In-plane switching liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same

1. An in-plane switching liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a liquid crystal display panel having first and second substrates and a liquid crystal layer therebetween, wherein pixel and common electrodes are formed on an inner surface of the first substrate;

a first polarizer disposed over an outer surface of the first substrate of the liquid crystal display panel and having a first protective film, a first polarizing film, and a second protective film;

a second polarizer disposed over an outer surface of the second substrate of the liquid crystal display panel and having a third protective film, a second polarizing film, and a fourth protective film; and

a first optical compensation film between the first polarizer and the liquid crystal display panel, the third protective film being adjacent to the liquid crystal display panel and having a retardation value ranging from −10 nanometers to +10 nanometers in the thickness direction,

wherein the third protective film is formed of triacetylcellulose.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first protective film is adjacent to the liquid crystal display panel and has a retardation value ranging from −10 nanometers to +10 nanometers.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and fourth protective films are formed of triacetylcellulose.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first optical compensation film includes a +C plate, in which n x =n y <n z , wherein n x is a first refractive index according to an x-direction, n y is a second refractive index according to a y-direction, n z is a third refractive index according to a z-direction.

5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the +C plate has a retardation value less than or equal to λ/2, wherein λ is a wavelength of visible light.

6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the first protective film includes a −C plate, in which n x =n y >n z wherein n x is a first refractive index according to an x-direction, n y is a second refractive index according to a y-direction, n z is a third refractive index according to a z-direction.

7. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a second optical compensation film between the second polarizer and the liquid crystal display panel.

8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the first and second optical compensation films include a +C plate, in which n x =n y <n z , wherein n x is a first refractive index according to an x-direction, n y is a second refractive index according to a y-direction, n z is a third refractive index according to a z-direction.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the +C plate has a retardation value less than or equal to λ/4, wherein λ is a wavelength of visible light.

10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first protective film includes a −C plate, in which n x =n y >n z wherein n x is a first refractive index according to an x-direction, n y is a second refractive index according to a y-direction, n z is a third refractive index according to a z-direction.

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first polarizing film is interposed between the first and second protective films.

12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the second polarizing film is interposed between the third and fourth protective films.

13. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a second optical compensation film between the liquid crystal panel and the second polarizer; and

a third optical compensation film between the second optical compensation film and the second polarizer.

14. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the first protective film is adjacent to the liquid crystal display panel and has a retardation value ranging from −10 nanometers to +10 nanometers.

15. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth protective films are formed of triacetylcellulose.

16. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the second optical compensation film includes an A plate, in which n x ≠n y =n z , and the first and third optical compensation films include a +C plate, in which n x =n y <n z , wherein n x is a first refractive index according to an x-direction, n y is a second refractive index according to a y-direction, n z is a third refractive index according to a z-direction.

17. The device according to claim 16 , wherein the A plate has an optical axis perpendicular to an optical axis of the liquid crystal layer.

18. The device according to claim 16 , wherein the +C plate has a retardation value less than or equal to λ/4, wherein λ is a wavelength of visible light, and the liquid crystal layer and the A plate have retardation values more than or equal to λ/4 and less than λ.

19. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the first protective film includes a −C plate, in which n x =n y >n z , wherein n x is a first refractive index according to an x-direction, n y is a second refractive index according to a y-direction, n z is a third refractive index according to a z-direction.

20. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the first polarizing film is interposed between the first and second protective films.

21. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the second polarizing film is interposed between the third and fourth protective films.

22. A method of fabricating an in-plane switching liquid crystal display device, comprising:

forming a liquid crystal display panel having first and second substrates and a liquid crystal layer between, wherein pixel and common electrodes are formed on an inner surface of the first substrate;

forming a first polarizer over an outer surface of the first substrate of the liquid crystal display panel, the first polarizer having a first protective film, a first polarizing film, and a second protective film;

forming a second polarizer over an outer surface of the second substrate of the liquid crystal display panel, the second polarizer having a third protective film, a second polarizing film, and a fourth protective film; and

forming a first optical compensation film between the first polarizer and the liquid crystal display panel, the third protective film being adjacent to the liquid crystal display panel and having a retardation value ranging from −10 nanometers to +10 nanometers in the thickness direction,

wherein the third protective film is formed of triacetylcellulose.

23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the first protective film is formed to be adjacent to the liquid crystal display panel and has a retardation value ranging from −10 nanometers to +10 nanometers.

24. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the first, second, and fourth protective films are formed of triacetylcellulose.

25. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the first optical compensation film includes a +C plate, in which n x =n y <n z , wherein n x is a first refractive index according to an x-direction, n y is a second refractive index according to a y-direction, n z is a third refractive index according to a z-direction.

26. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the +C plate has a retardation value less than or equal to λ/2, wherein λ is a wavelength of visible light.

27. The method according to claim 26 , wherein the first protective film includes a −C plate, in which n x =n y >n z wherein n x is a first refractive index according to an x-direction, n y is a second refractive index according to a y-direction, nz is a third refractive index according to a z-direction.

28. The method according to claim 22 , further comprising forming a second optical compensation film between the second polarizer and the liquid crystal display panel.

29. The method according to claim 28 , wherein the first and second optical compensation films include a +C plate, in which n x =n y <n z , wherein n x is a first refractive index according to an x-direction, n y is a second refractive index according to a y-direction, n z is a third refractive index according to a z-direction.

30. The method according to claim 29 , wherein the +C plate has a retardation value less than or equal to λ/4, wherein λ is a wavelength of visible light.

31. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the first protective film includes a −C plate, in which n x =n y >n z wherein n x is a first refractive index according to an x-direction, n y is a second refractive index according to a y-direction, n z is a third refractive index according to a z-direction.

32. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the first polarizing film is formed between the first and second protective films.

33. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the second polarizing film is formed between the third and fourth protective films.

34. The method according to claim 22 , further comprising:

forming a second optical compensation film between the liquid crystal panel and the second polarizer; and

forming a third optical compensation film between the second optical compensation film and the second polarizer, the third protective film being adjacent to the liquid crystal panel and having a substantially zero retardation value.

35. The method according to claim 34 , wherein the first protective film is formed to be adjacent to the liquid crystal display panel and has a substantially zero retardation value retardation value ranging from −10 nanometers to +10 nanometers.

36. The method according to claim 34 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth protective films are formed of triacetylcellulose.

37. The method according to claim 34 , wherein the second optical compensation film includes an A plate, in which n x ≠n y =n z , and the first and third optical compensation films include a +C plate, in which n x =n y <n z , wherein n x is a first refractive index according to an x-direction, n y is a second refractive index according to a y-direction, n z is a third refractive index according to a z-direction.

38. The method according to claim 37 , wherein the A plate has an optical axis perpendicular to an optical axis of the liquid crystal layer.

39. The method according to claim 37 , wherein the +C plate has a retardation value less than or equal to λ/4, wherein λ is a wavelength of visible light, and the liquid crystal layer and the A plate have retardation values more than or equal to λ/4, and less than λ.

40. The method according to claim 34 , wherein the first protective film includes a −C plate, in which n x =n y >n z , wherein n x is a first refractive index according to an x-direction, n y is a second refractive index according to a y-direction, n z is a third refractive index according to a z-direction.

41. The method according to claim 34 , wherein the first polarizing film is formed between the first and second protective films.

42. The method according to claim 34 , wherein the second polarizing film is formed between the third and fourth protective films.