JP2012084298A - Light irradiation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a light irradiation device which can form a pattern faithful to a pattern of a mask and with high resolution.SOLUTION: The light irradiation device includes a light emission part equipped with a light source element row having a plurality of light source elements arranged in one direction, each consisting of a short-arc type discharge lamp and a reflector arranged to surround the discharge lamp for reflecting light from the discharge lamp to a parallel direction to its light axis, and a mask made by arranging a number of linear shielding parts and translucent parts extended in a perpendicular direction to the above direction arranged alternately in one direction. A plurality of shielding plates each having a light-absorbing property are arrayed in the direction in a posture extending perpendicularly to the direction along the light axis of the reflector.

Description

  The present invention relates to a light irradiation apparatus used for forming a linear pattern, and more specifically, for irradiating light to a photopolymerizable liquid crystal material or a photo-alignment film in a manufacturing process of a patterned retardation film, for example. The present invention relates to a suitable light irradiation apparatus.

  The 3D video display device displays a 3D stereoscopic video, and as such a 3D video display device, those for theater and television playback have been developed, and in the future, amusement facilities will be developed. In recent years, it has been attracting attention because it is expected to be used for applications such as store displays and medical care.

The 3D image display device includes a right-eye image with a polarizing plate that transmits only the right-eye image and a right-eye lens with a polarizing plate that transmits only the left-eye image, and a right-eye image and a left-eye image with different polarization vibration directions. By capturing through the polarizing glasses, the observer recognizes a composite image of the left-eye video and the right-eye video as one stereoscopic video. Such a 3D video display device is disclosed in, for example, Patent Literature 1.
In the 3D image display device, a patterned retardation film is used to distinguish between a left-eye image and a right-eye image that are recognized by the left eye and right eye of the observer.

  Moreover, in a liquid crystal display device etc., using the patterned retardation film which has a liquid crystal polymer layer as a means to improve the performance is proposed (refer patent document 2).

As shown in FIG. 18A, such a patterned retardation film has a linear shape with respect to the photopolymerizable liquid crystal material layer 92 formed on the film substrate 90 via the alignment film 91, respectively. By irradiating light through a mask 95 in which a large number of light shielding portions 96 and a large number of light transmitting portions 97 are alternately arranged, as shown in FIG. 18B, a liquid crystal polymer having a stripe pattern is obtained. It is obtained by forming the layer 93 and then removing the remaining photopolymerizable liquid crystal material layer 92.
In the production of such a patterned retardation film, a long arc type discharge is usually used to increase mass productivity by irradiating the photopolymerizable liquid crystal material layer 92 with a wide range of active energy rays such as ultraviolet light. A light irradiation device including a lamp is used. In the mask 95, the direction in which the light shielding portion 96 and the light transmitting portion 97 extend (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 18) is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the long arc type discharge lamp. Arranged so that.

However, such a light irradiation device has the following problems.
That is, since the long arc type discharge lamp is a linear light source, the light emitted from the discharge lamp cannot be converted into parallel light parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction of the discharge lamp by the optical system. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 19, a part of the light transmitted through the light transmitting portion 97 of the mask 95 is incident on the mask 95 by being obliquely incident on the surface direction. As a result of irradiating the region of the photopolymerizable liquid crystal material layer 92 located immediately below the edge of the light shielding portion 96, it is difficult to form the liquid crystal polymer layer 93 having a high-resolution pattern faithful to the pattern of the mask 95. is there.

JP 2002-185983 A JP 2009-276664 A

  The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a light irradiation apparatus that can form a high-resolution pattern faithful to a mask pattern.

The light irradiation device according to the present invention includes a plurality of light source elements including a short arc type discharge lamp and a reflector arranged so as to surround the discharge lamp and reflecting light from the discharge lamp in a direction parallel to the optical axis. Is a light emitting part having a light source element array arranged in one direction,
A plurality of linear light-shielding portions each extending in a direction perpendicular to the one direction and a mask in which a large number of light-transmitting portions are alternately arranged in the one direction,
A plurality of light-shielding plates each having light absorptivity are arranged side by side in the one direction so as to extend perpendicularly to the one direction along the optical axis of the reflector.

In the light irradiation device of the present invention, the reflector has a rotating parabolic light reflecting surface centered on the optical axis,
It is preferable that the light source has a condensing member made of a cylindrical mirror having a parabolic light reflecting surface in cross section.

  Moreover, in the light irradiation apparatus of this invention, the said light emission part has at least 2 light source element row | line | columns extended in the same direction, respectively, These light source element row | line | columns are light source elements which concern on one light source element row | line | column. The straight line connecting the center point between the electrodes of the discharge lamp in FIG. And the center point between the electrodes of the discharge lamp in the light source element in the light source element closest to the light source element intersects with the straight line extending in the one direction. It is preferable that the arrangement is as described above.

  Furthermore, in the light irradiation apparatus of this invention, it is preferable that the said light shielding plate is comprised from the some light shielding plate structural member arranged in parallel in the optical axis direction of the said reflector.

Furthermore, in the light irradiation apparatus of the present invention, the light irradiation apparatus has a transfer means for transferring the object to be irradiated in the direction in which the light transmitting portion of the mask extends,
The irradiated object is in a film form, and the transport means has a roller that transports in contact with the irradiated object,
The said condensing member can be set as the structure which condenses the light from the said light-projection part in the linear form extended in the said one direction, and irradiates the said to-be-irradiated object in the location which touches the said roller.

  According to the light irradiation apparatus of the present invention, a short arc type which is a point light source is basically used as a discharge lamp constituting the light source element, and a plurality of light source elements having such a discharge lamp are arranged in one direction. Since the light emitting unit is configured by the light source element rows arranged in line with each other, the light emitted from the discharge lamp in each of the light source elements is reflected by the reflector and the condensing member in the light source element. It becomes possible to make parallel light parallel to each other in one direction in which. In addition, a plurality of light-shielding plates each having light absorptivity are arranged side by side in the one direction so as to extend perpendicularly to the one direction along the optical axis of the reflector. This is due to the refraction of light caused by the lens effect due to the thickness and non-uniformity of the glass material constituting the light emitting part of the discharge lamp and the processing accuracy of the light reflecting surface of the reflector. The light (hereinafter referred to as “stray light”) emitted from each light source element that deviates from the typical optical path (optical path parallel to the optical axis of the reflector) can be absorbed and blocked by the light shielding plate. Parallel light with a higher degree of parallelism can be emitted from the emission part. Therefore, as a result of preventing or suppressing light from being applied to the region of the irradiated object that is located immediately below the light shielding portion of the mask, a pattern with high resolution that is faithful to the mask pattern is formed on the irradiated object. Can do.

It is a perspective view which shows the outline of a structure of the light irradiation apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing which cut | disconnects and shows the light irradiation apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view showing the light irradiation device shown in FIG. 1 cut along line BB. It is a front view which shows the outline of a structure of the light-projection part in the light irradiation apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the specific structure of a mask, (A) is a top view, (B) is a side view. It is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship of the effective irradiation width | variety in which the light from the condensing member in a mask injects, the allowable fluctuation value of the gap between a mask and a to-be-irradiated object, and the radius of a roller. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the manufacturing process of a patterned retardation film. It is explanatory drawing which shows the direction of the light irradiated by the light irradiation apparatus of this invention. It is a front view which shows the other structural example of the reflector which comprises a light source element. It is a plane sectional view showing the outline of the composition in other examples of the light irradiation apparatus of the present invention provided with the light source element which has the reflector shown in FIG. It is a front view which shows the outline of a structure of the light-projection part in the light irradiation apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the outline of the other structure of the light emission part in the light irradiation apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing which shows the outline of a structure of the light irradiation apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. It is side surface sectional drawing which shows the outline of a structure of the light irradiation apparatus which concerns on 4th Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the other example of the manufacturing process of a patterned retardation film. It is explanatory drawing which shows the other structural example of a light-shielding plate. It is sectional drawing which expands and shows a part of support structure of a light-shielding plate. It is explanatory drawing which shows the manufacturing process of a patterned retardation film. It is explanatory drawing which shows the direction of the light irradiated with the conventional light irradiation apparatus.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.
[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of the configuration of the light irradiation apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the light irradiation apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view showing the light irradiation device shown in FIG. 1 cut along BB, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the light emitting section in the light irradiation device according to the first embodiment. FIG.
The light irradiation apparatus according to the first embodiment is used for manufacturing a patterned retardation film, for example, and has a light source element array 11 composed of a plurality of light source elements 12, for example, three or more. The light emitting unit 10, the light collecting member 20 that condenses the light from the light emitting unit 10 in a line extending in one direction in which light source elements 12 to be described later are arranged, and the light from the light collecting member 20 in a stripe shape A mask 30 to be shaped and a transport means 40 for transporting an irradiated object W made of, for example, a photopolymerizable liquid crystal material or an alignment film material for producing a retardation film are provided.

  In the light source element array 11 constituting the light emitting unit 10, the light source elements 12 are arranged in one direction (a direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 2; hereinafter, this one direction is also referred to as “x direction”). Has been placed. Each of the light source elements 12 in the light source element array 11 includes a short arc type discharge lamp 13 in which a pair of electrodes (not shown) are disposed in the arc tube 14 so as to face each other along the tube axis, and this discharge. A reflector 15 is disposed so as to surround the lamp 13 and reflects the light from the discharge lamp 13 in a direction parallel to the optical axis thereof.

As the discharge lamp 13, for example, an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp in which mercury, a rare gas, and a halogen are enclosed in an arc tube 14 made of a glass material such as quartz glass and radiates ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 270 to 450 nm, for example, with high efficiency. Can be used. In such a discharge lamp 13, the distance between the pair of electrodes is, for example, 0.5 to 2.0 mm, and the amount of mercury enclosed is, for example, 0.08 to 0.30 mg / mm ³ .

  In the light irradiation apparatus according to the first embodiment, the reflector 15 is configured by a parabolic mirror having a rotating parabolic light reflecting surface 16 centered on the optical axis C, and the reflector 15 includes: The optical axis C is positioned on the tube axis of the arc tube 14 in the discharge lamp 13 and the focal point F is positioned at the bright spot between the electrodes in the discharge lamp 13. In this state, the fixing member 18 is arranged. Is fixed to the discharge lamp 13.

Further, in the light irradiation apparatus according to the first embodiment, the condensing member 20 is configured by a cylindrical parabolic mirror extending in the x direction, having a parabolic light reflecting surface 21 in a cross section perpendicular to the x direction. ing. The condensing member 20 is disposed in front of the light emitting surface 17 perpendicular to the optical axis C of each reflector 15 in the light emitting unit 10 so that the focal point f is located on the surface of the irradiation object W.
The condensing member 20 may be provided with a cold mirror coating that reflects only ultraviolet light having a target wavelength and transmits unnecessary visible light and infrared light.

The mask 30 has a rectangular plate shape elongated in the x direction, and is arranged along a plane perpendicular to the optical axis L of the light reflected by the light collecting member 20 below the light collecting member 20. Has been. The mask 30 has a large number of linear light-shielding portions and a large number of light-transmitting portions extending in the direction perpendicular to the x direction (the left-right direction in FIGS. 2 and 3; hereinafter, this direction is also referred to as the “y-direction”). Are arranged alternately in the x direction.
5A and 5B are explanatory views showing an example of a specific configuration of the mask 30. FIG. 5A is a plan view and FIG. 5B is a side view. In this mask 30, a large number of linear light-shielding films 32 made of, for example, chromium are arranged on a surface of a light-transmitting substrate 31 made of, for example, quartz glass so as to be spaced apart at a predetermined interval. A linear light shielding portion 35 is formed by the region where the light shielding portion is formed, and a light transmitting portion 36 is formed by the region between the adjacent light shielding films 32. As shown by a broken line Lb in FIG. 5A, the mask 30 is incident with strip-shaped light extending in the x direction in which the light shielding portion 35 and the light transmitting portion 36 are arranged.

Since the irradiated object W is transported in the y direction by the transport means 40 described later, the mask 30 is disposed separately from the irradiated object W. The minimum gap G between the mask 30 and the irradiation object W is, for example, 50 to 1000 μm.
Moreover, the irradiation object W is conveyed in the state which contact | connected the roller 41 mentioned later, The gap between the mask 30 and the irradiation object W is the said irradiation object W being conveyed in ay direction. Therefore, the effective irradiation width of the light incident from the light collecting member 20 on the mask 30 can be determined in consideration of the allowable variation value of the gap between the mask 30 and the irradiation object W and the radius of the roller 41. It is preferable to set it as small as possible. This is due to the following reason. That is, when the irradiated object W is transported and passes through the region directly under the mask 30, the gap between the irradiated object W and the mask 30 is first reduced as the irradiated object W moves in the y direction. Thus, after reaching the position just below the center position of the mask 30, the object W increases as the object W moves in the y direction. However, the larger the minimum effective irradiation width, the larger the fluctuation range of the gap. This is because a high-resolution pattern that is faithful to 30 patterns cannot be formed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, when the allowable variation value of the gap between the mask 30 and the object W is a and the radius of the roller 41 is r, the effective irradiation width d is d = √. {R ² − (r−a) ² } × 2. In this formula, it is theoretically necessary to consider the thickness of the irradiated object W, but the thickness of the irradiated object W is extremely small compared to the radius of the roller 41 and can be ignored. As a specific example, when the allowable variation value of the gap between the mask 30 and the irradiation object W is 50 μm and the radius r of the roller 41 is 300 mm, the effective irradiation width d is about 11 mm or less. It is preferable. Therefore, it is possible to condense the radiated light from each of the short arc type discharge lamps 13 in the light emitting unit 10 into a linear shape extending in the x direction by the reflectors 15 and the condensing member 20. This is effective for condensing light within the range, and thus leads to the formation of a high-resolution pattern faithful to the pattern of the mask 30.

The transport unit 40 includes a roller 41 that contacts the irradiated object W and transports the irradiated object W. Specifically, the roller 41 is arranged in a posture in which the rotation center axis O of the roller 41 extends in the x direction so that the portion in contact with the irradiation object W is positioned immediately below the mask 30. By rotating 41, the irradiated object W is transported in the y direction.
When the object to be irradiated is in the form of a film, the conveying means 40 has the roller 41 that contacts the object to be irradiated W and conveys the object to be irradiated W. Therefore, by reducing the eccentricity of the roller 41, The gap between the mask 30 and the film-like object W in contact with the roller 41 can be kept constant.
In addition, by providing the water cooling mechanism in the roller 41, the irradiated object W can be cooled by the roller 41 in contact with the irradiated object W even when the irradiated object W is irradiated with high-intensity ultraviolet light. Further, deformation of the irradiated object W such as shrinking can be prevented.

Thus, in the light irradiation apparatus according to the first embodiment, the light absorptivity is provided at the positions near the opening end portions on both sides in the x direction of the light emitting surface 17 of the reflector 15 in each light source element 12. A plurality of light-shielding plates 70 each extending in the direction perpendicular to the x direction along the optical axis C of the reflector 15 is an opening in the x direction on the light exit surface 17 of the reflector 15 constituting the light source element 12. They are arranged side by side in the x direction at an arrangement interval of approximately the same size as the width. By disposing the light shielding plate 70 at the above location, it is possible to reduce the influence on the illuminance distribution of the light condensed linearly on the irradiated object W.
Each of the light shielding plates 70 is supported by a plate-like one end side support member 75 provided so that one end portion (upper end portion in FIG. 4) extends in a direction perpendicular to the light shielding plate 70 above the light source element array 11. The other end portion (lower end portion in FIG. 4) is fixed and supported by a plate-like other end side support member 77 extending in a direction perpendicular to the light shielding plate 70 below the light source element array 11. Yes.

  The thickness of each light shielding plate 70 is preferably, for example, about 0.5 mm to 2 mm. This can prevent thermal deformation at high temperatures and inhibit light emitted from the reflector 15. Can be avoided.

  Further, the total length (dimension in the light emitting direction) of each light shielding plate 70 can be appropriately determined depending on the arrangement interval of the light shielding plates 70 and the type of stray light to be cut. Specifically, when the total length of the light shielding plate 70 is Ls and the arrangement interval of the light shielding plates 70 is P, the emission angle θ of stray light from the light source element 12 can be expressed as tan θ = (P / Ls). Therefore, the total length Ls and the arrangement interval P of the light shielding plate 70 may be determined according to the angle of stray light to be cut. For example, when the arrangement interval P of the light shielding plates 70 set according to the arrangement interval of the light source elements 12 is 23 mm and the emission angle θ of stray light to be cut is 11 °, the total length Ls of the light shielding plate 70 is 120 mm. And it is sufficient.

  The light shielding plate 70 is required to absorb and block ultraviolet rays emitted from the discharge lamp 13 (having low reflectivity for ultraviolet rays) and to have excellent heat resistance, Examples of the material constituting the light shielding plate 70 include engineering plastics, CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics), resin materials such as polyimide and polyamideimide, ceramic materials, and metal materials such as stainless steel. be able to. Here, when the light-shielding plate 70 is made of CFRP, an ultraviolet-resistant clear coating is used on the surface, and when it is made of stainless steel, the surface is blackened and has a thickness of about 1 mm. Is used.

  In the light irradiation apparatus, the light emitted from the light emitting unit 10 is irradiated onto the irradiation object W conveyed in the y direction by the conveying means 40 via the light collecting member 20 and the mask 30. More specifically, in the light emitting unit 10, light emitted from the discharge lamp 13 of each light source element 12 in the light source element array 11 is reflected by the light reflecting surface 16 of the reflector 15 in the light source element 12. Thus, the light is converted into parallel light along the optical axis C of the reflector 15 and emitted from the light emitting surface 17 toward the light collecting member 20. Thereafter, the parallel light emitted from the light emitting unit 10 is reflected downward by the light reflecting surface 21 of the light collecting member 20, thereby being condensed into a linear shape extending in the x direction. 30 is incident. At this time, the light incident on the mask 30 is parallel light parallel to each other in the x direction. Then, the light incident on the mask 30 is shaped into a stripe shape by the light shielding portion 35 and the light transmitting portion 36 in the mask 30 and irradiated to the irradiated object W, so that the roller 41 in the irradiated object W is in contact with the light. A stripe-shaped light irradiation region corresponding to the pattern of the light shielding part 35 and the light transmitting part 36 in the mask 30 is formed on the surface of the mask, and the irradiated object W is transported in the y direction by the transport means 40. The required light irradiation process is achieved for the irradiated object W.

In such a light irradiation apparatus, a patterned retardation film can be produced using a photopolymerizable liquid crystal material as follows.
First, as shown in FIG. 7 (A), an alignment film material layer 52A is formed on a film substrate 51 by applying a liquid alignment film material and drying or curing, thereby forming the alignment film. By performing a rubbing process on the material layer 52A, an alignment film 52 is formed on the film substrate 51 as shown in FIG. Next, as illustrated in FIG. 7C, a photopolymerizable liquid crystal material layer 53 </ b> A is formed over the alignment film 52. Thereafter, selective exposure processing is performed on the photopolymerizable liquid crystal material layer 53A by the above-described light irradiation device to cure a part of the photopolymerizable liquid crystal material layer 53A, as shown in FIG. 7D. Then, a liquid crystal polymer layer 53 patterned in a stripe shape is formed. Then, by removing the photopolymerizable liquid crystal material layer 53A remaining on the alignment film 52, as shown in FIG. 7E, the liquid crystal polymer layer is formed in stripes on the film substrate 51 via the alignment film 52. A patterned retardation film in which 53 is formed is obtained.

  According to the light irradiation apparatus according to the first embodiment, basically, the discharge lamp 13 constituting the light source element 12 is a short arc type that is a point light source, and the discharge lamp 13 and the rotating lamp are rotated. Since the light emitting unit 10 is configured by the light source element array 11 formed by arranging the plurality of light source elements 12 including the reflector 15 having the parabolic light reflecting surface 16 along the x direction, Light emitted from the discharge lamp 13 in each of the light source elements 12 constituting the light source element array 11 is converted into parallel light parallel to each other in the x direction in which the light source elements 12 are arranged by the reflector 15 in each of the light source elements 12. The In addition, the plurality of light-shielding plates 70 each having light absorptivity are arranged side by side in the x direction so as to extend perpendicular to the x direction along the optical axis C of the reflector 15. Due to the thickness of the glass material constituting the light emitting part of the discharge lamp 13 and the refraction of light caused by the lens effect due to the non-uniformity, and the processing accuracy of the light reflecting surface 16 of the reflector 15 Thus, stray light that is emitted directly from the light exit surface 17 without being captured by the reflector 15 from each light source element 12, specifically, light having a large viewing angle, for example, a viewing angle exceeding 3.5 degrees, is all shielded. Since the light is absorbed and shielded by the light 70, parallel light with a higher degree of parallelism can be emitted from the light emitting unit 10. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the light from the light collecting member 20 is incident on the light transmitting portion 36 of the mask 30 at a right angle or substantially orthogonal to the surface direction and passes through the light transmitting portion 36. As a result, it is possible to prevent or suppress light from being applied to a region of the irradiated object W that is located immediately below the light shielding portion 35 of the mask 30, thereby forming a pattern with high resolution that is faithful to the pattern of the mask 30. Can do.

In the case where the light emitting element is formed by forming a light source element array by a plurality of light source elements as in the light irradiation device described above, the arrangement density of the light source elements 12 is improved and the average luminance of the light source elements is increased. In order to enhance, as shown in FIG. 9, four locations in the circumferential direction at the opening edge of the light exit aperture of the reflector 15 </ b> A having the paraboloidal light reflecting surface 16 (shown by an alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 9), It is preferable that each light source element 12 is constituted by a structure processed so that the outer peripheral contour of the opening edge of the light emitting surface 17 when viewed from the front side in the light emitting direction is substantially rectangular. In the configuration including the light source element 12 configured by the reflector 15A, the present invention is extremely useful.
That is, in the light source element 12 provided with such a reflector 15A, light emitted from the discharge lamp 13 toward the four sides of the opening edge of the light emitting surface 17 of the reflector 15A is directly transmitted through the notch. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10, the light is reflected by the partition wall 19 of the light irradiation device that divides the light source elements 12 and is provided in parallel with the optical axis C of the reflector 15A so as to close the notches 151 at the four sides. And emitted. The light emitted from the four sides becomes, for example, stray light M1 to M3 deviating from an ideal optical path obliquely with respect to the optical axis C of the reflector. According to the light irradiation device of the present invention, the stray light M1 to M3 are absorbed by the light shielding plate 70 to be shielded from light, and can be prevented from entering the light collecting member 20 and the mask 30. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent the irradiated object W from being irradiated. Therefore, the above effect can be obtained with certainty.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 11 is a front view illustrating the outline of the configuration of the light emitting unit in the light irradiation apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The light irradiation apparatus according to the second embodiment has the same configuration as that of the light irradiation apparatus according to the first embodiment except for the light emitting unit.
The light emitting unit 10 in this light irradiation apparatus is configured by arranging two light source element arrays 11A and 11B so as to extend in the same direction. More specifically, each of the light source element arrays 11A and 11B is configured such that a plurality of light source elements 12 are arranged in one direction (x direction), and each of the light source elements 12 is a short arc type discharge lamp. 13 and a reflector 15A that is disposed so as to surround the discharge lamp 13 and reflects light from the discharge lamp 13. The discharge lamp 13 has the same configuration as that in the light irradiation apparatus according to the first embodiment. The reflector 15A has a structure that is processed so that the outer peripheral contour of the opening edge of the light emitting surface 17 when viewed from the front side in the light emitting direction is substantially rectangular as shown in FIG.
The two light source element arrays 11A and 11B are connected to the center point between the electrodes of the discharge lamp 13 in the light source element 12 related to the one light source element array 11A and the other light source element array 11B closest to the light source element 12. A straight line T connecting the center points between the electrodes of the discharge lamp 13 in the light source element 12 is disposed so as to cross the straight line X extending in the x direction.

  In this light irradiating device, a plurality of light-shielding plates 70A each having a light absorptivity are provided in the vicinity of the opening end portion of the light emitting surface 17 of each light source element 12 that constitutes one light source element array 11A, respectively. In the posture extending perpendicularly to the x direction along the optical axis C of the light source element 12, the light emitting surface 17 of the reflector 15A constituting the light source element 12 is arranged in the x direction at an arrangement interval that is substantially the same as the opening width in the x direction. A plurality of light-shielding plates 70B each having a light absorptivity are arranged in the vicinity of the opening end portion of the light emitting surface 17 of each light source element 12 constituting the other light source element row 11B. In a posture that extends perpendicularly to the x direction along the optical axis C of the reflector 15A, the opening width in the x direction on the light exit surface 17 of the reflector 15A constituting the light source element 12 is substantially the same. In location intervals, it is juxtaposed in the x direction.

Each of the light shielding plates 70A related to the one light source element row 11A has a plate shape in which one end portion (the upper end portion in FIG. 11) extends in a direction perpendicular to the light shielding plate 70A above the one light source element row 11A. Is supported and fixed by one end side support member 75, and the other end portion (lower end portion in FIG. 11) is a light shielding plate at an intermediate position between one light source element row 11A and the other light source element row 11B. It is supported and fixed by a plate-like central support member 76 extending in a direction perpendicular to 70A.
Each of the light shielding plates 70B according to the other light source element row 11B has one end (upper end in FIG. 11) supported and fixed by the center support member 76 and the other end (lower end in FIG. 11). Is supported and fixed by a plate-like other end side support member 77 extending in a direction perpendicular to the light shielding plate 70B below the other light source element array 11B.
The one end side support member 75, the center support member 76, and the other end side support member 77 may have light absorptivity or may not have light absorptivity.

  According to the light irradiation apparatus according to the second embodiment, the same effect as that of the light irradiation apparatus according to the first embodiment can be obtained, and the light emitting unit 10 can be provided with two light sources extending in the same direction. Since the element rows 11A and 11B are arranged in a specific positional relationship, it is possible to irradiate light having a uniform illuminance distribution in the x direction.

  When the light emitting section 10 is configured by arranging two light source element arrays 11A and 11B extending in the same direction in a specific positional relationship, as shown in FIG. The other light-shielding plate 70A has the other end portion (the lower end portion in FIG. 12) extending from the other end of the one light source element row 11A to the other light source element row 11B side to constitute the other light source element row 11B. It arrange | positions so that it may be located on the optical axis C in each of the light source element 12 to perform. Further, each light shielding plate 70B in the other light source element row 11B has one end side portion (the upper end side portion in FIG. 12) extending from one end of the other light source element row 11B to the one light source element row 11A side. The light source element array 11A may be arranged so as to be positioned on the optical axis C in each of the light source elements 12 constituting the one light source element array 11A.

According to the light irradiation device including such a light emitting unit 10, the arrangement interval of the light shielding plates in one light source element row is the opening width in the x direction on the light emitting surface 17 of the reflector 15 </ b> A constituting the light source element 12. Since it is as narrow as about ½, stray light emitted from each light source element 12 can be more reliably shielded, and the same effect as that of the light irradiation apparatus according to the first embodiment can be more reliably achieved. Obtainable.
Further, the thickness of each of the light shielding plates 70A and 70B is, for example, about 0.5 to 2 mm, and is sufficiently smaller than the opening width of the light emitting surface 17, so that one light source element row 11A (the other light source element row). 11B) is configured such that a part of the light shielding plate 70B (70A) in the other light source element row 11B (one light source element row 11A) is positioned in front of the light source element 12 in the other light source element 12B. The influence on the illuminance distribution of the light condensed linearly on the top is practically so small that it can be ignored.

[Third Embodiment]
FIG. 13 is a side sectional view showing an outline of a configuration of a light irradiation apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
The light irradiation apparatus according to the third embodiment is used for manufacturing a patterned retardation film, for example, and has a light source element array 11 including a plurality of, for example, three or more light source elements 12. The light emitting unit 10, the light collecting member 20 that collects light from the light emitting unit 10 in a linear shape extending in one direction (x direction) in which light source elements 12 to be described later are arranged, and light from the light collecting member 20 Are provided in a stripe shape, and a transport means 40 for transporting the irradiated object W. Here, the mask 30 and the transport unit 40 have the same configuration as the mask 30 and the transport unit 40 in the light irradiation apparatus according to the first embodiment.

  In the light source element array 11 constituting the light emitting unit 10, the reflector 15 is configured by a parabolic mirror having a rotary parabolic light reflecting surface 16 centered on the optical axis C, and the reflector 15 is The optical axis C is positioned on the tube axis of the arc tube 14 in the discharge lamp 13 and the focal point F is positioned at the bright spot between the electrodes in the discharge lamp 13. In this state, the fixing member 18 is fixed to the discharge lamp 13. Here, the discharge lamp 13 has the same configuration as the discharge lamp 13 in the light irradiation apparatus according to the first embodiment.

Moreover, in the light irradiation apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment, the condensing member 20 condenses the light from the light irradiation part 10 arrange | positioned so that it may extend along a x direction to the linear form extended in one direction. A cylindrical convex lens 22 and a flat mirror 23 that reflects light from the cylindrical convex lens 22 toward the mask 30 are configured.
The cylindrical convex lens 22 in the light condensing member 20 has a focal point f in a plane mirror in a direction in which the convex surface becomes a light emitting surface in front of the light emitting surface 17 perpendicular to the optical axis C of each reflector 15 in the light emitting unit 10. It arrange | positions so that it may be located on the surface of the to-be-irradiated object W projected by 23. FIG.
The flat mirror 23 in the condensing member 20 is disposed above the mask 30 in a state where the light reflecting surface 24 of the flat mirror is inclined at an angle of 45 ° with respect to the optical axis C of the reflector 15, for example.

  In the light irradiating device according to the third embodiment, a plurality of light absorptive elements are provided at positions near the opening end portions on both sides in the x direction of the light emitting surface 17 of the reflector 15 in each light source element 12. Each of the light shielding plates 70 extends in the direction perpendicular to the x direction along the optical axis C of the reflector 15 and is substantially the same as the opening width in the x direction on the light emitting surface 17 of the reflector 15 constituting the light source element 12. They are arranged side by side in the x direction at the same arrangement interval. Each light shielding plate 70 has the same configuration as that in the light irradiation apparatus according to the first embodiment.

  In the light irradiation apparatus, the light emitted from the light emitting unit 10 is irradiated onto the irradiation object W conveyed in the y direction by the conveying means 40 via the light collecting member 20 and the mask 30. More specifically, in the light emitting unit 10, light emitted from the discharge lamp 13 of each light source element 12 in the light source element array 11 is reflected by the light reflecting surface 16 of the reflector 15 in the light source element 12. Thus, the light is converted into parallel light along the optical axis C of the reflector 15 and emitted from the light emitting surface 17 toward the light collecting member 20. Thereafter, the parallel light emitted from the light emitting unit 10 is focused downward in a linear shape extending in the x direction by the cylindrical convex lens 22 in the light collecting member 20, and is lowered downward by the light reflecting surface 24 of the plane mirror 23. It is incident on the mask 30 by being reflected toward it. At this time, the light incident on the mask 30 is parallel light parallel to each other in the x direction. Then, the light incident on the mask 30 is shaped into a stripe shape by the light shielding portion 35 and the light transmitting portion 36 in the mask 30 and irradiated to the irradiated object W, so that the roller 41 in the irradiated object W is in contact with the light. A stripe-shaped light irradiation region corresponding to the pattern of the light shielding part 35 and the light transmitting part 36 in the mask 30 is formed on the surface of the mask, and the irradiated object W is transported in the y direction by the transport means 40. The required light irradiation process is achieved for the irradiated object W.

  According to the light irradiation apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment, the effect similar to the light irradiation apparatus which concerns on said 1st Embodiment can be acquired more reliably.

[Fourth Embodiment]
FIG. 14 is a side cross-sectional view showing an outline of the configuration of the light irradiation apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
The light irradiation apparatus according to the fourth embodiment is used, for example, for manufacturing a patterned retardation film, and the polarizing element 45 is provided on the optical path between the light collecting member 20 and the mask 30. Except for being arranged, the configuration is the same as that of the light irradiation apparatus according to the first embodiment.
The polarizing element 45 is not particularly limited. For example, a large number of metal wires made of a metal material having a high light reflectance such as aluminum or silver are formed on one surface of a rectangular transparent substrate made of glass or quartz glass. The wire grid polarizing element is arranged at a constant interval along a direction parallel to one side of the transparent substrate.
In such a polarizing element (wire grid polarizing element) 45, when light having a wavelength of about twice or more the arrangement pitch of the metal wires is irradiated, the metal wires extend out of the vibration components constituting the light. The component that vibrates in the direction is reflected or absorbed, and the component that vibrates in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the metal wire extends is transmitted, whereby linearly polarized light is obtained.

  In the above-described light irradiation device, the light emitted from the light emitting unit 10 irradiates the irradiated object W conveyed in the y direction by the conveying means 40 through the light collecting member 20, the polarizing element 45, and the mask 30. Is done. At this time, since the light from the condensing member 20 is converted into linearly polarized light by the polarizing element 45, the irradiation object W is irradiated with the linearly polarized light.

In such a light irradiation device, a patterned retardation film can be produced using a photoalignment film material as follows.
First, as shown in FIG. 15A, a liquid photo-alignment film material is applied on a film substrate 51 and dried or cured to form a photo-alignment film material layer 55A.
Next, selective exposure processing with linearly polarized light is performed on the photo-alignment film material layer 55A by the above-described light irradiation device, thereby forming a stripe shape on the film substrate 51 as shown in FIG. A first photo-alignment film 55 patterned is formed.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 15C, adjacent exposure processing is performed by using an appropriate light irradiation apparatus and performing whole surface exposure processing with the polarized light irradiated in FIG. A second photo-alignment film 56 is formed between the first photo-alignment films 55.
Next, as shown in FIG. 15D, a photopolymerizable liquid crystal material layer 57A is formed on the surfaces of the first photoalignment film 55 and the second photoalignment film 56, and then the photopolymerizable liquid crystal material. The entire surface 57A is exposed to light by an appropriate light irradiation device and the photopolymerizable liquid crystal material layer 57A is cured, whereby the first photo-alignment film 55 is formed as shown in FIG. The first liquid crystal polymer layer portion 57 formed in the second liquid crystal polymer layer portion 58 and the second liquid crystal polymer layer portion 58 having a different liquid crystal alignment state from the first liquid crystal polymer layer portion 57 are patterned in a stripe pattern. 59 is formed, so that a patterned retardation film is obtained.

  According to such a light irradiation apparatus, the same effect as that of the light irradiation apparatus according to the first embodiment can be obtained, and linearly polarized light can be irradiated to the irradiation object W. It is extremely suitable as a light irradiation apparatus for producing a patterned retardation film using a film material.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to said embodiment, A various change can be added.

For example, in the first to third embodiments, as shown in FIG. 16, the light shielding plate is divided into a plurality of strip-shaped pieces (in this example, 4 pieces) divided in the optical axis C direction of the reflector 15. Sheet) of light shielding plate constituting members 701, 702, 703, and 704. The light shielding plate constituting members 701 to 704 constituting the light shielding plate 70C are in contact with each other in the optical axis C direction of the reflector 15 or arranged with a minute gap therebetween, and one end portion and the other end portion thereof are light shielding plate constituting members. It is supported and fixed by, for example, a columnar one end side support member 75A and the other end side support member 77A provided along the optical axis C of the reflector 15 so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of 701 to 704.
As shown in FIG. 17, the one end side support member 75A and the other end side support member 77A are provided with concave grooves 79A and 79B extending along the optical axis C direction of the reflector 15, and the other end side support member 77A. The other end portions of the light shielding plate constituting members 701 to 704 are fitted into the concave groove 79B, and one end portion of the light shielding plate constituting members 701 to 704 is fitted to the recessed groove 79A of the one end side support member 75A. The light shielding plate constituting members 701 to 704 are supported in such a manner that a gap K is formed between the one end surface and the inner surface of the concave groove 79A.

  According to the light shielding plate 70C having such a configuration, uneven temperature distribution in the light shielding plate 70C caused by absorption of stray light emitted from each light source element 12 occurs, and thermal expansion occurs even when the light shielding plate 70C becomes high temperature. Since the displacement (elongation) caused by the above can be absorbed by the gap K, it is possible to suppress or prevent the deformation due to heat such as warping and bending of the light shielding plate 70C, and the intended function of the light shielding plate 70C. Therefore, it is possible to reliably form a pattern that is faithful to the mask pattern and has a high resolution.

In the third embodiment, a polarizing element may be arranged similarly to the fourth embodiment.
Further, the position where the polarizing element is disposed may be on the optical path between the light emitting part and the mask, and thus is not limited to the optical path between the light collecting member and the mask. It may be on the optical path between the light collecting members.
Further, in the third embodiment, when irradiating the irradiated object from the opposite side, the plane mirror may not be used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Light emission part 11, 11A, 11B Light source element row | line | column 12 Light source element 13 Discharge lamp 14 Arc tube 15, 15A Reflector 151 Notch 16 Light reflection surface 17 Light emission surface 18 Fixing member 19 Bulkhead C Optical axis of reflector F Reflector focus DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 Condensing member 21 Light reflecting surface 22 Cylindrical convex lens 23 Flat mirror f Focus of condensing member 30 Mask 31 Translucent substrate 32 Light shielding film 35 Light shielding part 36 Light transmission part W Irradiated object G Minimum gap 40 Conveyance means 41 Roller O Rotational center axis of roller 45 Polarizing element 51 Film substrate 52A Material layer for alignment film 52 Alignment film 53A Photopolymerizable liquid crystal material layer 53 Liquid crystal polymer layer 55A Material layer for photoalignment film 55 First photoalignment film 56 Second Photo-alignment film 57A Photopolymerizable liquid crystal material layer 57 First liquid crystal polymer layer portion 58 First 2 liquid crystal polymer layer portion 59 liquid crystal polymer layer 70, 70A, 70B, 70C light shielding plate 701, 702, 703, 704 light shielding plate constituting member 75, 75A one end side support member 76 central support member 77, 77A other end side support member 79A 79B Concave groove M1 to M3 Stray light K Gap 90 Film substrate 91 Alignment film 92 Photopolymerizable liquid crystal material layer 93 Liquid crystal polymer layer 95 Mask 96 Light shielding part 97 Light transmitting part

Claims (5)

A short arc type discharge lamp and a plurality of light source elements, which are arranged so as to surround the discharge lamp and reflect light from the discharge lamp in a direction parallel to the optical axis, are arranged in one direction. A light emitting part having a light source element array formed,
A plurality of linear light-shielding portions each extending in a direction perpendicular to the one direction and a mask in which a large number of light-transmitting portions are alternately arranged in the one direction,
A plurality of light-shielding plates each having light absorptivity are arranged side by side in the one direction so as to extend perpendicularly to the one direction along the optical axis of the reflector. Irradiation device. The reflector has a rotating parabolic light reflecting surface centered on the optical axis,
The light irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a light collecting member made of a cylindrical mirror having a parabolic light reflecting surface in cross section.   Each of the light emitting portions has at least two light source element arrays extending in the same direction, and the light source element arrays include a center point between the electrodes of the discharge lamp in the light source element according to one light source element array, and The straight line connecting the center point between the electrodes of the discharge lamp in the light source element related to the other light source element row that is closest to the light source element is arranged so as to be oblique to the straight line extending in the one direction. The light irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.   The light irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light shielding plate includes a plurality of light shielding plate constituting members arranged in parallel in the optical axis direction of the reflector. Transporting means for transporting the object to be irradiated in the direction in which the light transmitting portion of the mask extends,
The irradiated object is in a film form, and the transport means has a roller that transports in contact with the irradiated object,
The said condensing member condenses the light from the said light-projection part in the linear form extended in the said one direction, and irradiates the said to-be-irradiated object in the location which contact | connects the said roller. Item 5. The light irradiation device according to any one of Items 4 to 5.

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