JP2009128462A - Method of manufacturing substrate for display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of manufacturing a substrate for a display panel provided with electrodes in an inner surface of the substrate partitioned by partitions, with low manufacturing costs and high yield. <P>SOLUTION: The method of manufacturing the substrate for the display panel includes: an electrode film forming step of forming an electrode film 4 on a surface of the substrate 2 on which the partitions 6 are formed; a resist applying step of applying a resist 12 which is cured or is made not to be dissolved in a solution by irradiation with light on the surface on which the partitions 6 are formed; a light radiation step of radiating light from a direction vertical to an upper surface 6a of the partitions 6 of the substrate 2 by using a mask 10 preventing radiation of light to the upper surface 6a and a side surface 6b of the partitions 6; a resist removing step of removing the resist 12 which is not cured or is not made not to be dissolved by light radiation; and an electrode film removing step of removing the electrode film 4 in a region which is not covered by a resist 14. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a display panel substrate having electrodes on a substrate surface partitioned by partition walls, and further includes a display panel including a display panel substrate manufactured by the manufacturing method and the display panel. The present invention relates to a display device provided.

  In recent years, various display panels such as an electrophoretic display panel and a liquid crystal display panel have become widespread, and a substrate used for the display panel is also widely used. In many cases, the display panel substrate has an electrode for applying a predetermined voltage or current to the inside of the substrate in which a display liquid such as electrophoretic ink or liquid crystal or a filling liquid such as toner or a light emitter is sealed. Provided, and a partition for dividing the display portion into predetermined regions. In this case, when an electrode is provided on the outer surface side of the substrate (opposite the surface in contact with the filling liquid), a voltage loss is caused by the thickness of the substrate, so that a high voltage is required for display.

Therefore, in order to avoid such a voltage loss, it is desirable to use a display panel substrate provided with electrodes on the inner surface side (side in contact with the filling liquid) of the substrate partitioned by the partition walls. Various methods for manufacturing a display panel substrate having electrodes on the inner surface side of the substrate have been proposed. Among them, a method for manufacturing a display panel substrate using photolithography and a method for manufacturing a display panel substrate in which partition walls are formed using an ink jet have been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2001-343672 A

  In the manufacturing method described in Patent Document 1, the manufacturing method using photolithography requires a manufacturing process using an expensive apparatus such as a vacuum apparatus and a photolithography apparatus, and also requires high positioning accuracy. May increase and yield may decrease.

  On the other hand, in the case where the partition walls are formed using ink jet, patterning of the electrodes using photolithography or the like is necessary so that the electrodes do not exist in the region where the partition walls are provided, which also increases the manufacturing cost and decreases the yield. There is a fear. In addition, since the substrate and the partition are formed separately, there may be a problem in the adhesion between the substrate and the partition.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems, and does not require a process using an expensive apparatus or a process requiring strict positioning accuracy, and has a low manufacturing cost and a high yield, and the inner surface of the substrate partitioned by the partition walls. The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a display panel substrate provided with electrodes, and further provides a display panel including a display panel substrate manufactured by the manufacturing method and a display device including the display panel. .

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to claim 1 of the present invention is an electrode for forming an electrode film on a surface of a substrate on which a partition is formed. After the film forming step, after the electrode forming step, a resist coating step for applying a resist that is cured or solution insoluble by light irradiation on the surface provided with the partition; and after the resist coating step, an upper surface of the partition wall And a light irradiation step of irradiating light from a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate on which the partition wall is provided in a state where a mask for preventing light from being applied to the side surface, and light after the light irradiation step A resist removing step for removing the resist that has not been cured or insoluble in the irradiation, and an electrode for removing the electrode film in a region not covered with the resist by etching after the resist removing step. Characterized in that it comprises a film removal step.

  In this embodiment, an electrode film is formed on the entire surface of the substrate on which the partition walls are provided (electrode film forming step), and a resist layer that is cured or insoluble in solution by light irradiation is applied thereon to form a resist layer. (Resist coating process). Then, by irradiating light with a mask for preventing light from being applied to the upper surface and side surfaces of the partition wall, the upper surface and side surfaces of the partition wall (the resist overhangs from the upper surface of the partition wall as will be described later). In some cases, the resist in the region excluding the region where light is blocked by the overhang portion is cured or insoluble in the solution (light irradiation step). Then, by removing the resist in the region that was not exposed to light in the light irradiation process using a solution for removing the resist, the upper and side surfaces of the partition walls are not covered with the resist, and the substrate is surrounded by other partition walls. A state in which the surface is covered with a resist can be formed (resist removal step), and the electrode film in a region not covered with the resist is removed by etching (electrode film removal step), and surrounded by a partition wall A substrate having an electrode film formed only on the substrate surface can be manufactured.

  In the above description, the phrase “the entire surface on which the partition walls of the substrate are provided” means the plane of the flat plate portion of the substrate as well as the surface including the top and side surfaces of the partition walls, and the term “substrate surface” It means only the plane of the flat plate portion of the substrate, excluding the upper and side surfaces of the partition walls.

  In the resist coating step, a resist can be applied only to a region where no partition wall exists in advance (for example, it can be realized by using an ink jet as described later), or a resist is applied to the entire surface of the substrate including the partition wall. Application is also conceivable. In addition, even when the resist is applied only to the region where the partition wall does not exist, it is conceivable that the resist applied to the substrate surface by capillary action or the like rises and adheres to the side surface of the partition wall. Since the resist can be prevented from being exposed to light by the mask, it can be removed in the resist removing step.

  In addition, as described later, the mask can be formed by forming a mask layer on the upper surface of the partition wall by applying a mask material to shield the upper surface and side surfaces of the partition wall, or by using a mask member, The upper and side surfaces of the partition walls can be shielded from light.

  The display panel substrate manufactured in this embodiment includes both a display surface side substrate and a back side substrate. In addition, there is a case where there is a gap in the partition wall, and there is a case where a common electrode provided with an electrode for connecting each electrode partitioned by the partition wall is provided in this gap portion, and a case where an individual electrode surrounded by the partition wall is included Is also included.

  Moreover, as a board | substrate with which the partition used in this embodiment was formed, it can form by arbitrary methods including an embossing, an inkjet, a photolitho, and machining. From the viewpoint of manufacturing cost, since the substrate and the partition wall are integral, it is considered preferable to use embossing as will be described later. In view of improvement in mass productivity, it is desirable to adopt a roll-to-roll method for embossing.

  In the electrode film forming step, since the electrode film is formed on the entire surface of the substrate, it is formed not only on the region surrounded by the partition walls but also on the upper surface and side surfaces of the partition walls. Moreover, as a method for forming the electrode film, any method including sputtering, vapor deposition, and ion plating can be used. In addition, as an electrode material, a transparent electrode material such as ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) is used (mainly in the case of a substrate on the display surface side), or a metal material such as copper or silver is used (mainly on the back side). In the case of a substrate of

  In the resist coating process, as a method of coating the resist, as described later, any coating method including the case of using an ink jet, the case of coating by a dispenser, the case of using spin coating, the case of dipping in a resist solution, and the like. Can be applied.

  The resist used in this embodiment is a material in which only a portion exposed to light is cured or becomes insoluble in the etching removal solution and is not removed by etching (not dissolved in the etching solution). The resist that has not been removed can be removed using a resist removal solution or the like. In addition, in the present embodiment, the term “solution insoluble” includes not only a case where the solution is completely insoluble in a solution but also a state in which the solution is insoluble in the solution.

  In the light irradiation step, the light to be irradiated can be light having a wavelength that sensitizes the resist layer (that is, is cured or insoluble in the solution), and light having any wavelength including ultraviolet light and visible light is used. Can do. In addition, as will be described later, a mask layer may be formed on the upper surface of the partition wall, and a mask pattern corresponding to the shape of the upper surface of the partition wall is drawn on a mask member, for example, a transparent plate. It is also conceivable that the plate-like member is arranged above the substrate or placed on the partition wall.

  In the etching of the electrode film removing step, the resist layer that protects the electrode film can be used as it is as a protective layer of the electrode, or the resist layer can be removed by another step if necessary.

  In this embodiment, since it is not necessary to pattern the electrodes and partition walls using photolithography or the like, there is no process requiring strict positioning accuracy, and the electrodes are formed on the inner surface of the substrate partitioned by the partition walls at a low manufacturing cost and high yield. Can be manufactured.

  An embodiment of the method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to claim 2 of the present invention is characterized in that, in the electrode film forming step, the electrode film is formed on the substrate on which a partition wall is formed by embossing.

  In this embodiment, since the substrate in which the partition wall is integrally formed can be easily manufactured by using embossing (imprint method), an excellent substrate in which the substrate and the partition wall are integrated and does not cause a peeling problem is obtained. Can be obtained at a low manufacturing cost.

  An embodiment of the method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to claim 3 of the present invention is characterized in that, in the resist coating step, the resist is coated by inkjet.

  According to this embodiment, it is possible to easily apply a resist to the substrate surface excluding the partition walls and apply the resist to the entire surface of the substrate including the partition walls by using inkjet.

  In an embodiment of the method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to claim 4 of the present invention, the mask used in the light irradiation step applies a mask material to the upper surface of the partition before or after the resist coating step. And a mask layer forming step of forming a mask layer.

In this embodiment, by forming a mask layer on the upper surface of the partition wall, a mask function that prevents the light from hitting the upper surface and side surfaces of the partition wall can be achieved.
Here, as a method of forming a mask layer by applying a mask material to the upper surface of the partition wall, a laminator (roll type) can be used as described later, or a stamp or an ink jet can be used. Moreover, the case where the mask layer overhangs from the upper surface of the partition as described later and the case where the mask layer does not overhang are also included. As a material for the mask layer, a material having a high optical density (OD value) is preferable in order to prevent light transmission.

  The resist coating process of this embodiment includes a case where the resist is applied to a region excluding the partition walls and a case where the resist is applied to the entire surface of the substrate including the partition walls.

  In the case where the mask layer forming step is performed before the resist coating step, when the resist is not applied to the partition walls, an electrode film is formed on the upper surface of the partition walls, and a mask layer is formed thereon. On the other hand, when applying a resist also to a partition, an electrode film is formed on the upper surface of the partition, a mask layer is formed thereon, and a resist layer is further formed thereon.

  Here, even when the resist layer is formed in the region excluding the partition wall, it is considered that the resist adheres on the mask layer. However, as will be described later, when the mask material has a property of repelling the resist. Can prevent the mask layer from being formed. Further, even if a resist layer is formed on the mask layer and this resist layer is cured or insoluble by light irradiation, the lower mask layer is dissolved and removed (so-called lift-off method), so that The resist layer can be removed.

  In the case where the mask layer forming step is performed after the resist coating step, when the resist is not applied to the partition wall, an electrode film is formed on the upper surface of the partition wall, and a mask layer is formed thereon. On the other hand, when applying a resist also to a partition, an electrode film is formed on the upper surface of the partition, a resist layer is formed thereon, and a mask layer is further formed thereon.

  Here, even if a resist adheres on the electrode film formed on the upper surface of the partition wall or a resist layer is formed, light is shielded by the mask layer covering the resist layer. Does not become hardened or insoluble in solution, and can be removed by a resist removing step.

  In this embodiment, by applying a mask material to the upper surface of the partition wall to form a mask layer, it is possible to fulfill the function of a mask that prevents light from hitting the upper surface and side surfaces of the partition wall. Thereby, an electrode does not exist in the upper surface and side surface of a partition, but the board | substrate with which an electrode exists only on the board | substrate surface enclosed by the partition can be obtained easily reliably. As will be described later, when the mask layer overhangs with respect to the upper surface of the substrate, there may be a region where the electrode layer does not exist in the periphery of the substrate surface surrounded by the partition walls.

  According to an embodiment of the method for manufacturing a display panel substrate of claim 5 of the present invention, when the resist is removed in the resist removal step, or when the electrode film is removed in the electrode film removal step, A mask layer removing step of removing the mask layer formed on the upper surface of the partition wall is performed.

  In this embodiment, when removing the resist in the resist removing step, simultaneously with performing the mask layer removing step of removing the mask layer formed on the upper surface of the partition wall, for example, as described later, a mask material As described above, a positive resist that is soluble in the resist removal solution by light irradiation can be used, and a material other than the photosensitive material can be used as long as the material is soluble in the resist removal solution.

  Also, as described above, when the mask layer forming step is performed after the resist coating step, the mask layer is formed on the resist layer, so by removing the resist in the resist removing step by lift-off, The mask layer on top can also be removed.

  When removing the electrode film in the electrode film removing step, and simultaneously carrying out the mask layer removing step for removing the mask layer formed on the upper surface of the partition wall, a material that is soluble in an etching solution as a mask material In addition, the mask layer placed thereon can also be removed by removing the electrode film by etching.

  In this embodiment, since the mask layer can be removed at the same time in the resist removing step or the electrode film removing step, the display panel substrate according to the present invention can be efficiently manufactured at a low manufacturing cost.

  According to an embodiment of the method for manufacturing a display panel substrate of the present invention, when the mask layer is formed on the upper surface of the partition wall in the mask layer forming step, the mask layer is formed from the upper surface of the partition wall. It is formed in an overhanged form.

  In the method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to the present invention, since light is irradiated substantially perpendicularly to the substrate surface, the mask layer is overhanged, so that light is reliably applied to the resist attached to the side wall of the partition wall. It is possible to prevent the resist from curing and becoming insoluble in the solution. Therefore, the electrode film formed on the side wall of the partition wall is surely etched away, and a high-quality display panel in which the ink moves only up and down can be manufactured. In addition, although the electrode film is removed by etching in the region of the substrate surface corresponding to the overhanged portion, it can be made large enough to cause no problem in image display. This overhang amount is determined according to the mask layer forming method, forming speed, material viscosity, surface tension, and the like.

  An embodiment of the method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to claim 7 of the present invention is such that, when a gap is provided in the formed partition wall, the mask layer forming step includes the step of forming the gap on both sides of the gap. The mask layer is formed on an upper surface of the partition so that a gap having a predetermined width is provided between the mask layers overhanging from the partition.

  Also in this embodiment, by overhanging the mask layer, the resist attached to the side wall of the partition is surely prevented from becoming solution-insoluble, and the electrode film formed on the side of the partition is reliably removed by etching. A high-quality display panel that can move only up and down can be manufactured. In particular, in this embodiment, a gap is provided in the formed partition wall, and a gap having a predetermined width is provided between the mask layers overhanging from the partition wall located on both sides of the gap. By irradiating light from a gap portion of a predetermined width, the resist material on the underlying substrate surface can be cured or insoluble in the solution. Therefore, in etching, the electrodes connecting the electrodes surrounded by the partition walls can be surely Can leave. Therefore, a display panel substrate having a common electrode on the inner surface of the substrate surrounded by the partition walls can be reliably manufactured.

  An embodiment of the method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the mask layer forming step, the mask layer is formed on the upper surface of the partition using a laminator.

  The laminator in this embodiment is a device that uses a rotated roller to press a tape-shaped mask material heated to a predetermined temperature against a member and transfer the mask material to the surface of the member. According to this embodiment, by using a laminator, the mask layer can be easily and reliably formed on the upper surface of the partition wall at low cost.

  An embodiment of a method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to claim 9 of the present invention is characterized in that, in the mask layer forming step, the mask layer is formed using a material that becomes solution-soluble by light irradiation. To do.

  According to this embodiment, when a resist layer is removed using a resist removal solution in the resist removal process by forming a mask layer using a so-called positive resist that becomes soluble in light by light irradiation, The mask layer can also be removed. Therefore, the manufacturing process can be reduced, and the display panel substrate according to the present invention can be efficiently manufactured at a low manufacturing cost.

  An embodiment of a method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to claim 10 of the present invention is characterized in that, in the mask layer forming step, the mask layer is formed using a material having a property of repelling the resist. To do.

Examples of the material having the property of repelling the resist used as the material for the mask layer in this embodiment include fluorine resist ink and silicon resist ink.
When the resist is applied after the mask layer is formed on the upper surface of the partition wall, the resist coating process can be performed so that the resist material is not applied on the upper surface of the partition wall on which the mask layer is formed. There is a possibility that the resist adheres on the mask layer in the peripheral part (boundary part with the substrate surface). In this case, since the mask layer has a property of repelling the resist, it is possible to effectively prevent the resist layer from being formed on the mask layer.

  An embodiment of a method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention is an electrode forming step of forming an electrode film on a surface of the substrate on which the partition walls are formed. After step 1, a mask layer forming step of forming a mask layer for light irradiation on the upper surface of the partition wall is performed, and then a resist that becomes hardened or solution insoluble by light irradiation on the surface of the substrate on which the partition wall is provided. The resist coating process to be applied is performed, or the resist coating process is performed and then the mask layer forming process is performed, and the surface of the substrate on which the partition is provided after the process 2 Step 3 which is a light irradiation step of irradiating light from a direction perpendicular to the substrate, and a resist removal for removing the resist which has not been cured or insoluble by the light irradiation in Step 3 after Step 3 And, if necessary, a step 4 of performing a mask layer removing step of removing the mask layer, and after the step 4, the electrode film in a region not covered with the resist is removed by etching. And a step 5 of performing the mask layer removing step if the mask layer is not removed in the step 4.

  In this embodiment, similarly to the above-described embodiment, there is no need to pattern electrodes and partition walls using photolithography, so there is no process using an expensive apparatus or a process requiring strict positioning accuracy. A display panel substrate having electrodes on the inner surface of the substrate defined by the partition walls can be manufactured at a low manufacturing cost and a high yield.

  A display panel according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention is a display panel including a display panel substrate manufactured by any one of the manufacturing methods described above.

  In this embodiment, it is possible to obtain a display panel including a display panel substrate including electrodes on the inner surface of the substrate partitioned by the partition wall at a low manufacturing cost and a high yield.

  An embodiment of the display panel according to claim 13 of the present invention is characterized in that it has a protective film for the electrode film made of the resist that has not been removed in the resist removing step.

  In this embodiment, a display panel including a display panel substrate having a protective film for an electrode film can be efficiently obtained at a low manufacturing cost.

  An embodiment of a display device according to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention is a display device that includes the display panel and displays an image on the display panel.

  In this embodiment, it is possible to obtain a display device including a display panel substrate including electrodes on the inner surface of the substrate partitioned by the partition walls at a low manufacturing cost and a high yield.

As described above, in the method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to the present invention, it is not necessary to pattern electrodes and partition walls using photolithography, so that a process using an expensive apparatus or a process requiring strict positioning accuracy is performed. The display panel substrate having electrodes on the inner surface of the substrate partitioned by the partition walls can be manufactured at a low manufacturing cost and a high yield.
In addition, a display panel including a display panel substrate manufactured by this manufacturing method and a display device including the display panel can be obtained at low manufacturing cost and high yield.

  Embodiments of a method for manufacturing a display panel substrate of the present invention and embodiments of a display panel including a display panel substrate manufactured by this manufacturing method will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

(Description of One Embodiment of Display Panel According to the Present Invention)
First, an embodiment of a display panel including a display substrate panel manufactured by the display panel substrate manufacturing method of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, an electrophoretic display panel will be described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. Here, FIG. 1A is a plan view of the display panel according to the present invention as viewed from the display surface side, and is shown such that a part of the substrate 2 on the display surface side is notched and the inside is exposed. ing. As is apparent from the cutout portion of FIG. 1A, the display panel 1 includes a plurality of partition walls 6 that are formed in a cross shape when viewed from the display surface side and for partitioning the display area. A plurality of substantially square display areas divided by 6 are formed. That is, in the case where the partition walls 6 are formed in a lattice shape, the partition walls 6 are not continuous and have a predetermined gap in a region between the intersections of the orthogonal partition walls 6.

  FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view as seen from the arrow A in FIG. 1A and schematically shows the internal structure of the display panel 1. The upper surface in FIG. 1B is the display surface.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, the display panel 1 includes a display surface side substrate (display substrate) 2 including the common electrode 4 and the partition 6 manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention, and a pixel electrode 122. And a back side substrate (back side substrate) 120. In the present embodiment, the display panel 1 is divided by the partition wall 6 for each pixel, and an individual pixel electrode 122 is provided for each region partitioned by the partition wall 6. Further, in the substrate 2, electrodes are also provided at portions where the partition walls 6 are not continuous, whereby the electrodes in the region divided by the partition walls 6 are electrically connected to each other to form the common electrode 4. . The common electrode 4 and the pixel electrode 122 are opposed to each other by the height of the partition wall 6, and the charged particles 126 and the charged particles 128 are placed in a sealed space formed between the common electrode 4 and the pixel electrode 122. The included display medium 124 is enclosed. In the present embodiment, the black charged particles 126 are positively charged, and the white charged particles 128 are negatively charged.

  In FIG. 1, the potential of the common electrode 4 on the substrate (display substrate) 2 side is set as a reference potential, a predetermined voltage is applied to the pixel electrode 122 to make the substrate (back substrate) 120 side positive, and a sufficient electric field is generated. In this case, positively charged black charged particles 126 are distributed in the vicinity of the substrate (display substrate) 2, and negatively charged white charged particles 128 are distributed in the vicinity of the substrate (back substrate) 120. The gradation is determined by the average distribution of the black charged particles 126 and the white charged particles 128 in the display unit. In this case, black is displayed on the substrate (display substrate) 2.

  Further, when the potential of the common electrode 4 on the substrate (display substrate) 2 side is set as a reference potential, a predetermined voltage is applied to the pixel electrode 122 to make the substrate (back substrate) 120 side negative, and a sufficient electric field is generated. The negatively charged white charged particles 128 are distributed in the vicinity of the substrate (display substrate) 2, and the positively charged black charged particles 126 are distributed in the vicinity of the substrate (back substrate) 120. The gradation is determined by the average distribution of the black charged particles 126 and the white charged particles 128 in the display portion. In this case, white is displayed on the substrate (display substrate) 2.

  In addition, by setting the potential of the common electrode 4 on the substrate (display substrate) 2 side as a reference potential and adjusting the magnitude and application time of the voltage applied to the pixel electrode 122, the black charged particles 126 and the white charged particles 128 are If the substrate (display substrate) 2 and the substrate (back substrate) 122 are positioned in the vicinity of each other, both the black charged particles 126 and the white charged particles 128 are visible from the substrate (display substrate) 2 side. The gradation is gray. In this case, by changing the degree of distribution of the charged particles 126 and 128, gray having an arbitrary density can be displayed.

  As described above, a desired image can be displayed on the display panel 1 by controlling the gradation for each pixel based on the image data.

(Description of One Embodiment of Manufacturing Method of Display Panel Substrate)
Next, an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B. Here, FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are sectional views schematically showing each manufacturing process relating to the method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2A, in the (a) electrode film forming step, the electrode film 4 is formed on the entire surface of the substrate 2 on which the partition wall 6 is provided, and (b) in the mask layer forming step, the laminator is formed. 20 is used to form the mask layer 10 on the upper surface 6 a of the partition wall 6. (C) In the resist coating process, the resist layer 12 is applied by applying a resist 12 which is a negative resist that is cured or solution insoluble when exposed to light on the substrate surface 2a except for the partition walls 6 by using the inkjet device 30. Form.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 2B, in the (d) light irradiation step, ultraviolet rays are irradiated substantially perpendicularly to the substrate surface 2a so that the upper surface 6a, the side surface 6b, and the resist of the partition wall are overlaid from the upper surface 6a of the partition wall 6. Light is applied to the resist 12 in a region excluding the substrate surface 2a (portion indicated by the arrow D) immediately below the hung overhang portion to form a resist 14 in a cured or solution-insoluble state. In addition, the mask layer 10 of the present embodiment is made of a positive resist that becomes solution-soluble when irradiated with ultraviolet rays, and the mask layer 10 on the upper surface 6a of the partition wall 6 is in a solution-soluble state.

  Then, (e) in the resist removal and mask removal process, the resist layer 12 and the mask layer 10 in the non-lighted region are removed using a resist removal solution (developer), whereby the upper surface 6a of the partition wall 6 and The side surface 6 b is not covered with the resist, and the substrate surface 2 a surrounded by the other partition walls 6 is covered with the resist layer 14.

  Then, in the (f) electrode film removing step, the electrode film 4 is formed only on the substrate surface 2a surrounded by the partition walls 6 by removing the electrode film 4 in a region not covered with the resist layer 14 by etching. The display panel substrate 2 can be manufactured. In this embodiment, the resist layer 14 covering the electrode film 4 is used as a protective layer for the electrode. However, the resist layer 14 can be removed separately.

  The manufacturing method of the display panel substrate 2 as described above will be described in more detail below in the order of manufacturing. In the present embodiment, the case where a substrate used for an electrophoretic display panel or a liquid crystal display panel is manufactured is shown as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this.

(A) Description of Electrode Film Forming Step In the electrode film forming step shown in FIG. 2A (a), a substrate 2 provided with a partition wall 6 is prepared in advance, and the entire surface of the substrate 2 on the side where the partition wall 6 is provided is prepared. An electrode film 4 is formed.

  In the present embodiment, the substrate 2 having the partition walls 6 is manufactured by embossing. More specifically, the substrate material is heated to a predetermined temperature, and a pressing die having a concavo-convex shape corresponding to the size of the partition wall to be formed is pressed against the substrate material to manufacture the substrate 2 having the partition wall 6 having a desired size. be able to. The partition 6 formed in this embodiment has a predetermined gap as shown in FIG. 1A, and the electrode film 4 is formed in the gap so that the partition 6 is surrounded by the partition 6. The electrode layers 4 can be electrically connected to each other, and the electrode film 4 can be used as a common electrode.

  Here, the dimensions of the substrate 2 used in the present embodiment are as follows. In the substrate 2 in which the partition walls 6 are provided in a regular lattice shape, the length of one side of the region divided by the partition walls 6 is 50 μm to 500 μm. The height can be exemplified by dimensions of 5 μm to 50 μm. However, it is not restricted to this, Other arbitrary dimensions can be used. Further, as the material of the substrate 2, any material including a resin material can be used.

  In the case where the partition walls are formed by embossing as in the present embodiment, compared to the case where the partition walls are formed using photolithography or the like, expensive equipment, resist materials, complicated manufacturing processes are not required, and the manufacturing cost is low. Can be manufactured. Further, unlike the case where the partition walls are formed using an ink jet or the like, the partition walls can be formed integrally with the substrate, so that there is an advantage that there is no problem of adhesion that occurs when the substrate and the partition walls are formed separately.

  In addition, as the board | substrate 2 provided with the partition 6 used by this embodiment, it manufactures by not only what was manufactured by the stamping but other arbitrary methods including photolithography, an inkjet, and machining according to a use. Can be used.

  An electrode film of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), which is a transparent electrode material, is formed on the entire surface of the substrate 2 on which the partition walls 6 are provided by sputtering. In addition to sputtering, other arbitrary methods such as vapor deposition and ion plating can also be used. Examples of the thickness of the formed electrode film include 10 to 500 nm, but are not limited thereto.

(B) Description of Mask Layer Forming Step Next, in the mask layer forming step shown in FIG. 2A (b), the laminator device 20 is used to form the upper surface 6a of the substrate 6 (more specifically, on the upper surface 6a of the substrate 6). A mask layer 10 is formed on the formed electrode film 6a). Here, the laminator device 20 includes a transfer roller 20a and a roller 20b, and the transfer roller 20a and the roller 20b can be rotated by a driving device. In addition, a transport device (not shown) capable of transporting the substrate 2 is provided on the lower side. Then, as shown in FIG. 2A (b), the mask material 10 is pulled out from the take-up roller (not shown) by the rotation of the roller 20b and conveyed in the direction indicated by the arrow A. Further, the transfer roller 20a has a heating mechanism, and the mask material 10 is heated and pressed onto the upper surface 6a of the partition wall 6 by the transfer roller 20a and transferred. By rotating the transfer roller 20a, the roller 20b and the take-up roller (not shown), the tape-like mask material 10 is pulled out from the take-up roller and conveyed in the direction indicated by the arrow A so that the partition wall 6 is on the upper side. The placed substrate 2 is transported in the direction of arrow B opposite to arrow A. 2A, the mask material 10 can be transferred to the upper surface 6a of the partition wall 6 by the pressing force of the transfer roller 20a at the point indicated by the arrow C in FIG. 2A, and the mask layer 10 can be formed on the partition wall 6.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 2A (b), in the present embodiment, the formed mask layer 10 overhangs from the upper surface 6a of the partition wall 6. The amount of overhang depends on the material of the mask material 10, The desired amount can be set by adjusting the heating temperature (viscosity) of the mask material 10, the pressing force of the transfer roller 20a, the transport speed of the mask material 10 and the substrate 2, and the like. It is also possible to adjust the overhang amount to almost zero.

  Thus, by making the mask material 10 overhang from the upper surface 6a of the partition wall 6, it is possible to prevent the resist from adhering to the side wall of the partition wall from being reliably irradiated, and the resist is cured and becomes insoluble in the solution. Can be prevented. Therefore, the electrode film formed on the side wall of the partition wall is surely etched away, and a high-quality display panel in which the ink moves only up and down can be manufactured.

  In the present embodiment, a positive resist that becomes soluble in solution when irradiated with ultraviolet rays is used as the mask material 10. Further, in the resist coating process, the resist adheres on the mask layer 10 formed on the partition wall 6. In this case, a material having a property of repelling the resist can be used. Examples of the mask material having such a resist-repelling property include, but are not limited to, for example, the use of a fluorine-based resist ink or a silicon-based ink. In addition, it is possible to use a material other than the photosensitive material as long as it is soluble in a solution for dissolving the resist in the resist removing step described later.

  Moreover, since it functions as a mask which blocks ultraviolet rays, a material having a high optical density (OD value) is preferable. In this embodiment, a black mask material 10 is used.

(C) Description of Resist Application Step Next, in the resist application step shown in FIG. 2A (c), the resist 12 is applied using the inkjet device 30, and the resist layer 12 is applied to the substrate surface 2 a excluding the partition walls 6. Form. In this embodiment, the resist 12 is applied to the region excluding the partition wall 6, but as shown in FIG. 2A (c), the resist 12 applied to the substrate surface 2 a by capillary action rises up the side surface 6 b of the partition wall 6. The phenomenon of adhesion occurs. However, since the mask layer 10 can prevent the ultraviolet light from hitting the side surface 6b of the partition wall 6, the resist 12 attached to the side surface 6b of the partition wall 6 can be removed in the resist removal step. A more detailed description will be given later.

  The positioning accuracy in this resist coating and mask layer formation can be relaxed by an order of magnitude (for example, an accuracy of about 5 μm to an accuracy of about 50 μm) as compared with, for example, the case of using lithography. Have

  The resist 12 used in the present embodiment is cured or solution insoluble by irradiation with ultraviolet rays, and specifically, an ultraviolet curable resin is used. Examples of the ultraviolet curable resin include photopolymerizable monomers such as acrylate type and epoxy type, urethane acrylate type, epoxy type, epoxy acrylate type, and ester acrylate type. Examples of such photopolymerizable oligomers. In addition, a crosslinked negative resist can also be used.

(D) Description of Light Irradiation Step Next, in the light irradiation step shown in FIG. 2B (d), an ultraviolet irradiation device (lamp device) 40 is used to be substantially perpendicular to the substrate surface 2a (FIG. 2B). (See the arrow in (d)) Irradiate with ultraviolet rays. In this ultraviolet irradiation, the mask layer 10 does not irradiate the upper surface 6 a of the partition wall 6, the side surface 6 b of the partition wall 6, and the region immediately below the overhang portion of the mask layer 10 (portion indicated by arrow D). The substrate surface 2a is irradiated with ultraviolet rays. By this ultraviolet irradiation, the resist layer 12 made of an ultraviolet curable resin becomes a cured resist layer 14. At the same time, the mask layer 10 made of a positive resist becomes solution-soluble by this ultraviolet irradiation.

  In the present embodiment, ultraviolet rays are used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and light having any other wavelength can be used as long as the resist layer is cured or solution-insoluble.

(E) Description of Resist Removal and Mask Removal Step Next, in the resist removal and mask removal step shown in FIG. 2B (e), the resist layer 12 that was not cured in the light irradiation step using a resist developing solution. Then, the mask layer 10 that has become soluble in the light irradiation step is removed. By this step, the mask layer 10 covering the upper surface 6a of the partition wall 6 and the resist layer 12 covering the side surface 6b of the partition wall 6 and the substrate surface 2a immediately below the overhang portion of the mask layer 10 are removed. As a result, only the substrate surface 2 a surrounded by the partition walls 6 is covered with the cured resist layer 14.

(F) Electrode Layer Removal Step In the electrode film removal step shown in FIG. 2B (f), the electrode film 4 not covered with the resist layer 14 is dissolved and removed using an etching solution. Thereby, the substrate 2 in which the electrode film 4 is provided only on the substrate surface 2 a surrounded by the partition walls 6 can be manufactured.

  By the manufacturing method as described above, the display panel substrate 2 provided with the electrodes 4 on the substrate surface 2a partitioned by the partition walls 6 can be used without using a process using an expensive apparatus or a process requiring strict positioning accuracy. It can be manufactured with low manufacturing cost and high yield.

(Description of Other Embodiment (1) of Method for Manufacturing Display Panel Substrate)
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the mask layer 10 is removed at the same time in the resist removal step of removing the uncured resist layer 12, but the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. In addition, in the electrode film removing step of removing the electrode film 4 not covered with the resist layer 14, the mask layer 10 can be removed at the same time.

  In the present embodiment, the mask layer 10 does not need to be composed of a positive resist, and in the light irradiation step shown in FIG. 3D, the mask layer 10 does not become a solution-soluble state by ultraviolet irradiation. Therefore, in the resist removal step shown in FIG. 3E, only the resist layer 12 that has not been cured or insoluble in solution without being exposed to ultraviolet rays is removed, and the mask layer 10 on the upper surface 6a of the partition wall 6 is not removed. Remain in.

  Then, in the electrode film removal step shown in FIG. 3F, the electrode film 4 not covered with the resist layer 14 is dissolved and removed with an etching solution, and at the same time, the mask layer 10 is also removed. In this case, the mask layer 10 can be made of a material that is soluble in the etching solution, and even if the mask layer 10 is made of a material that is insoluble in the etching solution, By dissolving and removing the electrode film 4 with an etching solution, the mask layer 10 can also be removed at the same time.

(Description of Other Embodiment (2) of Manufacturing Method of Display Panel Substrate)
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, after the electrode film 4 is formed on the substrate 2, the mask layer 10 is first formed and then the resist layer 12 is formed. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, after the electrode film 4 is formed on the substrate 2, the resist layer 12 may be formed first, and then the mask layer 10 may be formed.

  In the following, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B will be described with an emphasis on the difference from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

(A) Description of Electrode Formation Step The electrode formation step shown in FIG. 4A (a) is basically the same as the electrode formation step shown in FIG. 2A (a).

(B) Description of Resist Application Step In the resist application step shown in FIG. 4A (b), the entire surface of the substrate 2 including the partition walls 6 (more specifically, formed on the substrate 2 using the inkjet device 30). The resist layer 12 is formed by applying a resist 12 on the electrode film 4). However, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A (c), it is possible to apply the resist 12 only to the region excluding the partition wall 6.

(C) Description of Mask Layer Forming Step Next, in the mask layer forming step shown in FIG. 4A (c), the mask layer is formed on the resist layer 12 formed on the upper surface 6a of the partition wall 6 using the laminator device 20. 10 is formed. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the electrode film 4, the resist layer 12, and the mask layer 10 are formed in order from the lower layer on the upper surface of the partition wall 6 of the substrate 2.

(D) Description of light irradiation process The light irradiation process shown in (d) of FIG. 4B is basically the same as the light irradiation process shown in (d) of FIG. 2B.

(E) Description of Resist Removal and Mask Removal Step Next, in the resist removal and mask removal step shown in FIG. 4B (e), the resist layer 12 that has not been cured or insoluble in the light irradiation step without being exposed to ultraviolet rays. At the same time, the mask layer 10 formed thereon is also removed. In this embodiment, similarly to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, it is possible to form a mask layer 10 made of a positive resist and dissolve and remove it with a solution, or the mask layer 10 is insoluble in a solution. Even when it is made of a material, the mask layer 10 formed thereon can be removed simultaneously by dissolving and removing the underlying resist layer 12.

(F) Description of Electrode Layer Removal Step The electrode layer removal step shown in FIG. 4B (f) is basically the same as the electrode layer removal step shown in FIG. 2B (f).

(Description of Other Embodiment (3) of Method for Manufacturing Display Panel Substrate)
In any of the above embodiments, the mask function is achieved by forming the mask layer 10 on the upper surface 6a of the partition wall 6 of the substrate 2, but this is not a limitation, and as shown in FIG. The mask member 50 can be used to perform the mask function without forming the mask layer 10.

  In the mask member 50, a mask pattern corresponding to the shape of the upper surface 6a of the partition wall 6 is drawn on a light-transmitting plate member, and the mask member 50 is placed above the partition wall 6 as shown in FIG. Or by placing the mask member 50 on the upper surface 6a of the partition wall 6, it is possible to prevent light from being applied to the resist layer 12 on the upper surface 6a and the side surface 6b of the partition wall 6 during light irradiation. . Further, by drawing the mask pattern larger than the upper surface 6 a of the partition wall 6, it is possible to form a mask in an overhang state from the upper surface 6 a of the partition wall 6.

  By using such a mask member 50, the display panel substrate 2 provided with the electrodes 4 on the substrate surface 2a partitioned by the partition walls 6 can be manufactured at a low manufacturing cost and a high yield, as described above. it can.

(Description of other embodiments)
By using the display panel substrate manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention, various display panels with low power consumption such as an electrophoretic display panel and a liquid crystal display panel can be provided. An arbitrary display device including a display panel can be provided.
Further, the display panel substrate manufacturing method according to the present invention, the display panel including the display panel substrate manufactured by the manufacturing method, and the display device including the display panel are limited to the above embodiments. Various other embodiments are included in the present invention.

It is sectional drawing which shows typically the structure of one Embodiment of the display panel provided with the panel for display substrates manufactured by the manufacturing method of the substrate for display panels of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows typically each manufacturing process of one Embodiment of the manufacturing method of the board | substrate for display panels which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows typically each manufacturing process of one Embodiment of the manufacturing method of the board | substrate for display panels which concerns on this invention following FIG. 2A. It is sectional drawing which shows typically each manufacturing process of other embodiment (1) of the manufacturing method of the board | substrate for display panels which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows typically each manufacturing process of other embodiment (2) of the manufacturing method of the board | substrate for display panels which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows typically each manufacturing process of other embodiment (2) of the manufacturing method of the board | substrate for display panels which concerns on this invention following FIG. 4A. It is sectional drawing which shows typically each manufacturing process of other embodiment (3) of the manufacturing method of the board | substrate for display panels which concerns on this invention using a mask member.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display panel 2 Substrate 2a Substrate surface 4 Electrode film 6 Partition wall 6a Partition upper surface 6b Partition side surface 10 Mask material, mask layer 12 Resist material, resist layer 14 Resist layer 20 hardened or solution insoluble 20 Laminator device 20a Transfer roller 20b Roller 30 Inkjet device 40 Ultraviolet irradiation device 50 Mask member

Claims (14)

An electrode film forming step of forming an electrode film on the surface of the substrate on which the partition walls are formed;
After the electrode forming step, a resist coating step of applying a resist that becomes hardened or solution insoluble by light irradiation on the surface provided with the partition;
Light irradiation for irradiating light from a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate on which the partition wall is provided in a state where a mask for preventing light from hitting the upper surface and side surface of the partition wall is applied after the resist coating step. Process,
After the light irradiation step, a resist removal step for removing the resist that has not been cured or insoluble in light irradiation, and
After the resist removing step, an electrode film removing step of removing the electrode film in a region not covered with the resist by etching,
The manufacturing method of the board | substrate for display panels characterized by the above-mentioned.   The method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to claim 1, wherein in the electrode film forming step, the electrode film is formed on the substrate on which the partition walls are formed by embossing.   3. The method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to claim 1, wherein in the resist coating step, the resist is coated by inkjet.   The mask used in the light irradiation step is obtained by a mask layer forming step of forming a mask layer by applying a mask material on the upper surface of the partition wall before or after the resist coating step. Item 4. The method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to any one of Items 1 to 3.   When removing the resist in the resist removing step or removing the electrode film in the electrode film removing step, a mask layer removing step of removing the mask layer formed on the upper surface of the partition wall is performed at the same time The method for producing a display panel substrate according to claim 4, wherein:   The said mask layer is formed in the form overhanging from the said upper surface of the said partition, when forming the said mask layer on the upper surface of the said partition in the said mask layer formation process. Of manufacturing a display panel substrate.   When a gap is provided in the formed partition, a gap having a predetermined width is provided between the mask layers overhanging from the partition located on both sides of the gap in the mask layer forming step. The method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to claim 6, wherein the mask layer is formed on an upper surface of the partition wall.   8. The method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to claim 4, wherein in the mask layer forming step, the mask layer is formed on an upper surface of the partition using a laminator.   9. The method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to any one of 4 to 8, wherein, in the mask layer forming step, the mask layer is formed using a material that becomes soluble in solution by light irradiation.   9. The method for manufacturing a display panel substrate according to any one of 4 to 8, wherein, in the mask layer forming step, the mask layer is formed using a material having a property of repelling the resist. Step 1 which is an electrode forming step of forming an electrode film on the surface provided with the partition wall of the substrate on which the partition wall is formed;
After the step 1, a mask layer forming step of forming a mask layer for light irradiation on the upper surface of the partition wall is performed, and then the resist that becomes hardened or solution insoluble by light irradiation on the surface of the substrate on which the partition wall is provided. Carry out a resist coating process of coating, or
Performing the resist coating step, and then performing the mask layer forming step,
Step 3 is a light irradiation step of irradiating light from a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate on which the partition wall is provided after Step 2;
After the step 3, a resist removal step is performed to remove the resist that has not been cured or insoluble by light irradiation in the step 3, and a mask layer removal step is performed to remove the mask layer as necessary. Step 4 to perform,
After the step 4, an electrode film removing step of removing the electrode film in a region not covered with the resist by etching is performed, and if the mask layer is not removed in the step 4, Step 5 for performing the mask layer removing step;
The manufacturing method of the board | substrate for display panels characterized by the above-mentioned.   A display panel substrate manufactured by the manufacturing method according to claim 1.   The display panel substrate according to claim 12, further comprising a protective film for the electrode film made of the resist that has not been removed in the resist removing step.   A display device comprising the display panel according to claim 12 or 13, wherein an image is displayed on the display panel.

Images