JP2012088578A - Liquid crystal panel and method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid crystal panel capable of preventing a columnar spacer from being tilted and damaged while reducing a width of a light-shielding film and securing strength of the columnar spacer.SOLUTION: A liquid crystal panel includes a driving element substrate 20 having a light-shielding film 23 for partitioning an opening region, a counter substrate 11 arranged to be opposed to the driving element substrate 20 with a space therebetween, a liquid crystal layer 12 provided in a gap between the driving element substrate 20 and the counter substrate 11, and a columnar spacer 30 formed on the light-shielding film 23. The columnar spacer 30 has a first spacer part 26 for defining the gap between the driving element substrate 20 and the counter substrate 11, and a second spacer part 27 which is formed over the surface of the light-shielding film 23 and at least a part of which is buried in the first spacer part 26.

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid crystal panel and a method for manufacturing the same.

  In recent years, liquid crystal display elements have been used in various fields such as computer display devices, television receivers, and projectors because of their light weight and low power consumption.

  Further, in a projection display element such as a liquid crystal projector, light emitted from a light source is separated into red (R), green (G), and blue (B), and each color light is composed of three lights composed of a liquid crystal display element. The light is modulated by the bulb, and the modulated color light flux is combined and projected on the projection surface. As a light valve for such a liquid crystal projector, an active matrix liquid crystal display element driven by a thin film transistor (TFT) is often used.

  In general, an active matrix liquid crystal display element has a TFT drive element substrate on which switching elements and display electrodes are formed, and a counter substrate provided opposite to the TFT drive element substrate, A liquid crystal material is sealed between the opposite substrate.

  At this time, in order for the liquid crystal material to exhibit desired electro-optical characteristics, it is necessary to make the opposing gap between the TFT drive element substrate and the opposing substrate uniform over the entire display region.

  For this reason, in order to make the gap between the substrates uniform, it is considered that a sphere such as a plastic bead is arranged as a spacer between the TFT drive element substrate and the counter substrate (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  However, such a spherical spacer is difficult to ensure a uniform gap (gap) due to poor uniformity and dispersibility of the diameter of the sphere, and light is transmitted by the spacer located in the effective pixel region. There was a problem that the rate dropped.

  Therefore, in Patent Document 1 described above, a method is proposed in which the spherical spacer is eliminated and a columnar spacer made of a photoresist material is formed on any substrate.

  This columnar spacer can be selectively formed in the ineffective pixel area, such as being provided only on the wiring portion of the drive element substrate or the light shielding film of the counter substrate, so that light can be used efficiently. And has an advantage that it is possible to ensure substrate gap control having high accuracy and high contrast optical characteristics.

  On the other hand, it is difficult to keep the thickness of the columnar spacers constant as it is formed, and for example, a new problem has arisen that it is difficult to control the inter-substrate distance near the liquid crystal injection port constant.

  Therefore, in Patent Document 1 described above, a three-layer spacer coloring layer (R / G / B) made of the same material as the coloring layer is laminated on the surface of the light-shielding film formed on the surface of the transparent substrate. In this proposal, a columnar spacer having a frustoconical shape is formed around the spacer coloring layer.

  At this time, the three-layer cylindrical spacer coloring layer is formed so that the thickness of the column becomes thinner as the light-shielding film is sequentially laminated from the surface side (lower layer), and the thickness of the columnar spacer varies. Is suppressed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 09-120062

  By the way, in the recent liquid crystal panel market, there is a demand for further improvement in optical characteristics and high response speed quality, and there is a demand for a display area as large as possible (high aperture ratio) even with the same main body size. There is a growing demand for thinner thickness (narrow gap).

  Here, for example, in order to ensure a high aperture ratio, the width of the wiring part and the light shielding film for forming the columnar spacers must be narrowed. It must be formed in an elongated shape close to.

  However, in the above-mentioned three colored layers for spacers, variation in the thickness of the columnar spacers is suppressed by reducing the thickness as the layers are sequentially laminated from the surface side (lower layer) of the light shielding film. Therefore, there is a limit to reducing the width (diameter) of the colored layer for the lowermost spacer, and it is difficult not only to narrow the width of the light shielding film, but also from a truncated cone shape to a cylindrical shape. The problem arises that it is difficult to approach.

  Furthermore, in the above-mentioned frustoconical columnar spacer, since it rises directly from the surface of the substrate including the spacer coloring layer, for example, a cleaning process, a pressing process and a manufacturing process in the manufacturing stage of the liquid crystal panel When a high pressure is applied due to the external pressure, a problem arises that the columnar spacer is easily peeled off or crushed (notched).

  When such peeling or chipping occurs, it becomes a problem that it remains as dust in the gap and adversely affects the pixels. In addition, if a part of the columnar spacer is missing, the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules that should be along the periphery of the columnar spacer is lost, resulting in a problem that it becomes darker than the brightness of the periphery.

  Here, when the number of columnar spacers is increased, new problems such as poor alignment and deterioration of alignment regulation force occur due to the ratio with the gap density, so the strength is ensured without increasing the number of columnar spacers. A structure is desired.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a liquid crystal panel that can ensure the strength of the columnar spacer while contributing to the narrowing of the light shielding film width, and can suppress the tilting and breakage of the columnar spacer, and a method for manufacturing the same. For the purpose.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a first substrate having a light-shielding film that partitions an opening region, a second substrate that is spaced from and opposed to the first substrate, and a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate. A liquid crystal layer disposed on the light shielding film, and a spacer formed on the light shielding film, wherein the spacer includes a first spacer portion defining a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the light shielding film. A liquid crystal panel having a second spacer portion formed on the surface and at least partially embedded in the first spacer portion.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the liquid crystal panel according to the first aspect, the first substrate is formed of a laminated film having the light shielding film as an intermediate layer, and the second spacer portion is formed of the light shielding film. And is formed integrally.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a first substrate having a light-shielding film that partitions an opening region, a second substrate that is spaced from and opposed to the first substrate, the first substrate, and the second substrate. A liquid crystal layer disposed in a gap between the first substrate and a spacer formed above the light shielding film, the spacer including a first spacer portion that defines a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate; A liquid crystal panel having a second spacer portion formed on the surface of the first substrate and at least partially embedded in the first spacer portion.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the liquid crystal panel according to any one of the first to third aspects, the second spacer portion is made of a metal or hard resin having a hardness higher than that of the first spacer portion. It was decided that

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a step of selectively removing the surface of the first substrate made of a laminated film having a light shielding film as an intermediate layer, exposing the light shielding film, and on the exposed light shielding film. Embedding a first film forming material layer, forming a second film forming material layer on the first substrate including the first film forming material layer, and the first film forming material layer in the first film forming material layer. Forming a second spacer portion by selectively removing a region excluding a region on the film forming material layer; and forming the first spacer portion so that at least a part of the second spacer portion is embedded. A step, a step of disposing a second substrate facing the first substrate on which the first spacer portion and the second spacer portion are formed, and a liquid crystal layer disposed in a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate And a process for producing a liquid crystal panel.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the method for manufacturing a liquid crystal panel according to the fifth aspect, the first substrate is composed of a laminated film having the light shielding film as an intermediate layer, and the second spacer portion is It was formed integrally with the light shielding film.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the first substrate includes a laminated film having the light shielding film as an intermediate layer, and a second spacer portion is formed above the light shielding film in the first substrate; A step of forming the first spacer portion so that at least a part of the second spacer portion is embedded, and a second facing the first substrate on which the first spacer portion and the second spacer portion are formed. The liquid crystal panel manufacturing method includes a step of disposing a substrate and a step of disposing a liquid crystal layer in a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the method of manufacturing a liquid crystal panel according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the second spacer portion is a metal or a hard material whose hardness is higher than that of the first spacer portion. It was supposed to be composed of resin.

  The liquid crystal panel of the present invention can secure the strength of the columnar spacer while contributing to the narrowing of the light shielding film width, and can suppress the tilting and breakage of the columnar spacer.

1 shows a liquid crystal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention, (A) is a schematic explanatory diagram of the liquid crystal panel of Example 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and (B) is an implementation according to one embodiment of the present invention. Schematic explanatory drawing of the liquid crystal panel of Example 2, (C) is a schematic explanatory diagram of the liquid crystal panel of Example 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The manufacturing process of the liquid crystal panel of Example 1 which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is shown in time series, (A) is explanatory drawing which formed the hole in the 2nd insulating film, (B) is 2nd so that a hole may be filled. An explanatory diagram in which a metal film is formed on the upper layer of the insulating film, (C) is an explanatory diagram in which only the metal film of the hole is removed by CMP processing, and the remainder is removed, and (D) is a metal film on the upper layer of the second insulating film again. (E) is an explanatory diagram in which a support is formed, (F) is an explanatory diagram in which a resin film is formed and a resist film is patterned, (G) is an explanatory diagram in which a spacer is formed, (H ) Is an explanatory view of forming a transparent conductive film. 1 shows a liquid crystal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a specific configuration of a drive element substrate applied to the liquid crystal panel of Example 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. (B) is a top view of the principal part. The manufacturing process of the liquid crystal panel of Example 1 which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is shown in time series, (A) is explanatory drawing which formed the hole in two places of a 2nd insulating film, (B) is each hole buried. (C) is an explanatory diagram in which the metal film is left in each hole by CMP processing, and the remainder is removed, and (D) is an upper layer of the second insulating film. (E) is an explanatory diagram in which a metal film is etched to form a support, (F) is an explanatory diagram in which a transparent conductive film is formed on the second insulating film, (G) is explanatory drawing which removed the transparent conductive film of the periphery of a support | pillar. 1 shows a liquid crystal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a specific configuration of a drive element substrate applied to a liquid crystal panel of Example 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. (B) is a top view of the principal part. 1 shows a liquid crystal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a drive element substrate applied to the liquid crystal panel of Example 2, and (B) is applied to the liquid crystal panel of Example 2. FIG. It is an enlarged plan view of the principal part of the drive element substrate. It is sectional drawing of the principal part which shows the specific structure of the drive element board | substrate applied to the liquid crystal panel of Example 3 which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The manufacturing process of the liquid crystal panel of Example 3 which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is shown in time series, (A) is explanatory drawing which formed the transparent conductive film, (B) is an upper layer film on the upper layer of a transparent conductive film. (C) is an explanatory diagram obtained by patterning a resist film on the upper layer film, (D) is an explanatory diagram obtained by etching the upper layer film, and (E) is an explanatory diagram obtained by integrally forming a support on a transparent conductive film. It is.

  Next, a liquid crystal panel and a manufacturing method thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, although the Example shown below is a suitable specific example in the liquid crystal panel of this invention, and there may be various technically preferable restrictions, the technical scope of this invention limits this invention especially. Unless otherwise stated, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In addition, the constituent elements in the embodiments shown below can be appropriately replaced with existing constituent elements and the like, and various variations including combinations with other existing constituent elements are possible. Therefore, the description of the embodiment described below does not limit the contents of the invention described in the claims.

  (Embodiment)

  A liquid crystal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention is for selectively transmitting an incident term from a light source such as a backlight and displaying an image. This liquid crystal panel is, for example, a transmissive display panel in which each pixel is driven according to a video signal, and has a structure in which a liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between a pair of transparent substrates. Specifically, the liquid crystal panel includes a pair of driving element substrates and a counter substrate that are spaced apart and face each other, and a liquid crystal layer disposed in a gap therebetween. The drive element substrate has a light shielding film that partitions the opening region.

  In particular, in the liquid crystal panel according to the present embodiment, a columnar spacer disposed between the pair of driving element substrates and the counter substrate is a columnar spacer as a first spacer portion that defines a gap between the driving element substrate and the counter substrate; A middle-axis spacer is connected to the light-shielding film and serves as a second spacer portion that supports the columnar spacer. Thereby, even when the line widths of the light-shielding film and the spacer become narrow as the liquid crystal panel has a higher opening, the strength of the spacer is secured, and the spacer is prevented from being tilted or peeled off. Therefore, it is possible to suppress display unevenness and luminance reduction due to tilting of the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer, for example, due to tilting of the spacer.

  Hereinafter, the liquid crystal panel of the present embodiment will be described based on examples. 1A is a schematic explanatory diagram of a liquid crystal panel of Example 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a schematic description of a liquid crystal panel of Example 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1C is a schematic explanatory diagram of a liquid crystal panel of Example 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing, in time series, the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal panel of Example 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

  The liquid crystal panel 10 shown in FIG. 1A includes a drive element substrate 20 and a counter substrate 11 provided to face the drive element substrate 20, and between the drive element substrate 20 and the counter substrate 11. A liquid crystal layer 12 in which a liquid crystal material (not shown) is enclosed is disposed.

(Schematic configuration of Example 1)
As shown in FIG. 1A, the drive element substrate 20 includes a glass substrate 21 having a drive element (not shown) disposed on the surface thereof, and a first insulating film 22 formed on the glass substrate 21. The light shielding film 23 formed on the surface side of the first insulating film 22, the second insulating film 24 formed on the upper layer of the first insulating film 22, and the transparent conductive film formed on the upper layer of the second insulating film 24 And a film 25. A through hole reaching the light shielding film 23 is formed in the second insulating film 24 and the transparent conductive film 25, and a middle shaft spacer 26 of the spacer 30 is formed in the exposed light shielding film 23. Columnar spacers 27 are formed so as to be at least partially embedded. The columnar spacers 27 define the facing distance between the drive element substrate 20 and the counter substrate 11.

(Schematic configuration of Example 2)
The present embodiment is an example in which the middle shaft spacer constituting the spacer is formed of the same material as the light shielding film. In other words, this is an example in which the middle shaft spacer and the light shielding film are integrally formed. As shown in FIG. 1B, in this embodiment, the drive element substrate 20 includes a glass substrate 21 in which a drive element (not shown) is disposed on the surface, and a first film formed on an upper layer of the glass substrate 21. 1 insulating film 22, light shielding film 33 formed on the surface side of first insulating film 22, second insulating film 24 formed on the upper layer of first insulating film 22, and upper layer of second insulating film 24 And a transparent conductive film 25 formed. A through-hole reaching the light shielding film 23 is formed. In the exposed light shielding film 33, a middle shaft spacer 33a of the spacer 30a is formed integrally with the light shielding film 33, and at least a part of the middle shaft spacer 33a is embedded. As shown in FIG.

(Schematic configuration of Example 3)
In this embodiment, the middle-axis spacer of the spacer is formed of the same material as the conductive film constituting the drive element substrate. As shown in FIG. 1C, in this embodiment, the driving element substrate 20 includes a glass substrate 21 on which driving elements (not shown) are arranged on the surface, and a first film formed on the upper layer of the glass substrate 21. 1 insulating film 22, a light shielding film 23 formed on the surface side of the first insulating film 22, a second insulating film 24 formed on the first insulating film 22, and an upper layer on the second insulating film 24 The formed conductive film 35 is provided. On the conductive film 35, a middle shaft spacer 35a of the spacer 30b is formed integrally with the conductive film 35, and a columnar spacer 27 is formed so that at least a part of the middle shaft spacer 35a is embedded.

  As described above, according to the liquid crystal panel 10 of the present invention, the columnar spacer 27 is made to be extremely resistant to lateral load by supporting the columnar spacer 27 on the middle shaft spacers 26, 33a, and 35a of the spacers 30, 30a, and 30b. In addition, a strong pressure resistance can be obtained. As a result, it is possible to suppress display unevenness and luminance reduction due to tilting of the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer due to tilting of the spacer and the like.

  Further, since the surfaces of the central shaft spacers 26, 33a, and 35a are covered with the resin-made columnar spacers 27, the surface of the counter substrate 11 is damaged by a load in the vertical direction by having an appropriate elastic force, or at a low temperature. It is possible to maintain the ability to suppress the generation of vacuum bubbles in

(Manufacturing method of Example 1)
Here, a manufacturing method of the drive element substrate 20 in the liquid crystal panel 10 shown in FIG. 1A will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, as shown in FIG. 2A, a hole 24a is formed at an appropriate position on the surface side of the light shielding film 23 of the second insulating film 24 formed on the light shielding film 23 by etching or the like.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, a metal film 51 is formed on the second insulating film 24 by CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) so that the holes 24a are filled. At this time, the material of the metal film 51 is tungsten silicide alloy (Wsi) or the like.

  Here, since the surface of the metal film 51 immediately above the hole 24a is unlikely to be flat due to so-called sinking or the like, as shown in FIG. 2C, CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) By processing or the like, only the metal film in the hole 24a is left and the rest is removed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2D, a metal film 52 is formed again on the second insulating film 24. At this time, the thickness of the metal film 52 needs to be lower than the height of the columnar spacer 27 of the spacer 30 that is finally required. That is, the film thickness of the metal film 52 is determined according to the final height of the central shaft spacer 26 including the depth of the hole 24a. The height, the shape and diameter of the hole 24a, and the like are determined according to the material of the central shaft spacer 26 (in addition to the metal material described above, a resin material having a higher hardness than the columnar spacer 27). Then, a resist film 53 is patterned on the metal film 52 immediately above the hole 24a.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 2E, the central spacer 26 is formed by etching the metal film 52.

  From this state, as shown in FIG. 2F, after forming a resin film 54 to be the columnar spacer 27, a resist film 55 is patterned on the resin film 54 immediately above the central shaft spacer 26.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2G, the columnar spacer 27 can be formed by etching the resin film 54 so that at least a part of the central shaft spacer 26 is embedded. Thereby, the columnar spacer 27 supported by the middle shaft spacer 26 can be formed.

  Finally, as shown in FIG. 2H, a transparent conductive film 25 is formed on the second insulating film 24.

(Specific Configuration of Example 1)
3A is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a specific configuration of a drive element substrate applied to the liquid crystal panel of Example 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3B is a plan view of the main part. FIG. Each of these films is formed using a CVD method or a PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) method, and the above-described etching process or the like is appropriately used. In the following description, only the film forming process by the PVD method is pointed out, and a film not particularly specified is a film forming process by the CVD method.

  In FIG. 3A, the drive element substrate 20 includes a protective film 31, a tungsten silicide alloy (WSi) film 32, a SiO substrate 21, an FTH film 33, a protective film 34, a silicon nitride (SiN) film 35, from the lower layer in the drawing. Protective films 36 and 37, phosphoric acid silicate glass (PSG) film 38, Al wiring 39 using PVD method, undoped silicate glass (USG) film 40, first insulating film 22, light shielding film 23 using PDV method, A second insulating film 24, a third insulating film 41, a transparent conductive film 25 made of tin-doped indium oxide / indium tin oxide (ITO) by the PDV method, a central shaft spacer 26 made of metal or hard resin, and a resin-made columnar spacer 27. ing.

  In Example 1, for example, the thickness of the protective film 31 is 48 nm, the thickness of the WSi film 32 is 200 nm, the thickness of the SiO substrate 21 is 400 nm, the thickness of the FTH film is 78 nm, and the thickness of the protective film 34 is 75 nm. The film thickness of the SiN film 35 is 26 nm, the film thicknesses of the protective films 36 and 37 are 150 nm and 280 nm, the film thickness of the PSG film 38 is 500 nm, the film thickness of the Al wiring 39 is 575 nm, the film thickness of the USG film 40 is 500 nm, The thickness of the first insulating film 22 is 2000 nm, the thickness of the light shielding film 23 is 270 nm or 370 nm, the thickness of the second insulating film 24 is 1600 nm, the thickness of the third insulating film 41 is 50 nm, and the transparent conductive film. The film 25 has a thickness of 140 nm.

  These specific configurations, materials, functions, film thicknesses, and the like can be changed as appropriate, and known configurations can be applied to the configuration excluding the central shaft spacer 26 and the columnar spacer 27. Further, in the present embodiment, for example, the Al wiring 39 is composed of Wsi / AL / Wsi = 75 nm / 450 nm / 50 nm in order from the upper layer. Furthermore, the light-shielding film 23 is composed of Wsi / AL / Wsi = 120 nm / 40 nm / 120 nm or 220 nm / 30 nm / 120 nm in order from the upper layer.

  Further, in the first embodiment, for example, the inner surface of the light shielding film 23 in the vicinity of the middle shaft spacer 26 made of metal or hard resin is provided on the surface of the light shielding film 23 in order to increase the strength of the middle shaft spacer 26 and the columnar spacer 27. A second support column 28 for reinforcement is formed on the side.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the second support column 28 has a hole 24a and a second portion formed by etching or the like at an appropriate position on the surface side of the light shielding film 23 of the second insulating film 24 formed on the light shielding film 23. 2 holes 24b.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, a metal film 51 is formed on the second insulating film 24 so as to fill the holes 24a and 24b. At this time, Wsi or the like is used as the material of the metal film 51.

  Here, since the surface of the metal film 51 immediately above the hole 24a is unlikely to be flat due to so-called sink marks or the like, the metal in the holes 24a and 24b is obtained by CMP or the like as shown in FIG. Remove the rest, leaving only the membrane. Here, the metal film 51 remaining in the second hole 24 b is used as it is as the second support column 28.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4D, a metal film 52 is formed again on the second insulating film 24, and a resist film 53 is patterned on the metal film 52 immediately above the hole 24a.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4E, the middle shaft spacer 26 is formed by etching the metal film 52.

  From this state, a transparent conductive film 25 is formed on the second insulating film 24 as shown in FIG. Here, the transparent conductive film 25 is formed first, but the columnar spacer 27 may be formed first as described above.

  Finally, as shown in FIG. 4G, the transparent conductive film 25 around the central shaft spacer 26 is removed, and the columnar spacers 27 are formed in the same manner as described above.

  Thus, according to the liquid crystal panel of Example 1, the columnar spacer 27 that controls the gap between the drive element substrate 20 and the counter substrate 11 is made of metal or hard resin that protrudes from the inner layer side of the drive element substrate 20. By embedding at least a part of the middle shaft spacer 26, the middle shaft spacer 26 supports the columnar spacer 27, whereby the strength of the columnar spacer 27 can be improved. In addition, it is possible to suppress a reduction in image quality due to the occurrence of chipping or the like due to insufficient strength of the columnar spacer portion 27, or a reduction in image quality due to orientation disorder or the like.

(Specific Configuration of Example 2)
5A is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a specific configuration of a drive element substrate applied to the liquid crystal panel of Example 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5B is a plan view of the main part. FIG. Each of these films is formed using a CVD method or a PVD method, and the above-described etching process or the like is appropriately used. In the following description, only the film forming process by the PVD method is pointed out, and a film not particularly specified is a film forming process by the CVD method.

  In FIG. 5A, the drive element substrate 20 includes a protective film 31, a tungsten silicide alloy (WSi) film 32, a SiO substrate 21, an FTH film 33, a protective film 34, a SiN (silicon nitride) film 35, from the lower layer in the drawing. Protective films 36 and 37, phosphate silicate glass (PSG) film 38, Al wiring 39 using PVD method, undoped silicate glass (USG) film 40, first insulating film 22, light shielding film 33 using PDV method, first A second insulating film 24; a third insulating film 41; a transparent conductive film 25 made of tin-doped indium oxide / indium tin oxide (ITO) by a PDV method; a central shaft spacer 33a integrated with the light shielding film 33; and a columnar spacer 27.

  Here, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the height H1 and the maximum diameter W1 of the central shaft spacer 33a are the same as the conventional case where the height H2 and the diameter W2 of the columnar spacer 27 are the same. The height H1 is ¼ or more and ¾ or less of the radius of the conventional columnar spacer 27. The diameter W1 is ½ or more and ¾ or less of the radius of the conventional columnar spacer 27.

  As described above, according to the liquid crystal panel of the second embodiment, the columnar spacer 27 that controls the gap between the driving element substrate 20 and the counter substrate 11 is integrated with the light shielding film 33 that protrudes from the inner layer side of the driving element substrate 20. By embedding at least a part of the spacer 33a, the central spacer 33a supports the columnar spacer 27, whereby the strength of the columnar spacer 27 can be improved. In addition, it is possible to suppress a reduction in image quality due to the occurrence of chipping or the like due to insufficient strength of the columnar spacer 27, or a reduction in image quality due to orientation disorder.

(Specific configuration of Example 3)
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a principal part showing a specific configuration of a drive element substrate applied to the liquid crystal panel of Example 3 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Each of these films is formed using a CVD (chemical vapor deposition) method or a PVD (physical vapor deposition) method, and the above-described etching process or the like is appropriately used. In the following description, only the film forming process by the PVD method is pointed out, and a film not particularly specified is a film forming process by the CVD method.

  In FIG. 7, the drive element substrate 20 includes a protective film 31, a tungsten silicide alloy (WSi) film 32, a SiO substrate 21, an FTH film 33, a protective film 34, a silicon nitride (SiN) film 35, and a protective film 36 from the lower layer in the drawing. 37, phosphate silicate glass (PSG) film 38, Al wiring 39 using PVD method, undoped silicate glass (USG) film 40, first insulating film 22, light shielding film 33 using PDV method, second insulating film 24, a third insulating film 41, a transparent conductive film 35 made of tin-doped indium oxide / indium tin oxide (ITO) by the PDV method, a central shaft spacer 35a integrated with the transparent conductive film 35, and a columnar spacer 27.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 8A, the central shaft spacer 35a is formed with the transparent conductive film 35 first.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 8B, an upper film 56 is formed on the transparent conductive film 35 from the same material (ITO). At this time, the film thickness of the upper layer film 56 corresponds to the height of the central shaft spacer 35a.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 8 (C), after patterning the resist film 57 in a portion where the central spacer 35a of the upper film 56 is formed, the upper film 56 is etched as shown in FIG. 8 (D). Thus, as shown in FIG. 8E, the central shaft spacer 35 a is integrally formed with the transparent conductive film 35.

  As described above, according to the liquid crystal panel of Example 3, the columnar spacer 27 that controls the gap between the drive element substrate 20 and the counter substrate 11 is integrated with the transparent conductive film 35 that protrudes from the surface of the drive element substrate 20. By embedding at least a part of the spacer 35a, the central spacer 35a supports the columnar spacer 27, whereby the strength of the columnar spacer 27 can be improved. In addition, it is possible to suppress a reduction in image quality due to the occurrence of chipping or the like due to insufficient strength of the columnar spacer 27, or a reduction in image quality due to orientation disorder.

  By the way, in each of the above-described embodiments, the columnar spacer 27 is disclosed as having a truncated cone shape. For example, as shown in the second and third embodiments, the central shaft spacers 33a and 35a are formed in a cylindrical shape. In this case, the columnar spacer 27 can also be configured in a columnar shape. Therefore, it is possible to cope with the case where the light shielding film 23 is narrow and the display aperture ratio is increased. In addition, since the strength of the columnar spacer 27 can be increased, it is possible to cope with a reduction in thickness (narrow gap).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Liquid crystal panel 11 Opposite board | substrate 12 Liquid crystal layer 20 Drive element board | substrate 21 Glass substrate 22 1st insulating film 23,33 Light shielding film 24 2nd insulating film 25 Transparent conductive film 26,33a, 35a Middle-axis spacer (2nd spacer part)
27 Columnar spacer (first spacer)
30, 30a, 30b spacer 35 conductive film

Claims (8)

A first substrate having a light-shielding film that partitions the opening region;
A second substrate disposed opposite and spaced from the first substrate;
A liquid crystal layer disposed in a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate;
A spacer formed on the light shielding film,
The spacer is
A first spacer portion defining a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate;
A second spacer portion formed on the surface of the light-shielding film and at least partially embedded in the first spacer portion;
A liquid crystal panel. The first substrate is composed of a laminated film having the light shielding film as an intermediate layer,
The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein the second spacer portion is formed integrally with the light shielding film. A first substrate having a light-shielding film that partitions the opening region;
A second substrate disposed opposite and spaced from the first substrate;
A liquid crystal layer disposed in a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate;
A spacer formed above the light-shielding film,
The spacer is
A first spacer portion defining a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate;
A second spacer part formed on the surface of the first substrate, at least a part of which is embedded in the first spacer part;
A liquid crystal panel.   The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein the second spacer portion is made of a metal or hard resin having a hardness higher than that of the first spacer portion. Selectively removing the surface of the first substrate composed of a laminated film having a light shielding film as an intermediate layer, exposing the light shielding film;
Burying a first film forming material layer on the exposed light shielding film;
Forming a second film-forming material layer on the first substrate including the first film-forming material layer;
A step of selectively removing a region of the second film-forming material layer excluding a region on the first film-forming material layer to form a second spacer portion;
Forming the first spacer portion so that at least a portion of the second spacer portion is embedded;
Disposing a second substrate facing the first substrate on which the first spacer portion and the second spacer portion are formed;
Disposing a liquid crystal layer in a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate;
A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal panel having The first substrate is composed of a laminated film having the light shielding film as an intermediate layer,
The method for manufacturing a liquid crystal panel according to claim 5, wherein the second spacer portion is formed integrally with the light shielding film. The first substrate is composed of a laminated film having the light shielding film as an intermediate layer,
Forming a second spacer portion above the light-shielding film on the first substrate;
Forming the first spacer portion so that at least a portion of the second spacer portion is embedded;
Disposing a second substrate facing the first substrate on which the first spacer portion and the second spacer portion are formed;
Disposing a liquid crystal layer in a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate;
A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal panel having   The method for manufacturing a liquid crystal panel according to claim 5, wherein the second spacer portion is made of a metal or hard resin having a hardness higher than that of the first spacer portion.

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