JP3155121B2 - Liquid crystal device manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device used for OA equipment, image display devices, measuring equipment, and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device for aligning an organic resin film formed on a substrate constituting a liquid crystal device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Since liquid crystal devices are lightweight and have low voltage consumption, they are actively introduced into OA equipment, image display devices, measuring devices and the like. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the structure of a general liquid crystal device.
Shown in 3-1 is a substrate made of glass, plastic, or the like. After providing a transparent electrode 3-6 formed in a predetermined pattern, an orientation film 3-3 is applied and surface-treated, and the above-mentioned substrate 3-1 is formed. With the transparent electrodes facing each other, gap agent 3-5
Is provided with a predetermined distance, and a liquid crystal material 3 is provided between the substrates.
4 are sandwiched to constitute a liquid crystal device.

The manufacturing process of the general liquid crystal device shown in FIG. 3 by a conventional method will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a conventional manufacturing process of a liquid crystal device. [First Step] A substrate 3-1 made of glass or plastic is prepared, and a transparent conductive film made of ITO is formed on the substrate 3-1 by a sputtering method, a vacuum evaporation method, an ion plating method, or the like. (2-1) This is patterned into an arbitrary electrode pattern by photolithography to form a transparent electrode 3-6 (2-2).

[Second step] The transparent electrode 3 on the substrate 3-1
On the -6 side, an organic resin film such as polyimide is applied by a spinner method, a printing coating method, etc., dried and heat-cured (2-3).
-3 is obtained (2-4). The rubbing method is a method of rubbing the organic resin film several times to several tens times in a certain direction using gauze, felt, rubber, a brush, or the like, stretching the organic resin film, and obtaining uniform polymer chain orientation. .

[Third Step] The transparent electrode 3 on the substrate 3-1
On the -6 side, a predetermined amount of a suspension in which a gap agent 3-5 made of glass and resin is dispersed in a low boiling organic solvent is sprayed using a gap agent spraying machine, and then dried to scatter the organic solvent. (2-5).

[Fourth Step] The transparent electrode 3 on the substrate 3-1
After printing a sealant 3-2 made of an inorganic or organic material on the outer peripheral portion of the pixel on the −6 side to form a seal portion,
6) Laminate the substrates and assemble the empty cell container (2-
7). The empty cell container is filled with a liquid crystal material 3-4 (2
-8).

[0007] The liquid crystal device realizes display using the electro-optic effect of liquid crystal. Conventionally, what is used in many liquid crystal devices is an effect that a liquid crystal is used as an optical shutter by moving liquid crystal molecules by voltage On and Off. When this effect is used, it is necessary to arrange liquid crystal molecules uniformly. It is difficult to obtain a uniform molecular alignment state simply by sandwiching the liquid crystal material 3-4 between the substrates 3-1.
And the liquid crystal molecules must be regularly arranged at a certain angle with respect to the alignment film surface. In addition, since the liquid crystal device utilizes the birefringence of the liquid crystal, it is necessary to make the thickness of the liquid crystal material 3-4 uniform and appropriate.
The gap must be properly adjusted. Therefore, a gap agent 3-5 for regulating the gap is required.

[0008]

Since the gap between the substrates of the liquid crystal device is as thin as several microns and is a high-impedance element, defects such as a gap defect and a short circuit between electrodes have frequently occurred. Further, since static electricity is generated, foreign substances such as dust and fuzz which cause a defect are greatly disliked. However, in the rubbing method, since the organic resin film is rubbed with a fiber, a large amount of foreign substances such as dust and fuzz come out, and defects such as a gap defect and a short circuit between electrodes have frequently occurred. Also, the yield has been low due to generation of static electricity which causes contrast unevenness and the like.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention focuses on the step of aligning the organic resin film and the step of spraying the gap material. The first step of forming a film made of an organic resin on a substrate, a gap agent used to regulate the cell gap of liquid crystal is sprayed on the organic resin film, and the film is stretched by hitting the film with the gap agent. By comprising a process including a second process for obtaining uniform polymer chain orientation, the orientation process can be used in the gap material dispersion process without adding a new orientation process. It is simple and can significantly reduce defects due to dust, fuzz, foreign matter, and the like due to the above-described orientation.

[0010]

As described above, in the present invention, the organic resin film is stretched by tapping with a gap agent for controlling a gap without rubbing the organic resin film with a fiber, thereby obtaining a uniform polymer chain orientation. The rubbing step of rubbing the membrane with fibers can be omitted. Therefore, since no foreign matter such as dust and fuzz is produced, defects such as gap failure and short-circuit between electrodes can be greatly reduced. Further, the generation of static electricity can be reduced, and the yield can be improved. Further, by adjusting the number or time of the gap agent to be sprayed, the number of gap agents remaining on the organic resin film can be controlled, so that the step of spraying the gap agent can be omitted.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the liquid crystal device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal device according to the present invention. The manufacturing process is as follows.

[First Step] (1-1, 1-2) substrate 3 provided with transparent electrodes 3-6 formed in a predetermined pattern
-1, an orientation film 3-3 made of an organic resin is applied by a printing method or a spinner method, and then baked to form (1-3).

[Second Step] A gap material 3-5 made of glass or resin used for regulating the cell gap of the liquid crystal is loaded in a sandblasting device, and is placed on the alignment film 3-3 in one direction. The surface of the alignment film 3-3 is stretched by spraying to obtain a uniform polymer chain alignment (1-4).

[Third Step] When the gap agent left on the alignment film is less than a predetermined number of gap materials to be sprayed,
Further, a gap material is sprayed. Also, when the amount of the gap material left on the alignment film is larger than a predetermined number of the gap materials to be sprayed, the gap material to be sprayed is made appropriate by blowing off with air (1-5).

The substrate manufactured by the above method is assembled with a liquid crystal material 3-4 sandwiched therebetween using a sealing material 3-2 with the alignment film side facing (1-6, 1-7, 1-8). Through the above steps, not only foreign substances such as dust and fuzz are not generated, but also the generation of static electricity can be reduced and the yield can be improved. Further, by adjusting the number, strength, angle, or time of the gap agent to be sprayed, the number of gap agents remaining on the organic resin film could be controlled.

[0016]

According to the present invention, as described above, an organic resin film for alignment is applied to a liquid crystal device, a gap agent used for regulating a cell gap is sprayed on the organic resin film, and the film is hit. As a result, the organic resin film is stretched, and uniform polymer chain orientation can be obtained. Thus, the orientation step and the step of dispersing the gap agent are used at the same time, and there is no foreign matter such as dust and fuzz. Short circuit can be reduced. In addition, the generation of static electricity can be reduced, and the yield can be improved. Further, by adjusting the number, strength, angle, or time of the gap agent to be sprayed, the number of gap agents left on the organic resin film can be controlled, so that the step of spraying the gap agent can be omitted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a manufacturing process of a conventional liquid crystal device.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-1, 2-1 ITO film formation step 1-2, 2-2 ITO patterning step 1-3, 2-3 Step of applying alignment film 1-4 Gap material alignment step 1-5 2-6 seal Material printing process 1-6 Gap material adjustment process 1-7, 2-5 Cell assembly process 1-8, 2-8 Liquid crystal injection process 2-4 Rubbing process 3-1 Substrate 3-2 Seal material 3-3 Alignment film 3 -4 Liquid crystal material 3-5 Gap material 3-6 Transparent electrode

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02F 1/1337 G02F 1/1339 500

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A liquid crystal material is sealed between two substrates. In a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device having a patterned transparent electrode inside at least one of the substrates and an alignment film, the substrate is provided on the substrate. From a first step of forming a film made of an organic resin, a step of spraying a gap agent used to regulate a cell gap of liquid crystal on the organic resin film, and a second step of aligning the film by hitting the film with the gap agent A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device, comprising: