JP2001318616A - Method for manufacturing optoelectronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for manufacturing an optoelectronic device in which an optoelectronic substance such as a liquid crystal can be appropriately packed between a pair of substrates. SOLUTION: In the method for manufacturing an optoelectronic device, a liquid crystal injecting port 241 of a panel 100 is immersed in a liquid crystal 39 in the atmosphere of reduced pressure and the state of reduced pressure is released in a prescribed timing to inject the liquid crystal 39 into a liquid crystal packing region 40 in reduced pressure. At this time, light is made incident into the liquid crystal packing region 40 of the panel 100 from a light source 81 and light quantity of the light transmitted through the panel and a polarizing member 11 is monitored by a light receiving device 82 to determine a packing completing timing based on the monitoring result.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an electro-optical device having a panel in which an electro-optical material such as a liquid crystal is held between a pair of substrates. More specifically, the present invention relates to a management technique for filling an electro-optical material between substrates.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an electro-optical device including a panel filled with an electro-optical material such as a liquid crystal between a pair of substrates, there is an active matrix driving type liquid crystal device and the like. After being formed on each of the substrates, a pair of substrates is bonded to each other with a sealing material so as to face each other with a predetermined gap therebetween to form a panel. Fill the liquid crystal.

In the step of filling the liquid crystal, for example, the liquid crystal filling port of the panel is immersed in the liquid crystal in a reduced pressure atmosphere, and in this state, the liquid crystal is filled between the substrates under reduced pressure by releasing the reduced pressure state. At this time, as the filling of the liquid crystal progresses, the color of the panel changes.Conventionally, the operator monitors the color of the panel visually, raises the panel from the liquid crystal in anticipation of the timing of the color change, and raises the liquid crystal. Finish filling.

In such a liquid crystal device, for example, in a transmission type liquid crystal device, the transmittance of the panel is determined by the bonding accuracy when a pair of substrates are bonded in the bonding process and the gap between the substrates (liquid crystal cell). And the gap between the substrates is defined by the size of the gap material included in the sealing material for bonding the substrates. Therefore, the refractive index anisotropy of the liquid crystal is Δn, and the gap between the substrates is d.
In this case, the product (retardation) of these values and the wavelength λ of the light incident on the panel form, for example, a gap d between the substrates that satisfies the following equation: λ = 2 · Δn · d The gap material is mixed with the sealing material.

In a reflection type liquid crystal device, a gap material for forming a gap d between the substrates so as to satisfy the following equation λ = 4 · Δn · d is mixed in the sealing material.

[0006]

However, in the electro-optical device, the gap between the substrates is affected not only by the bonding step but also by the filling state of the liquid crystal in the filling step. The method of monitoring the color change visually as described above has a problem that the filling state of the liquid crystal cannot be stabilized.

[0007] That is, if the liquid crystal is insufficiently filled, the gap between the substrates will be too narrow, whereas if the liquid crystal is filled too much, the gap between the substrates will be too wide. In addition, in the method of visually monitoring a change in color, the degree of filling of the liquid crystal varies. If there is such a variation, when an inspection is performed in a mounting process close to the final process of manufacturing the electro-optical device, it is first found that the electro-optical device cannot obtain a desired transmittance. The device must be discarded after it has been mounted. Further, when a color projection type display device is manufactured by using three electro-optical devices as light valves (light modulators), there is a problem that the transmittance of each electro-optical device varies significantly and color reproducibility is poor. I do.

[0008] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide:
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing an electro-optical device that can appropriately fill an electro-optical substance such as a liquid crystal between a pair of substrates.

[0009]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a bonding step of forming a panel by bonding a pair of substrates so as to face each other with a predetermined gap therebetween; A filling step of filling the gap with an electro-optical material having fluidity, wherein in the filling step, light is made incident on the electro-optical material filling area of the panel and emitted from the panel. The amount of transmitted light or reflected light is monitored by a light receiver, and the timing for ending the filling of the electro-optical material is determined based on the monitoring result.

In either the transmission type or reflection type electro-optical device, when the wavelength of the incident light, the refractive index anisotropy, the gap between the substrates, and the filling state of the liquid crystal satisfy a predetermined relationship, The highest transmittance or reflectance can be obtained. Therefore, if it is a transmission type electro-optical device,
If the amount of light transmitted through the panel is actually monitored in the filling process, the filling of the electro-optical material can be stopped in an optimal state. In addition, in the case of a reflection type electro-optical device, the filling of the electro-optical material can be stopped in an optimum state by actually monitoring the amount of light reflected from the panel in the filling step. Furthermore, when the filling is optimized by such a method, even if there is a variation in the gap between the substrates in the bonding process, the electro-optical material is filled in an optimal state including the variation. Therefore, an electro-optical device having high display quality can be manufactured. Furthermore,
In the filling process, the timing of filling the electro-optical material is optimized while monitoring the transmittance of the panel. Therefore, a defect having a transmittance can be found in the filling process, and is not sent to a subsequent mounting process or the like. Therefore, since the electro-optical device is not manufactured using a panel having a transmittance that is not appropriate,
The yield of the electro-optical device is improved.

In the present invention, the electro-optical substance contains, for example, a liquid crystal material.

In the present invention, in the filling step, light is made incident on a plurality of places in the electro-optical material filling area, and the light amounts of the respective lights emitted from the plurality of places on the panel are respectively monitored. It is preferable that the filling of the electro-optical material is completed at a timing when the light amount becomes minimum or maximum. With this configuration, it is possible to optimize the filling state of the liquid crystal while monitoring the state of the entire area filled with the electrical engineering material.

In the present invention, in the filling step, light is made incident on a plurality of places in the electro-optical material filling area, and the amounts of light emitted from the plurality of places on the panel are respectively monitored. The filling of the electro-optical material may be completed at a timing when the variation of the light amount at each of the portions is minimized. With this configuration, it is possible to optimize the filling state of the liquid crystal while monitoring the state of the entire area filled with the electrical engineering material.

In the present invention, in the filling step, light is made incident on each of a total of nine regions defined when the rectangular electro-optical material filling region of the panel is divided into three equal parts in the vertical and horizontal directions. It is preferable that the amount of each light emitted from the location is monitored, and the timing for completing the filling of the electro-optical material is determined based on the monitoring result. In a projection type display device using an electro-optical device as a light valve, when evaluating the projection type display device from a projection image, the brightness of a total of nine regions defined when the projection image is divided into three equal parts vertically and horizontally respectively. Since the inspection is performed, the quality of the projection display device using the electro-optical device can be guaranteed by monitoring the filling state of the panel with the electro-optical material in accordance with such inspection conditions.

Further, in the present invention, in the filling step, light is made incident on each of a total of five places at the center and four corners of the rectangular electro-optical material filling area of the panel, and emitted from five places of the panel. The amount of each incoming light may be monitored, and the timing for completing the filling of the electro-optical material may be determined based on the monitoring result.

In the present invention, if the electro-optical device is of a transmission type, an incident side polarizing member is adhered to or opposed to the light incident side of the panel, while an output side polarizing member is disposed on the light emitting side of the panel. In the state of bonding or facing
It is preferable that light is incident on the panel via the incident side polarizing member, and the amount of light transmitted through the panel and the emitting side polarizing member is monitored.

In the present invention, when the incident-side polarization member and the emission-side polarization member are arranged so that their transmission polarization axes are orthogonal to each other, light transmitted through the panel and the emission-side polarization member is provided. The filling of the electro-optical material may be completed at a timing when the light amount of the electro-optical material becomes maximum. With such a configuration, the filling state is monitored under the same conditions as when the panel used in the normally white mode is completed up to the electro-optical device. Therefore, if the conditions are optimized in the filling step, the result is directly reflected in the quality of the electro-optical device.

On the other hand, when the incident-side polarization member and the emission-side polarization member are arranged so that their transmission polarization axes are parallel to each other, the light is transmitted through the panel and the emission-side polarization member. The filling of the electro-optical material may be completed at a timing when the light amount of the light becomes minimum. With such a configuration, the filling state is monitored under the same conditions as when the panel used in the normally black mode is completed up to the electro-optical device. Therefore, if the conditions are optimized in the filling step, the result is directly reflected in the quality of the electro-optical device.

In the present invention, it is preferable to use green light as the light for monitoring the filling state which is incident on the panel in the filling step. That is, the wavelengths of red light, green light, and blue light generally used as three primary colors in a projection display device are 0.610 μm and 0.545 μm, respectively.
m, which is 0.450 μm, and the optimum gap between the substrates in the panel differs by an amount corresponding to this wavelength difference. Therefore, if monitoring is performed with green light having an intermediate wavelength among these three colors, the filling of the electro-optical material can be completed under optimal conditions as a light modulator for green light, and as a result, it is determined to be a non-defective product. The light modulator can be used as it is as a light modulator for red light or a light modulator for blue light.

In this case, when the amount of light emitted from the panel is within a predetermined range at the time when the filling of the electro-optical material is completed, the panel is used as a light modulator for green light, and the panel of green light is used as the light modulator. When the amount of light emitted from the light source deviates from a predetermined range, it is preferable to use the device as a light modulator for red light or blue light. That is, since the wavelengths of red light, green light, and blue light are different from each other, even if the light modulation device for green light becomes inconvenient when monitored with green light, the light modulation device for red light, or There is a possibility that the filling state is optimal for a light modulator for blue light. Therefore, even if the light modulation device for green light becomes defective, it can be used as a light modulation device for red light or a light modulation device for blue light, thereby improving the yield of the electro-optical device. be able to.

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[Overall Configuration of Electro-Optical Device] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the electro-optical device viewed from a counter substrate side. FIG.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are a cross-sectional view of the electro-optical device taken along line HH ′ of FIG. 1 and an enlarged cross-sectional view of an end thereof. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between retardation and transmittance in the electro-optical device.

1 and 2A, the electro-optical device 1 includes an active matrix substrate 30 on which pixel electrodes 8 are formed in a matrix, a counter substrate 20 on which a counter electrode 32 is formed, A liquid crystal 39 is filled and sandwiched as an electro-optical material between them, and is roughly constituted. The active matrix substrate 30 and the opposing substrate 20 are bonded to each other via a predetermined gap by a gap-containing sealing material 52 formed along the outer peripheral edge of the opposing substrate 20. The active matrix substrate 30
A rectangular liquid crystal filling region 40 (electro-optical material filling region) is defined between the substrate and the counter substrate 20 by a sealing material 52 containing a gap material, and the liquid crystal 39 is filled in the liquid crystal filling region 40. . As the sealing material 52, an epoxy resin, various ultraviolet curable resins, or the like can be used.

The opposing substrate 20 is smaller than the active matrix substrate 30, and the peripheral portion of the active matrix substrate 30 is bonded so as to protrude from the outer peripheral edge of the opposing substrate 20. Therefore, the active matrix substrate 30
Drive circuits (scanning line drive circuit 70 and data line drive circuit 6)
0) and the input / output terminals 45 are exposed from the counter substrate 20.

Here, since the sealing material 52 is partially interrupted, the liquid crystal filling port 241 is constituted by the interrupted portion. Therefore, after the opposing substrate 20 and the active matrix substrate 30 are bonded to each other, if the inside area of the sealing material 52 is decompressed as described later, the liquid crystal 39 can be filled under reduced pressure from the liquid crystal filling port 241, and After filling, the liquid crystal filling port 241 may be closed with a sealant 242.

The opposing substrate 20 is also provided with a light-shielding film 55 for cutting off the image display area 7 inside the sealing material 52. Also, at any of the corners of the opposing substrate 20, a vertical conducting material 5 for establishing electric conduction between the active matrix substrate 30 and the opposing substrate 20.
6 are formed.

Here, the electro-optical device 1 of the present embodiment is used in a projection display device (liquid crystal projector) described later. In this projection display device, a light source (not shown) is used.
From the incident side polarizing member 12 separate from the counter substrate 20.
After being adjusted to a predetermined linearly polarized light by the
Incident at 0. For this reason, in the example shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the counter substrate 20 and the active matrix substrate 3
0, the outer surface 3 of the active matrix substrate 30
The sheet-like polarizing member 11 made of plastic is adhered only to the light-emitting side 01 (outgoing side) with a translucent adhesive 111.

Further, among the display devices used in the electro-optical device 1, in the projection type display device, three electro-optical devices 1 are used.
Are used as light valves (light modulators) for RGB, and each of the electro-optical devices 1 receives light of each color separated through a dichroic mirror for RGB color separation. . Therefore, no color filter or the like is formed in the electro-optical device 1 of the present embodiment. However, in addition to the projection type liquid crystal display, a color electro-optical device such as a color liquid crystal television may be formed by forming an RGB color filter together with a protective film in a region facing each pixel electrode 8 on the counter substrate 20. Can be. Furthermore, a dichroic filter that creates RGB colors by utilizing the interference effect of light may be formed by laminating a number of interference layers having different refractive indexes on the counter substrate 20. According to the counter substrate with the dichroic filter, a brighter color display can be performed.

Since the basic structure of such an electro-optical device 1 is the same as that of a conventional one, detailed description is omitted, but FIG. As shown, on the surface of the active matrix substrate 30, a pixel switching TFT 10 connected to a scanning line (not shown) and a data line (not shown),
Pixels including a transparent pixel electrode 8 connected to the TFT 10 are formed in a matrix. On the surface of the pixel electrode 8, an alignment film 46 formed by rubbing a polyimide film is formed.

On the other hand, on the surface of the opposing substrate 20, a black matrix made of a metal material such as chromium or resin black or a black mask is formed on a region corresponding to a boundary region between pixels of the active matrix substrate 30. Light-shielding film 6 and image display area 7
A light-shielding film 55 that cuts off is formed, and a transparent counter electrode 32 is formed so as to cover these light-shielding films 6 and 55. On the surface of the counter electrode 32, an alignment film 47 formed by rubbing a polyimide film is formed.

Here, when the electro-optical device 1 is configured as a transmission type, when the refractive index anisotropy of the liquid crystal is Δn and the gap between the substrates is d, the product of these values (retardation) is The wavelength λ of light incident on the panel is, for example,
A gap material that forms a gap d between the substrates that satisfies the following equation λ = 2 · Δn · d is mixed in the seal material 52.

That is, in FIG. 3, the relationship between the retardation and the transmittance for red light, green light and blue light is indicated by LR, LG and LB, respectively.
The transmittance increases until the retardation increases to some extent, and when the retardation increases to a certain extent or more, the transmittance periodically increases and decreases with a change in the retardation. Here, since the refractive index anisotropy Δn of the liquid crystal has the same value if the same liquid crystal, the relationship shown in FIG.
It can be said that this shows how the transmittance changes with the change of the gap d between the substrates. Therefore, once the liquid crystal material is determined,
A gap material that forms a gap d between the substrates that satisfies the above equation is mixed with the sealing material 52.

[Method of Manufacturing Electro-Optical Device] However, even if the electro-optical device 1 is designed so as to satisfy the above equation, the transmittance changes when the state of filling the liquid crystal between the substrates changes. A manufacturing method as described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a state in which liquid crystal is filled between a pair of substrates and the amount of transmitted light of the panel is monitored at nine places in the filling step in the method of manufacturing an electro-optical device to which the present invention is applied. It is. FIG. 5 (A),
(B) is an explanatory view showing how the amount of light transmitted through the panel changes before and after filling a liquid crystal between a pair of substrates in the method of manufacturing an electro-optical device to which the present invention is applied.

In order to manufacture the electro-optical device 1, first, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A and 2B, an active matrix substrate 30 is formed by using a well-known semiconductor process.
After the formation of the counter substrate 20, rubbing is performed on each of the counter substrate 20 and the active matrix substrate 30. Here, when the liquid crystal is twisted and oriented at 90 ° between the active matrix substrate 30 and the counter substrate 20, the rubbing directions for these substrates are set to be orthogonal to each other.

Next, the active matrix substrate 30 and the counter substrate 20 are bonded to each other with a predetermined gap by a sealing material 52 to form the panel 100. As a result, in the panel 100, the liquid crystal filling region 40 is formed between the active matrix substrate 30 and the counter substrate 20 inside the sealing material 52.

Next, of the opposing substrate 20 and the active matrix substrate 30, the active matrix substrate 30
A plastic sheet-shaped emission-side polarizing member 11 is adhered to the outer surface 301 (emission side) of the substrate with a light-transmitting adhesive 111.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the liquid crystal filling port 241 of the panel 100 is immersed in the liquid crystal 39 in a reduced pressure atmosphere, and the liquid crystal 39 is released from this state at a predetermined timing to release the liquid crystal 39. A vacuum is injected into the liquid crystal filling region 40 of the panel.

At this time, the present embodiment employs a management method described below so that the filling of the liquid crystal 39 is automatically terminated at an optimum timing.

First, as described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, of the opposing substrate 20 and the active matrix substrate 30, the polarizing member 11 is disposed on the outer surface 301 (outgoing side) of the active matrix substrate 30. As shown in FIG. 5A, the incident side polarizing member 12 'for monitoring the filling state is arranged so as to face the counter substrate 20, and the filling step is performed in this state. Here, the entrance-side polarization member 12 ′ for monitoring the filling state and the exit-side polarization member 11 are
They are arranged so that their transmission polarization axes are orthogonal to each other.

As shown in FIG. 4, a light source 81 is disposed on the side of the opposite substrate 20 of the panel 100, and a light receiver 82 is disposed on the side of the active matrix substrate 30.
Then, at the same time as the filling of the liquid crystal 39 is started, light is incident from the light source 81 toward the liquid crystal filling region 40 of the panel 100 via the filling state monitoring polarizing member 12 '(see FIG. 5A). The amount of light transmitted through the panel and the polarizing member 11 is monitored by the light receiver 82.

In this embodiment, nine light sources 81 and two light receivers 82 are provided for monitoring the filling state, and the panel 10
Light is incident on each of a total of nine regions defined when the 0-rectangular liquid crystal filling region 40 is divided into three equal parts vertically and horizontally, and the amounts of light emitted from nine places of the panel 100 are monitored. .

As a result, as shown in FIG. 5 (A), when the liquid crystal 39 is not filled, the light incident on the panel 100 with the transmitted polarization axes aligned by the incident side polarizing member 12 for monitoring the filling state. Does not pass through the panel 100 and the exit side polarizing member 11 because the transmission polarization axis is not twisted by the liquid crystal 39, but as the filling of the liquid crystal 39 progresses, as shown in FIG. Meanwhile, the light entering the panel 100 whose transmission polarization axes are aligned by the incident side polarization member 12 ′ for monitoring the filling state is twisted by the liquid crystal 39, and transmits through the panel 100 and the emission side polarization member 11. I do. Therefore, the amount of transmitted light detected by the light receiver 82 changes along a curve showing the relationship between retardation and transmittance, as indicated by the arrow P in FIG. Therefore, as shown by an arrow P0 in FIG. 3, the amount of transmitted light detected by the light receiver 82 is maximized, and the liquid crystal is aligned with the timing at which the variation in the amount of light received by the nine light receivers 82 is minimized. Panel 100 is automatically pulled up from 39,
The filling of the liquid crystal 39 ends.

As described above, in the method of manufacturing the electro-optical device 1 according to the present embodiment, the wavelength λ of the incident light and the refractive index anisotropy are monitored by monitoring the amount of light transmitted through the panel 100 in the filling step. When the Δn, the gap d between the substrates, and the filling state of the liquid crystal 39 satisfy the optimum relationship, the filling of the liquid crystal 39 is terminated. Therefore, since the filling state of the liquid crystal 39 is always optimal, it is possible to manufacture the electro-optical device 1 having a high transmittance. Further, according to such a method, even if there is a variation in the gap d between the substrates in the bonding step, the liquid crystal 39 is filled in an optimum state including the variation, so that the display quality is high. The electro-optical device 1 can be manufactured. Furthermore, since the filling of the liquid crystal 39 is optimized while monitoring the transmittance of the panel 100 in the filling step, the one having a defective transmittance is not sent to a subsequent mounting step or the like. Therefore, since the electro-optical device 1 is not manufactured using the panel 100 having the transmittance that is not sufficient, the electro-optical device 1 is not manufactured.
The completed product is not determined to be defective due to the low transmittance of the panel 100. Therefore, the yield of the electro-optical device 1 is improved.

In a projection type display device using the electro-optical device 1 as a light valve, when evaluating a projected image, the brightness of nine areas in total which are divided when the projected image is divided into three equal parts vertically and horizontally, etc. In this embodiment, light is incident on each of a total of nine regions defined when the rectangular liquid crystal filling region 40 of the panel 100 is vertically and horizontally divided into three equal parts in accordance with such inspection conditions. Then, the light amounts of the respective lights emitted from the nine locations of the panel 100 are respectively monitored, and the timing for completing the filling of the liquid crystal 39 is determined based on the monitoring results. Therefore, only by monitoring the filling state of the liquid crystal 39 in the panel 100, the quality of the projection display device using the electro-optical device 1 can be guaranteed.

In this embodiment, the panel 100 and the output-side polarizing member 11 are arranged by arranging the input-side polarizing member 12 and the output-side polarizing member 11 in such a direction that their transmission polarization axes are orthogonal to each other.
Since the light transmitted through the panel 100 is monitored, the panel 100 used in the normally white mode can be inspected under the same conditions as in the state where the electro-optical device 1 is completed. Therefore, if the conditions are optimized in the filling step, the result is directly reflected on the quality of the electro-optical device 1.

[Modification 1 of Manufacturing Method] In FIG. 4, a green filter (not shown) is arranged between the panel 100 and the light source 81, and the filling state of the liquid crystal 39 is monitored by green light. Good. In this case, as shown in FIG.
The wavelengths of red light, green light, and blue light, which are generally used as three primary colors in a projection display device, are 0.6, respectively.
10 μm, 0.545 μm, and 0.450 μm, and an amount corresponding to the difference between the wavelengths is different in an optimal gap d between substrates in the panel (optimal retardation Δn · d). Therefore, when monitoring with green light, the filling of the liquid crystal 39 is completed under optimal conditions as a light modulator for green light. Still, since green light has an intermediate wavelength among the three primary colors of red light, green light, and blue light used as three primary colors in a projection display device and the like, electricity manufactured as a non-defective product by monitoring with green light is used. The engineering device 1 can be used as it is as a light modulator for red light or a light modulator for blue light.

[Modification 2 of Manufacturing Method] FIG.
5B shows a method for manufacturing an electro-optical device to which the present invention is applied, wherein the state shown in FIG. 5 is different from the state shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the amount of incoming light changes.

As shown in FIG. 6 (A), in the filling step, the incident-side polarizing member 12 'for monitoring the filling state and the emitting-side polarizing member 11 are arranged in such a direction that their transmission polarization axes are parallel to each other. In this case, in a state where the liquid crystal 39 is not filled, the light incident on the panel 100 whose transmission polarization axes are aligned by the incident side polarization member 12 is not twisted by the liquid crystal 39, so that Although the light is transmitted through the panel 100 and the emission-side polarizing member 11, as the filling of the liquid crystal 39 progresses, as shown in FIG.
If the transmission polarization axis is twisted by the liquid crystal 39, the light that has entered the panel 100 with the transmission polarization axes aligned by the incident side polarization member 12 'will not pass through the panel 100 and the emission side polarization member 11. Therefore, 9 shown in FIG.
The filling of the liquid crystal 39 may be completed at a timing when the light amount of the transmitted light detected by the two light receivers 82 is minimized and the variation in the light amount of the transmitted light detected by the nine light receivers 82 is minimized. Changes in color may also be monitored. With this configuration, the filling state of the panel 100 used in the normally black mode can be monitored under the same conditions as the state where the panel 100 is completed up to the electro-optical device 1.

[Modification 3 of Manufacturing Method]
In the case where the liquid crystal 39 is filled before the emission-side polarizing member 11 is attached during the production of the light-emitting device 0, the incidence-side polarization member and the emission-type polarization member are not attached to the panel 100. (A), (B) or FIG.
As shown in (A) and (B), the entrance-side polarizing member 12 'and the emission-type polarizing member 11' for monitoring the filling state are provided on the panel 1.
The transmitted light may be monitored by arranging it so as to be opposed to 00, and the timing of ending the filling of the liquid crystal 39 may be determined based on the monitoring result.

[Modification 4 of Manufacturing Method] FIG.
(B) shows a method of manufacturing an electro-optical device to which the present invention is applied, wherein the amount of light transmitted through a panel changes before and after filling a liquid crystal between a pair of substrates when a polarizing member is not used. It is explanatory drawing which shows a situation.

Further, when a method of filling the liquid crystal 39 before attaching the emission side polarizing member 11 during the manufacture of the panel is employed, as shown in FIG.
Monitoring the transmitted light without disposing any one of the incident side polarizing member 12 and the outgoing type polarizing member 11 with respect to 00,
The timing for ending the filling of the liquid crystal may be determined based on the monitoring result. In this case, as shown in FIG.
Since the amount of light passing through the liquid crystal is reduced, the filling of the liquid crystal 39 may be terminated at that timing.

[Fifth Modification of Manufacturing Method] FIG. 8 shows a method of manufacturing an electro-optical device to which the present invention is applied.
It is explanatory drawing which shows a mode that monitoring is performed at a location.

Further, the panel 1 in which the liquid crystal 39 is being filled.
8, the light from the light source 81 is incident on each of the center and four corners of the rectangular liquid crystal filling region 40 of the panel 100, as shown in FIG.
00, the light amounts of the respective lights emitted from the five locations are respectively monitored by the light receiver 82, and based on the monitoring results, the liquid crystal 3
9 may be determined.

[Configuration of Another Electro-Optical Device] FIG.
FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of another electro-optical device different from the electro-optical device described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, and a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged end portion thereof.

The electro-optical device 1 shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B
Now, the counter substrate 20 and the active matrix substrate 3
0, the plastic sheet-like incident-side polarizing member 12 is provided on the outer surface 201 of the opposing substrate 20 with the light-transmitting adhesive 1.
A plastic sheet-shaped emission-side polarizing member 11 is attached to an outer surface 301 of the active matrix substrate 30 with a light-transmissive adhesive 111. Other configurations are the same as those described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, and thus common portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and are illustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B. A description thereof will be omitted.

When the electro-optical device 1 having such a configuration is manufactured, the filling process is performed in the same manner as in FIG. 5, FIG. 6 or FIG.
The amount of light passing through the panel 100 may be monitored using the principle described with reference to FIG. 7, and the timing for ending the filling of the liquid crystal 39 may be determined based on the monitoring result.

[Configuration of Still Another Electro-Optical Device] FIG.
2A and 2B are a cross-sectional view of another electro-optical device different from the electro-optical device described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively, and a cross-sectional view illustrating an enlarged end portion thereof. FIG.

In the electro-optical device 1 shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, neither the opposing substrate 20 nor the active matrix substrate 30 is provided with a polarizing member, and the opposing substrate 20 faces the outer surface 201. Panel 100
The outgoing-side polarizing member 1 separate from the panel 100 is provided so that the incident-side polarizing member 12 is provided separately from the panel 100 so as to face the outer surface 301 (outgoing side) of the active matrix substrate 30.
1 is arranged. Other configurations are shown in FIG.
As described with reference to FIG. 10B, common portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and are shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, and description thereof is omitted.

When the electro-optical device 1 having such a structure is manufactured, the filling process is performed in the same manner as in FIG. 5, FIG. 6 or FIG.
The amount of light passing through the panel 100 may be monitored using the principle described with reference to FIG. 7, and the timing for ending the filling of the liquid crystal 39 may be determined based on the monitoring result.

[Other Embodiments] In each of the above embodiments, the transmissive electro-optical device 1 has been described as an example. However, if the pixel electrode is formed of aluminum or the like, the reflective electro-optical device can be used. Can be configured. Also in this case, in the filling step of the liquid crystal 39, light is made incident on the liquid crystal filling region 40 of the panel 100, and the amount of reflected light emitted from the panel 100 is monitored by the light receiver 82, and based on the monitoring result, The timing for ending the filling of the liquid crystal 39 may be determined.

[Configuration of Projection Display Device] Referring to FIG. 11, a transmission type electro-optical device 1 is used as a specific example of an electronic apparatus using the electro-optical device 1 manufactured by the method according to the present invention. The configuration of the projection display device will be described.

In FIG. 11, a projection type display device 1100
In this embodiment, the liquid crystal display module including the transmission electro-optical device 1 is used as light valves 100R, 100G, and 100B for R (red light), G (green light), and B (blue light), respectively. In this projection display device 1100, when projection light is emitted from a lamp unit 1102 of a white light source such as a metal halide lamp, three mirrors 1
The light components R, G, and B corresponding to the three primary colors of RGB are separated by the 106 and two dichroic mirrors 1108, and the light valves 100R, 100 corresponding to the respective colors are provided.
G and 100B. At this time, in particular, the B light is incident on the incident lens 112 to prevent light loss due to a long optical path.
2. It is guided through a relay lens system 1121 including a relay lens 1123 and an emission lens 1124. The light components corresponding to the three primary colors modulated by the light valves 100R, 100G, and 100B are combined again by the dichroic prism 1112, and then projected as a color image on the screen 1120 via the projection lens 1114.

As described above, in the projection display device 1100, the electro-optical device 1 is used as a light valve (light modulator) for red light, green light, and blue light, respectively. The wavelengths of the blue light are slightly different, 0.610 μm, 0.545 μm, and 0.450 μm, respectively, so that the optimum gap d between the substrates differs by the amount corresponding to this wavelength difference. Therefore, if monitoring is performed with green light having an intermediate wavelength among these three colors, the liquid crystal 39 is optimally used as a light modulator for green light.
Can be used, and the electro-optical device 1 determined as a non-defective product as a result can be used as it is as a light modulator for red light or a light modulator for blue light.

When the emission amount of the panel 100 is within the specified range at the time when the filling of the liquid crystal 39 is completed while monitoring using green light as the light for monitoring the filling state, the panel 100 is subjected to light modulation with respect to the green light. When used as a device and the amount of light emitted from panel 100 deviates from the standard, it may be used as a light modulator for red light or blue light. That is, since the wavelengths of red light, green light, and blue light are different from each other, even if the electro-optical device 1 which is inconvenient as a light modulator for green light when monitored with green light, the red light There is a possibility that the filling state is optimal as a light modulator for blue light or a light modulator for blue light. Therefore, even in the electro-optical device 1 which becomes a defect as a light modulator for green light, a light modulator for red light,
Alternatively, since it can be used as a light modulator for blue light, the yield of the electro-optical device 1 can be improved.

[0066]

As described above, in the method of manufacturing an electro-optical device according to the present invention, the filling of the electro-optical material is performed in an optimum state by monitoring the amount of light transmitted or reflected from the panel in the filling step. The relationship between the wavelength of the incident light, the refractive index anisotropy, the gap between the substrates, and the filling state of the liquid crystal can be set optimally. Therefore, the maximum transmittance or reflectance can be obtained from the electro-optical device. Further, even if there is a variation in the gap between the substrates in the bonding step, the electro-optical material is filled in an optimal state including the variation, so that an electro-optical device with high display quality can be manufactured. Furthermore, in the filling step, since the filling of the electro-optical material is optimized while monitoring the transmittance of the panel, those having a poor transmittance are not sent to a subsequent mounting step or the like. Therefore, an electro-optical device is not manufactured using a panel having a transmittance that is not satisfactory.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an electro-optical device as viewed from a counter substrate side.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are a cross-sectional view of the electro-optical device taken along the line HH ′ in FIG. 1 and a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged end portion thereof.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between retardation and transmittance in the electro-optical device.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a state in which liquid crystal is filled between a pair of substrates and a transmitted light amount of a panel is monitored at nine places in the filling step in the method of manufacturing an electro-optical device to which the present invention is applied.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show a method of manufacturing an electro-optical device to which the present invention is applied, wherein the amount of light transmitted through a panel changes before and after filling a liquid crystal between a pair of substrates. It is explanatory drawing which shows a situation.

FIGS. 6A and 6B respectively show a liquid crystal between a pair of substrates when the direction of the polarizing member is changed from the state shown in FIG. 5 in the manufacturing method of the electro-optical device to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the amount of light transmitted through the panel changes before and after filling with.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams respectively showing a method of manufacturing an electro-optical device to which the present invention is applied, when a polarizing member is not used, a panel is transmitted before and after filling a liquid crystal between a pair of substrates. It is explanatory drawing which shows a mode that the light quantity of the incoming light changes.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the amount of transmitted light of the panel is monitored at five points in a step of filling a liquid crystal between a pair of substrates in a method of manufacturing an electro-optical device to which the present invention is applied.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are a cross-sectional view of an electro-optical device different from the electro-optical device shown in FIG. 2, and a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged end portion thereof.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are a cross-sectional view of another electro-optical device different from the electro-optical device shown in FIG. 2, and a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged end portion thereof.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an arrangement of optical components of the projection display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 electro-optical device 6 light-shielding film on counter substrate side 7 image display area 8 pixel electrode 10 TFT for pixel switching 11, 11 ′ emission-side polarization member 12, 12 ′ incidence-side polarization member 20 counter substrate 30 active matrix substrate 32 counter electrode Reference Signs List 39 liquid crystal (electro-optical material) 40 liquid crystal filling region 46, 47 alignment film 52 sealing material 81 light source for filling status monitoring 82 light receiving device for filling status monitoring 241 liquid crystal filling port 100 panel 100R, 100G, 100B RGB light valve (Light modulator) 1100 Projection display device 2011 Light source lamp (light source)

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2H088 EA14 EA15 FA10 FA17 FA24 FA30 JA05 MA16 2H089 KA17 NA24 NA25 NA32 NA33 NA56 NA60 QA09 QA12 QA13 RA05 SA01 SA03 TA09 TA18 UA05 5G435 AA17 BB12 KK05

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A laminating step of laminating a pair of substrates so as to face each other with a predetermined gap therebetween to form a panel, and filling the gap of the panel with an electro-optical material having fluidity. In the method of manufacturing an electro-optical device having a step, in the filling step, light is incident on an electro-optical material filling area of the panel, and the amount of transmitted light or reflected light emitted from the panel is monitored by a light receiver. And determining a timing for ending the filling of the electro-optical material on the basis of the monitoring result. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electro-optical material includes a liquid crystal material. 3. The filling step according to claim 1, wherein in the filling step, light is incident on a plurality of places in the electro-optical material filling area, and light amounts of the respective lights emitted from the plurality of places on the panel are respectively monitored. And filling the electro-optical material at a timing at which the light amount becomes a minimum or a maximum in the monitoring result. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein
In the filling step, light is incident on a plurality of places in the electro-optical material filling area, and the light amounts of the respective lights emitted from the plurality of places on the panel are respectively monitored. A method of manufacturing the electro-optical device, wherein the filling of the electro-optical material is completed at a timing when the variation of the electro-optical material is minimized. 5. The method according to claim 3, wherein, in the filling step, light is incident on each of a total of nine regions defined when the rectangular electro-optical material filling region of the panel is divided into three equal parts vertically and horizontally. A method for monitoring the amount of light emitted from each of the nine locations on the panel, and determining a timing for completing the filling of the electro-optical material based on the monitoring result. . 6. The panel according to claim 3, wherein in the filling step, light is incident on each of a total of five points at the center and four corners of the rectangular electro-optical material filling region of the panel, and the five points on the panel are formed. A method of monitoring a light amount of each light emitted from the device, and determining a timing of completing the filling of the electro-optical material based on the monitoring result. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein
While the incident-side polarizing member is adhered to or opposed to the light incident surface side of the panel, while the emitting-side polarizing member is adhered or opposed to the light emitting surface side of the panel, the incident-side polarizing member is interposed through the incident-side polarizing member. A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device, comprising: irradiating light on a panel and monitoring the amount of light transmitted through the panel and the emission-side polarizing member. 8. The light transmitted through the panel and the emission-side polarization member according to claim 7, wherein the incident-side polarization member and the emission-side polarization member are arranged so that their transmission polarization axes are orthogonal to each other. Filling the electro-optical material at a timing when the amount of light of the electro-optical material becomes maximum. 9. The polarizing plate according to claim 7, wherein the incident-side polarizing member and the emitting-side polarizing member are arranged so that their transmission polarization axes are parallel to each other, and have passed through the panel and the emitting-side polarizing member. A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device, wherein the filling of the electro-optical material is completed at a timing when the amount of light becomes minimum. 10. The method of manufacturing an electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the light for monitoring the filling state, which is incident on the panel in the filling step, is green light. 11. The panel according to claim 10, wherein, in the filling step, when the amount of emitted light from the panel is within a predetermined range when the filling of the electro-optical material is completed, the panel is used as a light modulator for green light. A method for manufacturing an electro-optical device, wherein the device is used as a light modulator for red light or blue light when the amount of emitted green light from the panel is out of a predetermined range.