Patterned in-cell retarder for transflective vertically aligned liquid crystal display and method of fabrication
View Patent ↗In an embodiment, a transflective LCD comprises pixels each comprising a first polarizing layer; a second polarizing layer; a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer opposite the first substrate layer; the first and second substrate layers are between the first polarizing layer and the second polarizing layer; a liquid crystal material between the first and second substrate layers; an over-coating layer adjacent to the first substrate layer; the over-coating layer comprises at least one opening for a transmissive part; a remainder of the over-coating layer forms in part a reflective part; a patterned in-cell retarder adjacent to the first substrate layer; the patterned in-cell retarder covers at least a portion of the reflective part; a reflective layer between the over-coating layer and the second substrate layer; the reflective layer substantially covers the reflective part; the patterned in-cell retarder is between the reflective layer and the first substrate layer.
1. A transflective liquid crystal display comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising:
a first polarizing layer;
a second polarizing layer;
a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer opposite to the first substrate layer, wherein the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are between the first polarizing layer and the second polarizing layer;
a liquid crystal material between the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer;
an over-coating layer adjacent to the first substrate layer, wherein the over-coating layer comprises at least one opening that forms in part a transmissive part and wherein a remainder of the over-coating layer forms in part a reflective part;
a patterned in-cell retarder in direct contact with an inner surface of the first substrate layer, wherein the patterned in-cell retarder covers at least a portion of the reflective part; and
a reflective layer between the over-coating layer and the second substrate layer, wherein the reflective layer substantially covers the reflective part;
wherein the patterned in-cell retarder is between the reflective layer and the first substrate layer.
2. The transflective liquid crystal display according to claim 1 , wherein the first polarizing layer and the second polarizing layer comprise circular polarizers.
3. The transflective liquid crystal display according to claim 1 , wherein the over-coating layer comprises a scattering and diffusive over-coating materials.
4. The transflective liquid crystal display according to claim 1 , wherein the over-coating layer comprises a phase tuning component configured to align phases of recycled backlight.
5. The transflective liquid crystal display according to claim 1 , further comprising a light source that directs light through the at least one opening in the over-coating layer; wherein the first polarizing layer is adjacent to an outer surface of the first substrate layer, and wherein the pixel comprises a reflective polarizer between the light source and the first polarizing layer.
6. The transflective liquid crystal display according to claim 1 , wherein the pixel further comprises a first electrode layer adjacent to the first substrate layer.
7. The transflective liquid crystal display according to claim 6 , wherein the first electrode layer comprises a conductive oxide layer.
8. The transflective liquid crystal display according to claim 1 , wherein the pixel comprises a switching element that is configured to determine an intensity of light transmitting through the transmissive part.
9. The transflective liquid crystal display according to claim 8 , wherein the switching element further comprises a Transistor-Transistor-Logic interface.
10. The transflective liquid crystal display according to claim 1 , wherein the transmissive part is covered by a color filter.
11. The transflective liquid crystal display according to claim 1 , wherein the patterned in-cell retarder is positioned and aimed to recycle backlight in the reflective part into the transmissive part.
12. The transflective liquid crystal display according to claim 1 , wherein the patterned in-cell retarder is located in a backlight re-circulation region between the reflective layer and a backlight unit in the reflective part.
13. The transflective liquid crystal display according to claim 1 , wherein the patterned in-cell retarder occupies 50% or more of an entire reflective area of the reflective part.
14. A computer, comprising:
one or more processors;
a transflective liquid crystal display coupled to the one or more processors and comprising a plurality of pixels, a pixel comprising:
a first polarizing layer;
a second polarizing layer;
a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer opposite to the first substrate layer, wherein the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are between the first polarizing layer and the second polarizing layer;
a liquid crystal material between the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer;
an over-coating layer adjacent to the first substrate layer, wherein the over-coating layer comprises at least one opening that forms in part a transmissive part and wherein a remainder of the over-coating layer forms in part a reflective part;
a patterned in-cell retarder in direct contact with an inner surface of the first substrate layer, wherein the patterned in-cell retarder covers at least a portion of the reflective part; and
a reflective layer between the over-coating layer and the second substrate layer, wherein the reflective layer substantially covers the reflective part;
wherein the patterned in-cell retarder is between the reflective layer and the first substrate layer.
15. The computer according to claim 14 , wherein the first polarizing layer and the second polarizing layer comprise circular polarizers.
16. The computer according to claim 14 , wherein the over-coating layer comprises scattering and diffusive over-coating materials.
17. The computer according to claim 14 , wherein the over-coating layer comprises a phase tuning component configured to align phases of recycled backlight.
18. The computer according to claim 14 , further comprising a light source that directs light through the at least one opening in the over-coating layer; wherein the first polarizing layer is adjacent to an outer surface of the first substrate layer, and wherein the pixel comprises a reflective polarizer between the light source and the first polarizing layer.
19. The computer according to claim 14 , wherein the pixel comprises a switching element that is configured to determine an intensity of light transmitting through the transmissive part.
20. The computer according to claim 14 , wherein the patterned in-cell retarder is positioned and aimed to recycle backlight in the reflective part into the transmissive part.
21. The computer according to claim 14 , wherein the patterned in-cell retarder is located in a backlight re-circulation region between the reflective layer and a backlight unit in the reflective part.
22. The computer according to claim 14 , wherein the patterned in-cell retarder occupies 50% or more of an entire reflective area of the reflective part.
23. A method of fabricating a transflective liquid crystal display, comprising:
providing a plurality of pixels, a pixel comprising:
a first polarizing layer;
a second polarizing layer;
a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer opposite to the first substrate layer, wherein the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are between the first polarizing layer and the second polarizing layer;
a liquid crystal material between the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer;
an over-coating layer adjacent to the first substrate layer, wherein the over-coating layer comprises at least one opening that forms in part a transmissive part and wherein a remainder of the over-coating layer forms in part a reflective part;
a patterned in-cell retarder in direct contact with an inner surface of the first substrate layer, wherein the patterned in-cell retarder covers at least a portion of the reflective part; and
a reflective layer between the over-coating layer and the second substrate layer, wherein the reflective layer substantially covers the reflective part;
wherein the patterned in-cell retarder is between the reflective layer and the first substrate layer.
24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein the first polarizing layer and the second polarizing layer comprise circular polarizers.
25. The method according to claim 23 , wherein the over-coating layer comprises scattering and diffusive materials.
26. The method according to claim 23 , wherein the over-coating layer comprises a phase tuning component configured to align phases of recycled backlight.
27. The method according to claim 24 , further comprising providing a light source that provides light through the at least one opening in the over-coating layer; wherein the first polarizing layer is adjacent to an outer surface of the first substrate layer, and wherein the pixel comprises a reflective polarizer between the light source and the first polarizing layer.
28. The method according to claim 24 , wherein the patterned in-cell retarder is positioned and aimed to recycle backlight in the reflective part into the transmissive part.
29. The method according to claim 24 , wherein the patterned in-cell retarder is located in a backlight re-circulation region between the reflective layer and a backlight unit in the reflective part.
30. The method according to claim 24 , wherein the patterned in-cell retarder occupies 50% or more of an entire reflective area of the reflective part.