JP2014219629A - Rubbing apparatus and manufacturing method of liquid crystal display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rubbing apparatus capable of, in rubbing treatment, correcting the surface condition of a rubbing cloth while removing charging without reducing a treatment capacity and processing a panel surface immediately after the correction to thereby performing alignment treatment with high uniaxial directional property.SOLUTION: The rubbing apparatus of the invention comprises a rubbing mask 4 that has a rugged shape 4b provided extending in a parallel direction to a rubbing treatment direction on a surface, and an opening 4e opened corresponding to a display area 1a of a substrate 1, and that includes a conductive material and is ground-connected.

Description

The present invention relates to a rubbing process performed for forming an alignment film for aligning liquid crystals when manufacturing a liquid crystal display device.

In a liquid crystal panel constituting a liquid crystal display device, an alignment film for aligning liquid crystals is formed on a surface of a substrate in contact with liquid crystal inside the panel by providing fine grooves in a certain direction on the surface. As a surface treatment for forming such fine grooves in the alignment film, a rubbing process is performed by rubbing the surface of the alignment film with a rubbing cloth which is a cloth material in which fine hair (pile = fiber) is planted on the surface. However, it is generally used for a long time. In this rubbing process, the pile direction on the surface of the rubbing cloth due to static electricity generated during the processing, the inclination of the pile that the rubbing cloth itself has, the twist, the twist, and the local pile pop-out cause the orientation direction. But overall,
Alternatively, there may be a case where the orientation is abnormally caused locally, such as a deviation in a desired direction, thereby reducing the yield.

Further, as shown in FIG. 15A, on the glass substrate SUB to be rubbed, a display area DA that needs to be rubbed and an area that does not need to be rubbed, rather,
Areas that may be adversely affected by processing are mixedly arranged. In particular, when the rubbing process is performed on the terminal area TA provided with the terminal electrode disposed in the vicinity of the display area, the pile may locally fall down due to the contact between the terminal electrode and the cloth of the rubbing roller RR,
On the other hand, it may pop out, and the local abnormal portion may cause rubbing treatment to the display area DA on another substrate, which may cause orientation abnormality.

As a method for preventing a problem caused by performing the rubbing process on an area that does not need to be rubbed, as shown in FIG. 15B, a rubbing mask that opens only a desired area to be rubbed. There is a max rubbing process which is a rubbing process via MSK. During the mask rubbing process, the pile may locally pop out or the pile itself may fall off due to contact between the rubbing mask MSK end (mask MSK outer shape end or mask opening OP end) and the cloth. In some cases, an abnormal orientation may be caused by a protruding pile portion or a portion where the pile is dropped. In addition, when the pile has fallen off, the dropped pile is adhered to the substrate SUB, and processing is performed via the pile that has fallen between the rubbing cloth and the substrate SUB. In any case, a portion where the desired alignment state cannot be obtained is generated, and the alignment abnormality occurs.

In addition, the pile that has fallen due to the contact between the rubbing mask MSK edge and the cloth, or the alignment film formed by partially peeling off the polyimide film as the alignment film material on the substrate surface when many substrates are rubbed. Scratches are often deposited at a step formed by the rubbing stage ST and the substrate SUB end surface, or at a step formed by the rubbing mask MSK end and the substrate SUB surface. Further, when the substrate is processed, the substrate end face or rubbing mask edge and the rubbing cloth are brought into contact with each other, so that the substrate SUB edge or rubbing mask MSK is contacted.
The piles and alignment film debris DST deposited on the edge part again adheres to the rubbing cloth or the substrate SUB, and causes the same alignment abnormality as that caused by the falling pile attached on the substrate as described above. Sometimes.

Furthermore, these days, it is advantageous for wide viewing angle, and high display quality can be obtained in any viewing range. Therefore, a voltage is applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode to generate a substantially horizontal electric field on the panel. Lateral electric field type liquid crystal panels that drive liquid crystal molecules in the horizontal direction are becoming mainstream. This horizontal electric field type liquid crystal panel realizes the in-plane switching method, which is the conventional horizontal electric field type liquid crystal panel, and in particular, achieves high brightness or low power consumption. Fringe field switching
A field switching (FFS) type liquid crystal panel is known. these,
In a horizontal electric field type liquid crystal panel, higher display quality is required. For this purpose, it is necessary to obtain higher uniaxiality with respect to the alignment state of the liquid crystal. Therefore, in the alignment processing step at the time of manufacturing, which determines the alignment state of the liquid crystal, in order to obtain an alignment state having high uniaxial directionality, a slight alignment abnormality region that has not been a problem before is obtained. Improvements are also needed.

Since the unfavorable surface condition of the rubbing cloth, which causes the above-mentioned alignment abnormality, is often caused by rubbing cloth damage caused by rubbing a large number of substrates, such rubbing treatment. In order to suppress the abnormal orientation at the time, it is a direct countermeasure that can be performed relatively easily by treating with a rubbing cloth that does not cause damage caused by treating many substrates. That is, the operation can be improved to some extent by increasing the frequency of replacing the rubbing cloth. However, increasing the replacement frequency causes an increase in the cost of the rubbing cloth and also greatly reduces the processing capacity.

In addition, several methods have been proposed as methods that are expected to prevent such abnormal orientation during the rubbing treatment. In Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the level difference formed by the rubbing mask edge is reduced by increasing the degree of adhesion of the rubbing mask to the substrate, or by reducing the thickness of the edge of the mask opening, A method is disclosed in which an abnormal alignment caused by the stepped portion formed by the rubbing mask end and the substrate surface is suppressed. Further, in Patent Document 3, rubbing treatment is performed through a conductive rubbing mask connected to the ground (or to the outside so as to have a predetermined potential), and the rubbing cloth is charged to twist the cloth hairs, A method for preventing the occurrence of streak-like orientation anomalies due to non-uniform contact is disclosed.

JP-A-9-15602 JP-A-8-106091 JP 2006-39125 A

However, in both configurations of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the pile on the surface of the rubbing cloth is disturbed by static electricity generated during rubbing within the display surface, and the inclination, twist, and twist of the pile that the rubbing cloth itself has. Further, it is impossible to prevent abnormal orientation due to deterioration of the surface state of the rubbing cloth such as local pile jumping. Further, in Patent Document 1, since the thickness of the edge of the mask opening is reduced and is closely attached to the substrate surface, almost no step formed between the mask edge and the substrate surface is formed. Although it may be possible to prevent the alignment abnormality caused by the step formed by the step, the step formed between the thinnest mask and the outermost end of the mask remains inside the mask end. . Therefore, this stepped part comes into contact with the cloth instead of the mask endmost part, and there is a concern that the same orientation abnormality occurs.

In the method of Patent Document 3, it can be expected that charging of the rubbing cloth is suppressed and the condition of the cloth surface is deteriorated. However, the cloth surface is once inclined due to charging due to some factors before the rubbing treatment, or due to static electricity generated when rubbing the surface of the substrate that is not covered with the rubbing mask, that is, the display surface. If the surface of the rubbing cloth is deteriorated, such as twisting or twisting, it has almost no action of returning to the original state. Can not. That is, when a rubbing process is performed on a large number of substrates, it is not possible to stably prevent the occurrence of abnormal alignment due to the deterioration of the state of the rubbing cloth surface.

The present invention has been made to solve the problems as described above, the purpose of which is that the rubbing cloth is disturbed by static electricity generated during rubbing in the display surface without reducing the processing capacity,
The rubbing cloth itself has the original pile surface slope, twisting, twisting, local pile jumping and other abnormal orientation due to deterioration of the rubbing cloth surface condition, or the rubbing mask edge and the cloth contact Thus, a rubbing treatment apparatus, a rubbing treatment method, and a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device that can prevent an abnormal orientation due to the above are obtained.

In the rubbing apparatus of the present invention, an opening having an uneven shape provided on the surface so as to extend in a direction parallel to the rubbing processing direction, and being opened corresponding to an area that requires alignment processing of the substrate to be processed The rubbing mask is made of a conductive material and connected to the ground.

During the rubbing process, the slope of the rubbing cloth itself, twisting of the cloth itself, twisting, and locally protruding piles can always be corrected in a certain direction while removing the electrification without reducing the processing capacity. Since it can be processed, alignment processing with high uniaxiality can be performed.

It is a schematic perspective view of the rubbing processing apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the rubbing processing apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the schematic of the rubbing mask of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is an expanded sectional view of the rubbing processing apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is an expanded sectional view of the rubbing mask of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the rubbing processing apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing of Embodiment 1 of this invention and the rubbing processing apparatus of a modification. It is the schematic of the rubbing mask of Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the rubbing processing apparatus of Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is the schematic of the rubbing processing apparatus of Embodiment 2 modification of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the modification of this invention. It is a top view of the liquid crystal panel in the liquid crystal display device of Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the liquid crystal panel in the liquid crystal display device of Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the assembly process in the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal panel in Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a schematic diagram of the rubbing process in the conventional liquid crystal panel manufacturing process.

First Embodiment A configuration of a rubbing treatment apparatus according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to a perspective view of the entire apparatus in FIG. 1 and a cross-sectional view in FIG. Note that the drawings are schematic and do not reflect the exact size of the components shown. Further, in the figure, the same components as those described in the previous drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. Hereinafter, the same applies to other drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rubbing processing apparatus first includes a stage 2 that holds the substrate 1, a rubbing roller 3 that performs orientation processing on the surface of the substrate 1, as a configuration related to the rubbing processing,
A rubbing mask 4 disposed on the stage 2 so as to cover at least a part of the surface of the substrate 1
It has. Further, as a configuration relating to the transfer of the substrate 1 between the outside of the apparatus and the stage 2 and the installation of the substrate 1 on the stage 2, a substrate transfer mechanism, a substrate positioning mechanism, a substrate holding mechanism, and the like are provided. In addition, although not essential, when the rubbing mask 4 is automatically placed and held on the stage 2, that is, the substrate 1, a mask setting mechanism or a mask holding mechanism is provided. Yes.

The rubbing roller 3 includes a rubbing cloth 3a that is rubbed against an alignment film (not shown) formed on the surface of the substrate 1 to perform a rubbing process, and a roller main body 3b around which the rubbing cloth 3a is wound. It is configured and is rotated by a rotation mechanism or the like as indicated by an arrow CW in the figure during the rubbing process. Further, during the rubbing process, the rubbing roller 3 is moved relative to the substrate 1 and the stage 2 in the rubbing process direction RD. On the contrary, if the rubbing roller 3 side is regarded as a main body, the substrate 1 and the stage 2 will move relatively in the stage moving direction SD. That is, the rubbing roller 3 may be provided with a parallel movement mechanism and operated in the rubbing processing direction RD, or the stage 2 may be provided with a parallel movement mechanism and the substrate 1 and the stage 2 may be operated in the stage movement direction SD.

The substrate 1 is provided with one or more display areas 1a that require alignment processing, and the rubbing mask 4 has the display area 1a corresponding to the area that requires alignment processing on the substrate 1.
An opening 4a that is opened corresponding to is provided. Accordingly, the rubbing process is performed through the rubbing mask 4 so that the alignment process is performed only on the display region 200 located in the opening 4a. Further, the rubbing mask 4 is made of a conductive material, and has a concavo-convex shape 4b provided on the surface so as to extend in a direction parallel to the rubbing treatment direction (illustrated by an arrow RD). Further, on the lower surface side of the rubbing mask 4, when the rubbing mask 4 is disposed so as to cover the substrate 1 disposed on the stage 2, a substrate that is a recess for storing the substrate 1, that is, a digging portion. A storage portion 4c is formed.

Further, as the substrate transport mechanism, specifically, transport rollers 5 a for carrying in and out of the stage 2 are arranged before and after the stage 2, and the substrate 1 is further moved to an alignable position on the stage 2. The conveyance roller 5b which conveys is arrange | positioned. The transport roller 5b
Are arranged below the substrate 1 in the figure with the same structure as the conveying roller 5b shown. Further, as the substrate positioning mechanism of the rubbing processing apparatus, specifically, an alignment pin 2a that positions the substrate 1 at a predetermined position by sandwiching the substrate 1 from both sides and the configuration inside the stage 2 are not shown. However, it includes a drive mechanism for operating the alignment pin 2a. In the drawing, since the drawing is complicated, only one pair of alignment pins 2 a is arranged with respect to the substrate 1. However, the alignment pins are arranged in pairs in two vertical and horizontal directions with respect to the substrate 1. 2a may be disposed, and two pairs of alignment pins 2a may be disposed at both ends of the substrate 1 in the longitudinal direction.

As the mask setting mechanism, specifically, a mask raising / lowering pin 6a for moving the rubbing mask 4 up and down on the stage 2 is arranged. Furthermore, when the rubbing mask 4 is transported and attached from the outside of the apparatus into the apparatus, a transport robot or the like may be disposed as a mask transport mechanism for transporting the rubbing mask 4 onto the mask lifting pins 6a as appropriate. Also,
Specifically, as the mask holding mechanism, a vacuum suction hole 6b is disposed in the outer peripheral region of the substrate 1 on the surface of the stage 2 and is omitted from illustration because it is a configuration inside the stage 2, but the vacuum suction hole 6b Connected vacuum piping and vacuum system (vacuum pump and vacuum operation control mechanism) are provided. Note that the mask holding mechanism is not limited to suction fixing, and the rubbing mask 4 and the lifting pins 6a are integrally configured, and the lifting pins 6a are fixed inside the stage 2 at a position where the rubbing mask 4 is lowered. The rubbing mask 4 may be held and fixed with respect to 2.

In addition, the rubbing mask 4 made of a conductive material has been described above. However, in the rubbing processing apparatus according to the first embodiment, the rubbing mask 4 made of the conductive material is grounded. As a specific form of ground connection, a ground wiring or the like may be attached to the rubbing mask 4 and directly connected to the ground. However, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stage 2 is connected to the ground. Yes. The ground connection only needs to be made during the rubbing process, but as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stage 2 in which the rubbing mask 4 is a conductor is used during the rubbing process.
If the stage 2 made of metal or the like and connected to the ground is grounded, the rubbing mask 4 is grounded via the stage 2 during the rubbing process.

Subsequently, the rubbing mask 4 in the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. FIG. 3A shows a plan view of the entire configuration of the rubbing mask 4, and FIG.
FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along a cross-sectional line Y1-Y2 (shown by a long broken line) in FIG. FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of the end of the rubbing mask 4 and the vicinity of the end of the opening 4a in a state where the rubbing mask 4 is held with respect to the stage 2 and the substrate 1. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the uneven shape 4b provided extending in a direction parallel to the rubbing process direction (illustrated by an arrow RD), that is, the uneven shape 4b with respect to the rubbing process direction. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the surface of the rubbing mask 4 in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, the rubbing process direction R of the rubbing mask 4
Upstream and downstream end surfaces with respect to D have a tapered shape 4 d in which an inclined surface is formed on the upper surface side of the stage 2, that is, on the side surface with which the rubbing roller 3 is contacted. Therefore,
The inclined surface and the upper surface of the rubbing mask 4 form an obtuse angle exceeding 90 degrees. In other words, at the outer end of the rubbing mask 4 where the rubbing roller 3 is contacted, 90
An obtuse angle end exceeding the degree is formed. Further, the same tapered shape 4e is also provided on the upstream and downstream end faces of the opening 4a provided in the rubbing mask 4.

As described above, as shown in FIG. 3A, the surface of the rubbing mask 4 is provided with unevenness extending in a direction parallel to the rubbing treatment direction (shown by an arrow RD). Shape 4
b. The concavo-convex shape 4b provided extending in the direction parallel to the rubbing treatment direction RD is formed on the entire surface excluding the opening 4a on the upper surface side surface of the rubbing mask 4. That is, the rubbing mask 4 is formed up to the upstream and downstream ends with respect to the rubbing processing direction RD of the plurality of openings 4a, and also on the surface of the portion between the plurality of openings 4a provided in an array. It is formed. Further, a tapered shape 4d and a tapered shape 4e provided at the outer end of the rubbing mask 4 and the end of the opening 4a of the rubbing mask 4 are provided.
It is desirable to form also on the surface of the inclined part. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), the surface of the inclined portion of the tapered shape 4d or the tapered shape 4e has an uneven shape 4b provided extending in a direction parallel to the rubbing treatment direction RD. Is formed.

Further, a more detailed cross-sectional structure of the concavo-convex shape 4b will be described using an enlarged cross-sectional view of the concavo-convex shape 4b in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the surface of the flat portion of the upper surface of the rubbing mask 4 in the rubbing treatment direction, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the uneven shape 4b, and an enlarged cross section of the uneven shape 4b. It corresponds to the figure. As shown in the drawing, as a specific structure of the concavo-convex shape 4b, bank-like convex portions 4b1 extending in a direction parallel to the rubbing processing direction RD are arranged, and a groove-like concave portion 4b2 is provided between the bank-like convex portions 4b1. Are arranged and arranged.

Further, specific dimensions of the bank-like convex portion 4b1 and the groove-like concave portion 4b2 constituting the concave-convex shape 4b include the pile thickness and pile density of the rubbing cloth 3a of the rubbing roller 3 to be used. Depending on the pixel pitch of the liquid crystal panel, the width of the bank-like convex portion 4b1 is 1 to 30 μm.
Within the range of m, the height of the bank-like convex portion 4b1 corresponding to the depth of the groove-like concave portion 4b2 is 3 to 50 μm.
Within this range, the width of the groove-like recess 4b2 may be set within a range of 3 to 50 μm.
As the correlation between the pile thickness of the rubbing cloth 3a, the pile density, and the pixel pitch of the liquid crystal panel, which is a guideline for setting, the width of the groove-shaped recess 4b2 is set to a width slightly wider than the pile thickness, The height of the bank-like convex portion 4b1 corresponding to the depth of the groove-like concave portion 4b2 is set to a depth slightly shallower than the thickness of the pile, and further, with respect to the two-dimensional pile pitch estimated from the pile density, What is necessary is just to set the pitch of the uneven | corrugated shape 4b equivalent to the sum of the width | variety of the bank-like convex part 4b1 and the groove-shaped recessed part 4b2 substantially equal. Further, the pitch of the concavo-convex shape 4b may be set below the pixel pitch of the liquid crystal panel. In the rubbing mask 4 of the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, as an example, the width of the bank-like convex portion 4b1 is 20 μm, the depth of the groove-like concave portion 4b2, that is, the height of the bank-like convex portion 4b1. Was set to 30 μm, and the width of the groove-like recess 4b2 was set to 40 μm.

Next, the basic operation of the rubbing processing apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the substrate 1 is carried onto the stage 2 by the transport roller 5b described in FIG. Next, the alignment pin 2a of the stage 2 described with reference to FIG. 1 operates to position the substrate 1 at a predetermined position. In this way, as shown in FIG.
The substrate 1 is placed at a predetermined position above. Subsequently, the mask elevating pin 6a on which the rubbing mask 4 described with reference to FIG. 1 is lowered, and the rubbing mask 4 is placed on the substrate 1, whereby the stage 2 on the stage 2 is placed as shown in FIG. A rubbing mask 4 is placed on the substrate 1.
The opening 4a provided in the rubbing mask 4 is set to overlap the position of the display area 1a on the substrate 1 when the rubbing mask 4 is placed at a predetermined position.

As described above, the substrate 1 and the rubbing mask 4 are sequentially placed and held on the stage 2. Here, a holding mechanism for the substrate 1 and the rubbing mask 4 on the stage 2 will be described with reference to FIG. Add a supplementary explanation. FIG. 7A shows an example in which a vacuum suction mechanism for holding the substrate 1 is provided in the stage 2 of the first embodiment. Specifically, the vacuum suction hole 7 a is arranged on the stage 2 below the substrate 1. In addition, a vacuum suction hole 6b for holding the rubbing mask 4 described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7A shows the vacuum piping and vacuum system (vacuum pump and vacuum operation control mechanism) connected to the vacuum suction hole 7a for holding the substrate 1 and the vacuum suction hole 6b for holding the rubbing mask 4, respectively. In the example
The vacuum system A and the vacuum system B are configured to be able to perform an adsorption operation independently. With this configuration, as described with reference to FIG. 6, the substrate 1 and the rubbing mask 4 are placed in order on the stage 2, and the vacuum system A and the vacuum suction hole 7a are operated so that the stage 2 is placed on the stage 2. By holding the rubbing mask 4 on the stage 2 by holding the substrate 1 and operating the vacuum system B and the vacuum suction hole 6b, the substrate 1 and the rubbing mask 4 are placed on the stage 2 in order. 1 and the rubbing mask 4 can be held and fixed at predetermined positions on the stage 2, respectively.

In the example of the first embodiment, the substrate 1 and the rubbing mask 4 are all placed on the stage 2 automatically by the rubbing processing apparatus. However, in the present invention, the rubbing mask 4 is used. Therefore, even if the method for attaching the rubbing mask 4 to the substrate 1 is changed, the effect of the basic invention is not affected. Therefore, the operator may attach the substrate 1 and the rubbing mask 4 on the stage 2. In that case, as described with reference to FIG.
There is no need to place the substrate 1 and the rubbing mask 4 in order on the substrate and fix them by vacuum suction each time. That is, after confirming that the placement of the substrate 1 and the rubbing mask 4 at a predetermined position on the stage 2 is completed, the substrate 1 and the rubbing mask 4 may be simultaneously sucked and fixed. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7B, a vacuum suction hole 7b that can fix both the substrate 1 and the rubbing mask 4 is provided, and the configuration of the stage 21 in which the connected vacuum piping or vacuum system is one system may be used. .

As described above, the substrate 1 and the rubbing mask 4 are held and fixed at predetermined positions on the stage 2,
After the preparation for the rubbing process is completed, as described in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the rubbing roller 3 that is rotated is further rubbed in the rubbing process direction RD as illustrated in FIG.
By being moved relative to the substrate 1 and the stage 2, the rubbing process is performed. More specifically, the alignment process is performed only on the display region 1 a exposed on the surface of the substrate 1, particularly in the opening 4 a of the rubbing mask 4. When the rubbing process on the substrate 1 is completed as described above, the mask lifting pins 6a on which the rubbing mask 4 is placed are raised again, and the substrate 1 from which the rubbing mask 4 is removed after the rubbing process is completed is shown in FIG. The conveyance roller 5b described is carried out from the stage 2, that is, from the rubbing apparatus, and the basic processing by the rubbing processing apparatus of the first embodiment is completed.

The operation obtained when the rubbing process of the first embodiment having the above-described configuration is performed will be described below. In the rubbing treatment apparatus of the first embodiment, the rubbing mask 4 is made of a conductive material, and is rubbed in a state of being grounded, and further extends on the surface of the rubbing mask 4 in a direction parallel to the rubbing treatment direction. Therefore, the surface of the rubbing cloth that comes into contact with the surface of the rubbing mask 4 is parallel to the rubbing direction in a state where the charge is removed and the attractive force between the piles is removed. By the concavo-convex shape 4b provided extending in the direction, the inclination of the rubbing cloth itself, the kinking of the cloth, the twist, and the locally protruding pile are aligned and corrected in a certain direction. In particular, this correction is performed in a state where the charge is removed and the attractive force between the piles is removed, so that the rubbing cloth is effectively corrected, and the rubbing cloth is in a state close to an undamaged rubbing cloth. In other words, ideally, the rubbing cloth itself has been corrected in the direction parallel to the rubbing process, such as pile inclination, twisting, twisting, and local pile jumping. The state of the rubbing cloth close to the state of Further, the rubbing mask 4 is corrected before and after the rubbing process is performed on the opening 4a of the rubbing mask 4 where the substrate 1 is substantially rubbed, and the state of the rubbing cloth is damaged. Since the panel surface can be processed immediately after being adjusted to the state of the rubbing cloth close to the ideal rubbing cloth described above, or the state of the rubbing cloth close to the ideal state described above, the rubbing cloth without damage or the rubbing cloth close to the ideal An orientation process is performed in a state, and an orientation process with high uniaxiality can be performed.

Further, the rubbing mask 4 has a concavo-convex shape 4b provided extending in the direction parallel to the rubbing treatment direction over the entire surface of the rubbing mask 4 including the region between the openings 4a. The straightening action by the concavo-convex shape 4b is obtained until just before the rubbing process is performed at the opening 4a of the rubbing mask 4. In addition, when the rubbing cloth surface is deteriorated due to static electricity generated when the rubbing cloth is rubbed against the surface of the display area 1a of the substrate 1 in the opening 4a and the rubbing process is performed, The uneven shape 4b provided on the surface of the region between the openings 4a effectively adjusts the cloth surface against the inclination, twist and twist of the pile generated on the cloth surface. Can do. Then, immediately after being arranged in the area between the openings 4a, the display area 1a located in the opening 4a disposed on the downstream side with respect to the next rubbing processing direction RD can be processed.
Therefore, during the rubbing process, even when various conditions change that deteriorate the condition of the surface of the rubbing cloth, the alignment process is constantly performed in a rubbing cloth that is not damaged or in a rubbing cloth state that is close to ideal. An alignment process with high uniaxial direction can be performed.

Further, as the size of the step of the concavo-convex shape 4b, according to the thickness of the pile of the rubbing cloth 3a of the rubbing roller 3 used, the pile density, and the pixel pitch of the liquid crystal panel to be processed,
The width of the bank-like convex portion 4b1 constituting the concave-convex shape 4b is within a range of 1 to 30 μm, and the groove-like concave portion 4b.
2, that is, the height of the bank-like convex portion 4 b 1 is in the range of 3 to 50 μm, and the groove-like concave portion 4 b
The width of 2 is set within the range of 3 to 50 μm, and is set to an uneven shape that can sufficiently arrange the pile of the rubbing cloth 3a, and further, with an accuracy equivalent to the pixel pitch or less, Uniaxial directionality can be improved.

Further, in the rubbing mask 4 of the rubbing processing apparatus of the first embodiment, inclined surfaces are formed on the upstream and downstream end surfaces with respect to the rubbing processing direction of the rubbing mask 4, that is, on the side surfaces where the rubbing roller 3 is contacted. It has a tapered shape 4d to be formed. As a result, an end portion having an obtuse angle exceeding 90 degrees is formed at the end portion where the rubbing roller 3 is contacted, and the surface of the rubbing roller 3 when the end portion of the rubbing roller 3 and the rubbing mask 4 are contacted is formed. The occurrence of damage is reduced.

Further, in the rubbing mask 4 of the rubbing processing apparatus of the first embodiment, the tapered shape 4e is provided on the upstream and downstream end faces of the opening 4a provided in the rubbing mask 4. As a result, like the tapered shape 4d formed on the end face of the rubbing mask 4, the occurrence of damage to the surface of the rubbing roller 3 when the rubbing roller 3 and the end of the rubbing mask 4 are brought into contact with each other can be reduced. . Furthermore, compared to the conventional rubbing mask, the structure in which the tapered shape 4e is provided on the end surface of the opening 4a makes it difficult for piles, alignment film debris, and the like to be deposited on the step between the end of the opening 4a and the substrate 1. Therefore, there is no possibility of causing an abnormal alignment due to the piles and alignment film debris that have been deposited.

The tapered shape 4d and the tapered shape 4e formed at the end of the rubbing mask 4 of the rubbing processing apparatus of the first embodiment are provided on both the upstream side and the downstream side with respect to the rubbing processing direction. However, in particular, the end face in the direction in which the contact with the rubbing roller 3 becomes strong,
Or even if it is provided only on the end face in the direction in which piles and alignment film debris are likely to be deposited,
A remarkable effect can be obtained. Specifically, the end where the opposite end surface is formed with respect to the rubbing treatment direction, that is, the tapered shape 4d is upstream of the rubbing treatment direction, and the tapered shape 4e is downstream of the opening 4a. You may provide only in the edge part of the side.

Second Embodiment Next, the configuration of a rubbing processing apparatus according to a second embodiment, which is another embodiment of the present invention, will be described. First, the rubbing mask 40 in the rubbing processing apparatus of the second embodiment, which is a main change from the rubbing processing apparatus of the first embodiment, will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8A shows a plan view of the entire configuration of the rubbing mask 40, and FIG. 8B shows a sectional view taken along a sectional line Y3-Y4 (shown by a long broken line) in FIG. 8A. Each is shown. FIG. 8C shows a plan view of the opening replacement part 41 constituting the rubbing mask 40. In the following, the changed part of the first embodiment and the particularly important common part will be described mainly. Further, the same configurations as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B, in the rubbing mask 40, the opening 4 is set to a different arrangement or size depending on the arrangement of the display area on the substrate 1 to be processed.
The difference from the rubbing mask 4 of the first embodiment is that the opening replacement part 41 provided with 0a and the frame part 42 that is a frame part to which the opening replacement part 41 is attached are combined. It becomes a point. In other words, the rubbing mask 40 of the second embodiment is configured so that the opening replacement part 41 and the frame part 42 can be separated from each other. The opening replacement part 41 is arranged in the display area arrangement on the substrate 1 to be processed. Accordingly, a plurality of openings 40a having different arrangements and sizes can be prepared and used by appropriately replacing them.

As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the rubbing mask 40 also has
A recess for storing the substrate 1, that is, a substrate storage portion 40c that is a digging portion is provided,
The substrate storage portion 40 c is provided on the lower surface side of the frame part 42. Also, frame parts 42
On the upper surface side, a recess for storing the opening replacement part 41, that is, an opening replacement part storage part 41c which is a digging part is provided. In addition, this opening part replacement part storage part 41
c is provided in a planar outer shape that is slightly larger than the substrate storage portion 40c so that it can be placed on the upper side while fitting with the opening replacement part 41.

Moreover, if it sees as a structure which integrated the opening part replacement part 41 and the frame part 42 together,
By forming the outer shape in the same manner as the rubbing mask 4 of the first embodiment, the same effect as the first embodiment can be obtained. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the rubbing mask 40 according to the second embodiment is also applied to the rubbing process direction RD in the same manner as the rubbing mask 4 according to the first embodiment. The upstream and downstream end faces have a tapered shape 40d. Further, the same tapered shape 40e is also provided on the upstream and downstream end faces of the opening 40a provided in the rubbing mask 40. In the rubbing mask 40, the frame part 4 is used for the tapered shape 40d provided on the end face of the rubbing mask 40.
As shown in detail in FIG. 8C, the opening 40a and the tapered shape 40e provided on the end face of the opening 40a are provided in the opening replacement part 41.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the rubbing mask 40 of the second embodiment is also rubbed on the surface of the rubbing mask 40 in the same manner as the rubbing mask 4 of the first embodiment. Concave and convex shape 4 extending in the direction parallel to the processing direction (illustrated by arrow RD)
0b. And about the uneven | corrugated shape 40b provided extending in the direction parallel to these rubbing process directions RD, it is the whole surface except the opening part 40a in the upper surface side surface of the rubbing mask 40 similarly to the rubbing mask 4 of Embodiment 1. It is formed. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8C, the concavo-convex shape 40b is provided on both the opening replacement part 41 and the frame part 42, and is formed across the both. The uneven shape 40b on the opening replacement part 41 and the uneven shape 40b on the frame part 42 are continuous uneven shapes in the extending direction parallel to the rubbing treatment direction RD. FIG. 8 (a)
As shown in FIG. 4, the rugged shape 40b of the second embodiment also has the rubbing treatment direction RD on the surface of the inclined portion of the tapered shape 40d and the tapered shape 40e, similarly to the rugged shape 4b of the first embodiment. A concavo-convex shape 40b provided extending in the parallel direction is formed. It should be noted that the size of the unevenness of the concavo-convex shape 40b may be set to an concavo-convex shape that can sufficiently prepare the pile of the rubbing cloth 3a, similarly to the concavo-convex shape 4b of the first embodiment.

As described above, the rubbing mask 40 according to the second embodiment has the same configuration as the rubbing mask 4 according to the first embodiment as the feature of the outer shape. An effect is obtained. For example, the concavo-convex shape 40b in the rubbing mask 40 allows the orientation treatment to be performed in a state of a rubbing cloth that is not damaging or a rubbing cloth that is close to ideal, and an effect that an orientation treatment with high uniaxial direction can be performed. By providing the taper shape 40d and the taper shape 40e provided at the end portion where the rubbing roller 3 is contacted in the rubbing mask 40, at the end portion where the rubbing roller 3 is contacted,
An obtuse end exceeding 90 degrees is formed, and the occurrence of damage to the surface of the rubbing roller 3 when the rubbing roller 3 and the end of the rubbing mask 40 are brought into contact with each other is further reduced. Since the piles and alignment film debris are difficult to deposit on the step between the end of 40a and the substrate 1, alignment anomalies caused by these piles and alignment film debris are not caused.

Further, the rubbing mask 40 of the second embodiment is effectively utilized in addition to being able to replace the opening replacement part 41 according to the shape and arrangement of the opening 40a by taking advantage of different parts. There is a way. For example, the opening replacement part 41 and the frame part 42
As compared with the integrated rubbing mask 4, it can be set relatively easily, such as being a separate member or being manufactured separately. Therefore, the frame part 42 that constitutes the frame part of the rubbing mask 40 and requires strength and the like is preferably manufactured by integrally molding with a conductive resin such as metal or carbon resin. On the other hand, the opening replacement part 41 that is directly arranged on the substrate 1 and also has various shapes of the opening 40a can be used as a consumable member, and the opening 40a can be easily processed. Furthermore, since it is requested | required that it is thin on the board | substrate 1, a metal thin plate, a conductive resin sheet, etc. can also be used as a thinner thin plate. With these metal thin plates and conductive resin sheets, the opening 40a can be formed by punching or laser processing, and a complicated opening shape can be formed relatively easily.

Next, an example of a procedure for placing the rubbing mask 40 of the second embodiment on the substrate 1 and the stage 2 will be described with reference to FIG. In the case of the rubbing mask 4 of the first embodiment, since it is an integrated configuration, the rubbing mask 4 is placed on the substrate 1 on the stage 2 after the substrate 1 is placed on the stage 2. There was no choice but to do. In the case of the rubbing mask 40 according to the second embodiment, the rubbing mask 40 is composed of two members, that is, the opening replacement part 41 and the frame part 42. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9A and FIG. One procedure can be selected.

Specifically, first, as a first procedure, as shown in FIG. 9A, the rubbing mask 40 is treated as an integrated configuration like the rubbing mask 4 of the first embodiment, and the stage 2
After the substrate 1 is placed thereon, the rubbing mask 40 is placed on the substrate 1 on the stage 2. Here, similarly to the stage 2 used in the first embodiment, the vacuum suction hole 7a is disposed in the lower part of the substrate 1, and the vacuum suction hole 6b is disposed in the lower part of the rubbing mask 40 in the outer peripheral region of the substrate 1, respectively. A stage 2 having a configuration in which the substrate 1 and the rubbing mask 40 can be sucked independently is used with the vacuum piping and vacuum system to be connected as two systems of the vacuum system A and the vacuum system B.

Further, as a second procedure, as shown in FIG. 9B, after only the frame part 42 which is a partial configuration of the substrate 1 and the rubbing mask 40 is first placed on the stage 2, the opening is replaced. This is a procedure for placing the part 41 on the substrate 1. In this case, the substrate 1 on the stage 2
The order of placing the frame parts 42 can be selected. In the method shown in FIG. 9B, the substrate 1 can be exchanged with the frame part 42 attached to the stage 2, and a plurality of substrates 1 can be processed sequentially. Since the opening replacement part 41 is a member that is relatively light and easy to handle, the substrate 1 can be as simple as placing the substrate 1 on the stage 2.
A plurality of substrates 1 can be sequentially processed by sequentially mounting the opening replacement parts 41.

Next, a modification in which a part of the function is added to the frame part 42 constituting the rubbing mask 40 in the rubbing processing apparatus of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. This modified example is based on a procedure example of placing the rubbing mask 40 in the second embodiment described above with reference to FIG. 9B on the substrate 1 and the stage 2. The board positioning function is added to the frame part 42 that is already placed on the stage 2.
Specifically, in the rubbing apparatus of this modification, as shown in FIG. 10A, the alignment pin 2a provided in the rubbing apparatus of the first embodiment is placed on the stage 20 on which the substrate 1 is placed. Instead of this, a frame part 44 having a function as a substrate positioning mechanism for positioning the substrate 1 at a predetermined position is provided. After positioning the substrate 1, the frame part 44 mounts the opening replacement part 43 similar to the opening replacement part 41 of the second embodiment, and during the rubbing process, the rubbing mask of the second embodiment. Similar to 40, it functions as a rubbing mask 45 composed of an opening replacement part 43 and a frame part 44.

The rubbing mask 45 has the same configuration features as the rubbing mask 40 except that the frame part 44 functions as a substrate positioning mechanism for positioning the substrate 1 at a predetermined position. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10 (a), the rubbing mask 45 of the second embodiment modification also has an upstream side with respect to the rubbing processing direction RD, as in the rubbing mask 40 of the second embodiment. The end face on the downstream side has a tapered shape 45d. Further, although detailed illustration is omitted, the end surface of the opening 45a provided in the rubbing mask 45 has a tapered shape 45e, or the unevenness provided on the surface of the rubbing mask 45 extending in a direction parallel to the rubbing treatment direction RD. The point having the shape 40b is the second embodiment.
The rubbing mask 40 of the second embodiment is the same as the rubbing mask 40 of the second embodiment.

In the rubbing apparatus of this modification, as shown in FIG. 10A, a transfer robot 50 that carries in and out of the stage 20 is arranged as a substrate transfer mechanism, and the transfer arm 50a moves the stage. The board | substrate 1 is carried in and carrying out on 20. FIG. In addition, although the external view is shown in FIG.10 (b) about the conveyance robot 50, the conveyance arm 5 is shown.
A general substrate transfer robot having 0a can be used. Also, the transfer arm 50a
As for the delivery from the stage, a lifting pin 51 for delivering the substrate 1 on the stage 20 is provided, the substrate 1 is delivered between the lifting pin 51 and the transfer arm 50a, and the lifting pin 51 moves up and down to move the stage. The substrate 1 on 20 is placed. Furthermore, similarly to the example of the procedure for placing the rubbing mask 40 in the second embodiment described with reference to FIG. 9B, after the substrate 1 is placed on the stage 20, the opening replacement part 43 is placed on the substrate 1. In this rubbing apparatus of this modification, the opening replacement part 43 is used as a mask setting mechanism.
The suction pad 60 is mounted from the upper surface side of the stage 20 while sucking the water.

The substrate transport mechanism is not limited to the transport robot described here, and a transport roller may be used as in the first embodiment. In that case, the frame part 42 is positioned below the surface of the stage 20 only when the conveyance roller is carried in / out so that the substrate 1 carried in / out from the stage 20 does not interfere with the frame part 44 having the substrate positioning function. It may be configured to perform an operation stored in the stage 20.

As for the rubbing mask 4, the rubbing mask 40, and the rubbing mask 45 used in the rubbing processing apparatuses of the first and second embodiments described above and the modifications thereof, all are upstream of the rubbing processing direction of the mask and Although it was set as the structure which has the taper shape 4d, the taper shape 40d, or the taper shape 45d in the downstream edge part, by reexamining the operation range of the rubbing roller 3 with respect to the rubbing mask 4, the rubbing mask 40, and the rubbing mask 45 suitably, These tapered shape 4d, tapered shape 40d or tapered shape 45
It is also possible to omit the configuration of d. Specifically, in the rubbing processing apparatus of the modified example of FIG. 11, the operating range of the rubbing roller 35 is on the inner side from the upstream end with respect to the rubbing processing direction of the rubbing mask 46 and from the end of the substrate 1. Rubbing roller 3 on the outer position a
5 is set as the operation end position of the rubbing roller 35 at a position “b” on the inner side of the downstream end with respect to the rubbing process direction of the rubbing mask 46 and on the outer side of the end of the substrate 1. Accordingly, the rubbing roller 35 is lowered at the position a, and the rubbing process is started while contacting the rubbing mask 46, and the rubbing process is performed while moving on the rubbing mask 46 in the rubbing process direction RD relative to the substrate 1. Is raised at position b,
The rubbing process ends after leaving the rubbing mask 46.

In the rubbing mask 46, it is not necessary to change the features other than omitting the configuration of the tapered shape 4d, the tapered shape 40d, or the tapered shape 45d in the rubbing mask 4, the rubbing mask 40, and the rubbing mask 45. That is, although detailed illustration is omitted, a tapered shape 46e is provided on the end face of the opening 46a provided in the rubbing mask 46, or provided on the surface of the rubbing mask 46 so as to extend in a direction parallel to the rubbing treatment direction RD. The points having the concavo-convex shape 4b or the concavo-convex shape 40b are the same as those of the rubbing mask 4, the rubbing mask 40, and the rubbing mask 45. does not change.

Further, by operating as described above, that is, the operating range of the rubbing roller 35 is set to the upstream side and downstream side upstream and downstream ends with respect to the rubbing processing direction of the rubbing mask 46. As a result, the rubbing roller 35 does not contact the upstream and downstream ends of the rubbing mask 46 in the rubbing process direction. As a result, damage to the surface of the rubbing roller 3 caused by the contact between the rubbing roller 3 and the end of the rubbing mask will not occur. In addition, in this modified example, the operating range of the rubbing roller with respect to the rubbing mask is set, and conversely, by setting the operating range of the rubbing roller narrow without changing the size of the rubbing mask, Any means can be realized by increasing the size of the rubbing mask with respect to the operating range of the rubbing roller, that is, by expanding the position of the end portion of the rubbing mask outside the operating range of the rubbing roller.

Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment, which is an embodiment when the present invention is applied to a liquid crystal display device and a manufacturing method thereof, will be described. 12 and 13 are schematic views of a liquid crystal panel constituting the liquid crystal display device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Hereinafter, the configuration of this liquid crystal panel. This will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the entire liquid crystal panel, and FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along a cross-sectional line AB in FIG.

Here, as an example, a lateral electric field type liquid crystal panel operated using a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) as a switching element, particularly FFS (Fringe Fi).
The case where the present invention is applied to a liquid crystal panel using the “eld switching” method will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the liquid crystal panel 100 includes a TFT substrate 110 having a TFT as a switching element, and a display that displays an image that is disposed so as to be opposed to the TFT substrate 110. Color filter substrate 12 which is a counter substrate having region 200
0 and the color filter substrate 120 are arranged so as to surround the area corresponding to the display area 200.
And a sealing material 130 for sealing a gap between the TFT substrate 110 and the TFT substrate 110. Further, between the TFT substrate 110 and the color filter substrate 120, a large number of columnar spacers (not shown) that form and hold a gap of a predetermined distance between the substrates are arranged in the display region 200. This sealing material 1
Color filter substrate 120 and TFT sealed by 30 and held by columnar spacers
The liquid crystal layer 140 is sandwiched at least in a region corresponding to the display region 200 in the gap with the substrate 110. The sealing material 130 is formed in a frame area 190 disposed outside the area corresponding to the display area 200. In addition, the TFT substrate 110 and the color filter substrate 120
The outer shape of each of the TFT substrates 110 is rectangular, and the outer shape of the TFT substrate 110 is larger than the outer shape of the color filter substrate 120 and has a protruding portion that partially protrudes from the outer end surface of the color filter substrate 120. Has been placed.

Note that the frame region 190 used here is the TFT substrate 110 of the liquid crystal panel 100.
In the upper area, on the color filter substrate 120, or in the area sandwiched between the two substrates, the display area 2
00 means a frame-like area surrounding the display area 200 located outside, that is, all areas except the display area 200, and the display area 200 is also on the TFT substrate 110 and the color filter substrate 120 of the liquid crystal panel 100. Alternatively, it is used in all the regions sandwiched between both substrates, and in this specification, all are used in the same meaning.

The color filter substrate 120 includes an alignment film 122b that aligns liquid crystal in a region corresponding to the display region 200 on one surface of the glass substrate 121 that is the first transparent substrate, and the alignment film 12.
2b is a frame area 190 arranged to shield between the color filter (coloring material layer) 124 and the color filter 124 provided in the lower part of 2b or outside the area corresponding to the display area 200.
A light shielding layer 125 provided to shield the light. As the color filter 124, a color material layer in which a pigment or the like is dispersed in a resin can be selected. The color filter 124 functions as a filter that selectively transmits light in a specific wavelength range such as red, green, and blue. The color material layers are arranged regularly. As the light shielding layer 125, a metal material using chromium oxide or the like, a resin material in which black particles are dispersed in a resin, or the like can be selected. The alignment film 12
An overcoat layer made of a transparent resin film may be provided below the layer 2b so as to cover the color filter 124 and the light shielding layer 125.

In addition, the color filter substrate 120 includes an antistatic transparent conductive layer 131 connected to the ground on the other surface of the glass substrate 121. The static-preventing transparent conductive layer 131 covers at least the display region 200 of the glass substrate 121, and is provided as an effective means for preventing charging due to static electricity or a display defect due to an external electric field in a horizontal electric field type liquid crystal panel.

On the other hand, the TFT substrate 110 described above includes an alignment film 122a for aligning liquid crystal in a region corresponding to the display region 200 on the surface of the glass substrate 111 that is the second transparent substrate on the side facing the color filter substrate 120; A pixel electrode 112 and a counter electrode 113 which are a pair of electrodes provided under the alignment film 122a and which generate an electric field in a direction parallel to the substrate surface of the TFT substrate 110 or the color filter substrate 120 and apply a voltage for driving liquid crystal; A TFT 114 which is a switching element for writing a voltage to the pixel electrode 112 which is one of the pair of electrodes, and a TFT
114, a plurality of gate wirings 116g and source wirings 116s, which are wirings for supplying signals to the TFT 114, and gate electrodes (not shown) and source / drain electrodes (not shown) that are connected to these wirings and constitute the TFT 114. Etc.).

As described above, the outermost surfaces of the TFT substrate 110 and the color filter substrate 120 are provided with the alignment film 122a and the alignment film 122b for aligning the liquid crystal. In particular, the alignment film 122a and the alignment film in the third embodiment of the present invention are provided. As for the film 122b, the manufacturing method will be described below. However, the rubbing process in which the orientation process is performed using the rubbing apparatus of any one of the first and second embodiments or the modified examples, and damage is not continuously generated. It is characterized by having a highly uniaxial orientation characteristic obtained by orientation treatment in the state of a cloth or a rubbing cloth close to an ideal.

Note that the pixel electrode 112 and the counter electrode 113 which are a pair of electrodes to which a voltage for driving the liquid crystal is applied.
In the third embodiment, the pixel electrode 112 as one electrode is formed of a flat transparent conductive film pattern, and the counter electrode 113 as the other electrode has a comb shape or a plurality of parallel slit shapes. The pixel electrode 1 is composed of a transparent conductive film pattern having an opening.
12 overlaid on the insulating layer. In addition, the above configuration is not essential, and the pixel electrode 112 and the counter electrode 113 have a shape having a comb-teeth shape or a plurality of slit-shaped openings arranged in parallel, with the vertical relationship of the shape and arrangement reversed. Arranged in a layer above the counter electrode 113, the counter electrode 113 is arranged in a lower layer than the pixel electrode 112 as a flat plate shape, and the TFT 114 is connected to the pixel electrode 112 having a comb-tooth shape or a pattern having a plurality of slit-shaped openings arranged in parallel. However, it may be configured to apply a voltage. Pixel electrode 1
12 and the illustration of a specific planar pattern shape of the counter electrode 113 is omitted, but a known FF
The planar pattern shape of the pixel electrode and the counter electrode used in the liquid crystal panel using the S method may be employed.

In addition, the insulating film 115 which is an insulating film constituting the TFT substrate 110, or the insulating film formed between the pixel electrode 112 and the counter electrode 113 is a single layer transparent insulating film or a plurality of transparent insulating films. It is composed of a laminated film. Further, as shown in the schematic arrangement in FIG. 12, the gate wiring 116g and the source wiring 116s formed in the display region 200 are
A plurality of the gate wirings 116g and the source wirings 116s are arranged so as to intersect with each other. Further, the pixel electrode 112 and the TFT 114, and further the gate electrode and the source / drain electrode constituting the TFT 114 are arranged in an array corresponding to the pixel region surrounded by the intersection of the plurality of gate wirings 116g and the source wirings 116s. Has been. In addition, the same number of common wirings 113L that supply a common potential to the counter electrode 113 are arranged in parallel to the gate wirings 116g and connected to the counter electrode 113 in each pixel region, and the potential of the counter electrode 113 in each pixel region is set to be equal. All are shared with a common potential.

Further, a signal supplied to the TFT 114 is received from the outside on the surface of the frame region 190 on the TFT substrate 110, particularly on the surface on the side where the color filter substrate 120 is disposed in the protruding portion that partially protrudes from the end surface of the color filter substrate 120. A signal terminal 118 is provided. The signal terminal 118 is shown as an integral configuration in the figure, but in detail, a plurality of rectangular pads having a longitudinal direction in the X direction in the figure separated in correspondence with a plurality of signals in the Y direction in the figure. It has an arranged configuration.

Further, for each pad of the signal terminal 118, an FFC (Fl) serving as a connection wiring is provided.
A control board 135 equipped with a control IC (Integrated Circuit) chip for generating a control signal for controlling the drive IC and the like is connected via an Explain Flat Cable (136) 136. The control signal from the control board 135 is sent to the signal terminal 11.
8 is input to the input side of the drive IC chip 134 attached to the protruding portion, and the drive I
An output signal output from the output side of the C chip 134 is supplied to the TFT 114 in the display area 200 via a large number of signal extraction wirings (not shown) drawn from the display area 200. .

Further, a polarizing plate 132 a is provided on the antistatic transparent conductive layer 131 provided on the outer surface with respect to the liquid crystal layer 140 of the color filter substrate 120. In addition, TFT substrate 110
A polarizing plate 132 b is provided on the outer surface of the liquid crystal layer 140. These polarizing plates 132
a and the polarizing plate 132b are the color filter substrate 120 and the TFT substrate 110, respectively.
Are arranged so as to cover at least the display area 200.

Further, the antistatic transparent conductive layer 131 formed on the surface of the color filter substrate 120 is grounded. Here, for example, a ground pad 117 is provided on the protruding portion of the TFT substrate 110, and the conductive tape 133 is provided between the static-preventing transparent conductive layer 131 and the ground pad 117.
Connected through. The transparent conductive layer 131 for preventing static electricity is mostly made of the polarizing plate 13.
Although covered with 2a, a part of the polarizing plate 1 is formed at the end of the color filter substrate 120.
An exposed portion that is not covered by 32a is formed. A conductive tape 133 is attached to an exposed portion of the static electricity preventing transparent conductive layer 131 and connected to the static electricity preventing transparent conductive layer 131.
Further, since the ground pad 117 is grounded via the signal terminal 118 and the FFC 136 in sequence, the static electricity preventing transparent conductive layer 131 is grounded via these paths. In addition, as the conductive tape 133, what apply | coated the conductive adhesive to the base material which consists of metal foils, such as Al foil and Cu foil, can be used, and a general commercially available conductive tape can be utilized.

As described above, the liquid crystal panel 100 of the third embodiment is configured. Further, on the opposite side of the liquid crystal panel 100 from the display surface formed in the display area 200 of the color filter substrate 120, a backlight unit (not shown) serving as a light source facing the substrate surface of the TFT substrate 110 is provided. It is arranged via an optical sheet (not shown) having a function of adjusting the light from the backlight unit, and together with these members, the display surface portion of the display area 200 is accommodated in an open casing (not shown). The liquid crystal display device of the third embodiment is configured.

The liquid crystal display device according to the third embodiment, whose configuration has been described above, operates as follows. For example, a control signal is input from the control substrate 135, the driving IC chip 134 operates, and the signal is transmitted to the pixel region via the wiring in the display region 200. As a result, the TFT substrate 110 or the color filter substrate 12 is interposed between the pixel electrode 112 and the common electrode 113 arranged in each pixel region.
An electric field in a direction parallel to the substrate surface of 0 (more specifically, in the FFS system, an electric field in a direction almost parallel to the parallel electric field is generated in a mixed manner, so that it can be said that the electric field mainly includes components in the parallel direction. ) Is applied, and the direction of liquid crystal molecules changes in accordance with the drive voltage. Then, light emitted from the backlight unit is transmitted or blocked to the viewer side through the TFT substrate 110, the liquid crystal layer 140, and the color filter substrate 120, so that the display region 200 on the color filter substrate 120 side of the liquid crystal panel 100 is displayed. An image or the like is displayed on the formed display surface.

Next, a method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display device according to the third embodiment will be described. Here, the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal panel, which is characteristic in the present invention, will be outlined in order according to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, as a preparatory stage before entering the various steps shown in the flowchart, in the substrate preparatory step, a mother TFT substrate that takes out the TFT substrate 110 before being bonded to each other and a mother color filter substrate that is a mother substrate from which the color filter substrate 120 is taken out. prepare. A predetermined number of TFs of the same configuration on each mother board
The T substrate 110 or the color filter substrate 120 is formed in an array. This TFT substrate 1
The mother TFT substrate having the configuration of 10 and the mother color filter substrate having the configuration of the color filter substrate 120 are the same as those described with reference to FIGS.
If the detailed configuration of 0 is known, it is possible to manufacture the TFT substrate and the color filter substrate of a known FFS mode liquid crystal display device by appropriately combining the manufacturing method of the known film forming process and the patterning process.
Therefore, a more specific description of the manufacturing method of the mother TFT substrate and the mother color filter substrate itself is omitted.

Subsequently, a substrate cleaning process for cleaning the substrate is performed on the mother TFT substrate on which the TFT substrate 110 prepared as described above is formed (S1). Next, in the alignment film material application step, an alignment film material is applied and formed on one surface of the mother TFT substrate (S2). This process
For example, an alignment film material made of an organic film is applied by a printing method, baked by a hot plate or the like, and dried. Thereafter, in the alignment treatment step, the alignment film material is subjected to mask rubbing treatment, which is a characteristic process of the present invention, and the alignment film material surface is subjected to alignment treatment to obtain the TFT substrate 1.
The alignment film 122a on the 10th side is formed (S3). Similarly to S1 to S3, the mother color filter substrate on which the color filter substrate 120 is formed is also washed, coated with an alignment film material, and similarly subjected to this mask rubbing treatment, thereby providing a color filter substrate 120 side. An alignment film 122b is formed. In particular, with respect to the mask rubbing process performed here, specifically, the rubbing process is performed using the rubbing processing apparatus according to any one of the first and second embodiments described above or their modifications.

Further, in the case of manufacturing the horizontal electric field type liquid crystal panel 100, it is effective to improve the alignment state by performing the rubbing process twice in two parallel directions.
In the case of the rubbing apparatus according to the first embodiment, it is preferable to perform the rubbing process in the direction opposite to the rubbing process direction RD after performing the rubbing process once in the rubbing process direction RD.
In particular, in the rubbing process in the opposite direction, the relationship between the taper shape 4d provided on the end face of the rubbing mask 4 and the taper shape 4e on the upstream side and the downstream side with respect to the rubbing process direction RD is reversed, but the taper shape 4d and the taper shape are tapered. When the shape 4e is provided on both the upstream side and the downstream side, the tapered shape 4d and the tapered shape 4e function effectively also in the rubbing process in the opposite direction. Further, the concavo-convex shape 4b provided on the surface of the rubbing mask 4 extending in a direction parallel to the rubbing treatment direction also extends in a direction parallel to the rubbing treatment direction during the rubbing treatment in the opposite direction. Since there is no change in being provided, it will function effectively.

Subsequently, in the sealing material application process, the screen printing apparatus uses the sealing material as a printing paste to apply the sealing material to one surface of the mother TFT substrate or the mother color filter substrate to form a pattern that surrounds the display region 200. The sealing material 130 is formed (S4).
Then, in the liquid crystal dropping step, a large number of liquid crystals in the form of droplets are dropped on one surface of the mother TFT substrate or the mother color filter substrate in a region surrounded by the sealing material 130 (S5).
Specifically, for example, for the color filter substrate 120 of the mother color filter substrate,
A number of liquid crystals in the form of droplets are dropped in a region surrounded by the sealing material 130 so that a predetermined amount of the liquid crystal layer 140 is formed as a whole. Also, here, the liquid crystal is filled using a so-called drop injection method,
The method for forming the liquid crystal layer 140 is taken as an example, and thus formed. However, when the so-called vacuum injection method is used, the sealing material 130 is not a completely closed shape, but a liquid crystal injection port partially opened. Is formed. In addition, since the liquid crystal is injected from the liquid crystal injection port after being bonded, the liquid crystal formation process described above is omitted.

Subsequently, in the bonding step, the mother TFT substrate and the mother color filter substrate are bonded together to form a cell substrate (S6). Specifically, the mother TFT substrate and the mother color filter substrate are brought close to each other in a state where the liquid crystal in the form of droplets is placed, and are aligned and overlapped. As a result, the liquid crystal formed in the form of droplets is sandwiched between the mother TFT substrate and the mother color filter substrate and uniformly spreads and becomes a state of the integrated liquid crystal layer 140, and each of the liquid crystal layers 140 between the mother TFT substrate and the mother color filter substrate is obtained. The volume surrounded by the sealing material 130 is filled.

Further, in the seal curing step, the seal material 130 is completely cured in a state where the mother TFT substrate and the mother color filter substrate are bonded together (S7). This step is performed, for example, by applying heat according to the material of the sealing material 130 or by irradiating ultraviolet rays.
In the third embodiment, curing is performed by a method of irradiating with ultraviolet rays, which is compatible with the dropping injection method. By this process, the mother TFT substrate and the mother color filter substrate are fixed in the aligned positional relationship. Further, when the substrate is thinned to reduce the weight of the liquid crystal panel, it is preferable to perform a thinning process by chemical solution or mechanical polishing in the bonded state.

Next, in the cell dividing step, the cell substrate is divided into a large number of individual cells (S8). In the case of using the so-called vacuum injection method, a liquid crystal injection port partially opened in the sealing material 130 as described above is formed, and in the liquid crystal injection step performed after the cell dividing step, Liquid crystal is injected into the individual cells from the liquid crystal injection port. In this step, for example, the liquid crystal layer 140 is formed by filling the liquid crystal by vacuum injection from the liquid crystal injection port. Further, in the sealing step, the liquid crystal inlet is sealed. This step is performed, for example, by sealing with a photocurable resin and irradiating with light.

After being divided into individual liquid crystal panel shapes in this manner, in the polarizing plate attaching step, the polarizing plate 132 is formed on each surface of the color filter substrate 120 and the TFT substrate 110 of the individual cell.
a and the polarizing plate 132b are pasted (S9). Subsequently, in the control board mounting step, the drive IC chip 134 and the control board 135 are mounted (S10). In this step, the drive IC chip 134 and the FFC 136 to which the control substrate 135 is attached are attached to the signal terminal 118 so as to be conductive, and the conductive tape 133 is applied from the color filter substrate 120 to the TFT substrate 1.
10 is bonded to the surface of the color filter substrate 120, and the grounding pad 117 formed on the surface of the TFT substrate 110 is electrically connected. The liquid crystal panel 100 is completed through the above steps.

Finally, a backlight unit is disposed opposite to the liquid crystal panel 100 via an optical sheet, and is stored in a casing in which a portion outside the color filter substrate 120 in the display area 200 serving as a display surface is opened. Thus, the liquid crystal display device of the third embodiment is completed.

As described above, the liquid crystal display device according to the third embodiment is a horizontal electric field type liquid crystal panel, and the alignment film 122a and the alignment film 122b for aligning liquid crystals formed on the TFT substrate 110 and the color filter substrate 120. In particular, the orientation treatment is performed using the rubbing treatment apparatus according to any one of the first and second embodiments or the modifications thereof, and the orientation is continuously performed in the state of a rubbing cloth that is not damaged or is almost ideal. Due to the high uniaxial orientation characteristics obtained by the processing, the horizontal electric field type liquid crystal has a display quality such as contrast characteristics, which is higher than before. A panel and a liquid crystal display device can be obtained. Further, in the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display device according to the third embodiment, the processing capacity of the liquid crystal panel and the liquid crystal display device is greatly increased at the time of manufacturing, particularly by increasing the replacement frequency of the rubbing cloth in the rubbing processing device. Since it can implement | achieve without reducing, it can manufacture at low cost as a result, without causing the increase in manufacturing cost.

1 substrate, 1a display area, 2,20 stage, 2a alignment pin, 3,35
Rubbing roller, 3a rubbing cloth, 3b roller body, 4, 40, 45, 46 rubbing mask, 4a, 40a, 45a, 46a opening, 4b, 40b uneven shape, 4b1
Bank-like convex part, 4b2 Groove-like concave part, 4c, 40c Substrate storage part, 4d, 4e, 40d, 4
0e, 45d, 45e, 46d, 46e Tapered shape, 41, 43 Opening replacement parts, 42, 44 Frame parts, 5a, 5b Conveying roller, 50 Conveying robot, 50a Conveying arm, 6a Mask lifting pins, 6b, 7a, 7b Vacuum suction holes, 60 suction pads,
100 liquid crystal panel, 110 TFT substrate, 120 color filter substrate, 111, 12
1 glass substrate, 112 pixel electrode, 113 counter electrode, 113L common wiring, 114
TFT, 115 insulating film, 116 g gate wiring, 116 s source wiring, 117 ground pad, 118 signal terminal, 124 color filter, 125 light shielding layer, 130 sealing material, 131 anti-static transparent conductive layer, 132 a, 132 b polarizing plate, 133 conductive Tape, 134 driving IC chip, 135 control board, 136 FFC, 140 liquid crystal layer,
190 frame area, 200 display area.

Claims (9)

A rubbing mask having an uneven shape provided on the surface extending in a direction parallel to the rubbing treatment direction, and having an opening that is opened corresponding to a region that requires an alignment treatment of the substrate to be treated,
A rubbing treatment apparatus, wherein the rubbing mask is made of a conductive material and is grounded. The width of the bank-like convex part constituting the concave-convex shape is set in the range of 1-30 μm, the depth of the groove-like concave part constituting the concave-convex shape is set in the range of 3-50 μm, and the width is set in the range of 3-50 μm. The rubbing processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The rubbing processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of openings of the rubbing mask are provided in an array, and a concavo-convex shape is also formed on a surface of a portion between the plurality of openings. . The rubbing processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an end portion having an obtuse angle exceeding 90 degrees is formed at an end portion of the rubbing mask that contacts the rubbing roller. The obtuse angle end part exceeding 90 degree | times is formed in the external shape end part of an upstream and a downstream with respect to the rubbing process direction in a rubbing mask, The any one of Claims 1-4 characterized by the above-mentioned. Rubbing processing device. The rubbing processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an operating range of the rubbing roller is set on the inner side of the upstream and downstream ends with respect to the rubbing processing direction of the rubbing mask. . The rubbing process according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein an end portion having an obtuse angle exceeding 90 degrees is formed at an upstream end portion and a downstream end portion of an opening provided in the rubbing mask. apparatus. The rubbing mask is configured by combining two members of a first part where an opening is formed and a second part which is a frame part to which the first part is attached. The rubbing processing apparatus according to claim 7. A method of manufacturing a horizontal electric field type liquid crystal display device, comprising an alignment treatment step using the rubbing treatment device according to claim 1.

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