CN114326219A

CN114326219A - Display panel, manufacturing method thereof, alignment method, alignment equipment and display device

Info

Publication number: CN114326219A
Application number: CN202210073793.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 付兴凯; 李凡
Original assignee: BOE Technology Group Co Ltd; Chengdu CEC Panda Display Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: BOE Technology Group Co Ltd; Chengdu CEC Panda Display Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2022-01-21
Filing date: 2022-01-21
Publication date: 2022-04-12

Abstract

The embodiment of the application provides a display panel, a manufacturing method thereof, an alignment method, alignment equipment and a display device. The display panel comprises a plurality of sub-pixels, wherein each sub-pixel comprises four domains which are arranged in a field shape; in the display panel, the alignment direction of a first alignment layer of the array substrate is vertical to the light-taking axis direction of a first polarizer configured on the first alignment layer; the alignment direction of the second alignment layer of the opposite substrate is vertical to the light-taking axis direction of the second polarizer arranged on the second alignment layer; under the action of the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer, the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules in each domain of each sub-pixel is that the liquid crystal head points to the center of the sub-pixel where the liquid crystal molecules are located, and the included angle between the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules and the first direction is alpha, and the range of the alpha is 45 degrees +/-1 degrees. The embodiment can expose the domains on the same straight line in a scanning mode without using a complex exposure photomask, and is beneficial to simplifying the alignment process; and the edge dark fringe phenomenon can be effectively improved.

Description

Display panel, manufacturing method thereof, alignment method, alignment equipment and display device

Technical Field

The application relates to the technical field of display, in particular to a display panel, a manufacturing method thereof, an alignment method, alignment equipment and a display device.

Background

The UV2A (ultraviolet vertical alignment) technique is a common method for liquid crystal alignment, wherein, the four domains in a shape like a Chinese character 'tian' are preferred and the liquid crystal head is arranged in a better way, so that the transmittance is higher, but because different alignment directions exist in the same row or the same line when the array substrate side and the opposite substrate side are respectively aligned, the alignment cannot be realized by a scanning alignment way, and a UV2A photomask almost covering the whole substrate needs to be matched, so that the alignment difficulty is high, and the alignment cost is high.

Disclosure of Invention

The application provides a display panel, a manufacturing method thereof, an alignment method, alignment equipment and a display device aiming at the defects of the existing mode, and is used for solving the problems of large alignment difficulty and high alignment cost of a field-shaped four-domain and liquid crystal head-to-head liquid crystal arrangement scheme in the prior art.

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a display panel, including a plurality of sub-pixels, each sub-pixel including four domains arranged in a field shape; the display panel includes:

the array substrate and the opposite substrate are oppositely arranged;

liquid crystal molecules between the array substrate and the opposite substrate,

the first polaroid is positioned on one side of the array substrate, which is far away from the opposite substrate, and the light-taking axis direction of the first polaroid is a first direction;

the second polaroid is positioned on one side of the opposite substrate, which is far away from the array substrate, and the light-taking axis direction of the second polaroid is a second direction which is vertical to the first direction;

the array substrate comprises a first substrate and a first alignment layer positioned on one side, close to the opposite substrate, of the first substrate, and the alignment direction of the first alignment layer is a second direction;

the opposite substrate comprises a second substrate and a second alignment layer positioned on one side of the second substrate close to the array substrate, and the alignment direction of the second alignment layer is a first direction;

under the action of the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer, the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules in each domain is that the liquid crystal head points to the center of the sub-pixel where the domain is located, the included angle between the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules and the first direction is alpha, and the range of the alpha is 45 degrees +/-1 degrees.

Optionally, the four domains in the same sub-pixel are divided into two groups according to the first direction, each group includes two domains arranged along the first direction, and an alignment force of the first alignment layer on the liquid crystal molecules in one group of domains is opposite to an alignment force of the first alignment layer on the liquid crystal molecules in the other group of domains;

the four domains in the same sub-pixel are divided into two groups according to the second direction, each group comprises two domains arranged along the second direction, and the direction of the alignment force of the second alignment layer on the liquid crystal molecules in one group of domains is opposite to the direction of the alignment force of the second alignment layer on the liquid crystal molecules in the other group of domains.

Optionally, the array substrate includes a plurality of pixel electrodes, and an orthogonal projection of each pixel electrode on the substrate covers an area where one sub-pixel is located.

Optionally, the pixel electrode has no hollow-out channel, or 2n channels are disposed on the pixel electrode and are parallel to or perpendicular to the first direction.

Optionally, the materials of the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer are both ultraviolet alignment materials.

In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a display device, which includes the display panel described above.

In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an alignment apparatus for aligning an alignment layer of a substrate in the above-mentioned display panel, where the substrate is the liquid crystal substrate or the counter substrate, the alignment apparatus including:

a light source configured to emit ultraviolet light at a set power;

a polarizer configured to process the ultraviolet light to obtain linearly polarized light;

a first adjusting device configured to control the light source and the polarizer to move according to set parameters;

and a second adjusting device configured to control the substrate after the alignment material layer is formed to move according to a set substrate traveling direction.

Optionally, the first adjusting device includes:

a movement control device configured to control the light source and the polarizer to move according to a set light traveling direction;

an angle adjusting device configured to set an angle theta between a traveling direction of the linearly polarized light and a normal line of the substrate, a polarization axis of the linearly polarized light, and a vector N [ L, Z ] according to an angle setting parameter]Angle phi therebetween₁And an included angle phi between the projection of the linearly polarized light on the substrate and the advancing direction of the substrate₃Adjusting;

the vector N [ L, Z ] is a normal vector of a plane where the vector L and the vector Z are located, the vector L is the traveling direction of the linearly polarized light, and the vector Z is a normal vector of the plane where the substrate is located.

In a fourth aspect, the present application provides an alignment method for forming an alignment layer in a substrate in the above display panel by means of light irradiation, where the substrate is the array substrate or the opposite substrate; the alignment method comprises the following steps:

providing a substrate, and forming an alignment material layer on the substrate;

determining the advancing direction of a substrate after forming the alignment material layer, wherein the advancing direction of the substrate is vertical to the light-taking axis direction of a polarizer configured on the side of the substrate;

and arranging an exposure photomask on the substrate according to the advancing direction of the substrate, and irradiating the alignment material layer by adopting linearly polarized light to form an alignment layer with the alignment direction vertical to the advancing direction of the substrate.

Optionally, the exposure mask includes a plurality of light-transmitting regions, each light-transmitting region being configured to allow two domains in the same sub-pixel arranged in the first direction or the second direction to be in a light-transmitting state; setting an exposure photomask for the substrate according to the advancing direction of the substrate, and adopting linearly polarized light to irradiate the alignment material layer to form an alignment layer with the alignment direction vertical to the advancing direction of the substrate, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

setting the exposure photomask for the first time, wherein each light-transmitting area of the exposure photomask enables two domain areas in each sub-pixel arranged in the advancing direction of the substrate to be in a light-transmitting state, and linearly polarized light is adopted to perform first illumination on the alignment material layer to form an alignment layer with the alignment direction perpendicular to the advancing direction of the substrate;

setting the exposure photomask for the second time, wherein each light-transmitting area of the exposure photomask enables the other two domain areas in each sub-pixel arranged according to the advancing direction of the substrate to be in a light-transmitting state, and performing secondary illumination on the alignment material layer by adopting linearly polarized light to form an alignment layer with the alignment direction vertical to the advancing direction of the substrate;

wherein a traveling direction of the substrate for the first illumination is opposite to a traveling direction of the substrate for the second illumination.

Optionally, the illuminating the alignment material layer with linearly polarized light to form an alignment layer aligned perpendicular to the traveling direction of the substrate includes:

adjusting an included angle theta between the traveling direction of the linearly polarized light and the normal of the substrate, and the polarization axis and the vector N [ L, Z ] of the linearly polarized light]Angle phi therebetween₁And an included angle phi between the projection of the linearly polarized light on the substrate in the traveling direction and the traveling direction of the substrate₃To make phi₃＝tan^-1(tanφ₁cos θ), forming an alignment layer aligned perpendicular to the traveling direction of the substrate;

In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, including:

the alignment method aligns the first alignment layer of the array substrate and the second alignment layer of the opposite substrate;

the array substrate and the color film substrate are combined, and liquid crystal molecules are injected into a space formed by the array substrate and the color film substrate, wherein under the action of the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer, the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules in each domain is that the liquid crystal head direction points to the center of a sub-pixel where the domain is located, the included angle between the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules and the first direction is alpha, and the range of the alpha is 45 degrees +/-1 degrees.

The technical scheme provided by the embodiment of the application has the following beneficial technical effects:

in the display panel, the manufacturing method thereof, the alignment method, the alignment apparatus, and the display device provided in this embodiment, since the alignment direction of the first alignment layer is the second direction and the alignment direction of the second alignment layer is the first direction, the domain regions (row direction or column direction) located on the same straight line can be exposed in a scanning manner, so that a complicated alignment exposure mask is avoided, and the alignment process is simplified; and the arrangement of the domain area can effectively improve the phenomenon of dark fringes at the edge and improve the transmittance.

Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the present application.

Drawings

The foregoing and/or additional aspects and advantages of the present application will become apparent and readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

fig. 1 is a schematic top view of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a simulation display diagram of a sub-pixel in a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 4 is a schematic view illustrating alignment of liquid crystal molecules in each domain of each sub-pixel of the first alignment layer on the array substrate side in the display panel according to the embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5 is a schematic view illustrating alignment of liquid crystal molecules in each domain of each sub-pixel by the second alignment layer on the opposite substrate side in the display panel according to the embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a final alignment of liquid crystal molecules in each domain of a sub-pixel of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a pixel electrode in a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of another pixel electrode in a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a frame structure of a display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of a frame structure of an alignment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 11 is a schematic diagram of an optical path in an alignment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 12 is a schematic partial structure diagram of an alignment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 13 is a schematic spatial diagram of polarized light and alignment directions of an alignment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a partial schematic view of the polarized light beam and the alignment direction shown in FIG. 13;

fig. 15 is a schematic flow chart of an alignment method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 16 is a schematic flow chart of step S3 in the alignment method of fig. 15;

fig. 17 is a schematic diagram illustrating a relative position between the array substrate and the first exposure mask in the process of step S3 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating a relative position between the counter substrate and the second exposure mask in the process of step S3 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing method of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Reference numerals:

1-a display panel; 10-sub-pixel; 20-liquid crystal molecules; 100-domain region; 11-an array substrate; 111-a first substrate; 112-a first alignment layer; 113-pixel electrodes; 1131 — a channel; 12-an opposing substrate; 121-a second substrate; 122 — a second alignment layer; 13-a first polarizer; 14-a second polarizer;

2-alignment equipment; 21-a light source; 22-a polarizer; 23-a first adjusting means; 231-a movement control device; 232-angle adjustment means; 234-a second adjustment device;

31-first exposure mask; 32-a second exposure mask;

x-a first direction; x1-first direction forward; x2-first direction negative;

y-a second direction; y1-second direction forward; y2-second direction negative.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to the present application, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the same or similar parts or parts having the same or similar functions throughout. In addition, if a detailed description of the known art is not necessary for illustrating the features of the present application, it is omitted. The embodiments described below with reference to the drawings are exemplary only for the purpose of explaining the present application and are not to be construed as limiting the present application.

It will be understood by those within the art that, unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the prior art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", "the" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

The application provides a display panel, a manufacturing method thereof, an alignment method, an alignment device and a display device, and aims to solve the technical problems in the prior art.

As shown in fig. 1 to 3, the display panel 1 provided in this embodiment includes a plurality of sub-pixels 10, and each sub-pixel 10 includes four domains 100 arranged in a field shape.

The display panel 1 provided by the embodiment includes an array substrate 11 and an opposite substrate 12 which are oppositely arranged, liquid crystal molecules 20 located between the array substrate 11 and the opposite substrate 12, a first polarizer 13 located on a side of the array substrate 11 far from the opposite substrate 12, and a second polarizer 14 located on a side of the opposite substrate 12 far from the array substrate 11. The light-extracting axis direction of the first polarizer 13 is a first direction X, the light-extracting axis direction of the second polarizer 14 is a second direction Y, and the second direction Y is perpendicular to the first direction X.

The array substrate 11 includes a first substrate 111 and a first alignment layer 112 located on a side of the first substrate 111 close to the opposite substrate 12, an alignment direction of the first alignment layer 112 is a second direction Y; the opposite substrate 12 includes a second substrate 121 and a second alignment layer 122 located on a side of the second substrate 121 close to the array substrate 11, and an alignment direction of the second alignment layer 122 is a first direction X.

Under the action of the first alignment layer 112 and the second alignment layer 122, the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules 20 in each domain 100 of each sub-pixel 10 is all the liquid crystal head pointing to the center of the sub-pixel 10 where the liquid crystal molecules 20 are located, and the angle between the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules 20 and the first direction X is α, which is in the range of 45 ° ± 1 °.

Specifically, let α be 45 ° as the regulation target value, and ± 1 ° as the fluctuation range of α.

The term "liquid crystal head" means that the first alignment layer 112 on the array substrate 11 side faces upward, the second alignment layer 122 on the counter substrate 12 side faces downward, and the liquid crystal molecules 20 face one end of the viewer when the viewer views from the counter substrate 12 side toward the array substrate 11 side.

Specifically, the opposite substrate 12 is a color film substrate.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 2, the materials of the first alignment layer 112 and the second alignment layer 122 are both ultraviolet alignment materials. That is, ultraviolet light is used to align the first alignment layer 112 and the second alignment layer 122.

Specifically, fig. 3 is a simulated image of a subpixel 10 in the display device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, and the domain 100 of the present disclosure can effectively improve the edge dark fringe phenomenon and improve the transmittance.

In the display panel 1 provided by this embodiment, since the alignment direction of the first alignment layer 112 is the second direction Y and the alignment direction of the second alignment layer 122 is the first direction X, the domains 100 (row direction or column direction) located on the same straight line can be exposed in a scanning manner, so as to avoid the need to use a complicated alignment exposure mask, which is beneficial to simplifying the alignment process.

It should be noted that the term "alignment force" as used herein refers to a component force applied by the alignment layers (the first alignment layer 112 and the second alignment layer 122) to the liquid crystal molecules 20 and parallel to the plane of the alignment layers.

Alternatively, as shown in fig. 4, the present embodiment provides the display panel 1, in which the four domains 100 in the same sub-pixel 10 are divided into two groups according to the first direction X, and each group includes two domains 100 arranged along the first direction X. The liquid crystal molecules 20 in one set of domains 100 are subjected to the aligning force of the first alignment layer 112 in a direction opposite to the direction of the aligning force of the liquid crystal molecules 20 in the other set of domains 100 which is subjected to the first alignment layer 112.

Specifically, the first direction X is a direction parallel to the short side of the sub-pixel 10 in fig. 4, i.e., a horizontal direction; the alignment direction of the first alignment layer 112 is the second direction Y, i.e. the direction parallel to the long side of the sub-pixel 10 shown in fig. 4, i.e. the vertical direction. In the four domains 100 in the same sub-pixel 10, the direction of the alignment force F1a of the first alignment layer 112 received by the upper two domains 100 is vertically downward, and the direction of the alignment force F1b of the first alignment layer 112 received by the lower two domains 100 is vertically upward.

Alternatively, as shown in fig. 5, in the display panel 1 provided in this embodiment, the four domains 100 in the same sub-pixel 10 are divided into two groups according to the second direction Y, each group includes two domains 100 arranged along the second direction Y, wherein the alignment force of the second alignment layer 122 applied to the liquid crystal molecules 20 in one group of domains 100 is opposite to the alignment force of the second alignment layer 122 applied to the liquid crystal molecules 20 in the other group of domains 100.

Specifically, the second direction Y is a direction parallel to the long side of the sub-pixel 10 in fig. 5, that is, a vertical direction; the alignment direction of the second alignment layer 122 is a first direction X, i.e. a direction parallel to the short side of the sub-pixel 10 shown in fig. 4, i.e. a horizontal direction. In the four domains 100 of the same sub-pixel 10, the direction of the alignment force F2a of the second alignment layer 122 received by the two domains 100 on the left side is horizontal to the right, and the direction of the alignment force F2b of the second alignment layer 122 received by the two domains 100 on the right side is horizontal to the left.

As shown in fig. 6, it is based on the alignment force of the first alignment layer 112 and the second alignment layer 122 to each domain 100 in the sub-pixel 10 that the liquid crystal molecules 20 exhibit the final alignment. Specifically, the liquid crystal molecules 20 in the upper left domain 100 in the sub-pixel are subjected to the alignment force F1a of the first alignment layer 112 in the vertical direction and the alignment force F2a of the second alignment layer 122 in the horizontal direction; the liquid crystal molecules 20 in the upper right domain 100 in the sub-pixel are subjected to an alignment force F1a of the first alignment layer 112 vertically downward and an alignment force F2b of the second alignment layer 122 horizontally to the right and left; the liquid crystal molecules 20 in the lower left domain 100 in the sub-pixel are subjected to the alignment force F1b of the first alignment layer 112 in the vertical direction and the alignment force F2a of the second alignment layer 122 in the horizontal direction; the liquid crystal molecules 20 in the lower right domain 100 in the sub-pixel are subjected to an alignment force F1b of the first alignment layer 112 in the vertical direction and an alignment force F2b of the second alignment layer 122 in the horizontal left direction.

As shown in fig. 7 and 8, in the display panel 1 provided in the present embodiment, the array substrate 11 includes a plurality of pixel electrodes 113, and an orthogonal projection of each pixel electrode 113 on the substrate covers an area where one sub-pixel 10 is located.

Specifically, the pixel electrode 113 is made of an Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) thin film, as shown in fig. 7, the pixel electrode 113 has no hollow channel 1131, so that the difficulty and cost of the etching process of the pixel electrode 113 can be reduced.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 8, a plurality of channels 1131 are disposed on the pixel electrode 113 at an area corresponding to each domain 100 and the channels 1131 are parallel or perpendicular to the first direction X. The channels are beneficial to changing the direction of a driving electric field to influence the rotation state of the liquid crystal, and can play a role in regulating and controlling response time in some specific embodiments; in other embodiments, the color shift can be controlled. In addition, the channel 1131 is provided to improve transmittance.

Based on the same inventive concept, an embodiment of the present application further provides a display device, as shown in fig. 9, the display panel in the foregoing embodiment of the display device has the beneficial effects of the display panel in the foregoing embodiment, and details are not repeated herein.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 9, the display device further includes a driving chip and a power supply, the driving chip is configured to provide a driving signal for the display panel, and the power supply is configured to provide power for the display panel.

Based on the same inventive concept, the present embodiment further provides an alignment apparatus 2 for aligning an alignment layer of a substrate in the display panel 1 in the above embodiment, where the substrate is a liquid crystal substrate or a counter substrate 12, as shown in fig. 10, and the alignment apparatus 2 provided in this embodiment includes:

a light source 21 configured to emit ultraviolet light at a set power;

a polarizer 22 configured to process ultraviolet light to obtain linearly polarized light;

a first adjusting device 23 configured to control the light source 21 and the polarizer 22 to move according to set parameters;

and a second adjusting device 24 configured to control the substrate on which the alignment material layer is formed to move in a set substrate traveling direction.

The alignment apparatus 2 provided in this embodiment does not need to change the alignment apparatus 2 greatly, and mainly adds the first adjusting device 23 to set the moving parameters of the light source 21 and the polarizer 22, so as to match the traveling direction of the substrate to ensure the required irradiation angle and traveling direction of the linearly polarized light, thereby being capable of realizing the illumination orientation more flexibly.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 11 and 12, the present embodiment provides the alignment apparatus 2 in which the first adjusting device 23 includes a movement control device 231 and an angle adjusting device 232.

The movement control device 231 is configured to control the light source 21 and the polarizer 22 to move in accordance with the set light traveling direction.

The angle adjusting means 232 is configured to adjust an angle theta between the traveling direction of the light and the normal line of the substrate, the polarization axis of the linearly polarized light, and a vector N [ L, Z ] according to the angle setting parameter]Angle phi therebetween₁And the included angle phi between the projection of the light ray advancing direction on the substrate and the substrate advancing direction₃Make an adjustment to vector N [ L, Z]The vector L is a normal vector of a plane where the vector Z is located, the vector L is a traveling direction of the linearly polarized light, and the vector Z is a normal vector of the plane where the substrate is located.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 13, the relationship between the angles can be constructed by the following formula so that desired polarized light rays can be obtained by adjusting the angles.

tanφ₂＝tanφ₁cosθ (1)

φ₄＝φ₂-φ₃ (2)

φ₅＝π/2-φ₄ (3)

The following can be obtained by the above formulae (1), (2) and (3):

φ₅＝π/2-tan^-1(tanφ₁cosθ)+φ₃ (4)

wherein the alignment target is phi₅To pi/2, the belt formula (4) can give:

φ₃＝tan^-1(tanφ₁cosθ) (5)

namely, the required polarized light can be obtained by adjusting according to the angle relation in the formula (5), and the target alignment can be obtained by matching the polarized light with the advancing direction of the substrate.

The above equations (2) and (3) can be obtained from the angles marked in fig. 13, and the derivation process of equation (1) is as follows:

as shown in fig. 13 and fig. 14, a vector a is orthogonal to a vector N [ L, Z ] on the polarization axis of the linearly polarized light, the intersection point of the vector a and the vector N [ L, Z ] is q, a vector Z is parallel to the Z axis on the polarization axis, and the projection of the polarization axis on the plane [ X, Y ] of the substrate is the liquid crystal alignment direction.

And obtaining a vector c from an angle of the projection point connecting the vector a and the vector N [ L, Z ], wherein the vector a, the vector c and the vector Z are coplanar, and the plane is called as a plane (a, c, Z). The vector L is translated to point q along the direction of the vector N [ L, Z ], and since the vector N [ L, Z ]/(a, c, Z), the vector L, the vector a, the vector c, and the vector Z are coplanar. Namely, the relationship of vector L, vector a, vector c and vector z is shown in fig. 14. The included angle θ is equal to the included angle θ 1.

As shown in fig. 13 and 14, the included angle phi₂The tangent value of (A) is:

namely, the formula (1).

Based on the same inventive concept, the present application further provides an alignment method for forming an alignment layer in a substrate of the display panel 1 in the above embodiments by light irradiation, where the substrate is the array substrate 11 or the opposite substrate 12. As shown in fig. 15, the alignment method provided in this embodiment includes:

s1: providing a substrate, and forming an alignment material layer on the substrate;

s2: determining the advancing direction of the substrate after the alignment material layer is formed, wherein the advancing direction of the substrate is vertical to the light-taking axis direction of the polarizer configured on the side of the substrate;

s3: an exposure mask is arranged on the substrate according to the advancing direction of the substrate, and the alignment material layer is irradiated by adopting linearly polarized light to form an alignment layer with the alignment direction vertical to the advancing direction of the substrate.

In the alignment method provided by this embodiment, since the alignment direction of the alignment layer formed on the substrate is the same as the light-taking axis direction of the polarizer disposed on the substrate side, in the alignment process, the traveling direction of the substrate is controlled to be perpendicular to the light-taking axis direction of the polarizer disposed on the substrate side, and the required alignment can be obtained by irradiating with linearly polarized light.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 17 and 18, the exposure mask includes a plurality of light-transmitting regions each of which causes two domains 100 in the same sub-pixel 10 arranged in the first direction X or the second direction Y to be in a light-transmitting state. Based on this, as shown in fig. 16 to fig. 18, step S3 in the alignment method provided in this embodiment includes:

s301: setting an exposure mask for the first time, wherein each light-transmitting area of the exposure mask enables two domains 100 in each sub-pixel 10 arranged according to the advancing direction of the substrate to be in a light-transmitting state, and performing first illumination on the alignment material layer by adopting linearly polarized light to form an alignment layer with the alignment direction vertical to the advancing direction of the substrate;

s302: setting an exposure mask for the second time, wherein each light-transmitting area of the exposure mask enables the other two domains 100 in each sub-pixel 10 arranged according to the advancing direction of the substrate to be in a light-transmitting state, and performing second illumination on the alignment material layer by adopting linearly polarized light to form an alignment layer with the alignment direction vertical to the advancing direction of the substrate; the traveling direction of the substrate irradiated for the first time is opposite to the traveling direction of the substrate irradiated for the second time.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 17, the substrate is the array substrate 11, and the light-extraction axis direction of the polarizer on the side of the array substrate 11 is the first direction X, so the moving method of the array substrate 11 is the second direction Y. In a specific alignment process, the first exposure mask 31 needs to be set first so that the two domains 100 on the left side in each sub-pixel 10 are located in the light-transmitting area of the first exposure mask 31, then the array substrate 11 and the first exposure mask 31 are controlled to move synchronously according to the second direction positive direction Y1, and the set linearly polarized light is adopted for irradiation, so that the first alignment layer 112 on the array substrate 11 and the two domains 100 on the left side in each sub-pixel 10 have the same alignment.

As shown in fig. 17, after the first sub-mask is completed, the first exposure mask 31 is moved so that the two domains 100 on the right side in each sub-pixel 10 are located in the light-transmitting region of the first exposure mask 31, and then the array substrate 11 is controlled to move in synchronization with the first exposure mask 31 according to the second direction negative direction Y2 and is irradiated with linearly polarized light, so that the first alignment layer 112 on the array substrate 11 and the two domains 100 on the right side in each sub-pixel 10 have the same alignment.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 18, the substrate is the opposite substrate 12, and the light-extraction axis direction of the polarizer on the opposite substrate 12 side is the second direction Y, so the moving method of the opposite substrate 12 is the first direction X. In a specific alignment process, the second exposure mask 32 needs to be firstly set so that the two domains 100 on the upper side in each sub-pixel 10 are located in the light transmission region of the second exposure mask 32, then the counter substrate 12 and the second exposure mask 32 are controlled to synchronously move according to the first direction positive direction X1, and the set linearly polarized light is adopted for irradiation, so that the second alignment layer 122 on the counter substrate 12 and the two domains 100 on the upper side in each sub-pixel 10 have the same alignment.

As shown in fig. 18, after the first photomask is completed, the second exposure mask 32 is moved so that the two domains 100 on the lower side of each sub-pixel 10 are located in the light transmission region of the second exposure mask 32, and then the counter substrate 12 is controlled to move in synchronization with the second exposure mask 32 in the first direction negative direction X2 and to be irradiated with linearly polarized light, so that the second alignment layer 122 on the counter substrate 12 and the two domains 100 on the lower side of each sub-pixel 10 have the same alignment.

Note that, the directions in the description about fig. 17 and 18 are based on those shown in fig. 17 and 18, but are not limited to the moving directions of the array substrate 11 and the counter substrate 12 in practical application as long as the relationship between the directions is ensured.

Specifically, in the process of aligning the array substrate 11 and the counter substrate 12, the alignment material layer is irradiated with light of a polarized light ray according to the angle determined in fig. 13 and 14, that is, with linearly polarized light to form an alignment layer aligned perpendicular to the traveling direction of the substrates, including:

adjusting the included angle theta between the linearly polarized light and the normal of the substrate, the polarization axis of the linearly polarized light and the vector N [ L, Z ]]Angle phi therebetween₁And the included angle phi between the projection of the light ray advancing direction on the substrate and the substrate advancing direction₃So as to make phi₃＝tan^-1(tanφ₁cos θ), thereby forming an alignment layer aligned perpendicular to the traveling direction of the substrate; wherein, the vector N [ L, Z]The vector L is a normal vector of a plane where the vector Z is located, the vector L is a traveling direction of the linearly polarized light, and the vector Z is a normal vector of the plane where the substrate is located. Specifically, please refer to the above description of the embodiments of the alignment apparatus 2 for specific values of the linearly polarized light adjustment parameter, which is not repeated herein.

Based on the same inventive concept, an embodiment of the present application further provides a manufacturing method of a display panel 1, and as shown in fig. 18 and fig. 1 and 2, the manufacturing method of the display panel 1 provided in the embodiment includes:

aligning the first alignment layer 112 of the array substrate 11 and the second alignment layer 122 of the opposite substrate 12 by the alignment method in the above embodiment;

the array substrate 11 and the opposite substrate 12 are aligned, and the liquid crystal molecules 20 are injected into a space formed by the array substrate 11 and the opposite substrate 12, wherein under the action of the first alignment layer 112 and the second alignment layer 122, the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules 20 in each domain 100 is that the liquid crystal head direction points to the center of the sub-pixel 10 where the domain 100 is located, and an included angle between the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules 20 and the first direction X is α, and the range of α is 45 ° ± 1 °.

According to the manufacturing method of the display panel, the alignment process is simple, the obtained display panel can improve the edge dark fringe phenomenon, and the light transmittance is better.

By applying the embodiment of the application, at least the following beneficial effects can be realized:

Those of skill in the art will appreciate that the various operations, methods, steps in the processes, acts, or solutions discussed in this application can be interchanged, modified, combined, or eliminated. Further, other steps, measures, or schemes in various operations, methods, or flows that have been discussed in this application can be alternated, altered, rearranged, broken down, combined, or deleted. Further, steps, measures, schemes in the prior art having various operations, methods, procedures disclosed in the present application may also be alternated, modified, rearranged, decomposed, combined, or deleted.

In the description of the present application, it is to be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on those shown in the drawings, and are only for convenience in describing the present application and simplifying the description, but do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a particular orientation, be constructed in a particular orientation, and be operated, and thus should not be construed as limiting the present application.

The terms "first", "second" and "first" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of the present application, "a plurality" means two or more unless otherwise specified.

In the description of the present application, it is to be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" are to be construed broadly, e.g., as meaning either a fixed connection, a removable connection, or an integral connection; they may be connected directly or indirectly through intervening media, or they may be interconnected between two elements. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood in a specific case by those of ordinary skill in the art.

In the description herein, particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

It should be understood that, although the steps in the flowcharts of the figures are shown in order as indicated by the arrows, the steps are not necessarily performed in order as indicated by the arrows. The steps are not performed in the exact order shown and may be performed in other orders unless explicitly stated herein. Moreover, at least a portion of the steps in the flow chart of the figure may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages, which are not necessarily performed at the same time, but may be performed at different times, which are not necessarily performed in sequence, but may be performed alternately or alternately with other steps or at least a portion of the sub-steps or stages of other steps.

The foregoing is only a partial embodiment of the present application, and it should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, various modifications and decorations can be made without departing from the principle of the present application, and these modifications and decorations should also be regarded as the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A display panel comprises a plurality of sub-pixels, wherein each sub-pixel comprises four domains which are arranged in a field shape; characterized in that the display panel comprises:

the array substrate and the opposite substrate are oppositely arranged;

2. The display panel according to claim 1,

the four domains in the same sub-pixel are divided into two groups according to the first direction, each group comprises two domains arranged along the first direction, and the direction of the alignment force of the first alignment layer on the liquid crystal molecules in one group of domains is opposite to the direction of the alignment force of the first alignment layer on the liquid crystal molecules in the other group of domains;

3. The display panel according to claim 1,

the array substrate comprises a plurality of pixel electrodes, and the orthographic projection of each pixel electrode on the substrate covers the area where one sub-pixel is located.

4. The display panel according to claim 3, wherein the pixel electrode has no hollow channel, or 2n channels are disposed on the pixel electrode and are parallel or perpendicular to the first direction.

5. The display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the material of the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer is an ultraviolet light alignment material.

6. A display device characterized by comprising the display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. An alignment apparatus for forming an alignment layer of a substrate in the display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the substrate is the liquid crystal substrate or the counter substrate, wherein the alignment apparatus comprises:

a light source configured to emit ultraviolet light at a set power;

8. The alignment apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first adjusting device comprises:

9. An alignment method for forming an alignment layer in a substrate in the display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 5 by means of light irradiation, the substrate being the array substrate or the counter substrate;

the alignment method is characterized by comprising the following steps:

10. The alignment method according to claim 9, wherein the exposure mask comprises a plurality of light-transmissive regions, each light-transmissive region allowing two domains in the same sub-pixel arranged in the first direction or the second direction to be in a light-transmissive state;

setting an exposure photomask for the substrate according to the advancing direction of the substrate, and adopting linearly polarized light to irradiate the alignment material layer to form an alignment layer with the alignment direction vertical to the advancing direction of the substrate, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

11. The alignment method according to claim 10, wherein the alignment material layer is irradiated with linearly polarized light to form an alignment layer aligned perpendicular to a traveling direction of the substrate, comprising:

adjusting an included angle theta between the traveling direction of the linearly polarized light and the normal of the substrate, and the polarization axis and the vector N [ L, Z ] of the linearly polarized light]Angle phi therebetween₁And projection of the traveling direction of the linearly polarized light on the substrateAn angle phi between the substrate and the substrate advancing direction₃So as to make phi₃＝tan^-1(tanφ₁cos θ), forming an alignment layer aligned perpendicular to the traveling direction of the substrate;

12. A manufacturing method of a display panel comprises the following steps:

the alignment method of any one of claims 9 to 11 aligning a first alignment layer of the array substrate and a second alignment layer of the opposite substrate;