JP2010286848A - Liquid crystal device, color filter substrate and array substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid crystal device wherein a polarizer, having uniform polarization characteristics in a substrate in-plane is provided in a liquid crystal cell and to provide a color filter substrate, and to provide an array substrate used for the same. <P>SOLUTION: The liquid crystal device having a plurality of dot regions 12a includes a pair of transparent substrates disposed at an interval; and a liquid crystal layer held between the pair of transparent substrates and the polarizer 70, wherein one polarizing layer group 13a comprising a plurality of polarizing layers 13a, having inorganic fine particle layers having shape anisotropy is arranged corresponding to the dot region 12a or each region of the plurality of dot regions 12a, on at least one surface of the facing surfaces of the pair of transparent substrates. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid crystal device having a polarizing plate function inside a liquid crystal cell, and a color filter substrate and an array substrate used therefor.

  In general, a liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal cell in which a liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between a pair of electrode substrates, and a pair of polarizing plates arranged so as to sandwich the liquid crystal cell. As the polarizing plate, a dichroic polarizing plate in which iodine or a dye-based high molecular organic substance is contained in a film is conventionally used.

  On the other hand, in recent years, for the purpose of reducing the thickness and weight, it has been studied to dispose the polarizing plate function inside the liquid crystal cell instead of outside the liquid crystal cell. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 1.) In the case where a polarizer having a polarizing plate function is formed inside such a liquid crystal cell, a material for a polarizer containing a dye is spin-coated in Patent Document 1. Application by spray coating, bar coating, roll coating, blade coating or the like is described. Non-Patent Document 1 describes that a polarizer material is applied by slot die coating.

International Publication Number WO2006 / 104052 ([0022] [0060])

"TN Mode TFT-LCD with In Cell Polarizer", Tsuyoshi Ohyama et al., SID Digest, Vol.4, p.1106-1109

  However, in a large-sized liquid crystal device such as a liquid crystal television, it is difficult to apply a polarizer material with a uniform film thickness to the substrate surface by the above-described coating method. It was difficult to get a child.

  In view of the circumstances as described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal device having a polarizer having uniform polarization characteristics in a substrate surface in a liquid crystal cell, and a color filter substrate and an array substrate used therefor. It is in.

  In solving the above problems, a liquid crystal device according to the present invention is a liquid crystal device having a plurality of dot regions, and is sandwiched between a pair of transparent substrates arranged with a gap therebetween and the pair of transparent substrates. Polarized light having an inorganic fine particle layer having a plurality of shape anisotropies corresponding to each of the dot regions or the plurality of dot regions on at least one surface of the liquid crystal layer and the pair of transparent substrates facing each other One polarizing layer group consisting of layers is arranged, and the polarizing layer includes a reflective layer, a dielectric layer formed on the reflective layer, and the inorganic fine particle layer formed on the dielectric layer; And a polarizer.

  In the present invention, since one polarizing layer group is independently arranged for each dot region or for each of a plurality of dot regions, the screen is divided even in a large screen liquid crystal device such as a large liquid crystal television. Thus, a polarizing layer can be formed for each divided region, and a liquid crystal device having a uniform polarization characteristic within the display surface can be stably obtained. That is, when a polarizing element is applied over the entire screen, it is very difficult to form a uniform film thickness in a plane when the substrate is enlarged, and a polarizer having uniform polarization characteristics in a plane is obtained. I can't get it. On the other hand, in the present invention, a single polarizing layer group is made independent for each dot region or for each of a plurality of dot regions, so that the entire surface of the substrate is divided into a plurality of regions and a polarizing layer is arranged for each of the divided regions. The child can be manufactured. Accordingly, it is possible to stably obtain a liquid crystal device having uniform polarization characteristics in the display surface.

  In addition, a plurality of colored layers arranged corresponding to the dot regions are further provided on one transparent substrate of the pair of transparent substrates, and the inorganic fine particles used in the inorganic fine particle layer vary depending on the color of the colored layer. .

  Thus, by selecting an inorganic fine particle material that is optimal for each color, the polarization characteristics can be optimized, and a polarizer having better polarization characteristics can be obtained.

  The colored layer is made of red, green, and blue, the inorganic fine particles corresponding to the red and green colored layers have a Ge component, and the inorganic fine particles corresponding to the blue colored layer are made of Si. With ingredients.

  Thus, it is desirable that the inorganic fine particles corresponding to the red and green colored layers have a Ge component and the inorganic fine particles corresponding to the blue colored layer preferably have a Si component, and a polarizer having excellent polarization characteristics can be obtained. A liquid crystal device having the same can be obtained.

  The polarizing layer includes a reflective layer, a dielectric layer formed on the reflective layer, and the inorganic fine particle layer formed on the dielectric layer.

  As described above, by providing the reflective layer, the TE wave transmitted through the inorganic fine particle layer and the dielectric layer out of the light incident from the inorganic fine particle layer side is reflected. By providing the dielectric layer so that the phase of the TE wave transmitted through the inorganic fine particle layer and reflected by the reflective layer is shifted by a half wavelength, a part of the TE wave reflected by the reflective layer passes through and passes through the inorganic fine particle layer. Is absorbed, part of it is reflected and returns to the reflective layer. Further, the light that has passed through the inorganic fine particle layer interferes and is attenuated. Thereby, the TE wave can be selectively attenuated and the contrast is improved.

  The polarizers are respectively disposed on the surfaces of the pair of transparent substrates facing each other.

  Thus, by disposing the polarizer having the polarizing plate function between the pair of transparent substrates, it is not necessary to externally attach the polarizing plate as in the prior art. In addition, the liquid crystal device can be thinned.

  In addition, a color layer composed of red, green, and blue disposed on one transparent substrate of the pair of transparent substrates corresponding to the dot region is further provided, and the inorganic fine particles used in the inorganic fine particle layer are made of Ge. The inorganic fine particles used in the inorganic fine particle layer having a component have a Ge component.

  As described above, when using common inorganic fine particles in all colors, it is desirable to use inorganic fine particles having a Ge component which has a contrast over the entire visible light region and a low reflectance.

  The color filter substrate of the present invention is a color filter substrate having a plurality of dot areas, and a plurality of colors are arranged on one surface of the transparent substrate and the transparent substrate in correspondence with the plurality of dot areas. One polarizing layer group consisting of a colored layer of different colors and a polarizing layer having inorganic fine particle layers having a plurality of shape anisotropies corresponding to each of the dot regions or a plurality of the dot regions on the one surface The polarizing layer includes a reflective layer, a polarizer having a dielectric layer formed on the reflective layer, and the inorganic fine particle layer formed on the dielectric layer. .

  In the present invention, since one polarizing layer group is independently arranged for each dot region or for each of a plurality of dot regions, in a color filter substrate used in a large screen liquid crystal device such as a large liquid crystal television. However, the screen can be divided to form a polarizing layer for each divided region, and a liquid crystal device having a uniform polarization characteristic within the display surface can be stably obtained. That is, when a polarizing element is applied over the entire screen, it is very difficult to form a uniform film thickness in a plane when the substrate is enlarged, and a polarizer having uniform polarization characteristics in a plane is obtained. I can't get it. On the other hand, in the present invention, a single polarizing layer group is made independent for each dot region or for each of a plurality of dot regions, so that the entire surface of the substrate is divided into a plurality of regions and a polarizing layer is arranged for each of the divided regions. The child can be manufactured. Therefore, it is possible to stably obtain a color filter substrate having a polarization characteristic that is uniform within the display surface.

  The array substrate of the present invention includes a transparent substrate, a switching element disposed on one surface of the transparent substrate, a pixel electrode electrically connected to the switching element disposed on the one surface, One polarizing layer group composed of a polarizing layer having an inorganic fine particle layer having a plurality of shape anisotropies is disposed corresponding to each of the pixel electrodes or a plurality of the pixel electrodes disposed on a surface, The polarizing layer includes a reflective layer, a polarizer having a dielectric layer formed on the reflective layer, and the inorganic fine particle layer formed on the dielectric layer.

  In the present invention, since one polarizing layer group is independently arranged for each dot region or for each of a plurality of dot regions, even in an array substrate used for a large screen liquid crystal device such as a large liquid crystal television. The screen can be divided to form a polarizing layer for each divided region, and a liquid crystal device having a uniform polarization characteristic within the display surface can be stably obtained. That is, when a polarizing element is applied over the entire screen, it is very difficult to form a uniform film thickness in a plane when the substrate is enlarged, and a polarizer having uniform polarization characteristics in a plane is obtained. I can't get it. On the other hand, in the present invention, a single polarizing layer group is made independent for each dot region or for each of a plurality of dot regions, so that the entire surface of the substrate is divided into a plurality of regions and a polarizing layer is arranged for each of the divided regions. The child can be manufactured. Therefore, it is possible to stably obtain an array substrate having a uniform polarization characteristic in the display surface.

  As described above, according to the present invention, since the polarizer in which the polarizing layer group is arranged corresponding to each dot region or each of a plurality of dot regions is used instead of the entire surface of the substrate, such a polarizer is used. It is not necessary to form a polarizer on the entire surface of the substrate at the same time. Therefore, for example, it is possible to divide the substrate surface into a plurality of regions and form a polarizing layer group for each divided region, and to obtain a polarizer having in-plane uniform polarization characteristics for a large substrate, A liquid crystal device having excellent display characteristics can be obtained.

1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ in the liquid crystal cell of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a partial schematic plan view showing the positional relationship of each component formed on the color filter substrate of the liquid crystal device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a partial schematic plan view showing a positional relationship of each component formed on the array substrate of the liquid crystal device shown in FIG. 1. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the polarizing layer arrange | positioned at a color filter board | substrate and an array board | substrate, respectively. It is a schematic plan view of the polarizing layer shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the polarizing layer of another example. It is a manufacturing process figure of a color filter substrate. It is a manufacturing process figure of an array substrate. It is a figure which shows the mode of the diagonal sputtering film-forming for forming an inorganic fine particle layer. It is a figure which shows the optical characteristic at the time of using Ge for an inorganic fine particle layer. It is a figure which shows the optical characteristic at the time of using Si for an inorganic fine particle layer. It is a figure which shows the formation process of the inorganic fine particle layer in 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic plan view of the liquid crystal device as a modification. It is a schematic plan view of the liquid crystal device as another modification. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the liquid crystal device as another modification. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the liquid crystal device as another modification. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the liquid crystal device as another modification. It is a schematic plan view of a color filter substrate and an array substrate as still another modification. It is a schematic plan view of a color filter substrate and an array substrate as still another modification.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  (First embodiment)

  A transmissive color TFT (thin film transistor) liquid crystal device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described as an example with reference to FIGS. In order to make the drawing easier to see, the number of components is different from that of the structure in an actual liquid crystal device, or the degree of reduction is changed for each component.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal device, and shows an equivalent circuit diagram in an array substrate. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ in the liquid crystal cell 50 of FIG. FIG. 3 is a partial schematic plan view showing the positional relationship of each component formed on the substrate in the color filter substrate 10 of the liquid crystal device shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial schematic plan view showing the positional relationship of each component formed on the substrate of the array substrate 20 of the liquid crystal device shown in FIG. 1, in which the TFT is configured to make the drawing easier to see. The illustration of the semiconductor layer is omitted. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a polarizing layer disposed on each of the color filter substrate and the array substrate. FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of the polarizing layer shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the color TFT liquid crystal device 1 includes a liquid crystal cell 50 and a backlight 60 that irradiates the liquid crystal cell 50 with light. The liquid crystal cell 50 includes a pair of the color filter substrate 10 and the array substrate 20 arranged with a predetermined gap, and a twisted nematic liquid crystal layer 40 sandwiched between the substrates. The backlight 60 is disposed on the array substrate 20 side of the liquid crystal cell 50.

  In the liquid crystal device 1 according to the present embodiment, the polarizer having the function of the polarizing plate is not used on the surface of the array substrate and the color filter substrate facing each other without using the polarizing plate that has been conventionally arranged outside the liquid crystal cell. Arrangement, that is, arrangement in the liquid crystal cell 50. In the present embodiment, the polarizers arranged on the array substrate and the color filter substrate are arranged in crossed Nicols so that their polarization axes are orthogonal to each other, and a normally white mode is adopted. That is, when the liquid crystal layer is in the on state, the light incident from the backlight 60 is blocked by the two polarizers disposed on each substrate, and when the liquid crystal layer is in the off state, the light incident from the backlight 60 is A part of the polarization component of the light is transmitted by the two polarizers arranged on each substrate.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the color filter substrate 10 includes a rectangular substrate 11 that is transparent to visible light, and a plurality of liquid crystal layers 40 on one surface of the transparent substrate 11. Between the light shielding layer 12 that partitions the dot region 12a, the first polarizer 70 in which the polarizing layer is disposed so as to fill the region partitioned by the light shielding layer 12, and the light shielding layer 12 corresponding to each dot region 12a The red (R), green (G), and blue (B) colored layers 14R, 14G, and 14B, which are formed in a stripe shape so as to fill the surface, are disposed on the colored layers 14R, 14G, and 14B. It has an overcoat layer 15, a counter electrode 16 made of a solid film disposed on the overcoat layer 15, and an alignment film 17 disposed on the counter electrode 16.

  The transparent substrate 11 is made of a material that is transparent to visible light, such as glass, sapphire, and quartz. In this embodiment, glass, particularly quartz (refractive index 1.46) or soda lime glass (refractive index 1.51) is used. The component composition of the glass material is not particularly limited, and for example, an inexpensive glass material such as silicate glass widely distributed as optical glass can be used. Further, a flexible substrate such as a film may be used.

  The light shielding layer 12 controls the transmission of light in a region where display control around the dot region is difficult, and a metal layer made of chromium, chromium oxide, a laminate thereof, or a black resin can be used. In the embodiment, a laminate of chromium and chromium oxide is used. The light shielding layer 12 has a frame portion arranged along the outer periphery of the transparent substrate 11 and a lattice portion formed in a lattice shape in a region surrounded by the frame. The dot region 12a partitioned by the light shielding layer 12 becomes an effective display region that contributes to display when the liquid crystal device 1 is actually driven. The thickness of the light shielding layer 12 in this embodiment is 0.2 μm. The dot region 12a was formed so that the width in the x-axis direction in the drawing was 120 μm and the width in the y-axis direction in the drawing was 150 μm. The width of the lattice portion of the light shielding layer 12 was 20 μm in both the x-axis and y-axis directions in the drawing.

  The colored layers 14R, 14G, and 14B are each configured by dispersing red, green, and blue pigments in an organic resin such as an acrylic resin. In the present embodiment, the colored layers 14R and 14G are formed in stripes corresponding to the dot regions 12a, in other words, so that the longitudinal direction is located along the y-axis direction in the drawing so as to fill the gap between the light shielding layers 12. , 14B are arranged. The widths of the colored layers 14R, 14G, and 14B are designed so that both ends thereof overlap the light shielding layer 12. In the liquid crystal device 1, one pixel is constituted by three dots of R, G, and B colors arranged corresponding to the three dot regions 12 a adjacent along the x-axis direction in the drawing. A dot is the smallest unit that constitutes the display area of the liquid crystal device 1. In this embodiment, since color display is taken as an example, one pixel is composed of 3 dots, but in the case of monochrome display, 1 dot is 1 pixel. The film thickness of the colored layers 14R, 14G, and 14B in this embodiment is 4 μm.

  The overcoat layer 15 covers the surfaces of the colored layers 14R, 14G, and 14B, thereby eliminating the unevenness on the surface and preventing the alignment failure of the liquid crystal layer 40 due to the unevenness on the surface of the color filter substrate when the liquid crystal device 1 is formed. Is to do. As the overcoat layer 15, for example, an organic resin such as an acrylic resin can be used. In the present embodiment, the film thickness is set to 2 μm.

  As the counter electrode 16, a transparent electrode made of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) was used, and its film thickness was set to 0.1 μm, for example.

  The alignment film 17 is for aligning the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 40 in a desired direction, and is formed by rubbing a polyimide film. In this embodiment, the film thickness is 20 μm.

  The first polarizer 70 is configured such that the first polarizing layer group 13 formed for each dot region 12a on the surface of the transparent substrate 11 on the liquid crystal layer 40 side is arranged in a number equivalent to the number of dots. Adjacent first polarizing layer groups 13 are spaced apart from each other, and a plurality of first polarizing layer groups 13 are disposed in an island shape on the transparent substrate 11. One first polarizing layer group 13 includes a plurality of (12 in FIG. 3) first polarizing layers 13a formed in one dot region 12a. The first polarizing layer 13a has a plurality of strip shapes extending in the x-axis direction in the drawing and are arranged in parallel to each other. In the present embodiment, the first polarizing layer group 13 disposed on the color filter substrate 10 side is formed only in the dot region 12a in plan view, but the xy planar shape is more than the rectangular dot region 12a. The first polarizing layer group 13 is preferably formed so that the outer shape surrounds the dot region 12a. By adopting such a configuration, the first polarizing layer 13a can be surely arranged in the dot region 12a even if a positional deviation occurs during the formation of the first polarizing layer 13a, and the first polarizing layer is formed in the dot region 12a. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of polarization failure due to the absence of 13a. Therefore, the light transmitted through the dot region 12a can be reliably polarized, and a liquid crystal device having stable display characteristics can be obtained.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the first polarizing layer 13 a includes a strip-shaped reflective layer 41 extending in one direction (in the x-axis direction in the present embodiment) on one surface of the transparent substrate 11, and a reflective layer. A dielectric layer 42 formed on 41 and an inorganic fine particle layer 43 formed on the dielectric layer 42 are provided. The polarizer having such a configuration uses electric field components parallel to the longitudinal direction of the first polarizing layer 13a by utilizing four actions of selective light absorption of polarized waves by transmission, reflection, interference, and optical anisotropy. A polarized wave (TE wave (S wave)) having an electric field component is attenuated, and a polarized wave (TM wave (P wave)) having an electric field component perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the first polarizing layer 13a is transmitted.

  That is, the TE wave is attenuated by the selective light absorption action of the polarized wave due to the optical anisotropy of the inorganic fine particle layer made of inorganic fine particles having shape anisotropy. The reflective layer functions as a wire grid and reflects TE waves that have passed through the inorganic fine particle layer and the dielectric layer. By appropriately adjusting the thickness and refractive index of the dielectric layer, the TE wave reflected by the reflective layer is partially absorbed when passing through and passing through the inorganic fine particle layer, and partially reflected and returns to the reflective layer. . Further, the light that has passed through the inorganic fine particle layer interferes and is attenuated. A desired polarization characteristic can be obtained by selectively attenuating the TE wave as described above.

  As a constituent material of the reflective layer 41, a material of a normal wire grid type polarizing element can be used. In this embodiment, aluminum is used. In addition, metals or semiconductor materials such as silver, gold, copper, molybdenum, chromium, titanium, nickel, tungsten, iron, silicon, germanium, and tellurium can be used. In addition to the metal material, for example, it may be composed of an inorganic film or a resin film other than a metal formed with a high surface reflectance by coloring or the like.

  The reflective layers 41 are arranged on the surface of the transparent substrate 11 at a pitch smaller than the wavelength in the visible light region, and are formed using, for example, photolithography and etching techniques. The reflective layer 41 has a function as a wire grid polarizer, and of the light incident on the surface of the transparent substrate 11, the direction in which the first polarizing layer 13a extends (longitudinal direction, x-axis in FIGS. 3 and 6). Direction) and a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the first polarizing layer 13a extends (the y-axis in FIGS. 3 and 6). A polarized wave (TM wave (P wave)) having an electric field component in the direction) is transmitted.

Note that the pitch, line width / pitch, grating depth, and grating length of the reflective layers 41 of the plurality of strip-shaped first polarizing layers 13a constituting one first polarizing layer group 13 are in the following ranges, respectively. Is preferred.
0.05μm <pitch <0.8μm
0.1 <(line width / pitch) <0.9
0.01 μm <lattice depth <1 μm
0.05μm <grid length

  In this embodiment, the pitch is about 150 nm, the line width is 55 nm, the lattice depth is 160 nm, and the lattice length is 150 μm. In the present embodiment, in order to make the drawing easier to see, the number of first polarizing layers 13a constituting one first polarizing layer group 13 is different from the actual one.

  Further, in order to reduce the reflection of the substrate surface in the region where the reflective layer 41 is not formed, a non-reflective coating may be applied to the surface of the transparent substrate 11 in advance, and then the first polarizing layer 13a may be formed. The non-reflective coating can be composed of a general laminated film of a high refractive index film and a low refractive index film. By applying the same non-reflective coating to the back surface of the transparent substrate 11, reflection on the transparent substrate surface can be reduced.

The dielectric layer 42 is transparent to visible light such as SiO ₂ formed on the surface of the transparent substrate 11 by a sputtering method or a sol-gel method (for example, a method in which a sol is coated by spin coating and gelled by thermal curing). It is made of an optical material. The dielectric layer 42 forms a base layer of the inorganic fine particle layer 43 and, as will be described later, the polarized light that has been transmitted through the inorganic fine particle layer 43 and reflected by the reflective layer 41 with respect to the polarized light reflected by the inorganic fine particle layer 43. It is desirable to adjust the phase of the film and increase the interference effect, and a film thickness shifted by half a wavelength is desirable. However, since the inorganic fine particle layer has an absorption effect, the reflected light can be absorbed and the film thickness is optimized. Without improvement, the contrast can be improved, and in practice, it may be determined depending on the desired polarization characteristics and the actual manufacturing process. The practical film thickness range is 1 to 500 nm, more preferably 300 nm or less.

A general material such as SiO ₂ , Al ₂ O ₃ , or MgF ₂ can be used as the material constituting the dielectric layer 42. These can be made into a thin film by general vacuum film formation such as sputtering, vapor phase epitaxy, and vapor deposition, or by coating a substrate with a sol-like substance and thermosetting it. The refractive index of the dielectric layer 42 is preferably greater than 1 and not greater than 2.5. In addition, since the optical characteristics of the inorganic fine particle layer 43 are also affected by the refractive index of the surroundings, the polarizing layer characteristics can be controlled by the dielectric layer material. In the present embodiment, the dielectric layer 42 is formed of SiO ₂ having a thickness of 30 nm.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the inorganic fine particle layer 43 has a major axis direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the reflective layer 41 (the x-axis direction in the drawing) and a minor axis in the y-axis direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the reflective layer 41. Long elliptical island-shaped inorganic fine particles 43 a having a direction are arranged in a line in the x-axis direction in the xy plane of the transparent substrate 11. The inorganic fine particle layer 43 is provided above the reflective layer 41 and on the dielectric layer 42. Therefore, the inorganic fine particle layer 43 has a wire grid structure with the same pattern as the reflective layer on the transparent substrate 11. However, the inorganic fine particle layer is not an ordinary general thin film continuous in the xy plane like the reflective layer, but is composed of fine particles having island-like grain boundaries. The individual size of the fine particles is preferably less than or equal to the wavelength of the target light.

  When the inorganic fine particles 43a constituting the inorganic fine particle layer 43 have a shape anisotropy between the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction in FIGS. 3 and 6, the major axis direction and the minor axis direction The optical constant can be varied. As a result, it is possible to obtain a predetermined polarization characteristic of absorbing a polarization component parallel to the major axis and transmitting a polarization component parallel to the minor axis. In addition, when the inorganic fine particles 43a do not have shape anisotropy (for example, circular shape), TM wave absorption is also generated in the TE wave absorption band, which is not preferable.

  In order to control the shape anisotropy of the inorganic fine particle layer 43, it is effective to reduce the arrangement pitch of the reflective layers 41 so that the inorganic fine particles 43a are deposited only on the top or side wall of the dielectric layer. is there. Thereby, the inorganic fine particles 43a can be isolated. Further, as a method for forming the inorganic fine particles 43a, oblique sputtering film formation, for example, an ion beam sputtering method for forming a film from an oblique direction with respect to the surface of the transparent substrate 11 is effective. The inorganic fine particles 43a are preferably formed in a perfect island shape, but may be formed by grain boundaries.

The absorption wavelength due to the optical anisotropy of the inorganic fine particles 43a depends on the characteristics of the material, the shape anisotropy of the fine particles, the surrounding dielectric constant, and the like. In the present embodiment, the inorganic fine particle layer 43 is formed so as to obtain polarization characteristics with respect to the visible light region. Here, as the material constituting the inorganic fine particles 43a, it is necessary to select an appropriate material for the first polarizing layer 13a according to the use band. That is, a metal material or a semiconductor material is a material that satisfies this, and specifically, as a metal material, Al, Ag, Cu, Au, Mo, Cr, Ti, W, Ni, Fe, Si, Ge, Te, Sn A simple substance or an alloy containing these may be used. Moreover, Si, Ge, Te etc. are mentioned as a semiconductor material. Furthermore, silicide-based materials such as FeSi ₂ (particularly β-FeSi ₂ ), MgSi ₂ , NiSi ₂ , BaSi ₂ , CrSi ₂ , and CoSi ₂ are suitable. In the present embodiment, Ge (germanium) is used as the material of the inorganic fine particles 43a. Thereby, high contrast (high extinction ratio) can be obtained with visible light. In the present embodiment, the inorganic fine particle layer 43 is formed by laminating 10 nm of germanium fine particle layers.

  When the first polarizer 70 of the present embodiment configured as described above is incorporated in the liquid crystal device 1, the inorganic fine particle layer 43 side is a light incident side on which light from the backlight 60 is incident, and the reflective layer 41 side is light. On the emission side. The first polarizer 70 utilizes the four actions of light transmission, reflection, interference, and selective light absorption of polarized waves due to optical anisotropy, so that the longitudinal direction of the band-shaped polarizing layer 13a (FIGS. 3 and 6 attenuates a polarized wave (TE wave (S wave)) having an electric field component parallel to the y-axis direction), and is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the band-shaped reflective layer 41 (x-axis direction in FIGS. 3 and 6). A polarized wave (TM wave (P wave)) having an electric field component is transmitted. The TE wave incident on the first polarizer 70 from the inorganic fine particle layer 43 side is attenuated by the selective light absorption action of the polarized wave due to the optical anisotropy of the inorganic fine particle layer 43 having shape anisotropy. . The reflective layer 41 functions as a wire grid, and reflects TE waves that are incident on the first polarizer 70 from the inorganic fine particle layer 43 side and transmitted through the inorganic fine particle layer 43 and the dielectric layer 42. At this time, the TE wave reflected by the reflective layer 41 is reflected by the inorganic fine particle layer 43 by configuring the dielectric layer 42 so that the phase of the TE wave transmitted through the inorganic fine particle layer 43 and reflected by the reflective layer 41 is shifted by a half wavelength. The reflected TE waves cancel each other out due to interference and are attenuated. The TE wave can be selectively attenuated as described above. Although the film thickness shifted by half wavelength is desirable as described above, since the inorganic fine particle layer 43 has an absorption effect, an improvement in contrast can be realized even if the film thickness of the dielectric layer 42 is not optimized. It can be determined only by the balance between the desired polarization characteristics and the actual manufacturing process.

In addition, a transparent protective film such as SiO ₂ may be coated on the outermost surface of the first polarizer 70, that is, the inorganic fine particle layer 43 with a film thickness in a range that does not affect the polarization characteristics. It is effective in improving However, since the optical characteristics of the inorganic fine particles are also affected by the surrounding refractive index, the polarization characteristics may change due to the formation of the protective film. Moreover, since the reflectance with respect to incident light changes with the optical thickness (refractive index x protective film thickness) of the protective film, the protective film material and the film thickness should be selected in consideration of these. As a material, a material having a refractive index of 2 or less and an extinction coefficient close to zero is desirable. Examples of such a substance include SiO ₂ and Al ₂ O ₂ . These can be formed by a general vacuum film formation method (vapor phase growth method, sputtering method, vapor deposition method, etc.) or a sol in which these are dispersed in a liquid by a spin coating method, a dip method or the like.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the array substrate 20 has a rectangular substrate 21 that is transparent to visible light, and a surface on the liquid crystal layer 40 side that is one surface of the transparent substrate 21. The scanning line 23 and the signal line 25 arranged to intersect each other, the TFT 22 as a plurality of switching elements provided at each intersection of the scanning line 23 and the signal line 25, and the substrate so as to cover the TFT 22. Interlayer insulating layer 29 disposed on the entire surface, pixel electrode 31 disposed corresponding to each dot region 12a and electrically connected to each TFT 22 through contact hole 30 formed in interlayer insulating layer 29, and pixel electrode A second polarizer 71 composed of a second polarizing layer group 32 formed for each pixel electrode 31 on the pixel 31 and an alignment film 33 disposed on the pixel electrode 31 and the second polarizing layer group 32 so as to cover them. And have. The TFT 22 includes a gate electrode 23a formed in the same layer as the scanning line 23 and electrically connected to the scanning line 23, a gate insulating film 24 disposed on the entire surface of the transparent substrate 21 so as to cover the gate electrode 23a, A semiconductor layer 28 disposed so as to partially overlap the gate electrode 23a in plan view through the gate insulating film 24, and electrically connected to the semiconductor layer 28 and electrically connected to the signal line 25 in the same layer. A source electrode 26 to be formed and a drain electrode 27 electrically connected to the semiconductor layer 28 and formed in the same layer as the source electrode 26 are provided. The drain electrode 27 is electrically connected to the pixel electrode 31 through the contact hole 30.

  As the transparent substrate 21, the same materials as those mentioned as the materials used for the transparent substrate 11 described above can be used.

The scanning line 23 and the gate electrode 23a can be formed using a refractory metal such as Mo, Ta, TaN, and Ti, for example, and MoTa with a film thickness of 90 nm is used here. The signal line 25, the source electrode 26, and the drain electrode 27 can be formed of, for example, Mo, Al, or a stacked layer thereof. Here, a stacked film of three layers of Mo / Al / Mo with a film thickness of 100 nm is used. The interlayer insulating layer 29 is made of an organic resin such as an acrylic resin having a film thickness of 1 to 2 μm. By providing the interlayer insulating layer 29, the unevenness caused by the TFT 22 can be eliminated and the surface can be flattened. Accordingly, in FIG. 4, the pixel electrode 31 can be arranged so that the pixel electrode 31, the scanning line 23, and the signal line 25 overlap in a planar manner, and the aperture ratio of the display effective region can be improved. . Here, the gate insulating film 24 is a two-layered film of a 200 nm thick SiN film and a 150 nm thick SiO ₂ film. As the semiconductor layer 28, amorphous silicon, polysilicon, or the like can be used. Here, amorphous silicon having a film thickness of 45 nm is used. As the pixel electrode 31, a transparent electrode made of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) is used, and its film thickness is set to 0.1 μm, for example. Further, the scanning line 23, the signal line 25, and the TFT 22 overlap with the light shielding layer 12 when the liquid crystal device 1 is viewed in plan.

  The width of the rectangular pixel electrode 31 in the x-axis direction in the drawing was 124 μm, the width in the y-axis direction in the drawing was 154 μm, and the distance between adjacent pixel electrodes 31 was 16 μm. Further, the width of the scanning line 23 and the width of the signal line 25 are both 10 μm. One pixel electrode 31 corresponds to one dot. When the liquid crystal device 1 is used, the pixel electrode 31 is slightly larger than the dot region 12a in plan view, and the pixel electrode 31 is positioned so that the outer shape of the pixel electrode 31 surrounds the dot region 12a.

  The alignment film 33 is for aligning the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 40 in a desired direction, and is formed by rubbing a polyimide film. In this embodiment, the film thickness is 20 μm.

  The second polarizer 71 has the same number of second polarizing layer groups 32 as the number of dots formed on the surface of the transparent substrate 21 on the liquid crystal layer 40 side for each pixel electrode 31, in other words, for each dot region 12a. Are arranged and configured. Adjacent second polarizing layer groups 32 are arranged apart from each other, and a plurality of second polarizing layer groups 32 are arranged in an island shape on the transparent substrate 21. One second polarizing layer group 32 includes a plurality of (12 in FIG. 4) strip-shaped second polarizing layers 32a extending in the y-axis direction formed on one pixel electrode 31 arranged in parallel. The The outer shape of the second polarizing layer group 32 is slightly larger than the pixel electrode 31 and is positioned so as to surround the pixel electrode 31. With such a configuration, the second polarizing layer group 32 can be reliably disposed on the pixel electrode 31 even if a positional deviation occurs when the second polarizing layer group 32 is formed. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of polarization failure due to the absence of the second polarizing layer 32a in the dot region 12a, and it is possible to reliably polarize the light transmitted through the dot region 12a, and to have a stable display characteristic. Can be obtained.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the second polarizing layer 32 a includes a reflective layer 41, a dielectric layer 42 formed on the reflective layer 41, and an inorganic fine particle layer 43 formed on the dielectric layer 42. Yes. When the liquid crystal device 1 is used, the second polarizer 71 is formed such that the inorganic fine particle layer 43 is positioned on the light incident side from the backlight 60 and the reflective layer 41 is positioned on the light emitting side.

  The materials, film thicknesses, and the like used for the reflective layer 41, the dielectric layer 42, and the inorganic fine particle layer 43 are the same as those of the first polarizer 70 disposed on the color filter substrate 10 side described above.

  A preferable pitch, line width / pitch, grating depth, and grating length of the reflective layer 41 are the same as those of the first polarizer 70 disposed on the color filter substrate 10 side. In the present embodiment, the pitch of the reflective layers 41 of the second polarizing layer 32a constituting the second polarizing layer 32 group is about 160 nm, the line width is 55 nm, the grating depth is 160 nm, and the grating length is 120 μm. In the present embodiment, in order to make the drawing easier to see, the number of second polarizing layers 32a constituting one second polarizing layer group 32 is different from the actual one. The reflective layer 41 of the second polarizing layer 32a also has a function as a wire grid polarizer like the first polarizing layer 13a, and the second polarizing layer 32a of the light incident on the surface of the transparent substrate 11 extends. 4. Attenuating a polarized wave (TE wave (S wave)) having an electric field component in a direction parallel to the direction (y-axis direction in FIG. 4), a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the second polarizing layer 32a extends (FIG. 4, a polarized wave (TM wave (P wave)) having an electric field component in the x-axis direction) is transmitted.

  In the present embodiment, the transmission axis of the first polarizing layer 13 and the transmission axis of the second polarizing layer 32 are orthogonal to each other.

  Next, a method for manufacturing the liquid crystal device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 8 is a manufacturing process diagram of the color filter substrate. FIG. 9 is a manufacturing process diagram of the array substrate.

First, a method for manufacturing a color filter substrate will be described. As shown in FIG. 8A, an aluminum film and a SiO ₂ film are sequentially formed on a transparent substrate 11 by sputtering, and these laminated films are patterned using photolithography and etching techniques, and a reflective layer 41 made of aluminum. Then, a dielectric layer 42 made of SiO ₂ is formed. Here, when the transparent substrate 11 is large, the inside of the substrate can be divided into a plurality of regions, and the exposure process during mask formation by photolithography can be performed for each divided region. As a result, the reflective layer 41 and the dielectric layer 42 can be formed with a uniform film thickness and pattern dimensions even on a transparent substrate that is difficult to perform batch exposure. The reason why such divided exposure is possible is because the polarizing layer group constituting the polarizer is independent for each dot region, and the layer formed at the boundary portion between adjacent divided regions due to positional deviation at the time of exposure. This is because there is no need to consider overlapping.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 8B, the inorganic fine particle layer 43 is formed by sputtering Ge fine particles by ion beam sputtering that forms a film obliquely with respect to the surface of the transparent substrate 11. As a result, the first polarizer 70 composed of the reflective layer 41, the dielectric layer 42, and the inorganic fine particle layer 43 is formed. FIG. 10 shows a state of oblique sputtering film formation for forming the inorganic fine particle layer 43. Although an example of ion beam sputtering is shown here, the present invention is not limited to this, and any method may be used as long as it is a sputtering method.

  In FIG. 10, reference numeral 90 is a stage for supporting the transparent substrate 11, reference numeral 2 is a target, reference numeral 3 is a beam source (ion source), and 4 is a control plate. The stage 90 is inclined at a predetermined angle θ with respect to the normal direction of the target 2, and the transparent substrate 11 has the longitudinal directions of the reflective layer 41 and the dielectric layer 42 orthogonal to the incident direction of the inorganic fine particles from the target 2. It is arranged in the direction to be. The angle θ is, for example, 0 ° to 20 °. Ions extracted from the beam source 3 are irradiated to the target 2. The inorganic fine particles knocked out from the target 2 by the irradiation of the ion beam are incident on the surface of the transparent substrate 11 from an oblique direction and adhere to the dielectric layer 42. The inorganic fine particle layer 43 has optical anisotropy in the arrangement direction of the inorganic fine particles 43a and the direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction of the inorganic fine particles 43a.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 8C, a light shielding layer 12 having a laminated structure of chromium and chromium oxide is formed. The light shielding layer 12 can be formed by, for example, forming a chromium film or a chromium oxide film by sputtering and patterning the laminated film into a desired shape using photolithography and etching techniques. Note that when the first polarizer 70 is formed, the first polarized light has an outer shape larger than the outer shape of the dot region 12 a partitioned by the light shielding layer 12, in other words, the outer peripheral portion overlaps the light shielding layer 12. By forming the layer group 13, the first polarizing layer 13 a is reliably formed in the dot region 12 a partitioned by the light shielding layer 12 even if a positional shift occurs during the polarizer and light shielding layer forming process. Can do.

  Next, as shown in FIGS. 8D, 8E, and 8F, a colored resin film in which a pigment is dispersed is formed, and this is patterned using photolithography and an etching technique to be colored red. A layer 14R, a green colored layer 14G, and a blue colored layer 14B are sequentially formed. It is possible to form a colored layer by an ink jet method.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 8G, the overcoat layer 15 is formed on the colored layers 14R, 14G, and 14B.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 8 (h), a solid counter electrode 16 made of ITO is formed by sputtering or the like, a polyimide film is further formed on the counter electrode 16, and this is rubbed to align the alignment film 17. Form.

  The color filter substrate is manufactured as described above.

  Next, a method for manufacturing the array substrate will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 9A, a MoTa film is formed on one surface of the transparent substrate 21 on the liquid crystal layer 40 side by sputtering, and this is patterned and scanned using photolithography and etching techniques. A line 23 and a gate electrode 23a are formed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 9B, an SiN film, a SiO ₂ film, and an amorphous silicon film are successively formed on the transparent substrate 21 including the scanning line 23 and the gate electrode 23a by plasma CVD, and then amorphous. The silicon film is patterned into a desired shape using photolithography and etching techniques. As a result, a gate insulating film 24 composed of a two-layered film of SiN film and SiO ₂ film and a semiconductor layer 28 composed of amorphous silicon are formed.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 9C, a laminated film composed of three layers of Mo / Al / Mo is formed by sputtering, and this laminated film is patterned using photolithography and etching techniques to form signal lines 25, A source electrode 26 and a drain electrode 27 are formed.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 9D, an interlayer insulating layer 29 made of an organic resin is formed, and the drain electrode 27 and a pixel electrode formed in a later step are electrically connected to the interlayer insulating layer 29. The contact hole 30 is formed using photolithography and etching techniques.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 9E, an ITO film is sputtered on the interlayer insulating layer 29, and the film is patterned using photolithography and etching techniques to form a pixel electrode 31. During the ITO film formation, ITO is also formed in the contact hole, and the pixel electrode 31 and the drain electrode 27 are electrically connected by the ITO formed in the contact hole 30.

Next, as shown in FIG. 9 (f), a second polarizing layer group 32 composed of a plurality of second polarizing layers 32 a is formed on the pixel electrode 31 so as to correspond to one pixel electrode 31. A polarizer 71 is formed. The second polarizing layer 32a is formed by forming an inorganic fine particle film by oblique ion beam sputtering as in the case of forming the inorganic fine particle layer 43 of the first polarizer 70 on the entire surface of the substrate including the pixel electrode 31. Thereafter, an aluminum film and a SiO ₂ film are sequentially formed on the inorganic fine particle film by sputtering. Next, these laminated films are patterned using photolithography and etching techniques to form a second polarizer 71 composed of the inorganic fine particle layer 43, the dielectric layer 42, and the reflective layer 41. Here, when the transparent substrate 21 is large, the inside of the substrate can be divided into a plurality of regions, and the exposure process during mask formation by photolithography can be performed for each divided region. As a result, the inorganic fine particle layer 43, the dielectric layer 42, and the reflective layer 41 can be formed with a uniform film thickness and pattern dimensions even on a transparent substrate that is difficult to perform batch exposure. Such divided exposure is possible because the polarizing layer group constituting the polarizer is independent for each dot region, and the layer formed at the boundary portion between adjacent divided regions due to the positional deviation at the time of exposure. This is because there is no need to consider overlapping.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 9G, a polyimide film is formed on the entire surface of the substrate including the second polarizer 71, and this is rubbed to form an alignment film 33.

  Thus, the array substrate is manufactured.

  The color filter substrate and the array substrate manufactured by the above-described manufacturing method are bonded together by a sealing material having a liquid crystal inlet formed along the outer periphery of these substrates with a predetermined gap. Thereafter, liquid crystal is injected between the two substrates from the liquid crystal injection port, and the injection port is sealed with a sealing material to complete the liquid crystal cell 50.

  Thereafter, a drive circuit board (not shown) or the like is electrically connected to the liquid crystal cell 50, and a backlight is disposed on the array substrate 20 side of the liquid crystal cell 50 to complete the liquid crystal device 1.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, since the polarizing layer is independent for each dot region, even in a large screen liquid crystal device such as a large liquid crystal television, the screen is divided and the polarizing layer is divided for each divided region. Thus, a liquid crystal device having a uniform polarization characteristic within the display surface can be stably obtained. That is, in the case where the polarizing element is applied to the entire surface of the screen, if the substrate is enlarged, it is difficult to form a uniform film thickness in the plane, and a polarizer having uniform polarization characteristics in the plane cannot be obtained. On the other hand, by separating the polarizing layer for each dot area as in this embodiment, the entire surface of the substrate can be divided into a plurality of areas, and a polarizing layer can be formed for each of the divided areas. A liquid crystal device uniform in the display surface can be obtained stably.

  In the present embodiment, a polarizer can be formed in the liquid crystal cell on the same surface side as the substrate surface on which the components such as the colored layer and TFT are arranged in the flow of the manufacturing process of these components. it can. Therefore, the process of attaching a pair of polarizing plates to the outside of the liquid crystal cell as in the prior art can be eliminated, and the manufacturing efficiency is improved.

  In this embodiment, the polarizer has a laminated structure of a reflective layer, a dielectric layer, and an inorganic fine particle layer. However, the shape anisotropy between the major axis direction and the minor axis direction of the inorganic fine particles constituting the inorganic fine particle layer. By making the optical constants different between the major axis direction and the minor axis direction, the polarizing function can be given only by the inorganic fine particle layer. However, by providing a dielectric layer and a reflective layer in addition to the inorganic fine particle layer as in this embodiment, the contrast can be improved as compared with the case where only the inorganic fine particle layer is used. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the polarizing layer 113 may be formed by laminating the inorganic fine particle layer 72, the dielectric layer 73, the reflective layer 141, the dielectric layer 142, and the inorganic fine particle layer 143 on the transparent substrate 11. . The reflective layer 141, the dielectric layer 142, and the inorganic fine particle layer 143 correspond to the reflective layer 41, the dielectric layer 42, and the inorganic fine particle layer 43 of the first polarizing layer 13a and the second polarizing layer 32a, respectively. Thereby, the reflection of incident light from the transparent substrate 11 side can be prevented by the inorganic fine particle layer 72. In addition, by providing the dielectric layer 73, the reflectance can be reduced by obtaining an interference effect between the reflective layer 141 and the dielectric layer 73. In addition, a laminated structure of a dielectric layer and an inorganic fine particle layer may be further stacked on the inorganic fine particle layers 43 and 143 of the polarizing layers 13a, 32a, and 113, or a laminated structure may be further stacked on this laminated structure. Good. This enhances the interference effect between the layers and increases the contrast in the transmission axis direction at a desired wavelength. At the same time, the reflection component from the inorganic fine particles which are undesirable in the transmission type liquid crystal display device can be reduced over a wide range. Improved characteristics.

  (Second Embodiment)

  In the first embodiment, the inorganic fine particle material used for the polarizing layer corresponding to the dots of different colors of R, G, and B has a Ge component. A polarizer having optimum polarization characteristics can be provided for each. Hereinafter, description will be made with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, 11, and 12. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. In the present embodiment, the inorganic fine particle layer used for the polarizing layer corresponding to the R and G color dots on the color filter substrate side has a Ge component, and the inorganic fine particle layer used for the polarizing layer corresponding to the B color dot 1 differs from the first embodiment only in that it has a Si (silicon) component.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal device, and shows an equivalent circuit diagram in an array substrate. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ in the liquid crystal cell 250 of FIG. FIG. 3 is a partial schematic plan view showing the positional relationship of each component formed on the color filter substrate 210 of the liquid crystal device shown in FIG. 11 and 12 show optical characteristics when light is irradiated from the inorganic fine particle layer side to a polarizing element in which a polarizing layer composed of a reflective layer, a dielectric layer, and an inorganic fine particle layer is formed on a substrate. In FIG. 11, Ge is used as the inorganic fine particle material, and Si is used in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the color TFT liquid crystal device 201 includes a liquid crystal cell 250 and a backlight 60 that irradiates the liquid crystal cell 250 with light. The liquid crystal cell 250 includes a twisted nematic liquid crystal layer 40 sandwiched between a pair of color filter substrates 210 and an array substrate 20 arranged with a predetermined gap.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the color filter substrate 210 has a first polarizer 270 disposed on the surface of the transparent substrate 11 on the liquid crystal layer 40 side. The first polarizer 270 includes a first R polarization layer group 213R formed of a plurality of first R polarization layers 213Ra corresponding to R dots and a plurality of first G polarizations corresponding to G dots, which are formed for each dot region 12a. The first G polarizing layer group 213G composed of the layer 213Ga and the first B polarizing layer group 213B composed of a plurality of first B polarizing layers 213Ba corresponding to the B dots. Each polarizing layer 213Ra, 213Ga, and 213Ba is composed of a reflective layer, a dielectric layer, and an inorganic fine particle layer as in the first embodiment. As the inorganic fine particle material, the first R polarizing layer 213Ra and the first G polarizing layer 213Ga have Ge, Si is used in the 1B polarizing layer 213Ba.

  In this way, by configuring the first polarizer 270 of the color filter substrate 210 that is a substrate on the side from which the light from the backlight 60 is emitted as described above, polarization characteristics can be further optimized. A liquid crystal device having excellent display characteristics can be obtained. That is, as shown in FIG. 11, when Ge is used as the inorganic fine particle material, since contrast is obtained over the entire visible light region and the reflectance is low, Ge is used when the common inorganic fine particle material is used for R, G, and B. It is effective. However, when Ge is used, the transmittance tends to drop slightly in the blue region. On the other hand, when Si is used as shown in FIG. 12, the transmittance can be higher in the blue wavelength region (around 450 nm) than in the case of Ge. Therefore, in this embodiment, Ge is used as the inorganic fine particle material corresponding to the R and G dots, and Si is used as the inorganic fine particle material corresponding to the B dots. Thereby, the light quantity which permeate | transmits the blue colored layer in the liquid crystal device 1 can be increased compared with the case where Ge is used, The liquid crystal device which has a polarizer with the further excellent polarization characteristic can be obtained, and a display characteristic is improved. Can be improved.

  The inorganic fine particle layer of the polarizer having different inorganic fine particle materials for each color as described above can be manufactured as follows. Hereinafter, a description will be given with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining how the inorganic fine particle layer is formed.

  As shown in FIG. 13, after the reflective layer 41 and the dielectric layer 42 are formed on the transparent substrate 11, a mask 91 is provided so that only the reflective layer 41 and the dielectric layer 42 corresponding to the B dots are exposed. Si is sputtered by ion sputtering. Thereafter, a mask may be provided so that only the reflective layer 41 and the dielectric layer 42 corresponding to the R and G dots are exposed, and Ge may be sputtered by ion sputtering.

  Thus, in this embodiment, since the polarizing layer group is independent for each dot region, it is possible to select and vary the inorganic fine particle material optimum for each color for each color in order to obtain good polarization characteristics. It becomes possible.

  In this embodiment, the inorganic fine particle material is made different depending on the color in the first polarizer 270 on the color filter substrate 220 side, but the polarizer on the array substrate side may have the same configuration. Further, the inorganic fine particle material may be varied depending on the color of the polarizer on the array substrate side.

  (Modification)

  Hereinafter, although a modification is demonstrated, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the structure similar to the above-mentioned embodiment, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the above-described embodiment, the polarizer is arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the polarizing layer is positioned parallel to the signal line (y-axis direction) on the array substrate, and the color filter substrate is arranged on the array substrate. A polarizer having a polarizing layer in which the longitudinal direction of the polarizing layer of the polarizer is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the polarizing layer was disposed. On the other hand, in the array substrate, a polarizer is arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the polarizing layer is positioned parallel to the scanning line (x-axis direction), and in the color filter substrate, the polarizer is arranged on the array substrate. A polarizer having a polarizing layer whose longitudinal direction is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the polarizing layer may be disposed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the pair of polarizers are arranged orthogonally, but it goes without saying that the polarizer of the present invention can also be applied to a normally black mode in which the polarizers are arranged in parallel.

  In the above-described embodiment, the size, such as the pitch and length of the polarizing layer corresponding to each dot of R, G, and B, is the same. The length may be designed, and the pitch and length of the polarizing layer may be varied depending on the color.

  In the above-described embodiment, the polarizing layer group is provided for each dot. However, for example, as illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, the polarizing layer group may be provided for each of a plurality of dots.

  14 and 15 are schematic plan views of the liquid crystal device, respectively, and are schematic plan views showing the positional relationship between the colored layer, the dot region, and one polarizer (here, the polarizer on the array substrate side). .

  As shown in FIG. 14, in the liquid crystal device 450, the polarizer 471 has a configuration in which one polarizing layer group 413 is arranged corresponding to a plurality of adjacent (here, three) dots of the same color. The polarizing layer group 413 includes a plurality of polarizing layers 413a having longitudinal directions in the y-axis direction. In addition, the structure of the polarizing layer 413a is the same as that of the polarizing layer of the above-mentioned embodiment. In this case, a polarizer (not shown) facing the polarizer 471 includes a polarizing layer having a longitudinal direction in the x-axis direction. For example, if the inorganic fine particle material is made different depending on the color as in the second embodiment, the polarizer disposed opposite to the polarizer 471 is a dot like the polarizer disposed on the color filter substrate of the second embodiment. What is necessary is just to make it arrange | position a polarizing layer group independently for every. Alternatively, one polarizing layer group may be arranged with dots corresponding to a common R and G for a plurality of inorganic fine particle materials.

  As shown in FIG. 15, in the liquid crystal device 550, the polarizer 571 has a configuration in which one polarizing layer group 513 is arranged corresponding to all the dots corresponding to one color belt-like colored layer 14R (14G, 14B). It has become. The polarizing layer group 513 includes a plurality of polarizing layers 513a having a longitudinal direction in the y-axis direction. Accordingly, the polarizing layer group is arranged in a stripe pattern on the substrate. In addition, the structure of the polarizing layer 513a is the same as that of the polarizing layer of the above-mentioned embodiment. In this case, a polarizer (not shown) opposed to the polarizer 571 has a polarizing layer having a longitudinal direction in the x-axis direction. For example, as in the second embodiment, the inorganic fine particle material differs depending on the color. The polarizing layer group may be arranged independently for each dot like the polarizer arranged on the color filter substrate of the second embodiment.

  Further, as described above, when the transparent substrate is large, the substrate surface can be divided into a plurality of regions, and the exposure process during mask formation by photolithography can be performed for each divided region. One polarizing layer group may be provided for each of a plurality of dot regions so that one polarizing layer group is arranged corresponding to this divided region. That is, the adjacent polarizing layer groups are separated from each other.

  As described above, since the polarizing layer is independent for each of the plurality of dot areas, similarly to the above-described embodiment, even in a large-screen liquid crystal device such as a large-sized liquid crystal television, the screen is divided for each divided area. In addition, a polarizing layer can be formed, and a liquid crystal device having a uniform polarization characteristic in the display surface can be stably obtained. In addition, since the polarizing layer having a polarizing function is provided in the liquid crystal cell without attaching the polarizing plate to the liquid crystal cell, it is possible to reduce the thickness and weight.

  In the above-described embodiment, the first polarizer 70 on the color filter substrate 10 is disposed between the transparent substrate 11 and the colored layers 14R, 14G, and 14B. However, the color filter substrate of the liquid crystal cell 150 illustrated in FIG. As in 110, the first polarizer 170 may be provided between the colored layers 14 R, 14 G, and 14 B and the overcoat layer 15. Further, it may be provided between the overcoat layer 15 and the pixel electrode 16 or between the pixel electrode 17 and the alignment film 17. When forming the polarizer, it is desirable that the underlying layer be flat. In the above-described embodiment, the second polarizer 71 on the array substrate 20 has the second polarizer 71 disposed between the pixel electrode 31 and the alignment film 33, but before the formation of the gate electrode and the scanning line. In addition, the second polarizer 71 may be disposed immediately above the transparent substrate 21, between the gate insulating film 24 and the interlayer insulating layer 29, or between the interlayer insulating layer 29 and the pixel electrode 31.

  In this manner, if the pair of polarizers are arranged so as to sandwich the liquid crystal layer 40, they function as a polarizer, and therefore the arrangement of the polarizers can be arbitrarily selected. Since the alignment film controls the inclination of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer and is preferably in contact with the liquid crystal layer, it is not desirable to dispose a polarizer between the alignment film and the liquid crystal layer.

  In the above-described embodiment, both of the pair of polarizers are arranged in the liquid crystal cell, but the polarizer on the array substrate 320 side is not provided in the liquid crystal cell like the liquid crystal cell 350 shown in FIG. A dichroic polarizing plate 80 containing iodine or a dye-based polymer organic substance in a generally used film may be externally attached to the liquid crystal cell. Further, the polarizer 80 on the color filter substrate 610 side may not be provided in the liquid crystal cell as in the liquid crystal cell 650 illustrated in FIG. 18, and the polarizing plate 80 may be externally attached to the liquid crystal cell. Even with such a configuration, it is possible to reduce the thickness and weight as compared with a general configuration in which polarizing plates are provided on both surfaces of a liquid crystal cell.

  In the above embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the polarizing layer constituting the polarizer is the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction, respectively, but as shown in FIG. 19, it is inclined 45 degrees with respect to the x-axis direction. Alternatively, the longitudinal direction of the polarizing layer may be set. FIGS. 19A and 19B are schematic plan views of a color filter substrate 710 and an array substrate 720 that constitute one liquid crystal device, respectively. FIG. 19 shows the arrangement of the arranged polarizers. In order to make the drawing easier to see, the colored layer does not show signal lines and the like, and shows only the positional relationship with the dot region 12a.

  As shown in FIG. 19A, a first polarizer 770 in which a first polarizing layer group 713 is arranged for each of a plurality of dot regions 12a is provided on the color filter substrate 710 side, and as shown in FIG. The array substrate 720 is provided with a polarizer 771 in which a second polarizing layer group 732 is arranged for each of the plurality of dot regions 12a. In the first polarizing layer group 713 (second polarizing layer group 732), a plurality of band-shaped first polarizing layers 713a (second polarizing layers 732a) are arranged in parallel, and the longitudinal direction of the polarizing layers is the absorption axis. The direction perpendicular to this is the transmission axis. The first polarizer 770 and the second polarizer 771 have a transmission axis that is orthogonal to each other. When the liquid crystal device is used, the first polarizing layer group 713 and the second polarizing layer group 732 both overlap the dot region 12a in plan view, and the outer shapes of the first polarizing layer group 713 and the second polarizing layer group 732 are as follows. It is located beyond the outer shape of the dot region 12a.

  In the above-described embodiment, a plurality of polarizing layers are periodically formed only in one in-plane direction of the substrate in one dot region 12a, but periodically in two orthogonal directions as shown in FIG. It may be formed.

  20A and 20B are schematic plan views of a color filter substrate 810 and an array substrate 820 that constitute one liquid crystal device. FIG. 20 shows the arrangement of the arranged polarizers. In order to make the drawing easier to see, the wiring such as the colored layer and the signal line is not shown, and only the positional relationship with the dot region 12a is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 20 (a), a first polarizer 870 in which a first polarizing layer group 813 is arranged for each of a plurality of dot regions 12a is provided on the color filter substrate 810 side, and as shown in FIG. 20 (b). The array substrate 820 is provided with a polarizer 871 in which a second polarizing layer group 832 is arranged for each of the plurality of dot regions 12a. In the liquid crystal device shown in FIG. 20, the band-shaped polarizing layer shown in the first embodiment is divided into a plurality of islands in the longitudinal direction to form an island shape. In the first polarizing layer group 813, strip-shaped first polarizing layers 813a are arranged in an island shape with the number of 8 × 4 in the drawing. In the second polarizing layer group 832, strip-shaped second polarizing layers 832 a are arranged in an island shape with a number of 4 × 8 in the drawing. In this way, the polarizer may be configured such that a plurality of polarizing layers are arranged in the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction with respect to one dot region 12a.

  In the above-described embodiment, a colored layer is used to obtain a color display. However, the present invention can also be applied to a case where a color display is performed using a phosphor layer instead of a colored layer. In general, a colored layer made of an organic resin dispersed with a pigment has a large light loss when passing through the colored layer. However, when a phosphor layer is used, the light loss is greatly reduced. Is possible. In this case, in the structure in which the phosphor layer is provided on the transparent substrate side facing the transparent substrate disposed on the backlight side of the two transparent substrates constituting the liquid crystal device, the substrate on the side on which the phosphor layer is provided, It is necessary to arrange the polarizer so that light from the backlight passes through the polarizer and then enters the phosphor layer. When the light from the backlight passes through the polarizer after passing through the phosphor layer, the polarization of the light is disturbed by the passage through the phosphor layer, so that light loss occurs when passing through the polarizer. On the other hand, in the case of passing through the polarizer and the phosphor layer in this order, even if the polarization of light is disturbed in the phosphor layer, there is no loss of light because it does not pass through the polarizer thereafter.

  In the above-described embodiment, the dimensions such as the pitch of the polarizing layers constituting the polarizing layer group are the same even when the colors are different, but the dimensions may be changed depending on the colors so as to obtain optimum polarization characteristics. .

1, 201 ... Liquid crystal device,
11, 21 ... Transparent substrate,
12a ... dot region,
13, 713, 813 ... 1st polarizing layer group,
13a, 713a, 813a ... 1st polarizing layer,
14R ... red colored layer,
14G ... green colored layer,
14B ... Blue colored layer,
32, 732, 832 ... the second polarizing layer group,
32a, 732a, 832a ... second polarizing layer,
40 ... Liquid crystal layer 41, 141 ... Reflective layer,
42, 73, 142 ... dielectric layer,
43, 72, 143 ... inorganic fine particle layer,
70, 170, 270, 770, 870 ... first polarizer,
71, 771, 871 ... second polarizer,
213R ... 1st R polarizing layer group,
213G ... 1st G polarizing layer group,
213B ... 1B polarizing layer group,
213Ra ... 1st R polarizing layer,
213Ga ... 1st G polarizing layer,
213Ba ... 1B polarizing layer,
113 ... Polarizing layer,
471, 571 ... Polarizer,

Claims (13)

A liquid crystal device having a plurality of dot regions,
A pair of transparent substrates arranged with a gap;
A liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of transparent substrates;
1 comprising a polarizing layer having an inorganic fine particle layer having a plurality of shape anisotropy corresponding to each of the dot regions or the plurality of dot regions on at least one surface of the pair of transparent substrates facing each other. Two polarizing layer groups are arranged, and the polarizing layer includes a reflective layer, a dielectric layer formed on the reflective layer, and the inorganic fine particle layer formed on the dielectric layer. A liquid crystal device comprising: The liquid crystal device according to claim 1,
A liquid crystal device further comprising a plurality of colored layers disposed on one transparent substrate of the pair of transparent substrates in correspondence with the dot regions. The liquid crystal device according to claim 1,
A liquid crystal device further comprising a colored layer made of red, green, and blue disposed on one transparent substrate of the pair of transparent substrates in correspondence with the dot region. The liquid crystal device according to claim 1,
The inorganic fine particle used for the inorganic fine particle layer is a liquid crystal device having a Ge or Si component. The liquid crystal device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The liquid crystal device, wherein the polarizer is disposed on each of the opposing surfaces of the pair of transparent substrates. A color filter substrate having a plurality of dot regions,
A transparent substrate;
One polarizing layer group composed of a polarizing layer having inorganic fine particle layers having a plurality of shape anisotropies is disposed on one surface of the transparent substrate corresponding to each dot region or each of the plurality of dot regions. The polarizing layer includes a reflective layer, a polarizer having a dielectric layer formed on the reflective layer, and the inorganic fine particle layer formed on the dielectric layer. The color filter substrate according to claim 6,
A color filter substrate further comprising a plurality of colored layers arranged on the one surface corresponding to the dot regions. The color filter substrate according to claim 6,
A color filter substrate further comprising a colored layer of red, green, and blue disposed on the one surface corresponding to the dot region. The color filter substrate according to claim 6,
The inorganic fine particle used in the inorganic fine particle layer is a color filter substrate having a Ge or Si component. A transparent substrate;
A switching element disposed on one surface of the transparent substrate;
A pixel electrode electrically connected to the switching element disposed on the one surface;
One polarizing layer group composed of a polarizing layer having inorganic fine particle layers having a plurality of shape anisotropies is disposed corresponding to each of the pixel electrodes or the plurality of pixel electrodes disposed on the one surface. The polarizing layer includes: a reflective layer; a polarizer having a dielectric layer formed on the reflective layer; and the inorganic fine particle layer formed on the dielectric layer. The array substrate according to claim 10, wherein
An array substrate further comprising a plurality of colored layers disposed on the one surface corresponding to the pixel electrodes. The array substrate according to claim 10, wherein
An array substrate further comprising a colored layer of red, green, and blue disposed on the one surface corresponding to the pixel electrode. The array substrate according to claim 10, wherein
The inorganic fine particle used in the inorganic fine particle layer is an array substrate having a Ge or Si component.

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