JP2002303714A - Method for manufacturing color filter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for manufacturing a color filter transferring only excellent parts of a CF(color filter) layer by accurately detecting and differentiating uneven defective parts of a release layer and coloring patterns of respective colors in single inspection of unevenness without being affected by the uneven defective parts of the release layer, in a step of manufacture of the color filter by transferring. SOLUTION: A set of a plurality of candidate uneven defective parts adjacent to each other is rated as a candidate region for the uneven defects of the release layer and the coloring patterns of the respective colors. Coordinates and areas of the candidate region for the uneven defects are compared with each other. The uneven defects under inspection are judged to be the candidate region for the uneven defects of the release layer 31 if the coordinates are adjacent to each other and differences in the areas are small and are judged to be the candidate region for the uneven defects of the coloring patterns of the respective colors 32 if the coordinates are apart from each other and differences in the areas are large. Subsequently the uneven defective parts of the coloring patterns of the respective colors are detected by comparing the luminance with an average luminance value of respective peripheral parts.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color filter (hereinafter referred to as C) used for a liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to as LCD).
F), in particular, by transferring a CF layer formed on a continuous sheet onto a transparent substrate,
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a CF, which can efficiently detect only an uneven defect portion of each color pattern of a CF layer before transfer in the manufacturing of a CF by a transfer method for manufacturing F.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to display a color image on the LCD, a method of using a CF having spectral characteristics of three primary colors of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) has been widely adopted.
As the CF, a resin layer colored with an organic pigment or an organic dye by a dyeing method, a pigment dispersing method, a printing method, or the like is finely arranged in a stripe shape or a matrix shape and provided on a transparent substrate. Is used. (M. Tan
i, et al: “LCDColor Filter
s: Characteristics and Fut
ure Issues ”, SID 95 SEMINA
However, in the CF of the dyeing method, the patterning step of the dyeable resin film and the dyeing step need to be performed in separate steps. Since a dyeing treatment is also required, the steps are complicated and there is a drawback that automation is difficult.

In recent years, a coloring material such as a pigment has been mixed and dispersed in a resin itself to be a CF layer, and the resin itself has also been converted into a photosensitive resin.
It has been practiced to simplify the process of producing CF. This method is referred to as a pigment dispersion method, in which a photosensitive coloring composition in which a coloring material is mixed and dispersed is applied to a transparent substrate such as glass to a uniform thickness, and the exposed portion and the non-exposed portion are subjected to pattern exposure with an exposure device. In this method, a CF layer having a desired pattern is formed by selective dissolution called development after giving a difference in solubility in a solvent with a portion. According to this method, the steps are simpler than the dyeing method, and there is an advantage that CF can be easily produced on an automated production line. However, this method also produces CF by repeatedly forming a predetermined number of colored layers such as red (R), green (G), and blue (B) for each transparent substrate such as glass. Is no different,
The process is still complicated.

As a method of producing CF with high production efficiency, which is free from the above-mentioned complicated steps, a roll-shaped sheet using a metal sheet or the like having a thermal expansion coefficient substantially equal to that of a transparent substrate such as glass as a transfer sheet substrate. It is possible to use a continuous intermediate transfer medium (hereinafter, referred to as a transfer sheet) to improve the efficiency of the coating process and to avoid the increase in the size of manufacturing equipment due to the increase in the size of a transparent substrate such as glass (multi-face mounting). There has been proposed a method of manufacturing CF by a transfer method. (JP-A-7-294717)
No.)

According to this transfer type manufacturing method, the step of repeatedly forming a predetermined number of colors such as red (R), green (G), and blue (B) is performed for each transparent substrate such as glass. Instead of a roll-shaped continuous transfer sheet substrate,
Since the operation of each step can be performed continuously, it is possible to improve production efficiency. Further, after forming a CF layer of a required size (for example, a 20-inch size for monitor use) as a transfer sheet, a required large size (for example,
(20 inch size for monitor use multi-faced size)
By manufacturing a CF by multi-layer transfer to a transparent base material, it is possible to reduce the size of equipment related to the patterning of the CF layer, thereby reducing equipment costs and reducing difficulty in exposure (mask) -Maintenance of alignment accuracy between base materials, uniformity of exposure dose, etc.).

However, on the other hand, since a CF layer composed of each color pattern is successively applied / formed on an opaque base material such as a continuous metal sheet, a glass substrate or the like is required. In order to apply / form a CF layer on a transparent base material, a glass substrate is extracted from a production line, and a defect inspection of a photosensitive coloring composition is performed, or a transparent material is applied / formed on a transparent film. It is difficult to cut the film in the middle and perform various measurements such as film thickness measurement.
In particular, since it is difficult to cut and reconnect a metal sheet in the middle, it is difficult to measure by sampling, and since it is opaque, a device that can measure and inspect only on the coated surface side is required.

[0007] Further, uneven defects of the CF layer may be partially generated in the surface of the CF layer due to inadequate manufacturing conditions such as the quality of the composition and dispersion state of the photosensitive coloring composition, the temperature at the time of application, drying conditions, and exposure conditions. This is a color density change that appears in the image.
Since the display quality of a CD is impaired, it is desirable not to generate it. However, if it does occur, it is necessary to eliminate it by an unevenness inspection. In the case of a non-uniformity inspection of a CF layer formed on a glass substrate, there is a method of processing an image of the CF layer photographed by a CCD sensor through various image processings to extract a non-uniformity defect, and comparing it with a reference to determine. Proposed. (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
However, in the transfer method, a CF layer on an opaque substrate such as a continuous metal sheet is inspected.
Like a glass substrate, it can be pulled out for visual inspection,
It is difficult to apply the transmitted light type unevenness defect inspection apparatus as it is.

In addition, in the transfer method, a CF layer is formed on the release layer, and in a conventional reflection type non-uniform defect inspection apparatus, a single measurement removes the non-uniform defect in the release layer. It is easy to mistakenly detect it as a non-uniform defect.
It was necessary to perform two measurements at the time of forming the F layer, record the mura defect inspection data at the time of forming the delamination, and separate them by subtracting from the mura defect inspection data of the CF layer.
This work requires a reflection type non-uniformity defect inspection apparatus for both the peeling layer forming step and the CF layer forming step. Without this operation, a non-defective CF layer part having a non-uniform defect in a screen is replaced with a non-defective CF layer part. It is not recognized as erroneous and is not transferred to the transparent substrate, which is one of the causes of lowering the production efficiency.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to address the above problems, and has as its object the advantages of the transfer system CF, such as high production efficiency and small production equipment. To take advantage of the low equipment cost and the low cost of the combination of these factors, the CF layer can be colored in a single spot inspection without being affected by the spot defect of the release layer applied on the transfer sheet. An uneven defect portion of a pattern is correctly detected, and only a good CF layer portion is transferred to obtain a CF.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a color filter which can keep the quality of a color filter constant.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided a transfer sheet comprising a continuous sheet-like base material, a base material-adhesive release layer, and a color filter layer comprising a plurality of colored patterns provided on the release layer. In the step of transferring only the color filter layer portion in which the unevenness defect portion is not detected in the area of the screen unit to a transparent base material of the screen unit or a thin film transistor substrate via an adhesive layer to manufacture a color filter. In
In one non-uniformity inspection, when accurately detecting the non-uniformity defect portion of the peeling layer and the non-uniformity defect portion of each color coloring pattern of the color filter layer without being affected by the non-uniformity defect portion of the release layer,
(A) The reflected light image of the illuminated color filter layer is photographed by an image photographing device, and the image luminance data obtained from the reflected light image is stored. (B) The image luminance data is converted to the image luminance of each color for each screen unit. The distribution data is compared with a threshold value calculated from the image luminance distribution data, the non-uniformity is detected, the non-uniformity defect candidate part of the peeling layer and the colored pattern is stored, and its coordinates, area, and luminance value are stored. c) A set in which a plurality of peeling layers and non-uniformity defect candidate portions of each color coloring pattern are adjacent to each other is defined as a non-uniformity defect candidate region of the peeling layer and each color coloring pattern, and its coordinates, area, and average luminance value are stored. The coordinates of the peeling layer and the irregularity defect candidate area of each color coloring pattern,
The areas are compared with each other, and if the peeling layer for each color and the mura defect candidate area of each color pattern are in close proximity to each other, and if there is a small area difference, the peel layer and the mura defect candidate area of each color pattern will be compared with the peel layer unevenness. Judgment as a defect candidate area, if the peeling layer of each color and the mura defect candidate area of each color coloring pattern are far away from each other in coordinates and a large area difference, the peeling layer and the mura defect candidate area of each color coloring pattern are converted to each color coloring pattern. , And discriminated the peeling layer and the mura defect candidate area of each color coloring pattern into the mura defect candidate area of the peeling layer and the mura defect candidate area of each color coloring pattern, and stored (e). By comparing the average luminance value of the non-uniformity defect candidate area of each color coloring pattern with the average luminance value of the peripheral part of the non-uniformity defect candidate area, it is detected as the non-uniform defect part of each color coloring pattern. Or without mura defects of the layer, a method of manufacturing a color filter, wherein the uneven defective portion of each color colored pattern in the area of the screen unit to transfer only the color filter layer portions that are not detected.

The present invention is directed to a transfer sheet in which a release layer having a substrate adhesive property is provided on a continuous sheet-like base material and a color filter layer comprising a plurality of colored patterns is provided on the release layer. In the process of transferring only the color filter layer portion in which the unevenness defect portion is not detected within the screen unit on a transparent base material or a thin film transistor substrate via an adhesive layer to manufacture a color filter, In the unevenness inspection, when accurately detecting the unevenness defect portion of the peeling layer and the unevenness defect portion of each color pattern of the color filter layer without being affected by the unevenness defect portion of the peeling layer, (a) the color filter Using a plurality of light sources for illuminating the layer and a plurality of image capturing devices, disposing a plurality of light sources at different angles from the normal line of the transfer sheet and / or from the direction in which the transfer sheet is fed, and setting the regular reflection position And (b) combining a different wavelength intensity distribution and a different polarization state for each of the plurality of light sources to reduce the detection of a candidate for a non-uniformity defect in the peeling layer, and Optimizes the detection of uneven defect candidate portions of each color coloring pattern of the filter layer, regardless of the presence or absence of the uneven defect portion of the peeling layer, only the color filter layer portion where no uneven defect portion of each color coloring pattern is detected within the area of each screen And a method for manufacturing a color filter.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing one embodiment of the transfer sheet according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a transfer sheet (10) is a sheet in which an undercoat layer (12), a release layer (2), and a CF layer (7) are sequentially formed on a continuous sheet-like substrate (1). It is. (3), (4), (5),
(6) shows a colored pattern (red), a colored pattern (green), a colored pattern (blue), and a colored pattern (black) constituting the CF layer (7). FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the transfer system CF according to the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 2, the transfer system CF (11) has a structure in which an adhesive layer (8) and a CF layer (7) are formed on a transparent substrate (9).

The method of producing the transfer CF according to the present invention comprises the steps of (1) providing a release layer having a substrate adhesive property on a continuous sheet-like substrate, and (2) developing photosensitive color on the release layer. Applying and drying the composition, and (3) exposing the dried photosensitive coloring composition at a photosensitive wavelength of the photosensitive coloring composition through an exposure photomask having a pattern having a certain interval and shape. Step (4) The photosensitive coloring composition having a difference in dissolution in a developing solvent between an exposed portion and a non-exposed portion due to exposure is selectively dissolved by development to obtain a desired pattern shape, and is heated and dried as necessary. Step (5) Repeat steps (2) to (4) according to the required number of colors to obtain a CF of any size in which a black pattern is formed between the colored patterns.
A step of forming a transfer sheet provided with a layer, (6) a non-uniformity inspection of a CF layer formed for each screen of the LCD is performed on the transfer sheet, and a non-uniform defect portion is detected and C is determined to be defective.
Recording the F layer portion and transmitting defect information to a transfer device;
(7) CF determined to be good in the unevenness inspection on the transfer sheet
After laminating the layer portion on a transfer device with a transparent base material and a liquid adhesive layer in between, the adhesive layer is pressed and adhered to an arbitrary thickness and cured by light irradiation. (1) to (8), a step of peeling off the transfer sheet to transfer and form the CF layer on the transparent substrate, and (8) a step of developing and removing the uncured portion of the adhesive layer and curing by heating. This is a method of manufacturing a transfer method CF by a process.

According to the present invention, in the process of continuously producing the transfer type CF, after the step of forming the CF layer, the uneven defect portion of the release layer and the uneven defect portion of each color coloring pattern of the CF layer are discriminated and detected. Further, the method is characterized in that the method is a method of transferring only a good color filter layer portion in which no unevenness defect portion is detected in an area of each screen regardless of the presence or absence of the unevenness defect portion of the release layer. The unevenness inspection is performed for the purpose of accurately detecting only the unevenness defective portion of the CF layer formed on the transfer sheet. By using a later-described unevenness defect inspection apparatus capable of detecting / extracting an unevenness defect portion existing in the peeling layer from above the CF layer depending on conditions in a manufacturing process such as coating, there is essentially no unevenness defect portion for each screen. Despite being a CF layer, it is prevented from being defective due to the influence of the uneven defect portion of the release layer, that is, it is prevented from being a CF layer having the uneven defect portion. Thus, it is possible to improve the production efficiency and to stably produce good quality CF.

According to the unevenness inspection in the present invention, the unevenness defect candidate region of the peeling layer affects the unevenness inspection of each color pattern of the CF layer, and the unevenness candidate region over a plurality of colors of the CF layer is located in the nearby region as the unevenness defect candidate region. Since the position correlation is concentrated and appears, it can be determined as a candidate region for the unevenness defect of the peeled layer. The determination of the presence / absence of the positional correlation is performed by setting the size of the determination region so that the non-uniformity defect candidate region of another color is located around the non-uniformity defect candidate region of each color, and determining the continuity of the non-uniformity defect candidate region between the colors. In this case, it is possible to efficiently extract only the non-uniform defect candidate area of the CF layer. At this time, the manufacturing conditions such as coating and development are different for each color coloring pattern of the CF layer, and unevenness is formed at the same position of each color coloring pattern unless the same exposure photomask has scratches, dust, dirt, and the like. Since the possibility of generating a defective portion is very low, it is possible to distinguish from the uneven defect candidate region of the peeling layer from the positional correlation of the uneven defect candidate region in each color coloring pattern by the above method.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of light sources for illuminating the CF layer and a plurality of image photographing devices are used, and an angle from a normal line of the transfer sheet and / or an angle from a feed direction of the transfer sheet are different. Place a plurality of light sources in the position, specular reflection position, and place a plurality of image capturing devices in the diffuse reflection position,
The method is characterized in that different wavelength intensity distributions and polarization states are combined for each of a plurality of light sources to be used. Optimum conditions for detecting the mura defect candidate portion of each color coloring pattern of the CF layer are different for each color. However, the optimum conditions which differ for each color and the conditions which can reduce the detection of the mura defect candidate portion for the peeling layer are as follows. The conditions of the light source and the image capturing apparatus are selected so as to satisfy the conditions, and the detection of the uneven defect candidate portion of each color pattern of the CF layer is optimized.

In particular, when the release layer is colored in a specific color, the approximate color in the CF layer is likely to be affected. Therefore, the wavelength distribution of the light source, the polarization state, and the illumination angle are selected, and the color density of the CF layer is determined. A non-uniformity inspection is performed under the condition that the information is stronger than that of the release layer, and CF
It is intended to reduce the erroneous detection of the extraction of the uneven defect candidate portion of the layer. By transmitting the unevenness defect information of the CF layer obtained from the above to the transfer device and transferring only the CF layer of a screen unit determined to be good to a transparent substrate or the like, a good CF can be efficiently manufactured. Becomes

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing the concept of an embodiment of an unevenness defect inspection apparatus used in the present invention. This unevenness defect inspection device (20) is a CCD line sensor or C
An image capturing device (22) using a CD camera or the like, a light emitting body such as a halogen lamp or a xenon lamp, a projection optical system, or a transmission optical system using an optical fiber, an optical filter that changes a wavelength intensity distribution as necessary, An image processing means for processing an image from a light source (21) combined with a polarizing filter for changing a state and an image capturing device (22) to generate a processed image in which unevenness included in each color coloring pattern of a CF layer is enhanced. And an arithmetic processing means for arithmetically processing the processed image to detect a non-uniform defect portion, obtaining the size and positional correlation of the non-uniform defect portion for each recorded color, and replacing the non-uniform defect portion in the CF layer with the non-uniform defect in the peeling layer. An arithmetic processing unit (23) including an arithmetic processing unit for discriminating the position of the uneven defect portion of the CF layer and a transmitting unit for transmitting the detected position of the unevenness defect portion of the CF layer to a transfer device (not shown). Than it is.

In a CCD line sensor or a CCD camera used in the image photographing device (22), when photographing a CF layer, the size of each color pixel of a periodic colored pattern projected on the sensor is determined by the light receiving element of the sensor. It is desirable to use a high-definition thing that is sufficiently larger than the pitch,
In addition, high-speed, high-speed image capture is possible,
It is desirable to use one with high sensitivity and low noise.

The light source (21) includes the sensitivity and speed of the image photographing device (22), the angle of the image photographing device and the light source with the transfer sheet, the coloring of the peeling layer and the reflectance of the CF layer, the optical filter to be used, and the like. The type, light intensity, and optical system of the luminous body are selected in consideration of the above. In particular, when the image capturing device and the light source are in the irregular reflection position, the peeling layer is colored, and when an optical filter is used, a light emitter with a high light intensity is selected because the amount of light incident on the image capturing device is small. There is a need to. In addition, when the color of the peeling layer is similar to the color of the CF layer, it is possible to improve the detection accuracy of the uneven defect portion by using an optical filter having a wavelength distribution that can easily separate the two. is there. At this time, if necessary, a polarizing filter is used to facilitate separation of the colored release layer and the image of the CF layer, and to reduce the surface reflection of the CF layer to facilitate detection of the uneven defect portion. Is also possible.

Image processing and arithmetic processing for detecting the uneven defect portion include storing image data obtained from the image photographing apparatus, performing various image processing on the image data, and extracting an uneven image area by comparison with a reference density. And arithmetic processing for discriminating unevenness defects in the CF layer due to positional correlation, and is realized by a central processing unit (CPU) such as a workstation, a control device, and various control software. In the production of the transfer method CF, even when the type of the mura defect changes due to the coating method and the developing method of the release layer and the CF layer, the software for image processing and arithmetic processing is changed to detect the mura defect part. It is possible to respond so that the accuracy does not change.

The sheet-like substrate (1) of the transfer sheet according to the present invention has durability in a CF production process such as formation of a release layer, application of a photosensitive coloring composition, heating and transfer, and also has a high durability in the transfer process. From the viewpoint of maintaining the dimensional accuracy, it is desirable that the thermal expansion coefficient is close to that of the transparent base material, and it is desirable that the thermal expansion coefficient can be reused in a regeneration step such as washing in terms of cost. As the sheet-like base material satisfying the above conditions, an iron-nickel alloy, for example, 42 alloy (nickel 42% by weight, balance iron), amber (nickel 36% by weight, manganese trace amount, balance iron) and the like are suitable. . These metal plates or metal foils have a thickness of 0.1 due to the ease of handling in each step.
It is 5 mm or less, preferably 0.06 mm to 0.09 mm.

The release layer (2) is a polymer film having resistance to an organic solvent of the photosensitive coloring composition used for forming the CF layer, and has good adhesion to a sheet-like substrate and
Adhesiveness that does not peel off the CF layer in the step of forming the F layer, and that in the step of transferring to the transparent substrate, the adhesive force with the CF layer is set lower than the adhesive force to the adhesive layer to be transferred. is necessary. Further, it is desirable to have elasticity and flexibility from the viewpoint of transferability, and it is desirable to have good coating properties and drying properties in order to reduce unevenness defects. Specifically, examples of the water-soluble resin include casein, polyvinyl alcohol, and hydroxyethyl cellulose. The thickness of the release layer is preferably from 10 μm to 100 μm. Reduce the detection of uneven defect portions as a release layer by mixing / dispersing white pigments such as zinc oxide and titanium oxide, coloring pigments, and dyes selected in consideration of hue and transparency in the release layer. Is possible.

The photosensitive coloring composition for forming the CF layer comprises, as constituents, pigments or dyes of necessary colors, an alkali-soluble resin, a photopolymerizable compound having an ethylenically unsaturated group, and a photopolymerization initiator. Can be used.

Coloring agents include each color required for CF, red,
Known pigments described in Pigment Handbook and the like can be used by appropriately selecting pigments and dyes having respective colors of green, blue and black. It is desirable that these have appropriate transparency and coloring power within the spectral characteristics required for CF pigments, and also have durability such as heat resistance, and also have appropriate viscosity characteristics and photosensitive coloring compositions. To develop coating suitability, etc.
Select in consideration of compatibility with the resin content.

As the alkali-soluble resin usable in the present invention, a (meth) acrylic resin containing (meth) acrylic acid, a rosin resin, a maleic acid resin, or the like is used. As a developing solution, sodium carbonate, caustic soda, or the like is used. And an organic alkali such as dimethylbenzylamine and triethanolamine.

The photopolymerizable compound is a compound having an ethylenically unsaturated group capable of undergoing free radical addition polymerization or crosslinkable, and having one or more ethylenically unsaturated groups, for example, a vinyl group or an allyl group. A monomer, oligomer, or polymer having an ethylenically unsaturated group at the terminal or side chain.

Examples of the photopolymerization initiator include acetophenone-based photoinitiators, benzoin-based and benzophenone-based photoinitiators,
Known compounds such as a thioxanthone-based photoinitiator, a triazine-based photoinitiator, a carbazole-based photoinitiator, and an imidazole-based photoinitiator can be used.

As described above, the photosensitive coloring composition containing a pigment or dye coloring agent, an alkali-soluble resin, a polymerizable compound, and a photopolymerization initiator as constituents can be used in combination with the optical characteristics and mixing ratio of the coloring agent used. Although it depends on the dispersion state, it is formed to have a thickness of about 1 μm to 10 μm so as to meet required optical characteristics. At this time, it is desirable to set the film thickness of each color to an approximate value because the flatness of the CF surface is improved.

Various means such as a three-roll mill, a two-roll mill, a sand mill, and a kneader can be used as a means for dispersing the color pigment in the production of the photosensitive coloring composition and the release layer. In addition, various surfactants and dispersing aids such as pigment derivatives may be appropriately added.

As a means for applying the release layer and the photosensitive coloring composition on the sheet-like base material, a coating method that matches the viscosity characteristics of each of the mixed / dispersed coating liquids may be selected. If the viscosity is high, a method with good coating flatness such as a roll coating method or a lip coater method may be used, and if the viscosity is low, a method having good coating flatness such as a spray coating method, a die coating method, a gravure coating method may be used.

The adhesive used when transferring the CF layer formed on the transfer sheet to a transparent substrate is a polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated group, an alkali-soluble resin, a diluting monomer, a photosensitizer, , And an additive are desirable, and have an adhesive force characteristic for achieving both the adhesiveness to the transparent substrate and the adhesive force for transferring the CF layer from the transfer sheet, and a characteristic that the uncured portion can be alkali-developed. It is necessary to do.

[0033]

The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to examples. <Example 1> (Step 1) [Formation of release layer] As a continuous sheet-like base material, 0.11 mm roll 42 was used.
An alloy (nickel 42% by weight, balance iron) plate was selected, a release layer coating solution having the following composition was prepared, applied with a die coater, and dried with warm air to produce a transfer sheet having a 30 μm-thick release layer. did. <Composition of release layer coating liquid> Desmohen 651 (manufactured by Bayer) 1.2 parts by weight Desmodur N-75 (manufactured by Bayer) 1.0 part by weight Fluorinated surfactant Florard FC-170 (Sumitomo 3M Ltd.) 0.005 parts by weight

(Step 2) [Preparation of photosensitive coloring composition] <Alkali-soluble resin> butyl methacrylate 55 parts by weight methyl methacrylate 20 parts by weight 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate 15 parts by weight Methyl acrylate 10 parts by weight with cyclohexanone Was used as a solvent to prepare an alkali-soluble resin in a ratio of 40 parts by weight and a solvent in a ratio of 60 parts by weight.

<Photosensitive coloring composition> Alkali-soluble resin 10 parts by weight Polyfunctional oligoester acrylate dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate 5 parts by weight Photopolymerization initiator trichloromethyl S-triazine 0.5 parts by weight Diluent solvent cyclohesaquinone 45 parts by weight Coloring Pigment (each color) 5 parts by weight For each color pigment, the one indicated by the following color index (CI) number is used. Red: C.I. I. Red pigment 177 Green: C.I. I. Green pigment 36 and C.I. I. Yellow pigment 139 (9 parts by weight: 1 part by weight) Blue: C.I. I. Blue pigment 15 Black: C.I. I. Black Pigment 7 After mixing each of the above compositions, the mixture was kneaded with a bead mill disperser to prepare a photosensitive coloring composition of each color having good spectral characteristics in which the pigment was sufficiently dispersed.

(Step 3) [Formation of CF Layer] First, a black photosensitive coloring composition is unwound from a continuous sheet-shaped (rolled-up) base material on which a release layer is formed. After coating with a die coater so as to form a uniform film surface, the film was passed through a drying oven adjusted to a still drying equivalent to 70 ° C. for 20 minutes to form a black photosensitive coloring composition layer.

Immediately after coating, KG-1 manufactured by Kurabo Industries, which has been calibrated in advance with the thickness-transmittance of the black photosensitive coloring composition.
Using No. 10, an infrared wavelength range not affected by the release layer was selected and measured. As in the measurement of the film thickness of the coating layer of the release layer coating solution, the film thickness measuring device was provided on a moving stage and measured while moving, and the measured value was used for controlling the coating conditions of the die coater. The thickness of the coating layer of the obtained black photosensitive coloring composition was about 1.5 μm, the entire surface had a uniform thickness, and the surface state was smooth.

Next, a mask formed so that a repetitive pattern of an opening having a length of 240 μm × a width of 80 μm and a frame portion having a line width of 6 μm becomes a black pattern (black matrix) is placed close to the photosensitive coloring composition layer. Then, exposure was performed using an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp under the conditions of an exposure amount of 400 mJ / cm 2. After the exposure, spray development was performed for 30 seconds at an ejection pressure of 1.47 × 105 Pa with an alkali developing solution at a temperature of 20 ° C.
The unexposed portions of the photosensitive coloring composition layer were removed. After the transfer sheet after development processing is drained and dried,
The film was heated and hardened for a minute. The thickness of the patterned photosensitive coloring composition layer after hardening was about 1.3 μm.

The red, green, and blue photosensitive coloring compositions produced in the same manner are sequentially coated, dried, exposed, and heated on a sheet substrate on which a black matrix is formed. A CF layer was formed. At this time, the film thickness of each color after drying was measured with an F20 film thickness measuring device manufactured by Filmetrics Inc., which focused the light beam, and the coating conditions were controlled to obtain a designed film thickness.

(Step 4) [Mura Inspection Step] The CF layer formed on the transfer sheet is illuminated with a xenon lamp light passing through an optical fiber formed into thin linear illumination light, and a CCD line is formed. After the CF image was captured and stored by an image capturing device including a sensor, the unevenness inspection was performed in the following procedure to detect the unevenness defective portion of the CF layer so as not to be affected by the unevenness defective portion of the peeling layer. The position of the detected uneven defect portion of the CF layer is recorded, and C
The CF layer portion having the uneven defect portion of the F layer was treated so as not to be transferred in the next transfer step.

Step 1: Storing image luminance data output from the image capturing device Image luminance data of the CF image captured by the image capturing device is stored in the auxiliary storage device. The stored image luminance data has luminance data for each pixel of each color of R, G, and B. Here, the color is represented by c, the pixel coordinates are represented by (x, y), and the luminance data of each pixel of each color is represented by D (c, x, y).

Step 2: Creation of image brightness distribution data From the image brightness data of the CF image stored in the auxiliary storage device, the frequency of the brightness value of each pixel is calculated by calculating the frequency of each pixel, and the frequency distribution is obtained. Obtain brightness distribution data.

Step 3: Calculation of mode luminance value, maximum luminance value and minimum luminance value From the image luminance distribution data, the mode luminance value (Dmi
d), maximum luminance value (Dmax), minimum luminance value (Dmi)
n) is calculated. Dmid and Dmax are both ends of a histogram based on continuous image luminance distribution data, and it is assumed that image noise and singular points (Dout) deemed to be abnormal parts deviating therefrom are not recognized as maximum and minimum luminance values. . The mode luminance value (Dmid) means a luminance value with the highest frequency of appearance. FIG. 5 shows Dmid, Dmax, Dmin, and Dout from the image luminance distribution data.
Here is an example.

Step 4: Detection processing of the unevenness defect candidate portion of the peeling layer and the colored pattern The luminance data D (c, x, y) is binarized, and the pixel of each color is divided into a normal portion and an unevenness defect candidate portion. At this time, 2
Valued luminance data is defined as D '(c, x, y), and D'
(C, x, y) = 0 is the normal part, and D '(c, x, y) = 1
Is defined as an uneven defect candidate part. A = | Dmin-
Dmax |, and three determination constants K, α, and β are set in advance. K is called a standard gradation number, and Dmin and D
It is a constant for resetting the number of gradations between max to this standard number of gradations. α and β (α <β) are called luminance thresholds, and luminance data D (c,
x, y).

From the following equation (1) or equation (2), 2
Perform value conversion. In equation (1), K (D (c, x, y)-
Dmin) / A, the luminance data D (c, x, y)
Is standardized. In equation (2), K (D (c, x, y)
-(2Dmid-Dmax)) / A is used to normalize the luminance data D (c, x, y).

When | Dmin−Dmid | ≦ | Dmax−Dmid | If K (D (c, x, y) −Dmin) / A <α, then D ′ (c, x, y) = 1 α ≦ K If (D (c, x, y) −Dmin) / A ≦ β, then D ′ (c, x, y) = 0 K (D (c, x, y) −Dmin) / A> β, D ′ (c, x, y) = 1 (1)

If | Dmin-Dmid |> | Dmax-Dmid | If K (D (c, x, y)-(2Dmid-Dmax)) / A <α, then D '(c, x, y) = If 1α ≦ K (D (c, x, y) − (2Dmid−Dmax)) / A ≦ β, then D ′ (c, x, y) = 0 K (D (c, x, y) − ( If 2Dmid−Dmax)) / A> β, D ′ ((c, x, y) = 1 (2)

Step 5: Labeling The image luminance data is separated into a normal part and a non-uniform defect candidate part of the peeling layer and the colored pattern on a pixel basis for each color, but is recognized as a surface defect candidate part having an area called a non-uniform defect. It has not been. Therefore, a plurality of non-uniform defect candidate portions adjacent to each other with D ′ (c, x, y) = 1 are labeled so as to be recognized as one surface. At this time, a set composed of a plurality of labeled non-uniform defect candidates is defined as a non-uniform defect candidate area. Then, D ″ (c, x, y, n) is defined by equation (3) for the mura defect candidate area set as label number = n (n is a natural number). D '' (c, x, y, n) = D (c, x, y) (3) FIG. 6 shows the concept of the peeling layer and the color pattern uneven defect candidate areas (35) and (36). FIG.

Step 6: Calculation of coordinates, area, and average luminance value of the mura defect candidate area From D ″ (c, x, y, n), the coordinates (Xn, Yn) of the mura defect candidate area with label number = n , Area Sn, and average luminance value (Dn) are calculated for each color according to equations (4), (5), and (6).

(Xn, Yn) = (Xnmin + (Xnmax−Xnmin) / 2, Ynmin + (Ynmax−Ynmin) / 2) (4) Here, Xnmax is the unevenness of the label number = n. The maximum X coordinate of the image luminance data in the defect candidate area, Xnmin is the minimum X coordinate of the image luminance data in the area, and Ynmax is the maximum Y coordinate of the image luminance data in the uneven defect candidate area with label number = n. , Ynmin are the minimum Y coordinates of the image luminance data in the same area.

Sn = N (5) where N is the number of pieces of image luminance data in the non-uniformity defect candidate area with label number = n.

<Dn> = (ΣD ″ (c, x, y, n)) / N (6) where Σ is within the unevenness defect candidate area with label number = n. This is the sum of the image luminance data.

Step 7: Calculation of Average Brightness Value in the Peripheral Region of Uneven Defect Candidate Area If there are m ununiform defect candidate sections adjacent in the X direction in the uneven defect candidate area, 2 m from both ends in the X direction outside the area.
The number of pixels is defined as the periphery of the mura defect candidate area, and from the image luminance data D (c, x, y) there, similarly to <Dn>, the average luminance value of the mura defect candidate area peripheral area <Dno
ut> is calculated for each color.

Step 8: Distinguishing Uneven Defects in the Release Layer from Uneven Defects in the Colored Patterns The coordinates (Xn, Yn) and the Sn of the uneven defect candidate area are compared for each color, and | (Xn, Yn) ) R− (Xl, Yl) GorB | <φ × Pitch of colored pattern (X, Y) & | SnR−S1GorB | <ψ (7) Delete a label. Here, φ and ψ are determination coefficients influenced by the characteristics of the unevenness defect inspection apparatus and the CF layer set value and the peeling layer set value. Depending on the combination of these conditions, the extraction of the three-color unevenness defect candidate areas does not become the same, so the determination is made by comparing two colors. It is also desirable to improve the discrimination accuracy by appropriately combining and changing the conditions of the image capturing device and the light source, the optical filter, and the like.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the discrimination between the mura defect of the peeling layer and the mura defect of each color coloring pattern. The unevenness defect (31) of the peeling layer has substantially the same area at substantially the same coordinates of each color,
The unevenness defect (32) of each color pattern is indicated by different coordinates and different areas of each color.

Step 9: Detection of Uneven Defects of Each Colored Pattern Sn, <Dn>,
An uneven defect portion is detected from <Dnout> according to the criterion of the following equation (8). For the uneven defect candidate area of each color coloring pattern with label number = n, Sn> δ & | <D
If n>-<Dnout>|> γ, then D ″ (c, x, y, n) = D (c, x, y) = n: Uneven defect portion of each color coloring pattern Sn ≦ If δ or | <Dn> − <Dnout> | ≦ γ, then D ″ (c, x, y, n) = D (c, x, y) = 0... Set again to (8). Here, δ is an unevenness defect area threshold, and γ is an unevenness defect luminance threshold and a predetermined constant. From the above resetting, a portion where D (c, x, y)> 0 is detected as an uneven defect portion of each color coloring pattern.

Step 10: Judgment of Inspection End If the unevenness inspection has been completed for each screen unit of the CF layer on the transfer sheet, the process proceeds to step 11. On the other hand, if there is an untested screen unit, the process returns to step 1.

Step 11: Saving the judgment result. The coordinates, area, and average luminance value of the uneven defect portion of each color pattern of the CF layer detected for each color are stored in the auxiliary storage device, and the transfer is performed if the uneven defect portion exists in the screen unit at the time of transfer. Not transmitted to the transfer device as a screen unit.

(Step 5) [Adhesive Step] Butyl methacrylate 3 parts by weight Aronix M-305 (Toagosei Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) 2 parts by weight Aronix M-400 (Toagosei Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) 5 parts by weight Part of a photopolymerization initiator Irgaguer 907 (manufactured by Ciba Geigy) 0.2 parts by weight of the photocurable adhesive was mixed on a transfer sheet on which the CF layer was formed with a roll coater to a thickness of 3 μm. To form an adhesive layer.

(Step 6) [Transfer Step] Using a transfer device, one of the transfer sheets having the adhesive layer formed on the CF layer was replaced with one CF layer having no unevenness defect in the CF layer.
After bonding to a predetermined position on a 737 glass substrate (manufactured by Corning Incorporated, USA), handling the transfer sheet with a pressure roller to reduce the thickness of the adhesive layer to 1 μm, and surrounding the colored pattern of the CF layer by 1 cm with an exposure device. Exposure was performed at 600 mJ / cm 2 with ultraviolet light through a metal mask until the adhesive layer was photo-cured. Further, the transfer sheet and the 1737 glass substrate were peeled off at the peeling portion, and the CF layer was transferred to the photocured adhesive layer. Thereafter, the glass substrate is developed with an alkali solution using a high-pressure spray, and the uncured adhesive layer is removed to obtain a transfer system CF that has good flatness and color specification without any foreign matter or uneven defect. Was.

[0061]

According to the present invention, in the step of transferring and manufacturing a color filter, a single unevenness inspection discriminates an unevenness defective portion of the peeling layer from an unevenness defective portion of each color pattern of the color filter layer. When the detected detection is accurately performed without being affected by the unevenness defect portion of the peeling layer, the image brightness data of the color filter layer is used as image brightness distribution data, and compared with a threshold value to determine the unevenness defect candidate portion of the peeling layer and each color coloring pattern. A set in which a plurality of non-uniform defect candidate portions are adjacent to each other is regarded as a non-uniform defect candidate region of a peeling layer and a coloring pattern of each color, and the coordinates and area of the non-uniform defect candidate region of each color are compared with each other. If there is a difference, the peeling layer and the mura defect candidate area of each color coloring pattern are determined to be a mura defect candidate area of the peeling layer. The defect candidate area is judged and discriminated as a non-uniform defect candidate area of each color-colored pattern, and the average luminance value of the non-uniform defect candidate area of each color-colored pattern is compared with the average luminance value of the peripheral area, and the non-uniform defect part of each color-colored pattern is compared. This is a method for manufacturing a color filter that transfers only the color filter layer portion where no uneven defect portion of each color coloring pattern is detected regardless of the presence or absence of the uneven defect portion of the peeling layer. The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a color filter that correctly detects an uneven defect portion of each color coloring pattern of a layer, transfers only a good CF layer portion, and maintains a constant quality of obtained CF. Therefore, the advantages of the transfer type CF, such as high production efficiency, low equipment cost due to small manufacturing equipment, and low cost, which are synergistic, can be utilized.

Further, in the present invention, in the step of transferring and manufacturing a color filter, a single unevenness inspection discriminates an unevenness defective portion of a peeling layer from an unevenness defective portion of each color pattern of a color filter layer. In order to accurately perform the detection without being affected by the unevenness defect portion of the release layer, a plurality of light sources illuminating the color filter layer and an image capturing device are used, and a plurality of light sources are provided at different positions from the normal line of the transfer sheet. Are arranged, and a plurality of image capturing devices are arranged at the regular reflection position and the irregular reflection position, and for each of the plurality of light sources, different wavelength intensity distributions and polarization states are combined to detect the uneven defect candidate portion of the peeling layer. Optimizing the detection of the candidate for the non-uniformity defect of each color pattern of the color filter layer, regardless of the presence or absence of the non-uniform defect part of the release layer, of the color filter layer part where the non-uniform defect part of each color pattern is not detected This is a method of manufacturing a color filter that transfers color, so that a single non-uniformity inspection correctly detects uneven defect portions of each color coloring pattern of the CF layer, transfers only a good CF layer portion, and keeps the quality of the obtained CF constant. This is a method of manufacturing a color filter. Therefore, the transfer method C
The advantages of F, such as high production efficiency, low equipment cost due to small manufacturing equipment, and low cost, which are synergistic, are utilized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a transfer sheet according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an embodiment of a transfer method CF according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing the concept of an embodiment of an unevenness defect inspection apparatus used in the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating discrimination between a mura defect of a peeling layer and a mura defect of each color coloring pattern.

FIG. 5 shows Dmid and Dma from image luminance distribution data.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the case of x, Dmin, Dout.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the concept of a peeling layer and a candidate region for unevenness of a colored pattern.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Sheet-like base material 2 ... Release layer 3 ... Color pattern (red) 4 ... Color pattern (green) 5 ... Color pattern (blue) 6 ... Color pattern (black) 7 CF layer 8 Adhesive layer 9 Transparent substrate 10 Transfer sheet 11 Transfer method CF 12 Undercoat layer 20 Irregular defect inspection device 21 Light source 22 -Image capturing device 23-Arithmetic device 31-Uneven defect portion of peeling layer 32-Uneven defect portion of each color coloring pattern of CF layer 35, 36-Uneven defect candidate area

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G01N 21/88 G01N 21/88 Z 2H091 G02F 1/13 101 G02F 1/13 101 2H096 1/1335 505 1 / 1335 505 4H057 G03F 7/004 G03F 7/004 7/16 7/16 7/26 501 7/26 501 (72) Inventor Hironobu Suda 1-5-1, Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo Letterpress Printing Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toyoji Nishimoto 1-5-1, Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo F-term in Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. (reference) 2G051 AA41 AA90 AB20 BA01 BA11 BB17 CA03 CA07 CB01 CC07 EA11 EA12 EA14 EB01 EC02 EC03 FA01 2G086 EE05 2H025 AA04 AA17 AA18 AB13 BJ10 EA08 2H048 BA11 BA43 BA64 BB02 BB42 2H088 FA11 HA01 HA12 HA18 HA28 MA20 2H091 FA02Y FA07X FA41Z LA30 2H096 AA28 CA09 CA16 LA 17 LA30 4H057 AA02 DA02 DA34

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A transfer sheet having a substrate adhesive release layer on a continuous sheet-like substrate and a color filter layer comprising a plurality of colored patterns on the release layer, in a region of a screen unit. In the process of transferring a color filter layer portion in which no unevenness defect portion is detected to a transparent substrate for each screen or a thin film transistor substrate via an adhesive layer to manufacture a color filter, a single unevenness inspection is performed. In order to accurately detect the uneven defect portion of the peeling layer from the uneven defect portion of each color pattern of the color filter layer without being affected by the uneven defect portion of the peeling layer, (a) illuminated color The reflected light image of the filter layer is photographed by an image photographing device, and image luminance data obtained from the reflected light image is stored. (B) The image luminance data is used as image luminance distribution data of each color for each screen unit, De It is compared with the threshold value obtained by calculation from the data, to detect irregularities and the release layer and the unevenness defect candidate part for each color colored pattern, and stores the coordinates, area, a luminance value,
(C) A set in which a plurality of peeling layers and uneven defect candidate portions of each color pattern are adjacent to each other is set as a peel layer and uneven defect candidate area of each color pattern, and their coordinates, area, and average luminance value are stored. The coordinates of the peeling layer for each color and the unevenness defect candidate region of each color coloring pattern are compared with each other, and the peeling layer for each color and the unevenness defect candidate region of each color coloring pattern are close coordinates to each other, if there is a small area difference, The peel layer and the uneven defect candidate area of each color coloring pattern are determined as the uneven defect candidate area of the peel layer, and if the peel layer of each color and the uneven defect candidate area of each color coloring pattern are far away from each other, a large area difference. The release layer and the mura defect candidate area of each color pattern are determined as the mura defect candidate areas of each color pattern, and the release layer and the mura defect candidate area of each color pattern are determined as the mura defect candidate area of the release layer. And (e) the average luminance value of the non-uniform defect candidate area of each color-colored pattern and the average luminance value of the peripheral part of the non-uniform defect candidate area. By comparison, it is detected as a non-uniform defect of each color pattern, and only the color filter layer portion where no non-uniform defect of each color pattern is detected in the area of each screen is transferred regardless of the presence or absence of the non-uniform defect in the peeling layer. A method of manufacturing a color filter. 2. A transfer sheet having a substrate-adhesive release layer on a continuous sheet-like substrate and a color filter layer comprising a plurality of color patterns on the release layer, in a region of a screen unit. In the process of transferring a color filter layer portion in which no unevenness defect portion is detected to a transparent substrate for each screen or a thin film transistor substrate via an adhesive layer to manufacture a color filter, a single unevenness inspection is performed. In order to accurately detect the uneven defect portion of the peeling layer and the uneven defect portion of each color pattern of the color filter layer without being affected by the uneven defect portion of the peel layer, (a) the color filter layer Using a plurality of light sources and image capturing devices to be illuminated, an angle from the normal line of the transfer sheet, and or, a plurality of light sources are arranged at different angles from the feed direction of the transfer sheet, specular reflection position, and , A plurality of image photographing devices are arranged at the reflection position, and (b) a combination of different wavelength intensity distributions and polarization states is reduced for each of the plurality of light sources to reduce the detection of a candidate for a non-uniformity defect in the peeling layer. Optimizing the detection of the uneven defect candidate portion of each color coloring pattern, and transferring only the color filter layer portion where no uneven defect portion of each color coloring pattern is detected within the area of each screen regardless of the presence or absence of the uneven defect portion of the peeling layer. A method for manufacturing a color filter, comprising: