

【0265】

The retardation compensation plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were attached to the outside of each electrode substrate in the above liquid crystal cell. In this embodiment, one phase difference compensation plate is used for each of the phase difference compensation plate 16 and the phase difference compensation plate 17. The sticking directions of the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were determined according to the orientation direction (orientation direction) of the liquid crystal.

【0266】

In this example, the liquid crystal display device was manufactured so that the twist orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 (the twist angle (twist angle) of the liquid crystal orientation) was 90 degrees. Specifically, a parallel-oriented alignment film is used for the alignment films 2 and 3 so that the liquid crystal orientation when no voltage is applied is parallel, and the rubbing treatment is performed so that the rubbing intersection angle is 270 degrees. Was applied to perform the orientation treatment. The rubbing intersection angle shall follow the above definition. Then, the liquid crystal layer 1 is introduced by a vacuum injection method by introducing a liquid crystal composition having a positive dielectric anisotropy having a refractive index difference (Δn) of 0.065 between the electrode substrates in the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection. Formed. As described above, the twist angle (twist angle) of the liquid crystal orientation can be set to 90 degrees by the action of the chiral additive added to the liquid crystal composition and the orientation treatment. The liquid crystal layer 1 oriented in this way undergoes an orientation change according to the voltage from the liquid crystal in the central portion of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction as the voltage is applied.

【0267】

Table 2 shows the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15, the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensating plate) in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this embodiment. The sticking orientations of 16 and 17 and the orientation orientation of the liquid crystal) are shown using a common orientation standard.

【0268】

The optical arrangement shown in Table 2 is the arrangement of each optical element on the display surface when the observer observes the display surface, and the phase difference compensation plate 16 or the phase difference compensation plate 17 has a plurality of phase difference compensation plates. In the case of being composed of plates, each phase difference compensating plate constituting the above phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 is described in the order of actual arrangement from the observer side.

【0269】

The orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 (the orientation of the long axis of the liquid crystal molecule) is equal to the orientation of the rubbing treatment applied to the alignment film 2 on the substrate 4 side on the substrate 4 side, and on the substrate 5 side on the substrate 5 side. It is equal to the orientation of the rubbing treatment applied to the alignment film 3. However, when the orientation of the liquid crystal in contact with the alignment film 2 is traced to the alignment film 3, the liquid crystal is twisted 90 degrees to the left. When the liquid crystal orientation is traced in this way, when the rubbing processing orientation to the alignment film 2 is considered to be the orientation orientation on the substrate 4 side (hereinafter, abbreviated as the substrate 4 orientation orientation), the rubbing of the alignment film 3 is performed. The orientation is 180 degrees inverted from the orientation in which the orientation of the liquid crystal is traced according to the twist. Hereinafter, the orientation orientation on the substrate 5 side (hereinafter, abbreviated as the substrate 5 orientation orientation) is defined as the liquid crystal orientation on the substrate 5 in which the orientation of the liquid crystal is traced according to the twist from the substrate 4 orientation orientation.

【0270】

Each orientation in Table 2 represents the orientation from the reference orientation arbitrarily taken on the display surface in units of degrees, and the retardation of each phase difference compensation plate indicates the value for monochromatic light having a wavelength of 550 nm in nm units.

【0271】

[Table 2]

<img file="JPH11242226A_D0002.tif" />【0272】

Further, the display characteristics of the liquid crystal display devices obtained in Examples 5 and 6 are shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, respectively. All of these display characteristics were measured by the same method as in Example 1. In each of the above figures, the horizontal axis represents the effective value of the applied voltage, and the vertical axis represents the brightness (reflectance or transmittance). Rate) is shown. Further, the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 to which the polarizing plates 14 and 15 are not attached is set to 100%, and the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 before the polarizing plates 14 are attached is set to 100%.

【0273】

In FIG. 9, curve 241 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 on the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 5, and curve 242 shows the voltage dependence of the example. The voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in 5 is shown.

【0274】

As shown in FIG. 9, in the fifth embodiment, both the reflectance and the transmittance increase as the applied voltage increases in the section where the applied voltage is 1.2 V or more. Further, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 is 3% when the applied voltage is 1V, the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 is 2%, and the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 when the applied voltage is 4V is 41%. , The transmittance of the transparent display unit 10 was 40%.

【0275】

Further, in FIG. 10, curve 251 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 6, and curve 252 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9. The voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 6 is shown.

【0276】

As shown in FIG. 10, in Example 6 as in Example 5, both the reflectance and the transmittance increase as the applied voltage increases in the section where the applied voltage is 1.2 V or more. Further, in the sixth embodiment, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 is 3% when the applied voltage is 1V, the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 is 2%, and the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 when the applied voltage is 4V. The reflectance was 35%, and the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 was 37%.

【0277】

As described above, in each of the liquid crystal display devices obtained in Examples 5 and 6, the transmittance and the reflectance change with the change of the voltage applied to the liquid crystal display device. , Both reflection display and transmission display were possible.

【0278】

Further, when visual observation was carried out, in Examples 5 and 6, the same voltage was applied to the electrode 7 in the reflection display unit 9 and the electrode 7 in the transmission display unit 10, so that the electrode 6 and the electrode 6 were subjected to the same voltage. Even when the voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 by the electrodes 7 is maintained in the same manner by the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 for display, the brightness changes between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10. Was the same, and it was confirmed that there was no inversion of light and darkness of the display. Further, at the time of this display, no change in the displayed content was observed even if the intensity of the ambient light was changed during the observation. That is, when the reflection display unit 9 is a dark display, the transparent display unit 10 is also a dark display, and when the reflection display unit 9 is a bright display, the transparent display unit 10 is also a bright display. Therefore, in Examples 5 and 6, even when the same electrode 7 is used for the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 as shown in FIG. 1, the display is not inverted. It was.

【0279】

Therefore, each of the liquid crystal display devices of the fifth and sixth embodiments can achieve both the brightness of the bright display and the contrast ratio for both the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10. At the same time, the brightness and darkness of the display can be matched between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10, and a display with excellent visibility can be realized. Further, in each of the liquid crystal display devices of the fifth and sixth embodiments, the contrast ratio in the transmission display unit 10 exceeds the contrast ratio in the reflection display unit 9, so that the display quality is further improved and the display is good. Can be realized.

【0280】

Further, in Example 6, the number of phase difference compensating plates used is smaller than that in Example 5, the visibility is excellent, and the reflected light and transmitted light capable of high-resolution color display (color display) are possible. It is possible to provide a liquid crystal display device that uses both of the above and for display at a lower cost.

【0281】

In the above-described embodiment, a liquid crystal display device that performs good reflection display and good transmission display by changing the thickness of the liquid crystal layer between the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit has been described. In the following description, a liquid crystal display device in which the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflection display unit and the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the transmission display unit are set to be equal, and good reflection display and good transmission display are performed will be described.

【0282】

[Embodiment 3] In the present embodiment, when the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflection display unit and the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the transmission display unit are equal, the voltage applied between the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit is changed to change the liquid crystal. A liquid crystal display device that realizes a good reflection display and a good transmission display by making the orientation different between the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit will be described.

【0283】

In the present embodiment, regarding such a liquid crystal display device, in a liquid crystal display device that uses the polarizing plates 14 and 15 described in the second embodiment and uses the retardation of the liquid crystal layer 1 for display, the reflection display unit. Taking the case where the liquid crystal layer thickness is set to be equal between 9 and the transmissive display unit 10, reference to FIGS. 4 and 11 to 16, specific examples and comparative examples will be described. To do. However, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is not limited to the following examples.

【0284】

For convenience of explanation, the components having the same functions as those in the first and second embodiments are designated by the same numbers, and the description thereof will be omitted. Further, regarding the specific overall configuration of the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment, the second embodiment is described except that the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 are set so that the liquid crystal layer thickness is the same. Since it is the same as the above, the description thereof is omitted here.

【0285】

In order to set the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 to have the same liquid crystal layer thickness as shown in the present embodiment, for example, without forming the insulating film 11 formed on the substrate 5. , The electrode 7 may be formed directly on the substrate 5.

【0286】

[Example 7] In the present embodiment, in the first embodiment, the insulating film 11 made of a photosensitive resin having an insulating property is not formed on the substrate 5, and as shown in FIG. 4, the reflective display unit 9 The electrode 7 and the electrode 7 of the transmission display unit 10 are electrically insulated so that a voltage is separately applied to the electrode 7 of the reflection display unit 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmission display unit 10 from the outside of the liquid crystal cell. The reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 both have a liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of 4.5 μm by the same method as the method for producing a liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection in Example 1 except that the electrode pattern is prepared in 1. A liquid crystal cell for injecting liquid crystal was produced.

【0287】

Then, a liquid crystal composition having a refractive index difference (Δn) of 0.065 and having positive dielectric anisotropy is introduced into the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection by a vacuum injection method. By doing so, the liquid crystal layer 1 was formed.

【0288】

The retardation compensation plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were attached to the outside of each electrode substrate in the above liquid crystal cell. In this embodiment, the phase difference compensating plate 17 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates, and the phase difference compensating plate 16 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates. The sticking directions of the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were determined according to the orientation direction (orientation direction) of the liquid crystal.

【0289】

In this embodiment, the liquid crystal layer 1 uses a liquid crystal layer in which the liquid crystal is oriented parallel to the substrates 4 and 5 (parallel to the display surface) and is not twist-oriented, and is used as a liquid crystal display method. , A birefringence mode was used in which the retardation of the liquid crystal layer 1 was used for display.

【0290】

Further, in this embodiment, a retardation suitable for reflection display is used for the transmission display unit 10. Here, the reflection display unit 9 is set in the same manner as the reflection display unit 9 of the second embodiment in the second embodiment, but the transmission display unit 10 is set to have the same liquid crystal layer thickness as the reflection display unit 9. It is different from Example 2. Therefore, in this embodiment, in the second embodiment, the optical design is performed again to determine the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the optical arrangement of the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17. In this embodiment, the optical arrangements of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17 are set so that the dark display of the transmission display unit 10 is good.

【0291】

Further, in this embodiment, as in the case of the second embodiment, a parallel orientation film is used for the alignment films 2 and 3 so that the liquid crystal is oriented parallel to the display surface when no voltage is applied, and the alignment is performed. The orientation treatment was performed by setting the rubbing intersection angle of the films 2 and 3 to 180 degrees. In such an orientation process, the twist angle (twist angle) of the orientation of the liquid crystal is 0 degrees, and as the voltage is applied, the orientation changes from the liquid crystal in the central portion of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction according to the voltage. ..

【0292】

Table 3 shows the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15, the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensating plate) in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this embodiment. The sticking orientations of 16 and 17 and the orientation orientation of the liquid crystal) are shown using a common orientation standard.

【0293】

[Comparative Example 3] Here, a comparative example of the above-mentioned Example 7 is shown. In Comparative Example 3, in the liquid crystal display device shown in Example 7, the retardation compensation plate 16 is composed of two retardation compensation plates, while the retardation compensation plate 17 is composed of one retardation compensation plate. It was designed in the same manner as the liquid crystal display device shown in Example 7 except that the optical arrangements of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17 were set so that the clear display of the transmission display unit 10 was good. A liquid crystal display device was manufactured. The sticking directions of the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were determined according to the orientation direction (orientation direction) of the liquid crystal.

【0294】

Further, also in this comparative example, as in the case of Example 7, parallel alignment films are used for the alignment films 2 and 3 so that the liquid crystal is oriented parallel to the display surface when no voltage is applied, and the alignment is performed. The orientation treatment was performed by setting the rubbing intersection angle of the films 2 and 3 to 180 degrees. In such an orientation process, the twist angle (twist angle) of the orientation of the liquid crystal is 0 degrees, and as the voltage is applied, the orientation changes from the liquid crystal in the central portion of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction according to the voltage. ..

【0295】

Table 3 shows the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15, the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensating plate) in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this comparative example. The sticking orientations of 16 and 17 and the orientation orientation of the liquid crystal) are shown using a common orientation standard.

【0296】

[Example 8] In the present embodiment, in the liquid crystal display device shown in the seventh embodiment, the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) in the reflection display unit 9 and the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) in the transmission display unit 10 are both 7.5 μm. In Example 7, except that the retardation suitable for the transmission display was used for the reflection display unit 9 and the optical arrangements of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensation plates 16 and 17 were set so that the reflection display was good. A liquid crystal display device designed in the same manner as the liquid crystal display device shown below was manufactured.

【0297】

More specifically, in this embodiment, in the first embodiment, the insulating film 11 made of a photosensitive resin having an insulating property is not formed on the substrate 5, and as shown in FIG. 4, the reflective display unit 9 is not formed. Electrode 7 and the electrode 7 of the transmission display unit 10 are electrically insulated, and a voltage is separately applied to the electrode 7 of the reflection display unit 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmission display unit 10 from the outside of the liquid crystal cell. The reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 both have a liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of 7.5 μm by the same method as the method for producing a liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection in Example 1 except that the electrode pattern is prepared as described above. A liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection having the above was prepared.

【0298】

Then, a liquid crystal composition having a refractive index difference (Δn) of 0.065 and having positive dielectric anisotropy is introduced into the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection by a vacuum injection method. By doing so, the liquid crystal layer 1 was formed.

【0299】

The retardation compensation plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were attached to the outside of each electrode substrate in the above liquid crystal cell. In this embodiment, the phase difference compensating plate 17 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates, and the phase difference compensating plate 16 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates. The sticking directions of the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were determined according to the orientation direction (orientation direction) of the liquid crystal.

【0300】

In this embodiment, the liquid crystal layer 1 uses a liquid crystal layer in which the liquid crystal is oriented parallel to the substrates 4 and 5 (parallel to the display surface) and is not twist-oriented, and is used as a liquid crystal display method. , A birefringence mode was used in which the retardation of the liquid crystal layer 1 was used for display.

【0301】

Further, in this embodiment, a retardation suitable for transparent display is used for the reflection display unit 9. Here, the transmission display unit 10 is set in the same manner as the transmission display unit 10 of the second embodiment in the second embodiment, but the reflection display unit 9 is set to have the same liquid crystal layer thickness as the transmission display unit 10. It is different from Example 2. Therefore, in this embodiment, in the second embodiment, the optical design is performed again to determine the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the optical arrangement of the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17. In this embodiment, the optical arrangements of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17 are set so that the reflection display is good.

【0302】

Further, in this embodiment, as in the case of the second embodiment, a parallel orientation film is used for the alignment films 2 and 3 so that the liquid crystal is oriented parallel to the display surface when no voltage is applied, and the alignment is performed. The orientation treatment was performed by setting the rubbing intersection angle of the films 2 and 3 to 180 degrees. In such an orientation process, the twist angle (twist angle) of the orientation of the liquid crystal is 0 degrees, and as the voltage is applied, the orientation changes from the liquid crystal in the central portion of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction according to the voltage. ..

【0303】

Table 3 shows the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15, the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensating plate) in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this embodiment. The sticking orientations of 16 and 17 and the orientation orientation of the liquid crystal) are shown using a common orientation standard.

【0304】

The optical arrangement shown in Table 3 is the arrangement of each optical element on the display surface when the observer observes the display surface, and the phase difference compensation plate 16 or the phase difference compensation plate 17 is used for a plurality of phase difference compensations. In the case of being composed of plates, each phase difference compensating plate constituting the above phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 is described in the order of actual arrangement from the observer side.

【0305】

Further, since the liquid crystal layer 1 has an orientation that does not twist, the orientation orientation of the entire liquid crystal layer 1 when no voltage is applied (the orientation orientation of the long axis of the liquid crystal molecule) is described. This is the orientation of the rubbing treatment applied to the alignment film 2 on the side.

【0306】

Each orientation represents the orientation from the reference orientation arbitrarily taken on the display surface in degrees, and the retardation of each phase difference compensation plate indicates the value for monochromatic light having a wavelength of 550 nm in nm.

【0307】

[Table 3]

<img file="JPH11242226A_D0003.tif" />【0308】

[Comparative Example 4] In this comparative example, in the liquid crystal display device shown in Example 7, the liquid crystal is oriented parallel to the substrates 4 and 5 (parallel to the display surface) on the liquid crystal layer 1 and A liquid crystal display designed in the same manner as the liquid crystal display device shown in Example 7 except that a 70-degree twist-oriented liquid crystal layer is used and the polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 due to the twist orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 is used for display. The device was made.

【0309】

More specifically, in this comparative example, in Example 1, the insulating film 11 made of a photosensitive resin having an insulating property is not formed on the substrate 5, and as shown in FIG. 4, the reflective display unit 9 is not formed. Electrode 7 and the electrode 7 of the transmission display unit 10 are electrically insulated, and a voltage is separately applied to the electrode 7 of the reflection display unit 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmission display unit 10 from the outside of the liquid crystal cell. The reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 both have a liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of 4.5 μm by the same method as the method for producing a liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection in Example 1 except that the electrode pattern is prepared as described above. A liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection having the above was prepared.

【0310】

Further, the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were attached to the outside of each electrode substrate in the above liquid crystal cell. In this comparative example, the phase difference compensation plate 17 is composed of two phase difference compensation plates, and the phase difference compensation plate 16 is composed of two phase difference compensation plates. The sticking directions of the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were determined according to the orientation direction (orientation direction) of the liquid crystal.

【0311】

Further, in this comparative example, a parallel-oriented alignment film is used so that the liquid crystal orientation when no voltage is applied is parallel to the alignment films 2 and 3, and the rubbing intersection angle is 250 degrees. Orientation treatment was performed by performing rubbing treatment. The rubbing intersection angle shall follow the above definition. Then, the liquid crystal layer 1 is introduced by a vacuum injection method by introducing a liquid crystal composition having a positive dielectric anisotropy having a refractive index difference (Δn) of 0.065 between the electrode substrates in the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection. Formed. As described above, the twist angle (twist angle) of the liquid crystal orientation can be set to 70 degrees by the action of the chiral additive added to the liquid crystal composition and the orientation treatment. The amount of the chiral additive added is adjusted so that the twist angle described above can be obtained. The liquid crystal layer 1 oriented in this way undergoes an orientation change according to the voltage from the liquid crystal in the central portion of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction as the voltage is applied.

【0312】

Further, in this comparative example, the product (Δn · d) of the difference in refractive index (Δn) and the thickness of the liquid crystal layer (d) of the liquid crystal composition suitable for the reflection display was used for the transmission display unit 10. Here, the reflection display unit 9 is set in the same manner as the reflection display unit 9 of the fifth embodiment in the second embodiment, but the transmission display unit 10 is set to have the same liquid crystal layer thickness as the reflection display unit 9. It is different from Example 5. Therefore, in this comparative example, in Example 5, the optical design is performed again to determine the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the optical arrangement of the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17. In this comparative example, the optical arrangements of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17 are set so that the dark display of the transmission display unit 10 is good.

【0313】

Table 4 shows the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15, the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensating plate) in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this comparative example. The sticking orientations of 16 and 17 and the orientation orientation of the liquid crystal) are shown using a common orientation standard.

【0314】

[Comparative Example 5] In this Comparative Example, in the liquid crystal display device shown in Comparative Example 4, the optical arrangements of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17 are arranged so that the clear display of the transmission display unit 10 is good. A liquid crystal display device designed in the same manner as the liquid crystal display device shown in Comparative Example 4 was produced except that it was set. That is, in this comparative example, in the liquid crystal display device shown in Example 7, the optical arrangements of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17 are set so that the clear display of the transmission display unit 10 is good. Further, on the liquid crystal layer 1, a liquid crystal layer in which the liquid crystal is oriented parallel to the substrates 4 and 5 (parallel to the display surface) and twist-oriented by 70 degrees is used, and the twist orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 is used. A liquid crystal display device designed in the same manner as the liquid crystal display device shown in Example 7 was produced except that the polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 was used for display.

【0315】

Table 4 shows the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15, the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensating plate) in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this comparative example. The sticking orientations of 16 and 17 and the orientation orientation of the liquid crystal) are shown using a common orientation standard.

【0316】

[Example 9] In the present embodiment, in the liquid crystal display device shown in the eighth embodiment, the phase difference compensation plate 16 is composed of two phase difference compensation plates, while the phase difference compensation plate 17 is provided with one phase difference compensation plate. The liquid crystal layer 1 is composed of a plate, and the liquid crystal is oriented parallel to the substrates 4 and 5 (parallel to the display surface) and twisted 70 degrees. A liquid crystal display device designed in the same manner as the liquid crystal display device shown in Example 8 was produced except that the polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 due to the twist orientation of the above was used for the display.

【0317】

More specifically, in this embodiment, in the first embodiment, the insulating film 11 made of a photosensitive resin having an insulating property is not formed on the substrate 5, and as shown in FIG. 4, the reflective display unit 9 is not formed. Electrode 7 and the electrode 7 of the transmission display unit 10 are electrically insulated, and a voltage is separately applied to the electrode 7 of the reflection display unit 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmission display unit 10 from the outside of the liquid crystal cell. The reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 both have a liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of 7.5 μm by the same method as the method for producing a liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection in Example 1 except that the electrode pattern is prepared as described above. A liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection having the above was prepared.

【0318】

Further, the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were attached to the outside of each electrode substrate in the above liquid crystal cell. In this embodiment, the phase difference compensating plate 17 is composed of one phase difference compensating plate, and the phase difference compensating plate 16 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates. The sticking directions of the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were determined according to the orientation direction (orientation direction) of the liquid crystal.

【0319】

Then, in this embodiment, the liquid crystal display device was manufactured so that the twist orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 (the twist angle (twist angle) of the liquid crystal orientation) was 70 degrees. Specifically, a parallel-oriented alignment film is used for the alignment films 2 and 3 so that the liquid crystal orientation when no voltage is applied is parallel, and the rubbing treatment is performed so that the rubbing intersection angle is 250 degrees. Was applied to perform the orientation treatment. The rubbing intersection angle shall follow the above definition. Then, a liquid crystal composition having a positive dielectric anisotropy with a refractive index difference (Δn) of 0.065 of the liquid crystal composition is introduced between the electrode substrates in the liquid crystal injection liquid crystal cell by a vacuum injection method. The liquid crystal layer 1 was formed. As described above, the twist angle (twist angle) of the liquid crystal orientation can be set to 70 degrees by the action of the chiral additive added to the liquid crystal composition and the orientation treatment. The amount of the chiral additive added is adjusted so that the twist angle described above can be obtained. The liquid crystal layer 1 oriented in this way undergoes an orientation change according to the voltage from the liquid crystal in the central portion of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the layer thickness direction as the voltage is applied.

【0320】

Further, in this embodiment, the product (Δn · d) of the difference in refractive index (Δn) and the thickness of the liquid crystal layer (d) of the liquid crystal composition suitable for transmission display was used for the reflection display unit 9. Here, the transmission display unit 10 is set in the same manner as the transmission display unit 10 of the fifth embodiment in the second embodiment, but the reflection display unit 9 is set to have the same liquid crystal layer thickness as the transmission display unit 10. It is different from Example 5. Therefore, in this embodiment, in the fifth embodiment, the optical design is performed again to determine the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the optical arrangement of the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17. In this embodiment, the optical arrangements of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17 are set so that the reflection display is good.

【0321】

Table 4 shows the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15, the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensating plate) in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this embodiment. The sticking orientations of 16 and 17 and the orientation orientation of the liquid crystal) are shown using a common orientation standard.

【0322】

The optical arrangement shown in Table 4 is the arrangement of each optical element on the display surface when the observer observes the display surface, and the phase difference compensation plate 16 or the phase difference compensation plate 17 has a plurality of phase difference compensation plates. In the case of being composed of plates, each phase difference compensating plate constituting the above phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 is described in the order of actual arrangement from the observer side. Further, each orientation in Table 4 represents the orientation from the reference orientation arbitrarily taken on the display surface in units of degrees, and the retardation of each phase difference compensation plate indicates the value for monochromatic light having a wavelength of 550 nm in nm units.

【0323】

[Table 4]

<img file="JPH11242226A_D0004.tif" />【0324】

As described above, in the liquid crystal display devices according to Examples 7 and 3 to 5 having a liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of 4.5 μm, the liquid crystal layer thickness is set to be suitable for reflection display. Therefore, in the above-mentioned Example 7 and Comparative Examples 3 to 5, the optical arrangement of the polarizing plate 14 and the phase difference compensating plate 16 which are related only to the reflection display is set to be suitable for the reflection display. On the other hand, the liquid crystal layer thickness of the transmissive display unit 10 is set to be different from the liquid crystal layer thickness of the transmissive display unit 10 of the liquid crystal display device in each embodiment of the second embodiment. Therefore, in Example 7 and Comparative Examples 3 to 5, the optical arrangements of the phase difference compensating plate 17 and the polarizing plate 15 are set according to the optical characteristics of the transmission display unit 10 of each liquid crystal display device. That is, in Example 7 and Comparative Example 4, a liquid crystal display device capable of realizing a good dark display was produced, and in Comparative Example 3 and Comparative Example 5, a liquid crystal display device capable of realizing a good bright display was produced. ..

【0325】

On the other hand, in the liquid crystal display devices according to Examples 8 and 9, which have a liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of 7.5 μm, the liquid crystal layer thickness is set to be suitable for transmission display. Therefore, in Examples 8 and 9, the optical arrangements of the polarizing plate 14, the retardation compensating plate 16, the retardation compensating plate 17, and the polarizing plate 15 related to the transmission display are adapted to be suitable for the transmission display. It is set. Therefore, in the eighth and ninth embodiments, the display characteristics of the reflection display unit 9 are determined by the optical arrangement of the polarizing plate 14 and the phase difference compensating plate 16 set according to the transmission display.

【0326】

Further, the display characteristics of the liquid crystal display devices obtained in Example 7, Comparative Example 3, Example 8, Comparative Example 4, Comparative Example 5, and Example 9 are shown in FIGS. 11, 12, and 13, respectively. 14 and 15 are shown. All of these display characteristics were measured using a microscope as in Example 1. In each of the above figures, the horizontal axis represents the effective value of the applied voltage, and the vertical axis represents the brightness (reflectance). Or transmittance). Further, the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 to which the polarizing plates 14 and 15 are not attached is set to 100%, and the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 before the polarizing plates 14 are attached is set to 100%.

【0327】

In FIG. 11, curve 261 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 on the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 7, and curve 262 shows the voltage dependence of the example. The voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in No. 7 is shown.

【0328】

As shown in FIG. 11, in Example 7, in the section where the applied voltage is 1V to 3V, the transmittance increases as the applied voltage rises, while the reflectance is applied in the section where the applied voltage is 1V to 2V. It increases as the voltage rises, and then decreases as the applied voltage rises. Further, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 is 3% when the applied voltage is 1V, the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 is 3%, and the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 when the applied voltage is 2V is 40%. The transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 was 18%, the reflectance of the reflective display unit 9 was 28% when the applied voltage was 3 V, and the transmissivity of the transmissive display unit 10 was 33%.

【0329】

Further, in FIG. 12, curve 271 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Comparative Example 3, and curve 272 is The voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Comparative Example 3 is shown.

【0330】

As shown in FIG. 12, in Comparative Example 3, in the section where the applied voltage is 1 V to 2 V, both the reflectance and the transmittance increase as the applied voltage increases. Further, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 is 3% when the applied voltage is 1V, the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 is 18%, and the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 when the applied voltage is 2V is 40%. , The transmittance of the transparent display unit 10 was 40%.

【0331】

In FIG. 13, curve 281 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 on the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 8, and curve 282 shows the voltage dependence of the example. The voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in No. 8 is shown.

【0332】

As shown in FIG. 13, in Example 8, in the section where the applied voltage is 1V to 2V, the transmission rate increases as the applied voltage rises, while the reflectance is the section where the applied voltage is 0.7V to 1.2V. After rising with the rise of the applied voltage, it once decreased with the rise of the applied voltage in the section of 1.2V to 1.7V, and then again in the section of the applied voltage of 1.7V to 2.3V. , It increases with the increase of the applied voltage. Further, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 is 24% when the applied voltage is 1V, the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 is 3%, and the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 when the applied voltage is 1.2V is 40. %, The reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 is 3% when the applied voltage is 1.7V, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 is 27% when the applied voltage is 2V, and the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 is 39. %Met.

【0333】

In FIG. 14, curve 291 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 on the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Comparative Example 4, and curve 292 is a comparative example. The voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in 4 is shown.

【0334】

As shown in FIG. 14, in Comparative Example 4, in the section where the applied voltage is 1.2V to 3V, both the reflectance and the transmittance increase as the applied voltage increases. Further, when the applied voltage is 1.2V, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 is 3%, the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 is 1%, and the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 when the applied voltage is 3V is 36. %, The transmittance of the transparent display unit 10 was 16%.

【0335】

In FIG. 15, curve 311 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 on the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Comparative Example 5, and curve 312 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 in Comparative Example 5. The voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in 5 is shown.

【0336】

As shown in FIG. 15, in Comparative Example 5, in the section where the applied voltage is 1.2V to 3V, both the reflectance and the transmittance increase as the applied voltage increases. Further, when the applied voltage is 1.2V, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 is 3%, the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 is 21%, and the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 when the applied voltage is 3V is 39. %, The transmittance of the transparent display unit 10 was 35%.

【0337】

In FIG. 16, curve 321 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 on the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 9, and curve 322 shows the voltage dependence of the example. The voltage dependence of the transmittance of the transmissive display unit 10 with respect to the voltage between the electrodes 6 and 7 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in 9 is shown.

【0338】

As shown in FIG. 16, in Example 9, in the section where the applied voltage is 1.2V to 3V, the transmittance increases as the applied voltage increases, while the reflectance is 0.9V to 1.7V when the applied voltage is applied. It decreases once with the increase of the applied voltage in the section, and then increases with the increase of the applied voltage. Further, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 is 7% when the applied voltage is 1.2V , the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 is 32%, and the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 when the applied voltage is 1.7V. It was 3%, and when the applied voltage was 3 V, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 was 37%, and the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 was 36%.

【0339】

As is clear from the above Examples and Comparative Examples, in a liquid crystal display device that uses polarizing plates 14 and 15 to display changes in the polarization state due to polarization conversion action such as retardation and rotation of the liquid crystal layer 1, a liquid crystal is used. When the thickness of the liquid crystal layer of layer 1 is matched between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10, when the same voltage is applied to the electrode 7 in the reflection display unit 9 and the electrode 7 in the transmission display unit 10 (reflection). When the display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 are driven by a common voltage), the reflection display unit 9 is sufficient for the brightness and contrast ratio of the bright display as shown in Example 7 and Comparative Examples 3 to 5. When a voltage compatible with the above is applied, the brightness of the light display of the transmissive display unit 10 and the contrast ratio are not sufficiently compatible with each other, and as shown in Examples 8 and 9, the lightness of the light display and the contrast ratio are transparently displayed. When a voltage that is sufficiently compatible with the unit 10 is applied, the change in the brightness of the reflection display unit 9 and the change in the brightness of the transmission display unit 10 do not match, and a good display is not obtained.

【0340】

However, the liquid crystal display devices obtained in Examples 7, 8 and 9 all apply different voltages to the electrode 7 in the reflection display unit 9 and the electrode 7 in the transmission display unit 10. (The reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 are driven by different voltages), so that a good display can be obtained.

【0341】

That is, in each of the liquid crystal display devices of Examples 7 to 9, different voltages are applied to the electrode 7 in the reflection display unit 9 and the electrode 7 in the transmission display unit 10, so that the reflection display unit It is possible to achieve both the brightness of the bright display and the contrast ratio for both the 9 and the transparent display unit 10, and the brightness and darkness of the display can be matched between the reflective display unit 9 and the transparent display unit 10. It can be seen that a display having excellent visibility can be realized.

【0342】

As a result of comparing the present embodiment with the second embodiment, the reflection display unit in the liquid crystal display device that uses the polarizing plates 14 and 15 to display the polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer 1 such as the retardation and the optical rotation. In order to achieve both the brightness of the bright display and the contrast ratio in both the 9 and the transmissive display unit 10, the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the transmissive display unit 10 is set to be larger than the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflective display unit 9. It turns out that is effective.

【0343】

In each of the embodiments of the present embodiment and the second embodiment, the liquid crystal display mode in which the liquid crystal orientation in a state where no voltage is applied is parallel to the plane direction of the display surface is shown. , By using a liquid crystal material having a property different from the liquid crystal material exemplified in each of the above examples, or by using an alignment film having a property different from the aligned film illustrated, a vertical alignment mode, a hybrid alignment mode, or the like can be used. Needless to say, you can do it.

【0344】

Further, regardless of whether the liquid crystal display mode uses the retardation or optical rotation of the liquid crystal layer 1, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer affects the optical characteristics, and the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflection display unit 9 is the thickness in the transmission display unit 10. It goes without saying that good optical characteristics are realized by the present invention in all cases where a thinner liquid crystal layer is more suitable than the thickness of the liquid crystal layer.

【0345】

Further, in Examples 4 and 7 to 9, it is possible to display well by applying different voltages to the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 by the electrodes 6 and 7 (alignment mechanism). It turns out to be. In this case, for example, in the fourth and seventh embodiments, the display of the transparent display unit 10 can be improved by sufficiently applying a voltage to the transparent display unit 10. Further, in both the 8th and 9th embodiments, good display can be achieved by adjusting the voltage of the reflection display unit 9. Therefore, according to the present embodiment and the second embodiment, in addition to the method of changing the liquid crystal layer thickness between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10, the voltage between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 It can be seen that a good display can be realized by preparing the liquid crystal cell in advance so that the above can be changed.

【0346】

[Embodiment 4] In the present embodiment, the orientation processing orientation (rubbing orientation) on the substrate that determines the liquid crystal orientation, that is, the orientation processing orientation of the alignment film provided on each electrode substrate is displayed by the reflection display unit and transmission. A liquid crystal display device that realizes a good reflection display and a good transmission display by changing the liquid crystal orientation between the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit will be described.

【0347】

In this embodiment, a so-called rubbing method is used to uniformly orient the liquid crystal layer. In the present embodiment, in order to change the orientation processing orientation of the alignment film provided on each electrode substrate between the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit, the surface of the alignment film is covered with a photoresist or the like during the rubbing treatment of the alignment film. By doing so, it is possible to realize at least two types of liquid crystal orientation. According to this method, it is possible to simultaneously realize the liquid crystal orientation suitable for the reflection display and the liquid crystal orientation suitable for the transmission display, and as a result, it is possible to realize a good reflection display and a good transmission display. Become.

【0348】

Hereinafter, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment will be described in more detail, but for convenience of explanation, the components having the same functions as those of the first to third embodiments are designated by the same number. The description will be omitted.

【0349】

First, the alignment processing step of the substrate (electrode substrate 40) used for the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18 (a) to 18 (e).

【0350】

First, as shown in FIG. 18A, the alignment film material is formed on the contact surface of the substrate 41 (corresponding to the substrate 4 after the electrode 6 is formed or the substrate 5 after the electrode 7 is formed) constituting the liquid crystal cell with the liquid crystal layer 1. (S1), prebaking (S2), and curing (S3) are performed to form an alignment film 42 (corresponding to alignment film 2 or alignment film 3) on the contact surface with the liquid crystal layer 1 on the substrate 41. ..

【0351】

Next, by rubbing the alignment film 42, the electrode substrate 40 having the alignment film 42 at the interface with the liquid crystal layer 1 on the substrate 41 is aligned. At this time, in the present embodiment, first, as shown in FIG. 18B, the screen by the resist 43 for the rubbing processing screen is performed so that the rubbing processing is partially performed. In this case, first, a resist material for a rubbing processing screen is applied onto the alignment film 42 (S4), and after prebaking (S5), a part of the alignment film 42 (first alignment processing region 42a) is exposed. UV mask exposure (S6), development (S7), and curing (S8) are performed so as to be performed, and then the first alignment processing region 42a is subjected to a rubbing treatment (S9). Next, after cleaning (S10) the electrode substrate 40 after this rubbing treatment, the resist 43 is peeled off (S11) as shown in FIG. 18 (c).

【0352】

Subsequently, in order to realize a liquid crystal orientation different from the liquid crystal orientation in the first alignment treatment region 42a, as shown in FIG. 18D, the already rubbed portion (first orientation treatment region 42a) is formed. The rubbing treatment is performed by protecting the untreated portion with the resist 44 for the screen. That is, a resist material for a rubbing treatment screen is applied onto the alignment film 42 from which the resist 43 has been peeled off (S12), and after prebaking (S13), an orientation treatment other than the first alignment treatment region 42a is performed on the alignment film 42. UV mask exposure (S14), development (S15), and curing (S16) are performed so that the region (second orientation treatment region 42b) is exposed, and then the second alignment treatment region 42b is covered with the above. Rubbing treatment is performed so that the treatment orientation is different from that of the first orientation treatment region 42a (S17). Next, after cleaning (S18) the electrode substrate 40 after this rubbing treatment, the resist 44 is peeled off (S19) as shown in FIG. 18 (e). As a result, an alignment film 42 (alignment mechanism) that was oriented in two different orientations was obtained.

【0353】

As described above, in the present embodiment, the alignment treatment patterned by the resist is performed twice or more. At this time, by changing the processing orientation for each orientation treatment (in the above description, the orientation treatment for two directions is performed by the orientation treatment twice), at least two types of liquid crystal orientation (for example, the orientation direction). It is possible to realize multiple types of parallel orientations). Then, by changing the orientation processing direction on at least one substrate (electrode substrate) in this way, the orientation of the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 can be set independently, and a good display can be obtained. It will be possible.

【0354】

Next, a liquid crystal display device that realizes different liquid crystal orientations in the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 by the above-mentioned method and uses the polarizing plates 14 and 15 will be described below with specific examples. .. However, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is not limited to the following examples.

【0355】

[Example 10] In this example, the liquid crystal display device was manufactured according to the method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display device shown in Comparative Example 5. Specifically, in the first embodiment, the insulating film 11 made of an insulating photosensitive resin is not formed on the substrate 5, and as shown in FIG. 4, the electrode 7 of the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display are transmitted. Except that the electrode 7 of the part 10 is electrically insulated, and an electrode pattern is formed so that a voltage is separately applied to the electrode 7 of the reflection display part 9 and the electrode 7 of the transmission display part 10 from the outside. Has a liquid crystal layer thickness (d) (cell gap) of 4.5 μm in both the reflective display unit 9 and the transmissive display unit 10 by the same method as the method for producing a liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection in Example 1. A liquid crystal cell for injecting liquid liquid was prepared. Then, the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 were attached to the outside of each electrode substrate in this liquid crystal cell. The phase difference compensation plate 16 and the phase difference compensation plate 17 are each composed of two phase difference compensation plates.

【0356】

However, in this example, orientation division was performed during the rubbing treatment of the alignment film 3 by the same method as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 (a) to 18 (e). That is, in this embodiment, the alignment film 2 on the substrate 4 side is rubbed in the same direction by the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10, and the alignment film 3 (alignment mechanism) on the substrate 5 side is rubbed. Therefore, rubbing was performed in different directions between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 so that the liquid crystal orientation directions differ between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10.

【0357】

Further, in this embodiment, the reflection display unit 9 uses a liquid crystal display mode parallel to the display surface (parallel to the substrates 4 and 5) and uses the twisted liquid crystal orientation, and the transmission display unit 10 uses a liquid crystal display mode. , A display mode was used that was parallel to the display surface (parallel to the substrates 4 and 5) and used the untwisted liquid crystal orientation.

【0358】

Further, in this embodiment, Δn · d of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflection display unit 9 is about 270 nm, and the twist angle (twist angle) of the orientation of the liquid crystal is 70 degrees. A liquid crystal display device having Δn · d of about 270 nm and a twist angle (twist angle) of liquid crystal orientation of 0 degrees was manufactured. As a result, it is possible to have the liquid crystal layer 1 in which the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 communicate with each other, and to perform good display on both the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 without changing the cell gap. A possible liquid crystal display device was obtained.

【0359】

Table 5 shows the optical arrangements of the polarizing plates 14 and 15, the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, in the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 of the liquid crystal display device obtained in this embodiment). The attachment orientations of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17 and the orientation orientation of the liquid crystal) are shown using a common orientation reference.

【0360】

The optical arrangement shown in Table 5 is the arrangement of each optical element on the display surface when the observer observes the display surface, and each of the phase difference compensation plates constituting the above phase difference compensation plates 16 and 17 is They are listed in the order of the actual arrangement from the observer side. Further, each orientation in Table 5 represents the orientation from the reference orientation arbitrarily taken on the display surface in units of degrees, and the retardation of each phase difference compensation plate indicates the value for monochromatic light having a wavelength of 550 nm in nm units.

【0361】

[Table 5]

<img file="JPH11242226A_D0005.tif" />【0362】

Next, the operation of each optical element in this embodiment will be described below. First, a case where no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 will be described. In this case, the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer 1 is oriented according to the orientation of the substrate interface in contact with the liquid crystal layer 1, that is, the orientation processing orientation of the alignment films 2 and 3 provided on each electrode substrate. For example, in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 10 above, when the chiral additive is not mixed in the liquid crystal composition, the reflection display unit 9 is twisted to the left 70 degrees, and the transmission display unit 10 is not twisted. It is in a 0 degree twist orientation state.

【0363】

Therefore, when a voltage is not applied to the liquid crystal layer 1, if Δn · d of the liquid crystal layer 1 is set to about 270 nm in the reflection display unit 9, the liquid crystal layer 1 is subjected to circularly polarized light. It acts to convert it into linearly polarized light and transmit it. The light incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 from the polarizing plate 14 side is converted into circularly polarized light by the retardation compensation plate 16, further converted from circularly polarized light to linearly polarized light by the liquid crystal layer 1, reaches the reflective film 8 and is reflected. .. When the light reflected by the reflective film 8 is linearly polarized light on the reflective film 8, it is converted again into the transmission component of the polarizing plate 14, so that a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 in the above liquid crystal display device. If not, the display of the reflection display unit 9 becomes a bright display.

【0364】

Further, when a voltage is not applied to the liquid crystal layer 1, the liquid crystal layer 1 acts as a 1/2 wave plate in the transmission display unit 10 when Δn · d of the liquid crystal layer 1 is set to about 250 nm to 270 nm. To do. That is, the circular polarization incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 becomes circular polarization orthogonal to the incident circular polarization. For example, when right-handed circular polarization (right-handed circular polarization) is incident, the right-handed circular polarization is left. It is converted to circular polarization (counterclockwise circular polarization), and when left circular polarization is incident, the circular polarization is converted to right circular polarization. The light incident on the transmission display unit 10 passes through the polarizing plate 15, is converted into circularly polarized light by the retardation compensation plate 17, and is incident on the liquid crystal layer 1. In the tenth embodiment, the circularly polarized light incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 from the phase difference compensating plate 17 is circularly polarized light whose polarization state is substantially counterclockwise, and this circularly polarized light is incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 to the right. It is converted to circularly polarized light around it. Then, in the phase difference compensating plate 16, the clockwise circularly polarized light is converted into linearly polarized light in the transmission axis direction of the polarizing plate 14, and the counterclockwise circularly polarized light is converted into linearly polarized light in the absorption axis direction. When no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 in the apparatus, the display of the transmission display unit 10 becomes a bright display.

【0365】

Next, a case where a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 will be described. When a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1, the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer 1 is oriented perpendicularly to the substrates 4 and 5 according to the voltage regardless of whether it is the reflection display unit 9 or the transmission display unit 10. However, the above-mentioned polarization conversion action is weakened accordingly. That is, since the circularly polarized light prepared by the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 passes through the liquid crystal layer 1 as it is, dark display is realized in both the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10.

【0366】

In the tenth embodiment, the retardation compensation plate 17 has a retardation of 115 nm. In order to realize good circular polarization only with the phase difference compensating plate 17, it is desirable that the retardation of the phase difference compensating plate 17 is about 135 nm, but the liquid crystal layer 1 of the transmission display unit 10 has a practical voltage. Since the polarization does not completely disappear in the above case, the retardation of the phase difference compensating plate 17 is set in consideration of this so that a good contrast can be obtained.

【0367】

Further, the phase difference compensating plate 16 has an effect of converting the polarized state of the light incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 of the reflection display unit 9 into circularly polarized light having a wide wavelength. In the above liquid crystal display device, the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflection display unit 9 is twist-oriented by 70 degrees, and its Δn · d is set to 270 nm. Therefore, in the reflection display unit 9 of the above liquid crystal display device, the light incident on the liquid crystal layer 1 is circularly polarized light, and this circularly polarized light is converted into linearly polarized light by the liquid crystal layer 1 and passes through the liquid crystal layer 1. It reaches the reflective film 8. Then, the light linearly polarized on the reflective film 8 is reflected by the mirror surface of the reflective film 8, passes through each optical element in the reverse order to that of the light, and finally the transmission axis orientation of the polarizing plate 14. It becomes linearly polarized light having the oscillating electric field of. Therefore, the reflection display unit 9 provides a bright display.

【0368】

Further, the liquid crystal composition used is mixed with a chiral agent that causes a left twist peculiar to the orientation of the liquid crystal. The chiral agent changes the helical pitch peculiar to the liquid crystal composition mixed with the chiral agent depending on the amount of the chiral agent added. Therefore, by adjusting this helical pitch, the voltage dependence of the brightness is matched between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 by utilizing the fact that the minimum voltage at which the liquid crystal orientation starts to change due to the helical pitch changes. Becomes possible.

【0369】

FIG. 19 shows the display characteristics of the liquid crystal display device according to Example 10 produced in this manner. The display characteristics shown in FIG. 19 were measured by the same method as in Example 1. The horizontal axis shows the effective value of the applied voltage, and the vertical axis shows the brightness (reflectance or transmittance).

【0370】

In FIG. 19, curve 331 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 10, and curve 332 is a transmission display in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 10. The voltage dependence of the transmittance of part 10 is shown.

【0371】

As can be seen from FIG. 19, the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 10 is designed to perform a bright display when no voltage is applied, and the liquid crystal display device has a reflectance as the voltage is applied. And the display in the so-called Normal White (NW) mode, which reduces the transmittance, has been realized. Further, in the above liquid crystal display device, the contrast ratio can be set to be substantially the same between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10, and the brightness and darkness of the display are matched between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10. It is possible to realize a display having excellent visibility.

【0372】

As described above, as a specific means for changing the liquid crystal orientation between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10, the twist angle of the liquid crystal layer 1 is different between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10. It is effective to set both the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 in order to realize a good display.

【0373】

In the tenth embodiment, in order to change the twist angle of the liquid crystal layer 1 between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10, the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 perform rubbing processing in different directions. , The liquid crystal layer 1 of the reflection display unit 9 is twist-oriented, but the liquid crystal layer 1 of the transmission display unit 10 uses a combination that is not twist-oriented. The means for changing the twist angle of 1 is not particularly limited.

【0374】

For example, in addition to the above combinations shown in Example 10, (1) the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflection display unit 9 and the liquid crystal layer 1 in the transmission display unit 10 are both twist-oriented, but their twist angles and twist directions are different. Different combinations or (2) a combination in which the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflection display unit 9 is not twisted but the liquid crystal layer 1 in the transmission display unit 10 is twisted may be used. A combination in which the inclination (so-called pretilt) of the liquid crystal with respect to 5 is different between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 may be used. Further, (4) the change in the liquid crystal orientation at the substrate interface may be combined with other means of the present invention, and (5) the cell gap differs between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10, or the cell gap is different. (6) The electric field may be different between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10.

【0375】

[Embodiment 5] In each of the embodiments of the second to fourth embodiments, in order to realize a good reflection display and a good transmission display by using a liquid crystal display device in which the liquid crystal is oriented in parallel to the substrate. In the present embodiment, the liquid crystal display device in which the orientation of the liquid crystal is perpendicular to the substrate will be described as in the first embodiment of the first embodiment. However, in the present embodiment, a design is performed for displaying using the birefringence or optical rotation (polarization conversion action) of the liquid crystal by using a polarizing plate without mixing a dichroic dye in the liquid crystal layer. It was. For convenience of explanation, the components having the same functions as those in the first to fourth embodiments will be given the same numbers, and the description thereof will be omitted.

【0376】

In the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment, a liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy is used for the liquid crystal layer 1. Further, a vertical alignment film for vertically aligning the liquid crystal is used for the alignment films 2 and 3 sandwiching the liquid crystal layer 1. In this case, the liquid crystal molecules are oriented substantially perpendicular to the substrates 4 and 5 (display surface) when no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1, but the normals of the substrates 4 and 5 are aligned with the application of the voltage. It is oriented at an angle from the direction and causes a polarization conversion action on the light passing in the normal direction of the layered liquid crystal layer 1.

【0377】

The difference between the liquid crystal display device using the alignment films 2 and 3 in which the liquid crystal is oriented parallel to the substrate and the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is that the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment does not apply a voltage. Even so, the liquid crystal is oriented in the normal direction of the substrates 4 and 5 up to the layer at the interface with the electrode substrate in the liquid crystal layer 1. Therefore, in order to make effective use of this, in the present embodiment, the NB (normally black) mode, which is displayed in black when no voltage is applied, is used. Specifically, the reflection display unit 9 displays circularly polarized light incident on the liquid crystal layer 1. Further, in the transmission display unit 10, since the phase difference compensating plate 16 also used for the reflection display acts on the polarization of the light emitted from the liquid crystal layer 1, the liquid crystal layer 1 is divided into the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 1. In order to drive with a pair of electrodes that electrically connect to 10 and to realize dark display at the same time, the liquid crystal is liquid crystal in consideration of the fact that the liquid crystal layer 1 is vertically oriented to the substrates 4 and 5 even in the transmission display. Circularly polarized light is incident on layer 1. Therefore, in the combination of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17, the phase difference arranged closer to the liquid crystal layer 1 among the plurality of phase difference compensating plates constituting the phase difference compensating plate 17. Set the retardation of the compensation plate to 135 nm. Thereby, in the present embodiment, a good NB display can be realized.

【0378】

Next, the setting of the liquid crystal layer 1 that gives a good bright display in the above-mentioned combination of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 will be described.

【0379】

In the present embodiment, as described above, the liquid crystal layer 1 is inclined and oriented from the normal direction of the substrates 4 and 5 when a voltage is applied. When a sufficient voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1, the liquid crystal layer 1 acts on the reflection display unit 9 to convert circularly polarized light into linearly polarized light, and acts on the transmission display unit 10. Desirably acts to convert circularly polarized light into circularly polarized light in the opposite direction. When the liquid crystal layer 1 exerts the above conversion action, a good bright display can be realized.

【0380】

In order for the liquid crystal layer 1 to exert the above-mentioned conversion action, it is desirable that, for example, the alignment films 2 and 3 are oriented so as not to cause twisting in the liquid crystal, and no chiral additive is used in the liquid crystal composition. That is, when the wavelength of the incident light is λ, the retardation of the liquid crystal layer 1 changes by λ / 4 in the reflection display unit 9 and λ / 2 in the transmission display unit 10 by applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer 1. It is desirable that the liquid crystal layer 1 is set so as to do so.

【0381】

When the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflection display unit 9 and the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the transmission display unit 10 are set to be different, the liquid crystal layer 1 is set to perform the above conversion action. It is easy to set as described above.

【0382】

Hereinafter, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to specific examples, but the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is not limited to the following examples.

【0383】

[Example 11] In the present embodiment, the liquid crystal for liquid crystal injection has different liquid crystal layer thickness between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 by the same method as the method for producing the liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection in Example 1. A cell was prepared, and a vertical alignment film having an action of orienting the liquid crystal perpendicularly to the substrates 4 and 5 was used as the alignment film 2 and 3. The alignment films 2 and 3 were subjected to alignment treatment by rubbing so that the liquid crystal was slightly inclined from the normal orientation (vertical direction) of the substrates 4 and 5.

【0384】

However, in this embodiment, the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of the reflection display unit 9 is 3 μm, the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) of the transmission display unit 10 is 6 μm, and the liquid crystal material has a negative refractive index difference (Δn) of 0.06. The liquid crystal layer 1 is formed using the liquid crystal having the dielectric anisotropy of the above, and the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17 and the polarizing plates 14 and 15 are attached to the outside of each electrode substrate in the above liquid crystal cell to form a liquid crystal. A display device was manufactured. The phase difference compensation plate 16 and the phase difference compensation plate 17 are each composed of two phase difference compensation plates.

【0385】

Table 6 shows the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15, the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, in the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 of the liquid crystal display device obtained in this embodiment). The attachment orientations of the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensation plates 16 and 17 and the orientation orientation of the liquid crystal) are shown using a common orientation reference.

【0386】

The optical arrangement shown in Table 6 is the arrangement of each optical element on the display surface when the observer observes the display surface, and the phase difference compensation plates constituting the phase difference compensation plates 16 and 17 are They are listed in the order of the actual arrangement from the observer side. Further, each orientation in Table 6 represents the orientation from the reference orientation arbitrarily taken on the display surface in units of degrees, and the retardation of each phase difference compensation plate indicates the value for monochromatic light having a wavelength of 550 nm in nm units.

【0387】

[Table 6]

<img file="JPH11242226A_D0006.tif" />【0388】

FIG. 20 shows the display characteristics of the liquid crystal display device described in this embodiment produced in this manner. The display characteristics shown in FIG. 20 are measured by the same method as in Example 1. The horizontal axis indicates the effective value of the applied voltage, and the vertical axis indicates the brightness (reflectance or transmittance).

【0389】

In FIG. 20, curve 341 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 11, and curve 342 shows the transmission display in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 11. The voltage dependence of the transmittance of part 10 is shown.

【0390】

As can be seen from FIG. 20, the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 11 is designed to perform dark display when no voltage is applied, and in the liquid crystal display device, the reflectance is increased as the voltage is applied. And the so-called NB mode display, which increases the transmittance, has been realized. Further, in the above liquid crystal display device, the contrast ratio can be set to be substantially the same between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10, and the brightness and darkness of the display are matched between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10. It is possible to realize a display having excellent visibility.

【0391】

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention in which the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 simultaneously realize different liquid crystal orientations, the reflection display unit 9 or the transmission display unit 10 By using an alignment means (vertical alignment film) for aligning the liquid crystal perpendicularly to the substrate surface in contact with the liquid crystal (liquid crystal layer 1) on at least one of them, both the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 are good. It has been confirmed that a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device capable of performing various displays will be realized.

【0392】

[Embodiment 6] In the present embodiment, when the liquid crystal orientation is changed by a voltage to display, the orientation state of the liquid crystal is displayed on the display surface (substrate) at at least one of the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit. A liquid crystal display device that displays by changing the orientation of the liquid crystal while maintaining the parallel state will be described. That is, in the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment, the liquid crystal molecules are rotated in parallel to the display surface (board) by applying a voltage in at least one of the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit. ..

【0393】

Hereinafter, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to specific examples, but the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is not limited to the following examples. For convenience of explanation, the components having the same functions as those of the first to fifth embodiments are designated by the same numbers, and the description thereof will be omitted.

【0394】

[Example 12] In the present embodiment, the IPS (implant switching) mode used for realizing a wide viewing angle in a transmissive liquid crystal display device is used for a transflective liquid crystal to obtain a substrate. A liquid crystal display device having an optical switch function by rotating liquid crystal molecules in parallel with a substrate by a transverse electric field in the in-plane direction will be described below with reference to FIGS. 21 (a) and 21 (b). ..

【0395】

Conventionally, the IPS mode itself has been used in the field of a transmissive liquid crystal display device, but since the change in liquid crystal orientation is insufficient for the transmissive display on the comb-shaped electrode used when using the IPS mode, the above comb shape is used. The liquid crystal orientation on the electrodes did not contribute to the display, and a good display could not be realized. However, according to this embodiment, a reflection display can be realized in a region on the comb-shaped wiring that cannot be used by the conventional IPS system, and a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device having high light utilization efficiency can be obtained.

【0396】

FIG. 21 (a) is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment when no voltage is applied, and FIG. 21 (b) is a cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 21 (a) when a voltage is applied. It is a cross-sectional view of a main part. In each of FIGS. 21 (a) and 21 (b), the liquid crystal cell in the liquid crystal display device is formed on a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the electrode wiring (terminal) of the comb-shaped electrode provided in the liquid crystal cell extends. The cross section when cut is shown.

【0397】

In the liquid crystal display device shown in FIGS. 21 (a) and 21 (b), the liquid crystal layer 1 has a light-transmitting substrate 51 and a light-reflecting comb-shaped electrode 53 (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means, It is sandwiched between a substrate 54 having light reflectivity by providing an alignment mechanism), and further, a retardation compensating plate 16 and a polarizing plate are placed on the outside of the substrate 51 (that is, on the side opposite to the surface facing the substrate 54). In addition to having 14, it has a configuration in which a retardation compensation plate 17 and a polarizing plate 15 are provided on the outside of the substrate 54 (that is, on the side opposite to the surface facing the substrate 51). In this embodiment, the phase difference compensating plate 16 is composed of one phase difference compensating plate, and the phase difference compensating plate 17 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates.

【0398】

Also in this embodiment, in the liquid crystal display device, of the pair of substrates provided with the liquid crystal layer 1 interposed therebetween, in one substrate 54 (electrode substrate), a photosensitive resin having an insulating property is formed on the glass substrate 52. By applying with a spin coat and further irradiating with a mask of ultraviolet light, no photosensitive resin remains in the transmission display portion 10, and in the reflection display portion 9, the insulating film 11 is formed so that the photosensitive resin is formed to a predetermined layer thickness. (Orientation mechanism) is formed in a pattern. As a result, the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the transmission display unit 10 is set to be thinner than the layer thickness of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflection display unit 9.

【0399】

Further, in the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment, a comb-shaped electrode 53 (alignment mechanism) having light reflectivity is formed on the glass substrate 52 so as to cover the insulating film 11. The comb-shaped electrode 53 is a reflective pixel electrode that also serves as a liquid crystal driving electrode for driving the liquid crystal layer 1 and a reflecting film (reflection means), and is made of a metal having a high light reflectance.

【0400】

In the liquid crystal display device, in the transmission display unit 10, the orientation state of the liquid crystal molecules 1a is changed by the electric field applied by the comb-shaped electrode 53. Further, in the reflection display unit 9, the liquid crystal layer 1 is driven by the electric field generated by the comb-shaped electrode 53, and the reflection action of the comb-shaped electrode 53 is used for display.

【0401】

In this embodiment, the wiring of the comb-shaped electrode 53 is used as the reflecting means, but the comb-shaped electrode 53 may have an uneven structure formed on its surface in order to impart light scattering property. Further, a light-scattering film may be further formed in a region facing the comb-shaped electrode 53 on the outside of the glass substrate 51.

【0402】

In the liquid crystal display devices shown in FIGS. 21 (a) and 21 (b), different potentials are applied to the comb-shaped electrodes 53a and 53b adjacent to each other, and an electric field is generated between the comb-shaped electrodes 53a and 53b. As shown in FIG. 21 (b), the transmission display unit 10 corresponds to the gap between the comb-shaped electrodes 53a and 53b, and in this portion, the liquid crystal orientation is determined by the comb-shaped electrode pair (comb-shaped electrodes 53a and 53b). Keeps the orientation parallel to the glass substrate 52 and changes significantly. Further, the reflection display unit 9 corresponds to directly above the comb-shaped electrodes 53 (comb-shaped electrodes 53a and 53b), and in this portion, the liquid crystal orientation is not only a change in orientation along the plane of the glass substrate 52, but also the glass substrate 52. It also changes to the direction perpendicular to. This is because, as shown in FIG. 21 (b), the lines of electric force (indicated by the broken lines in the figure) extend substantially parallel to the glass substrate 52 in the transmission display unit 10, whereas the reflection display unit 9 This is because the lines of electric force have a component perpendicular to the glass substrate 52.

【0403】

Table 7 shows the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15, the phase difference compensating plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plate) in the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 of the liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment. The attachment orientations of 14/15 and the retardation compensation plates 16/17, and the orientation orientation of the liquid crystal) are shown using a common orientation reference.

【0404】

The optical arrangement shown in Table 7 is the arrangement of each optical element on the display surface when the observer observes the display surface, and each phase difference compensation plate constituting the phase difference compensation plate 17 is an observer. They are listed in the order of actual placement from the side.

【0405】

The orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 (the orientation of the long axis of the liquid crystal molecules 1a) is equal to the rubbing treatment orientation on the surface of the substrate 51 on the substrate 51 side, and equal to the rubbing treatment orientation on the surface of the substrate 54 on the substrate 54 side. Hereinafter, the orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 on the substrate 51 side will be referred to as the orientation of the substrate 51, and the orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 on the substrate 54 side will be referred to as the orientation of the substrate 54.

【0406】

Further, each orientation in Table 7 represents the orientation from the reference orientation arbitrarily taken on the display surface in units of degrees, and the retardation of each phase difference compensation plate indicates the value for monochromatic light having a wavelength of 550 nm in nm units.

【0407】

Here, the direction in which the electrode wiring (terminal) of the comb-shaped electrode 53 extends is 65 degrees, and as the voltage is applied, the liquid crystal orientation is 75 degrees for both the transmission display unit 10 and the reflection display unit 9. The orienting liquid crystal molecule 1a changed to have an orientation larger than the 75 degree orientation. Further, in the liquid crystal display device, Δn · d of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the reflection display unit 9 is set to around 130 nm, and Δn · d of the liquid crystal layer 1 in the transmission display unit 10 is set to around 240 nm.

【0408】

[Table 7]

<img file="JPH11242226A_D0007.tif" />【0409】

In the liquid crystal display device set as described above, when no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1, both the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 are dark-displayed. Then, when a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 1 from this state, the orientation direction of the liquid crystal molecule 1a changes so as to deviate from the direction in which the electrode wiring (terminal) of the comb-shaped electrode 53 extends (65 degree direction in the above setting). .. Therefore, in the above liquid crystal display device, bright display is realized by changing the orientation direction of the liquid crystal when a voltage is applied.

【0410】

FIG. 22 shows the display characteristics of the liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment produced in this manner. The display characteristics shown in FIG. 22 are measured by the same method as in Example 1. The horizontal axis indicates the effective value of the applied voltage, and the vertical axis indicates the brightness (reflectance or transmittance).

【0411】

In FIG. 22, curve 351 shows the voltage dependence of the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 12, and curve 352 shows the transmission display in the liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 12. The voltage dependence of the transmittance of part 10 is shown. The optical characteristics of the reflection display unit 9 differ depending on the position on the comb-shaped electrode 53, but here, the optical characteristics of a typical portion are described.

【0412】

As can be seen from FIG. 22, in the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device obtained in Example 12, both the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 perform dark display when no voltage is applied, and the liquid crystal display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 both perform dark display. In the display device, the reflectance and transmittance increase with the application of voltage. Further, when the applied voltage is 2V, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 and the transmittance of the transmission display unit 10 are both 3%, and when the applied voltage is 5V, the reflectance of the reflection display unit 9 is 35% and the transmittance is transmitted. The transmittance of the display unit 10 was 38%. Therefore, according to the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device, both the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 can have both the brightness of the bright display and the contrast ratio, and the display has excellent visibility. It can be realized. Further, according to the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device, since the contrast ratio in the transmission display unit 10 exceeds the contrast ratio in the reflection display unit 9, the display quality can be further improved and good display can be performed.

【0413】

As described above, according to the above-mentioned Example 12, a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device that realizes reflection display in the area on the comb-shaped wiring 53 that could not be used for display by the conventional IPS system and has high light utilization efficiency. Confirmed that can be obtained.

【0414】

In the present embodiment, as the method for realizing the liquid crystal orientation described above, in addition to the method using a nematic liquid crystal as in the above-mentioned IPS mode, a method using a ferroelectric liquid crystal display mode or an antiferroelectric liquid crystal display mode is used. A method of using the display mode or the like can be used.

【0415】

Therefore, in the following Example 13, as another liquid crystal display device that realizes the above-mentioned liquid crystal orientation, a liquid crystal display device that uses the ferroelectric liquid crystal display mode for display will be described.

【0416】

[Example 13] In the present embodiment, in the liquid crystal display device shown in Example 1, a surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal is used as the liquid crystal material, and the liquid crystal layer thickness (d) is 1.4 μm at the transmissive display unit 10 and is reflected. The display unit 9 is set to 0.7 μm, and the Δn · d of the liquid crystal layer 1 is set to be about 130 nm on the reflection display unit 9 and about 260 nm on the transmission display unit 10, and is compatible with the reflection display unit 9. Instead of forming the reflective film 8 on the electrode 7, a liquid crystal cell designed in the same manner as the liquid crystal cell shown in Example 1 is used, except that a reflective electrode is used in the region corresponding to the reflective display unit 9 as an electrode. Made.

【0417】

Specifically, on the substrate 5 (glass substrate), the photosensitive resin does not remain in the transmissive display unit 10, and in the reflective display unit 9, the insulating film is formed so that the photosensitive resin is formed in a layer thickness of 0.7 μm. 11 was formed into a pattern, a reflective electrode was formed in the insulating film 11 forming portion (reflection display portion 9), and a transparent electrode was formed in the insulating film 11 non-forming portion (transmission display portion 10). Then, an alignment film 3 was formed on the electrode forming surface of the substrate 5, and an alignment treatment was performed by rubbing to prepare an electrode substrate. The configuration of the electrode substrate (opposing substrate) arranged to face the electrode substrate is the same as that described in the first embodiment. Then, a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition containing the surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal is introduced between the two electrode substrates to prepare a liquid crystal cell, and a retardation compensation plate 16 is provided on the outside of each electrode substrate in the liquid crystal cell. 17 and polarizing plates 14 and 15 were attached to prepare a liquid crystal display device. In this embodiment, the phase difference compensating plate 16 is composed of one phase difference compensating plate, and the phase difference compensating plate 17 is composed of two phase difference compensating plates.

【0418】

Table 8 shows the optical arrangement of the polarizing plates 14 and 15, the retardation compensating plates 16 and 17, and the liquid crystal layer 1 (that is, the polarizing plates 14 and 15 and the retardation compensating plate) in the liquid crystal display device obtained in this embodiment. The sticking orientations of 16 and 17 and the orientation orientation of the liquid crystal for bright display and dark display) are shown using a common orientation standard.

【0419】

The optical arrangement shown in Table 8 is the arrangement of each optical element on the display surface when the observer observes the display surface, and each phase difference compensation plate constituting the phase difference compensation plate 17 is an observer. They are listed in the order of actual placement from the side. Further, each orientation in Table 8 represents the orientation from the reference orientation arbitrarily taken on the display surface in units of degrees, and the retardation of each phase difference compensation plate indicates the value for monochromatic light having a wavelength of 550 nm in nm units.

【0420】

[Table 8]

<img file="JPH11242226A_D0008.tif" />【0421】

The liquid crystal display device produced in this manner was a liquid crystal display device in which the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 both had good brightness and a contrast ratio.

【0422】

As described above, in the case of a liquid crystal display device in which the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 simultaneously realize different liquid crystal orientations and liquid crystal layer thicknesses, the orientation change direction of the liquid crystal layer 1 due to the application of voltage is the liquid crystal layer plane. Even if it changes within, a good display can be obtained as the transflective liquid crystal display device of the present invention. When the liquid crystal display device uses the IPS mode, it is possible to improve the light utilization efficiency as compared with the conventional transmissive liquid crystal display device that also uses the IPS mode. Further, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment can also be used in a mode such as a ferroelectric liquid crystal display.

【0423】

[Embodiment 7] In the present embodiment, a specific element substrate and color filter substrate of active matrix drive that enable the configuration of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention will be described.

【0424】

When the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is manufactured for the purpose of displaying an image, the ratio of the transmission display unit to the reflection display unit depends on the frequency of use between the case of using the transmission display and the case of using the reflection display. Designing is practically important.

【0425】

That is, in the first usage mode, the transmitted light from the lighting device (backlight) as the background lighting means is mainly used for the display, and the reflection display unit is washed out, as in the currently used transmissive liquid crystal display device. It is a usage pattern used to prevent the above (hereinafter, abbreviated as translucent main translucent).

【0426】

In addition, the second usage pattern is a usage pattern in which the reflection display is mainly used for the display, and the backlight that consumes a large amount of power is often turned off depending on the situation to reduce the power consumption and the ambient illumination light is weak. , When the display content cannot be confirmed only by the reflection display, it is used by turning on the backlight (hereinafter, abbreviated as the reflection main body semi-transmissive).

【0427】

In such two usage patterns, whether the main display is performed by the transparent display or the reflective display is different. Therefore, the ratio of the display area between the transparent display unit and the reflective display unit and the case of the color display are used. The color design of the color filter will be different.

【0428】

Therefore, first, a liquid crystal display device using a TFT element, which is one of the active matrix methods, for display will be taken as an example, and a transmission-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device mainly for transmission will be described below. For convenience of explanation, the components having the same functions as those of the first to sixth embodiments are designated by the same numbers, and the description thereof will be omitted.

【0429】

First, the substrate structure of a transmissive-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device that uses a TFT element for display will be described below with reference to FIGS. 23 (a) to 25.

【0430】

FIG. 23 (a) is a plan view of a main part of the TFT element substrate for realizing the transmission-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device according to the seventh embodiment, and FIG. 23 (b) is FIG. 23 (a). It is a figure which shows the drive electrode 19 of the reflection display part 9 (see FIG. 1, FIG. 4, FIG. 24, FIG. 25) in the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 23 (c), and FIG. 23 (c) is the TFT shown in FIG. 23 (a). It is a figure which shows the transparent pixel electrode 20 in the element substrate.

【0431】

Further, FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A'of the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 23 (a). More specifically, the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 23 (a) is driven from the TFT element 21 to the driving electrode. It is a figure which shows in the cross section which passes through 19 and the transparent pixel electrode 20 and further passes through auxiliary capacitance part 26. Further, FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B'of the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 23 (a), showing the cross-sectional structure of the boundary portion between adjacent pixels.

【0432】

As shown in FIGS. 23 (a), 24, and 25, the pixel electrode 18 for driving the liquid crystal layer 1 (see FIGS. 1 and 4) is the drive electrode 19 (display content rewriting means,) of the reflection display unit 9. It is composed of a transparent pixel electrode 20 (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means) composed of an ITO (voltage applying means) and an ITO. The drive electrode 19 may be a reflective electrode that has reflectivity by itself. Further, the drive electrode 19 and the transparent pixel electrode 20 may be electrically connected to each other when the liquid crystal display method used for display is a display method that does not show inversion of light and dark even if the display is performed at the same voltage. ..

【0433】

The drive electrode 19 and the transparent pixel electrode 20 are connected to a drain terminal 22 of a TFT element 21 that controls a voltage used for display in units of each pixel. Further, the drive electrode 19 is formed with a transmission display opening 19a, and when the drive electrode 19 is a reflection electrode, the transmission display opening 19a forming region is used as the transmission display unit 10 for transmission display. Used for.

【0434】

The TFT element 21, the wiring 23 and the wiring 24, the auxiliary capacitance portion 26, and the auxiliary capacitance line 27 are arranged in the lower layer of the drive electrode 19. However, since a light-shielding material such as metal is used for these components, in the present embodiment, the TFT element substrate is manufactured so that these components are not arranged in the transparent display opening 19a. doing. In FIG. 23 (a), the drive electrode 19 is shown by a chain double-dashed line.

【0435】

Further, as shown in FIG. 24, the main portion of the drive electrode 19 of the reflection display unit 9 for applying a voltage to the reflection display unit 9 constituting the pixel electrode 18 is the wiring for driving the TFT element 21. The surface of the substrate 19 (TFT element substrate surface) on which the 23/24 and the TFT element 21 are formed is separated by an organic insulating film 25. The organic insulating film 25 is formed of an organic insulating material having a low dielectric constant and has a film thickness of 3 μm. This is a gate in which the parasitic capacitance component formed between the wiring 23 which is the gate wiring of the TFT element 21 and the wiring 24 which is the source wiring of the TFT element 21 and the pixel electrode 18 controls the opening / closing operation of the TFT element 21. This is to prevent the signal waveform and the source signal waveform from being delayed or distorted and to enable a dot matrix display with high resolution, and at the same time, the reflection display unit 9 and the transparent display in the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment. This is to improve the optical characteristics of the part 10.

【0436】

The pixel electrode 18 is connected to the drain terminal 22 of the TFT element 21. The drain terminal 22 is n-type doped n⁺It is an amorphous silicon layer and acts as a drain electrode of the TFT element 21. In the TFT element substrate according to the present embodiment, the ITO layer arranged so as to be in contact with the drain terminal 22 is used as the transparent pixel electrode 20, and further patterned so as to cover a part of the transparent pixel electrode 20. The drive electrode 19 of the reflection display unit 9 is formed on the organic insulating film 25. That is, in the transmission-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device using the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 24, the transparent pixel electrode 20 used for transmission display and the drive electrode 19 used for reflection display are an organic insulating film 25. It is electrically connected at the pattern boundary of. Further, as shown in FIGS. 24 and 25, the drive electrode 19 of the reflection display unit 9 may have smooth irregularities formed on the surface thereof for the purpose of preventing the display surface from being mirrored.

【0437】

Further, as shown in FIG. 25, at the boundary portion between adjacent pixels in the TFT element substrate, the organic insulating film 25 is formed so as to cover the wiring 24 connected to the source terminal 28 of the TFT element 21. The drive electrode 19 of the reflection display unit 9 is formed on the organic insulating film 25.

【0438】

In the TFT element substrate produced in this way, the pixel electrodes 18 and the wirings 23 and 24 are formed via the organic insulating film 25 by appropriately setting the relationship between the film thickness and the dielectric constant of the organic insulating film 25. As shown in FIG. 23 (a), it is possible to extend the drive electrode 19 of the reflection display unit 9 to just above the wirings 23 and 24 because the parasitic capacitance component can be suppressed. In this case, it is possible to design the gap between the adjacent pixel electrodes 18 to be narrow, and in the pixel gap, the leakage electric field from the wirings 23 and 24 to the liquid crystal layer 1 is reduced, so that the orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 is not easily disturbed. .. Therefore, by appropriately setting the relationship between the film thickness and the dielectric constant of the organic insulating film 25, it is possible to control the liquid crystal orientation of the liquid crystal layer 1 up to the vicinity of the boundary between the pixel electrodes 18, so that the transmission having a high aperture ratio is achieved. It is possible to fabricate a TFT element substrate of a main body semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device. In the present embodiment, the organic insulating film 25 is formed of an organic insulating material having a relative permittivity of 3.5 so as to have a film thickness of 3 μm.

【0439】

As described above, in the present embodiment, the TFT element substrate is produced in which the area that can be used for the transmission display occupies 45% of the total area of the pixels and the area that can be used for the reflection display occupies 38% of the total pixels. The TFT element substrate secures almost the same proportion of the transmissive display unit 10 as compared with the aperture ratio of the transmissive display unit of the transmissive type TFT liquid crystal display device widely used in the past, which is around 50%. In addition, since the display light intensity of the reflection display unit 9 is added to the transmitted display light for display, it is a TFT element substrate of a transmissive-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device with high utilization efficiency of light that can be used for display. It can be said that.

【0440】

As described above, high light utilization efficiency can be realized in the present embodiment because the reflection display unit 9 does not transmit light such as the TFT element 21, the wirings 23 and 24, the auxiliary capacitance unit 26, and the auxiliary capacitance line 27. This is because the components can be arranged, and the light used for the liquid crystal display is not impaired by these components.

【0441】

Next, the color filter substrate used so as to face the TFT element substrate produced in this manner will be described below with reference to FIGS. 26 (a) and 26 (b).

【0442】

As shown in FIGS. 26 (a) and 26 (b), three color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) are formed on the color filter substrate. Has been done. Each of these three color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B is formed of a photosensitivity resin in which pigments are dispersed, and is striped on a glass substrate 62 according to the pixels of the TFT element substrate by photolithography technology. It is a colored layer formed in a planar shape, and is formed separately for each color.

【0443】

Further, as shown in FIG. 26 (b), the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B formed on the glass substrate 62 are smoothed with a transparent acrylic resin so as to cover the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B. A layer 501 is provided, and as a counter electrode 502 (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means) of the pixel electrode 18 on the TFT element substrate, a 140 nm-thick ITO uses a shielding mask that covers a region other than a predetermined region. , The film is formed by sputtering. As a result, the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B are separated by a transparent region for each color.

【0444】

The positional relationship between the color filter substrate and the TFT element substrate overlaid is as shown in FIG. 26 (a), and the transmission display opening 19a of the drive electrode 19 formed in the reflection display portion 9 of the TFT element substrate. (That is, the transmission display unit 10) is completely covered by the striped color filters 61R, 61G, 61B of R, G, and B, while the reflection display unit 9 has the color filters 61R, 61G, and the color filter 61R, 61G, of the drive electrode 19. Only the part in the stretching direction of 61B is covered by the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B, and the transparent region between the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B is the other region of the drive electrode 19 formed on the reflection display portion 9 ( The color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B are arranged to face each other (parts other than the stretching direction).

【0445】

FIG. 27 shows the arrangement of the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 and the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B in combination with the color filter substrate and the TFT element substrate. In FIG. 27, the color filter substrate and the TFT element substrate are superposed at the positions used as the liquid crystal display device, and the color filter substrate and the TFT element substrate are cut at the position C-C'in FIG. 26 (a). FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C'of the main part of the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 26 (a).

【0446】

As described above, any of R, G, and B color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B are formed on the transmission display unit 10, except for the stretching direction of the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B in the reflection display unit 9. The part corresponds to the transparent area between the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B.

【0447】

As a result, the same color filters 61R / 61G / 61B as the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B used for transmissive display act on a part of the reflection display unit 9, and the color filters 61R / 61R / 61B act on the remaining reflection display unit 9. 61G and 61B do not work. As a result, color display (color display) can be performed for the reflection display, and the reflectance required for the reflection display unit can be secured.

【0448】

The transmitted colors appearing in the light transmitted through the color filter substrate produced as shown in FIGS. 26 (a) and 26 (b) are R, G, and B, and each pixel is displayed as a transmissive liquid crystal display. It may have the same color as the transparent colors of R, G, and B used in the apparatus, and may be appropriately adjusted according to the application.

【0449】

In the combination of the TFT element substrate and the color filter substrate shown in FIGS. 26 (a) and 27 above, all the transmission display units 10 display with light passing through the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B, and perform reflection display. Part 9 is partially displayed using the same color filters 61R / 61G / 61B as the transparent display unit 10, and the remaining part is displayed without using the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B. .. This is because the brightness is insufficient if the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B of the transmission display unit 10 are used as they are for the reflection display unit 9, so a portion that does not use the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B is provided in the reflection display unit 9 to provide brightness. This is because the purpose is to supplement.

【0450】

Further, as in the present embodiment, the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B in the transmission display unit 10 are considered to pass the display light twice through the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B in the reflection display unit 9. Color filters 61R / 61G / 61B with higher brightness may be provided.

【0451】

Further, in the present embodiment, at least the transparent display unit 10 is formed with the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B, and the reflection display unit 9 is not provided with the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B (part). ) May be provided, and the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B may be used only in the transmission display unit 10 and the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B may not be provided in the reflection display unit 9.

【0452】

When the reflection display unit 9 is not provided with the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B, the display voltage signal required for transmission display is a signal suitable for color display, and the display voltage signal required for reflection display is black and white display. It is a signal suitable for. Therefore, for example, the ratio of each pixel of R, G, and B contributing to the brightness is proportional to the visual transmittance (Y value) of each color in the transmission display unit 10, but in the reflection display unit 9, each pixel. There is a driving problem such as being exactly the same.

【0453】

That is, for example, when comparing the display brightness between the case where only the B pixel is bright and the case where only the G pixel is bright, the transparent display in which the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B are arranged is displayed. The brightness of the part 10 is different in consideration of the visual transmittance, but the brightness is the same in the reflection display part 9 in which the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B are not arranged.

【0454】

As a method of preventing such a problem, the area of the area where the color display of the reflection display unit 9 is not performed is matched with the Y values of the R, G, and B colors of the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B used for the transparent display. Is changed for each pixel of R, G, and B. As a result, the contribution of the reflection display unit 9 to the brightness from the black-and-white display in each pixel of R, G, and B is adjusted by changing the area of the reflection display unit 9, and the black-and-white based on the area of the reflection display unit 9 is adjusted. The brightness of the display can be reflected in the display brightness of each color.

【0455】

Further, the same effect can be obtained by designing the color filter coverage of the reflection display unit 9 in the order of G, R, B in ascending order. Further, according to this method, there is an advantage that a slight green coloring observed in a normal polarizing plate can be corrected. Further, when the color filter substrate and the TFT element substrate are overlapped and arranged as shown in FIG. 26 (a), there is an advantage that the positional accuracy of the overlap between the TFT element substrate and the color filter substrate can be relatively large. .. This is because there are non-color filter forming portions of the reflection display unit 9 on both sides of one pixel, and when one of them increases due to misalignment, the other decreases.

【0456】

When the above-mentioned TFT element substrate and color filter substrate are used and a transmission display is performed, a conventional transmission display TFT liquid crystal display device can be used in combination with a lighting device (backlight) as a background illumination means. In addition, even when the ambient light is very strong, the reflected light is displayed close to the display content of the transmitted display, so the display content can be confirmed and the ambient light can be displayed. It is possible to realize a high-resolution color liquid crystal display device with no washout and no parallax even when it is strong.

【0457】

Next, when the configuration of the TFT element substrate and the color filter substrate is changed and the main usage situation is used as a liquid crystal display device with low power consumption by using the reflected light of the ambient light for display, and the intensity of the ambient light is not sufficient. The substrate structure of the reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device, which uses the transmission display only for the light, will be described below with reference to FIGS. 28, 29 (a) and 29 (b).

【0458】

FIG. 28 is a plan view of a main part of the TFT element substrate for realizing the reflection-based transflective liquid crystal display device according to the seventh embodiment, and shows the configuration of the TFT element substrate mainly for reflection. .. In FIG. 28, the driving electrode 19 is shown by a chain double-dashed line.

【0459】

As shown in FIG. 28, in the reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device, the size of the transmission display opening 19a and the size of the transparent pixel electrode 20 in the drive electrode 19 are set to the transmission-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal. It has the same configuration as the transmissive-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device, except that it is set to be smaller than that of the TFT element substrate used in the display device.

【0460】

That is, even in the reflection-based transflective liquid crystal display device, the pixel electrode 18 that drives the liquid crystal layer 1 (see FIGS. 1 and 4) is the driving electrode 19 of the reflection display unit 9 as shown in FIG. 28. It is composed of a transparent pixel electrode 20 made of ITO, and the drive electrode 19 and the transparent pixel electrode 20 are connected to a drain terminal 22 of a TFT element 21 that controls a voltage used for display on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Further, the drive electrode 19 is formed with a transmission display opening 19a, and when the drive electrode 19 is a reflection electrode, the transmission display opening 19a forming region is the transmission display unit 10 (FIG. 24, FIG. 24, As shown in FIGS. 25 and 27), it is used for transparent display.

【0461】

Further, the TFT element 21, the wiring 23 and the wiring 24, the auxiliary capacitance portion 26 and the auxiliary capacitance line 27 are arranged in the lower layer of the drive electrode 19, and these components are not arranged in the transmission display opening 19a. It is arranged like this.

【0462】

However, the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 28 has a smaller proportion of the transmissive display unit 10 than the TFT element substrate used in the transmissive main semitransparent liquid crystal display device shown in FIGS. 23 (a) to 27. The proportion of the reflection display unit 9 (see FIGS. 24, 25, and 27) is set to be large.

【0463】

As described above, in the present embodiment, as the TFT element substrate for the reflection-based transflective liquid crystal display device, the area that can be used for the transmission display is 13% of the total area of the pixels, and the area that can be used for the reflection display is the pixels. A TFT element substrate, which accounts for 70% of the total, was manufactured.

【0464】

The ratio of the transmission display unit 10 in the TFT element substrate for the reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device is 13%, and the ratio of the transmission display unit 10 in the TFT element substrate for the transmission-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device. Small in comparison. However, the reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device using the TFT element substrate is a lighting device (backlight) as a background lighting means when the transmission display is performed only when the display content cannot be confirmed by the reflection display. ), The power consumption can be reduced by limiting the lighting time, so that sufficient practicality can be ensured.

【0465】

Next, the configuration of the color filter substrate used in combination with the TFT element substrate will be described below with reference to FIGS. 29 (a) and 29 (b).

【0466】

As shown in FIGS. 29 (a) and 29 (b), the color filter substrate for the reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device also has the transmission-based semi-transmissive as shown in FIGS. 26 (a) and 26 (b). Similar to the color filter substrate for the type liquid crystal display device, the three color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) are formed in stripes on the glass substrate 62. A smoothing layer 501 is provided with a transparent acrylic resin on the color filter 61R / 61G / 61B forming surface of the glass substrate 62 so as to cover the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B, and a TFT is provided on the smoothing layer 501. As the counter electrode 502 of the element pixel electrode, ITO is formed by sputtering using a shielding mask that covers a region other than a predetermined region.

【0467】

However, the color filter substrate for the reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device shown in FIGS. 29 (a) and 29 (b) is the transmission-based semi-transmissive type shown in FIGS. 26 (a) and 26 (b). The plan shape of the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B and the spectral transmittance of each color are set to be different from those of the color filter substrate for the liquid crystal display device.

【0468】

Specifically, in the color filter substrate for the reflection-based transflective liquid crystal display device, the color filter 61R / 61R / 61B / 61B (colored layer) covers the reflection display portion 9 of the TFT element substrate. 61G / 61B is formed, and the color filter 61R / 61G / 61B shows a good display in the reflection display. Therefore, the display light on the reflection display unit 9 is the color filter 61R / 61G / 61B twice. Considering that it passes through, the display light is produced with high brightness so that it passes through the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B twice to obtain good brightness.

【0469】

Therefore, in the reflection display unit 9, good reflection display is realized by combining the TFT element substrate having a large proportion of the reflection display unit 9 as described above and the color filter substrate corresponding to the TFT element substrate as described above.

【0470】

Further, although the ratio of the transmission opening 19a is small in the transmission display unit 10, the transmission display used only when the ambient light is insufficient by using the lighting device (backlight) as the background lighting means is also used. , You can check the displayed contents. In this respect, the reflective-based transflective liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is different from the conventional reflective liquid crystal display device. The reflection-based transflective liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment has insufficient saturation when transmissive display is performed by color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B adjusted for reflection display, but the display color is displayed. Can be confirmed.

【0471】

Therefore, when color display is performed by the reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device, at least color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B are arranged in the reflection display unit for each pixel to perform color display and transparent display. Part 10 does not use the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B, or has a saturation equal to or higher than that of the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B arranged in the reflection display unit 9 at least a part of the transmission display unit 10. It is especially effective to arrange color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B.

【0472】

As described above, in the reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device, at least the reflection display unit is formed with the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B, and the transmission display unit 10 is not provided with the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B. ) May be provided, and the transparent display unit 10 may perform black-and-white display without using the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B. In the latter case, since the light transmittance increases, the transmission display unit 10 can be set to be even smaller. As a result, a larger area of the reflection display unit 9 can be secured, and a better display can be obtained in the reflection display during normal use.

【0473】

In this case, similarly to the transmission-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device, in the reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device, the area of the display unit that does not perform color display, that is, in this case, the transmission display unit 10. The area of the area where the color display is not performed may be changed for each pixel of R, G, and B according to the Y value of each color of R, G, and B of the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B. That is, in order to appropriately set the contribution of the transparent display unit 10 to the brightness of the black-and-white display in each of the R, G, and B pixels in consideration of the visual transmittance, the transmission is performed for each of the R, G, and B pixels. Each of the above substrates may be manufactured so that the ratio of the display area is different.

【0474】

On the other hand, although the power consumption when the lighting device (backlight) as the background lighting means is lit increases, the illumination light of the lighting device (backlight) is sufficiently strengthened so that the transmission display unit 10 can be adjusted to the transmission display. It is also possible to use a high-saturation color filter. In this case, not only the saturation but also the color reproducibility of the transparent display can be ensured. In any case, it is important to minimize the lighting time of the lighting device (backlight) in order to reduce the power consumption.

【0475】

As described above, according to the present embodiment, power consumption can be reduced in normal use, washout does not occur in the reflection display unit 9, and background illumination is required as needed. It is possible to realize a reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device capable of performing transmission display using a means (backlight).

【0476】

In the above description, the TFT element 21 is used as the active matrix type switching element, and the bottom gate type amorphous silicon TFT element is used as the TFT element 21 as an example. However, it is used in the present embodiment. The switching element is not particularly limited to this, and may be, for example, a polysilicon TFT element, a MIM (Metal Insulator Metal) element which is a two-terminal element, or the like. Needless to say, it is not always necessary to use these active elements.

【0477】

Further, in each liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment, as described above, a TFT element substrate having a structure in which the drive electrode 19 which is a display electrode and the wirings 23 and 24 are separated by an organic insulating film 25 is used. As a result, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer can be changed between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 by the thickness of the organic insulating film 25. Moreover, in these liquid crystal display devices, even if the film thickness of the organic insulating film 25 is set to a value of about 3 μm, which enables high capacitance display from the viewpoint of wiring resistance and parasitic capacitance of the TFT element substrate, the above As shown in the first and second embodiments, it is possible to obtain a liquid crystal layer thickness difference sufficiently capable of achieving good display in both the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10.

【0478】

Therefore, by adopting the TFT element substrate having the structure shown in FIG. 23 (a) or FIG. 28 and the liquid crystal display method shown in the first or second embodiment, a liquid crystal display device capable of high-capacity display is realized. can do.

【0479】

Further, the TFT element substrate having a structure using the organic insulating film 25 as described above has already been partially put into practical use in a normal TFT element drive type liquid crystal display device having only a transmission display, and is technically technical in mass production. There are few problems and it is highly practical.

【0480】

In addition, the inventors of the present application have repeatedly studied the production of a reflective film having good reflective characteristics by imparting smooth unevenness to the reflective film for the purpose of preventing the display surface from being mirrored in the reflective liquid crystal display device. There is. As a result, it was found that the same uneven surface can be produced in the organic insulating film 25 used in the present invention, and the TFT for the transmissive main transmissive liquid crystal display device shown in FIGS. 23 (a) to 27. In the element substrate, unevenness is formed in the portion corresponding to the reflection display portion 9.

【0481】

As described above, in the present embodiment, there are two usage patterns of the liquid crystal display device, a transmission-based semi-transmissive type and a reflection-based semi-transmissive type, and the main display is the transmission display or the reflection. It was explained that the ratio of the display area between the transparent display unit and the reflective display unit and the color design of the color filter in the case of color display are different depending on whether the display is performed.

【0482】

Therefore, in the following embodiment 8, the ratio of the transmissive display unit and the reflective display unit in the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention will be described.

【0483】

[Embodiment 8] The ratio of the transmissive display unit and the reflective display unit needs to be set in consideration of visibility. The brightness perceived by vision (perceptual brightness) in consideration of the adaptation phenomenon of human vision is Stevens et al. (Brightness Function: Effect of Adaptation, Journal of the Optical Society of America, Vol. 53, No.3, Investigated by p375). According to this document, the perceived brightness depends on the adaptive brightness, even when the human eye is looking at the same brightness, and there is a quantitative relationship there. I understand.

【0484】

FIG. 30 shows the relationship between the adaptive brightness and the sample brightness, which are produced by converting the units from the literature such as Stevens and give equal perceptual brightness from 5bril to 45bril. In FIG. 30, the horizontal axis is the adaptation brightness (unit: cd / m) that the person observing the sample has adapted so far.²), And the vertical axis is the brightness of the sample presented to the person (sample brightness (unit: cd / m)).²)) Is shown.

【0485】

In FIG. 30, point A is 1 cd / m.²10 cd / m for people who have adapted to the brightness of²It is the perceptual brightness when observing a sample having a luminance surface of, and point B is 1700 cd / m.²300 cd / m for people who have adapted to the brightness²It represents the perceived brightness when observing a sample having a luminance surface of. From FIG. 30, since the perceived brightness is the same value (9.4 bril) at both points A and B, the perceived brightness of a person is affected not only by the brightness of the display surface but also by the adaptive brightness. I understand.

【0486】

Therefore, next, the adaptation of the observer on the display surface of the liquid crystal display device will be considered. First, consider the object to which the observer adapts. When a person observes something and adapts to the brightness of the object, the object to which it adapts is the brightness of the surface of the object to be visually recognized around the visual environment, and the surface of the object to be visually recognized. The brightness of is generally dependent on various environmental conditions. However, as an index, it is useful to consider the adaptation object, that is, to assume that the surface of the observation object is a reflective surface that reflects ambient light, and to consider this case. The reason for this is that the situation in which a person sees and adapts to the light source itself, whether indoors or outdoors, adapts to the reflective surface of the object illuminated by that light source. This is because it is natural to think that there are few. In the following, we consider the adaptation of the observer, who adapts his vision to the reflective surface of the object to be observed.

【0487】

When the luminance surface of the observation object is a reflective surface, the adaptive brightness shown in FIG. 30 is obtained by multiplying the illuminance on the object surface by the illumination light source that illuminates the object surface to which the observer adapts by a certain value. Indicated by a value. Illuminance is L (unit: lux), brightness is B (unit: cd / m)²), The brightness (B) of the surface having a reflectance of R with respect to the completely diffuse reflecting surface is B = L × R / π. Here, the reflectance of the surface of the Mansell color tag N5, which is said to have the average reflectance of a normal human observation object, is used, and the surface of the Mansell color tag N5 illuminated by a certain illuminance is used. It is appropriate to consider the brightness as the adaptive brightness. In this case, R is 0.2.

【0488】

Further, the illumination light source that illuminates the surface of the Munsell color tag N5, which is a representative of the observation target, is evaluated not only for the adaptation target, that is, the surface of the Munsell color tag N5, but also for the perceptual brightness under the adaptation condition. It is assumed that the target sample surface is also illuminated at the same time. According to this assumption, the perceived brightness of the reflection display unit when observing the liquid crystal display device is linked to the illuminance that illuminates the liquid crystal display device through the adaptive brightness. This makes it possible to specifically select the reflectance and the ratio of the area of the reflection display unit based on the data of the psychophysical experiment.

【0489】

According to the examination by the inventors of the present application, the specific standard of perceived brightness can be rephrased as the brightness shown in Table 9. This actually reproduces some combinations of adaptive brightness and sample brightness, and comes to the conclusion that such a brightness expression is appropriate, and serves as a measure for setting the reflection display unit by perceptual brightness. ..

【0490】

[Table 9]

<img file="JPH11242226A_D0009.tif" />【0491】

Here, since the typical reflectance (R) of the reflective liquid crystal display device is about 30% in the polarizing plate method, the operation of the transflective liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is performed using this value. Will be described.

【0492】

The straight line 601 shown in FIG. 30 shows the display operation of the liquid crystal display device having a reflectance of 30%. That is, when the illuminance of the illumination light source that illuminates the luminance surface to which the observer adapts is L (unit: lux), the adaptation brightness by the surface of the Mansell color tag N5 is the reflectance (R) of the surface of the Mansell color tag N5. = 20%) depends on the brightness (L / π) of the completely diffused reflecting surface illuminated by the same illumination, so it becomes 0.2 × L / π. Similarly, the sample brightness of the display surface of the liquid crystal display device (target sample) with a reflectance of 30% illuminated by the same illumination is 0.3 × L / π. That is, the straight line 601 is obtained by plotting the points satisfying the relationship of 0.2 L / π on the horizontal axis and 0.3 L / π on the vertical axis by changing the illuminance (L) in various ways. Further, as in the case where the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device having a reflectance of 30% is used as the target sample, the liquid crystal display device having a reflectance of 10% is used as the target sample, and the horizontal axis is 0.2 L / π and the vertical axis is 0.1 L. The straight line obtained by plotting the points satisfying the relation of / π is the straight line 602.

【0493】

Next, the usable environment of the above liquid crystal display device having a reflectance of 30% will be considered below. In the brightest lighting conditions that people experience in daily life, the illuminance of direct eye light (about 100,000 lux) in fine weather, the adaptive brightness of the Munsell color tag N5 is about 6000 cd / m.²Will be. At this time, the perceived brightness of the display surface of the liquid crystal display device having a reflectance of 30% is 6000 cd / m of adaptive brightness as shown in FIG.²The perceived brightness at the intersection of the straight line 605 and the straight line 602 is about 30 bril, which is a value at which glare is felt as shown in Table 9. In addition, the perceived brightness under darker lighting is lower than the above-mentioned perceived brightness, and the illuminance that can secure the perceived brightness of 10 bril is obtained by back-calculating the above-mentioned formula using the corresponding numerical values of the adaptive brightness. , Approximately 450 lux. In other words, if a bright display of 10 bril or more and 30 bril or less is required, the minimum illuminance is 450 lux and the maximum illuminance is 100,000 lux. It can be used in a room (for example, a room with lighting of 450 lux or more), but in a darker place, the illuminance is not sufficient and it becomes difficult to perceive.

【0494】

In addition, the relationship between the adaptation brightness and the sample brightness when the reflectance is 50% is shown by a straight line 603 (Fig. 30). As can be seen from the straight line 603, when a reflective display is realized with a reflectance of 50% or more like ordinary white paper, high illuminance of 1800 lux or more (for example, indoors by a bright window, in direct sunlight, etc.) Under the environment, the perceived brightness exceeds 30 bril. This indicates that the white paper feels dazzling in such an environment. Therefore, it is inappropriate from the viewpoint of visibility to use a display surface having a reflectance of 50% or more in a high illuminance environment, and when performing a reflection display in such an environment, the display surface ( It can be seen that the reflectance of the brightness surface) is preferably about 30%.

【0495】

On the other hand, the illuminances that give a perceived brightness of 10 bril in the reflection display at a reflectance of 30% and the reflection display at a reflectance of 10% shown by the straight lines 601, 602 are about 450 lux and 3000 lux, respectively. In other words, when the reflectance is reduced to 1/3, it is necessary to provide 6.7 times brighter illumination. This means that if the illumination is increased because the reflectance of the liquid crystal display has dropped, the human eye must adapt to a bright reflector other than the liquid crystal display and increase the illumination more than the reciprocal of the change ratio of the reflectance. Is shown to occur.

【0496】

Further, as can be seen from FIG. 30, the display on a display body having a constant brightness (for example, a general light emitting display device) has a problem that it feels very dark, especially when the surroundings are bright. ..

【0497】

However, in the transflective liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, the constant brightness determined by the background illumination light and the transmittance in the transmissive display unit and the brightness determined by the constant reflectance in the reflective display unit (sample). The sum with (brightness) is used for display. That is, in the transflective liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, for example, the display with the display luminance shown in the curve 604 shown in FIG. 30 is realized. As shown in this curve 604, in the transflective liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, visibility is ensured by a reflection display when the illumination illuminance is high, and background illumination is ensured when the illumination illuminance is low. Visibility can be ensured by transmissive display using a lighting device (backlight) as a means.

【0498】

Further, FIG. 31 shows the result of obtaining the perceived brightness by changing the illuminance using the display brightness of the transflective liquid crystal display device. For comparison, FIG. 31 also shows the relationship between the illuminance and the perceived brightness in the transmissive liquid crystal display device and the relationship between the illuminance and the perceived brightness in the reflective liquid crystal display device. Here, in the calculation of the perceptual brightness, the reflectance is 30% when the entire display area is the reflection color display, the transmittance is 7.5% when the entire display area is the transmission color display, and the backlight brightness is 2000 cd / m.²The illuminance on the surface to which the observer is acclimatizing is equal to the illuminance on the display surface of the liquid crystal display device, and the reflectance of the surface to be adapted is set to 20% assuming the brightness of the Munsell color tag N5.

【0499】

In FIG. 31, the value of the perceived brightness when the illuminance is changed differs depending on the ratio (Sr) of the reflection display unit in the displayable area in the semitransparent liquid crystal display device. Curve 611 shows the relationship between illuminance and perceived brightness in a normal transmissive liquid crystal display device in which Sr = 0, that is, a transmissive liquid crystal display device that has only a transmissive display and does not perform a reflection display. The brightness of the display surface in the transmissive liquid crystal display device is 150 cd / m.²When the illuminance is about 6000 lux or more, the perceived brightness is 10 bril or less. Therefore, in order to secure a perceptual brightness of 10 bril or more by changing a part of the transparent display unit to a reflective display unit, Sr = 0.1, that is, 1/10 of the displayable area, as shown in curve 612. It is necessary to use the area of as a reflection display unit.

【0500】

Further, the curve 613 is Sr = 1, that is, a curve showing the relationship between the illuminance and the perceived brightness in the reflective liquid crystal display device that performs only the reflection display. The reflectance of the display surface of the reflective liquid crystal display device is 30% as compared with the perfect diffuse reflection surface, and when the illuminance is about 450 lux or less, the perceived brightness is 10 bril or less. Therefore, in order to secure a perceptual brightness of 10 bril or more by changing a part of the reflective display unit to a transparent display unit, Sr = 0.9, that is, 1/10 of the displayable area, as shown in curve 614. It is necessary to provide a transparent display unit for the area of.

【0501】

Further, according to FIG. 31, it can be seen that a good display with a perceived brightness of 10 bril or more and less than 30 bril can be performed at an Sr value of 0.1 to 0.9, and the above Sr is 0.30 (curve 615) or 0.50 (curve 616). When set to, it can be seen that a bright and good display with a perceived brightness of 20 bril or more and less than 30 bril can be performed.

【0502】

In addition, surface reflection occurs on the surface of the liquid crystal display device. The effect of display obstruction due to this surface reflection becomes more remarkable as the ambient illuminance increases. FIG. 31 above also shows the relationship between the perceived brightness due to this surface reflection and the illuminance (curve 617). Surface reflection is greatly affected by surface treatment, but on curve 617, if the surface reflection that occurs at the interface between a medium with a refractive index of 1.5 and air has the same diffusivity as a perfect diffusion surface (ie, that is). The relationship between the perceived brightness of the surface and the illuminance of the surface (when the reflectance due to surface reflection is 4%) is shown. Therefore, considering surface reflection, it is better that the area of the reflection display unit is 30% or more of the sum of the area of the reflection display unit and the area of the transmission display unit (that is, Sr 0.3). It is preferable to carry out the above.

【0503】

According to the above analysis, according to the present embodiment, when the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit both perform color display, the reflection display unit is the sum of the area of the reflection display unit and the area of the transmission display unit. It can be seen that good display can be performed when the area ratio is 30% or more and 90% or less.

【0504】

Even when the color display is not used for at least one of the reflection display and the transmission display, the ratio of the area of each display unit for good display can be analyzed by the same method as the above-mentioned method. Although it is possible, in any case, good display can be realized when the ratio of the area of the reflection display unit to the sum of the area of the reflection display unit and the area of the transmission display unit is within the above range. it can. In both the transmissive main semitransparent liquid crystal display device and the reflective main semitransparent liquid crystal display device according to the seventh embodiment, the reflective display unit is the sum of the area of the reflective display unit and the area of the transmissive display unit. The ratio of the area of is produced in the above-mentioned preferable ratio.

【0505】

[Embodiment 9] In the present embodiment, an active matrix type liquid crystal display device using the liquid crystal display method according to the first and second embodiments, more specifically, a TFT element substrate is used. The liquid crystal display device that realizes the color display will be described with reference to specific examples, but the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is not limited to the following examples.

【0506】

The steps for manufacturing the active matrix type liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment include a step for manufacturing a TFT element substrate, a step for manufacturing a color filter substrate, and liquid crystal injection using these TFT element substrate and the color filter substrate. It consists of a step of producing a liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal use and a step of injecting liquid crystal into the obtained liquid crystal cell for liquid crystal injection and assembling as a liquid crystal display device.

【0507】

Therefore, first, in the present embodiment, the manufacturing method of the active matrix type liquid crystal display device according to each of the following examples will be described in order from the manufacturing process of the TFT element substrate.

【0508】

As shown in FIGS. 23 (a) to 25, the TFT element substrate has a configuration in which the TFT element 21 is formed for each pixel by the steps shown below on the translucent substrate 29. There is.

【0509】

As the substrate 29 forming the TFT element 21, a glass substrate made of non-alkali glass or the like containing no alkaline component was used. First, the wiring 23 as the gate wiring and the tantalum to be the auxiliary capacitance line 27 were formed on the substrate 29 by sputtering, and further patterned to form the wiring 23 and the auxiliary capacitance line 27. At this time, the wiring 23 and the auxiliary capacitance line 27 are patterned so that the step of each wiring (wiring 23, auxiliary capacitance line 27) becomes gentle, and the wiring 24 described later is formed on these wirings. Wiring is prevented by improving the coating property.

【0510】

Further, the wiring 23 and the auxiliary capacitance line 27 are connected to tantalum oxide (Ta) by an anodizing step.₂O₅) Layer was formed, and silicon nitride as a gate insulating film was formed on the layer. Further, on top of this, a hydride amorphous silicon layer as an intrinsic semiconductor layer (i layer) serving as a switching region of the TFT element 21 and a silicon nitride layer as an etching stopper layer are placed in this order in a chemical vapor phase using monosilane gas. Formed by growth (CVD) and sputtering (silicon nitride). Next, after patterning the silicon nitride layer as the uppermost etching stopper layer, the source terminal 28 and drain terminal 22 of the TFT element 21 are formed by CVD using monosilane gas mixed with phosphine gas.⁺Formed a layer. Then, the above n⁺The layer and the i-layer were patterned, and the gate insulating film was further patterned. At this time, the silicon nitride in the connection terminal portion outside the display area in the wiring 23 (gate wiring) was also removed.

【0511】

Next, the ITO to be the transparent pixel electrode 20 was formed by sputtering so as to come into contact with the source terminal 28 and the drain terminal 22, and further, the tantalum to be the wiring 24 as the source wiring was formed by sputtering. This tantalum was patterned to form wiring 24, and the ITO film formed on the lower layer thereof was patterned to form a transparent pixel electrode 20. As described above, the transparent pixel electrode 20 is in contact with the source terminal 28 and the drain terminal 22, and also plays a role of forming ohmic contact between these terminals (source terminal 28 and drain terminal 22) and the wirings 23 and 24. ..

【0512】

Next, an organic insulating film 25 having a concavo-convex structure on the surface is formed on the TFT element 21 as an insulating film for the reflection display portion, and is transparent through a contact hole provided in the organic insulating film 25 as a transmission display opening. Aluminum to be the driving electrode 19 of the reflection display unit 9 is formed by sputtering so as to be in contact with the pixel electrode 20, and the obtained aluminum film is patterned by dry etching to be similar to the uneven structure on the surface of the organic insulating film 25. A driving electrode 19 as a reflective electrode having the uneven structure of the above was formed.

【0513】

In each of the above patterning steps, each component is formed into a required shape based on the design by a photolithography method. In these photolithography steps, a photosensitive resin film (resist) coating / drying step, a pattern exposure step, a developing step, a resist baking curing step, a dry etching step, a wet etching step, and a resist peeling / removing step were used in combination.

【0514】

Further, the uneven structure formed on the reflection display portion 9 was produced by applying an insulating photopolymerizable resin material and using a pattern exposure step, a developing step, and a curing treatment step. That is, a dot-shaped pattern was formed in the developing step, and a smoothing layer was further formed on the dot pattern with the same material. The organic insulating layer 25 is not formed on the transmission display unit 10.

【0515】

On the TFT element substrate produced by the above steps, the TFT element 21 is arranged in each pixel, and each pixel is composed of a reflection display unit 9 and a transmission display unit 10. Here, two types of TFT element substrates, the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 23 (a) and the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 28, are manufactured, and the ratio of the transmission display unit 10 and the reflection display unit 9 is described above. In the seventh embodiment, the ratio was set as described in the description of each liquid crystal display device.

【0516】

Next, the manufacturing process of the color filter substrate will be described. The manufacturing process of the color filter substrate includes a step of forming R, G, and B colored layers (color filters) on the substrate, a step of forming a flattening layer on the color filter, and the TFT on the flattening layer. It consists of a step of forming a counter electrode facing the transparent pixel electrode 20 on the TFT element substrate side driven by the element 21.

【0517】

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 26 (b) or FIG. 29 (b), the color filter substrate has three of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) on the glass substrate 62. The color color filters 61R / 61G / 61B are formed in stripes, and the smoothing layer 501 is formed on the color filter 61R / 61G / 61B forming surface of the glass substrate 62 so as to cover these color filters 61R / 61G / 61B. It was produced by forming and forming a counter electrode 502 on the counter electrode 502.

【0518】

In the formation of the color filter substrate, the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B were formed by patterning a resin material in which a pigment was dispersed in a photosensitive resin by a photolithography method. As a method for producing the color filters 61R, 61G, 61B, a method other than the above-mentioned method using pigment dispersion, for example, an electrodeposition method, a film transfer method, a dyeing method, or the like can be adopted, and is particularly limited. It is not something that is done.

【0519】

The flattening layer 501 was formed by applying an acrylate resin having high light transmittance on the color filter 61R / 61G / 61B forming surface of the glass substrate 62 and curing it by heat. Further, the counter electrode 502 formed on the flattening layer 501 is a counter electrode facing the pixel electrode 18 driven by the TFT element 21, and ITO is deposited through a mask by sputtering as a transparent electrode to obtain a required flat surface. It was formed by forming it into a shape.

【0520】

In the present embodiment, two types of the color filter substrate are manufactured: a color filter substrate whose saturation is set high according to the transmission display and a color filter substrate whose brightness is set high according to the reflection display. The color filter substrate with high saturation was produced in the patterns shown in FIGS. 26 (a) and 26 (b), and the color filter substrate with high brightness was prepared in FIGS. 29 (a) and 29 (b). It was prepared in the pattern shown in b).

【0521】

Next, in order to manufacture a liquid crystal display device using the TFT element substrate and the color filter substrate produced as described above, the TFT element substrate and the color filter substrate are arranged to face each other to form a liquid crystal for liquid crystal injection. The process of producing the cell will be described.

【0522】

In this step, first, in the liquid crystal display region on the facing surfaces of the TFT element substrate and the color filter substrate (the TFT element 21 forming surface of the TFT element substrate and the color filter 61R, 61G, 61B forming surface of the color filter substrate). , Soluble polyimide solution was placed by an offset printing method, and an alignment film was formed through drying and firing steps. Further, the alignment film was subjected to an orientation treatment for determining the liquid crystal alignment direction by a rubbing method. Whether the alignment film has parallel orientation or vertical orientation differs depending on each example described later.

【0523】

Subsequently, a spherical spacer having a uniform particle size is sprayed on one of the TFT element substrate and the color filter substrate thus treated, and the liquid crystal layer is sealed on the other side and the TFT element substrate and the color filter substrate are fixed. In addition to printing the encapsulating sealant for this purpose, a conductive paste that conducts the counter electrode 502 was placed from the TFT element substrate side to the color filter substrate side.

【0524】

Then, the TFT element 21 forming surface of the TFT element substrate and the color filter 61R / 61G / 61B forming surface of the color filter substrate are arranged to face each other, and both substrates (TFT element substrate and color filter substrate) are aligned and added. The encapsulating sealant and conductive paste were cured under pressure.

【0525】

Through the above steps, a mother glass substrate 21 in which a plurality of liquid crystal injection cells are arranged was produced, and further, the mother glass substrate was divided to produce a liquid crystal injection cell.

【0526】

After that, the liquid crystal composition is introduced into the liquid crystal cell in which the liquid crystal has not been injected by a vacuum injection method, and a photopolymerizable resin is applied to the liquid crystal introduction port so that the introduced liquid crystal layer does not come into contact with the outside air. A liquid crystal cell was produced by polymerizing and curing with.

【0527】

Next, for the purpose of preventing electrostatic destruction of the TFT element 21, the short ring portion arranged at the end of the TFT element substrate was removed so as to short-circuit each wiring terminal, and an external circuit for driving the TFT element 21 was connected. .. Further, an active matrix type liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is manufactured by arranging a backlight that serves as a light source for transmission display.

【0528】

[Example 14] The active matrix type liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment is a transmission-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device using a GH method, and the GH method according to the first embodiment of the first embodiment is used. , A liquid crystal display device used for display.

【0529】

The liquid crystal composition used in this example is prepared according to Example 1 of the first embodiment. That is, in this example, the liquid crystal composition using the dichroic dye (dichroic dye 12) described in Example 1 was used. Further, in this example, a vertical alignment film having vertical orientation was used as the alignment film, and an orientation treatment by rubbing was performed so that a uniform vertical orientation could be obtained. In this embodiment, since the GH method using a dichroic dye is adopted for the liquid crystal composition, the phase difference compensating plate and the polarizing plate are not attached to the liquid crystal cell.

【0530】

Further, in this embodiment, since the transmission display is mainly used, the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B are designed to have high saturation like the conventional color filter of the transmission display method, and the color filter substrate is shown in FIG. 26 ( Arranged as shown in a) and FIG. 26 (b). As shown in FIG. 23 (a), as the TFT element substrate to be combined with this color filter substrate, a TFT element substrate having a large transmission display opening 19a and a wide transmission display unit 10 was used.

【0531】

In the above liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 26 (a) and 26 (b), the drive electrode 19 in the reflection display unit 9 is a part thereof (the color filter 61R in the drive electrode 19). -Only the color filter 61R / 61G / 61B facing the color filter 61R / 61G / 61B in the stretching direction of 61G / 61B) is covered with the same color filter 61R / 61G / 61B as the transmission display opening 19a forming region which becomes the transmission display unit 10. There is no color filter, and it also has a display part that allows white light to pass through.

【0532】

A display signal was input to the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device produced in this manner, and visual observation was performed. As a result, in this embodiment, it was necessary to constantly turn on the backlight. However, when the backlight was turned on, both the brightness and the contrast ratio were good, and sufficient display was always possible. In addition, the displayed contents could be visually recognized even in direct sunlight, and no washout occurred.

【0533】

That is, in this embodiment, in an environment where the ambient light is weak, a liquid crystal display device having high brightness is realized by the backlight as in the conventional transmissive liquid crystal display device, but when the ambient light is strong, the reflection display unit 9 is used. Since the brightness is changed in proportion to the ambient light, it is possible to check the displayed contents, and the washout that occurs in conventional light emitting display devices and transmissive liquid crystal display devices does not occur, and high resolution color liquid crystal display devices with no parallax. Can be realized. Further, in this embodiment, a very good reflection display without parallax (double image) was realized.

【0534】

[Example 15] The active matrix type liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment is a reflection-based transflective liquid crystal display device using a GH method, and the GH method according to the first embodiment of the first embodiment is used. , A liquid crystal display device used for display.

【0535】

In this example as well, as in Example 14, the liquid crystal composition is prepared according to Example 1 of the first embodiment. That is, also in this example, the liquid crystal composition using the dichroic dye (dichroic dye 12) described in Example 1 was used. Further, in this example, a vertical alignment film having vertical orientation was used as the alignment film, and an orientation treatment by rubbing was performed so that a uniform vertical orientation could be obtained. In this embodiment, since the GH method using a dichroic dye is adopted for the liquid crystal composition, the phase difference compensating plate and the polarizing plate are not attached to the liquid crystal cell.

【0536】

Further, in this embodiment, since the reflection display is mainly used, the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B are manufactured so as to have higher brightness than the color filter used in the conventional transmissive liquid crystal display device, and the color is colored. The filter substrate was arranged as shown in FIGS. 29 (a) and 29 (b). As shown in FIG. 28, as the TFT element substrate to be combined with this color filter substrate, a TFT element substrate having a small transmission display opening 19a and a large reflection display portion 9 was used.

【0537】

A display signal was input to the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device produced in this manner, and visual observation was performed. As a result, the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment was capable of reflective display without the need to turn on the backlight in the daytime lighting / outside light environment. In this embodiment, a very good reflection display without parallax (double image) was realized. Further, when the ambient light was so dark that it was impossible to observe by the reflected light, the displayed contents could be visually recognized by turning on the backlight.

【0538】

That is, in this embodiment, as described above, since the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B and the color filter substrate that match the reflection display are used, the color display using only the reflected light is possible. Therefore, it is possible to turn off the backlight and use it only by the reflection display in normal indoor lighting or outdoors in the daytime. Further, by turning on the backlight as needed, visibility can be ensured even when the lighting is dark.

【0539】

In the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment, unlike the conventional transmissive liquid crystal display device, it is not necessary to keep the backlight on all the time, power consumption can be reduced, and the reflection display unit 9 is used for washing. It does not cause out, and if necessary, transparent display using a backlight can be performed.

【0540】

[Example 16] The active matrix type liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is a transmission-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device that uses the polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer for display, and is the embodiment of the second embodiment. This is a liquid crystal display device using the polarizing plate method in Example 5 for display.

【0541】

The liquid crystal composition used in this example is prepared according to Example 5 of the second embodiment. Further, in this embodiment, a phase difference compensating plate (phase difference compensating plate 16/17) and a polarizing plate (polarizing plate 14/15) are attached to a liquid crystal cell (TFT liquid crystal panel) into which a liquid crystal is injected. Further, in this example, the parallel-oriented alignment film was oriented by the rubbing method so that the rubbing crossing angle was 250 degrees.

【0542】

Further, in this embodiment, since the transmission display is mainly used as in the 14th embodiment, the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B are designed to have the same transmission color as the color filter of the conventional transmission display method, and the color filter substrate is used. Are arranged as shown in FIGS. 26 (a) and 26 (b). As shown in FIG. 23 (a), as the TFT element substrate to be combined with this color filter substrate, a TFT element substrate having a large transmission display opening 19a and a wide transmission display unit 10 was used.

【0543】

In the above liquid crystal display device according to this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 26 (a) and 26 (b), the drive electrode 19 of the reflection display unit 9 is a part thereof (the color filter 61R in the drive electrode 19). -Only the color filter 61R / 61G / 61B facing the color filter 61R / 61G / 61B in the stretching direction of 61G / 61B) is covered with the same color filter 61R / 61G / 61B as the transmission display opening 19a forming region which becomes the transmission display unit 10. There is no color filter, and it also has a display part that reflects white light.

【0544】

A display signal was input to the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device produced in this manner, and visual observation was performed. As a result, in this embodiment, it was necessary to constantly turn on the backlight. However, when the backlight was turned on, both the brightness and the contrast ratio were good, and sufficient display was always possible. In addition, the displayed contents could be visually recognized even in direct sunlight, and no washout occurred.

【0545】

That is, in this embodiment, in an environment where the ambient light is weak, a liquid crystal display device having high brightness is realized by the backlight as in the conventional transmissive liquid crystal display device, but when the ambient light is strong, the reflection display unit 9 is used. Since the brightness is changed in proportion to the ambient light, it is possible to check the displayed contents, and it can be seen that the washout that occurs in the conventional light emitting display device and the transmissive liquid crystal display device does not occur. Further, in this embodiment, a very good reflection display without parallax (double image) was realized.

【0546】

[Example 17] The active matrix type liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is a reflection-based transflective liquid crystal display device that uses the polarization conversion action of the liquid crystal layer for display, and the embodiment of the second embodiment is described. This is a liquid crystal display device using the polarizing plate method in Example 5 for display.

【0547】

In this example as well, the liquid crystal composition is prepared according to Example 5 of the second embodiment as in the case of Example 16. Further, also in this embodiment, the retardation compensation plate (phase difference compensation plate 16/17; see Example 5) and the polarizing plate (polarizing plate 14/15) are attached to the liquid crystal cell (TFT liquid crystal panel) into which the liquid crystal is injected. I pasted it. In this example, the parallel-oriented alignment film was oriented by the rubbing method so that the rubbing crossing angle was 250 degrees.

【0548】

Further, in this embodiment, since the reflection display is mainly used as in the 15th embodiment, the color filters 61R, 61G, and 61B have higher brightness than the color filters used in the conventional transmissive liquid crystal display device. The color filter substrate was arranged as shown in FIGS. 29 (a) and 29 (b). As shown in FIG. 28, as the TFT element substrate to be combined with this color filter substrate, a TFT element substrate having a small transmission display opening 19a and a large reflection display portion 9 was used.

【0549】

A display signal was input to the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device produced in this manner, and visual observation was performed. As a result, the above-mentioned liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment was capable of reflective display without the need to turn on the backlight in the daytime lighting / outside light environment. In this embodiment, a very good reflection display without parallax (double image) was realized. Further, when the ambient light was so dark that it was impossible to observe by the reflected light, the displayed contents could be visually recognized by turning on the backlight.

【0550】

That is, in this embodiment, as described above, since the color filters 61R / 61G / 61B and the color filter substrate that match the reflection display are used, the color display using only the reflected light is possible. Therefore, it is possible to turn off the backlight and use it only by the reflection display in normal indoor lighting or outdoors in the daytime. Further, by turning on the backlight as needed, visibility can be ensured even when the lighting is dark.

【0551】

In the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment, unlike the conventional transmissive liquid crystal display device, it is not necessary to keep the backlight on all the time, power consumption can be reduced, and the reflection display unit 9 is used for washing. It does not cause out, and if necessary, transparent display using a backlight can be performed.

【0552】

As described above, according to the above-described 14 to 17, a high-resolution active matrix liquid crystal display device that realizes the liquid crystal display method shown in the first and second embodiments is realized according to the present embodiment. It was shown that it can be done.

【0553】

In the above Examples 14 to 17, a liquid crystal display having a different liquid crystal layer thickness between the reflection display unit 9 and the transmission display unit 10 due to the organic insulating film 25 (corresponding to the insulating film 11) on the active matrix substrate (TFT element substrate). Although the device has been manufactured, it goes without saying that the same effect can be expected by other liquid crystal display principles according to the present invention.

【0554】

[Embodiment 10] In the present embodiment, a change in the brightness of the backlight used in the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention will be described below.

【0555】

There are three main purposes for changing the brightness of the backlight. The first purpose is to ensure visibility. As shown in the eighth embodiment, the perceived brightness of a person is defined by the adaptive brightness and the brightness of the display surface. Therefore, in order to realize a display with good visibility, it is effective to change the brightness of the backlight according to the adaptive brightness according to the perceived brightness of the human eye, as shown in the eighth embodiment. In addition, it is desirable to change the brightness of the display surface by controlling the brightness of the backlight according to the adaptation brightness so that the perceived brightness is 10 bril or more and less than 30 bril. That is, the backlight also serves as a display surface brightness changing means. This makes it possible to improve the visibility in a situation where the transparent display mainly contributes to the display. Here, since the value of the perceived brightness defined in the eighth embodiment assumes the brightness of the display surface in proportion to the adaptation brightness to which a person is acclimatizing, the brightness of the backlight is generally according to the perceived brightness. A good display can be obtained by changing.

【0556】

The second purpose is to reduce power consumption. Even if the backlight is turned on or off, the visibility may not be significantly affected. For example, when the liquid crystal display device is a transflective liquid crystal display device, the illuminance of the illumination light that illuminates the liquid crystal display device from the surroundings is sufficiently high, and the brightness of the display surface is mainly maintained by the reflection display unit. Is. In such a case, even if the brightness in the transparent display is high, the brightness of the display surface may not be affected. In such a case, it is desirable to turn off the backlight in order to reduce power consumption.

【0557】

The third purpose is to intentionally use a state in which the color display and the black-and-white display can be switched by turning on the backlight when the color display is performed on only one of the reflective display and the transparent display. By building it up, one liquid crystal display device can have multiple functions.

【0558】

For example, when a black-and-white display is performed without arranging a color filter in the reflection display unit and a color filter is arranged only in the transmission display unit for color display, the resolution of the reflection display is set to a plurality of pixels by using the color filter. Since it is possible to take a higher value than the transparent display unit that displays one black-and-white unit, the reflection display performs a high-resolution black-and-white display, and the transparent display is capable of color display although the resolution is not high. On the contrary, it is also possible to make the color filter used only in the reflection display. In this case, one liquid crystal display device can have functions for different purposes. Therefore, by switching between the color display and the black-and-white display by turning on the backlight, or by changing the emission color, it is possible to greatly change the display content depending on the lighting state.

【0559】

As described above, the brightness of the backlight can be controlled by an appropriate signal each time according to the purpose of use and the usage situation. When the brightness of the backlight is changed according to the adaptation brightness described above, the brightness of the backlight is used for the purpose of improving visibility, for example, the illuminance of the illumination incident on the display surface, the display type of the liquid crystal display device, and the like. It can be controlled according to the visual environment.

【0560】

When the brightness of the backlight is controlled by the illuminance, the backlight is turned off when the illuminance is high, and the backlight is turned on weakly to avoid glare when the illuminance is low, and when the illuminance is in the middle. It is desirable to control the lighting state of the backlight, such as turning on the backlight strongly.

【0561】

In this case, depending on the state of the user, the presence / absence of lighting and the brightness of the backlight can be controlled by signals from various external devices connected to the liquid crystal cell or the liquid crystal display device, timer control, or the like. Unnecessary power consumption can be reduced.

【0562】

Further, when controlling the brightness of the backlight, for example, when the user performs some operation on the device equipped with the liquid crystal display device, or by turning on the backlight only for a certain period of time, the device is used. It is possible to achieve both reduction of overall power consumption and provision of a good display to the user. The brightness of the backlight may be controlled by various other signals other than the illuminance of the illumination incident on the display surface as described above.

【0563】

In addition, depending on the signal input by the user to the touch panel (pressing coordinate detection type input means) arranged on the display surface of the liquid crystal cell, the presence / absence and brightness of the backlight, or the liquid crystal orientation in the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit. It is also very effective to control the brightness of the backlight in conjunction with a signal that calls attention to other users in order to achieve the above-mentioned object. By controlling the brightness of the display surface from the outside of the liquid crystal cell in this way, it is possible to obtain a liquid crystal display device capable of achieving both visibility and low power consumption.

【0564】

[Embodiment 11] In the present invention, in the present invention, when a touch panel (pressing coordinate detection type input means) is used as an information input means in a portable device which is a main application field of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention. A specific configuration of such a liquid crystal display device will be described. For convenience of explanation, the components having the same functions as those of the first to tenth embodiments are designated by the same number, and the description thereof will be omitted.

【0565】

In the present embodiment, a touch panel is superimposed on the liquid crystal display device of the 17th embodiment of the ninth embodiment to produce a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device integrated with an input device. FIG. 32 shows the configuration of the liquid crystal display device integrated with the input device according to the present embodiment. The basic configuration other than the touch panel 71, that is, the configuration of the liquid crystal cell and the backlight 13 in the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment is the configuration of the 17th embodiment and the 2nd embodiment of the 9th embodiment. Since it is the same as that of the fifth embodiment, it is omitted here.

【0566】

The touch panel 71 includes a movable substrate 73 provided with a transparent electrode layer 72 and a support substrate 75 provided with a transparent electrode layer 74. A predetermined gap is formed between the movable substrate 73 and the support substrate 75 by a spacer (not shown) so that the transparent electrode layer 72 and the transparent electrode layer 74 face each other and the transparent electrode layers do not come into contact with each other in the energized state. It has and is arranged to face each other. As a result, the transparent electrode layer 72 provided on the movable substrate 73 and the transparent electrode layer 74 provided on the support substrate 75 do not come into contact with each other under normal conditions, but the movable substrate 73 is instructed by a finger or a pen. By being (pressed), they come into contact with each other at the designated points. Therefore, the touch panel 71 functions as an input device by detecting the contact position (coordinate position) between the transparent electrode layer 72 and the transparent electrode layer 74 due to the pressing force applied to the movable substrate 73.

【0567】

In the touch panel 71, the phase difference compensating plate 16 and the polarizing plate 14 are attached on the movable substrate 73, so that the phase difference compensating plate 16 and the liquid crystal cell substrate 4 are sandwiched between the phase difference compensating plate 16 and the polarizing plate 14. And is integrally arranged with the polarizing plate 14. In the present embodiment, in order to obtain the effect of the polarizing plate in Example 17 with the polarizing plate 14 attached on the touch panel 71, the movable substrate 73 and the support substrate 75 constituting the touch panel 71 are birefringent. It is made of a material that does not have polarized light.

【0568】

Further, in the present embodiment, the above liquid crystal display device is used with the support substrate 75 of the touch panel 71 so that the liquid crystal display device has an effect of preventing pressure transmission between the touch panel 71 and the substrate 4 of the liquid crystal cell. By providing a gap between the liquid crystal cell and the substrate 4 and keeping this gap constant, the pressing force on the touch panel 71 is not transmitted to the liquid crystal cell without using the pressing force buffering member.

【0569】

The liquid crystal display device integrated with the input device configured in this way changes the brightness of the backlight 13 by the signal of the touch panel 71, so that the backlight 13 is turned off when the user is not observing the display. , It is possible to turn on the backlight 13 as information is input to the touch panel 71. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to realize a liquid crystal display device that achieves both good display and reduction of power consumption. Further, according to the present embodiment, by arranging the polarizing plate 14, the touch panel 71, and the liquid crystal cell in the order described above, the absorption by the polarizing plate 14 also absorbs the unnecessary reflected light by the touch panel 71, which is unnecessary. Since the reflected light can be reduced, the visibility can be improved.

【0570】

[Effect of the invention]

The liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 1 has, as described above, a liquid crystal display element having a pair of substrates having orientation means on facing surfaces and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates. A liquid crystal display device provided with an orientation mechanism for simultaneously taking at least two different orientation states in arbitrary and different regions used for display in the liquid crystal layer, and different in the liquid crystal layer. Reflective means are arranged in at least one region showing the orientation state, and the regions showing the different orientation states are used for the reflection display unit for performing the reflection display and the transmission display unit for performing the transmission display. Is.

【0571】

According to the above configuration, since the liquid crystal orientations have different orientation states at the same time, for example, when a dye such as a dichroic dye is used for display, the light absorption amount (absorption rate) and optical anisotropy are used. In some cases, the magnitude of the modulation amount of each optical physical quantity such as the phase difference can be changed for each region where the liquid crystal orientation is different. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to obtain the transmittance or the reflectance based on the magnitude of the modulation amount of the optical physical quantity according to the orientation state of the liquid crystal layer, whereby the transmittance display unit and the reflection display unit can be obtained. It is possible to set the optical parameters independently with and. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device having excellent visibility, capable of high-resolution display, and capable of using both reflected light and transmitted light for display. It has the effect of being able to.

【0572】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 2 has a configuration in which the orientation mechanism is a display content rewriting means for rewriting the display content with the passage of time.

【0573】

According to the above configuration, the display content rewriting means and the alignment mechanism can be realized by the same means, and the liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 can be obtained without adding a new configuration. It plays the effect.

【0574】

The liquid crystal display device according to the invention according to claim 3 is a liquid crystal display element having a pair of substrates having orientation means on facing surfaces and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates as described above. A liquid crystal display device comprising the above, in which a region used for display in the liquid crystal layer is composed of regions having at least two different liquid crystal layer thicknesses, and each region having a different liquid crystal layer thickness is a reflection display. In addition to being used for the unit and the transmissive display unit, at least the reflective display unit is provided with reflective means, and the liquid crystal layer thickness of the reflective display unit is smaller than that of the transmissive display unit.

【0575】

According to the above configuration, it is possible to obtain the transmittance or the reflectance based on the magnitude of the modulation amount of the optical physical quantity in the region where the liquid crystal layer thickness is different, whereby the optical parameter is obtained in the transmission display unit and the reflection display unit. Can be set independently. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device having excellent visibility, capable of high-resolution display, and capable of using both reflected light and transmitted light for display. It has the effect of being able to.

【0576】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device according to the invention of claim 4 has a region on a contact surface in contact with a region of at least one of the pair of substrates used for displaying the liquid crystal layer. The configuration is provided with orientation means so as to give at least two different orientation directions to the orientation of the liquid crystal layer interface in contact with the orientation.

【0577】

According to the above configuration, when a voltage is applied, the liquid crystal layer simultaneously exhibits at least two different orientation states in arbitrary and different regions to be used for display in the liquid crystal layer, and the orientation state in the liquid crystal layer. It has the effect that reflection display and transmission display can be performed in different areas. Further, according to the above configuration, by changing the elevation angle of the liquid crystal orientation with respect to the substrate and the azimuth thereof, both the orientation of the liquid crystal that determines the optical characteristics and the orientation change when a voltage is applied are changed. This is possible, and the effect that the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit can perform a display suitable for each display is also achieved.

【0578】

As described above, in the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 5, the ratio of the area of the reflection display unit to the total area of the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit is 30% or more and 90% or less. It is a composition.

【0579】

According to the present invention, good display can be realized in both the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit by the above-mentioned means, but color display, black-and-white display, or reflection display is mainly used. Depending on the desired display, such as whether the display is performed or the display is mainly performed through the transparent display, the ratio between the reflective display unit and the transparent display unit has an optimum ratio for performing a good display. According to the above configuration, when both the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit perform color display, it is possible to obtain an effect that both the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit can perform good display.

【0580】

As described above, in the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 6, when the transmissive display unit is a bright display, the reflective display unit is simultaneously displayed as a bright display, and when the transmissive display unit is a dark display, the reflective display unit is simultaneously displayed. Is a dark display.

【0581】

According to the present invention, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 6 has the configuration of claim 1 or 3, so that when the transmission display unit is brightly displayed, the reflection display unit is displayed brightly at the same time. When the transparent display unit is dark, the reflection display unit can be dark at the same time. In particular, according to the present invention, even if the display content is reversed between the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit as it is, for example, the display content rewriting means is used for the alignment mechanism to display the reflection display unit and the transmission content. By individually controlling the rewriting of the display contents by the unit, the display can be easily aligned. Therefore, according to the above configuration, there is an effect that good visibility can be ensured.

【0582】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 7 has a structure in which the liquid crystal layer is composed of a liquid crystal composition in which a dye having dichroism is mixed with the liquid crystal.

【0583】

According to the above configuration, the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit have an effect that the amount of light absorption can be optimized.

【0584】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 8 has a configuration in which a polarizing plate is arranged on a non-contact surface side of at least one of the pair of substrates with a liquid crystal layer.

【0585】

According to the above configuration, it is possible to optimize the birefringence in the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit, and it is possible to obtain a good display.

【0586】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 9 includes a voltage applying means for applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer, and the voltage applying means is on the reflecting means of the reflection display unit when the voltage is applied. The phase difference of the display light is approximately 90 degrees between the bright display and the dark display, and the phase difference of the display light emitted from the liquid crystal layer in the transmission display section is the difference between the bright display and the dark display. The voltage is applied so that the difference is approximately 180 degrees from that of the case of.

【0587】

Further, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 10 has a configuration in which the liquid crystal layer is twist-oriented between the pair of substrates at a twist angle of 60 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less as described above. .. With this configuration, in the liquid crystal layer of the transmissive display unit, the change in polarization close to the optical rotation according to the twist of the orientation of the liquid crystal can be used for display, and in the reflective display unit, the optical rotation and the retardation can be used. The change in polarization due to control can be used for display.

【0588】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 11 has a configuration in which the liquid crystal layer is twist-oriented between the pair of substrates at a twist angle of 0 degrees or more and 40 degrees or less. With this configuration, changes in retardation can be used for display in both the liquid crystal layer of the transmissive display unit and the liquid crystal layer of the reflective display unit.

【0589】

According to the configurations of claims 9 to 11, the amount of change in the phase difference suitable for the reflection display or the transmission display can be obtained in the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit, respectively, and the display of the bright display and the dark display can be obtained. It has the effect of being able to switch between.

【0590】

As described above, in the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 12, the liquid crystal display element is formed by rotating liquid crystal molecules in parallel with a substrate at at least one of the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit. The display is performed by changing the orientation state of the liquid crystal layer.

【0591】

As described above, in the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 13, the liquid crystal display element is a voltage applying means for generating an electric field in the in-plane direction of the substrate in the liquid crystal layer, and the liquid crystal display element is the liquid crystal layer. A voltage applying means for generating an electric field in the in-plane direction of the substrate is provided corresponding to either one of the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit.

【0592】

In the present invention, the change in the orientation of the liquid crystal can be sufficiently displayed even if the change in the orientation in the plane parallel to the substrate is sufficient. Then, in the present invention, the imperfect switching method is developed by positively utilizing the insufficient liquid crystal orientation that causes the low light transmittance, which is a problem of the conventional imprint switching method, for the display as a reflection display. It has the effect of overcoming the low light utilization efficiency.

【0593】

As described above, in the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 14, at least one of the pair of substrates is at least one of the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit on the contact surface with the liquid crystal layer. It is a configuration in which an alignment film having vertical orientation is provided in the region corresponding to.

【0594】

In the present invention, the orientation of the liquid crystal layer may be parallel orientation, which is often used for display as described above, but it may be vertical orientation in which the liquid crystal is oriented perpendicular to the substrate. Good. As described above, when the substrate is provided with an alignment film having vertical orientation and the liquid crystal orientation is vertical orientation in which the liquid crystal is vertically oriented with respect to the substrate, there is an advantage that the contrast ratio of the display becomes good. It has the effect of having.

【0595】

As described above, in the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 15, at least one of the pair of substrates is insulated in a region corresponding to at least the reflection display portion of the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit. The insulating film is provided with a film, and the insulating film is formed so that the region corresponding to the reflection display portion is thicker than the region corresponding to the transmission display portion.

【0596】

According to the above configuration, the area used for the display in the liquid crystal layer is a liquid crystal display device having at least two kinds of different liquid crystal layer thicknesses (that is, a liquid crystal display device having a different liquid crystal layer thickness between the reflection display and the transmissive display unit). ) Can be easily obtained.

【0597】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 16 has a transparent color in a region corresponding to a transparent display portion in a region constituting a display region of each pixel on one of the pair of substrates. The same as the color filter arranged in the region corresponding to the transmissive display portion on the substrate in at least a part of the region corresponding to the reflection display portion among the regions constituting the display region. It is a configuration in which a color filter having lightness is arranged.

【0598】

When performing color display, if the color filter of the transparent display unit is used as it is for the reflective display unit, the brightness will be insufficient. However, according to the above configuration, the brightness is supplemented and the color display is performed not only for the transparent display but also for the reflective display. At the same time, it is possible to secure the necessary reflectance for the reflection display unit, and it is possible to provide a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device capable of color display, mainly for transmission display.

【0599】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 17 has a transmission color in a region corresponding to a transmission display portion in a region constituting a display region of each pixel on one of the pair of substrates. A color filter having the above-mentioned color filter is arranged, and at least a part of the area corresponding to the reflection display part among the areas constituting the display area is larger than the color filter arranged in the area corresponding to the transmission display part on the substrate. It is a configuration in which a color filter having a transparent color with high brightness is arranged.

【0600】

According to the above configuration, when performing color display, it is possible to supplement the brightness, enable color display not only for transparent display but also for reflective display, and to secure the reflectance required for the reflective display unit. It has the effect of being able to provide a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device capable of color display, mainly for transparent display. In this case, in the reflection display unit, the display light passes through the color filter twice. Therefore, by arranging a color filter having a transmission color having a higher brightness than the color filter arranged in the region corresponding to the transmission display portion on the substrate in the region corresponding to the reflection display portion, the brightness can be further increased. Better color display can be performed.

【0601】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 18 has a region corresponding to at least a transmissive display unit among the regions constituting the display region of each pixel on one of the pair of substrates. A color filter having a transparent color is arranged, and the area of a region where the color is not displayed in the reflection display unit is set according to the visual transmittance of the transparent color of the color filter.

【0602】

According to the above configuration, the ratio of the pixels of each color contributing to the brightness can be changed according to the visual transmittance of each color, and as a result, a good display can be realized.

【0603】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 19 transmits light to at least a region corresponding to a reflection display unit among the regions constituting the display region of each pixel on one of the pair of substrates. It is a configuration in which color filters having colors are arranged.

【0604】

According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal display device having excellent visibility and capable of performing high-resolution color display when performing a display mainly composed of a reflection display. In this case, in particular, the light transmittance is increased by performing color display on the reflection display unit and black-and-white display on the transmission display unit without using a color filter. Therefore, in such a case, the transparent display unit can be set to be smaller, the area of the reflection display unit can be secured larger, and a better display can be obtained in the reflection display during normal use. It has the effect of being able to be obtained.

【0605】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 20 has a configuration in which the area of the transmissive display unit for which color display is not performed is set according to the visual transmittance of the transmissive color of the color filter. Is.

【0606】

According to the above configuration, when the display is mainly based on the reflection display, the contribution of the transparent display unit to the brightness from the black-and-white display in each pixel can be appropriately set in consideration of the visual transmittance. Therefore, it has the effect of obtaining a better display.

【0607】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 21 has a transmission color in a region corresponding to a reflection display portion in a region constituting a display region of each pixel on one of the pair of substrates. The color filter and the color are arranged in at least a part of the area corresponding to the transparent display part in the area constituting the display area, and the color filter and the color are arranged in the area corresponding to the reflection display part in the substrate. It is a configuration in which color filters having transparent colors of the same degree or higher are arranged.

【0608】

According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device mainly for reflection display, which can perform good color display on both the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit.

【0609】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 22 includes a lighting device that injects light into the liquid crystal display element from the back surface of the liquid crystal display element, and the lighting device changes the brightness of the display surface. It is a configuration that also serves as a means for changing the brightness of the display surface.

【0610】

According to the above configuration, by changing the brightness of the display surface by the lighting device, it is possible to achieve both low power consumption and visibility.

【0611】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 23 has a configuration in which the brightness of the display surface is changed so that the perceived brightness is 10 bril or more and less than 30 bril according to the adaptive brightness. ..

【0612】

According to the above configuration, visibility can be improved in a situation where the transparent display mainly contributes to the display, good visibility can be realized, and power consumption can be reduced. It has the effect of being able to do it.

【0613】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 24 is provided with a pressing coordinate detection type input means that is arranged so as to overlap the display surface and detects the pressed coordinate position by being pressed. Is.

【0614】

In the transflective liquid crystal display device as described above, it is easier to use the pressure coordinate detection type input means described above as compared with the reflective liquid crystal display device using a so-called front light, and the above configuration Therefore, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal display device with a good input device and low power consumption.

【0615】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 25 is provided with a pressing coordinate detection type input means that is arranged so as to be overlapped with the display surface and detects the pressed coordinate position by being pressed, and the above-mentioned illumination. The apparatus has a configuration in which the brightness of the display surface is changed in conjunction with the output signal of the pressing coordinate detection type input means.

【0616】

According to the above configuration, the signal of the pressing coordinate detection type input means easily detects that the observer is using the display device, and therefore, the power consumption of the liquid crystal display device depends on this signal. By changing the brightness of the lighting device and changing the brightness of the display surface, it is possible to achieve both reduction in power consumption and good visibility.

【0617】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 26 is provided with a pressing coordinate detection type input means that is arranged so as to overlap the display surface and detects the pressed coordinate position by being pressed, and has the above-mentioned orientation. The mechanism is configured to change the orientation state of the liquid crystal layer in at least one of the reflection display unit and the transmission display unit in conjunction with the output signal of the pressing coordinate detection type input means.

【0618】

According to the above configuration, it is easy to detect that the observer is using the display device by the signal of the pressing coordinate detection type input means. Therefore, if the liquid crystal orientation is changed according to this signal, the power consumption is consumed. It has the effect of being able to achieve both reduction in power consumption and good visibility.

【0619】

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the invention according to claim 27 includes a pressing coordinate detection type input means and a polarizing plate, which are arranged so as to overlap the display surface and detect the pressed coordinate position by being pressed. The polarizing plate, the pressing coordinate detection type input means, and the liquid crystal display element are arranged in this order.

【0620】

According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide an input device-integrated liquid crystal display device having a low power consumption, which is provided with a polarizing plate and a pressing coordinate detection type input means and uses birefringence for display. At the same time, the absorption by the polarizing plate also has the effect of absorbing unnecessary reflected light by the pressing coordinate detection type input means and realizing good visibility.

[Simple explanation of drawings]

[Figure 1]

It is sectional drawing of the main part of the liquid crystal display device which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention.

[Figure 2]

It is a display characteristic figure of the liquid crystal display apparatus described in Example 1. FIG.

[Fig. 3]

It is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Comparative Example 2 and Comparative Example 3.

[Fig. 4]

It is sectional drawing of the main part of the liquid crystal display device which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention.

[Fig. 5]

It is a figure explaining the definition of a rubbing intersection angle.

[Fig. 6]

It is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Example 2.

[Fig. 7]

It is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Example 3.

[Fig. 8]

It is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Example 4.

[Fig. 9]

It is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device according to Example 5.

[Fig. 10]

It is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device according to Example 6.

[Fig. 11]

It is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device according to Example 7.

[Fig. 12]

It is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Comparative Example 3.

[Fig. 13]

It is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device according to Example 8.

[Fig. 14]

It is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Comparative Example 4.

[Fig. 15]

It is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device described in Comparative Example 5.

[Fig. 16]

It is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device according to Example 9.

[Fig. 17]

It is a process drawing of the orientation process of the substrate used for the liquid crystal display device which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention.

[Fig. 18]

(a) to (e) are schematic cross-sectional views schematically showing the orientation treatment step shown in FIG.

[Fig. 19]

It is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device according to Example 10.

[Fig. 20]

It is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device according to Example 11.

[Fig. 21]

(a) is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the liquid crystal display device according to the twelfth embodiment when no voltage is applied, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the liquid crystal display device shown in (a) when a voltage is applied. ..

[Fig. 22]

It is a display characteristic diagram of the liquid crystal display device according to Example 12.

[Fig. 23]

(a) is a plan view of a main part of a TFT element substrate for realizing a transmissive-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a plan view of a main part of the TFT element substrate, and (b) is a TFT shown in (a). It is a figure which shows the drive electrode of the reflection display part in the element substrate, (c) is the figure which shows the transparent pixel electrode in the TFT element substrate shown in (a).

[Fig. 24]

It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA' of the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 23 (a).

[Fig. 25]

It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B'of the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 23 (a).

[Fig. 26]

(a) is a color filter formed on the color filter substrate of the transmissive main transmissive liquid crystal display device according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, and a reflection display portion on the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 23 (a). It is a main part plan view of the transmission-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device showing the positional relationship of the formed drive electrode with the transmission display opening by partially breaking the color filter substrate. (B) Is a cross-sectional view of the color filter substrate shown in (a).

[Fig. 27]

It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C'of the main part of the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 26 (a).

[Fig. 28]

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a main part of a TFT element substrate for realizing a reflection-based transflective liquid crystal display device according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 29]

(a) is formed on the color filter formed on the color filter substrate of the reflection-based transflective liquid crystal display device according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention and the reflection display portion on the TFT element substrate shown in FIG. 28. It is a main part plan view of the reflection-based semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device which shows the positional relationship of the drive electrode with the transmission display opening by a partial breakage of the color filter substrate, and (b) is (b). It is sectional drawing of the color filter substrate shown in a).

[Fig. 30]

It is a contour figure which shows the relationship between the adaptation brightness which gives the perceptual brightness of an equal value and the sample brightness.

[Fig. 31]

It is a characteristic diagram which shows the relationship between the illuminance and the perceived brightness in the transflective liquid crystal display device which concerns on Embodiment 8 of this invention.

[Fig. 32]

It is sectional drawing of the main part which shows the schematic structure of the liquid crystal display device integrated with the input device which concerns on Embodiment 11 of this invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Liquid crystal layer 1a liquid crystal molecule 2 Alignment film (alignment mechanism) 3 Alignment film (alignment mechanism) 4 board 5 board 6 Electrodes (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means, orientation mechanism) 7 Electrodes (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means, orientation mechanism) 8 Reflective film (reflective means) 9 Reflection display 10 Transparent display 11 Insulating film (alignment mechanism) 12 Dichroic pigment (orientation mechanism) 13 Backlight (lighting device, display surface brightness changing means) 14 Polarizing plate 15 Polarizing plate 16 Phase difference compensation plate 17 Phase difference compensation plate 18-pixel electrode (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means) 19 Drive electrode (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means) 19a Transparency opening 20 Transparent pixel electrode (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means) 21 TFT element 22 Drain terminal 23 Wiring 24 Wiring 25 Organic insulating film 26 Auxiliary capacity 27 Auxiliary capacity line 28 Source terminal 29 board 40 Electrode substrate 41 board 42 Alignment film (alignment mechanism) 42a Orientation treatment area 42b Orientation treatment area 52 Glass substrate 53 Comb-shaped electrode (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means, orientation mechanism) 54 board 61R color filter 61G color filter 61B color filter 62 Glass substrate 71 Touch panel (pressing coordinate detection type input means) 72 Transparent electrode layer 73 Movable board 74 Transparent electrode layer 75 Support board 100 liquid crystal cell (liquid crystal display element) 101 Electrode substrate 102 Electrode substrate 200 liquid crystal cell (liquid crystal display element) 201 Electrode substrate 202 Electrode substrate 501 smoothing layer 502 Counter electrode (display content rewriting means, voltage applying means)