JP2014211592A - Liquid crystal device, manufacturing method of liquid crystal device, and electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid crystal device that has improved both of alignment control performance of liquid crystal molecules (uniaxial alignment) and suppression performance of deterioration due to photoreaction (improvement of light resistance), and a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal device.SOLUTION: A liquid crystal device includes a first substrate 10, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and an alignment layer 30 provided between the first substrate and liquid crystal layer. The alignment layer 30 includes a plurality of columns 35 having a substantially columnar shape and inclined with respect to the liquid crystal layer-side surface of the first substrate, and a low reactive member 37 that has lower photoreactivity than that of the plurality of columns and filled between the adjacent structures (columns) of the plurality of columns. The low reactive member is filled up to a predetermined position between the mutually adjacent columns, and the plurality of columns located on the liquid crystal layer-side of a boundary area that is an area including the predetermined position and parallel to the liquid crystal layer-side surface of the first substrate are covered at least partially with the low reactive member.

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid crystal device, a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device, and an electronic apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a liquid crystal projector device having a liquid crystal display element is known as a device for displaying an image on a large screen. In general, a projector device is required to have high light resistance, high luminance, and high contrast. As an alignment method of a liquid crystal display element used in a projector device, for example, a horizontal alignment method typified by a TN (Twisted Nematic) method using an organic polyimide as an alignment film has been used more than ever. On the other hand, in recent years, a VA (Vertical Alignment) method, which is a vertical alignment method using an inorganic material as an alignment film, realizing high light resistance and high contrast display is also being adopted.

When the alignment film is formed of an inorganic material, generally, oblique deposition is used. For example, Patent Documents 1 to 3 disclose the following techniques for forming an inorganic alignment film by oblique vapor deposition.
In the liquid crystal device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the alignment film has a two-layer structure, the upper layer of the two layers is an oblique deposition film, and the lower layer is a higher-density vertical deposition layer. In the liquid crystal device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the oblique vapor deposition film is formed in a two-layer structure in order to improve the alignment regulating force of the alignment film. That is, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2, an alignment film having a two-layer structure composed of a densely formed lower oblique deposition film and an upper oblique deposition film formed in a porus is employed. Yes. According to the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2, since the surface in contact with the liquid crystal layer is configured as a porous film, an improvement in alignment regulation power can be expected. In the liquid crystal device disclosed in Patent Document 3, a thin organic material is applied to the surface of an inorganic alignment film formed by oblique deposition. By adopting such a configuration, the uneven shape formed on the surface of the inorganic alignment film is protected. In Patent Document 4, a polysiloxane-based vertical alignment material such as a silicon compound obtained by polycondensation of an alkoxysilane containing an organic group is cited as a liquid crystal alignment material having high light resistance.

JP-A-2005-77901 JP 2010-078998 A JP 2010-102222 A International Publication No. 2007/102514

By the way, when the alignment film is formed of an inorganic material such as silicon dioxide, silanol groups are included on the surface thereof. In the liquid crystal material in the liquid crystal layer, this silanol group serves as a reaction site, causes a photochemical reaction with additives, impurities, and the like contained in the liquid crystal layer, and generates free radicals. Free radicals generated in the liquid crystal layer may react with the liquid crystal material to break the chemical bonds of the liquid crystal molecules, thereby degrading the liquid crystal material, thereby reducing the display characteristics of the liquid crystal panel. That is, the light resistance life of the liquid crystal device is reduced by the light incident on the liquid crystal device.
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the intensity of light incident on a liquid crystal device used in a projector device has increased with the increase in definition and brightness of the projector device, and thus a liquid crystal device in view of the light resistance life is desired.

  From the circumstances described above, when the alignment film is formed of an inorganic material, it is considered that reducing the area of the interface between the inorganic alignment film and the liquid crystal layer is beneficial in improving light resistance. Also, in order to control the alignment of liquid crystal molecules and align them uniaxially (for alignment control), if the alignment film is provided with a fine shape, the alignment film becomes a rough (low refractive index) film. End up. This increases the area of the interface between the liquid crystal layer and the alignment film, which can cause a decrease in light resistance. Therefore, from the viewpoint of improving light resistance, it is preferable to configure the alignment film as a denser (high refractive index) film.

  The technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 employs a configuration in which an upper obliquely deposited film having a lower density than the lower layer is in direct contact with the liquid crystal layer. Therefore, the technique involves the interface between the alignment film and the liquid crystal layer. It cannot be said that it is a technology that considers reduction of the area (it cannot be said that it is a technology that takes light resistance into consideration). In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2, since the upper obliquely deposited film in contact with the liquid crystal layer is configured to be porous, the technique reduces the area of the interface between the alignment film and the liquid crystal layer. It cannot be said that this is a technology that takes into account light resistance (it cannot be said that it is a technology that considers light resistance). In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 3, an organic material is applied to the surface of the inorganic alignment film, and in view of the point that the organic material is more likely to photoreact than the inorganic material, the technique is considered for light resistance. It cannot be said that it is a technology. When only the polysiloxane-based vertical alignment material disclosed in Patent Document 4 is used as the alignment film, a pretilt angle cannot be imparted to the liquid crystal molecules. When the pretilt angle cannot be given to the liquid crystal molecules, a domain problem caused by a horizontal electric field generated between pixels occurs. In particular, when the pixel size is fine, the influence of the domain appears remarkably, and the transmittance can be significantly reduced.

  As described above, in the conventional techniques represented by Patent Documents 1 to 3, although improvement in alignment control performance (uniaxial alignment) is considered, improvement in light resistance (deterioration due to photoreaction) is considered. (Suppression) is a technology that is not considered at all.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has realized both improvement in alignment control performance (uniaxial orientation) of liquid crystal molecules and improvement in light resistance (inhibition of deterioration due to photoreaction). An object is to provide a liquid crystal device, a method for manufacturing the liquid crystal device, and an electronic apparatus.

  In order to solve the above problems, a liquid crystal device according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal provided between the first substrate and the second substrate. And an alignment layer provided between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer. The alignment layer has a substantially columnar shape and is formed on the surface of the first substrate on the liquid crystal layer side. A plurality of structures inclined with respect to the structure, and a filler having a lower photoreactivity than the plurality of structures and filled between adjacent structures of the plurality of structures. The filler is a region which is filled up to a predetermined position between the adjacent structures, includes the predetermined position, and is parallel to the liquid crystal layer side surface of the first substrate. The plurality of structures positioned on the liquid crystal layer side with respect to the boundary region are at least partially covered with the filler. And wherein the are.

According to the liquid crystal device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the alignment layer has a substantially columnar shape, is inclined with respect to the first substrate, and has one end fixed to the first substrate. These structures are formed, and the space between these structures is filled to a predetermined height with a filler having a lower photoreactivity than the material of the structure. At least a part of is covered with a filler.
By configuring in this way, a plurality of substantially columnar structures can be formed in the alignment layer with a length that sufficiently realizes alignment control performance and morphological / structural stability. The light resistance of the liquid crystal device is also improved. In other words, by providing the filler, the area of the interface between the liquid crystal layer and the alignment layer can be reduced without shortening the length of the structure, and light resistance can be improved. Therefore, with the above-described configuration, both improvement in alignment control performance (uniaxial orientation) of liquid crystal molecules and suppression performance for deterioration due to photoreaction (improvement in light resistance) are realized.

  Here, the “alignment layer” is, for example, a member for controlling the alignment of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer to align it uniaxially (for alignment regulation). In addition, the “predetermined position” is a height that can sufficiently realize the alignment control function of the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer, for example, by a portion of the structure that is higher than the predetermined position. It is preferable. The area of the interface between the alignment layer and the liquid crystal layer can be reduced by setting the predetermined position so as to shorten the portion of the structure that is higher than the predetermined position. Can be further suppressed.

A liquid crystal device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the liquid crystal device according to the first aspect, in which the alignment layer includes a first portion located closer to the first substrate than the boundary region, and the boundary region. And a second portion located on the liquid crystal layer side, wherein the refractive index of the first portion is larger than the refractive index of the second portion. By comprising in this way, the improvement of light resistance is accelerated | stimulated more.
A liquid crystal device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the liquid crystal device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the plurality of structures are made of silicon oxide, and the refractive index of the first portion is 1.40. The refractive index of the second portion is 1.35 or more and 1.40 or less. By comprising in this way, orientation control performance and a light-resistant lifetime can be made to make it compatible optimally.

  Next, a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device in which a liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between a pair of substrates, and one of the substrates in the pair of substrates. An alignment layer forming step for forming an alignment layer on the surface of the substrate, wherein the alignment layer forming step has a substantially columnar shape, and the one surface of the one substrate is inclined with respect to the one surface. And a step of filling a filler having a lower photoreactivity than the plurality of structures between adjacent structures among the plurality of structures, and The filler is filled to a predetermined position between the adjacent structures, includes the predetermined position, and more than the boundary region that is a region parallel to the one surface of the one substrate. The plurality of structures located on the opposite side of the one surface are at least Parts is coated with the filler, characterized in that. By manufacturing a liquid crystal device in this way, it is possible to align a plurality of substantially columnar structures with a length that realizes alignment control performance sufficient for practical use and morphological / structural stability sufficient for practical use. In addition to being able to be formed in the layer, the light resistance of the liquid crystal device is also improved. That is, the improvement of the alignment control performance (uniaxial orientation) of the liquid crystal molecules and the performance of suppressing deterioration due to photoreaction (improvement of light resistance) are realized.

  Next, an electronic apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the present invention includes the liquid crystal device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present invention described above. In one embodiment of the above-described liquid crystal device, both improvement in alignment control performance (uniaxial alignment) of liquid crystal molecules and suppression performance of deterioration due to photoreaction (improvement in light resistance) are realized. Therefore, according to one aspect of the electronic apparatus of the present invention, a projection display device, an optical pickup, a television, a mobile phone, an electronic notebook, a word processor, a viewfinder type, or a monitor direct view that can exhibit excellent display characteristics. Various electronic devices such as video tape recorders, workstations, videophones, POS terminals, and touch panels can be realized.

It is a schematic plan view which shows one structural example of the liquid crystal device which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is arrow sectional drawing of the liquid crystal device in the HH 'line | wire in FIG. It is a figure which expands and shows the cross-section of the liquid crystal device of the area of the width w shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows typically an example of the cross-section of the alignment film with which the liquid crystal device which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention comprises. (A) is a figure which shows typically the 1st board | substrate produced by the pixel electrode formation process. (B) is a figure which shows typically the 1st board | substrate with which the column was formed by the column formation process. (C) is a figure which shows typically the 1st board | substrate with which the low reactivity member was installed by the low reactivity member installation process. It is a figure which shows typically the example of 1 structure of the vapor deposition apparatus used in a column formation process. 1 is a schematic diagram of a projection display device (three-plate projector) to which a liquid crystal device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. 1 is a perspective view of a portable personal computer that employs a liquid crystal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of a mobile phone to which a liquid crystal device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

Hereinafter, a liquid crystal device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In the drawings, each part is illustrated by being enlarged or reduced as appropriate so that the part relating to the description can be easily recognized. Further, in the present embodiment, for example, the description “on the substrate” includes an aspect that is disposed so as to be in contact with the substrate, an aspect that is disposed on the substrate via another component, and It is assumed that the description includes all aspects of the aspect in which a part is disposed on the substrate and the other part is disposed through another component.

In the present embodiment, an active matrix liquid crystal device including a thin film transistor (TFT) as a pixel switching element will be described as an example. The liquid crystal device having such a configuration is, for example, a liquid crystal device that can be suitably used as a light modulation element (liquid crystal light valve) of a projection display device (liquid crystal projector) described later.
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a configuration example of a liquid crystal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal device taken along line HH ′ in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the liquid crystal device 1 according to the present embodiment includes an element substrate 11 as one of a pair of substrates, a counter substrate 21 as the other substrate, and a pair of these substrates. And a liquid crystal layer 50 sandwiched between the substrates 11 and 21.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the element substrate 11 is slightly larger than the counter substrate 21, and the element substrate 11 and the counter substrate 21 are joined via a sealing material 40 arranged in a frame shape. . Further, a liquid crystal having negative dielectric anisotropy is sealed in the space between the element substrate 11 and the counter substrate 21 to form a liquid crystal layer 50.

The element substrate 11 is a transparent glass substrate such as quartz. A pixel electrode 12 having optical transparency is formed on the surface of the element substrate 11 on the counter substrate 21 side. Hereinafter, a member composed of the element substrate 11 and the pixel electrode 12 is referred to as a “first substrate” (a member denoted by reference numeral 10 in FIGS. 3 and 4 described later).
Note that the first substrate 10 is also provided with a pixel circuit including a transistor for switching control of the pixel electrode 12 and a peripheral circuit.

The counter substrate 21 is a transparent glass substrate such as quartz. A common electrode 22 having optical transparency is formed on the surface of the counter substrate 21 on the element substrate 11 side. Hereinafter, a member composed of the counter substrate 21 and the common electrode 22 is referred to as a “second substrate” (a member denoted by reference numeral 20 in FIG. 3 described later).
The second substrate 20 is also provided with a light shielding portion (black matrix) for optically partitioning the pixels.

  The pixel electrode 12 and the common electrode 22 are made of a metal oxide, and examples thereof include indium tin oxide (ITO) and indium zinc oxide (IZO).

  The liquid crystal layer 50 is a layer in which liquid crystal having negative dielectric anisotropy is sealed between the element substrate 11 and the counter substrate 21 bonded through the sealing material 40. The sealing material 40 is, for example, an adhesive such as a thermosetting or ultraviolet curable epoxy resin. Spacers (not shown) for keeping a constant distance between the element substrate 11 and the counter substrate 21 are mixed in the sealing material 40.

  As described above, the light shielding film 41 is similarly provided in the frame shape on the inner side (the liquid crystal layer 50 side) of the sealing material 40 arranged in the frame shape. The light shielding film 41 is made of, for example, a light shielding metal or metal oxide, and the inside of the light shielding film 41 is a display region E having a plurality of pixels P. Although not shown in detail in FIG. 1, the light shielding film 41 is provided on the counter substrate 21 side so as to divide the pixels P in the display area E in a plane.

The element substrate 11 has a rectangular shape in plan view and includes first to fourth side portions 11a to 11d. A data line driving circuit 101 is provided between the sealing material 40 along the first side portion 11a.
Further, scanning line driving circuits 102 are provided inside the sealing material 40 along the third side portion 11c and the fourth side portion 11d, respectively. In addition, a plurality of wirings 105 that connect the two scanning line driving circuits 102 are provided inside the sealing material 40 provided on the second side portion 11b side.
Wirings connected to the data line driving circuit 101 and the scanning line driving circuit 102 are connected to a plurality of external connection terminals 104 provided along the first side portion 11a.

Hereinafter, a direction parallel to the first side 11a and the second side 11b is referred to as an X direction, and a direction parallel to the third side 11c and the fourth side 11d (a direction orthogonal to the X direction) is referred to as a Y direction. Called.
On the surface of the element substrate 11 on the liquid crystal layer 50 side, as shown in FIG. 2, a light-transmissive pixel electrode 12 provided for each pixel P and an alignment film 30 are formed. Note that a pixel circuit including a thin film transistor as a switching element is electrically connected to the pixel electrode 12.

  On the surface of the counter substrate 21 on the liquid crystal layer 50 side, as shown in FIG. 2, a light shielding film 41, an interlayer film layer 42 formed so as to cover the light shielding film 41, and an interlayer film layer 42 are provided. A common electrode 22 having optical transparency and an alignment film 30 covering the common electrode 22 are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the light shielding film 41 is provided in a frame shape at a position overlapping the data line driving circuit 101 and the scanning line driving circuit 102 in a plan view. The light shielding film shields light incident from the counter substrate 21 side, and prevents malfunction of the peripheral circuits including these drive circuits due to light. Further, unnecessary stray light is shielded by the light shielding film 41 so as not to enter the display area E, and high contrast in the display of the display area E is ensured.

The interlayer film layer 42 is made of an inorganic material such as silicon oxide, for example, and is provided so as to cover the light shielding film 41 with light transmittance. As a method of forming such an interlayer film layer 42, for example, a method of forming the inorganic material using a plasma CVD method or the like can be given.
The common electrode 22 is provided so as to cover the interlayer film layer 42 and is electrically connected to the wiring on the element substrate 11 side by the vertical conduction portions 106 provided at the four corners of the counter substrate 21 as shown in FIG. ing.

  FIG. 3 shows an enlarged section of the width w in the cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal device 1 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the alignment film 30 is an alignment layer provided to cover the pixel electrode 12 on the element substrate 11 side and to cover the common electrode 22 on the counter substrate 21 side. By forming the alignment film 30, the liquid crystal molecules having negative dielectric anisotropy of the liquid crystal layer 50 can be vertically aligned with a pretilt applied to the surface of the alignment film 30. The alignment film 30 includes a first alignment film 31 and a second alignment film 32.

Hereinafter, the configuration and the film forming method of the alignment film 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. For convenience of explanation, the alignment film 30 provided on the first substrate 10 will be described here.
FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a cross-sectional structure of an alignment film included in the liquid crystal device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The alignment film 30 is provided so as to be filled between columnar structures (hereinafter referred to as columns) 35 formed on the first substrate 10 and to cover one end portion of the columns 35. A low-reactivity member 37.
Here, the alignment film 30 is formed on the first substrate 10 by, for example, oblique vapor deposition. The oblique vapor deposition method is one of methods for forming a vapor deposition film on the surface of a vapor deposition material such as a substrate. A specific column forming method by the oblique deposition method will be described in detail later with reference to FIG.

The column 35 is a micro-columnar structure made of, for example, silicon oxide (SiOx; such as SiO or SiO 2), which is an inorganic material, and is inclined with respect to the upper surface of the first substrate 10. Is fixed to the upper surface of the first substrate 10. In other words, the column 35 has a substantially columnar shape, is inclined with respect to the first substrate 10, and has a structure in which the other end is fixed to the first substrate 10.
The column 35 tilts the liquid crystal molecules contained in the liquid crystal layer 50 by a predetermined angle (an angle called a pretilt angle). The material of the column 35 is not limited to silicon oxide, and examples thereof include silicon nitride (SiN) and metal oxide (for example, aluminum oxide).

  The low-reactivity member 37 is made of a material having a photoreactivity lower than that of the material of the column 35 (in other words, containing fewer photoactive groups). Specifically, as the material of the low-reactivity member 37, when the above-described material is used as the material of the column 35, for example, polysiloxane such as a silicon compound obtained by polycondensation of alkoxysilane containing an organic group A system vertical alignment material can be used.

As shown in FIG. 4, the low-reactivity members 37 are packed between the columns 35 from the reference position to the height h1, where the upper surface of the first substrate 10 is the reference position in the height direction. A portion of the column 35 that is at least a height h1 from the reference position is covered with a low-reactive member 37. Specifically, for example, using a coating method, a solution containing a low-reactive material (for example, a polysiloxane-based vertical alignment material) may be filled between the columns 35 and the columns 35 may be covered.
In other words, the low-reactivity member 37 is filled between the columns 35 from the upper surface of the first substrate 10 to a position having a predetermined height lower than the upper end portion of the column 35, and of the columns 35 It is provided so as to cover at least a part of the portion having the predetermined height h1 or more. The low-reactivity member 37 is made of a material having a lower photoreactivity than the material of the column 35.

  In the example shown in FIG. 4, all the portions of the column 35 having a height h1 or higher from the reference position are covered with the low-reactive member 37, but the column 35 has a height h1 or higher from the reference position. It suffices that at least a part of these parts is covered.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the height (position of the other end) of the column 35 is set to a height h (= h1 + h2) from the reference position. Hereinafter, in the alignment film 30, as shown in FIG. 4, a region that is filled with the low-reactivity member 37 and that is a reference position or higher and a height h <b> 1 or less is referred to as a first alignment film 31. The region below h2 is referred to as a second alignment film 32.

  The second alignment film 32 includes a plurality of convex portions that substantially have the shape of the other end of the column 35. The height h2 of the second alignment film 32 is preferably the lowest height that can realize the alignment control function of the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 50, for example. By comprising in this way, since the area of the interface of the alignment film 30 and the liquid crystal layer 50 can be made into the minimum, degradation by photoreaction can be suppressed more.

Furthermore, since the portion of the alignment film 30 that is filled / coated with the low-reactive member 37 has lower photoreactivity than the column 35 itself, deterioration due to photoreaction at the interface with the liquid crystal layer 50 is further suppressed. .
As will be described in detail later, regarding the refractive index of the alignment film 30, the refractive index of the first alignment film 31 is, for example, 1.40 or more, and the refractive index of the second alignment film 32 is 1.35 or more. It is preferable that it is 1.40 or less.

As described above, the alignment film 30 has been described by taking the alignment film 30 provided on the first substrate 10 as an example, but the configuration of the alignment film 30 provided on the second substrate 20 is also the above-described first structure. The configuration is the same as the configuration of the alignment film 30 provided on the substrate 10.
Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing the liquid crystal device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 5A is a diagram schematically showing the first substrate 10 created by the pixel electrode formation step. FIG. 5B is a diagram schematically showing the first substrate 10 on which the column 35 is formed by the column forming process. FIG. 5C is a diagram schematically showing the first substrate 10 on which the low reactivity member 37 is installed by the low reactivity member installation process. FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration example of a vapor deposition apparatus used in the column forming process.

First, the pixel electrode 12 is formed on the element substrate 11 to form the first substrate 10 (pixel electrode forming step; see FIG. 5A). That is, in the pixel electrode formation step, a conductive film made of, for example, ITO is formed using an evaporation method, a sputtering method, or the like so as to cover the surface of the element substrate 11.
Then, the pixel electrode 12 for each pixel P is formed by patterning the stacked conductive film using a photolithography method. The thickness of the laminated conductive film is preferably in the range of about 10 nm to 150 nm. Thereby, the pixel electrode 12 having both light transmittance and conductivity can be formed.

Subsequently, using a vapor deposition apparatus, the vapor flow of the vapor deposition material is guided to the substrate at a predetermined vapor deposition angle by the oblique vapor deposition method, and the column 35 that is an oblique vapor deposition film (columnar structure) made of the vapor deposition material is obtained as the first. Is formed on the surface of the substrate 10 (column forming step; see FIG. 5B).
That is, this column forming step is a step of forming the column 35 which is an oblique columnar structure film having a predetermined thickness (for example, a thickness of 10 to 150 nm) made of, for example, silicon oxide (SiOx) by the oblique vapor deposition method. .

  FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration example of a vapor deposition apparatus used in the column forming process. As shown in the figure, the vapor deposition apparatus 91 includes a vapor deposition source 92 that generates vapor of a vapor deposition material, a shielding plate 93 that appropriately blocks the vapor, and a vapor deposition chamber 95 that is a chamber. In the vapor deposition chamber 95, the first substrate 10 is held by a jig (not shown) in a state inclined by an angle θ with respect to a line connecting the vapor deposition source 92 and the center O of the first substrate 10. ing. Similarly, the second substrate 20 is held by a jig (not shown) in a state inclined by an angle θ with respect to a line connecting the vapor deposition source 92 and the center O of the second substrate 20.

Here, a jig (not shown) for supporting each of the substrates 10 and 20 rotates about the center O of each of the substrates 10 and 20 so that the substrates 10 and 20 can be inclined by a desired angle with respect to the vapor deposition source 92. As described above, each of the substrates 10 and 20 can be rotated.
According to the oblique vapor deposition method, the incident angle of the vapor with respect to the substrates 10 and 20 varies depending on the positional relationship between the vapor deposition source 92 and the substrates 10 and 20. As the distance between the vapor deposition source 92 and the substrates 10 and 20 increases, the film thickness can be formed uniformly. As shown in FIG. 6, by performing oblique vapor deposition on a plurality of substrates at the same time, the vapor deposition conditions of the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 can be made the same, and the alignment films 30 facing each other. The film thickness of each other can be made uniform.

  When the above column forming step is completed, a solution containing a polysiloxane-based vertical alignment material (low-reactive member 37), for example, a coating method (spin coating method, spin coating method, etc.) is formed on the prismatic structure film composed of a plurality of columns 35. A predetermined thickness (for example, 10 to 50 nm) is applied by an inkjet method or the like (low-reactive member installation step; FIG. 5C). The solution containing the polysiloxane-based vertical alignment material applied here is filled between the columns 35 in accordance with a principle called capillary action as time passes.

The example in which the alignment film 30 is formed on the first substrate 10 has been described above. However, when the alignment film 30 is formed on the second substrate 20, the common electrode formation process is executed instead of the pixel electrode formation process. To do. And processes other than this electrode formation process are the same processes.
That is, in the common electrode forming step, a conductive film made of, for example, ITO is formed using an evaporation method, a sputtering method, or the like so as to cover the surface of the counter substrate 21 on the first substrate 10 side.
Then, the common electrode 22 is formed by patterning the stacked conductive film using a photolithography method. The thickness of the common electrode 22 is preferably in the range of about 10 nm to 150 nm, like the pixel electrode 12. Thereby, the common electrode 22 which has both light transmittance and electroconductivity can be formed. However, the common electrode 22 needs to be formed so as to cover the surface of the counter substrate 21 at least over the display region E.

After the common electrode 22 is formed by the common electrode formation step, the alignment film 30 is formed on the second substrate 20 by the same steps as the column formation step and the low-reactivity member installation step for the first substrate 10 described above. Form.
Then, liquid crystal is filled between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 on which the alignment films 30 are respectively formed (liquid crystal filling step). In this liquid crystal filling step, the sealing material 40 is disposed at a predetermined position on one of the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 using, for example, a printing method or a discharge method. Further, the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 are arranged to face each other with a predetermined interval therebetween (with a predetermined interval provided by a spacer included in the seal member 40). Harden.

  Here, a liquid crystal material having negative dielectric anisotropy is injected into a space formed between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20. As a liquid crystal injection method, for example, the gap between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 is decompressed, and liquid crystal is injected into the gap from the injection port provided in the sealing material 40 (vacuum injection method). Can be mentioned. The liquid crystal injection port provided in the sealing material 40 is sealed using, for example, an ultraviolet curable adhesive after the liquid crystal is injected.

The liquid crystal filling method is not limited to the above-described example. The sealing material 40 is arranged in a frame shape, this is used as a bank, and the liquid crystal is dropped on the inner side surrounded by the sealing material 40 under reduced pressure. A so-called ODF (One Drop Fill) method in which the substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 are bonded together may be used.
"Example"

Examples of the present invention will be described. Using the above-described manufacturing method, the alignment film 30 is specifically formed under the following conditions, the alignment film 30 is measured and analyzed, the refractive index is obtained, and the liquid crystal device 1 manufactured using the alignment film 30 The orientation state and light resistance test were conducted.
Here, the measurement for obtaining the refractive index is an ellipsometer measurement, and the analysis is an analysis in which the alignment film 30 is a two-layer film. Moreover, about the orientation state, the state at the time of electricity supply was observed under crossed Nicols. In a light resistance test for evaluating light resistance, a mercury xenon lamp is used as a light source, light having a wavelength of 250 nm to 400 nm is extracted using a bandpass filter, and the light is applied to a panel (the liquid crystal device according to this embodiment). The method of irradiation in 1) was used, the intensity of the light was 20 mW / cm 2, and the panel temperature during the test was 35 ° C. Hereinafter, the refractive index of the alignment film 30 in each example and the evaluation of the liquid crystal device 1 manufactured using the alignment film 30 will be described.

Example 1
An oblique columnar structure film (column 35) made of silicon oxide (SiOx) is formed to a thickness of 45 nm in the column forming process, and a solution containing a polysiloxane-based vertical alignment material is spin-coated in the low-reactive member setting process. When the low-reactive member 37 was applied by applying 20 nm by the method, the refractive index of the first alignment film 31 was 1.44 and the refractive index of the second alignment film 32 was 1.38. In the liquid crystal device 1 manufactured using the alignment film 30 including the first alignment film 31 and the second alignment film 32, the alignment state was uniform. In addition, in the light resistance test under the above-described conditions, it was confirmed that even when light was irradiated for about 1 hour, the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules was not abnormal and the light resistance was very good.

Example 2
An oblique columnar structure film (column 35) made of silicon oxide (SiOx) is formed to a thickness of 150 nm in the column forming step, and a solution containing a polysiloxane-based vertical alignment material is spin-coated in the low-reactive member setting step. When the low-reactivity member 37 was applied by coating 100 nm by the method, the refractive index of the first alignment film 31 was 1.41 and the refractive index of the second alignment film 32 was 1.44. In the liquid crystal device 1 manufactured using the alignment film 30 composed of the first alignment film 31 and the second alignment film 32, the alignment state was non-uniform. In addition, in the light resistance test under the above-described conditions, it was confirmed that even when light was irradiated for about 1 hour, the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules was not abnormal and the light resistance was very good.

Example 3
An oblique columnar structure film (column 35) made of silicon oxide (SiOx) is formed to a thickness of 150 nm in the column forming step, and a solution containing a polysiloxane-based vertical alignment material is spin-coated in the low-reactive member setting step. When the low-reactive member 37 was applied by applying 30 nm by the method, the refractive index of the first alignment film 31 was 1.38 and the refractive index of the second alignment film 32 was 1.40. In the liquid crystal device 1 manufactured using the alignment film 30 including the first alignment film 31 and the second alignment film 32, the alignment state was uniform. Further, when light was irradiated for about 45 minutes in the light resistance test under the conditions described above, the alignment of liquid crystal molecules was abnormal.

  When the above-mentioned << Example 1 >> to << Example 3 >> are combined, high light resistance is realized when the refractive index of the first alignment film 31 is 1.40 or more, and the refraction of the second alignment film 32 is further achieved. It can be seen that when the ratio is 1.35 or more and 1.40 or less, both high light resistance and high orientation (uniaxial orientation) are compatible.

《Comparative example》
The following results were obtained for a conventional alignment film manufactured without using the method of manufacturing a liquid crystal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. That is, an oblique columnar structure film made of silicon oxide (SiOx) having a thickness of 150 nm is formed by oblique vapor deposition, and the columnar structure film is measured with an ellipsometer and analyzed on the assumption that it is a single layer film. The refractive index of the alignment film was 1.31. Further, in the light resistance test under the conditions described above, the alignment of liquid crystal molecules was abnormal only by irradiating light for about 30 minutes. That is, the alignment film formed by the conventional technique has insufficient light resistance. As the material of the columnar structure film, the same material as that of the oblique columnar structure film (column 35) in << Example 1 >> to << Example 3 >>, that is, columnar silicon oxide (SiOx) is used. Yes.

As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a liquid crystal device that improves both the alignment control performance of liquid crystal molecules and the suppression performance of deterioration due to photoreaction (improvement of light resistance), and the liquid crystal An apparatus manufacturing method can be provided. Specifically, an embodiment of the present invention solves the problems of the prior art as follows.
First, in the liquid crystal device, in order to realize sufficient alignment control (in order to realize uniaxial alignment), the length of the prismatic structure film included in the alignment film needs to be a certain length or more. There is. In addition, it is difficult to form an oblique columnar structure as a columnar shape unless the length is a certain length or more, and the length is a certain length or more from the viewpoint of the strength of the structure. There is a need.
On the other hand, in order to increase the light resistance of the liquid crystal device (in order to suppress deterioration due to photoreaction), it is necessary to reduce the area of the interface between the liquid crystal layer and the alignment film. In order to reduce the area of the interface, the length of the prismatic structure film included in the alignment film must be shortened.

As described above, the prismatic structure provided in the alignment film has the most appropriate aspect from the viewpoints of alignment control performance, morphological / structural stability, and light resistance. Must be configured. However, according to the prior art, the prismatic structure is configured in a manner with emphasis on any viewpoint.
In one embodiment of the present invention, in view of the above circumstances, sufficient light distribution control performance is realized as described above (uniaxial orientation is realized), and morphological / structural stability is also realized, The alignment film 30 was configured to minimize the area of the interface.

  That is, a low-reactivity member 37 such as a polysiloxane-based vertical alignment material is filled to a predetermined height h1 between a plurality of columns 35 constituting the oblique vapor deposition film, and upper end portions (height h1) of the columns 35 are filled. By covering a part or all of the above part) with the low-reactivity member 37, both the improvement of the alignment control performance of the liquid crystal molecules and the suppression performance of deterioration due to the photoreaction (improvement of light resistance) are improved. It was.

  In particular, in the second alignment film 32, a part or all of the surface of the column 35 that is an oblique deposition film is a material having a relatively low photoreactivity such as a low-reactive member 37 (polysiloxane-based vertical alignment material or the like). ), The contact area (area of the interface) between the photoactive group and the liquid crystal layer is reduced, and the light resistance life is further improved.

  Here, the alignment film 30 has a refractive index of the first alignment film 31 of 1.40 or more (the first alignment film 31 is formed as a relatively dense film), and the second alignment film 32. It is preferable to have a two-layer structure having a refractive index of 1.35 or more and 1.40 or less. By comprising in this way, orientation control performance and a light-resistant lifetime can be made to make it compatible optimally.

[Application example]
The liquid crystal device 1 exemplified in the embodiment described above can be used in various electronic devices. 7 to 9 exemplify specific forms of electronic equipment that employs the liquid crystal device 1.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a projection display device (three-plate projector) 4000 to which the liquid crystal device 1 is applied. The projection display device 4000 includes three liquid crystal devices 1 (1R, 1G, 1B) corresponding to different display colors (red, green, blue). The illumination optical system 4001 supplies the red component r of the light emitted from the illumination device (light source) 4002 to the liquid crystal device 1R, the green component g to the liquid crystal device 1G, and the blue component b to the liquid crystal device 1B. . Each liquid crystal device 1 functions as a light modulator (light valve) that modulates each monochromatic light supplied from the illumination optical system 4001 in accordance with a display image. The projection optical system 4003 synthesizes the emitted light from each liquid crystal device 1 and projects it on the projection surface 4004.

  FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a portable personal computer that employs the liquid crystal device 1. The personal computer 2000 includes a liquid crystal device 1 that displays various images, and a main body 2010 on which a power switch 2001 and a keyboard 2002 are installed.

  FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a mobile phone to which the liquid crystal device 1 is applied. The cellular phone 3000 includes a plurality of operation buttons 3001, scroll buttons 3002, and the liquid crystal device 1 that displays various images. By operating the scroll button 3002, the screen displayed on the liquid crystal device 1 is scrolled.

  Note that examples of electronic devices to which the electro-optical device according to the present invention is applied include the devices exemplified in FIGS. 7 to 9, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital still cameras, televisions, video cameras, Car navigation devices, in-vehicle displays (instrument panels), electronic notebooks, electronic paper, calculators, word processors, workstations, videophones, POS terminals, printers, scanners, copiers, video players, devices with touch panels, etc. Can be mentioned.

As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated based on one Embodiment, this invention is not limited to the above-mentioned example, Of course, a deformation | transformation and application are possible within the range of the summary of this invention.
Further, the above-described embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some constituent requirements are deleted from all the constituent requirements shown in the embodiment, the problem described in the column of the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved, and the effect described in the column of the effect of the invention can be achieved. In the case of being obtained, a configuration from which this configuration requirement is deleted can also be extracted as an invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Liquid crystal device, 10 ... 1st board | substrate, 11 ... Element board | substrate, 12 ... Pixel electrode, 20 ... 2nd board | substrate, 21 ... Opposite substrate, 22 ... Common electrode, 30 ... Alignment film, 31 ... 1st orientation A film, 32 ... a second alignment film, 35 ... a column, 37 ... a low reactivity member, 40 ... a sealing material, 50 ... a liquid crystal layer.

Claims (5)

A first substrate;
A second substrate;
A liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate;
An alignment layer provided between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer,
The alignment layer is
A plurality of structures having a substantially columnar shape and inclined with respect to the surface of the first substrate on the liquid crystal layer side;
A photoreactivity lower than that of the plurality of structures, and a filler filled between adjacent structures of the plurality of structures.
The filler is filled to a predetermined position between the adjacent structures,
At least a part of the plurality of structures including the predetermined position and located on the liquid crystal layer side of a boundary region that is a region parallel to the surface on the liquid crystal layer side of the first substrate is the part. A liquid crystal device characterized by being coated with a filler. The liquid crystal device according to claim 1,
The alignment layer includes a first portion located on the first substrate side with respect to the boundary region, and a second portion located on the liquid crystal layer side with respect to the boundary region,
The liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein a refractive index of the first portion is larger than a refractive index of the second portion. The liquid crystal device according to claim 1 or 2,
The plurality of structures are made of silicon oxide,
The refractive index of the first portion is 1.40 or more,
The refractive index of the second portion is 1.35 or more and 1.40 or less,
A liquid crystal device characterized by that. A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal device in which a liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between a pair of substrates,
An alignment layer forming step of forming an alignment layer on one surface of one of the pair of substrates;
The alignment layer forming step includes
Forming a plurality of structures having a substantially columnar shape and inclined with respect to the one surface on the one surface of the one substrate;
Filling a filler having a lower photoreactivity than the plurality of structures between structures adjacent to each other among the plurality of structures;
Including
The filler is filled to a predetermined position between the adjacent structures,
At least a part of the plurality of structures including the predetermined position and located on the opposite side of the one surface from a boundary region that is a region parallel to the one surface of the one substrate A method for producing a liquid crystal device, wherein the liquid crystal device is covered with a filler. An electronic apparatus comprising the liquid crystal device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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