JP2011170249A - Barrier rib substrate and apparatus for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a barrier rib substrate structured to prevent a solution on the top of a barrier rib which has been dropped from an opening from remaining as a residue, in a step of applying the solution to the opening using a wet process, and provide a method and an apparatus for manufacturing the barrier rib substrate using the above technique. <P>SOLUTION: In the manufacturing method, the solution is applied to the opening of a substrate having the barrier rib and the opening. The top of the barrier rib has an inclination structure in which wettability gradually changes from liquid repellent property to lyophilic property as it goes from the barrier rib toward the opening, so that an area having liquid repellent property is gradually decreased from the barrier rib to the opening, and on the other hand, an area having lyophilic property is gradually increased from the barrier rib toward the opening. This invention includes a method of manufacturing the barrier rib substrate. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is a method for producing a substrate having a partition wall used in a color filter for a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), an organic electroluminescence (EL) display, an inorganic EL display, and the like, and an opening. The present invention relates to a partition wall substrate having a structure in which a solution placed on an upper surface of a partition wall that is out of the opening portion and hardly becomes a residue in a step of applying a solution to the opening portion using a wet process.

  LCD color filters, PDPs, organic EL displays, inorganic EL displays, etc. use a substrate having a partition and an opening. In these, the opening is a pixel region, and a desired material is fixed to the opening. The functionality is given to the pixels. There are a dry process and a wet process for fixing the pixel forming material. With respect to the former, a portion other than the opening is covered with a mask, and the pixel forming material is turned into plasma by applying voltage in a vacuum to be scattered, and a thin film of the forming material is deposited and fixed in the opening. In the case where the plasma is not formed, the forming material is simply heated and evaporated in a vacuum to be scattered, and a thin film of the forming material is deposited and fixed in the opening. For the latter, a solution containing a pixel forming material is used, and the thin film is formed by applying and drying the solution to the opening using, for example, the IJ method, screen coating method, spray coating method, or the like.

  The advantage of the former is that a thin film with a uniform thickness can be formed only on the opening if the mask is accurately aligned, but on the other hand, the introduction of the dry process equipment requires a large capital investment. In addition, since the material scattered in the vacuum container is scattered not only on the opening but also on the wall surface of the vacuum container, the use efficiency of the material is low, and as a result, the manufacturing cost of the panel is increased.

  The advantage of the latter is that it is easy to increase the size of the device, and in the case of a panel of the same size, the introduction cost of the device is cheaper than the vapor deposition device, so it is suitable for increasing the size of the panel, as in the former case The pixel forming material does not diffuse in all directions in a wide range, so it is excellent in the usage efficiency of the material, but on the other hand, it is difficult to put the solution only on the opening, for example, it is scattered or spreads wet. Then, it remains on the upper surface of the partition wall, and as a result, there is a problem that the periphery of the opening is soiled. If the solution is placed on a portion other than the opening, blurring or blurring of the image occurs, and when the panel is formed, a clear outline of the image cannot be obtained.

  As a method of transferring the solution placed on the partition wall off the opening to the opening, the upper surface of the partition wall is made liquid repellent, the opening is made lyophilic, and ultrasonic vibration is applied to the partition wall substrate to There is a method of transferring the solution to the opening by increasing the dynamic contact angle (see Patent Document 1). However, since this method uses vibration, there is a problem in that the solution that has already been placed on the opening portion is placed on the upper surface of the partition wall, or splashes are generated, which in turn contaminates the upper surface of the partition wall.

JP 2003-139934 A

  In the present invention, it is an object to provide a partition substrate having a structure in which the solution that is removed from the opening and placed on the partition upper surface hardly becomes a residue in the step of applying the solution to the opening using a wet process. To do. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a partition wall substrate using such a technique.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a manufacturing method in which a solution is applied to a partition and an opening of a substrate having an opening. A partition wall substrate having an inclined structure in which wettability gradually changes from liquid repellency toward lyophilicity.

  In the invention according to claim 2, the inclined structure gradually decreases in area having liquid repellency from the partition toward the opening, while having lyophilic performance from the partition toward the opening. 2. The partition substrate according to claim 1, wherein the partition substrate is formed so that the area gradually increases.

  The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the inclined structure is formed in a stepwise manner from a surface structure having a high liquid repellency to a low surface structure from the partition wall toward the opening. The partition wall substrate described in 1 was used.

  The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the inclined structure is formed in a stepwise manner from a surface structure having a low lyophilic performance to a high surface structure from the partition wall toward the opening. The partition wall substrate described in 1 was used.

  The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that the inclined structure is formed by plasma treatment, application of a liquid repellent, application of a lyophilic agent, or a combination thereof. The partition wall substrate described was used.

  The invention according to claim 6 is a manufacturing method for manufacturing a partition wall substrate by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

  The invention according to claim 7 is a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a partition wall substrate by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

  By using the partition substrate having the above-described configuration, the solution placed on the upper surface of the partition wall is transferred to the opening, so that the solution hardly becomes a residue on the upper surface of the partition wall. Furthermore, since no vibration is applied to the substrate, the partition wall is not soiled by the solution already in the opening.

(A) It is a schematic diagram which shows an example at the time of seeing the partition board | substrate of this invention from the direction which apply | coats a solution. (B) It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the cross section at the time of cut | disconnecting the partition board | substrate of this invention from the direction which apply | coats a solution. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the partition board | substrate of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the partition board | substrate of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the partition board | substrate of this invention.

The partition board of the present invention will be described.
Since the partition wall substrate of the present invention has a structure in which the residue of the solution is hardly generated on the upper surface of the partition wall, a schematic diagram when viewed from the direction in which the solution is applied to the partition wall substrate is shown in FIG. Further, FIG. 1B shows a schematic diagram of a cross section when cut from the direction in which the solution is applied to the partition substrate so that the partition and the opening can be easily identified. The substrate 101 includes a plurality of partition walls 102 and an opening 103 formed between the partition walls 102.

  The partition wall upper surface 104 has a symmetrical pattern on a center line 105 that bisects the partition wall upper surface 104 in the direction of arrow A, and the wettability gradually changes from the center line 105 toward the opening 103. It has an inclined structure. The closer to the center line 105, the higher the lyophobic performance, and the closer to the opening 103, the higher the lyophilic performance, and the surface wettability gradually changes between the center line 105 and the opening 103. In this way, the partition upper surface 104 forms an inclined structure in which the wettability gradually changes from liquid repellency to lyophilicity from the partition 102 toward the opening 103, so that the liquid of the solution placed on the partition upper surface 104 can be obtained. A difference occurs in the contact angle with the surface on the side far from the opening 103 of the droplet and the contact angle with the surface on the side near the opening 103. In this case, since the contact angle of the former is larger than that of the latter, a driving force is generated in the direction of the opening 103, and the liquid droplets on the partition upper surface 104 are transferred to the opening 103. As a result, the partition A residue of the solution is less likely to be generated on the upper surface 104.

  As described above, by providing the upper surface of the partition wall with an inclined structure in which the wettability gradually changes from liquid repellency to lyophilicity from the partition wall toward the opening, the solution placed on the upper surface of the partition wall is formed in the opening. Since it moves spontaneously and it is difficult for the residue of the solution to form on the upper surface of the partition wall, it can suppress blurring and blurring of images in LCD color filters, PDPs, organic EL displays, inorganic EL displays, etc., and obtain a clear outline Can do.

  Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described in detail by taking a process of manufacturing a color filter (CF) as an example. Color ink is applied to the opening of the CF partition wall substrate using the IJ method. The application of the opening using the IJ method is merely an example for explaining the embodiments, and in addition, the screen coating method, the gravure coating method, the die coating method, the spin coating method, the curtain coating method, the spray coating method, and the air knife coating method. A conventionally known coating method such as a roll brushing method can be used.

[Example 1]
First, a light-shielding resist was applied on the substrate. As a resist material, a cardo resin or an acrylic resin to which a monomer, a polymerization initiator, and a pigment are added can be used. As the resist coating, a conventionally known coating method such as a screen coating method, a gravure coating method, a die coating method, a spin coating method, a curtain coating method, a spray coating method, an air knife coating method, an ink jet method, or a roll brush method should be used. Can do.

  Subsequently, the substrate is covered with a lattice-shaped mask for exposure, and development is performed to form a lattice-shaped partition wall 202 and an opening 203 on the substrate, and the partition wall substrate before the wettability control of the partition upper surface 204 is performed. Obtained.

  After completion of the above step, propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA) was dropped on the resist surface and the static contact angle of the droplets was measured. As a result, it was as low as about 5 ° and was lyophilic.

  Next, the substrate was covered with a mask, irradiated with CF4 plasma, and the partition upper surface 204 was subjected to a liquid repellent treatment with a pattern as shown in FIG. 2 to obtain a partition substrate 200 of the present invention. As for the mask, the dot part (black circle part) of the pattern is a hole penetrating the front and back of the mask substrate, and the resist surface at the position coinciding with the hole part is plasma treated to impart liquid repellency. .

  The mask may have a structure that covers the opening 203 so that the opening 203 is not plasma-treated, or a structure that does not cover the opening 203 so that the opening 203 is plasma-treated. A suitable structure may be used. As the CF4 plasma treatment, a conventionally known method such as an evaporation method, a plasma CVD method, a sputtering method, an ion plating method, an ion plating method, an ion beam assist method, or an atmospheric pressure plasma method can be used.

  When color ink is ejected onto the partition wall upper surface 204 of the partition wall substrate 200 using the IJ method and an ink droplet is intentionally placed on the partition wall upper surface 204, the droplet moves toward the opening 203, and finally opens. The entire amount of droplets was stored in the portion 203. When this color filter was used to make a panel on the LCD, there was no blur or blur in the image, and a clear outline could be obtained.

  As shown in FIG. 2, four regions having different wettability are provided on the partition wall upper surface 204, but the number of divided regions is not limited to four. In general, the larger the number of divisions, the smoother the transfer of droplets placed on the partition upper surface 204, but the number of divisions may be set to suit the purpose.

[Example 2]
A partition wall substrate before the wettability control of the partition upper surface 304 was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1.

  After completion of the above step, PGMEA was dropped on the resist surface and the static contact angle of the droplet was measured. As a result, it was as low as about 5 ° and was lyophilic.

  Next, a region other than one region 304A of the partition wall upper surface 304 of the substrate is covered with a mask, and a fluorine-containing liquid repellent fluorosurf FS-6010 (manufactured by Fluoro Technology Co., Ltd.) diluted to 10% by weight with pure water is applied by spray coating. -It dried and the liquid repellent process of the area | region 304A surface of the partition upper surface was carried out with the fluorine-type resin.

  Subsequently, the region other than one region 304B of the partition wall upper surface 304 of the substrate is covered with a mask, and a fluorine-containing liquid repellent fluorosurf FS-6010 (manufactured by Fluoro Technology Co., Ltd.) diluted to 3% by weight with pure water is applied by spray coating. -It dried and the liquid repellent process of the area | region 304B surface of the partition upper surface was carried out with the fluorine-type resin.

  Subsequently, a region 304C other than one region 304C of the partition wall upper surface 304 of the substrate is covered with a mask, and a fluorine-containing liquid repellent fluorosurf FS-6010 (manufactured by Fluoro Technology Co., Ltd.) diluted to 1% by weight with pure water is applied by a spray coating method. -It was dried, and the surface of the region 304C on the upper surface of the partition wall was subjected to a liquid repellent treatment with a fluororesin to obtain the partition wall substrate 300 of the present invention.

  A region 304D of the partition wall upper surface 304 of the substrate was not coated with a fluorine-containing liquid repellent and was not subjected to any surface treatment.

  The mask may have a structure that covers the opening 303 so that the opening 303 is not applied, or a structure that does not cover the opening 303 so that the opening 303 is applied. It ’s fine. As the application of the fluorine-containing liquid repellent, conventionally known coating methods such as screen coating, gravure coating, die coating, spin coating, curtain coating, spray coating, air knife coating, ink jet, and roll brushing are used. Can be used.

  When the color ink is ejected onto the partition wall upper surface 304 of the partition wall substrate 300 using the IJ method and the ink droplet is intentionally placed on the partition wall upper surface 304, the droplet moves toward the opening 303, and finally the opening. The entire amount of droplets was stored in the portion 303. When this color filter was used to make a panel on the LCD, there was no blur or blur in the image, and a clear outline could be obtained.

  As shown in FIG. 3, four regions having different wettability are provided on the partition wall upper surface 304, but the number of divided regions is not limited to four. In general, the larger the number of divisions, the smoother the transfer of droplets placed on the partition upper surface 304, but the number of divisions may be set to suit the purpose.

[Comparative example]
In the same manner as in Example 1, a partition wall substrate 400 before the wettability control of the partition upper surface 404 was obtained.

  After completion of the above step, PGMEA was dropped on the resist surface and the static contact angle of the droplet was measured. As a result, it was as low as about 5 ° and was lyophilic.

  When the color ink is ejected onto the partition wall upper surface 404 of the partition wall substrate 400 by using the IJ method and the ink droplet is intentionally placed on the partition wall upper surface 404, the droplet spreads wet on the partition wall upper surface 404 and stains the partition wall upper surface 404. did. When this color filter was used to make a panel on an LCD, blurring and blurring of the image occurred, and a clear outline could not be obtained.

  In the examples of the present invention, the partition walls were formed with a lyophilic resist, and the upper surface of the partition walls was subjected to a CF4 plasma treatment or a liquid repellent treatment by applying a fluorine-containing liquid repellent. On the other hand, when the partition walls are formed of a resist having liquid repellency, the top surfaces of the partition walls are wetted by oxygen plasma treatment or application of a lyophilic solution so that the lyophilic performance gradually increases from the partition walls toward the openings. It is preferable to control the sex.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a partition wall substrate having a structure in which the solution that is removed from the opening portion and placed on the top surface of the partition wall does not easily become a residue in the step of applying the solution to the opening portion using a wet process. Moreover, it becomes possible to provide a method and a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a partition wall substrate using such a technique.

100, 200, 300 ... partition wall substrate 101 ... substrate 102, 202, 302 ... partition wall 103, 203, 303 ... opening 104, 204, 304 ... partition wall upper surface 304A, 304B, 304C, 304D: One region of the partition upper surface 105, 205A, 305A: Center line dividing the partition upper surface in the direction of arrow A 205B, 305B: Center line dividing the partition upper surface in the direction of arrow B

Claims (7)

A manufacturing method for applying a solution to an opening of a substrate having a partition wall and an opening,
A partition wall substrate, wherein an upper surface of the partition wall has an inclined structure in which wettability gradually changes from liquid repellency to lyophilicity from the partition wall toward the opening.   The inclined structure is formed so that the area having lyophobic performance gradually decreases from the partition toward the opening, while the area having lyophilic performance gradually increases from the partition toward the opening. The partition board according to claim 1, wherein   The partition substrate according to claim 1, wherein the inclined structure is formed stepwise from a surface structure having a high liquid repellency to a surface structure having a low liquid repellency from the partition toward the opening.   The partition substrate according to claim 1, wherein the inclined structure is formed in a stepwise manner from a surface structure having a low lyophilic performance to a high surface structure from the partition toward the opening.   5. The partition board according to claim 1, wherein the inclined structure is formed by plasma treatment, application of a liquid repellent, application of a lyophilic agent, or a combination thereof.   The manufacturing method which manufactures a partition board | substrate by the method in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 5.   The manufacturing apparatus which manufactures a partition board | substrate by the method in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 6.