JP2006215462A - Method for preparing transparent conductive layer, method for manufacturing electro-optic device, and electro-optic device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for preparing a transparent conductive layer for making a transparent conductive layer in a uniform shape and suppressing deterioration in electric characteristics, and to provide a method for manufacturing an electro-optic device and an electro-optic device. <P>SOLUTION: Liquid repellency to repel a functional liquid is imparted to the surface layer of an interlayer insulating film 34 (an upper side of a pixel electrode contact hole 36), while liquid affinity to attract a functional liquid is imparted to the surface layer of a drain region 31d (in the bottom of the pixel electrode contact hole 36). Before a dense transparent conductive layer 38 having a dense film structure to be electrically connected to the drain region 31d is deposited by a vapor phase process, a transparent conductive coating layer 37 having high step covering property and filling in the pixel electrode contact hole 36 is formed by a liquid phase process. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a transparent conductive layer, a method for manufacturing an electro-optical device, and an electro-optical device.

  Conventionally, a liquid crystal display device as an electro-optical device is provided with a thin film transistor for controlling the alignment state of liquid crystal molecules and modulating light emitted from the irradiation device. The drain region of the thin film transistor is provided with a transparent electrode that is electrically connected through a contact hole.

  The transparent electrode is generally formed of a transparent conductive material such as indium oxide (ITO) to which tin is added, and applies a potential difference for controlling the alignment state to the corresponding liquid crystal molecules. (For example, patent document 1).

When the thin film transistor is turned on, a data signal generated based on the display data is output to the transparent electrode through the drain region, and according to the potential difference applied between the transparent electrode and the common electrode, The alignment state of the liquid crystal molecules is maintained so as to modulate the light emitted by the irradiation device. Then, a desired image is displayed on the display surface depending on whether or not the modulated light passes through a polarizing plate disposed on the display surface side of the liquid crystal display device.
JP-A-5-53135

  By the way, the transparent electrode described above requires a dense film structure with a low porosity in order to obtain its stable electrical characteristics (for example, stable resistivity). Etc. are manufactured by a gas phase process.

  However, the above-described gas phase process causes the following problems because the step coverage with respect to the contact hole is low. That is, when a transparent electrode is manufactured by the above manufacturing method, the transparent electrode has a recess along the concave shape of the contact hole without filling the contact hole. Therefore, when an alignment film is applied to the upper layer of the transparent electrode and the alignment film is rubbed, the alignment film thickness and the uneven shape after the rubbing process are not as much as the alignment film flowing into the recesses of the transparent electrode. It becomes uniform. As a result, the shape of the alignment film is deteriorated, and the productivity of the liquid crystal display device is impaired.

  Such a problem can be avoided by a so-called liquid phase process in which a transparent electrode having a high step coverage is manufactured by applying a functional liquid containing a transparent electrode forming material. However, a transparent electrode manufactured by a liquid phase process generally has a sparse film structure (porous structure) with a high porosity, and its electrical characteristics are significantly deteriorated over time. As a result, the electrical characteristics of the liquid crystal display device are deteriorated and the productivity is impaired.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to make a transparent conductive layer uniform in shape and to suppress deterioration of electrical characteristics, a method for producing a transparent conductive layer, An electro-optical device manufacturing method and an electro-optical device are provided.

The method for producing a transparent conductive layer according to the present invention is a method for producing a transparent conductive layer in which a transparent conductive layer is formed on a base layer having a recess, and a functional liquid containing a transparent conductive layer forming material is provided in the recess. After coating and forming a coated transparent conductive layer, a dense transparent conductive layer denser than the coated transparent conductive layer was formed on the coated transparent conductive layer.

  According to the method for producing a transparent conductive layer of the present invention, the surface of the base layer before forming the dense transparent conductive layer can be flattened by the amount of forming the coated transparent conductive layer in the recess. The coated transparent conductive layer can be covered with a dense transparent conductive layer that is denser than the coated transparent conductive layer. Therefore, the shape of the transparent conductive layer can be made uniform, and deterioration of electrical characteristics can be suppressed. As a result, the productivity of the transparent conductive layer can be improved.

In the method for producing the transparent conductive layer, a lyophilic treatment is performed so that the bottom surface of the recess makes the functional liquid lyophilic before the functional liquid is applied.
According to this method for producing a transparent conductive layer, a uniform coated transparent conductive layer can be formed on the bottom surface of the recess as much as the lyophilic treatment is applied to the bottom surface of the recess. Therefore, the shape of the transparent conductive layer can be made more uniform, and the productivity of the transparent conductive layer can be improved.

In the method for producing the transparent conductive layer, before the functional liquid is applied, a liquid repellent treatment is performed so that the upper surface of the concave portion repels the functional liquid.
According to this method for producing a transparent conductive layer, the formation of the coated transparent conductive layer can be suppressed on the upper surface of the concave portion as much as the liquid repellent treatment is applied to the upper surface of the concave portion. Therefore, the coated transparent conductive layer can be formed only in the recess, and the shape of the transparent conductive layer can be made more uniform.

In the method for producing the transparent conductive layer, the dense transparent conductive layer has a thickness that can maintain the electrical resistivity of the transparent conductive layer below a predetermined value.
According to this transparent conductive layer manufacturing method, the electrical resistivity of the transparent conductive layer can be maintained below a predetermined value depending on the thickness of the dense transparent conductive layer, and the deterioration of the electrical characteristics of the transparent conductive layer is suppressed. be able to.

In the method for producing the transparent conductive layer, the concave portion is covered with the dense transparent conductive layer in advance before the coated transparent conductive layer is formed in the concave portion.
According to this method for producing a transparent conductive layer, the coated transparent conductive layer can be surrounded by the dense transparent conductive layer, and deterioration of electrical characteristics can be further suppressed.

  In this method for producing a transparent conductive layer, the transparent conductive layer comprises at least one of zinc oxide, tin oxide, indium oxide to which tin is added, tin oxide to which fluorine is added, and tin oxide to which antimony oxide is added. .

  According to this method for producing a transparent conductive layer, a transparent conductive layer comprising at least one of zinc oxide, tin oxide, indium oxide to which tin is added, tin oxide to which fluorine is added, and tin oxide to which antimony oxide is added. Productivity can be improved.

  In this transparent conductive layer manufacturing method, the coated transparent conductive layer is formed by any one of a spin coating method, a spray method, a dispenser method, a slit coating method, and an ink jet method.

  According to the manufacturing method of this transparent conductive layer, the selection range of the manufacturing method is increased by the amount that the coated transparent conductive layer is formed by any one of the spin coating method, the spray method, the dispenser method, the slit coating method, and the ink jet method. The productivity of the transparent conductive layer can be improved.

In this method for producing a transparent conductive layer, the dense transparent conductive layer is formed by any one of a sputtering method, a vapor deposition method, a CVD method, and an SPD method (Spray Pyrolysis Deposition).

  According to this transparent conductive layer manufacturing method, the selection range of the manufacturing method can be expanded by forming the dense transparent conductive layer by any one of sputtering, vapor deposition, CVD, and SPD. The productivity of the transparent conductive layer can be improved.

  The electro-optical device manufacturing method of the present invention is the electro-optical device manufacturing method in which a transparent electrode is formed in a pixel formation region formed on one side surface of the transparent substrate. An electrode was formed.

  According to the method for manufacturing an electro-optical device of the present invention, the shape of the transparent electrode can be made uniform, and deterioration of the electrical characteristics of the transparent electrode can be suppressed. As a result, the productivity of the electro-optical device can be improved.

The electro-optical device of the present invention is manufactured by the method for manufacturing the electro-optical device.
According to the electro-optical device of the present invention, the productivity of the electro-optical device can be improved.

Hereinafter, an embodiment embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a liquid crystal display device as an electro-optical device.
The liquid crystal display device 10 is an active matrix liquid crystal display device, and includes an irradiation device 11 and a liquid crystal panel 12 for illuminating a planar light L1 as shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the irradiation device 11 side of the liquid crystal panel 12 is an illumination side, and the opposite side of the liquid crystal panel 12 to the irradiation device 11 is an observation side.

The irradiation device 11 includes a light source 11a such as an LED and a light guide 11b that transmits the light L1 emitted from the light source 11a and irradiates the liquid crystal panel 12 as planar light.
The liquid crystal panel 12 has a rectangular counter substrate 13 and an element substrate 14 on the illumination side and the observation side, respectively. The counter substrate 13 and the element substrate 14 are bonded together via a square frame-shaped sealing material 15, and a liquid crystal material (not shown) is sealed in a gap between the counter substrate 13 and the element substrate 14. In the present embodiment, the direction along one side (the right side in FIG. 1) of the element substrate 13 is defined as the X direction, and the direction along the other side orthogonal to the one side is defined as the Y direction.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the counter substrate 13 is a transparent substrate made of non-alkali glass formed in a square shape, and a light shielding layer 16 is formed on the surface (filter forming surface 13a) on the element substrate 14 side. Has been. The light shielding layer 16 is formed of a light shielding material such as chromium or carbon black in a lattice shape that intersects the X direction and the Y direction. Then, by forming the light shielding layer 16, the substantially square color filter forming regions 17 are arranged in a matrix on substantially the entire filter forming surface 13a.

  Each color filter forming region 17 is formed with a red colored layer, a green colored layer, and a blue colored layer that are colored and emitted in colors (red, green, and blue) corresponding to the light L1 emitted from the light source 11a. ing. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the colored layers of each color in the present embodiment are first red colored layer Lr1, first green colored layer Lg1, first, from the right side in the X direction of filter forming surface 13a toward the left side. The blue colored layer Lb1,..., The nth red colored layer Lrn, the nth green colored layer Lgn, and the nth blue colored layer Lbn are formed in this order.

  A counter electrode 18 formed of a transparent conductive material such as indium oxide (ITO) to which tin is added is laminated on the colored layer of each color and the light shielding layer 16. The counter electrode 18 is electrically connected to a power supply circuit (not shown), and a predetermined counter electrode voltage is supplied from the power supply circuit. An alignment film (not shown) made of polyimide or the like is laminated on the upper layer of the counter electrode. The alignment film is subjected to an alignment process such as a rubbing process to set the alignment of liquid crystal molecules in the vicinity of the alignment film (counter substrate 13).

  As shown in FIG. 1, an element substrate 14 is bonded to the observation side of the counter substrate 13. The element substrate 14 is a transparent substrate made of non-alkali glass formed in a size slightly larger than the counter substrate 13, and a polarizing plate 19 is attached to the observation side. On the other hand, a plurality of scanning lines 21 extending in the Y direction are formed at predetermined intervals on the surface of the element substrate 14 on the counter substrate 13 side (element formation surface 14a). Each scanning line 21 is electrically connected to a scanning line driving circuit 22 disposed at one end of the element substrate 14. The scanning line drive circuit 22 selectively drives a predetermined scanning line 21 from a plurality of scanning lines 21 at a predetermined timing based on a scanning control signal supplied from a control circuit (not shown), and scans the scanning line 21. A signal is output.

  A plurality of data lines 23 extending in the X direction are formed on the element formation surface 14a at a predetermined interval. Each data line 23 is electrically connected to a data line driving circuit 24 disposed at one end of the element substrate 14. The data line driving circuit 24 generates a data signal based on display data supplied from an external device (not shown), and outputs the data signal to the corresponding data line 23 at a predetermined timing.

  By forming the data lines 23 and the scanning lines 21, square pixel formation regions 25 are arranged in a matrix on substantially the entire element formation surface 14a. The element substrate 14 is bonded to the counter substrate 13 so that each pixel forming region 25 is opposed to the corresponding color filter forming region 17.

FIG. 3 is a main part schematic plan view showing the pixel formation region 25, and FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, in each pixel formation region 25, an island-shaped channel layer 31 formed on the element formation surface 14a is provided. The channel layer 31 is formed by patterning a polysilicon film formed on substantially the entire element formation surface 14a by a low pressure CVD method for thermally decomposing monosilane gas. As shown in FIG. 4, the channel layer 31 has an n-type source region 31s and a drain region 31d on both sides of a channel region 31c formed at the center position thereof.

  On the channel layer 31, as shown in FIG. 4, a gate insulating film 32 constituting a base layer is formed so as to cover substantially the entire element formation surface 14a. The gate insulating film 32 is an insulating film such as a silicon oxide film deposited on substantially the entire element formation surface 14a by an ECR plasma CVD method or the like.

  A gate electrode 33 extending from the scanning line 21 is formed on the gate insulating film 32 and above the channel region 31c, as shown in FIGS. The gate electrode 33 (scanning line 21) is formed by patterning a metal film such as aluminum or tantalum formed on substantially the entire element formation surface 14a by sputtering or the like. The source region 31s and the drain region 31d are formed in a self-aligned manner by phosphorus ion implantation using the gate electrode 33 as a mask.

  On the gate electrode 33, an interlayer insulating film 34 is formed which electrically insulates between the gate electrodes 33 and forms a base layer. The interlayer insulating film 34 is an insulating film such as a silicon oxide film deposited on substantially the entire element formation surface 14a by a plasma CVD method or the like. The surface layer of the interlayer insulating film 34 is provided with liquid repellency by a liquid repellent process (for example, a fluorine-based plasma process) for repelling a functional liquid described later.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a data line contact hole 35 penetrating through the gate insulating film 32 and the interlayer insulating film 34 is formed in the source region 31 s of the channel layer 31. In the data line contact hole 35, the data line 23 which is electrically connected to the source region 31s and fills the contact hole 35 is formed. The data line 23 is formed by patterning a metal film such as aluminum formed on substantially the entire element formation surface 14a by sputtering or the like.

  Meanwhile, a pixel electrode contact hole 36 penetrating the gate insulating film 32 and the interlayer insulating film 34 is formed in the drain region 31 d of the channel layer 31. At the bottom of the pixel electrode contact hole 36, that is, the surface layer of the drain region 31d, lyophilicity is imparted by lyophilic processing (for example, oxygen-based plasma processing) for lyophilic functional liquid described later. .

  In the pixel electrode contact hole 36, a coated transparent conductive layer 37 that is electrically connected to the drain region 31d and fills the contact hole 36 is formed. The coated transparent conductive layer 37 is made of at least one of zinc oxide, tin oxide, indium oxide added with tin (ITO), tin oxide added with fluorine (FTO), and tin oxide added with antimony oxide (ATO). The transparent conductive film is formed by a liquid phase process having high step coverage such as a spin coating method, a spray method, a dispenser method, a slit coating method, and an ink jet method.

  More specifically, for example, when the coated transparent conductive layer 37 made of ITO is formed by spin coating, the element substrate 14 on which the pixel electrode contact holes 36 are formed is rotated at 500 to 2000 rpm by a spin coater. Then, a functional liquid (2.5 ml) in which indium nitrate and anhydrous stannic chloride as a transparent conductive layer forming material are dissolved in n-butyl carbitol is applied onto the rotating element substrate 14. At this time, the surface layer of the interlayer insulating film 34 and the drain region 31d, that is, the upper and bottom portions of the pixel electrode contact hole 36 are provided with liquid repellency and lyophilicity, respectively. Is wet and spreads at the bottom of the pixel electrode contact hole 36 and becomes liquid repellent above the pixel electrode contact hole 36. That is, the applied functional liquid is accommodated only in the pixel electrode contact hole 36. In the functional liquid of this embodiment, the concentration of the indium nitrate is adjusted to 0.1 to 0.4 mol / l, and the concentration of anhydrous stannic chloride is changed to the composition ratio of tin (Sn) and indium (In). The solution is adjusted so that (Sn / (Sn + In)) is 0.075, but is not limited thereto.

  Subsequently, when a functional liquid is applied in the pixel electrode contact hole 36, the functional liquid (element substrate 14) is heated to 40 ° C. for 10 minutes (preliminary drying) by a hot plate and continuously heated to 120 ° C. ( (Dry). Then, the fully dried functional liquid is fired under a firing condition of 350 ° C. in a nitrogen atmosphere. As a result, it is possible to form the coated transparent conductive layer 37 made of ITO that fills the pixel electrode contact hole 36 and flattens the surface of the interlayer insulating film 34.

On the coated transparent conductive layer 37 thus formed, as shown in FIG. 4, a dense transparent conductive layer 38 that is electrically connected to the coated transparent conductive layer 37 (drain region 31d) and spreads on the interlayer insulating film 34 is formed. Is formed. The dense transparent conductive layer 38 includes at least one of zinc oxide, tin oxide, indium oxide (ITO) to which tin is added, tin oxide (FTO) to which fluorine is added, and tin oxide (ATO) to which antimony oxide is added. The transparent conductive film includes a film structure that is denser than the coated transparent conductive layer 37. The dense transparent conductive layer 38 is formed by a vapor phase process capable of forming a dense film structure such as sputtering, vapor deposition, CVD, SPD (Spray Pyrolysis Deposition), etc. It has an electrical resistivity lower than 37.

  More specifically, for example, when the dense transparent conductive layer 38 made of ITO is formed by sputtering, the element substrate 14 on which the coated transparent conductive layer 37 is formed is set to 1 × 10 −4 Pa in an atmosphere of argon and oxygen. Place in a reduced pressure sputter chamber. Then, the element substrate 14 is heated to 250 ° C., and an ITO target (99.99 w%) containing tin oxide at a concentration of 10 w% is sputtered. As a result, an ITO film having a predetermined thickness can be formed on substantially the entire surface of the element substrate 14 (interlayer insulating film 34), and the dense transparent conductive layer 38 can be formed by patterning the ITO film. it can.

The coated transparent conductive layer 37 and the dense transparent conductive layer 38 form a pixel electrode 40 made of a transparent conductive material electrically connected to the drain region 31d.
Accordingly, the flatness of the shape of the pixel electrode 40 is improved by the amount that the inside of the pixel electrode contact hole 36 is previously filled with the coated transparent conductive layer 37 having a high step coverage. In addition, the deterioration of the electrical characteristics of the coated transparent conductive layer 37 (pixel electrode 40) is suppressed by the amount that the coated transparent conductive layer 37 is covered with the dense transparent conductive layer 38 having a high barrier property.

  Next, a method for setting the film thickness of the dense transparent conductive layer 38 in the present embodiment will be described below. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the electrical resistivity of the pixel electrode 40 with respect to the film thickness of the dense transparent conductive layer 38. The electrical resistivity immediately after formation of the pixel electrode 40 (immediately after film formation) and the elapse of 7 days. The subsequent electrical resistivity is shown. Further, the film thickness of both the dense transparent conductive layer 38 and the coated transparent conductive layer 37 is adjusted so that the film thickness of the pixel electrode 40 in FIG. 5 is maintained at 100 nm.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the film thickness of the dense transparent conductive layer 38 is gradually increased from 25 nm, the electrical resistivity immediately after the film formation is gradually decreased by the increase of the film thickness. Then, the electrical resistivity after the elapse of 7 days gradually approaches the electrical resistivity immediately after the film formation due to the increased barrier property of the dense transparent conductive layer 38. That is, when the thickness of the dense transparent conductive layer 38 is gradually increased, the pixel electrode 40 decreases its electrical resistivity and suppresses the deterioration of the electrical resistivity over time.

  When the film thickness of the dense transparent conductive layer 38 is 40 nm or more, the electrical resistivity of the pixel electrode 40 is maintained immediately after the film formation. However, the total film thickness of the pixel electrode 40 is set to a predetermined film thickness (in this embodiment, 100 nm) based on the layout design of the pixel formation region 25 and the like. For this reason, if the film thickness of the dense transparent conductive layer 38 is excessively increased, the film thickness of the coated transparent conductive layer 37 is reduced by the increase in the film thickness, and the flatness of the pixel electrode 40 is impaired.

Therefore, the film thickness of the dense transparent conductive layer 38 in the present embodiment is the smallest film thickness that can maintain the electrical resistivity equal to or less than a value (target resistivity) that enables control of the alignment state of the liquid crystal molecules. The thickness is set. In this embodiment, the target resistivity is 1 × 10 −3 Ω · cm,
The film thickness of the dense transparent conductive layer 38 based on the target resistivity is 50 nm.

Accordingly, the pixel electrode 40 can maintain an electrical resistivity that can control the alignment state of the liquid crystal molecules, and can improve the flatness of the shape.
As shown in FIG. 4, an alignment film 41 is formed on the pixel electrode 40 and the interlayer insulating film 34. The alignment film 41 is formed by performing an alignment process such as a rubbing process on a resin film such as polyimide applied on the element substrate 14 (the pixel electrode 40 and the interlayer insulating film 34).

  Accordingly, a uniform alignment processing shape is formed on the alignment film 41 as much as the flatness of the pixel electrode 40 is improved. The alignment state of the liquid crystal molecules in the vicinity of the alignment film 41 (element substrate 14) can be made uniform by the amount that the alignment treatment shape of the alignment film 41 is formed uniformly.

  Now, when the scanning line driving circuit 22 sequentially selects the scanning lines 21 (gate electrodes 33) one by one based on the line sequential scanning, the channel layers 31 of the corresponding pixel formation regions 25 are sequentially turned on only during the selection period. Become. When the channel layer 31 is turned on, the data signal supplied from the data line driving circuit 24 is output to the pixel electrode 40 via the data line 23 and the channel layer 31. At this time, since the alignment state of the liquid crystal molecules in the vicinity of the alignment film 41 is set uniformly, the element substrate 14, the counter substrate 13, and the like are surely based on the potential difference between the pixel electrode 40 and the counter electrode 18. The alignment state of the liquid crystal molecules in between can be controlled, and the light L1 irradiated by the irradiation device 11 can be maintained to be modulated. A desired full-color image is displayed on the observation side of the liquid crystal panel 12 depending on whether or not the modulated light passes through a polarizing plate 19 (not shown).

Next, effects of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described below.
(1) According to the embodiment, before forming the dense transparent conductive layer 38 having a dense film structure by a vapor phase process, the coated transparent conductive layer 37 with high step coverage filling the pixel electrode contact hole 36 is provided. Was formed by a liquid phase process.

  As a result, the flatness of the dense transparent conductive layer 38 can be improved by the amount filled with the coated transparent conductive layer 37 in the pixel electrode contact hole 36, and the flatness of the pixel electrode 40 can be improved. Accordingly, the alignment processing shape of the alignment film 41 formed on the pixel electrode 40 can be made uniform by the amount that improves the flatness of the pixel electrode 40, and thus the productivity of the liquid crystal display device 10 can be improved. it can.

  (2) Moreover, the deterioration of the electrical characteristics of the coated transparent conductive layer 37 (pixel electrode 40) can be suppressed by the amount that the upper side of the coated transparent conductive layer 37 is covered with a dense dense transparent conductive layer 38 having a high barrier property. As a result, the productivity of the liquid crystal display device 10 can be improved.

  (3) According to the above-described embodiment, the surface layer of the interlayer insulating film 34 is provided with a liquid repellency for repelling the functional liquid, and the functional liquid is applied to the surface layer of the drain region 31 d, that is, the bottom of the pixel electrode contact hole 36. To give lyophilicity. As a result, the functional liquid applied on the element substrate 14 can be wetted and spread on the bottom of the pixel electrode contact hole 36, and can be repelled on the upper side of the pixel electrode contact hole 36.

  As a result, the functional liquid can be accommodated only in the pixel electrode contact hole 36, and the coated transparent conductive layer 37 can be reliably formed only in the pixel electrode contact hole 36. Therefore, the flatness of the pixel electrode 40 can be further improved.

(4) According to the above embodiment, the film thickness of the dense transparent conductive layer 38 is within a film thickness that can maintain an electrical resistivity equal to or less than a value (target resistivity) that enables control of the alignment state of liquid crystal molecules. The minimum film thickness was set. As a result, the pixel electrode 40 can maintain an electrical resistivity that can control the alignment state of the liquid crystal molecules, and can improve the flatness of the shape. As a result, the productivity of the liquid crystal display device 10 can be improved. Can be improved.

In addition, you may change the said embodiment as follows.
In the above embodiment, the coated transparent conductive layer 37 is formed directly on the drain region 31d. By changing this, as shown in FIG. 6, before forming the coated transparent conductive layer 37, the formation method on the drain region 31 d and the inner peripheral surface of the pixel electrode contact hole 36 is the same as the dense transparent conductive layer 38. The coated transparent conductive layer 37 may be surrounded by the dense transparent conductive layers 38 and 38a.

According to this, the deterioration of the electrical characteristics of the pixel electrode 40 can be further suppressed as much as the coated transparent conductive layer 37 is surrounded by the dense transparent conductive layers 38, 38 a, and furthermore, the drain region 31 d and the pixel electrode 40 can be prevented from deteriorating. The contact resistance between them can be reduced.
In the above embodiment, the transparent conductive layer is embodied as the pixel electrode 40. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the transparent electrode may be a counter electrode formed on the counter substrate 13, or may be a transparent electrode provided in an electroluminescence element. May be. That is, any transparent conductive layer may be used as long as it is formed on a base layer having a recess.
In the above embodiment, the base layer is embodied as the gate insulating film 32 and the interlayer insulating film 34, but is not limited thereto, and may be, for example, the light shielding layer 16 formed on the counter substrate 13 or a colored layer of each color, Any layer having a recess may be used.
In the above embodiment, the concave portion is the pixel electrode contact hole 36. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be a via hole or a gap between metal wirings, for example. That is, it is sufficient if the concave portion can improve the flatness of the transparent conductive layer (dense transparent conductive layer 38) by filling with the coated transparent conductive layer 37.
In the above embodiment, the electro-optical device is embodied as the liquid crystal display device 10, but is not limited thereto, and may be, for example, an organic electroluminescence display or a field effect display (FED, SED, etc.) and has a recess. Any electro-optical device may be used as long as a transparent conductive layer is formed on the underlying layer.

1 is a schematic plan view showing a liquid crystal display device embodying the present invention. Similarly, the schematic perspective view which shows a counter substrate. Similarly, a schematic plan view showing a pixel region. Similarly, a schematic sectional view showing a pixel region. Similarly, an explanatory view for explaining electrical resistivity of a pixel electrode. The schematic sectional drawing which shows the pixel area | region in the example of a change.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Liquid crystal display device as an electro-optical device, 25 ... Pixel formation area, 32 ... Gate insulating film which comprises a base layer, 34 ... Interlayer insulating film which comprises a base layer, 36 ... Pixel electrode contact hole as a recessed part, 37 ... coated transparent conductive layer, 38, 38a ... dense transparent conductive layer, 40 ... pixel electrode.

Claims (10)

In the method for producing a transparent conductive layer in which a transparent conductive layer is formed on a base layer having a recess,
After applying a functional liquid containing a transparent conductive layer forming material in the recess to form a coated transparent conductive layer, a dense transparent conductive layer denser than the coated transparent conductive layer is formed on the coated transparent conductive layer. A method for producing a transparent conductive layer, characterized in that it is configured as described above. In the manufacturing method of the transparent conductive layer of Claim 1,
A method for producing a transparent conductive layer, wherein a lyophilic treatment is performed on the bottom surface of the recess to make the functional liquid lyophilic before applying the functional liquid. In the manufacturing method of the transparent conductive layer of Claim 1 or 2,
A method for producing a transparent conductive layer, wherein the upper surface of the concave portion is subjected to a liquid repellent treatment for repelling the functional liquid before the functional liquid is applied. In the manufacturing method of the transparent conductive layer as described in any one of Claims 1-3,
A method for producing a transparent conductive layer, characterized in that the dense transparent conductive layer has a thickness capable of maintaining the electrical resistivity of the transparent conductive layer below a predetermined value. In the manufacturing method of the transparent conductive layer of Claim 1,
Before forming the coated transparent conductive layer in the recess, the recess is covered with the dense transparent conductive layer in advance. In the manufacturing method of the transparent conductive layer as described in any one of Claims 1-5,
The transparent conductive layer comprises at least one of zinc oxide, tin oxide, indium oxide to which tin is added, tin oxide to which fluorine is added, and tin oxide to which antimony oxide is added. Production method. In the manufacturing method of the transparent conductive layer as described in any one of Claims 1-6,
The method for producing a transparent conductive layer, wherein the coated transparent conductive layer is formed by any one of a spin coating method, a spray method, a dispenser method, a slit coating method, and an ink jet method. In the manufacturing method of the transparent conductive layer as described in any one of Claims 1-7,
The dense transparent conductive layer is formed by any one of a sputtering method, a vapor deposition method, a CVD method, and an SPD method (Spray Pyrolysis Deposition). . In the method for manufacturing an electro-optical device in which a transparent electrode is formed in a pixel formation region formed on one side surface of a transparent substrate,
An electro-optical device manufacturing method in which the transparent electrode is formed by the transparent conductive layer manufacturing method according to claim 1. An electro-optical device manufactured by the method for manufacturing an electro-optical device according to claim 9.

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