JP2001021862A - Electrooptical device, its production and projection type display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrooptical device having high use efficiency of light in which photolysis of an adhesive layer or alignment film and distortion of a flat substrate are suppressed, and to provide its production method and a projection type display device. SOLUTION: A liquid crystal light valve 300 is formed by disposing an element side substrate 1 having a plurality of pixel electrodes 12 and a counter substrate 2 facing the element side substrate 1, and holding a liquid crystal 3 between the substrates. The counter substrate 2 has a flat substrate 23 facing the element side substrate 1 through the liquid crystal 3, and a plurality of convex microlenses 214. The microlenses correspond to the respective pixel electrodes 12 and transmit the light from a light source to introduce onto the respective pixel electrodes 12. Each microlens 214 has a protruding part 215 in its center to be in contact with the flat substrate 23.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an electro-optical device, a method of manufacturing the same, and a projection display device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is known a liquid crystal projector including a lamp for irradiating white light, a dichroic mirror, a liquid crystal light valve, a dichroic prism, and a projection lens. In this type of liquid crystal projector, white light emitted from a lamp is separated into red light, green light, and blue light by a dichroic mirror, and these red light, green light, and blue light are provided corresponding to each. The light enters the liquid crystal light valve. Here, each liquid crystal light valve is configured by sealing liquid crystal between two substrates. By controlling the orientation of the liquid crystal between the substrates, the amount of light passing through each liquid crystal light valve is controlled, and various images are projected on the screen.

FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically showing a cross section of a part of a liquid crystal light valve 500 used in the liquid crystal projector. Liquid crystal light valve 500 illustrated in FIG.
The device has a configuration in which an element-side substrate 1 and a counter substrate 2 are arranged to face each other, and a liquid crystal 3 is sandwiched between the two substrates. The element-side substrate 1 includes a glass substrate 11, a plurality of pixel electrodes 12 formed on the surface of the glass substrate 11, and a switching element (TFT) for controlling switching of each pixel electrode 12.
(Thin Film Transistor) or T
It has an FD (Thin Film Diode: thin film diode) or the like (not shown) and various wirings. These pixel electrodes 1
2 and the switching element are covered with an alignment film 18. The alignment film 18 is subjected to, for example, a rubbing process in order to align the liquid crystal 3 in a predetermined direction.
Here, the light from the above-described dichroic mirror enters from the counter substrate 2 side. The counter substrate 2 includes a microlens substrate 21 on which a plurality of convex microlenses 214 are formed to concentrate incident light from a dichroic mirror on the pixel electrode 12 and improve light use efficiency.
Flat substrate 23 bonded to this microlens substrate 21
And a light shielding film 24, an alignment film 26, and the like formed on the flat substrate 23. Here, the microlens substrate 21 and the flat substrate 23 are adhered by, for example, an acrylic adhesive, and an adhesive layer (hereinafter, referred to as an “adhesive layer”) 22 is formed therebetween.

[0004]

The adhesive layer 22 formed of an acrylic material and the alignment films 18 and 26 formed of an organic material such as polyimide are irradiated with light having a wavelength shorter than that of blue light. It is known that photo-degradation is caused by the action. Further, this photolysis proceeds faster as the luminous flux density (illuminance) of the irradiated light is higher.

[0005] In the conventional liquid crystal light valve 500 illustrated in FIG. 10, incident light is condensed by a convex microlens 214. Therefore, the adhesive layer 22 and the alignment films 18 and 26 are irradiated with light having a high light flux density. And by this, the adhesive layer 22
And the photolysis of the alignment films 18 and 26 proceeds rapidly.

Here, when the adhesive layer 22 undergoes photodecomposition and contracts, stress is generated in the planar substrate 23 joined to the adhesive layer 22, and thus distortion may occur. As a result, there is a difference between the thickness of the cell gap in the portion irradiated with light and the thickness of the cell gap in the portion not irradiated with light, which causes a problem that display is uneven. On the other hand, when photo-decomposition occurs in the alignment films 18 and 26, the liquid crystal 3
However, there is a problem that the alignment state becomes unstable.

The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and has an electro-optical device in which light utilization efficiency is high, and photodecomposition of an adhesive layer and an alignment film and distortion of a flat substrate are suppressed. And a method of manufacturing the same, and a projection display device.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided a first substrate on which a plurality of pixel electrodes are formed, and a second substrate opposed to the first substrate. In an electro-optical device including an electro-optical material sandwiched between substrates, the second substrate includes a planar substrate facing the first substrate with the electro-optical material interposed therebetween, and a plurality of pixel electrodes. Correspondingly, a plurality of convex microlenses that pass light from a light source and guide the pixel electrodes to the pixel electrodes, and a plurality of convex microlenses each having a projection abutting on the flat substrate at a central portion thereof. An electro-optical device is provided.

According to such an electro-optical device, the flat substrate can be supported by the projections provided on each microlens, so that the flat substrate is deformed in a direction perpendicular to the plane to which the flat substrate belongs. Can be prevented. In addition, a part of the light incident on the microlens passes through the protrusion, and is not collected. Therefore, it is possible to prevent all of the incident light from being focused on one point.

Here, the projection may be a columnar member integrally formed with each of the convex microlenses.
In this case, the flat substrate can be supported by the projection, and a part of the light emitted from the microlens is reflected on the side surface of the projection, so that the emission light from the microlens is collected at one point. This has the advantage that it can be avoided.

The projection is a frustoconical member whose diameter decreases as the distance from the convex microlens increases, and a part of light emitted from the convex microlens is formed on a side surface of the projection. The light may be substantially parallel to the optical axis of the convex microlens. In this case, there is an advantage that the light use efficiency can be improved.

Here, the second substrate may have a spacer portion having the same height as the plurality of convex microlenses, and may have a spacer portion in contact with the flat substrate. In this case, there is an advantage that a fixed distance between each convex microlens and the plane substrate can be reliably ensured by the spacer portion.

The spacer may be provided near four corners of the rectangular second substrate. Even in such a case, there is an advantage that a certain distance between each microlens and the flat substrate can be reliably ensured by each spacer portion. The spacer may be provided in a shape surrounding a region where the plurality of convex microlenses are provided, and may have a cutout in at least a part thereof. In this case, the spacer section can ensure a certain distance between each convex microlens and the plane substrate, and the excess adhesive of the adhesive used for joining each microlens and the plane substrate. There is an advantage that a suitable adhesive can flow out from the cutout.

Further, the present invention has a first substrate on which a plurality of pixel electrodes are formed, and a second substrate opposed to the first substrate, wherein an electrical connection is provided between the first and second substrates. A method for manufacturing an electro-optical device having an optical material sandwiched therein, the method comprising: using a mold, forming a microlens substrate having a plurality of convex microlenses each having a projection at a central portion; So that one surface abuts each of the protrusions,
Fixing the planar substrate and the microlens substrate to form the second substrate. A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device, the method comprising:

According to the electro-optical device manufactured by the above-described method of manufacturing an electro-optical device, the flat substrate can be supported by the projections provided on each microlens. Deformation in the direction perpendicular to the plane to which it belongs can be prevented. In addition, a part of the light incident on the microlens passes through the protrusion, and is not collected. Therefore, it is possible to prevent all of the incident light from being focused on one point.

According to the present invention, there is provided an electro-optical device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, a light source, and a condensing optical system for guiding light emitted from the light source to the electro-optical device. And a projection lens for projecting light emitted from the electro-optical device. According to such a projection type display device, since the light emitted from the microlens is not condensed at one point, the rate of photodecomposition of the alignment film or the like or the adhesive layer can be suppressed, and the flat substrate is , The distortion of the flat substrate hardly occurs. Therefore, the life of the electro-optical device can be extended, and display defects caused by the distortion of the flat substrate can be avoided.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a liquid crystal light valve used in a projection display device will be described as an example of an electro-optical device. Such an embodiment shows one aspect of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention, and can be arbitrarily changed within the scope of the present invention.

A: Configuration of Embodiment FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a part of a cross section of a liquid crystal light valve 300 to which the present invention is applied. As shown in the figure,
The liquid crystal light valve 300 is roughly composed of an element-side substrate 1 and an opposing substrate 2 joined by a sealing material (not shown), and a liquid crystal 3 sealed in a gap (cell gap) between these substrates. . In FIG. 1 and each of the drawings shown below, the scale of each layer and each member is different so that each layer and each member have a size that can be recognized in the drawing.

The element-side substrate 1 has a glass substrate 11, and a plurality of pixel electrodes 12 are formed in a matrix on the inner surface of the glass substrate 11 (the liquid crystal 3 side). This pixel electrode 12 is made of, for example, ITO (Indi
um Tin Oxide).

Here, FIG. 2A shows this pixel electrode 12.
And a portion in the vicinity of the glass substrate 11 (liquid crystal 3
FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing the configuration when viewed from the side).
FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2A, on the glass substrate 11,
A plurality of pixel electrodes 12 each arranged in a matrix,
Scan line 1 extending in the X direction along the boundary of each pixel electrode 12
3 and a capacitance line 14, and a data line 15 extending in the Y-axis direction.
Are formed. Further, a TFT 16 (not shown in FIG. 1) for controlling switching of the pixel electrode 12 is formed at a position adjacent to each pixel electrode 12.

As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the TFT 16 includes a gate electrode 13a which is a part of the scanning line 13, and a semiconductor film 16a in which a channel is formed by an electric field from the gate electrode 13a. , A gate insulating film 16b for insulating the gate electrode 13a from the semiconductor film 16a, and a source electrode 15a which is a part of the data line 15. The semiconductor film 16 a is a thin film of polysilicon or the like formed on the glass substrate 11 so as to partially overlap the data lines 15, and is an active layer of the TFT 16. The source electrode 15a is connected to a drain region of the semiconductor film 16a via a contact hole 16d formed in the first interlayer insulating film 16c. Also, each pixel electrode 12
Contact hole 1 formed in first interlayer insulating film 16c and second interlayer insulating film 16e provided thereabove.
6f, it is connected to the drain region of the semiconductor film 16a. Further, the capacitance line 14 formed along the scanning line 13 and the extension of the drain region of the semiconductor film 16a overlap to form the storage capacitance 17.

FIG. 3 is an equivalent circuit diagram showing the pixel electrode 12, TFT 16 and respective wirings. As shown in the figure, in the liquid crystal panel 300, pixels are formed at intersections between the plurality of scanning lines 13 and the capacitance lines 14 and the plurality of data lines 15. Here, each pixel includes a TFT 16, a pixel electrode 12, and a storage capacitor 17. As described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the data line 15 to which the image signal is supplied to the source of the TFT 16, the scanning line 13 to which the scanning signal is supplied to the gate of the TFT 16, The pixel electrode 12 is electrically connected to the drain of the TFT. The image signals S1, S2,..., Sn are line-sequentially supplied to the data line 15 in this order, and the pulse-like scanning signals G1, G2,. They are supplied sequentially.

Here, by supplying a scanning signal to each scanning line 13 and supplying an image signal to the data line 15, electric charges corresponding to the image signal are supplied to each pixel electrode 12 and held for a certain period. You. The alignment state of the liquid crystal 3 sandwiched between the pixel electrode 12 and the counter electrode 23 changes according to an electric field applied according to an image signal, and light incident on each pixel is modulated according to the alignment state of the liquid crystal 3. .

On the other hand, the storage capacitor 17 is provided in parallel with the liquid crystal layer constituted by the pixel electrode 12, the counter electrode 23 and the liquid crystal 3, and has a role of preventing the charge held in the liquid crystal layer from leaking. .

Referring back to FIG. 1, the surface of the glass substrate 11 on which the pixel electrodes 12 and the TFTs 16 and the like are formed is covered with an alignment film 18. This alignment film 18
It is a thin film made of an organic material such as polyimide, and has been subjected to a uniaxial orientation treatment, for example, a rubbing treatment. The liquid crystal 3 sealed between the two substrates is aligned according to the alignment film 18 when no electric field is applied from the pixel electrode 12. A polarizing plate (not shown) is attached to the outside of the glass substrate 11 (the side opposite to the liquid crystal 3).

On the other hand, the opposing substrate 2 includes a microlens substrate 21, an adhesive layer 22 located inside the microlens substrate 21 (toward the liquid crystal 3), a flat substrate 23, a light-shielding film 24, an opposing electrode 25 and an alignment film 26. , Microlens substrate 21
(The opposite side of the liquid crystal 3).

FIG. 4 shows the entire microlens substrate 21.
FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating a configuration when viewed from below (the liquid crystal 3 side) in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB ′ in FIG. 4.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the microlens substrate 21 has a rectangular substrate portion 211, a microlens region 212 formed on one surface of the substrate portion 211, and a microlens region. It can be divided into a spacer portion 213 provided on the same surface where the 212 is formed. In the present embodiment, these parts are integrally formed of, for example, a high refractive index resin material.

As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of convex microlenses 214 and 21 for condensing incident light incident from the counter substrate 2 side are provided in the microlens area 212.
4,... Are formed. Each of these micro lenses 2
Reference numerals 14 are arranged in a matrix such that each optical axis passes through the center of each pixel electrode 12. Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a configuration in which a columnar projection 215 is provided at the center of each microlens 214.

The spacer section 213 is four rod-like members provided so as to surround the microlens area 212. As shown in FIG. 5, the spacer portion 213 is formed to have the same height as the combined height of the microlens 214 and the protrusion 215. As shown by a broken line in FIG.
3 and the upper surface of the protruding portion 215 so as to face and adhere to the microlens substrate 21.

Here, an interval (a portion indicated by C in FIG. 4; corresponding to a "cut portion" in the claims) is provided between the four bar-shaped members of the spacer portion 213. Therefore, when the microlens substrate 21 and the flat substrate 23 are bonded to each other, the portion surrounded by the spacer portion 213 on the microlens substrate 21 (the microlens region 21)
2) is a hole formed in the above-mentioned space portion and communicates with the outside. As described later, an adhesive is applied to a portion of the microlens substrate 21 surrounded by the spacer portion 213, and the flat substrate 23 is bonded.
During this bonding, excess adhesive flows out through the holes.

Returning to FIG. 1, the adhesive layer 22 is formed of an adhesive for bonding the microlens substrate 21 and the flat substrate 23. As this adhesive, for example,
An acrylic adhesive having a refractive index close to that of air can be used.

The flat substrate 23 is a microlens substrate 21
Is a plate-shaped member that is disposed to be opposed to. As mentioned above,
Since the flat substrate 23 is supported by the protrusions 215 and the spacers 213, even if the adhesive layer 22 contracts due to photolysis, the out-of-plane direction ( Distortion that occurs in the direction perpendicular to the plane to which the planar substrate 23 belongs) can be reduced.

The light-shielding film 24 is a thin film formed on the inner surface (the liquid crystal 3 side) of the flat substrate 23 and at a position facing each TFT 16 formed on the glass substrate 11.
It is made of a metal material such as r (chromium). The light-shielding film 24 not only shields the TFT 16 but also contributes to an improvement in contrast and the like.

The counter electrode 25 is a transparent electrode that covers the surface of the flat substrate 23 on which the light shielding film is formed. This counter electrode 2
An alignment film 26 is formed on the upper surface such as 5. This alignment film 2
Reference numeral 6 denotes an organic thin film made of polyimide or the like, like the alignment film 13 covering the glass substrate 11, and has been subjected to a uniaxial alignment treatment, for example, a rubbing treatment.

Here, the traveling path of the light incident on the liquid crystal light valve 300 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. In FIG. 6, in order to prevent the drawing from being complicated,
Only the micro lens 214 and the protrusion 215 are shown.

First, light incident on the liquid crystal light valve 300 is incident on the microlens substrate 21. A part of the incident light is emitted as it is as parallel light, while the other part is collected by the microlens 214. More specifically, of the light incident on the microlens substrate 21, the light incident on the region (the region indicated by A in FIG. 6) corresponding to the protrusion 215 provided on the microlens 214 is
As shown by X in FIG. 6, the parallel light passes through the microlens 214, the protrusion 215, the plane substrate 23, and the like as it is, and reaches the pixel electrode 12. On the other hand, since the refractive index of the microlens substrate 21 is higher than the refractive index of the adhesive layer 22, in the light incident on the microlens substrate 21, a region other than the above region, that is, a region indicated by B in FIG. The incident light is
As shown by Y and Z in FIG.
4 collects light.

Here, a part of the collected light,
That is, the light indicated by Z in FIG. 6 passes through the adhesive layer 22 and the plane substrate 23 and converges at one point, and then reaches the pixel electrode 12. On the other hand, another part of the condensed light beams, that is, the light indicated by Y in FIG. 6, for example, is emitted from the microlens 214 and reaches the side surface of the protrusion 215. Here, when the light emitted from the microlens 214 enters the side surface of the protrusion 215, this light is
5 so that it is totally reflected on the side surface of the microlens 2.
The shape, the refractive index, and the like of 14 and the protrusion 215 are selected. The light Y reflected on the side surface of the protrusion 215 proceeds without being condensed as shown in FIG.

As described above, in the present embodiment, since the projection 215 is provided at the center of each microlens 214, all the incident light that has entered the microlens substrate 21 is collected at one point. Nothing. That is, since the luminous flux density of the incident light is not increased as compared with the conventional liquid crystal light valve, there is an advantage that the speed of the photolysis of the alignment film, the adhesive layer and the like can be suppressed. Thereby, the life can be extended as compared with the conventional liquid crystal light valve. In addition, the protrusion 215 provided on each microlens 214 is provided together with the spacer 213 on the flat substrate 23.
Therefore, even when stress is generated in the planar substrate 23 due to the photolysis of the adhesive layer 22,
It is possible to prevent the flat substrate 23 from being distorted. Therefore, display unevenness caused by the distortion of the flat substrate 23 can be prevented.

B: Manufacturing Method Next, with reference to FIGS. 7A to 7F, a method of manufacturing the above-described liquid crystal light valve 300 will be described.

First, a mold for forming the microlens substrate 21 is formed. The details are as follows.

First, as shown in FIG. 7A, a mask 101 having a large number of small holes 102 formed on one surface of a glass substrate 100 is superimposed on the surface covered with the mask 101. Etching is performed. Here, the plurality of small holes 102 are formed at positions corresponding to the center of the microlens 214. By this etching, FIG.
As shown in (b), a large number of spherical concave portions are formed at regular intervals. Further, by performing isotropic etching on this surface, a concave portion is formed on the glass substrate 100 without any gap (FIG. 7C).

Next, as shown in FIG. 7C, a mask 103 having a small hole formed thereon is overlapped at a position corresponding to the projection 215 of the microlens substrate 214, and the surface covered with the mask 103 has a different shape. Apply isotropic etching. This allows
A cylindrical hole is formed at the center of the recess (FIG. 7).
(D)).

Thereafter, a mask having an opening region formed on a portion corresponding to the spacer portion 213 on the microlens substrate 21 is overlaid and anisotropically etched to form a groove having a depth equal to the depth of the columnar hole. To form As a result, FIG.
As shown in (d), a plurality of spherical recesses, a cylindrical hole provided at the center of the recess, and a region where the plurality of recesses are formed (a rectangle corresponding to the above-described microlens region) Mold 104 having a groove (corresponding to spacer portion 213) formed so as to surround the (shaped region).

The surface of the thus formed mold 104 is covered with a release agent layer 105 made of a release agent of a fluorine-based or silicon-based material. In order to form the release agent layer 105, for example, a method can be used in which a material is adsorbed as vapor on the surface of the mold, applied to the surface of the mold, and then fired.

Next, a photo-curable or thermo-curable high refractive index resin material 106 is formed on the surface on which the release agent layer 105 is formed.
Is uniformly applied and flattened, and cured by irradiating ultraviolet rays or heating (FIG. 7).
(E)). This high refractive index resin material 106 is
The microlens substrate 21 can be obtained by peeling off the microlens substrate 21.

Next, an adhesive is applied to a portion of the microlens substrate 21 which is surrounded by the spacer portion 213, and the flat substrate 23 is pressed thereon. In this way, as shown in FIG. 7F, the microlens substrate 21 and the flat substrate 23 are adhered in a state where the flat substrate 23 is supported by the spacer 213 and the protrusion 215. Here, the excess adhesive out of the applied adhesive flows out of the hole formed by the space between the spacer portions 213.

Thereafter, the light shielding film 2 is formed on the flat substrate 23.
4, the transparent electrode 25 and the alignment film 26 are formed to form the opposing substrate 2, and the opposing substrate 2 and the separately prepared element-side substrate 1 are joined with a sealant.
Liquid crystal is sealed in a cell gap formed between the device and the element-side substrate 1.

The above is the method for manufacturing the liquid crystal light valve according to the present embodiment.

C: Modifications Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above embodiment is merely an example, and various modifications may be made to the above embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention. be able to. For example, the following modifications can be considered.

<Modification 1> In the above embodiment, the columnar protrusion 215 is provided at the center of each microlens 214, but the shape of the protrusion 215 is not limited to this. For example, the protrusion 215 is the same as that shown in FIG.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, a frustoconical member having a gradient such that the diameter decreases as the distance from the microlens 214 increases.

Of the light incident on the microlens substrate 21, the light incident on the portion other than the region where the protrusion 215 is provided (the portion indicated by B in FIG. 8) is the same as in the above embodiment. The light is collected by 214. Then, a part of the condensed light (light indicated by Z in FIG. 8)
While passing through the adhesive layer 22 and the flat substrate 23 to reach the pixel electrode while being condensed, another part (light indicated by Y in FIG. 8) reaches the side surface of the protrusion 215 and is reflected. here,
When the protrusion 215 has the shape shown in FIG.
The shape of the protrusion 215, the refractive index of each part, and the like can be selected so that the light reflected on the 15 side surfaces becomes light parallel to the optical axis. By doing so, most of the incident light can be irradiated to the pixel electrode 12 without being condensed to one point, and thus there is an advantage that the light use efficiency can be further improved. Further, as described above, the microlens substrate 21 is formed by peeling the cured high-refractive-index resin material from the molding die 104. When the protrusion 215 has the shape shown in FIG.
There is also an advantage that peeling from the mold 104 is facilitated.

<Modification 2> In the above embodiment, the spacer 213 is provided so as to surround the microlens area 212 on the microlens substrate 21, but the shape of the spacer 213 is not limited to this. . That is, for example, the microlenses 21 are located only in the vicinity of the four corners of the rectangular microlens substrate 21, that is, only in the space between the spacer portions (the portion indicated by C in FIG. 4) in FIG.
Spacers 213 having the same height as the sum of the height of the protrusions 4 and the protrusions 215 may be provided.

In FIG. 4, the spacing of the spacer portions 21 is provided near the four corners of the microlens substrate 21, but it is not necessary to provide the spacing at all four corners. That is, if the extra adhesive applied to the microlens substrate 21 can be reliably discharged, for example,
The spacer portion 213 may be provided so as to surround the microlens region 212, and a cutout portion (interval) may be provided only in a part thereof.

D: Application Example FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of a liquid crystal projector 400 using the liquid crystal light valve 300 according to the present embodiment.
As shown in the figure, the liquid crystal projector 400 includes a lamp unit 401 having a white light source such as a metal halide lamp, mirrors 404 to 406 for separating the white light into red light, green light and blue light, and a dichroic mirror. 402, 403, liquid crystal light valves 300 and 500 corresponding to each color light, a dichroic prism 407, a projection lens 408, and a screen 409. Here, in the present embodiment, of the separated color light, blue light is incident on the liquid crystal light valve 300 according to the present invention, and red light and green light are incident on the conventional liquid crystal light valve 500 shown in FIG. It is made to let. This is because
As described above, photodecomposition of the adhesive layer and the polyimide is caused by light having a wavelength shorter than blue light.

In such a configuration, the light emitted from the lamp unit 401 is separated into red light, green light and blue light by mirrors 404 to 406 and dichroic mirrors 402 and 403, and the red light (R)
Is the liquid crystal light valve 500, green light (G) is the liquid crystal light valve 500, and blue light (B) is the liquid crystal light valve 3.
00, respectively. Each light component modulated by each liquid crystal light valve is recombined by the dichroic prism 407,
8 and projected on a screen 409 as a color image.

In the above-mentioned liquid crystal projector 400, only the blue light is supplied to the liquid crystal light valve 3 according to the present invention.
However, all three liquid crystal light valves corresponding to red light, green light and blue light may be used as the liquid crystal light valve 300 according to the present invention.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the rate of photolysis of the adhesive layer and the alignment film in the liquid crystal light valve 300 caused by the blue light can be suppressed. There is an advantage that the life can be extended.

[0059]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the projection is provided at the center of the microlens, the light incident on the microlens substrate is not focused on one point. That is, as compared with the conventional liquid crystal light valve, the luminous flux density of the incident light is not increased, so that there is an advantage that the speed of photolysis of the alignment film or the like can be suppressed. In addition, since the projection supports the flat substrate, it is possible to prevent the flat substrate from being distorted even when a stress is generated in the flat substrate due to the photolysis of the adhesive layer. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal light valve according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is an enlarged plan view of a pixel electrode and a portion in the vicinity thereof in the same embodiment, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an equivalent circuit diagram of various elements, wiring, and the like provided on a glass substrate in the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a configuration of a microlens substrate.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line B-B 'in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a path of incident light in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a molding die for producing a microlens substrate and a procedure for producing the microlens substrate in the same embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a cross section of a part of a microlens substrate and a path of incident light in a modification of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of a liquid crystal projector using a liquid crystal light valve according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a conventional liquid crystal light valve.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Element side board | substrate (1st board | substrate), 2 ... Counter board | substrate (2nd board | substrate), 3 ... Liquid crystal (electro-optical material), 11 ... Glass board, 12 ... Pixel electrode, 13 ... Scanning lines, 14 ...
... Capacitance line, 15 ... Data line, 16 ... TFT, 17 ...
... storage capacitors, 18, 26 ... alignment films, 21 ... microlens substrates, 22 ... adhesive layers, 23 ... planar substrates, 24
... Light-shielding film, 25 counter electrode, 100 glass substrate, 101, 103 mask, 102 small hole, 10
4 molding die 105 release agent layer 106 high refractive index resin material 300 500 liquid crystal light valve 2
11: substrate part, 212: microlens area, 21
3 ... spacer part, 214 ... microlens, 215
… Projecting part, 400 Liquid crystal projector (projection display device), 401 Lamp unit (light source), 402,
403... Dichroic mirror (condensing optical system), 40
4, 405, 406: mirror (condensing optical system), 407
... dichroic prism, 408 ... projection lens,
409 ... Screen.

Claims (8)

[Claims] A first substrate on which a plurality of pixel electrodes are formed; and a second substrate facing the first substrate, wherein an electro-optical material is sandwiched between the first and second substrates. In the electro-optical device, the second substrate corresponds to each of the plurality of pixel electrodes and a flat substrate facing the first substrate with the electro-optical material interposed therebetween, and emits light from a light source. An electro-optical device, comprising: a plurality of convex microlenses that pass therethrough and lead to the pixel electrodes; and a plurality of convex microlenses each having a projection in contact with the planar substrate at a central portion thereof. 2. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is a columnar member formed integrally with each of the convex microlenses. 3. The protrusion is a frustoconical member whose diameter decreases as the distance from the convex microlens increases, and a part of light emitted from the convex microlens is formed on a side surface of the protrusion. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the light is substantially parallel to an optical axis of the convex microlens. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second substrate has a spacer portion having the same height as the plurality of convex microlenses, and has a spacer portion in contact with the planar substrate. The electro-optical device according to claim 1. 5. The electro-optical device according to claim 4, wherein the spacer portions are provided near four corners of the second substrate having a rectangular shape. 6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the spacer portion is provided in a shape surrounding a region where the plurality of convex microlenses are provided, and has a cutout in at least a part thereof. Electro-optical device. 7. A first substrate having a plurality of pixel electrodes formed thereon, and a second substrate facing the first substrate, wherein an electro-optical material is sandwiched between the first and second substrates. A method of manufacturing a microlens substrate having a plurality of convex microlenses each having a projection at a central portion using a molding die; and The flat substrate and the microlens substrate are fixed so as to be in contact with each protrusion, and the second substrate is fixed to the second substrate.
And a step of forming a substrate. 8. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, a light source, a condensing optical system for guiding light emitted from the light source to the electro-optical device, and the electric device. And a projection lens for projecting light emitted from the optical device.