Repairing method and structure of display electrode

A display electrode structure and the repairing method thereof are described. The display electrode structure includes a display electrode and at least one opening formed on the display electrode and extending toward the inside of the display electrode so as to easily repair a display electrode defect thereon. The display electrode repairing method uses a laser beam to cut a display electrode from the opening and along the metal line to separate the display electrode from an adjacent display electrode so as to remove a short circuit between the display electrode and the adjacent display electrode.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is based on, and claims priority from, Taiwan Application Serial Number 96108449, filed Mar. 12, 2007, which is herein incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a display electrode structure and a repairing method thereof. More particularly, this invention relates to a display electrode structure and a repairing method thereof for a matrix display.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The liquid crystal displays (LCDs) possess many advantages, such as, for example, high display quality, small volume occupation, light weight, low driving voltage, and low power consumption. Therefore, the liquid crystal displays are gradually replacing conventional cathode ray tube (CRT) displays and are applied widely to 3C (computers, communications, and consumer electronic) products, for example, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phones, video recording units, notebook computers, desktop monitors and projective televisions.

In the beginning, the transmissive LCDs have been the main field of development. Generally, a light source, called a back light, of a transmissive LCD is located behind the display. Hence, the material used for the pixel electrodes has to be a transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide (ITO). The back light of a transmission LCD is the most power-consuming component. However, the widest application of LCDs is portable computers and communication products, for which batteries are the main power supply during use. Therefore, decreasing the power consumption of an LCD is the main direction in the development of LCD products.

A reflective LCD is a solution to the problems mentioned above. The light source, such as a natural light source or an artificial light source, of a reflective LCD is located outside the LCD. The electrophoretic display (EPD; also referred to as electronic paper) is a novel optoelectronic display technology.

The electrophoretic display can be applied to, for example, electronic billboards, electronic books, IC cards, and even displays for computers and televisions. The electrophoretic display can be easily scrolled up or attached on any planar surface to demonstrate information and pictures when a control chip is attached thereto.

In general, the electrophoretic display usually comprises two plastic plates with electrodes placed opposing each other to display the image. Therefore, the electrophoretic display is scrollable and cuttable to any desired dimensions. The electrophoretic display is an energy-saving display which can display a static image with very little power consumption. Alternatively, some of the electrophoretic display can also adopt the glass plates to dispose the electrodes thereon for displaying the image.

Generally speaking, the metal lines of the electrophoretic display are isolated to the lower circuits by a resin layer, and the transparent electrodes are disposed thereon. However, the photoresist, which could have impurities therein or any other undesired reasons, cannot be smoothly applied to the substrate while manufacturing the transparent electrodes. Therefore, some of the transparent electrodes are electrically connected together so as to reduce the manufacturing quality of the clectrophoretic displays.

Referring toFIG. 1, an electrophoretic display is controlled by scan lines110and data lines120. A defect130is formed between the adjacent transparent display electrodes160so as to electrically connect the adjacent transparent display electrodes160. The short circuit caused by the defect130between the adjacent transparent display electrodes160can therefore interfere with each other so as to degrade the display quality of the electrophoretic display. In general, the defect130is cut by forming a first cutting slot140and a second cutting slot150with a laser beam to isolate the adjacent transparent display electrodes160. However, the metal line, such as the scan line110or the data line120under the transparent display electrodes160, may therefore be damaged by the laser beam while repairing the display electrodes160. Therefore, the electrophoretic display must either be repaired again to fix the damage on the metal line or scrapped.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to provide a display electrode structure to easily repair a short circuit on display electrodes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a display electrode structure to effectively prevent damage to the metal lines while repairing a short circuit on display electrodes.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as the embodiment broadly describes herein, the present invention provides a display electrode structure disposed on one side of a metal line for the repairer to repair the short circuit on the display electrodes. The display electrode structure includes a display electrode and at least one first opening formed on the display electrode. The first opening is extended to the inside of the display electrode and crosses the metal line.

The display electrode is preferably a transparent electrode, made of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), Zinc Oxide (ZnO), Cadmium Tin Oxide (CTO), Indium Zinc Oxide (IZO), Zirconium Oxide (ZrO2) or Aluminum Zinc Oxide (AZO). The display electrode is not limited to a transparent electrode and can be an opaque electrode, for example, a metal electrode.

The first opening preferably crosses the metal line, and the metal line is preferably a scan line or a data line. By using an energy beam, for example, a laser beam, to cut the display electrode, a cutting slot extended from the opening is formed on the display electrode to separate the display electrode from the adjacent display electrodes. The cutting slot never overlaps strides the metal line, and is preferably parallel to the metal line. The display electrode may further include a second opening, and the cutting slot connects to the first opening and the second opening to separate the display electrode from adjacent display electrode.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a display electrode repairing method. The repairing method utilizes an energy beam, such as a laser beam, to cut the foregoing display electrode structure for repairing a short circuit on the display electrode structure.

Hence, the display electrode structure according to the present invention and the repairing method thereof can allow a repairer easily fixing the display electrodes and prevent damage to the metal line. Therefore, the quantity of output of the display panel can be efficiently increased and the scrap quantity of the display panel can be efficiently reduced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following description is of the best presently contemplated mode of carrying out the present invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined by referencing the appended claims.

FIG. 2Aillustrates a preferred embodiment of a display electrode structure according to the present invention. The display electrode structure includes a display electrode260and at least one opening, for example, a first opening262and/or a second opening264, formed thereon. When observing the display in front of the display, the display electrode260partially overlaps the scan line210and the data line220. In other words, when observing the display through the direction perpendicular to the display, the display electrode260partially overlays the scan line210and the data line220. The first opening262is preferably extended from the peripheral of the display electrode260to the inside of the display electrode260. The first opening262preferably crosses the scan line210. In addition, the second opening264is inwardly extended from the peripheral of the display electrode260. The second opening264preferably crosses the data line220.

Furthermore, under the display electrode260, a storage capacitor240and a drain electrode extending metal layer250are formed in the pixel. A metal layer preferably forms the storage capacitor240and the drain electrode extending metal layer250. The drain electrode extending metal layer250is a metal film extended from the drain electrode of the thin film transistor230. When observing the display in front of the display, the first opening262and the second opening264are extended to the outside of the drain electrode extending metal layer250, that is to say, without overlapping with the drain electrode extending metal layer250and the storage capacitor240.

The display electrode260is preferably a transparent electrode, made of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), Zinc Oxide (ZnO), Cadmium Tin Oxide (CTO), Indium Zinc Oxide (IZO), Zirconium Oxide (ZrO2) or Aluminum Zinc Oxide (AZO). However, the display electrode260is not limited to a transparent electrode and can be an opaque electrode, for example, a metal electrode.

Referring toFIG. 3, when a defect390, such as a residue or any other connection electrically and abnormally connecting the adjacent display electrodes260, electrically connects the display electrodes260of the first pixel340, the second pixel350, the third pixel360and the fourth pixel370, a repairer can effectively separate the display electrodes260by way of the first opening262and/or the second opening264.

Because the first opening262and the second opening264respectively cross the scan line210and the data line220, the repairer can easily cut the display electrode260and the defect390partially over the scan line210or the data line220by the laser beam or any other energy beam to electrically and physically separate the display electrode260from the other adjacent display electrodes.

With focus on the first cutting slot310, the repairer can use the laser beam to downward cut the display electrode260inside the first pixel340from the first opening262, parallel to the scan line210, and then turn 90 degrees to be parallel with the data line220until the second opening264is touched. Therefore, the display electrode260of the first pixel340is physically and electrically separated from the display electrodes260of the second pixel350, the third pixel360and the fourth pixel370. Now turning the focus on the second cutting slot320, the repairer can further upward cut the display electrode260of the second pixel350by the laser beam from the first opening262, parallel to the scan line210, and then turn 90 degrees to be parallel with the data line220until the defect390is cut off so as to effectively separate the display electrode260of the second pixel350and part of the defect390from the display electrodes260of the third pixel360and the fourth pixel370. Further turning focus on the third cutting slot330, the repairer can use the laser beam to cut the defect390along the opening380between the display electrodes260of the second pixel350, the third pixel360and the fourth pixel370. Therefore, the display electrode260of the third pixel360can be effectively separated from the display electrodes260of the fourth pixel370. Hence, the display electrodes260of the first pixel340, the second pixel350, the third pixel360and the fourth pixel370are effectively separate from each other. Therefore, the display electrodes260can be independent to the other display electrodes260and have no interference on the other display electrodes260. In addition, each cutting slot is parallel with the scan line210or the data line220without overlapping the scan line210and the data line220so that the laser beam can easily cut the defect and the display electrode260without damaging the scan line210and the data line220. Accordingly, the display electrode structure and the repairing method thereof can effectively improve the repairing quality and efficiency for the display panel.

Alternatively, the cutting slot can incline to the scan line210or the data line220with a predetermined angle and without touching either the scan line210or the data line220. The display electrode260can still be repaired with the cutting slot. In addition, the quantity and the positions of the openings can be designed according to the actual requirement. The present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiment. When a defect is disposed between two openings, or one opening and the edge of the display electrode, the repairer can easily and effectively cut the defect to repair the display panel with the display electrode structure and the repairing method according to the present invention.

Now turning toFIG. 2B, the first opening266and the second opening268can also be an internal opening formed in the display electrode260to cross the scan line210or the data line220. The repairer can use the laser beam to cut the display electrode260from the first opening266and/or the second opening268to the edge of the display electrode260. While combining with the cutting slots shown inFIG. 3, the display electrode260can also be easily repaired.

The display electrode structure according to the present invention and a display panel with the display electrode structure according to the present invention can use the predetermined openings formed on the display electrodes to effectively repair the display electrodes which have short circuit therebetween. In addition, when cutting the display electrode, the laser beam is not necessary to overlap the metal line under the display electrode so as to effectively prevent from damage to the metal line. Accordingly, the display electrode structure according to the present invention can be effectively repaired by cutting the short circuit thereon so as to increase the output quantity of the display panel and reduce the scrap quantity of the display panel.