JP2003146679A - Laser beam cutting method, laser beam cutting device, electro-optic panel manufacturing method, electro-optic device and electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser beam cutting method that can cut a liquid crystal panel or the like efficiently with high precision, and to provide a method and device for manufacturing an electro-optic panel by using the laser beam cutting method. SOLUTION: On the surface of an object to be cut such as glass substrates (10, 20) for example, there are formed cutting patterns (45, 55) with a material containing an endothermic material. The areas with the cutting patterns become higher in endothermism than other areas of the object. Then, laser beam cutting is performed by emitting laser beams (L1, L2) along the cutting patterns. The laser beam cutting is made possible by forming cracks on the object through a thermal stress due to temperature gradient generated by laser irradiation on the object. In this case, since endothermism is higher on the cutting patterns because of the presence of the endothermic material, the temperature gradient is more clearly formed. Thus, the object is cut with high precision along the cutting patterns.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser cutting method for cutting an electro-optical panel such as a liquid crystal panel using laser light.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, electro-optical devices such as liquid crystal devices have been widely used as display units for electronic devices such as mobile phones, portable computers, and video cameras. In a liquid crystal device, two substrates are stacked with a sealing material and bonded to each other to form an empty panel called an empty cell, and then liquid crystal as an electro-optical material is enclosed in a region partitioned by the sealing material.

In the liquid crystal panel used in such a liquid crystal device, two substrates corresponding to each panel may be formed and bonded one by one, but especially when manufacturing a small liquid crystal device. For example, forming a wiring pattern for multiple liquid crystal devices on a large substrate (former substrate) that can form multiple panels, processing is performed on the large substrate as it is until the middle of the manufacturing process. Often cut and divided into substrates. In addition, two large substrates may be stacked and bonded to each other to form a large panel, and then the large panel may be cut into individual panel sizes.

Conventionally, such cutting is performed by forming a scribe line with a diamond chip or the like on the surface of a panel obtained by bonding two substrates, and then turning the panel over.
Bending stress is applied to the panel from the back side of the panel by a breaking jig (for example, a rubber roller), and the panel is cut by this stress.

[0005]

However, with this cutting method, it is not possible to control the microcracks in the panel cross section caused by the scribe, so that the cutting becomes unstable. Also, many chippings from the microcracks occur from the panel cross section. When a large number of such chippings occur, there is a problem that the panel strength is weakened and cleaning for removing the fragments must be performed. Further, since the above cutting method is a contact method, if foreign matter adheres to the rubber roller, the panel may be damaged.

On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-104869 proposes a method of utilizing laser light as a method of cutting a glass substrate. According to this method, the temperature of the region irradiated with the laser beam rises, the thermal stress generated due to the temperature gradient increases, and the substrate is cracked in the thickness direction and the substrate is cracked. Since this cutting method performs the cutting in a non-contact manner, there is no risk of scratching the substrate.

However, the cutting method described in JP-A-11-104869 is based on the premise that only one glass substrate is cut, and this method cuts a panel in which two glass substrates are bonded together. If you try, the following problems will occur.

First, since the glass substrate has a high light absorption rate,
When the laser light is irradiated from the upper side, the upper glass substrate is heated but the lower glass substrate is not heated. Therefore, the thermal stress acts only on the upper glass substrate, not on the lower glass substrate. In addition, since the upper and lower glass substrates are connected by a sealant, and even if the upper glass substrate is broken, the lower glass substrate works to suppress the breakage, the case of cutting one glass substrate Has the problem that cutting cannot be performed under the same conditions. Further, when the thermal energy is increased, the force of the upper glass substrate about to break increases, but the lower glass substrate only receives the force via the sealing material. Therefore, even if the lower glass substrate is broken by such a force, the force depends on the structure of the panel, the bonding state of the sealing material, etc., and there is a problem that the reproducibility is poor.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide a laser cutting method capable of cutting a liquid crystal panel or the like with high accuracy and efficiency.

[0010]

According to one aspect of the present invention, a laser cutting method includes a pattern forming step of forming a cutting pattern on a surface of an object to be cut with a material containing an endothermic material, and the cutting pattern along the cutting pattern. Irradiate laser light,
A cutting step of cutting the object to be cut.

According to the above laser cutting method, a cutting pattern is formed on the surface of an object to be cut, such as a glass substrate, using a material containing a heat absorbing material. The part of the cutting pattern has higher heat absorption than the other parts of the cutting object. Next, a laser beam is irradiated along the cutting pattern to perform laser cutting. Laser cutting is performed by the formation of cracks in the cutting object due to the thermal stress due to the temperature gradient on the cutting object generated by laser irradiation, but the heat absorption becomes higher due to the presence of the heat absorbing material on the cutting pattern. Therefore, the temperature gradient is formed more clearly. Therefore, the object to be cut is stably cut along the cutting pattern.

In one mode of the above laser cutting method, in the pattern forming step, the cutting pattern is formed by inkjet printing the ink containing the heat absorbing material.

According to this aspect, since the cutting pattern is formed by ink-jet printing the ink containing the heat absorbing material, the cutting pattern can be easily formed with a simple device. Further, since the inkjet printing technique is used, the width and thickness of the cutting pattern can be easily adjusted, and thereby the heat absorption given to the object to be cut can be adjusted relatively precisely.

In another aspect of the above laser cutting method,
The heat absorbing material has solubility in the diluent contained in the ink.

According to this aspect, since the heat absorbing material has a solubility in the diluent mixed with the ink, the cutting pattern can be easily formed only by mixing the ink material with the diluent and the heat absorbing material and performing ink jet printing. .

According to another aspect of the present invention, a laser cutting device irradiates a surface of an object to be cut with pattern forming means for forming a cutting pattern with a material containing an endothermic material, and irradiates laser light along the cutting pattern. And a cutting means for cutting the object to be cut.

According to the above laser cutting device, a cutting pattern is formed on the surface of an object to be cut such as a glass substrate by using a material containing a heat absorbing material. The part of the cutting pattern has higher heat absorption than the other parts of the cutting object. Next, a laser beam is irradiated along the cutting pattern to perform laser cutting. Laser cutting is performed by the formation of cracks in the cutting object due to the thermal stress due to the temperature gradient on the cutting object generated by laser irradiation, but the heat absorption becomes higher due to the presence of the heat absorbing material on the cutting pattern. Therefore, the temperature gradient is formed more clearly. Therefore, the object to be cut is stably cut along the cutting pattern.

In one mode of the above laser cutting device, the pattern forming means forms the cutting pattern by inkjet printing the ink containing the heat absorbing material.

According to this aspect, since the cutting pattern is formed by ink jet printing the ink containing the heat absorbing material, the cutting pattern can be easily formed by a simple device. Further, since the inkjet printing technique is used, the width and thickness of the cutting pattern can be easily adjusted, and thereby the heat absorption given to the object to be cut can be adjusted relatively precisely.

In another mode of the above laser cutting device,
The heat absorbing material has solubility in the diluent contained in the ink.

According to this aspect, since the endothermic material has solubility in the diluent mixed with the ink, the cutting pattern can be easily formed only by mixing the ink material with the diluent and the endothermic material and performing inkjet printing. .

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the laser cutting method includes a pattern forming step of forming a cutting pattern by a material containing a heat absorbing material on two outer surfaces of a panel formed by bonding two substrates together. Irradiating the two outer surfaces with laser light individually along the cutting pattern,
A cutting step of cutting the panel by cutting the two substrates.

According to the above laser cutting method, cutting patterns each containing a heat absorbing material are formed on the outer surface of a panel formed by bonding two substrates, and the cutting patterns are individually irradiated with laser light to form two cutting patterns. The panel is cut by laser cutting the substrate. Since the laser cutting of each substrate is performed along the cutting pattern including the heat absorbing material, the panel is cut with high accuracy.

In one mode of the above laser cutting method, the pattern forming step forms the cutting pattern by inkjet printing an ink containing the heat absorbing material.

According to this aspect, since the cutting pattern is formed by ink-jet printing the ink containing the heat absorbing material, the cutting pattern can be easily formed by a simple device. Further, since the inkjet printing technique is used, the width and thickness of the cutting pattern can be easily adjusted, and thereby the heat absorption given to the object to be cut can be adjusted relatively precisely.

In another aspect of the above laser cutting method,
The heat absorbing material has solubility in the diluent contained in the ink.

According to this aspect, since the endothermic material has solubility in the diluent mixed with the ink, the cutting pattern can be easily formed only by mixing the diluent and the endothermic material with the ink material and performing ink jet printing. .

In still another mode of the above laser cutting method, the cutting step simultaneously cuts the two substrates of the panel.

According to this aspect, since the two substrates are cut at the same time, the panel can be cut efficiently.

In still another aspect of the present invention, a method of manufacturing an electro-optical panel includes a step of bonding two substrates to each other to manufacture a large panel including a plurality of electro-optical panels, and the laser cutting method described above. Cutting the large panel to produce a plurality of electro-optical panels.

According to the above-described method for manufacturing an electro-optical panel, two substrates are bonded to each other to manufacture a large-sized panel, and then the large-sized panel is cut by laser cutting with high precision and efficiency to obtain individual electro-optical panels. Can be manufactured.

Further, it is possible to manufacture an electro-optical device by the above-mentioned method for manufacturing an electro-optical panel, and further to manufacture an electronic device by using the electro-optical device as a display section.

[0033]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, an example in which the laser cutting method according to the present invention is applied to a method for manufacturing a passive matrix electro-optical device will be described.

[Overall Structure] FIGS. 1 and 2 are a perspective view and an exploded perspective view, respectively, of an electro-optical device to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 3 shows an electro-optical device to which the present invention is applied, as shown in FIG.
It is sectional drawing of the edge part on the I side when it cut | disconnects by a -I 'line.
It should be noted that FIGS. 1 and 2 only schematically show electrode patterns, terminals, and the like, and in an actual electro-optical device, a larger number of electrode patterns and terminals are formed.

1 and 2, the electro-optical device 1 of the present embodiment is a passive matrix type liquid crystal display device mounted in an electronic device such as a mobile phone. In the liquid crystal panel 1 ′ used in the electro-optical device 1, the liquid crystal encapsulation region 35 is formed by the sealing material 30 between the pair of transparent substrates 10 and 20 made of rectangular glass substrates that are bonded together by the sealing material 30 with a predetermined gap. And a liquid crystal as an electro-optical material is sealed in the liquid crystal sealing area 35.

The electro-optical device 1 shown here is an example of a transmission type, and a polarizing plate 61 is attached to the outer surface of the second transparent substrate 20, and a polarizing plate 62 is also attached to the outer surface of the first transparent substrate 10. It is pasted. Further, the backlight device 9 is arranged outside the second transparent substrate 20.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first transparent substrate 10 has a first electrode pattern 40 and a second electrode pattern 50.
Red (R), green (G), and blue (B) color filters 7R, 7G, and 7B are formed in the area corresponding to the intersection with
An insulating flattening film 13, a first electrode pattern 40, and an alignment film 12 are formed in this order on the surface side of these color filters 7R, 7G, 7B. In contrast, the second
On the transparent substrate 20, the second electrode pattern 50, the overcoat film 29, and the alignment film 22 are formed in this order.

In the electro-optical device 1 of this embodiment, both the first electrode pattern 40 and the second electrode pattern 50 are formed by a transparent electrode film represented by an ITO film. Here, if a semi-transmissive / semi-reflective film such as a patterned thin aluminum film is formed under the second electrode pattern 50 via an insulating film, the semi-transmissive / semi-reflective film is formed.
The semi-reflective electro-optical device 1 can be constructed. Further, if the reflective layer formed under the second electrode pattern 50 is formed of a reflective film such as a thick aluminum film, the reflective electro-optical device 1 can be configured, and in this case, the second transparent film. The backlight device 9 may be omitted from the back surface side of the substrate 20.

[Formation of Cutting Pattern] Next, formation of the cutting pattern in the present embodiment will be described. In the laser cutting method of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, two glass substrates 10 bonded together with a sealing material 30 interposed therebetween.
When laser cutting (breaking) a large-sized substrate composed of 20 and 20, cutting pattern lines are formed on the outer surface of each glass substrate 10 and 20 by an inkjet method. In FIG. 3, the cutting pattern 4 is formed on the outer surface of the glass substrate 10.
5 is formed, and a cutting pattern 55 is formed on the outer surface of the glass substrate 20.

The cutting patterns 45 and 55 are formed by printing an ink containing a heat absorbing material on the outer surface of each glass substrate 10 and 20 by an ink jet method. As the heat absorbing material, for example, silica, carbon, or a black colorant can be used. Since the glass substrates 10 and 20 constituting the liquid crystal panel are transparent, by applying a colorant of a color having high heat absorption efficiency such as black, the heat absorption of that portion can be enhanced. Further, the heat absorbing material is preferably one having a solubility in the diluent mixed in the ink ejected by the inkjet method. That is, the endothermic material as described above is dissolved in a diluent and mixed in the ink, and a cutting pattern is printed on the glass substrate by inkjet ejection. It should be noted that ITO may be used as the heat absorbing agent and the cutting pattern may be formed on the glass substrate by jetting liquid ITO by ink jet.

When the cutting pattern is printed on the glass substrate with the ink containing the heat absorbing material, the heat absorbing property on the cutting pattern becomes higher than that on other portions. Laser cutting
Thermal stress is generated due to the temperature gradient formed on the glass substrate surface by laser irradiation, and this is caused by the progress of cracks on the glass substrate. Therefore, a crack generated in the glass substrate when the glass substrate is irradiated with the laser beam in the laser cutting process easily progresses along the cutting pattern having a high heat absorption property, which stabilizes the laser cutting along the cutting pattern. It is possible to make progress.

In the laser cutting, since the glass substrate is cut by utilizing the progress of the glass crack due to the thermal stress as described above, it is difficult to control the cutting line, that is, the progress direction of the glass crack. There is. Usually, in a liquid crystal panel or the like, a large panel is cut linearly in the vertical and horizontal directions, but if the straightness of the crack is poor, the periphery of the cut liquid crystal panel will not be a straight line, or the crack of the glass substrate There will be problems such as going inward. From this viewpoint, in order to improve the straightness of laser cutting, it has been proposed to previously provide a groove or the like along the planned cutting line on the glass substrate or the like to be cut. For example,
In the above-mentioned JP-A-11-104869, etc., the cutting guide groove is formed on the glass substrate by chemical etching. It has also been proposed to mechanically form a cutting guide groove on a substrate using a cutter or the like.

However, when such a guide groove is formed, there is a problem that the strength of the large-sized panel before the cutting step is reduced. Further, when a large-sized panel is first subjected to a primary break and liquid crystal is vacuum-injected in the state of a so-called strip substrate, there is a problem that the liquid crystal material enters the cutting guide groove.

On the other hand, in the present invention, since the method of improving the linearity of laser cutting by ink jet printing the cutting pattern using the ink containing the heat absorbing material, the guide groove is formed on the glass substrate. Therefore, the above-mentioned inconvenience does not occur. Further, by adjusting the ratio of the endothermic material contained in the ink, or by adjusting the width of the cutting pattern for inkjet printing,
Since the heat absorption of the cutting pattern can be adjusted, the laser cutting can be accurately performed by giving an appropriate heat absorption in consideration of the thickness of the glass substrate and the like. Furthermore, according to the inkjet method, it is possible to easily form a cutting pattern having an irregular shape such as a curve, a curve, or a corner. Therefore, not only can laser cutting be performed along a simple straight line pattern, but laser cutting can be performed along various shapes. It is also possible to proceed with cutting.

[Method of Manufacturing Electro-Optical Device] FIGS. 4 and 5
3A and 3B are a process diagram and an explanatory diagram, respectively, showing a manufacturing method of the electro-optical device 1. FIG. 6A is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the large panel 300 is cut in the manufacturing process of the electro-optical device.

In manufacturing the electro-optical device 1 of this embodiment, the first transparent substrate 10 and the second transparent substrate 20 are used.
In both cases, in the step (A) shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the step of forming the electrode patterns 40, 50 and the like is performed in the state of the large substrates 100, 200 capable of taking a large number of these substrates 10, 20, respectively.

After the alignment films 12 and 22 are formed and the rubbing process is performed on the large substrates 100 and 200 in the process (B) shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, for example, FIGS. In the step (C) shown in (1), the sealing material 30 is applied to the first large-sized substrate 100, while the gap material 28 is sprinkled on the second large-sized substrate 200.

Next, in step (D) shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the large-sized substrates 100 and 200 are bonded together in a predetermined positional relationship to form a large-sized panel 200.

Next, in step (E) shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a cutting step (primary break step) is performed on the large-sized panel 300. In this primary break process, first, the cutting patterns 45 and 55 described above are formed on the outer surface of the large-sized panel 300 by the inkjet method (FIG. 6).
(See (A)). Then, the large-sized panel 300 is cut into the strip-shaped panels 400 by irradiating the laser beams L1 and L2 along the cutting patterns 45 and 55. At this time, since the cutting patterns 45 and 55 include the heat absorbing material as described above,
The heat generated by the laser light irradiation is concentrated on the cutting patterns 45 and 55, and the laser cutting is performed with high accuracy along the cutting patterns 45 and 55.

A liquid crystal injection port 31 (see FIG. 2) is opened at the cut portion of the strip-shaped panel 400 thus formed. Therefore, in the step (F) shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, after the liquid crystal is injected from the liquid crystal injection port 31, the liquid crystal injection port 31 is sealed with the sealing material 32 (see FIG. 2).

Next, in the step (G) shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a cutting step (secondary break) for cutting the strip-shaped panel 400 into a single liquid crystal panel 1 ′ for each electro-optical device 1 is performed. Done. Similarly to the above-mentioned primary break, this secondary break also first ejects the ink of the heat absorbing material onto the strip-shaped panel 400 by the ink jet method to form the cutting patterns 45 and 55, and then the cutting patterns 45.
And a strip-shaped panel 40 by irradiating a laser beam along 55.
0 is cut into a single liquid crystal panel 1 '.

Next, regarding the single liquid crystal panel 1 ',
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first transparent substrate 10 is formed into a second transparent substrate 10.
Since it is necessary to finish it to be smaller than the transparent substrate and expose the terminal area (also referred to as an overhang area), a single liquid crystal panel 1 ′ cut out from the strip-shaped panel 400.
On the other hand, similarly to the above, the cutting pattern 403 is formed by the inkjet process, and the laser beam L is irradiated along the cutting pattern 403 to expose the terminal region from the second transparent substrate 20.

Then, in step (H) shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the flexible substrate 90 and the like are mounted.

In the above example, the first break and the second break
In each step of the next break, first, the cutting patterns 45 and 55 are formed by the inkjet method, and then the laser cutting is performed. Instead, during the primary break process, the cutting patterns for the primary break and the secondary break are formed on the large-sized panel 300 at one time, and along the cutting pattern already formed in the secondary break process. Only laser cutting may be performed.

As still another method, a single liquid crystal panel 1'is manufactured by performing the primary break process and the secondary break process at the same time, and then the liquid crystal panels 1'are individually separated. Injection can also be performed.

Further, in the above-described primary break process and secondary break process, it is possible to simultaneously irradiate two glass substrates such as the large-sized substrate 300 and the strip-shaped substrate 400 with laser light from above and below and simultaneously perform laser cutting. it can. On the other hand, in the conventional laser cutting method, since the straightness of the cutting line is originally poor, the cutting lines become more unstable when the laser light is irradiated from the upper and lower directions at the same time. Therefore, two glass substrates are sequentially processed one by one. It was laser cut. However, in the laser cutting method of the present invention, the cutting pattern including the heat absorbing material is formed on the glass substrate to improve the straightness of the cutting line, so that the two glass substrates can be simultaneously laser-cut from the vertical direction. it can.

[Laser Cutting Device] In performing the laser cutting described above, the laser cutting device described below is used in this embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing the basic structure of a laser cutting device for carrying out the laser cutting method according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the laser cutting device 500 according to the present embodiment includes a laser irradiation device 501 that irradiates the large-sized panel 300 with the laser beams L1 and L2 on both the front surface side and the back surface side, and a laser cutting object ( In the case of a large-sized panel 300), the panel support 600 is provided. The laser irradiation device 501 includes a light source controller 541, and the light source controller 541 controls the carbon dioxide lasers 542 and 543. The carbon dioxide gas lasers 543 and 542 emit laser lights L1 and L2, respectively. The laser beam L2 from the carbon dioxide gas laser 542 is reflected by the total reflection mirror 544 and is applied to the surface of the large-sized panel 300 described above via the condenser lens 546.
Similarly to the laser beam L2, the laser beam L1 from the carbon dioxide gas laser 543 is reflected by the total reflection mirror 545 and then is irradiated onto the back surface of the large-sized panel 300 via the condenser lens 547.

As a result, the temperature of the area irradiated with the laser beams L1 and L2, particularly the area where the cutting patterns 45 and 55 are formed, rises, and the thermal stress generated due to the temperature gradient increases, resulting in a large panel. Cracks are generated in the thickness direction on each of the two glass substrates 100 and 200 that form 300
A piece of glass substrate is cut. As a result, the large panel 300 is cut into a plurality of strip-shaped panels 400 (primary breaking step). The secondary break step of cutting the strip-shaped panel 400 into a plurality of single liquid crystal panels 1 ′ is also performed by placing the strip-shaped panel 400 on the panel support 600.

The total reflection mirrors 544 and 545 are supported so that the reflection angle and the mounting position thereof can be arbitrarily adjusted, and the laser beam L1 emits the carbon dioxide gas laser 542.
The laser light L1 and the laser light L2 are obliquely incident on the large-sized panel 300 with a predetermined inclination so that the laser light L2 does not reach the carbon dioxide gas laser 543.

In the laser cutting device 500, the large panel 300 is supported by the panel supporting member 600,
The position of the panel support 600 is controlled by the robot unit 550.

In the above example, the laser cutting device uses only the carbon dioxide laser, but a laser cutting device of the type using a Peltier element or a cooling pipe for injecting a cooling gas may be used together with the carbon dioxide laser. it can.
In that case, while advancing the laser beam along the cutting pattern, the cooling pipe is moved along the cutting pattern so as to follow the laser beam, and a steep temperature gradient is formed on the cutting pattern, so that the straightness of the cutting line is improved. Can be improved.

The principle of such a laser cutting device is shown in FIG. Although FIG. 8 shows only the configuration in which the upper side of the large-sized panel 300 is cut, laser cutting can be performed in the vertical direction by providing another set of the same configuration below the large-sized panel 300.

In FIG. 8, a laser 205 and a cooling nozzle 210 are provided above the large-sized panel 300 with a planned cutting line 20.
It is arranged so as to be movable along 7. In addition, large panel 3
00 is fixed on a table or the like (not shown).
A laser irradiation point 206 is formed on the large-sized panel 300 by the laser 205, and a cooling point 20 is formed by the cooling nozzle 210.
9 is formed. Further, the laser 205 and the cooling nozzle 21 are controlled by the controller 215 and a moving mechanism (not shown).
Control the movement of 0.

Further, in order to detect the breaking progress point Br, C
The CD camera 220 is arranged below the large panel 300. The CCD camera 220 captures an image near the cleaving progress point and outputs an image signal to the image processing unit 221. The image processing unit 221 performs signal processing such as binarization on the image signal to detect the position of the cleaving progress point Br. Breaking progress point B
The position of r with respect to the large panel 300 is the position of the CCD camera 220 in the cutting direction X and the CCD camera 220.
It is obtained by calculating the position of the cleaving progress point Br in the image photographed in. The image processing unit 221 uses the position coordinates of the cutting progress point Br thus obtained as the controller 21.
Supply to 5.

The controller 215 controls the movement of the laser 205 and the cooling nozzle 210 in the cutting direction X by a moving mechanism (not shown). The controller 215 can obtain the coordinates of the laser irradiation point 206 based on the position of the laser 205 with respect to the large-sized panel 300 obtained by the moving mechanism and the positional relationship between the laser 205 and the laser irradiation point 206. The controller 215 also controls the position of the cooling nozzle 210, the cooling nozzle 210 and the cooling point 20.
The coordinates of the cooling point 209 with respect to the substrate 1 can be obtained based on the positional relationship with the substrate 9. Thus, the controller 2
Reference numeral 15 acquires and controls the coordinates of the laser irradiation point 206, the cooling point 209, and the cleaving progress point Br with respect to the large-sized panel 300.

According to the above laser cleaving apparatus, the laser irradiation point is heated to a high temperature by irradiating the panel with the laser beam, while the cooling gas is injected to the rear of the laser irradiation point to reduce the cooling point. . By moving the laser irradiation point and the cooling point along the planned cleavage line, a steep temperature gradient is formed between the laser irradiation point and the cooling point, and cracks on the cleavage object due to the stress caused by the temperature gradient. Progresses. By appropriately variably controlling the relative positions of the laser irradiation point and the cooling point, accurate laser cutting with good straightness along the planned cutting line is executed.

Other Embodiments In the above embodiment, the case where the electro-optical panel such as a liquid crystal panel holding the liquid crystal is cut by the two substrates has been described.
The present invention can also be applied to the case of laser cutting an object to be cut such as one glass substrate. In this case, a cutting pattern may be formed on either the front surface side or the back surface side of the glass substrate by an inkjet method, and laser light may be irradiated from above to perform laser cutting.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to the manufacture of the passive matrix type electro-optical device 1 is shown. However, an active matrix type liquid crystal device using a TFD element as an active element, or an active element. The present invention can be applied to the manufacture of various electro-optical devices such as active matrix type liquid crystal devices using TFTs as. [Electronic Equipment] Next, examples of electronic equipment using the electro-optical panel of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 9A is a perspective view showing a mobile phone. 1000 indicates a mobile phone body, of which 100
Reference numeral 1 denotes a liquid crystal display unit using a liquid crystal device including the liquid crystal panel of the present invention.

FIG. 9B is a perspective view showing a wrist watch type electronic device. Reference numeral 1100 denotes a watch body, and 1101 denotes a liquid crystal display unit using a liquid crystal device including the liquid crystal panel of the present invention. Since this liquid crystal panel has high-definition pixels as compared with the conventional timepiece display section, it is possible to display a television image and realize a wristwatch television.

FIG. 9C is a diagram showing a portable information processing device such as a word processor and a personal computer. Reference numeral 1200 denotes an information processing device, and 1202 denotes an input unit such as a keyboard.
Reference numeral 06 denotes a display unit using a liquid crystal device including the liquid crystal panel of the present invention, and 1204 denotes an information processing apparatus main body.

In addition, the liquid crystal panel of the present invention can be used in general liquid crystal devices incorporating a backlight unit such as a portable small television, a wall-mounted television, a liquid crystal display of a notebook computer and a portable game machine.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electro-optical device to which the invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the electro-optical device shown in FIG.

3 is a cross-sectional view of an end portion on the I side when the electro-optical device shown in FIG. 1 is cut along a line II ′ in FIG.

4A to 4D are process diagrams showing a method of manufacturing the electro-optical device shown in FIG.

5A and 5B are explanatory views showing a method of manufacturing the electro-optical device shown in FIG.

6 is one of manufacturing steps of the electro-optical device shown in FIG.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the mode of a next break and a secondary break.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a basic configuration of a laser cutting device for carrying out a laser cutting method according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the laser cutting device for carrying out the laser cutting method according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of an electronic device to which the electro-optical panel of the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Electro-optical device 10 First transparent substrate 20 Second transparent substrate 30 sealing material 35 Liquid crystal enclosed area 45, 55 cutting pattern 100, 200 Large substrate 300 large panel 400 strip-shaped panels 500 laser cutting device L1, L2 laser light

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G02F 1/13 101 G02F 1/13 101 1/1333 500 1/1333 500 // B23K 101: 36 B23K 101: 36 F-term (reference) 2H088 FA05 FA16 FA19 FA27 FA28 2H090 JB02 JC02 JC12 JC13 4E068 AA04 AE01 CA10 CF01 CF03 DA09 DB14 4G015 FA03 FA06 FB02 FC01 FC10 FC14

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A pattern forming step of forming a cutting pattern on a surface of an object to be cut with a material containing a heat absorbing material, and a cutting step of irradiating a laser beam along the cutting pattern to cut the object to be cut. And a laser cutting method. 2. The laser cutting method according to claim 1, wherein in the pattern forming step, the cutting pattern is formed by inkjet printing an ink containing the heat absorbing material. 3. The laser cutting method according to claim 2, wherein the heat absorbing material has a solubility in a diluent contained in the ink. 4. A pattern forming means for forming a cutting pattern on a surface of an object to be cut with a material containing a heat absorbing material, and a cutting means for irradiating a laser beam along the cutting pattern to cut the object to be cut. And a laser cutting device. 5. The laser cutting device according to claim 4, wherein the pattern forming unit forms the cutting pattern by inkjet printing ink containing the heat absorbing material. 6. The laser cutting device according to claim 5, wherein the heat absorbing material has a solubility with respect to a diluent contained in the ink. 7. A pattern forming step of forming a cutting pattern by a material containing a heat absorbing material on two outer surfaces of a panel formed by bonding two substrates together, and on the two outer surfaces along the cutting pattern. And a cutting step of cutting the panel by individually irradiating laser light to cut the two substrates. 8. The laser cutting method according to claim 7, wherein in the pattern forming step, the cutting pattern is formed by inkjet printing ink containing the heat absorbing material. 9. The laser cutting method according to claim 8, wherein the heat absorbing material has a solubility in a diluent contained in the ink. 10. The laser cutting method according to claim 7, wherein in the cutting step, the two substrates of the panel are cut at the same time. 11. A process for producing a large-sized panel including a plurality of electro-optical panels by bonding two substrates together, and the large-sized panel by the laser cutting method according to claim 7. And a step of manufacturing a plurality of electro-optical panels by cutting. 12. An electro-optical device manufactured by the method for manufacturing an electro-optical panel according to claim 11. 13. An electronic apparatus comprising a display unit including the electro-optical device according to claim 12.