JP2008083336A - Manufacturing method of color filter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a manufacturing method of color filter capable of forming a plurality of members having different heights altogether. <P>SOLUTION: In the manufacturing method of color filter, at least two functional parts having different heights are formed on a substrate for color filter by performing: a curable resin layer forming process of forming a curable resin layer on the substrate for color filter having a base material and a colored layer formed on the base material; a press-contacting process of press-contacting a mold having protruded surfaces and recessed parts to the curable resin layer; a curing process of curing the curable resin layer; and a peeling layer of peeling the mold. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a color filter used in a liquid crystal display device or the like.

  In recent years, with the development of personal computers, especially portable personal computers, the demand for liquid crystal displays, especially color liquid crystal displays, has been increasing. However, since this color liquid crystal display is expensive, there is an increasing demand for cost reduction, and in particular, there is a high demand for cost reduction for a color filter having a high specific gravity.

  In such a color filter, it is usually provided with colored layers of three primary colors of red (R), green (G), and blue (B), and the electrodes corresponding to the respective pixels of R, G, and B are turned on, By turning it off, the liquid crystal operates as a shutter, and light passes through each of the R, G, and B pixels, and color display is performed. In addition, an overcoat layer, a columnar spacer for maintaining a constant gap between the liquid crystal driving side substrate and the color filter, and the like are formed on the color layer of the color filter.

  Here, for the purpose of improving the production efficiency of the color filter, for example, there is a method of forming the overcoat layer formed on the colored layer and other members in a lump using, for example, a halftone mask or the like. It has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, in the method of forming a plurality of members having different heights using the halftone mask, it is difficult to adjust the exposure amount of the portion using the halftone mask, and the target height and target shape are There was a problem that it was difficult to form each member.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-350860

  Therefore, it is desired to provide a method for manufacturing a color filter capable of forming a plurality of members having different heights at once.

  The present invention includes a curable resin layer forming step of forming a curable resin layer on a substrate and a color filter substrate having a colored layer formed on the substrate, and the curable resin layer has a convex surface and Two different heights are formed on the color filter substrate by performing a crimping step for crimping a mold having a recess, a curing step for curing the curable resin layer, and a peeling step for peeling the mold. Provided is a method for manufacturing a color filter, which is characterized by forming the above functional part.

  According to the present invention, two or more functional parts having different heights are collectively formed into a target shape by molding with the mold having the convex surface and the concave part and curing the curable resin layer. It becomes possible. At this time, since the mold is used, there is an advantage that each functional part can be formed at a desired height without fine adjustment. Therefore, according to the present invention, a color filter can be efficiently manufactured.

  In the above invention, the curable resin layer in the region bonded to the convex surface of the mold and the curable resin layer in the region bonded to the concave portion of the mold are respectively used as the functional portion. It is preferable to do. This is because it becomes possible to easily form two or more functional parts having different heights.

  In the above invention, the functional part may be an overcoat layer and a columnar spacer, and the functional part is a red overcoat layer, a blue overcoat layer, and a green color. It may be used as an overcoat layer.

  According to the present invention, two or more functional parts having different heights can be collectively formed into a target height and a target shape, and a color filter can be efficiently manufactured. There is an effect that can be.

  The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a color filter used in a liquid crystal display device or the like. Hereafter, the manufacturing method of the color filter of this invention is demonstrated in detail.

  The method for producing a color filter of the present invention includes a curable resin layer forming step of forming a curable resin layer on a substrate and a color filter substrate having a colored layer formed on the substrate, and the curable resin layer. By performing a pressure-bonding step for pressing a mold having a convex surface and a concave portion on the resin layer, a curing step for curing the curable resin layer, and a peeling step for peeling the mold, on the color filter substrate, Two or more functional parts having different heights are formed.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the color filter manufacturing method of the present invention prepares a color filter substrate 3 having a base material 1 and a colored layer 2 formed on the base material 1 (FIG. 1 ( a)). Thereafter, a curable resin layer forming step (FIG. 1 (b)) for forming the curable resin layer 4 on the color filter substrate 3, and the mold 5 having the convex surface a and the concave portion b on the curable resin layer 4. Pressure bonding step (FIG. 1 (c)), a curing step (not shown) for curing the curable resin layer 4, and a peeling step for peeling the mold 5 from the curable resin layer 4 (FIG. 1). 1 (d)). According to the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 1D, two or more functional parts 6α and 6β having different heights can be formed on the color filter substrate 3.

  According to the present invention, the mold having the convex surface and the concave portion is pressure-bonded and molded, and the curable resin layer is cured. For example, the region crimped by the convex surface of the mold and the region crimped by the concave portion Then, the height of the formed functional part can be different. In addition, since the mold is pressed and molded, each functional part can be easily formed to have a desired height.

  Therefore, according to the method for producing a color filter of the present invention, when forming a plurality of functional parts, it is not necessary to repeat the same process a plurality of times, the target height can be efficiently achieved, In addition, a plurality of functional parts can be collectively formed in a target shape.

  The convex surface of the mold means a region where the film thickness of the mold is maximized on the surface used for molding the curable resin layer of the mold, and the concave portion of the mold means the curable resin layer of the mold. An area other than the above-mentioned convex surface of the surface used for molding is referred to. In addition, two or more functional parts having different heights are formed when two or more functional parts having different heights, each having a different function when a color filter is used in a liquid crystal display device. To be done. In the color filter manufactured according to the present invention, only the curable resin layer in the region formed by pressure bonding with the concave portion in this step may be used as the functional portion. It is preferable that both the curable resin layer in the molded region and the curable resin in the region molded by pressure bonding with the convex surface are respectively used as the functional portion. This is because the color filter can be efficiently manufactured.

  In the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 1D, an overcoat layer is formed as the functional part 6α having a low height, and a columnar spacer is formed as the functional part 6β having a high height. There may be. This color filter is particularly useful for an IPS liquid crystal display device. This is because if the IPS method is used, there is no need to form a transparent electrode layer on the overcoat layer, and the advantage of forming the overcoat layer and the columnar spacers together can be utilized.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, an overcoat layer is formed as the functional portion 6α having a low height, and a protrusion for controlling liquid crystal alignment is formed as the functional portion 6β having a low height, so that the function having a high height is formed. A material in which a columnar spacer is formed as the property portion 6γ may be used. In this case, normally, a transparent electrode layer is formed on the pattern so as not to cover the liquid crystal alignment control protrusions and the columnar spacers on the color filter manufactured according to the present invention.

In the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a red overcoat layer is formed on the red colored layer 2R of the color filter substrate 3 as the functional portion 6α having a low height, and then the height is increased. A green overcoat layer is formed on the green colored layer 2G as the low functional part 6β, and a blue overcoat layer is formed on the blue colored layer 2B as the high functional part 6γ. Also good. For example, in an IPS type liquid crystal display device, there is a problem that an electric field fluctuates due to a cell gap between a color filter and a liquid crystal driving side substrate, and luminance uniformity of a display screen cannot be obtained. Overcoat layers (red overcoat layer, green overcoat layer, and blue overcoat layer) having different thicknesses are formed on the colored layers (red colored layer, green colored layer, and blue colored layer), respectively. As a result, the cell gap on each colored layer can be adjusted, the threshold voltage of the manufactured liquid crystal display device can be adjusted, and the luminance can be made uniform.
Hereinafter, each process of the manufacturing method of the color filter of this invention is demonstrated in detail.

1. Curable resin layer formation process The curable resin layer formation process in this invention is a process of forming a curable resin layer on the substrate for color filters which has a base material and the colored layer formed on the said base material. The curable resin layer formed in this step can be deformed following the shape of the mold in the crimping step described later, and is cured in the curing step described later as a functional part as described above. There is no particular limitation as long as the function can be fulfilled. The curable resin layer may be formed on the entire surface of the color filter substrate, for example, or may be formed only on a partial region of the color filter substrate.

  In the present invention, as long as it is possible to form a curable resin layer on the color filter substrate, the formation method and the like are not particularly limited. For example, a curable resin composition containing a curable resin can be applied by a general application method such as a spin coating method, a die coating method, or an inkjet method. Moreover, you may prebak etc. the applied curable resin composition as needed.

  The curable resin composition used for forming the curable resin layer may contain a curable resin and various additives. The curable resin is appropriately selected according to the type of functional part to be formed, the resistance required for the functional part, and the like. For example, it may be a thermosetting resin or an ultraviolet curable resin. May be.

  When the curable resin is an ultraviolet curable resin, the curable resin composition includes, for example, an ultraviolet curable resin such as a monomer or oligomer that is polymerized or cross-linked by ultraviolet irradiation, a photopolymerization initiator, and various additions. An agent etc. can be included. On the other hand, when the curable resin is a thermosetting resin, it may contain a thermosetting resin such as a monomer or oligomer that is polymerized or cross-linked by heat, various additives, and the like. As a material contained in such a curable resin composition, it can be made to be the same as that of the material used when forming the various functional parts of a general color filter. In addition, it is preferable that the said curable resin composition selects and uses a thing with favorable peelability with the mold used at the crimping | compression-bonding process mentioned later.

  Further, the film thickness of the curable resin layer formed in this step is appropriately selected according to the film thickness of the functional part to be formed, and among the functional parts to be formed, the height of the highest functional part is high. And a thicker film thickness. Such a film thickness can usually be in the range of 1.0 μm to 5.0 μm, in particular in the range of 1.0 μm to 3.5 μm, particularly in the range of 1.3 μm to 3.5 μm.

  Further, the color filter substrate used in this step is not particularly limited as long as it has a base material and a colored layer, and a black matrix or the like may be formed between the colored layers as necessary. Moreover, for example, a transparent electrode layer or the like formed on a colored layer may be used. The substrate for a color filter having such a base material or a colored layer can be the same as that used for a general color filter.

2. Next, the crimping process in the present invention will be described. The crimping step in the present invention is a step of crimping a mold having a convex surface and a concave portion to the curable resin layer. As a method of pressure-bonding the mold to the curable resin layer in this step, any method can be used as long as the curable resin layer is allowed to enter the concave portion of the mold and the curable resin layer can follow the shape of the mold. It is not limited. For example, the method may be a method in which the curable resin layer and the mold are in close contact with each other in a vacuum, or may be a method in which the curable resin layer and the mold are laminated and then pressure-bonded by applying pressure. .

  Here, the mold used for this process has a convex surface and a recessed part, and the shape of a convex surface and a recessed part is made into the shape which reversed the shape of the functional part to form. For example, when the functional part to be formed is an overcoat layer and a columnar spacer, the convex surface a of the mold has a shape corresponding to the shape of the overcoat layer to be formed, for example, as shown in FIG. The concave portion b of the mold has a shape inverted from the shape of the columnar spacer to be formed. In this case, the mold is pressure-bonded so that the distance between the convex surface of the mold and the color filter substrate becomes the thickness of the overcoat layer to be formed.

  In addition, the concave portion may have a depth of a plurality of stages according to the number of types of functional portions to be formed. For example, the functional portion to be formed may have a red overcoat as described above. In the case of a layer, a blue overcoat layer, and a green overcoat layer, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, a mold having a convex surface a and concave portions (b and b ′) having a plurality of depths. It can be.

  The shape of the concave portion is appropriately selected according to the shape of the functional portion to be formed. For example, the cross section may be a rectangular shape, and the cross section may be a semicircular shape, a triangular shape, or a trapezoidal shape. It may be what is said. Moreover, these may be combined. In addition, other members such as a light shielding portion may be formed on the mold as necessary.

  Further, the depth of the concave portion is appropriately selected according to the shape and type of the functional portion to be formed, and is usually about 1.2 μm to 5.2 μm, and more preferably 1.5 μm to 3.7 μm. It is preferable to be set to a degree. This is because a plurality of types of functional parts can be formed with high accuracy.

  Moreover, the material of the said mold is suitably selected by the hardening method etc. of the curable resin layer in the hardening process mentioned later. For example, when the curing step described later is a step of curing the curable resin layer by irradiating energy such as ultraviolet rays while the mold is pressure-bonded, the mold transmits energy such as ultraviolet rays. It is assumed that it is made of a material. Specific examples of the material that transmits energy include energy-permeable resins, energy-permeable glass, and quartz. Among the above, in the present invention, it is preferable to use quartz particularly from the viewpoints of energy permeability and dimensional stability.

  On the other hand, in the case where the curing step described later is a step of curing the curable resin layer by applying heat, the mold does not particularly require energy permeability. For example, a mold made of a metal or ceramic that is stable against heat can be used, but in the present invention, in particular, in order to accurately align the mold and the color filter substrate, the mold has transparency. It is preferable to have.

3. Curing Step Next, the curing step in the present invention will be described. The hardening process in this invention is a process of hardening the curable resin layer shape | molded by the said crimping | compression-bonding process in the shape corresponding to the shape of a mold. In addition, this process may be a process of curing the curable resin layer while the mold and the curable resin layer are pressure-bonded, and the curable resin layer is stable in a state where the mold is peeled off. When the shape can be maintained, the peeling step described later is performed before this step, and the mold and the curable resin layer are separated and the curable resin layer is cured. Also good.

  The method for curing the curable resin layer in this step is appropriately selected depending on the type of the curable resin contained in the curable resin layer, for example, a method of irradiating energy such as ultraviolet rays, or a method of applying heat. Etc. These may be used in combination. About the energy irradiated in this process, and the heat to add, it can be made to be the same as that used when hardening general curable resin.

4). Next, the peeling process in the present invention will be described. The peeling process in this invention is a process of peeling the said curable resin layer and the said mold. As described above, this step may be performed before the curing step or may be performed after the curing step.

  The method for peeling the curable resin layer and the mold is not particularly limited, and for example, a method of pulling in a predetermined direction from both the mold side and the color filter substrate side may be used. Further, for example, a method of pulling and peeling in a predetermined direction only from either the mold side or the color filter substrate side may be used.

5. Other Steps In addition to the above-described steps, the method for producing a color filter according to the present invention appropriately includes, for example, a step of forming a color filter substrate and a post-baking of a functional part formed by the above steps. A step of forming a transparent electrode layer on the overcoat layer, a step of forming a liquid crystal alignment control protrusion on the transparent electrode layer, and the like. Each of these steps can be the same as each step in a general color filter manufacturing method, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted here.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The above-described embodiment is an exemplification, and the present invention has substantially the same configuration as the technical idea described in the claims of the present invention, and any device that exhibits the same function and effect is the present invention. It is included in the technical scope of the invention.

  The following examples illustrate the present invention more specifically.

  A 0.7 mm-thick glass substrate (1737 glass manufactured by Corning) washed by a conventional method was prepared. A photosensitive resin composition for black matrix having the following composition was applied to the entire surface of one side of the substrate, dried and heated on a hot plate. Then, after exposing through a predetermined photomask, it was developed and baked to form a black matrix (line width: 14.4 μm, thickness: 1.1 μm).

(Photosensitive resin composition for black matrix)
Carbon black 61 parts by weight Photosensitive resin composition 39 parts by weight Methoxybutyl acetate 300 parts by weight The above photosensitive resin composition has the following composition. The same applies to the photosensitive resin compositions used in the following examples.

(Photosensitive resin composition)
Acrylic resin 32 parts by weight Dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate 42 parts by weight Epicoat 180S70 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Yuka Shell Co., Ltd.) 18 parts by weight Irg. 907 (Ciba Specialty Chemicals Co., Ltd.) 8 parts by weight

  Next, each coating solution for a red colored layer, a green colored layer, and a blue colored layer having the following composition is prepared, and according to a known pigment dispersion method using these, a red colored layer, a green colored layer, In addition, a blue colored layer (each thickness of 1.7 μm) was formed as a color filter substrate.

(Composition of red pattern coating solution)
-PR254 dispersion 33 parts by weight-Photosensitive resin composition 67 parts by weight-Propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate 400 parts by weight

(Composition of coating solution for green pattern)
-34 parts by weight of PG36 / PY150 dispersion-66 parts by weight of photosensitive resin composition-400 parts by weight of propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate

(Composition of blue pattern coating solution)
PB15: 6 / PV23 dispersion 17 parts by weight Photosensitive resin composition 83 parts by weight Propylene glycol monomethyl acetate 400 parts by weight A composition A for forming a curable resin layer having the following composition on the color filter substrate Was used to form a curable resin layer. On the curable resin layer, a cylindrical mold was regularly formed, and a quartz mold having a depth of 3.5 μm and a width of 12 μm was pressed.
Then, the said curable resin layer was exposed from the said mold side, and the said curable resin layer was hardened. Subsequently, the mold was peeled off and baked at 230 ° C. for 30 minutes. As a result, a first functional part (film thickness 1.5 μm from the colored layer surface) formed by pressure-bonding the convex surface of the mold and a second functional part (colored layer) formed by pressure-bonding with the concave part. A color filter having a film thickness of 4.8 μm from the surface and 3.3 μm from the surface formed by the convex surface was obtained. In the obtained color filter, the first functional part can be used as an overcoat layer, and the second functional part can be used as a columnar spacer.
(Curable resin layer forming composition A)
-Copolymer of styrene and methyl methacrylate 35 parts by weight-Dipentaerythritol pentaacrylate 65 parts by weight-Irg. 907 (Ciba Specialty Chemicals Co., Ltd.) 5 parts by weight

It is process drawing which shows an example of the manufacturing method of the color filter of this invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the color filter manufactured by this invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the color filter manufactured by this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing explaining the mold used for this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Base material 2 ... Colored layer 3 ... Color filter substrate 4 ... Curable resin layer 5 ... Mold 6 ... Functional part

Claims (4)

A curable resin layer forming step of forming a curable resin layer on a substrate and a color filter substrate having a colored layer formed on the substrate;
A crimping step of crimping a mold having a convex surface and a concave portion to the curable resin layer;
A curing step for curing the curable resin layer;
A method for producing a color filter, wherein two or more functional parts having different heights are formed on the color filter substrate by performing a peeling step of peeling the mold.   The curable resin layer in a region crimped to the convex surface of the mold and the curable resin layer in a region crimped to the concave portion of the mold are respectively used as the functional portion. The manufacturing method of the color filter of 1.   The method for producing a color filter according to claim 1, wherein the functional part is an overcoat layer and a columnar spacer.   The method for producing a color filter according to claim 1, wherein the functional part is a red overcoat layer, a blue overcoat layer, and a green overcoat layer.

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