Display panel and method of manufacturing the same

1. A method of manufacturing a display panel comprising:

forming an array substrate comprising:

forming a thin film transistor on a substrate;

forming a color filter on the thin film transistor;

forming a passivation layer on the color filter to cover the color filter;

forming an opening through the passivation layer extending into the color filter, so that a groove is formed on a top surface of the color filter; and

forming a pixel electrode on the passivation layer, the pixel electrode electrically connected to the thin film transistor, the pixel electrode overlapping the opening of the passivation layer and making contact with the groove of the color filter;

forming an opposite substrate facing the array substrate; and

forming a liquid crystal layer between the array substrate and the opposite substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the liquid crystal layer comprises:

injecting a liquid crystal material between the array substrate and the opposite substrate, the liquid crystal material comprising liquid crystal molecules and at least one curable reactive mesogen; and hardening the reactive mesogen by irradiating light.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein hardening the reactive mesogen comprises irradiating light in a direction from the array substrate to the opposite substrate.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the opening through the passivation layer comprises:

dry etching the passivation layer using a mask having a slit or half-tone area at a first area corresponding to the opening.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein in forming the opening through the passivation layer,

a recess is formed extending into the color filter by etching a portion of the color filter corresponding to the opening, and a depth of the recess of the color filter is less than about 0.5 μm.