JP2016218355A - Surface level difference measurement method, surface level difference measurement device, and method for manufacturing liquid crystal display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To measure the height of a minute shaped part with greater accuracy in a surface level difference measurement method and surface level difference measurement device using white light interferometry or in a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device.SOLUTION: Provided is a surface level difference measurement method using white light interferometry, wherein two shape data obtained from a measurement area a1 in the vicinity of a minute shaped part PS and a measurement area a2 that includes areas adjacent to the measurement area a1 are synthesized, with shape data about the measurement area a2 that is based on the shape data of the measurement area a1 adopted with regard to the vicinity of a columnar spacer PS, and the height of the minute shaped part PS is derived from the synthesized shape data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to the measurement of the height of a minute shape portion provided on the surface of an object to be measured, and more particularly to the measurement of the height of a columnar spacer that holds between substrates in the manufacture of a liquid crystal display device.

  A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT array substrate (hereinafter referred to as an array substrate) including TFTs (Thin Film Transistors) arranged in an array and a pixel electrode, and a counter substrate (color filter substrate: hereinafter referred to as a CF substrate) including color filters. The liquid crystal panel is provided with a liquid crystal material sandwiched between a pair of substrates. As a method of maintaining a constant distance between a pair of substrates in this liquid crystal panel, a method of forming columnar spacers (also referred to as post spacers: PS) at predetermined positions on an array substrate or a CF substrate by a photolithography process is widely used. ing.

  Further, in recent liquid crystal display devices, a design with a high aperture ratio (increasing the ratio of the pixel aperture region) is often adopted due to the trend of lower power consumption, and the light shielding disposed on the CF substrate. The light shielding area shielded by the layer is minimized. In addition, with the trend toward higher definition of display images, the pixel size is often designed to be small. In such a product, the columnar spacer provided in the light shielding region disposed on the CF substrate also needs to be designed to have a small size (diameter in the case of a circle) in the plane direction as a formation region. Many designs have been adopted in which small columnar spacers are arranged at a high ratio per pixel.

  On the other hand, in the manufacturing process of a liquid crystal panel in a liquid crystal display device, a vacuum injection method and a drop injection (also called One Drop Filling) method are generally used as a liquid crystal injection step for injecting liquid crystal into the liquid crystal panel. In the dropping injection method, after a liquid crystal material is dropped on a substrate on which a seal pattern is formed, a counter substrate is bonded in a vacuum, and the seal pattern is further cured to form a liquid crystal panel. In Patent Document 1, the columnar spacer can follow the change in volume of the liquid crystal within the range of elastic deformation against the failure of gravity and low temperature foaming, which are defects caused by the change in volume of the liquid crystal according to the use temperature of the liquid crystal display device. It is disclosed that it is effective that the columnar spacers are compressed to an appropriate range in the state of the liquid crystal panel. Further, it is disclosed that in order to make the compression amount of the columnar spacers appropriate, it is effective to optimize the dropping amount of the liquid crystal material according to the height of the columnar spacers in the above-described dropping injection method. Yes.

  In addition, in order to strictly control the dropping amount of the liquid crystal material, it is necessary to consider the manufacturing variation of the height of the columnar spacer. As a countermeasure, the height of the columnar spacer is required before the dropping step of the liquid crystal material. Is actually measured and the measured value is reflected in the dropping amount of the liquid crystal material. As a method for measuring the height of the columnar spacer, a step measuring device using an optical interference method is often used as a relatively simple method for measuring the height of a minute shape portion, but the substrate surface on which the columnar spacer is formed The measurement value greatly fluctuates due to several factors such as the influence of the unevenness of the substrate and the inclination of the substrate when it is set in the measuring apparatus, which causes a problem that the inspection cannot be performed with high accuracy. In particular, as described above, the columnar spacers to be measured are designed to have a small size in the plane direction, and the ratio of the columnar spacers to the pixel size is also small, and this relatively small columnar spacer is measured. In this case, when the objective lens of the level difference measuring device is set to a high magnification and the columnar spacer is enlarged and measured, the measurement data on the height of the substrate surface serving as a reference for the columnar spacer height becomes local data, It is impossible to measure with high accuracy due to the influence of the unevenness of the substrate surface described above and the influence of the inclination of the substrate when it is set on the measuring device. On the other hand, when the measurement is performed with a low-magnification lens, the resolution of the image sensor (CCD element) corresponding to the columnar spacer becomes insufficient, and the measurement cannot be performed with high accuracy.

  Therefore, in order to solve such a problem in inspection accuracy, in Patent Document 2, a preliminary measurement unit that detects the position of the measurement object, a main measurement unit that measures the height of the measurement object, By using the optical interference type step measuring device consisting of for measuring the height of spacer protrusions (columnar spacers), the positioning of the substrate on which the spacer protrusions (columnar spacers) of the measurement object are formed is automatically and highly accurate. Discloses a dimension measurement method that can be implemented.

JP 2008-65077 A JP 2004-20202 A

  However, in the method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device disclosed in Patent Document 1, as described above, the amount of liquid crystal material dropped is optimized due to variations in the height of columnar spacers themselves and measurement accuracy. I can't. Furthermore, even when using the level difference measuring device of Patent Document 2, it may be possible to avoid the influence of unevenness on the surface of the substrate and the adverse effect on the measurement due to the inclination of the substrate when set in the measuring device, but the columnar shape is small in size. It is not an effective measure against the deterioration of measurement accuracy due to insufficient resolution of the image sensor (CCD element) with respect to the spacer.

  In addition, the problem of measurement accuracy in the method for measuring a difference in level of the minute shape portion and the measurement apparatus is not limited to the height measurement of the columnar spacer in the method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display device.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a level difference measuring method or level difference measuring apparatus that can measure the height of a minute shape portion more accurately. In the method of providing or manufacturing the liquid crystal display device, the height of the columnar spacer which is a minute shape portion is more accurately measured, and further, the liquid crystal to be dropped by the measured value of the height of the obtained columnar spacer By determining the amount, it is to provide a manufacturing method capable of improving a defect caused by a volume change of the liquid crystal according to the use temperature and manufacturing a highly reliable liquid crystal display device.

  In the surface level difference measuring method using the white interference method of the present invention, it is obtained by the first measurement region in the vicinity of the minute shape portion to be measured and the second measurement region including the region adjacent to the first measurement region. The two shape data are synthesized, and the vicinity of the minute shape portion is used as the shape data in the region combining the first measurement region and the second measurement region based on the shape data of the first measurement region. The height of the minute shape portion is derived from the data.

  In a method for measuring a surface level difference, a surface level difference measuring device, or a liquid crystal display device using a white light interference method, the measurement target is very small when the minute shape portion is relatively small, or from the cost and technical aspects of the measuring device. Even when a resolution image sensor (CCD element) cannot be used, the height of the minute shape portion can be measured more accurately.

It is a schematic side view of the level | step difference measuring apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is an enlarged plan view of the color filter substrate used as the measuring object in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the level | step difference measuring apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the shape profile data obtained by the level | step difference measuring apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the level | step difference measuring apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the shape profile data obtained by the level | step difference measuring apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing about the signal processing which the level | step difference measuring apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention performs. It is explanatory drawing about the signal processing which the level | step difference measuring apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention performs. It is a schematic side view of the level | step difference measuring apparatus of Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is an enlarged plan view of the color filter board | substrate used as the measuring object in Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the level | step difference measuring apparatus of Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the shape profile data obtained by the level | step difference measuring apparatus of Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing about the signal processing which the level | step difference measuring apparatus of Embodiment 2 of this invention performs. 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.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
Hereinafter, as an example of the surface level difference measuring device of the white interference method according to the first embodiment and the surface level difference measuring method using the surface level difference measuring device, a color filter substrate (hereinafter referred to as a CF substrate) on which a color filter is formed in a liquid crystal display device. ) A measurement method for measuring the height of the columnar spacer PS provided on 120 will be described.

  First, the structure of the surface level | step difference measuring apparatus 200 of this Embodiment 1 is demonstrated with reference to FIG. Note that the drawings in the present specification are schematic and do not reflect the exact size of the components shown. In the following drawings, the same components as those described in the previous drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted as appropriate. Here, the object to be measured is a CF substrate 120 used in a liquid crystal display device, and the steps to be measured are columnar spacers PS and CF substrate 120 which are minute projections formed on the surface of the CF substrate 120. This is the height of the columnar spacer PS which is a step formed between the surface and the minute shape portion with reference to the surface of the CF substrate 120.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200 includes a stage ST on which the CF substrate 120 is placed, a half mirror HM inclined at 45 ° with respect to the horizontal, and a halogen disposed on the side of the half mirror HM. A white light source LS using a lamp, an imaging lens LZC disposed above the half mirror HM, a CCD element CC as an image sensor disposed above the imaging lens LZC, and a switching mechanism (not shown) ) And two interferometer units provided so as to be switchable below the half mirror HM, and a low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa and a high-magnification interferometer unit IMUb, respectively. Here, the CCD element CC has a resolution of 1024 × 1024 which is a general resolution.

  As for the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa and the high-magnification interferometer unit IMUb, in FIG. 1, the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa is arranged below the half mirror HM and the CCD element CC. As shown in FIG. 1, the high-power interferometer unit IMUb is arranged below the half mirror HM and the CCD element CC. It is set as the structure which can switch arrangement | positioning to. Specifically, the switching mechanism is generally used for a method in which the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa and the high-magnification interferometer unit IMUb are arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction and exchanged by a slide mechanism, or for switching the magnification of an objective lens in an optical microscope. As in the rotary objective lens switching mechanism (revolver) employed in the above, a method of arranging both of them symmetrically with respect to each other and exchanging them with the rotation mechanism can be selected.

  Further, as detailed configurations of the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa and the high-magnification interferometer unit IMUb, basically, both use a Milau interferometer, and the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa. , In the state of being disposed below the half mirror HM and the CCD element CC, the low-magnification objective lens LZ1a disposed below the half mirror HM and the beam splitter BSa disposed horizontally below the objective lens LZ1a And an interferometer IMa including a minute reflecting mirror RMa disposed between the beam splitter BSa and the objective lens LZ1a, and a piezo actuator that changes the measurement optical path (measurement distance) by minutely moving the interferometer IMa in the optical axis direction. (Not shown). The high-magnification interferometer unit IMUb is different from the low-magnification objective lens LZ1a in that it includes a high-magnification objective lens LZ1b, but the other configuration is a beam splitter having the same configuration as the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa. An interferometer IMb including a BSb and a minute reflecting mirror RMb is provided.

  Further, the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200 is a stage on which the measurement optical system including the white light source LS, the CCD element CC, the low magnification interferometer unit IMUa and the high magnification interferometer unit IMUb described above and the CF substrate 120 are mounted. For ST, in order to relatively move the position of the columnar spacer PS to be measured on the surface of the CF substrate 120 and the measurement optical system to a fixed positional relationship, either the measurement optical system or the stage ST is moved in the XY axis direction ( A moving mechanism that moves in a direction parallel to the surface of the CF substrate 120 is provided.

  Furthermore, the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200 includes a control unit CU with a built-in computer processing function, and executes sequence control and predetermined data processing related to movement of each component for the measurement method of the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200. . The control unit CU also includes an operation control unit that performs the above-described sequence control, a signal processing unit that processes (image processing) a signal obtained from the CCD element CC, and a display screen (monitor screen) DSP that monitors a measurement state.

  Next, the operation (action) of measuring the height of the columnar spacer PS on the CF substrate 120 using the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the structure of the CF substrate 120 to be measured will be briefly described using the plan view of the CF substrate 120 in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the CF substrate 120 used as an object to be measured in the step of measuring the height of the columnar spacer PS performed in the middle of the manufacturing process of a general liquid crystal display device is formed on the surface of the glass substrate 121 that is a transparent substrate. Color filters 124 (color filters 124R, 124G, and 124B corresponding to red, green, and blue, respectively) that are filters that selectively transmit light in a specific wavelength range such as red, green, and blue, and these A black matrix (BM) 125, which is a light shielding layer that shields light between the plurality of color filters 124R to 124B, and a columnar spacer PS to be measured are formed. Specifically, on the surface of the CF substrate 120, a common electrode made of a transparent conductive film which is lower than the columnar spacer PS and covers the surfaces of the color filters 124R to 124B and the BM 125 is formed. The height of the columnar spacer PS measured here is precisely the height from the surface of the common electrode, but does not greatly affect the height measurement itself, so the illustration of the common electrode is omitted here. ing.

  Further, as shown in the drawing, the columnar spacer PS to be measured is in a ratio of one (one) to one picture element constituted by the color filters 124 of the three pixels of the color filters 124R to 124B. Columnar spacers PS are arranged. Further, the following description will be made by taking as an example a case where one columnar spacer PSx of the columnar spacers PS is an object to be measured.

  Next, as a feature of the operation in the height measurement of the columnar spacer PS by the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200 in the first embodiment, a Milo interferometer is provided by a low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa including a low-magnification objective lens LZ1a. A step of obtaining a three-dimensional surface profile (relative height data) of the surface of the CF substrate 120 in the range of approximately one picture element to two picture elements in the vicinity of the columnar spacer PSx using the operation principle of FIG. Obtaining a three-dimensional surface shape profile of the surface of the CF substrate 120 within a range very close to the columnar spacer PSx using the principle of operation of a Millo interferometer by the high-magnification interferometer unit IMUb having the objective lens LZ1b of By synthesizing the obtained two types of three-dimensional surface shape profile data using a predetermined signal processing method, Generating a data dimension surface shape profile, from the data of one three-dimensional surface shape profiles obtained is to comprise a step of extracting data corresponding to the height Hps of the columnar spacer PS.

  More specifically, with respect to each step, a step of obtaining a three-dimensional surface shape profile by the low magnification interferometer unit IMUa and a step of obtaining a three-dimensional surface shape profile by the high magnification interferometer unit IMUb are particularly performed. The order, that is, whichever may be performed first, will be described first from the step of obtaining a three-dimensional surface shape profile by the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa.

  In the step of obtaining the three-dimensional surface shape profile by the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa, in FIG. 2 used for the description of the CF substrate 120, the pixel spacer PSx to be measured is approximately one pixel in the vicinity ( The picture element is a unit of three pixels of red, green, and blue) to two picture element units, and the low magnification interferometer unit IMUa and the surface level difference measuring device 200 for the measurement area a1 surrounded by a dotted line. To extract a three-dimensional surface shape profile. In the schematic diagram of FIG. 3, in the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200, the objective lens LZ1a for low magnification and the CCD element CC, which are the main components in the measurement using the low magnification interferometer unit IMUa, and the measurement object The positional relationship between the columnar spacer PSx and the CF substrate 120 is shown. Note that FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram that substantially corresponds to the cross-sectional view taken along the cross-sectional line X1-X2 shown in FIG. 2, but the columnar spacer PSx itself is not arranged on the cross-sectional line X1-X2, and therefore has an accurate cross-section. The figure is not shown, but is shown as a side view for explaining the positional relationship in the vertical direction between the measurement range in the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200 and the CF substrate 120 including the columnar spacer PSx.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the measurement area a1 of the measurement performed using the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa is an area including the columnar spacer PSx. The color filter 124R to the color filter 124G, the color filter 124B, The color filter 124 for four rows up to the color filter 124R of the repetition unit and the color filter 124 for two columns are set in a total of eight color filters 124 regions.

  There are the following reasons for this setting. As shown in FIG. 3, the color filter 124R, the color filter 124G, and the color filter 124B are often set to different thicknesses, and thus are set to four rows in the direction in which different colors are arranged in this way. Thus, the color filters 124 of the same color (here, the color filter 124R and the color filter 124R of the next repeating unit) are arranged on both sides in the measurement region a1, so that the color filter 124R is approximately at the positions on both sides. The height from the surface of the glass substrate 121 on which .about.124B is formed is the same. Therefore, by using the height data measured for the same height portions on both sides in the measurement region a1 as appropriate for calibration, the plane direction serving as a reference for the surface of the CF substrate 120 can be specified more accurately.

  In FIG. 3, the optical path from both ends of the CCD element CC to the CF substrate 120 is shown by two dotted lines intersecting at the objective lens LZ1a. The range between the two dotted lines is the inspection range. It is conceptually shown as corresponding, and the portion where the two dotted lines contact the CF substrate 120 corresponds to the dotted line indicating the boundary of the measurement region a1 shown in FIG. Further, as indicated by two dotted lines in FIG. 3, the range from the color filter 124R to the color filter 124R of the next repeating unit is extracted by each detection sensor arranged in the CCD element CC. Corresponds to data.

  With the above positional relationship, the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa obtains the three-dimensional surface shape profile of the surface of the CF substrate 120 in the measurement region a1, but the three-dimensional surface shape profile is obtained using the principle of operation of the Millo interferometer. Since the method of obtaining is a known method, the operation of each component in FIG. 1 will be briefly described. At the time of measurement, white light from the white light source LS is incident on the low-magnification objective lens LZ1a of the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa via the half mirror HM. The white light is focused by the objective lens LZ1a, but half the amount of light is reflected by the beam splitter BSa and enters the reflection mirror RMa, and the remaining half amount of light is transmitted through the beam splitter BSa and emitted downward. In addition, the light reflected from the surface of the CF substrate 120 in the measurement region a1 and the light reflected from the reflection mirror RMa return to the beam splitter BSa again, where interference fringes are generated.

  The luminance of the interference fringe is maximized when the distance from the beam splitter BSa to the reflection mirror RMa matches the optical path length of the light reflected by the CF substrate 120 surface. The interference fringes are imaged on the CCD element CC by the imaging lens LZC. Therefore, a measurement process is performed to capture the luminance data of the interference fringes for each position of the interferometer IMa as an image while finely moving the interferometer IMa in the optical axis direction using the piezoelectric actuator. Subsequently, from the image data extracted according to the measured position of the interferometer IMa, the brightness information data for each position of the interferometer IMa corresponding to each detection sensor on the CCD element CC is recaptured. Data processing is performed to determine the position of the interferometer IMa that is the interference center (luminance is maximum) corresponding to each detection sensor. Then, by plotting the position of the interferometer IMa at which the luminance becomes maximum as Z-axis information with respect to the two-dimensional XY axes corresponding to the respective detection sensors arranged in a two-dimensional matrix on the CCD element CC, the CF substrate A three-dimensional surface shape profile of 120 surfaces can be obtained.

Subsequently, a three-dimensional surface shape profile of the surface of the CF substrate 120 in the measurement region a1 obtained by the low magnification interferometer unit IMUa by performing the above measurement and data processing will be described with reference to FIG. First, FIG. 4A illustrates a three-dimensional surface shape profile on the surface of the CF substrate 120 as a step portion of the columnar spacer PSx in order to conceptually explain data processing regarding the height measurement of the columnar spacer PSx in the first embodiment. Is a simplified two-dimensional shape profile lp1 including the positions of P ₁ , P _{2 to} P ₁₀₂₄ corresponding to 1024 elements which are the number of one-dimensional elements of the detection sensor of the CCD element CC. . FIG. 4B shows the three-dimensional surface shape profile Lp1 of the surface of the CF substrate 120 in the measurement region a1 more accurately. The correspondence with FIG. 4A is shown in FIG. A two-dimensional shape profile lp1 indicated by a solid line with P ₁ , P _{2 to} P ₁₀₂₄ in FIG. 4 corresponds to FIG.

  Further, regarding the three-dimensional surface shape profile Lp1 of the surface of the CF substrate 120 obtained by the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa, the uneven profile corresponding to the step portion of the columnar spacer PSx in this data is used as the height of the columnar spacer PSx. When used, it is the same as the measurement data in a general conventional white interference type surface level difference measuring device. In the three-dimensional surface shape profile Lp1 obtained by the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa, the two-dimensional shape profile lp1 shown in FIG. 4A and the columnar spacer PSx of the three-dimensional surface shape profile Lp1 shown in FIG. In the uneven profile portion corresponding to the step portion, the shape corresponding to the end portion of the columnar spacer PSx is dull. This is because, when the columnar spacer PSx is fine, specifically, when the ratio of the columnar spacer PSx is small compared to the measurement region a1 set in the range of approximately one picture element to two picture elements, This becomes conspicuous when the substantial resolution of each detection sensor of the CCD element CC corresponding to the columnar spacer PSx becomes insufficient.

  In the case of measuring the height of the columnar spacer PSx by the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200 of the first embodiment, the three-dimensional surface shape profile Lp1 obtained by the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa is not used as it is, but has been described above. Utilizing the data of the three-dimensional surface shape profile obtained by the step of obtaining the three-dimensional surface shape profile by the high magnification interferometer unit IMUb separately from the step of obtaining the three-dimensional surface shape profile by the low magnification interferometer unit IMUa, The height of the columnar spacer PSx is measured. Subsequently, a process of obtaining a three-dimensional surface shape profile by the high power interferometer unit IMUb will be described.

  In the step of obtaining a three-dimensional surface shape profile by the high-magnification interferometer unit IMUb, in FIG. 5A showing the CF substrate 120, the column spacer PSx to be measured is surrounded by a dotted line as a very close range. A three-dimensional surface shape profile is extracted from the measurement region a2 by the high magnification interferometer unit IMUb and the surface level difference measuring device 200. 5B, in the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200, a high-magnification objective lens LZ1b and a CCD element CC, which are main components in measurement using the high-magnification interferometer unit IMUb, The positional relationship between the columnar spacer PSx to be measured and the CF substrate 120 is shown.

  The measurement region a2 of measurement performed using the high-magnification interferometer unit IMUb is a region including the columnar spacer PSx as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, and the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa. Compared to the measurement area a1 of the measurement performed using, the area is set to a length range of about 1/3 in one dimension, and the area range of about 1/9 in two dimensions. The above ratio is an example, and the ratio of the area occupied by the columnar spacer PSx to the area occupied by the surface of the CF substrate 120 other than the columnar spacer PSx serving as a height measurement reference in the measurement area is somewhat. Since it is necessary to obtain accurate information about the heights of the two, the length ratio is about 1 to 1 in one dimension, the area ratio is about 1 to 3 in two dimensions, It is preferable to set a measurement area for measurement using the high-magnification interferometer unit IMUb with an enlargement ratio such that the surface of the CF substrate 120 other than the columnar spacer PSx occupies a higher ratio.

  The three-dimensional surface shape profile of the surface of the CF substrate 120 in the measurement region a2 is obtained by the high-magnification interferometer unit IMUb in the positional relationship as described above. The operation principle for obtaining the three-dimensional surface shape profile has been described above. Since it is the same as the measurement by the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa, the description is omitted. As described above, the three-dimensional surface shape profile of the surface of the CF substrate 120 in the measurement region a2 obtained by performing measurement and data processing with the high magnification interferometer unit IMUb as in the case of using the low magnification interferometer unit IMUa. This will be described with reference to FIG.

6 (a) and 6 (b) are similar to FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b), respectively, regarding the three-dimensional surface profile of the surface of the CF substrate 120 in the measurement region a1, the columnar spacer PSx. A simplified two-dimensional shape profile hp1 including a stepped portion and a more accurate three-dimensional surface shape profile Hp1 of the surface of the CF substrate 120 in the measurement region a2 are shown in FIG. 6B, the two-dimensional shape profile hp1 indicated by the solid lines with P ₁ , P _{2 to} P ₁₀₂₄ in FIG. 6B corresponds to FIG. 6A. .

  Further, in the three-dimensional surface shape profile Hp1 of the surface of the CF substrate 120 obtained by the high power interferometer unit IMUb, the two-dimensional shape profile hp1 shown in FIG. 6A and the three-dimensional surface shape shown in FIG. In the uneven profile portion corresponding to the step portion of the columnar spacer PSx of the profile Hp1, the shape of the columnar spacer PSx is reproduced more accurately including the portion corresponding to the end portion of the columnar spacer PSx. This is because the substantial resolution of each detection sensor of the CCD element CC corresponding to the columnar spacer PSx portion is improved.

  Subsequently, as described above, data of two types of three-dimensional surface shape profiles of the three-dimensional surface shape profile Lp1 and the three-dimensional surface shape profile Hp1 obtained by the low magnification interferometer unit IMUa and the high magnification interferometer unit IMUb, respectively. A process of generating data of one three-dimensional surface shape profile by combining using a predetermined signal processing method will be described with reference to FIGS. The predetermined signal processing described below is performed by a control unit CU having a signal processing unit that processes (image processing) a signal obtained from the CCD element CC included in the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200.

First, for the three-dimensional surface shape profile Lp1 obtained from the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa, the columnar spacer PSx portion whose substantial resolution is insufficient with respect to the size (size in the planar direction) of the columnar spacer PSx. Is not used for the composite data described above, and the data is deleted. Specifically, in FIG. 7A, for the sake of simplification of explanation, this deletion process will be described using a two-dimensional shape profile lp1. Of the positions corresponding to 1024, which is the number of one-dimensional elements of the detection sensor, P ₁ , P _{2 to} P ₁₀₂₄ , 341 pieces of data of P _{n to} P _{n + 340} that become measurement data in the vicinity of the columnar spacer PSx are deleted. Data processing is performed to obtain a two-dimensional shape profile nlp (where n is an arbitrary integer determined by the element position corresponding to the measurement data range in the vicinity of the columnar spacer PSx). The two-dimensional shape profile nlp has data of P _{1 to} P _{n−1 and} P _{n + 341 to} P ₁₀₂₄ .

Note that the range to be deleted corresponds to the measurement region a2 of the high-power interferometer unit IMUb because the data obtained from the high-power interferometer unit IMUb is assigned later for synthesis. In the example of the first embodiment, the length range is about 1/3 in a one-dimensional manner with respect to the measurement region a1 of the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa, and here, 1024 P ₁ to P ₁ to Of the P ₁₀₂₄ data, the data is set as 341 data, which is approximately 1/3. The deletion range may be appropriately determined according to the ratio of the measurement area a2 of the high magnification interferometer unit IMUb to the measurement area a1 of the low magnification interferometer unit IMUa.

  As actual data processing, the data obtained from the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa is the three-dimensional surface shape profile Lp1 as shown in FIG. 7B. Measurement data in an area range of about 1/9 in the vicinity of the spacer PSx is deleted, and a three-dimensional surface shape profile NLp1 is obtained as shown in FIG. 7B.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 8A, the data of the two-dimensional shape profile hp1 obtained from the high-magnification interferometer unit IMUb is synthesized with the data of the two-dimensional shape profile nlp. At the time of combining, the two data are data having substantially different resolutions due to the difference in magnification, that is, the difference between the measurement region a1 and the measurement region a2, and therefore it is preferable to combine the data with the same resolution. Basically, a method of combining the resolution of one data with the resolution of the other data can be selected. Here, the size of the columnar spacer PSx with respect to the resolution of the CCD element CC (size in the planar direction) is selected. Is relatively large, the resolution of the data of the two-dimensional shape profile hp1 obtained from the high-magnification interferometer unit IMUb measured to a certain degree of accuracy is reduced. In other words, the number of data is converted to 1/9 and applied to the data in the vicinity of the columnar spacer PSx in the two-dimensional shape profile nlp from which the data in the vicinity of PSx has been deleted.

More specifically, the combined two-dimensional shape profile hlp is shown in FIG. 8 (a), with respect _{XP 1, XP 2 ~XP 1024} as the 1024 data in the two-dimensional shape profile hlp, XP _{As for} the data of _{1 to} XP _{n−1 and} XP _{n + 341 to} XP ₁₀₂₄ , the data of P _{1 to} P _{n−1 and} P _{n + 341 to} P _{1024 in} the two-dimensional shape profile nlp are applied as they are. _Furthermore, the data for _{XP n} ~XP _{n + 340,} about 1024 pieces of data _{P 1,} P _{2 to P 1024} in the two-dimensional shape profile hp1, along with the 341 amino _{XP n ~XP} n _{+ 340} number of data, data compression I do. As compression processing, data for each of the three elements is simply assigned in order to XP _n to XP _{n + 340} , or an average value is assigned in order to XP _n to XP _{n + 340 in} units of three adjacent elements. May be. If more advanced calculation is performed and high-precision compression processing is performed, for example, after creating virtual continuous curve data in which data is interpolated and extrapolated from the data of P ₁ , P _{2 to} P ₁₀₂₄ Again, it may be divided into 341 equal intervals and assigned to XP _n to XP _{n + 340} .

  In addition, since the data obtained from the high-magnification interferometer unit IMUb and the data obtained from the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa are data obtained from different optical systems, in addition to the resolution, the height absolute value and the horizontality are It may be off. Therefore, in FIG. 8 (a), the data in the vicinity of the boundary when combining both the two-dimensional shape profile nlp and the two-dimensional shape profile hp1 are two regions in the region surrounded by the dotted ellipse in the figure. In the two-dimensional shape profile hp1, the boundary region Ba11 and the boundary region Ba12 are shown in the three-dimensional shape profile nlp, and the boundary region Ba21 and the boundary region Ba22 are shown in the two-dimensional shape profile hp1. It is preferable to perform processing for leveling data between regions.

Specifically, after converting the data of P ₁ , P _{2 to} P ₁₀₂₄ of the two-dimensional shape profile hp1 to XP _{n to} XP _{n + 340} , after performing the resolution conversion processing described above, For example, a predetermined range (for example, 10) in the boundary region Ba21 on the adjacent two-dimensional shape profile hp1 side with respect to an average value of a predetermined range (for example, defining about 10 places) in the boundary region Ba11 on the two-dimensional shape profile nlp side. A correction value for comparing the two values is set in the boundary region Ba21 on the two-dimensional shape profile hp1 side, and similarly, a predetermined range in the boundary region Ba12 on the two-dimensional shape profile nlp side. Adjacent two-dimensional shape profile hp1 side with respect to the average value (for example, defining about 10 locations) Predetermined range (for example, defines the order of 10 places) in the boundary region BA22 by comparing the average value of, setting a correction value for matching both the two-dimensional shape profile hp1 side of the boundary area BA22. Subsequently, based on the two correction values in the boundary region Ba21 and the boundary region Ba22 near both ends of the data of the two-dimensional shape profile hp1 obtained in this way, each of the two-dimensional shape profile hp1 from one end to the other end The data is converted into data obtained by sequentially adding correction values that are linearly equally distributed between two correction values to obtain data of XP _n to XP _{n + 340} .

By the way described above, in the combined two-dimensional shape profile hlp, against the data in _{XP 1 ~XP n-1, XP} n + 341 ~XP 1024 from the two-dimensional shape profile nlp, from the two-dimensional shape profile hp1 XP _n to XP _{n + 340} are connected to each other at the boundary portion without any level difference, and XP _{n to} XP _{n + 340} itself are also continuous data. In addition, for the sake of easy understanding, the above description regarding the data processing has been made with the two-dimensional shape profile. However, for the three-dimensional profile, only the data to be processed is matrix data. That is, it is possible to perform resolution conversion processing and level combination processing for the data of the three-dimensional surface shape profile Hp1, and to perform processing for combining with the three-dimensional surface shape profile NLp1, as shown in FIG. As shown, a synthesized three-dimensional surface shape profile HLp1 can be obtained.

  In the three-dimensional surface shape profile HLp1 obtained as described above, it is data that more accurately reproduces the shape of the columnar spacer PSx, including the portion corresponding to the end of the columnar spacer PSx, The color filter of the same color in at least a plurality of pixels in the range of approximately one picture element to two picture elements in the vicinity of the columnar spacer PSx on the surface of the CF substrate 120 (in the first embodiment, the color filter 124R and the next repeat unit) The measurement data includes the formation region of the color filter 124R).

  Therefore, using these three-dimensional surface shape profiles HLp1, for example, height data measured for the same height portions on both sides in the measurement region a1 is used for calibration as appropriate, and the surface direction serving as a reference for the surface of the CF substrate 120 is determined. After specifying, a region range not including the columnar spacer PSx is specified using the direction perpendicular to the surface direction as a reference in the height direction, the average height in the region is calculated, and the columnar spacer PSx formation range By performing the data processing that is also performed by a general well-known surface level difference measuring device, such as calculating the average height in the area, taking the difference between these average heights, specifying the area range within, The height of the columnar spacer PSx can be derived.

  In the above description, the data of two types of three-dimensional surface shape profiles, the three-dimensional surface shape profile Lp1 and the three-dimensional surface shape profile Hp1, obtained by the low magnification interferometer unit IMUa and the high magnification interferometer unit IMUb, respectively, are synthesized. In this case, an example was used in which signal processing was performed in which the high resolution data obtained from the high magnification interferometer unit IMUb was combined with the resolution of the data obtained from the low magnification interferometer unit IMUa, but the resolution of the CCD element was low. In some cases, or when it is necessary to obtain composite data with a high resolution, such as when the size of the columnar spacer (size in the planar direction) is relatively large, the data obtained from the high-power interferometer unit IMUb is resolved. For the data obtained from the low-magnification interferometer unit IMUa Such as between the data put interpolated data by performing data processing to increase the virtually resolution, it may perform conversion processing to match the high-magnification interferometer unit resolution of the resulting data from IMUb.

  As described above, in the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200 according to the first embodiment, the high magnification interferometer unit IMUb performs measurement including a columnar spacer PSx portion adjacent to the columnar spacer PSx that is the level difference portion to be measured. In the region a1, a step of obtaining a three-dimensional surface shape profile Hp1 of the surface of the CF substrate 120, and deleting measurement data in the vicinity of the columnar spacer PSx from the three-dimensional surface shape profile Lp1 obtained from the low magnification interferometer unit IMUa, Obtaining a three-dimensional surface shape profile NLp1 of the surface of the CF substrate 120 for the measurement region excluding the measurement region a1 from the measurement region a2 that is a region including the region adjacent to the measurement region a1, and these three-dimensional surface shape profiles Synthesize Hp1 and 3D surface profile NLp1 In the vicinity of the columnar spacer PSx, a step of obtaining the three-dimensional surface shape profile HLp1 of the surface of the CF substrate 120 in the measurement region a1 based on relatively high resolution data of the three-dimensional surface shape profile Hp1, and the three-dimensional surface shape profile A step of deriving the height of the columnar spacer PSx from HLp1 is included. By adopting the above method, in the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200 and the surface level difference measuring method of the first embodiment, the size (size in the planar direction) compared to the pixel of the columnar spacer PSx to be measured. ) Is relatively small, or the height of the columnar spacer PSx can be accurately measured even when a high-resolution CCD element cannot be used due to the cost and technical aspects of the measuring apparatus.

  In the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200 according to the first embodiment described above, the step of obtaining a three-dimensional surface shape profile in the range of approximately one picture element to two picture elements in the vicinity of the pillar spacer PSx and the pillar spacer PSx. The process of obtaining a three-dimensional surface shape profile within a very close range has been described using an example of switching between the low magnification interferometer unit IMUa and the high magnification interferometer unit IMUb. For optical systems other than lenses, it is only necessary to change the magnification under substantially the same conditions and configuration. For example, only the objective lens LZ1a for low magnification and the objective lens LZ1b for high magnification are switched. In such a configuration, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

  In addition, in the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200 of the first embodiment, an example in which an apparatus configuration including an optical system including an objective lens having two types of magnifications, a low magnification interferometer unit IMUa and a high magnification interferometer unit IMUb is used. As described above, the apparatus includes an objective lens with three or more magnifications or an optical system including the objective lens, and the size of the columnar spacer PSx (size in the plane direction) and the pixel Two types of objective lenses or optical systems having different magnifications are selected in accordance with the proportions occupied, and the two types of objective lenses or optical systems are sequentially switched, and the same measurement as in the first embodiment is performed. Even in such a configuration, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained, and a more optimal measurement can be selected, which is more preferable.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
Subsequently, the white interference type surface level difference measuring apparatus of the second embodiment and a step difference measuring method using the surface level difference measurement apparatus were provided on a CF substrate 120 on which a color filter in a liquid crystal display device is formed. A measurement method for measuring the height of the columnar spacer PS will be described. Here, description will be made with emphasis on the changes from the first embodiment.

  First, the structure of the surface level | step difference measuring apparatus 300 of this Embodiment 2 is demonstrated with reference to FIG. In the second embodiment as well, an example will be described in which the CF substrate 120 used in the liquid crystal display device is an object to be measured, and the height of the columnar spacer PS formed on the CF substrate 120 is measured.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the surface level difference measuring apparatus 300 according to the second embodiment includes a stage ST on which the CF substrate 120 is placed, a half mirror HM inclined at 45 ° with respect to the horizontal, and a side of the half mirror HM. A white light source LS using a halogen lamp arranged in the above, an imaging lens LZC arranged above the half mirror HM, and a CCD element CC as an image sensor arranged above the imaging lens LZC. The point provided is the same as the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200 of the first embodiment. The surface level difference measuring apparatus 300 according to the second embodiment includes one interferometer unit IMU below the half mirror HM. The resolution of the CCD element CC is 1024 × 1024 type, similar to the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200 of the first embodiment.

  Further, as a detailed configuration of the interferometer unit IMU, a Milo type interferometer is used similarly to the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200 of the first embodiment, and is arranged below the half mirror HM and the CCD element CC. In this state, the objective lens LZ2 is disposed below the half mirror HM, the beam splitter BS is disposed horizontally below the objective lens LZ2, and the minute reflecting mirror RM is disposed between the beam splitter BS and the objective lens LZ2. An interferometer IM and a piezo actuator (not shown) that varies the measurement optical path (measurement distance) by moving the interferometer IM in the optical axis direction are configured. For the objective lens LZ2 provided in the interferometer unit IMU, a high-magnification objective lens equivalent to the high-magnification objective lens LZ1b provided in the high-magnification interferometer unit IMUb in the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200 of the first embodiment is used. Selected.

  Also in the surface level difference measuring apparatus 300, the CF substrate is the same as the stage ST on which the measurement optical system constituted by the white light source LS, the CCD element CC, and the low magnification interferometer unit IMU described above and the CF substrate 120 are mounted. In order to relatively move the position of the columnar spacer PS to be measured on the surface 120 and the measurement optical system in a fixed positional relationship, either the measurement optical system or the stage ST is moved in the XY axis direction (the surface of the CF substrate 120). A moving mechanism that moves in a direction parallel to the direction.

  Furthermore, the surface level difference measuring apparatus 300 also includes a control unit CU with a built-in computer processing function, and executes sequence control and predetermined data processing related to movement of each component for the measurement method of the surface level difference measuring apparatus 300. To do. The control unit CU also includes an operation control unit that performs the above-described sequence control, a signal processing unit that processes (image processing) a signal obtained from the CCD element CC, and a display screen (monitor screen) DSP that monitors a measurement state. The specific movement of each component performed by the control unit CU of the second embodiment and the specific contents of the predetermined data processing are different from those performed by the control unit CU of the first embodiment. However, a detailed description will be given below in the description of the measurement operation (action) of the surface level difference measuring apparatus 300, and the description thereof will be omitted here.

  Next, the operation (action) of measuring the height of the columnar spacer PS on the CF substrate 120 using the surface level difference measuring apparatus 300 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Note that the structure of the CF substrate 120 to be measured is the same as that of the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof will be omitted. In this second embodiment as well, as shown in FIG. An example of measuring the height of one columnar spacer PSx among the spacers PS will be described.

  Next, as a feature of the operation in the height measurement of the columnar spacer PS by the surface level difference measuring apparatus 300 according to the second embodiment, the surface of the CF substrate 120 in the range of approximately one picture element to two picture elements in the vicinity of the columnar spacer PSx. The measurement region a10 is divided into a plurality of measurement regions consisting of a region including the columnar spacer PSx and another region (a region not including the columnar spacer PSx), and corresponds to each measurement region. The principle of operation of the Millo interferometer is achieved by the interferometer unit IMU provided with the high-magnification objective lens LZ2 while sequentially moving the positions of the columnar spacer PSx and the measurement optical system in order by the moving mechanism described above. To obtain a plurality of three-dimensional surface shape profiles (relative height data) for each measurement region, and A step of generating data of one three-dimensional surface shape profile by synthesizing data of a plurality of three-dimensional surface shape profiles using a predetermined signal processing method, and data of one obtained three-dimensional surface shape profile A step of extracting data corresponding to the height Hps of the columnar spacer PS. Hereinafter, each step will be described in more detail.

  First, the process of obtaining a plurality of three-dimensional surface shape profiles for each of a plurality of measurement regions by the interferometer unit IMU will be described. In FIG. 10A, with respect to the columnar spacer PSx to be measured, a measurement area a10 in the range of approximately one picture element to two picture elements in the vicinity of the columnar spacer PSx is surrounded by a dotted line, and a boundary that is divided into a plurality is divided. More specifically, in FIG. 10B, the measurement area a10 and the measurement areas a11 to a33 divided into a plurality of areas are shown. In the surface level difference measuring apparatus 300 according to the second embodiment, as an example, the measurement region a10 is divided into nine measurement regions (measurement region a11 to measurement region a33), and the measurement region a22 includes a columnar spacer PSx. It becomes.

  In the schematic diagram of FIG. 11, in the surface level difference measuring apparatus 300, the objective lens LZ2 and the CCD element CC, which are the main components in the measurement using the interferometer unit IMUa, and the columnar spacers PSx and CF to be measured. The positional relationship of the board | substrate 120 is shown. 11 is a schematic diagram that generally corresponds to the cross-sectional view taken along the cross-sectional line X1-X2 shown in FIG. 10A, but is as accurate as the schematic diagram of FIG. 3 used in the first embodiment. It is not a cross-sectional view, but is a side view for explaining the positional relationship in the vertical direction between the measurement range in the surface level difference measuring apparatus 300 and the CF substrate 120 including the columnar spacer PSx.

  In addition, in the drawing, regarding the configuration of the objective lens LZ2 and the CCD element CC, a portion indicated by a solid line and a portion indicated by a broken line are shown, but as shown by arrows indicating movement, each measurement region a11- The structures of the objective lens LZ2 and the CCD element CC are moved relative to the columnar spacer PSx on the CF substrate 120 according to the measurement region a33, and the surface of the CF substrate 120 in each measurement region a11 to measurement region a33 in turn. The three-dimensional surface shape profile is obtained.

  The interferometer unit IMU sequentially obtains a three-dimensional surface shape profile of the surface of the CF substrate 120 in the measurement region a11 to measurement region a33 in the positional relationship as described above. Here too, the low magnification interferometer in the first embodiment is used. Since the three-dimensional surface shape profile can be obtained using the operation principle of the Millo interferometer in the same manner as that performed by the unit IMUa or the high magnification interferometer unit IMUb, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  Subsequently, as described above, the interferometer units IMU are sequentially moved relative to each other to perform measurement while changing the measurement region, and a plurality of obtained three-dimensional surface shape profile data are synthesized using a predetermined signal processing method. Thus, a process of generating data of one three-dimensional surface shape profile will be described with reference to FIGS. The predetermined signal processing described below is performed by a control unit CU having a signal processing unit that processes (image processing) a signal obtained from the CCD element CC included in the surface level difference measuring apparatus 200.

  First, the three-dimensional surface shape profile of the surface of the CF substrate 120 in the measurement regions a11 to a33 obtained by the interferometer unit IMUa will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 conceptually illustrates the data processing relating to the height measurement of the columnar spacer PSx in the second embodiment, and the three-dimensional surface shape profile of the surface of the CF substrate 120 is arranged in a line including the step portion of the columnar spacer PSx. The two-dimensional shape profiles hp <b> 2 to hp <b> 4 in the measurement region a <b> 12, the measurement region a <b> 22, and the measurement region a <b> 32 are shown in a simplified manner. 12A shows the two-dimensional shape profile hp2 in the measurement region a12, FIG. 12B shows the two-dimensional shape profile hp3 in the measurement region a22, and FIG. 12C shows the two-dimensional shape profile hp3 in the measurement region a32. Each of the two-dimensional shape profiles hp4 is shown.

Further, the two-dimensional shape profiles hp2 to hp4 correspond to 1024 which is the number of one-dimensional elements of the detection sensor of the CCD element CC, similarly to the two-dimensional shape profile lp1 and the two-dimensional shape profile hp1 in the first embodiment. The positions are indicated by P ₁ , P _{2 to} P ₁₀₂₄ .

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 13A, the data of the three two-dimensional shape profiles hp2 to hp4 obtained in the measurement region a12, the measurement region a22, and the measurement region a32 are synthesized using a predetermined signal processing method. Data of one three-dimensional surface shape profile is generated. When combining, the data of the three two-dimensional shape profiles hp2 to hp4 are measured in common by the interferometer unit IMU using the objective lens LZ2, so that there is no difference in magnification and the resolution is the same data. Therefore, it is not particularly necessary to change the resolution, and it can be synthesized as it is. Therefore, the two-dimensional shape profile hhp formed by synthesizing the three two-dimensional shape profiles hp2 to hp4 is 3072 data having a resolution that is three times the actual resolution in terms of one-dimensional resolution. .

More specific synthesis process, a synthesized two-dimensional shape profile hhp is shown in FIG. 13 (a), with respect _{XP 1, XP 2 ~XP 3072} as the 3072 data in the two-dimensional shape profile hhp The data of XP ₁ to XP _{1024 is} the data of P _{1 to} P ₁₀₂₄ in the two-dimensional shape profile hp2, and the data of XP ₁₀₂₅ to XP _{2048 is} the data of P _{1 to} P ₁₀₂₄ in the two-dimensional shape profile hp3. For the data of XP ₂₀₄₉ to XP _3072, the data of P _{1 to} P ₁₀₂₄ in the two-dimensional shape profile hp4 is respectively applied.

  Since the data of the two-dimensional shape profiles hp2 to hp4 are all data obtained by horizontally moving with respect to the measurement surface by the common interferometer unit IMU, the horizontality in addition to the resolution is approximately one. Therefore, there is little need for correction when synthesizing. When correction is performed as necessary, for example, in FIG. 13A, for the data near the boundary when combining the three data in the data of the two-dimensional shape profiles hp2 to hp4, The two-dimensional shape profile hp2 is a boundary region BA11, the two-dimensional shape profile hp3 is BA20 and BA21, and the two-dimensional shape profile hp4 is a boundary region BA30. In these boundary areas, it is preferable to perform a process for leveling data between areas adjacent to each other when they are combined.

Specifically, for example, if the data is based on the two-dimensional shape profile hp3 that is the data of the measurement region a22 including the columnar spacer PSx portion, the data of P _{1 to} P ₁₀₂₄ in the two-dimensional shape profile hp3 is: as it is fit to XP ₁₀₂₅ ~XP _2048. Furthermore, when converting the data of P ₁ , P _{2 to} P ₁₀₂₄ of the two-dimensional shape profile hp2 into XP _{1 to} XP ₁₀₂₄ , for example, a predetermined range in the boundary region BA11 on the two-dimensional shape profile hp2 side (for example, Comparing the average value of the predetermined range (for example, specifying about 10 locations) in the boundary area BA20 on the adjacent two-dimensional shape profile hp3 side with the average value of about 10 locations) The values are converted into data added to all the data including the boundary area BA11 on the two-dimensional shape profile hp2 side to obtain data of XP ₁ to XP ₁₀₂₄ . Similarly, when converting the data of P ₁ , P _{2 to} P ₁₀₂₄ of the two-dimensional shape profile hp4 into XP _{2049 to} XP ₃₀₇₂ , correction values are calculated from the data of the adjacent boundary areas BA21 and BA30. Thus, it is converted into data added to the data of the two-dimensional shape profile hp4 to obtain data of XP ₁ to XP ₁₀₂₄ .

In the above-described manner, in the synthesized two-dimensional shape profile hhp, XP ₁ to XP _{1024 from} the two-dimensional shape profile hp2, XP ₁₀₂₅ to XP _{2048 from} the two-dimensional shape profile hp3, and two-dimensional shape profile hp4 Each of the XP ₂₀₄₉ to XP ₃₀₇₂ is continuous data that is connected substantially without a step at the boundary.

  In addition, for the sake of easy understanding, the above description regarding the data processing has been made with the two-dimensional shape profile. However, for the three-dimensional profile, only the data to be processed is matrix data. In other words, it is possible to appropriately perform level combination processing on the nine three-dimensional profiles corresponding to the measurement regions a11 to a33 divided into a plurality of pieces and combine them with each other. By performing the processing as described above, a synthesized three-dimensional surface shape profile HHp1 composed of data with a resolution of 3072 × 3072 can be obtained for a three-dimensional profile as shown in FIG. 13B. .

  The three-dimensional surface shape profile HHp1 obtained as described above is data that more accurately reproduces the shape of the columnar spacer PSx, including the portion corresponding to the end of the columnar spacer PSx. The color filter of the same color in at least a plurality of pixels in the range of approximately one picture element to two picture elements in the vicinity of the columnar spacer PSx on the surface of the CF substrate 120 (in the first embodiment, the color filter 124R and the color of the next repeating unit) The measurement data includes the formation region of the filter 124R).

  Therefore, using these three-dimensional surface shape profiles HHp1, as in the first embodiment, for example, heights measured for the same height portions in the measurement region a11, the measurement region a31, the measurement region a13, the measurement region a33, etc. After specifying the surface direction to be used as the reference for the surface of the CF substrate 120 using the length data for calibration, the region range not including the columnar spacer PSx is specified using the direction perpendicular to the surface direction as the reference for the height direction. Then, the average height in the region is calculated, the region range in the columnar spacer PSx formation range is specified, the average height in the region is calculated, and the difference between these average heights is taken. The height of the columnar spacer PSx can be derived by performing data processing that is also performed by a general known surface level difference measuring device.

  As described above, in the surface level difference measuring apparatus 300 according to the second embodiment, the high-power interferometer unit IMU includes a predetermined columnar spacer PSx portion that is adjacent to the columnar spacer PSx that is the level difference portion to be measured. Using the region as the measurement region a22, a step of obtaining a three-dimensional surface shape profile of the surface of the CF substrate 120 and the moved high-magnification interferometer unit IMU at least the measurement region a22 to the measurement region 33 excluding the measurement region a22. A step of obtaining a three-dimensional surface shape profile of the surface of the CF substrate 120 for a predetermined region including a region adjacent to the region, and synthesizing all three-dimensional surface shape profiles of these measurement regions 11 to 33 to obtain at least a columnar spacer PSx. 3D table obtained by high magnification interferometer unit IMU A step of obtaining a three-dimensional surface shape profile HHp1 of the surface of the CF substrate 120 in the measurement region a10 based on relatively high resolution data of the shape profile, and a step of deriving the height of the columnar spacer PSx from the three-dimensional surface shape profile HHp1. Is included. By adopting the above method, in the surface level difference measuring apparatus 300 and the surface level difference measuring method of the second embodiment, the size (size in the planar direction) compared to the pixel of the columnar spacer PSx to be measured. ) Is relatively small, or the height of the columnar spacer PSx can be accurately measured even when a high-resolution CCD element cannot be used due to the cost of the measuring apparatus.

  Further, in the surface level difference measuring apparatus 300 of the second embodiment, the above-described effects can be obtained by one high-magnification interferometer unit IMU. Therefore, the apparatus configuration is simplified, and the first embodiment can be saved in a small space. The same effect can be obtained. Further, since it is not necessary to perform resolution conversion in signal processing and a high-resolution three-dimensional surface shape profile can be obtained, it is possible to simplify the signal processing program and realize a low-cost apparatus.

  In the surface level difference measuring apparatus 300 according to the second embodiment described above, the measurement area a10 is divided into nine measurement areas a11 to a33, and the three-dimensional surface shape profile obtained in each measurement area. However, what is necessary is just to divide | segment into the several measurement area | region which consists of the area | region containing columnar spacer PSx and another area | region (area | region which does not contain columnar spacer PSx). For example, the measurement may be divided into two measurement areas, that is, a region including the columnar spacer PSx and a region not including the columnar spacer PSx, or may be divided into three, six, or even nine divisions for measurement. The same effect as in the second embodiment can be obtained.

  Further, from the viewpoint of measurement accuracy, it is more desirable that the columnar spacers PSx are not arranged at the boundaries of the plurality of measurement regions. Therefore, the arrangement of the columnar spacers PSx and the size of the columnar spacers PSx (size in the planar direction) Thus, the number of divisions may be set as appropriate in consideration of the substantial resolution necessary for accurate height measurement. Note that the present invention does not completely exclude the case where the columnar spacer PSx is arranged at the boundary, and the basic structure obtained in the second embodiment is also obtained when the columnar spacer PSx is arranged across a plurality of measurement regions. The effects of the invention can be obtained.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
Subsequently, Embodiment 3 which is an embodiment when the present invention is applied to a liquid crystal display device and a manufacturing method thereof will be described. 14 and 15 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. 14 and 15. FIG. 14 is a plan view showing the entire liquid crystal panel, and FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along a sectional line AB in FIG. In addition, it is a schematic diagram as described above, and does not reflect the exact size of the components shown. In particular, with respect to the configuration disposed between the array substrate 110 and the CF substrate 120 facing the CF substrate 120, the distance between the substrates, the length in the direction perpendicular to the substrate surface, and the like are compared with the thickness of both substrates for convenience of explanation. It is exaggerated. Further, omission of parts other than the main part of the invention and simplification of a part of the configuration are appropriately performed so that the drawings are not complicated.

  Here, as an example, a case will be described in which the present invention is applied to a liquid crystal panel in which a liquid crystal operation mode is a TN (Twisted Nematic) mode and a thin film transistor (TFT) is used as a switching element.

  The liquid crystal panel 10 includes a TFT array substrate (hereinafter referred to as an array substrate) 110, which is an array substrate in which switching elements such as TFTs and pixel electrodes are arranged in an array, and a counter substrate disposed to face the array substrate 110. A color filter substrate (CF substrate) 120 and a seal pattern 133 are disposed so as to surround a region corresponding to the display region 100 for displaying an image and seal a gap between the CF substrate 120 and the array substrate 110. Yes. Further, the liquid crystal layer 130 is sandwiched between at least the region corresponding to the display region 100 in the gap between the CF substrate 120 and the array substrate 110 by being sealed by the seal pattern 133. Therefore, the seal pattern 133 is formed in the frame region 101 arranged so as to surround the outside of the region corresponding to the display region 100 in a frame shape.

  In addition, the outer shape of each of the array substrate 110 and the CF substrate 120 is rectangular, and the outer shape of the array substrate 110 is larger than the outer shape of the CF substrate 120 and partially protrudes from the outer end surface of the CF substrate 120. It has a portion and is arranged in an overlapping manner.

  In the plan view of FIG. 14, in order to illustrate the configuration of the array substrate 110 disposed below the CF substrate 120, the CF substrate 120 is shown only in a part of the upper left in the drawing, and in other regions, the CF substrate 120 is illustrated. The configuration of the array substrate 110 is illustrated with the substrate 120 omitted. As an actual configuration, the CF substrate 120 is provided up to a region indicated by a broken line in the drawing outside the region surrounded by the seal pattern 133.

  Further, in the figure, a rectangular area that is a display area 100 for displaying an image is surrounded by a dotted line to be a boundary with the frame area 101. The frame region 101 used here is a frame shape surrounding the display region 100 located outside the display region 100 on the array substrate 110 of the liquid crystal panel 10, the CF substrate 120, or a region sandwiched between the two substrates. In other words, the display area 100 is used in all areas except for the display area 100 on the array substrate 110, the CF substrate 120, or between the two substrates. In the present specification, they are all used with the same meaning.

  Further, a large number of columnar spacers PS are formed in the display region 100 between the array substrate 110 and the CF substrate 120 to form and hold a gap of a predetermined distance between the substrates. Note that in the third embodiment, as an application example in which the effect of the present invention is particularly effectively exhibited, the pixel size that enables high-definition display is relatively small, and furthermore, the pixel aperture ratio that achieves low power consumption. When applied to a liquid crystal panel with high specifications, the size of the columnar spacers PS (size in the planar direction) is small, and the proportion of the pixels in the pixel is also small. Further, the liquid crystal layer 140 is sandwiched in at least a region corresponding to the display region 100 in the gap between the CF substrate 120 and the array substrate 110 which is sealed by the seal pattern 133 and held by the columnar spacer PS.

  The above-described array substrate 110 includes an alignment film 112 that aligns liquid crystal on one surface of a glass substrate 111 that is a transparent substrate, a pixel electrode 113 that is provided below the alignment film 112 and that applies a voltage for driving the liquid crystal, and the pixel electrode 113. TFT 114 that is a switching element that supplies voltage to the TFT, an insulating film 115 that covers the TFT 114, a plurality of gate wirings 117 and source wirings 118 that are signals that supply signals to the TFT 114, and a terminal 116 that receives a signal supplied to the TFT 114 from the outside, A transfer electrode (not shown) for transmitting a signal input from the terminal 116 to the CF substrate 120 side, and a peripheral wiring (not shown) for transmitting a signal input from the terminal 116 to the gate wiring 117, the source wiring 118, and the transfer electrode. ) Etc.

  The TFTs 114 are provided in the vicinity of the intersections of the gate lines 117 and the source lines 118 provided in a plurality of rows and columns in the display region 100 on the array substrate 110. The pixel electrode 113 is formed in a matrix form in each pixel region surrounded by the gate wiring 117 and the source wiring 118. Further, the terminal 116, the transfer electrode, and the peripheral wiring are formed in the frame region 101. In addition, a polarizing plate 131 is provided on the other surface of the glass substrate 111.

  On the other hand, the above-mentioned CF substrate 120 is disposed under one of the alignment film 122 and the alignment film 122 for aligning liquid crystal on one surface of the glass substrate 121 that is a transparent substrate, and between the pixel electrode 113 on the array substrate 110. A common electrode 123 that generates an electric field and drives a liquid crystal, a plurality of color filters 124 that are arranged below the common electrode 123 and a plurality of color filters 124 are shielded from light, or arranged outside the region corresponding to the display region 100. It has a black matrix (BM) 125 that is a light shielding layer provided to shield the frame region 101, and the other surface of the glass substrate 121 of the CF substrate 120, that is, a color filter 124, a BM 125, and the like. A polarizing plate 132 is provided on the surface opposite to the surface on which the film is provided.

  In the drawing, the alignment film 122 formed on the surface of the CF substrate 120 is illustrated in a state where it is formed mainly in a region other than the portion where the columnar spacer PS is formed in the display region 100. Since the alignment film material used as the alignment film 122 is applied after the formation of the PS and the columnar spacer PSs, the alignment film material is also applied to the surfaces of the columnar spacer PS and the columnar spacer PSs. However, the alignment film material itself formed on the surfaces of the columnar spacers PS and the columnar spacers PSs is formed to be relatively thin, or the surface of the columnar spacers PS and the columnar spacers PSs is substantially used as an alignment film subjected to alignment treatment. Since it does not have a function, illustration as the alignment film 122 is omitted.

  Further, the liquid crystal panel 10 will be described in detail separately in a description part related to a manufacturing flow (manufacturing method) described later, but a liquid crystal is formed on the surface of one of the pair of substrates, the array substrate 110 and the CF substrate 120. After being disposed as a plurality of droplets, the substrate is sandwiched between both substrates, and is manufactured by a drop drop (ODF) method in which the substrate is sealed in a region surrounded by the seal pattern 133.

  Accordingly, the seal pattern 133 has a closed loop shape, and an injection port that is an opening for injecting liquid crystal is not formed unlike a liquid crystal panel manufactured by a vacuum injection method. It has a structural feature that no sealing material is provided. The material of the seal pattern 133 is made of a photocurable sealing agent (photocurable resin) mixed with conductive particles.

  Further, the transfer electrode and the common electrode 123 are electrically connected by conductive particles mixed in the seal pattern 133, and a signal input from the terminal 116 is transmitted to the common electrode 123. As the conductive particles, those that can be elastically deformed are preferable from the viewpoint of stable conduction. For example, a spherical resin whose surface is gold-plated may be used. In addition, the liquid crystal panel 10 includes a control board 134 that generates a drive signal, an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) 135 that electrically connects the control board 134 to the terminal 116, and the like.

  Further, a backlight unit (not shown) serving as a light source is disposed facing the array substrate 110 on the opposite side of the display surface of the liquid crystal panel 10, and light is further interposed between the liquid crystal panel 10 and the backlight unit. An optical sheet for controlling the polarization state, directivity, etc. is disposed. The liquid crystal panel 10 is housed in a housing (not shown) in which the outer portion of the CF substrate 120 in the display area 100 serving as a display surface is opened together with these members, and the liquid crystal display device of the third embodiment is Composed.

<Manufacturing flow of liquid crystal display device>
As a manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display device according to the third embodiment of the present invention, a manufacturing flow of the liquid crystal display device having the liquid crystal panel having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. Usually, a liquid crystal panel is manufactured by cutting out one or a plurality of liquid crystal panels (also referred to as multi-face drawing) from a mother substrate larger than the final shape. The processes of steps S1 to S9 (until S10) in FIG. 16 are processes in the state of the mother substrate.

  First, in the substrate preparation process in step S1, wiring, electrodes, columnar spacers PS, and other configurations are formed on the mother array substrate and the mother CF substrate. That is, in the mother array substrate, a process of forming the gate wiring 117, the source wiring 118, the TFT 114, the pixel electrode 113 and the like shown in FIG. 14 or FIG. 15 is performed. Since it is the same as the manufacturing method of a board | substrate, the detailed description regarding a manufacturing method is abbreviate | omitted.

  On the other hand, in the mother CF substrate, a process of forming the BM 125, the color filter 124, the columnar spacer PS, or the like is performed. Since these processes are the same as the manufacturing method of the CF substrate in a general liquid crystal panel, A detailed description of the manufacturing method is omitted. In particular, the columnar spacer PS to be measured in the present invention has a relatively small specification (size in the planar direction), but is formed by applying a known photosensitive resin film, and the formed photosensitive resin film. The patterning process using the photoengraving technique can be used.

  As described above, after preparing the mother array substrate and the mother CF substrate, first, in the substrate cleaning process, the substrate cleaning process for cleaning the substrate is performed on the mother array substrate and the mother CF substrate prepared as described above. . Next, in the alignment film material application process in step S2, the alignment film material is applied and formed on one surface of the mother array substrate and the mother CF substrate. This step includes a step of transferring and applying an alignment film material made of an organic material, for example, by flexographic printing to the main surfaces of the mother array substrate and the mother CF substrate facing each other, and baking and drying with a hot plate or the like. Yes.

  Next, in the alignment processing step of step S3, for example, a rubbing process is performed on the alignment film material, and the alignment film material surface is aligned to form the alignment film 112 and the alignment film 122. The columnar spacers PS formed on the mother CF substrate are covered with the alignment film 122.

  -Next, in the step of measuring the height of the columnar spacer in step S4, the mother CF is used by using the surface level difference measuring device 200 described in the first embodiment or the surface level difference measuring device 300 described in the second embodiment. The height of the columnar spacer PS formed on the substrate was measured. In the measurement, the height of the columnar spacer PS was measured at a plurality of predetermined locations in consideration of height variation depending on the location on the mother CF substrate.

  Next, in the sealing agent application process in step S5, the sealing agent is applied as a paste from a dispenser nozzle to the main surface of the mother array substrate or the mother CF substrate using a seal dispenser device. The sealant is applied so as to surround the display area of the liquid crystal panel to form a seal pattern 133. Next, in the liquid crystal dropping process of step S6, a liquid crystal material is dropped into a region surrounded by the seal pattern 133 on the substrate on which the seal pattern 133 is formed. The dropping amount of the liquid crystal material is determined based on the height of the columnar spacer PS measured in step S4. In particular, the amount of liquid crystal dripped is the amount of dripping necessary for the columnar spacer PS to be compressed within a predetermined range in the state where the liquid crystal panel is formed. Is set in consideration of

  Next, in the vacuum bonding process of step S7, the mother array substrate and the mother CF substrate are bonded together in a vacuum state to form a mother cell substrate. Next, the mother cell substrate is irradiated with ultraviolet rays in the UV (ultraviolet) irradiation process of step S8 to temporarily cure the sealant. Thereafter, in step S9, an after-curing process is performed by heating, and the sealant is completely cured to obtain a cured seal pattern 133.

  Next, in the cell dividing step of step S10, the mother cell substrate is cut along the scribe line to be divided into individual liquid crystal cells. For each of the liquid crystal cells divided as described above, a polarizing plate attaching process in step S11, a control board mounting process in step S12, and the like are executed, and a series of manufacturing processes is completed. As described above, the liquid crystal panel 10 is completed.

  Further, a backlight unit is disposed on the back side of the array substrate 110 on the side opposite to the viewing side of the liquid crystal panel 10 via an optical film such as a phase difference plate, and placed in a frame (housing) made of resin or metal. Then, the liquid crystal panel 10 and these peripheral members are appropriately accommodated, and the final liquid crystal display device to which the present invention is applied is completed.

  The liquid crystal display device manufactured as described above operates as follows. For example, when an electric signal such as an image signal or a control signal is input from the control board 134 which is an external circuit, a driving voltage is applied to the pixel electrode 113 and the common electrode 123, and the direction of liquid crystal molecules changes according to the driving voltage. . As a result, the light transmittance of each pixel is controlled. The light emitted from the backlight unit passes through the array substrate 110, the liquid crystal layer 130, and the CF substrate 120, and is transmitted or blocked to the outside according to the light transmittance of each pixel. A color image or the like is displayed at 100.

  As described above, in the liquid crystal display device according to the third embodiment, the columnar spacers PS that are relatively small in size (size in the planar direction) and that have a small proportion of pixels are used. Although the pixel size is relatively small to enable high-definition display and the liquid crystal display device has a high pixel aperture ratio in order to reduce power consumption, the columnar spacer PS has a high height. Can be accurately measured using the surface level difference measuring device 200 of the first embodiment or the surface level difference measuring device 300 of the second embodiment, and further, using the measurement result of the height of the columnar spacer PS, By determining the amount of liquid crystal dripped in accordance with this, the amount of compression of the columnar spacer PS in the state of the liquid crystal panel becomes the amount of compression in the appropriate range by becoming an appropriate amount of liquid crystal. It is possible to manufacture the liquid crystal display device, as a result, it is possible inconvenience caused by the liquid crystal of the volume change in response to the operating temperature to produce a liquid crystal display device with high improved reliability.

  As described above, in the third embodiment, the surface level difference measuring device 200 according to the first embodiment or the surface level difference measuring device 300 according to the second embodiment is measured by the height measurement of the columnar spacer PS particularly in the manufacture of the liquid crystal display device. Although an example using the height measurement result has been described, the surface level difference measuring device 200 of the first embodiment or the surface level difference measuring device 300 of the second embodiment is provided on the surface of another object to be measured. You may use when measuring the height of a micro shape part. In particular, it is effective when the size of the minute shape portion (size in the planar direction) is relatively small, and the same effect as that obtained in the first embodiment or the second embodiment can be obtained.

10 liquid crystal panel, 100 display area, 101 frame area,
110 array substrate, 120 CF substrate,
111, 121 glass substrate, 112, 122 alignment film,
113 pixel electrode, 114 TFT, 115 insulating film, 116 terminal,
117 gate wiring, 118 source wiring, 123 common electrode,
124, 124R, 124G, 124B Color filter, 125 BM,
130 liquid crystal layer, 131, 132 polarizing plate, 133 seal pattern,
134 control board, 135 FFC,
200,300 Surface level difference measuring device,
PS, PSx Columnar spacer, Hps Columnar spacer height,
ST stage, LS white light source, HM half mirror,
LZC imaging lens, CC CCD element,
IMUa low magnification interferometer unit, IMUb high magnification interferometer unit,
IMU interferometer unit, BSa, BSb, BS beam splitter,
LZ1a, LZ1b, LZ2 objective lens, RMa, RMb, RM reflecting mirror,
IMa, IMb, IM interferometer, CU control unit, DSP display screen,
a1, a2, a10, a11 to a33 measurement area,
lp1, hp1, nlp1, hlp1, hp2, hp3, hp4, hhp1
Two-dimensional shape profile,
Lp1, Hp1, NLp1, HLp1, HHp1 three-dimensional shape profile,
Ba11 to Ba30, BA11 to BA22 Boundary region.

Claims (8)

A surface level difference measuring method using a white interference method for measuring the height of a minute shape portion provided on the surface of a measured object,
Obtaining first three-dimensional surface shape data for the surface of the object to be measured in a first measurement region including the minute shape portion in the vicinity of the minute shape portion;
Obtaining second three-dimensional shape data about the surface of the measurement object in a second measurement region including at least a region adjacent to the first measurement region;
The first three-dimensional surface shape data and the second three-dimensional surface shape data are synthesized, and at least in the vicinity of the minute shape portion, the first measurement region based on the first three-dimensional surface shape data and Obtaining third three-dimensional surface shape data about the surface of the object to be measured in the region including the second measurement region;
Deriving the height of the minute shape portion from the third three-dimensional surface shape data;
A method for measuring a level difference in surface. The minute shape part is a columnar spacer provided on a color filter substrate on which a color filter is formed in a liquid crystal display device,
The surface level difference measuring method according to claim 1, wherein the second measurement region is a range including at least the color filters of the same color of a plurality of pixels. The step of obtaining the first three-dimensional surface shape data and the step of obtaining the second three-dimensional surface shape data are performed by a white interference method using objective lenses having different magnifications.
The magnification of the objective lens used in the step of obtaining the first three-dimensional surface shape data is higher than the magnification of the objective lens used in the step of obtaining the second three-dimensional surface shape data. Item 3. The surface level difference measuring method according to Item 1 or Item 2. The step of obtaining the first three-dimensional surface shape data and the step of obtaining the second three-dimensional surface shape data are performed by a white light interference method using a common objective lens,
The change between the first measurement area and the second measurement area is performed by moving the objective lens relative to a minute shape portion provided on the surface of the measurement object. Item 3. A method for measuring a surface level difference according to any one of Items 2 to 3. A surface level difference measuring device using a white interference method for measuring the height of a minute shape portion provided on the surface of a measured object,
Switchable between a half mirror disposed at an angle to the horizontal, a white light source disposed on the side of the half mirror, an image sensor disposed above the half mirror, and a lower portion of the half mirror. A measurement optical system including an interferometer unit provided with a plurality of objective lenses having different magnifications,
Data processing for synthesizing a plurality of three-dimensional surface shape data respectively obtained using any of the plurality of objective lenses using a predetermined signal processing method to create one three-dimensional surface shape data A control unit for performing
A surface level difference measuring apparatus comprising:   In the data processing, when combining the plurality of three-dimensional surface shape data into the one three-dimensional surface shape data, the plurality of three-dimensional surface shape data is obtained at least near the minute shape portion. The one-dimensional surface shape data is obtained on the basis of the three-dimensional surface shape data obtained by an objective lens having a relatively high magnification among the plurality of objective lenses used for the above-mentioned purpose. 5. The surface level difference measuring apparatus according to 5. A surface level difference measuring device using a white interference method for measuring the height of a minute shape portion provided on the surface of a measured object,
A half mirror disposed to be inclined with respect to the horizontal, a white light source disposed on a side of the half mirror, an image sensor disposed above the half mirror, and a lower portion of the half mirror. A measurement optical system including an interferometer unit including an objective lens;
A moving mechanism for relatively moving the position of the measurement optical system and the minute shape portion provided on the surface of the object to be measured;
A predetermined signal processing method for a plurality of three-dimensional surface shape data obtained by performing the relative movement by the moving mechanism and measuring different measurement regions on the surface of the measurement object using the measurement optical system. A control unit that performs data processing to create one three-dimensional surface shape data by combining using
A surface level difference measuring apparatus comprising: A color filter substrate having a display region for displaying an image, an array substrate in which switching elements and pixel electrodes are arranged in an array in the display region, and a color filter disposed opposite to the array substrate via a liquid crystal layer A columnar spacer disposed on the surface of any one of the color filter substrate and the array substrate and holding a gap between the array substrate and the color filter substrate; and a liquid crystal sandwiched between the substrates. A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device having
The surface level difference measuring method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the columnar spacer is formed on the surface of any one of the color filter substrate and the array substrate, and then the height of the columnar spacer is determined. Alternatively, the step of measuring with the surface level difference measuring device according to any one of claims 5 to 7,
Dropping a liquid crystal material in a dropping amount calculated based on a height of the columnar spacer measured by the measuring step on the surface of any one of the color filter substrate and the array substrate;
Bonding the color filter substrate and the array substrate;
A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device, comprising:

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