JP3443389B2 - Manufacturing method of liquid crystal display device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a direct-view type display device such as a transmission type or a reflection type, a projection type display device, and a liquid crystal display device used in various information processing devices. Relates to a liquid crystal display device in which spacers for controlling a distance between two substrates with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween are selectively dispersed on the substrates.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A liquid crystal display device is constructed by arranging a pair of substrate members, at least one of which has a light-transmitting property, at a predetermined interval and injecting liquid crystal between the pair of substrate members. In order to maintain the above-mentioned predetermined interval, for example, after spacers are scattered on the liquid crystal layer side surface of the substrate member,
The pair of substrate members are bonded together. For this reason, the space between the substrate members is maintained at about the size of the spacer. Conventionally, the spacers have been dispersed over almost the entire area of the surface of the substrate member on the liquid crystal layer side.

In such a liquid crystal display device, an alignment film is generated when the spacers move to cause color unevenness (cell gap unevenness) or when the spacers move due to vibrations or temperature changes after injection of liquid crystal or after paneling. There was a problem that the display was uneven and the display was uneven.

In order to solve such a problem, a method of adhering and fixing a spacer on an electrode substrate has been proposed. Specific methods for adhesively fixing the spacer on the electrode substrate include a method of fixing in the alignment film, a method of fixing in the insulating film, a method of fixing with a thermoplastic resin, and a thermosetting resin. Although a method of fixing with a spacer has already been proposed, among them, a spacer is coated with a thermoplastic resin, and the spacer is dispersed and dispersed, and then hot air or I as disclosed in JP-A-6-95127 is used.
A method of bonding and fixing by heating using an R furnace or the like is common.

On the other hand, when the spacers are scattered on the substrate,
When the spacer is actually present on a region (pixel) related to display, the spacer exhibits optical anisotropy different from that of liquid crystal, so that light leakage occurs from the spacer to reduce contrast. There was a problem.

In order to solve such a problem, a method has been proposed in which a spacer is arranged only in a region other than a pixel. As a specific method for disposing the spacer only in the region other than the pixel, a method using a thermoplastic resin as described in JP-A-2-308224 and JP-A-4-321013 are described. There have been already proposed a method of utilizing a potential as described above, a method of arranging in a black mask as described in JP-A-6-43468, and the like.

[0007]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention
The method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 5127 is a method in which at least a spacer whose surface is coated with a thermoplastic resin is adhered and fixed to the entire surface of an electrode substrate, but in this method, a spacer from a spacer existing on a pixel region is removed. There is a problem that light leakage occurs and the contrast is lowered.

Further, in the method of utilizing a thermoplastic resin disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-308224, a thermoplastic resin film is formed on an electrode substrate before applying an alignment film, and patterning is performed. After that, the spacers are dispersed and dispersed and heated, so that the spacers are bonded and fixed only to the regions other than the pixels.

Therefore, when the alignment film is applied by the offset printing method or the flexographic printing method, the spacer may peel off from the electrode substrate when the relief plate is pressed onto the electrode substrate. Stick to the letterpress.

Furthermore, when the alignment film is applied on the next electrode substrate, the spacers attached to the relief plate are transferred. Since the transferred spacers are not adhered and fixed on the electrode substrate, they are peeled off in the subsequent rubbing process and cleaning process, and particularly when the spacers are transferred onto the pixel region, the transferred spacers are peeled off. Results in a state in which no alignment film is formed.

That is, if a pinhole exists on the alignment film and the liquid crystal display device is completed, it becomes impossible to align the liquid crystal at the pinhole portion on the alignment film, resulting in a display defect and a good product rate. There is a problem such as a decrease in

Further, in the rubbing step, since the rubbing cloth comes into contact with the spacer fixedly adhered on the electrode substrate, the fluff of the rubbing cloth in the portion in contact with the spacer is disturbed. Since the tilt angle of the alignment film rubbed in the part where the fur of the rubbing cloth is disturbed varies,
When it is completed as a liquid crystal display device, a display defect occurs.

Further, the spacer fixedly adhered to the area other than the pixel may be peeled off during rubbing, and if rubbing is continued in this state, the alignment film is scratched 10 as shown in FIG. There is also a problem that the yield rate is lowered.

In the method utilizing an electric potential as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 321013/1992, a spacer is attached to the non-electrode part by charging the spacer and charging the non-electrode part with a polarity opposite to that of the spacer. It is a method of making it.

However, since the spacers scattered in the sealed device sink and adhere to the electrode substrate,
When the potential difference between the spacer and the non-electrode portion is small, the spacer also adheres to the pixel electrode as shown in FIG. 12, and when the liquid crystal display device is completed, light is emitted from the spacer existing on the pixel electrode. There is a problem that leakage occurs and the contrast is lowered.

On the other hand, if the potential difference between the spacer and the non-electrode portion is large, a defective display occurs due to the spacer and the non-electrode portion being charged when the liquid crystal display device is completed, and the non-defective rate is improved. It also has the problem of lowering it. Further, in the active type liquid crystal display device, it may lead to destruction of the active element.

Further, since the spacers are not fixed by adhesion, the spacers move due to vibration during liquid crystal injection or after paneling, temperature change, etc., causing color unevenness (cell gap unevenness) or moving the spacers. There is also a problem that the alignment film is scratched and unevenness in display occurs during the process.

In the method of fixing the spacer to the black mask as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-43468, the dispersibility of the spacer in the black mask material resin is poor, and the black mask is directly formed to form a liquid crystal display. When the device is completed, there is a problem in that the dispersibility of the spacers is poor, as shown in FIG. 13, uneven cell gaps occur, display defects occur, and the yield rate decreases.

In addition, if spacers are mixed and left in the black mask material resin and the spacers are left to stand, the spacers agglomerate and the dispersibility further deteriorates, resulting in uneven cell gaps when completed as a liquid crystal display device. As a result, the display becomes defective and the non-defective rate is lowered. In normal wet spraying, spraying liquid in which spacers are mixed is stirred while being stirred in order to prevent aggregation of spacers, but it is difficult to form a black mask while stirring resin for the black mask material.

Further, the spacers agglomerate before the black mask material resin is applied and cured on the electrode substrate. In other words, when the spacer is mixed in the black mask material resin, if the viscosity of the black mask material resin is low, the dispersibility of the spacer immediately after mixing is good, but before the coating and curing on the electrode substrate, the spacer is dispersed. When the viscosity of the black mask material resin is high, on the contrary, the aggregation of the spacers is unlikely to occur until it is applied and cured on the electrode substrate, but the dispersibility of the spacers immediately after mixing is poor. There is a problem that

Further, since the alignment film is formed after fixing the spacer, when the alignment film is applied by the offset printing method or the flexographic printing method, the spacer is peeled off from the electrode substrate when the relief plate is pressed against the electrode substrate. In some cases, the peeled spacer adheres to the relief printing plate, and has the same problem as the method using the thermoplastic resin disclosed in JP-A-2-308224.

Further, in the rubbing step, since the rubbing cloth comes into contact with the spacer that is adhesively fixed to the electrode substrate, the rubbing cloth is disturbed in the portion in contact with the spacer, which is also described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-308224. It has the same problems as the method disclosed in the publication.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object thereof is to form an alignment film on a patterned electrode substrate and subject the alignment film to at least the surface. A spacer coated with a thermoplastic resin is dispersedly arranged on the electrode substrate subjected to the orientation treatment,
Infrared light is selectively applied to the spacer to bond and fix it,
It is to obtain a liquid crystal display device having a high contrast and a uniform cell gap by removing the spacers that are not fixed by adhesion.

[0024]

In the liquid crystal display device of the present invention ,
The manufacturing method is based on two substrates arranged opposite to each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween.
A spacer used to control the plate spacing is provided on the substrate.
In the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display device selectively dispersed in the
A spacer with at least its surface coated with a thermoplastic resin.
Dispersively disposing the particles on the alignment film formed on the substrate.
And select spacers that are distributed in areas other than pixels
By selectively irradiating infrared laser to selectively select the spacer
And a step of adhering and fixing to
Thereby, the above object is achieved.

Further, a method of manufacturing the liquid crystal display device of the present invention.
Is the distance between two substrates that are opposed to each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed.
Spacers used to control are selectively on the substrate
In the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display device dispersedly arranged in
The spacer with at least the surface coated with thermoplastic resin is
The process of dispersively arranging on the alignment film formed on the substrate,
Infrared light is selectively applied to spacers distributed in the outer region
And selectively gluing and fixing the spacer
And ultrasonically clean the spacer that is not adhesively fixed.
And a step of removing the
By doing so, the above object is achieved.

According to the present invention, after the alignment film is formed on the patterned electrode substrate and the alignment treatment is performed, the spacer having at least the surface coated with the thermoplastic resin is provided on the electrode substrate subjected to the alignment treatment. A liquid crystal display device is configured by dispersively arranging, selectively irradiating the spacers with infrared light to selectively bond and fix the spacers, and removing the spacers that are not bonded and fixed.

Therefore, since the spacers are bonded and fixed after the steps (alignment film printing step, rubbing step, etc.) in which the spacers that have been fixed by adhesion may be peeled off, the spacers may peel off from the electrode substrate. Without
Pinholes in the alignment film, scratches on the alignment film, etc., which occur when the spacer is peeled off from the electrode substrate, are eliminated.
Display defects due to these are eliminated.

Further, since the spacers can be dispersed and scattered, the dispersibility of the spacers is good, the agglomeration of the spacers is eliminated, and the display defects due to these are eliminated. As a method of dispersing and dispersing, since at least the surface of the spacer is coated with a thermoplastic resin, spacers are likely to agglomerate in dry spraying. Therefore, wet spraying provides better spacer dispersibility, and also spacer agglomeration. Is also preferable because it disappears.

Further, since it is not necessary to charge the spacers, there is no possibility of display failure or destruction of the active element due to this.

Next, since the spacer is adhered and fixed on the electrode substrate, the spacer may move due to vibration during liquid crystal injection or after paneling, temperature change, and the like, causing color unevenness (cell gap unevenness). Also, when the spacer moves, the alignment film is not scratched and display unevenness does not occur.

Next, since the infrared light is irradiated only to the region where the spacer is to be fixed by adhesion, the spacer can be surely fixed to the region where the spacer is to be fixed by adhesion. For example, when the spacer is bonded and fixed to a region other than the pixel region, it is possible to irradiate the infrared light through drawing with an infrared laser or through a photomask, and it is possible to surely only the region. The spacer can be fixed by adhesion. As a result, the spacer does not exist on the pixel region, so that it is possible to prevent a decrease in contrast due to light leakage from the spacer.

Next, comparing the step of adhering and fixing the spacer, at least the surface of which is coated with a thermoplastic resin, to the entire surface of the electrode substrate and the step of the present invention, the spacer is adhered and fixed to the entire surface of the electrode substrate. In this case, spacers having at least the surface coated with a thermoplastic resin are dispersed and dispersed on the electrode substrate subjected to the orientation treatment, and the spacers are bonded and fixed by heating with hot air or infrared light.

On the other hand, in the present invention, spacers having at least the surface coated with a thermoplastic resin are dispersed and dispersed on the electrode substrate subjected to the orientation treatment, and infrared rays are drawn through an infrared laser or through a photomask or the like. Since the spacers are bonded and fixed by irradiating light and heating, it is possible to bond and fix the spacers only to regions other than the pixel region, for example, even though the number of steps is the same.

[0034]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing the structure of a liquid crystal display device 21 produced according to the present invention.

First, glass having a thickness of 0.7 mm and having ITO formed on its surface as a transparent conductive film was used as the electrode substrates 24 and 25. Each of the electrode substrates is washed, a resist (not shown) is applied onto the transparent conductive film by a roll coater and heat-cured, and then the segment electrode substrate 24 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays through a segment electrode substrate photomask. The resist was exposed to light and patterned by wet etching. Similarly, the common electrode substrate 25 was irradiated with ultraviolet rays through a photomask for the common electrode substrate to expose the resist, and the transparent electrodes 2 and 3 were patterned by wet etching.

After that, a polyimide-based alignment film was applied to the segment and common electrode substrates 24 and 25 by flexographic printing, baked in a baking furnace, and then subjected to alignment treatment by rubbing.

Further, about 6 g of the spacer 1 in which the surface of the resin beads is coated with the thermoplastic acrylic resin 32, and water 2
Dispersed in a mixed solution of 40 g and 60 g of isopropyl alcohol to prepare a spacer spray solution.

After that, the spacer spray solution is sprayed on the segment-side electrode substrate 25 subjected to the orientation treatment, and the spacers 1 are dispersed and arranged on the entire surface of the segment-side electrode substrate 25, as shown in FIG. Infrared light 5 was radiated through the previously used segment electrode substrate photomask 6 to bond and fix only the spacer 1 in the region other than the segment electrode 3.

Thereafter, the segment-side electrode substrate 25 to which the spacer 1 is adhesively fixed is immersed in water for ultrasonic cleaning to remove the spacers that are not adhesively fixed to remove the parts other than the segment electrode 3 as shown in FIG. Spacer 1 was dispersed and arranged only in the region.

On the other hand, the common side electrode substrate 24 is coated with an epoxy-based sealing material by screen printing, and the common side electrode substrate 24 and the segment side electrode substrate 25 are adhered to each other and the liquid crystal display device as shown in FIG. I got 21.

As shown in FIG. 6, the liquid crystal display device 21 includes a pixel 4 in which the common electrode 2 and the segment electrode 3 intersect.
The contrast is improved by about 50% as compared with the liquid crystal display device in which the spacer 1 is not present on the upper side and the spacer is present on the entire surface of the electrode substrate.

Further, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the spacer 1 has a structure in which the thermoplastic resin 32 coated on the surface of the resin beads becomes a hakama shape due to a heat drop and is adhered and cured on the substrate. Therefore, the spacer 1 does not move due to vibration and the like, and the dispersibility of the spacer 1 is good, so that the uniformity of the cell gap is good.

(Example 2) Up to the point where the upper and lower electrode substrates 24, 25 were subjected to the alignment treatment, the same method as in Example 1 was used, and the same spacer spray solution as in Example 1 was used. did.

First, the spacer spray solution is sprayed on both the common and segment side electrode substrates 24 and 25 which have been subjected to the alignment treatment, and the spacers 1 are dispersed and arranged on the entire surface of each substrate, as shown in FIG. On the segment side electrode substrate 2
5 was irradiated with infrared light 5 through the segment electrode substrate photomask 6 used previously. Similarly, the common side electrode substrate 24 was also irradiated with infrared light through the previously used photomask for a common electrode substrate, and only the spacers 1 in the regions other than the common electrodes 2 and the segment electrodes 3 were adhesively fixed.

After that, the common side electrode substrate 24 and the segment side electrode substrate 25 to which the spacer 1 is adhered and fixed are respectively immersed in water to perform ultrasonic cleaning, and the spacers not adhered and fixed are removed. As shown in FIG. 7, the spacers 1 were dispersed and arranged only in the regions other than the common electrode 2 and the segment electrodes 3.

Then, an epoxy-based sealing material is applied on the segment-side electrode substrate 25 by a dispenser, and the common-side electrode substrate 24 and the segment-side electrode substrate 25 are attached to each other to form a liquid crystal display as shown in FIG. Device 21 was obtained.

As shown in FIG. 8, the liquid crystal display device 21 includes a pixel 4 in which the common electrode 2 and the segment electrode 3 intersect.
The contrast is improved by about 50% as compared with the liquid crystal display device in which the spacer 1 is not present on the upper surface and the spacer is present on the entire surface of the electrode substrate.

Further, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the spacer 1 is formed such that the thermoplastic resin 32 coated on the surface of the resin beads becomes a hakama shape due to the heat drop and is adhered and cured on the substrate. Therefore, it does not move due to vibration.

Further, in the first embodiment, the spacers are present in a stripe shape, whereas in the present embodiment, the spacers are present in a matrix shape, so that the uniformity of the cell gap is further improved.

(Example 3) Up to the point where the upper and lower electrode substrates 24, 25 were subjected to the alignment treatment, the same method as in Example 1 was used, and the spacer spray liquid used was the same as in Example 1. did.

First, the spacer spray solution is sprayed on the segment-side electrode substrate 25 subjected to the alignment treatment, and the spacers 1 are dispersed and arranged on the entire surface of the segment-side electrode substrate 25, as shown in FIG. Infrared light 5 was radiated through the previously used segment electrode substrate photomask 6 to bond and fix only the spacer 1 in the region other than the segment electrode 3.

After that, infrared light is similarly similarly passed through the photomask for the common electrode substrate to the segment side electrode substrate 2
By irradiating the surface of the substrate 5, only the spacer 1 in the region other than the pixel 4 was fixed by adhesion.

Thereafter, the segment side electrode substrate 25 having the spacer 1 adhered and fixed is immersed in water for ultrasonic cleaning to remove the spacer which is not adhered and fixed, and as shown in FIG. Spacer 1 was dispersed and arranged only in

On the other hand, the common side electrode substrate 24 is coated with an epoxy-based sealing material by screen printing, and the common side electrode substrate 24 and the segment side electrode substrate 25 are adhered to each other to form a liquid crystal display device as shown in FIG. I got 21.

As shown in FIG. 8, the liquid crystal display device 21 has a higher contrast than the liquid crystal display device in which the spacer 1 is not present on the pixel 4 and the spacer is present on the entire surface of the electrode substrate. Was improved by about 50%.

Further, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the spacer 1 has a structure in which the thermoplastic resin 32 coated on the surface of the resin beads 31 becomes a hakama shape due to a heat drop and is adhered and cured on the substrate. Therefore, it does not move due to vibration.

Further, since the spacers are present in a stripe pattern in the first embodiment, the spacers are present in a matrix pattern in the present embodiment. Therefore, as in the second embodiment, the uniformity of the cell gap is further improved. Was good.

In the first, second, and third embodiments described above, the photomask 6 used for patterning the electrode as a photomask is used again as shown in FIG. However, by using a photomask 16 having a light irradiation width smaller than that of the photomask used for patterning the electrodes as shown in FIG. 3, for example, as shown in FIG. It is possible to prevent the spacer 11 located at the boundary with the region other than the electrode from being bonded and fixed, and it is possible to more reliably remove the spacer on the pixel or the electrode.

(Embodiment 4) Up to where the upper and lower electrode substrates 24 and 25 have been subjected to orientation treatment, the same procedure as in Embodiment 1 is carried out, and the same spacer spray solution as in Embodiment 1 is used. did.

First, the spacer spray solution is sprayed on the common side electrode substrate 24 subjected to the orientation treatment, and the spacers 1 are dispersed and arranged on the entire surface of the common side electrode substrate 24, as shown in FIG. Scan the infrared laser irradiation device 9 to irradiate the infrared light 5 only on the area other than the common electrode 2,
Only the spacer 1 in the area other than the common electrode 2 was adhesively fixed.

Then, the common-side electrode substrate 24 to which the spacer 1 is adhesively fixed is immersed in water for ultrasonic cleaning to remove the spacer that is not adhesively fixed.
As shown in FIG. 3, the spacers 1 were dispersed and arranged only in the area other than the common electrode 2.

On the other hand, the segment-side electrode substrate 25 is coated with an epoxy-based sealing material by screen printing, and the common-side electrode substrate 24 and the segment-side electrode substrate 25 are adhered to each other to form a liquid crystal display device as shown in FIG. I got 21.

As shown in FIG. 6, the liquid crystal display device 21 includes a pixel 4 in which the common electrode 2 and the segment electrode 3 intersect.
The contrast is improved by about 50% as compared with the liquid crystal display device in which the spacer 1 is not present on the upper surface and the spacer is present on the entire surface of the electrode substrate.

Further, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the spacer 1 is formed such that the thermoplastic resin 32 coated on the surface of the resin beads becomes a hakama shape due to the heat drop and is adhered and cured on the substrate. Therefore, the spacer 1 does not move due to vibration and the like, and the dispersibility of the spacer 1 is good, so that the uniformity of the cell gap is also good.

(Embodiment 5) Up to the point where the upper and lower electrode substrates 24, 25 are subjected to the alignment treatment, the same procedure as in Embodiment 1 is carried out, and the same spacer spray solution as in Embodiment 1 is used. did.

First, the spacer spray solution is sprayed on both the common-side and segment-side electrode substrates 24 and 25 that have been subjected to the alignment treatment, and the spacers 1 are dispersed and arranged on the entire surfaces of both substrates, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the infrared light laser irradiation device 9 is scanned to irradiate the infrared light 5 only on the region other than the common electrode 2 and the segment electrode 3, and the spacer 1 in the region other than the common and segment electrodes 2 and 3. Only the adhesive was fixed.

After that, the common side electrode substrate 24 and the segment side electrode substrate 25 to which the spacer 1 is adhesively fixed are immersed in water for ultrasonic cleaning to remove the spacers which are not adhesively fixed, and then, as shown in FIGS. Common, as shown in
Spacers 1 were dispersed and arranged only in regions other than the segment electrodes 2 and 3.

Then, an epoxy-based sealing material is applied on the segment-side electrode substrate 25 with a dispenser, and the common-side electrode substrate 24 and the segment-side electrode substrate 25 are attached to each other to form a liquid crystal display device as shown in FIG. I got 21.

As shown in FIG. 8, the liquid crystal display device 21 includes a pixel 4 in which the common electrode 2 and the segment electrode 3 intersect.
The contrast is improved by about 50% as compared with the liquid crystal display device in which the spacer 1 is not present on the upper side and the spacer is present on the entire surface of the electrode substrate.

Further, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the spacer 1 is formed such that the thermoplastic resin 32 coated on the surface of the resin beads becomes a hakama shape due to the heat drop and is adhered and cured on the substrate. Therefore, it does not move due to vibration.

Further, while the spacers are present in stripes in the first and fourth embodiments, the spacers are present in a matrix in the present embodiment.
Similar to 3, the uniformity of the cell gap became better.

(Embodiment 6) Up to the point where the upper and lower electrode substrates 24, 25 are subjected to the alignment treatment, the same procedure as in Embodiment 1 is carried out, and the same spacer spray solution as in Embodiment 1 is used. did.

First, the spacer-dispersing liquid is dispersed on the common-side electrode substrate 24 subjected to the orientation treatment, and the spacers 1 are dispersed and arranged on the entire surface of the common-side electrode substrate 24, as shown in FIG. The infrared light laser irradiation device 9 was scanned to irradiate the infrared light 5 only on the regions other than the pixels, and only the spacers 1 in the regions other than the pixels 4 were adhesively fixed.

After that, the common-side electrode substrate 24 to which the spacer 1 is adhesively fixed is immersed in water for ultrasonic cleaning to remove the spacer that is not adhesively fixed.
As shown in FIG. 5, the spacers 1 were dispersed and arranged only in the regions other than the pixels 4.

On the other hand, the segment-side electrode substrate 25 is coated with an epoxy-based sealing material by screen printing, and the common-side electrode substrate 24 and the segment-side electrode substrate 25 are adhered to each other to form a liquid crystal display device as shown in FIG. I got 21.

As shown in FIG. 8, the liquid crystal display device 21 has a higher contrast than the liquid crystal display device in which the spacer 1 is not present on the pixel 4 and the spacer is present on the entire surface of the electrode substrate. Was improved by about 50%.

Further, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the spacer 1 is formed such that the thermoplastic resin 32 coated on the surface of the resin beads becomes a hakama shape due to the heat drop and is adhered and cured on the substrate. Therefore, it does not move due to vibration.

Further, while the spacers are present in stripes in the first and fourth embodiments, the spacers are present in a matrix in the present embodiment.
Similar to 3 and 5, the uniformity of the cell gap was better.

Although various examples of the present invention have been described so far, not only glass but also plastic sheets, plastic films, and the like can be used as the electrode substrate for the liquid crystal display device of the present invention, and particularly limited to these. It is not something that will be done. Further, the presence / absence of a color filter and the presence / absence of an active element are not particularly limited.

As the patterning method, a method such as laser patterning or wet etching can be used, but the method is not particularly limited thereto.

As the alignment film material, various alignment film materials can be used, such as those that undergo a polymerization reaction by heat, those that only volatilize a solvent, and those that perform a polymerization reaction by light. It is not limited.
The insulating film for preventing a short circuit between the upper and lower electrode substrates may or may not be formed. As a method for forming the alignment film, offset printing, flexographic printing, spin coating, or the like can be used, but the method is not particularly limited thereto. As the orientation treatment method, a method such as rubbing or stamper can be used, but the method is not particularly limited thereto.

Further, as a method of forming the seal, a method such as screen printing or drawing with a dispenser can be used, but the method is not particularly limited thereto.

As the thermoplastic resin coating at least the surface of the spacer, materials such as polyester resin, polyamide resin, acrylic resin, polyethylene resin, modified polyolefin resin, polyvinyl acetate ethylene resin, polyurethane resin, etc. can be used. It is not particularly limited to these.

In addition, the sealing material, the liquid crystal material and the like are not particularly limited.

[0085]

According to the present invention, since the thermoplastic resin on the surface of the spacer is adhered and cured on the substrate, the spacer does not move, and a display defect caused by the movement of the spacer is prevented. It can be lost. Further, since the thermoplastic resin becomes a hakama shape due to heat slump and adheres to the substrate to be cured, the adhesion strength with the substrate is further increased.

Further, since the spacers are present in the form of stripes or in the form of a matrix and they can be bonded and fixed with good dispersibility, the uniformity of the cell gap is not impaired.

Also, since the spacer can be adhered and fixed on the electrode substrate after the alignment treatment, the alignment film printing step,
The spacers are not peeled off in the rubbing process or the like, and the display defect due to this can be eliminated.

Further, by using a photomask, an infrared laser irradiation device, or the like, it is possible to reliably bond and fix only the spacers in the regions where the spacers should be bonded and fixed, so it is easy to prevent the spacers from existing in the pixel region. It is possible to prevent the deterioration of the contrast due to the spacers on the pixels, which is particularly effective for projection and the like. Further, the photomask used for patterning the electrodes can be reused as the photomask.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a liquid crystal display device produced according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram when irradiating infrared light through a photomask in Examples 1, 2, and 3 of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of Embodiments 1, 2, and 3 of the present invention.
It is a schematic diagram at the time of irradiating infrared light through a photomask whose light irradiation width is narrower than the photomask used for patterning the electrodes.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of Embodiments 1, 2, and 3 of the present invention.
It is a schematic diagram when the spacer located at the boundary between the electrode region and the region other than the electrode is fixed when infrared light is irradiated through the photomask.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an arrangement of spacers on a common-side electrode substrate in Examples 1, 2, 4, and 5 of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the arrangement of spacers of the liquid crystal display device in Examples 1 and 4 of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the arrangement of spacers on the segment-side electrode substrate in Examples 2 and 5 of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the arrangement of spacers of the liquid crystal display device in Examples 2, 3, 5, and 6 of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the arrangement of spacers on the common-side electrode substrate in Examples 3 and 6 of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram when irradiating infrared light with an infrared light laser in Examples 4, 5, and 6 of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing that the alignment film is damaged, which is a problem of the conventional technique.

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing that a spacer also exists on a pixel region, which is a problem of the conventional technique.

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing that spacers are aggregated, which is a problem of the conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 spacer 2 common electrode 3 segment electrode 4 pixel area 5 infrared light 6 Photomask for electrode substrate 9 Infrared light laser irradiation device 10 Alignment film scratches 11 Spacer 16 Photomask 21 Liquid Crystal Display 24 Common side electrode substrate 25 segment side electrode substrate 32 thermoplastic acrylic resin

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. Two sheets of liquid crystal which are opposed to each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween.
The spacer used to control the substrate spacing is
In the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display device selectively dispersed and arranged above
The spacer with at least the surface coated with thermoplastic resin.
The step of dispersively arranging on the alignment film formed on the substrate and the spacers dispersively arranged in regions other than the pixels are selectively
Irradiate infrared laser to selectively contact the spacer.
And a step of fixing and fixing the liquid crystal display device. 2. Two sheets of liquid crystal which are opposed to each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween.
The spacer used to control the substrate spacing is
In the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display device selectively dispersed and arranged above
The spacer with at least the surface coated with thermoplastic resin.
The step of dispersively arranging on the alignment film formed on the substrate and the spacers dispersively arranged in regions other than the pixels are selectively
Irradiate infrared light to selectively bond and fix the spacer
And the spacers that are not adhesively fixed are removed by ultrasonic cleaning.
And a step of leaving the liquid crystal display device.