Liquid crystal display and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

A liquid crystal display is provided. The liquid crystal display includes a substrate including a reflective area and a transmissive area, a thin film transistor disposed on the substrate, a pixel electrode disposed on the thin film transistor, and a roof layer disposed facing the pixel electrode. The liquid crystal display further includes a plurality of microcavities formed between the pixel electrode and the roof layer, and a liquid crystal material disposed in the plurality of microcavities. The reflective area includes a first cell gap, and the transmissive area includes a second cell gap that is different from the first cell gap.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A liquid crystal display, comprising:
 a substrate including a reflective area and a transmissive area;   a thin film transistor disposed on the substrate;   a pixel electrode disposed on the thin film transistor; and   a roof layer disposed facing the pixel electrode,   wherein a plurality of microcavities are formed between the pixel electrode and the roof layer, and a liquid crystal material is disposed in the plurality of microcavities, and   wherein the reflective area includes a first cell gap, and the transmissive area includes a second cell gap that is different from the first cell gap.   
     
     
         2 . The liquid crystal display of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first cell gap corresponds to a height of the microcavities in the reflective area, and the second cell gap corresponds to a height of the microcavities in the transmissive area.   
     
     
         3 . The liquid crystal display of  claim 2 , wherein the first cell gap is smaller than the second cell gap. 
     
     
         4 . The liquid crystal display of  claim 3 , wherein a thickness of the roof layer in the reflective area is different from a thickness of the roof layer in the transmissive area. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid crystal display of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the pixel electrode includes a transparent electrode and a reflective electrode disposed on a first portion of the transparent electrode, and the first portion of the transparent electrode and the reflective electrode are disposed in the reflective area, and a second portion of the transparent electrode is disposed in the transmissive area.   
     
     
         6 . The liquid crystal display of  claim 4 , wherein each of the reflective area and the transmissive area corresponds to one unit pixel area. 
     
     
         7 . The liquid crystal display of  claim 6 , wherein the reflective area includes one of a pixel area adjacent in a horizontal direction and a pixel area adjacent in a vertical direction, and the transmissive area includes the other one of the pixel area adjacent in the horizontal direction and the pixel area adjacent in the vertical direction. 
     
     
         8 . The liquid crystal display of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a common electrode and a lower insulating layer disposed between the microcavity and the roof layer,   wherein the lower insulating layer is disposed on the common electrode.   
     
     
         9 . The liquid crystal display of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a capping layer disposed on the roof layer, wherein a liquid crystal injection hole formation region is disposed between the plurality of microcavities, and the capping layer is disposed covering the liquid crystal injection hole formation region.   
     
     
         10 . The liquid crystal display of  claim 9 , wherein the liquid crystal injection hole formation region extends in a direction parallel to a gate line connected to the thin film transistor. 
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display, comprising:
 forming a thin film transistor on a substrate;   forming a pixel electrode, wherein the pixel electrode is connected to a terminal of the thin film transistor;   forming a sacrificial layer on the pixel electrode, wherein the sacrificial layer includes a first portion having a first thickness and a second portion having a second thickness;   forming a roof layer on the sacrificial layer;   forming, by removing the sacrificial layer, a plurality of microcavities having a liquid crystal injection hole; and   injecting an alignment material and a liquid crystal material into the plurality of microcavities through the liquid crystal injection hole,   wherein the first portion of the sacrificial layer corresponds to a reflective area, and the second portion of the sacrificial layer corresponds to a transmissive area.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first thickness corresponds to a cell gap of the reflective area, and the second thickness corresponds to a cell gap of the transmissive area. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a thickness of the roof layer in the reflective area is greater than a thickness of the roof layer in the transmissive area. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein forming the sacrificial layer on the pixel electrode further comprises:
 forming the first portion and the second portion alternately in a direction of a gate line connected to the thin film transistor.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein forming the sacrificial layer on the pixel electrode further comprises:
 forming the first portion and the second portion alternately in a direction of a data line connected to the thin film transistor.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 forming a common electrode and a lower insulating layer on the sacrificial layer before forming the roof layer.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 forming a capping layer on the roof layer to cover the liquid crystal injection hole.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein:
 a liquid crystal injection hole formation region is formed between the plurality of microcavities, and the capping layer is formed covering the liquid crystal injection hole formation region.