TWI873837B - Pixel structure - Google Patents

Abstract

A pixel structure includes an active element, a pixel electrode electrically connected to the active element, a common electrode and a repair electrode. The pixel electrode includes a connection portion and strip portions. The strip portions are spaced apart from each other to define slits of the pixel electrode. Each of the strip portions has a connecting end and an opening end opposite to each other. Connecting ends of the strip portions are respectively connected to the connection portion. The common electrode is overlapped with the slits of the pixel electrode. The repair electrode is overlapped with opening ends of the strip portions of the pixel electrode.

Description

Pixel structure

The present invention relates to a pixel structure.

With the advancement of display technology, people can make their lives more convenient with the help of monitors. In order to achieve the characteristics of light and thin monitors, display panels have become the mainstream.

One type of pixel structure of a display panel may include a pixel electrode and a common electrode disposed on the same substrate, wherein the pixel electrode may have a plurality of slits overlapping with the common electrode. The current pixel structure design needs to meet the requirement of high transmittance to improve the liquid crystal efficiency of the display panel. However, under the premise that the pixel structure design meets the high transmittance, once a defect occurs in the process and causes the strip portion of the pixel electrode to break, the broken strip portion will be in a floating state, causing the pixel structure to be unable to function normally.

The present invention provides a pixel structure with high transmittance and easy repairability.

The pixel structure of the present invention includes an active element, a pixel electrode electrically connected to the active element, a common electrode and a repair electrode. The pixel electrode includes a connecting portion and a plurality of strip portions. The plurality of strip portions are separated from each other to define a plurality of slits of the pixel electrode. Each strip portion has a connecting end and an opening end opposite to each other. The plurality of connecting ends of the plurality of strip portions are respectively connected to the connecting portion. The common electrode overlaps the plurality of slits of the pixel electrode. The repair electrode overlaps the plurality of opening ends of the plurality of strip portions of the pixel electrode.

In order to make the above features and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, embodiments are given below and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a top view schematic diagram of a pixel array substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 1 shows a pixel array substrate 10 that has not been repaired. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a pixel array substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 corresponds to the section line I-I' of FIG. 1. FIG. 1 omits the active element T of FIG. 2.

1 and 2 , the pixel array substrate 10 includes a substrate 110 and a plurality of pixel structures PX disposed on the substrate 110. Each pixel structure PX includes an active element T, a pixel electrode 200 and a common electrode 182.

In detail, in one embodiment, the active element T includes a gate 120, a semiconductor pattern 140, a gate insulating layer 130 disposed between the gate 120 and the semiconductor pattern 140, and a source 152 and a drain 154 electrically connected to two different regions of the semiconductor pattern 140. In one embodiment, the gate 120 can be selectively located below the semiconductor pattern 140, and the active element T can be selectively a bottom gate thin film transistor (bottom gate TFT). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and in other embodiments, the active element T can also be a top gate thin film transistor (top gate TFT) or other types of thin film transistors.

The pixel electrode 200 is electrically connected to the active device T. For example, in one embodiment, the pixel array substrate 10 may further include a protective layer 160 and a planar layer 170 sequentially covering the source 152 and the drain 154, the protective layer 160 and the planar layer 170 respectively having a contact window 160a and a contact window 170a, the pixel electrode 200 is disposed on the planar layer 170 and filled with the contact window 170a of the planar layer 170 and the contact window 160a of the protective layer 160, so as to be electrically connected to the drain 154 of the active device T. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and in other embodiments, the pixel electrode 200 may also be electrically connected to the active device T using other methods.

The pixel electrode 200 includes a connection portion 210 and a plurality of strip portions 220. The plurality of strip portions 220 are spaced apart from each other to define a plurality of slits 200s of the pixel electrode 200. Each strip portion 220 has a connection end 220a and an opening end 220b opposite to each other. The plurality of connection ends 220a of the plurality of strip portions 220 are respectively connected to the connection portion 210 of the pixel electrode 200. The slits 200s of the pixel electrode 200 are closed at the connection end 220a of the corresponding strip portion 220, and are open at the opening end 220b of the corresponding strip portion 220.

The common electrode 182 overlaps the plurality of slits 200s of the pixel electrode 200. In detail, in one embodiment, the pixel array substrate 10 further includes an insulating layer 190, wherein the common electrode 182 is disposed on the planar layer 170, the insulating layer 190 covers the common electrode 182, and the pixel electrode 200 is disposed on the insulating layer 190.

It is worth noting that the pixel structure PX further includes a repair electrode 184, which overlaps the multiple open ends 220b of the multiple strip portions 220 of the pixel electrode 200. In one embodiment, the repair electrode 184 and the pixel electrode 200 belong to different film layers, and the repair electrode 184 can selectively belong to the same film layer as the common electrode 182. In one embodiment, the material of the repair electrode 184 and the material of the common electrode 182 can be the same.

1 , in one embodiment, the common electrode 182 has an opening 182a that overlaps with the opening ends 220b of the strip portions 220 of the pixel electrode 200. In one embodiment, the repair electrode 184 may also overlap with the opening 182a of the common electrode 182.

In one embodiment, the first direction y is substantially parallel to the plurality of strip portions 220 of the pixel electrode 200 , the common electrode 182 has a first common electrode edge 182e1 defining the opening 182a, and the first common electrode edge 182e1 and the first repair electrode edge 184e1 of the repair electrode 184 are separated by a first distance D1 in the first direction y. In one embodiment, the second direction x is substantially perpendicular to the first direction y, the common electrode 182 has a second common electrode edge 182e2 defining an opening 182a, the second common electrode edge 182e2 is adjacent to the first common electrode edge 182e1, the repair electrode 184 has a second repair electrode edge 184e2 adjacent to the first repair electrode edge 184e1, and the second common electrode edge 182e2 and the second repair electrode edge 184e2 are separated by a second distance D2 in the second direction x.

In one embodiment, the common electrode 182 has a third common electrode edge 182e3, which is located opposite to the second common electrode edge 182e2 and adjacent to the first common electrode edge 182e1, and the repair electrode 184 has a third repair electrode edge 184e3, which is located opposite to the second repair electrode edge 184e2 and adjacent to the first repair electrode edge 184e1, and the third common electrode edge 182e3 and the third repair electrode edge 184e3 can be selectively separated by a third distance D3 in the second direction x.

In one embodiment, when the repair electrode 184 is not used to repair the pixel electrode 200, the repair electrode 184 may be selectively floating, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Due to poor process, the strip portion 220 of the pixel electrode 200 may be broken. That is, one of the strip portions 220 of the pixel electrode 200 may include a first sub-portion 222, a second sub-portion 224, and a break 226, wherein the first sub-portion 222 and the second sub-portion 224 have a connection end 220a and an opening end 220b, respectively, and the first sub-portion 222 and the second sub-portion 224 are separated by the break 226, and the second sub-portion 224 cannot be electrically connected to the active element T, thereby causing the pixel structure PX to fail to operate. At this time, the repair electrode 184 can be used to repair the pixel electrode 200, thereby enabling the pixel structure PX to operate normally. This is explained below with reference to FIG. 3 .

Fig. 3 is a top view schematically showing a pixel array substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, Fig. 3 shows a repaired pixel array substrate 10.

3 , in one embodiment, the plurality of strip portions 220 of the pixel electrode 200 may include a first strip portion 220-1 and a second strip portion 220-2. The first strip portion 220-1 includes a first sub-portion 222, a second sub-portion 224 and a break 226. The first sub-portion 222 and the second sub-portion 224 of the first strip portion 220-1 respectively have a connecting end 220a and an open end 220b. The first sub-portion 222 and the second sub-portion 224 of the first strip portion 220-1 are separated by the break 226. The first strip portion 220-1 is a broken strip portion 220, and the second strip portion 220-2 is a good strip portion 220 and is not broken. In one embodiment, when the first strip portion 220-1 is found to be broken, the second sub-portion 224 of the first strip portion 220-1 is electrically connected to one portion of the repair electrode 184, and the second strip portion 220-2 is electrically connected to another portion of the repair electrode 184. In this way, the second sub-portion 224 of the first strip portion 220-1, which is originally floating due to the broken line, can be electrically connected to the active device T (see FIG. 2 ) through the repair electrode 184 and the normal second strip portion 220-2, so that the repaired pixel structure PX can operate normally.

For example, in one embodiment, the second sub-portion 224 of the first strip portion 220-1 and one portion of the repair electrode 184 may be electrically connected by laser melting, and the second strip portion 220-2 may be electrically connected to another portion of the repair electrode 184 by laser melting. In one embodiment, after the repair, the second sub-portion 224 of the first strip portion 220-1 and one portion of the repair electrode 184 may have a first welding point w1, and the second strip portion 220-2 and another portion of the repair electrode 184 may have a second welding point w2.

It should be noted that the following embodiments use the component numbers and some contents of the previous embodiments, wherein the same numbers are used to represent the same or similar components, and the description of the same technical contents is omitted. The description of the omitted parts can be referred to the previous embodiments, and the following embodiments will not be repeated.

FIG4 is a top view schematic diagram of a pixel array substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG4 shows an unrepaired pixel array substrate 10A. FIG5 is a top view schematic diagram of a pixel array substrate according to another embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG5 shows a repaired pixel array substrate 10A.

The pixel array substrate 10A of FIG. 4 is similar to the pixel array substrate 10 of FIG. 1 , and the difference between the two is that in the embodiment of FIG. 4 , when the repair electrode 184A is not used to repair the pixel electrode 200 , the repair electrode 184A is electrically connected to the common electrode 182 instead of being floating.

In the embodiments of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 , when one of the strip portions 220 (e.g., the first strip portion 220-1) of the pixel electrode 200 is broken, the repair electrode 184A and the common electrode 182 may be disconnected first, and then the second sub-portion 224 of the broken first strip portion 220-1 may be electrically connected to one portion of the repair electrode 184, and the normal second strip portion 220-2 may be electrically connected to another portion of the repair electrode 184, thereby completing the repair of the pixel structure PX.

In the embodiment of FIG4 and FIG5, laser breaking can be used to break the repair electrode 184A and the common electrode 182. The third repair electrode edge 184e3 of the repair electrode 184A is formed by laser breaking, unlike the second repair electrode edge 184e2 of the repair electrode 184A which is formed by a photolithography process. Therefore, the third repair electrode edge 184e3 of the repair electrode 184A is less smooth than the second repair electrode edge 184e2 of the repair electrode 184A, and the second repair electrode edge 184e2 of the repair electrode 184A is smoother than the third repair electrode edge 184e3 of the repair electrode 184A.

4 , in one embodiment, when the repair electrode 184A is not used to repair the pixel electrode 200, the repair electrode 184A and the common electrode 182 have a connection C, and the connection C and the open end 220b of the strip portion 220 of the pixel electrode 200 have a distance K. The connection C and the open end 220b of the strip portion 220 of the pixel electrode 200 have a distance K, so as to avoid damaging the pixel electrode 200 when the repair electrode 184A and the common electrode 182 are disconnected.

Although the present invention has been disclosed as above by the embodiments, they are not intended to limit the present invention. Any person with ordinary knowledge in the relevant technical field can make some changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be defined by the scope of the attached patent application.

10. 10A: Pixel array substrate

110: Substrate

120: Gate

130: Gate insulation layer

140:Semiconductor pattern

152: Source

154: Drain

160: Protective layer

160a, 170a: contact window

170: Flat layer

182: Common electrode

182a: Opening

182e1: first common electrode edge

182e2: Second common electrode edge

182e3: Third common electrode edge

184, 184A: Repairing electrodes

184e1: First repair electrode edge

184e2: Second repair electrode edge

184e3: The third electrode edge repair

190: Insulation layer

200: Pixel electrode

200s: Narrow seams

210:Connection

220: Strip

220-1: First strip

220-2: Second strip

220a:Connection terminal

220b: Open end

222: First Sub-section

224: Second Sub-section

226: Break

C: Connection

D1: First distance

D2: Second distance

D3: The third distance

K: Distance

PX: Pixel Structure

T: Active element

w1: first welding point

w2: second welding point

x: second direction

y: first direction

I-I’: Section line

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a top view of a pixel array substrate of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a cross-section of a pixel array substrate of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a top view of a pixel array substrate of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a top view of a pixel array substrate of another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a top view of a pixel array substrate of another embodiment of the present invention.

10: Pixel array substrate

182: Shared electrode

182a: Opening

182e1: first common electrode edge

182e2: Edge of the second common electrode

182e3: The edge of the third common electrode

184: Repair the electrode

184e1: First repair the electrode edge

184e2: Second repair of electrode edge

184e3: The third repair of the electrode edge

200: Pixel electrode

200s: Narrow seams

210: Connection part

220: Strip-shaped part

220a:Connection terminal

220b: Open end

222: First sub-section

224: Second sub-section

226: Breaking point

D1: First distance

D2: Second distance

D3: The third distance

PX: Pixel structure

x: second direction

y: first direction

I-I’: section line

Claims (10)

A pixel structure includes: an active element; a pixel electrode electrically connected to the active element, wherein the pixel electrode includes: a connecting portion; and a plurality of strip portions spaced apart from each other to define a plurality of slits of the pixel electrode, wherein each of the strip portions has a connecting end and an opening end opposite to each other, and the plurality of connecting ends of the strip portions are respectively connected to the connecting portion; a common electrode overlapping the slits of the pixel electrode; and a repair electrode overlapping the plurality of opening ends of the strip portions of the pixel electrode; the common electrode has an opening overlapping the opening ends of the strip portions of the pixel electrode; the repair electrode overlaps the opening of the common electrode. The pixel structure as described in claim 1, wherein the repair electrode and the common electrode belong to the same film layer. A pixel structure as described in claim 1, wherein a first direction is substantially parallel to the strip portions, the common electrode has a first common electrode edge defining the opening, and the first common electrode edge and a first repair electrode edge of the repair electrode are separated by a first distance in the first direction. A pixel structure as described in claim 3, wherein a second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the common electrode has a second common electrode edge defining the opening, the second common electrode edge is adjacent to the first common electrode edge, the repair electrode has a second repair electrode edge adjacent to the first repair electrode edge, and the second common electrode edge and the second repair electrode edge are separated by a second distance in the second direction. The pixel structure as described in claim 4, wherein the common electrode has a third common electrode edge, the third common electrode edge is located opposite to the second common electrode edge and adjacent to the first common electrode edge, the repair electrode has a third repair electrode edge, the third repair electrode edge is located opposite to the second repair electrode edge and adjacent to the first repair electrode edge, and the third common electrode edge and the third repair electrode edge are separated by a third distance in the second direction. A pixel structure as described in claim 5, wherein the edge of the second repair electrode is smoother than the edge of the third repair electrode. A pixel structure as described in claim 1, wherein the repair electrode is floating. A pixel structure as described in claim 1, wherein the repair electrode is electrically connected to the common electrode. The pixel structure as described in claim 1, wherein the repair electrode and the common electrode have a connection, and the connection is at a distance from the open end of the strip portion of the pixel electrode. The pixel structure as described in claim 1, wherein the strip portions of the pixel electrode include a first strip portion and a second strip portion, the first strip portion includes a first sub-portion, a second sub-portion and a disconnection, the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion of the first strip portion respectively have the connection end and the opening end, the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion of the first strip portion are separated by the disconnection, the second sub-portion of the first strip portion is electrically connected to one portion of the repair electrode, and the second strip portion is electrically connected to another portion of the repair electrode.

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