JP3448195B2 - LCD panel inspection equipment - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal panel inspection device for inspecting a liquid crystal panel used in a television, a personal computer or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, as a method of evaluating a liquid crystal panel, there are an operation test, a reliability test, an appearance test and the like. The inspection of the liquid crystal panel is mainly performed as a lighting operation confirmation test after the product is assembled. However, as the liquid crystal panel becomes larger and the definition becomes higher, higher speed inspection is required.

[0003]

Conventionally, there is a wire bonding method as a means for extracting and supplying a signal from a sensor electrode. This wire bonding method is a method that is usually used, and as shown in FIG.
And the drive circuit chip 8 are connected by wire bonding 10. In FIG. 11, 9 is a mounting substrate.

FIG. 12 shows an array sensor using the above wire bonding method. As shown in the figure, when the sensor 13 and the electrode pad 14 of the circuit board 12 are connected by the wire bonding 10, the wire bonding 10
Appears as shown in the figure. Therefore, the liquid crystal panel 23
There is a problem that the distance D between the sensor 13 and the sensor 13 becomes large, the sensor 13 cannot be brought close to the liquid crystal panel 23 to be inspected, the detection sensitivity decreases, and the S / N ratio deteriorates. In FIG. 12, 11 is an amplifier.

As a method for inspecting the liquid crystal panel,
For example, as shown in FIG. 13, stylus (prober) 31 and 32 are respectively brought into contact with the source voltage wiring 35 and the gate voltage wiring 33 connected to the TFT transistor 30, and the output voltage is checked for disconnection or short circuit of the pixel electrode 21. The prober system is used. This is the liquid crystal panel 2 described above.
By applying an inspection signal to the source voltage wiring 35 and the gate voltage wiring 33 of No. 3, the defect of the pixel electrode 21 of the liquid crystal display panel 23 is detected. In FIG. 13, reference numeral 34 is a substrate.

However, in the method shown in FIG. 13, problems such as an increase in contact failure or an increase in maintenance cost for replacing the stylus (probers) 31 and 32 have occurred. Further, with the increase in the amount of display information, there has been a demand for a liquid crystal display with a larger size, full color, and a reduction in pixel pitch due to higher definition.

A liquid crystal panel 23 for a normal laptop computer is, for example, a 10-inch liquid crystal panel 640 × 480.
There is a pixel, and as a test for the liquid crystal panel 23, FIG.
There is a method of scanning the surface of the liquid crystal panel 23 with the array sensor 20 shown in FIG. In this case, the array sensor 20
It is also necessary to manufacture the FET potential sensor 24 for detection incorporated in the device at the same pitch or less as the pixel electrode 21 of the display.

However, with one array sensor, FE
Since it is difficult to arrange several hundred T potential sensors in a row, conventionally, a plurality of array sensors 20 are connected in series as shown in FIG. At this time, there is a problem that the pitch L of the FET potential sensors of the array sensor 20 shifts to L1 at the connecting portion of each array sensor 20 because of the casing.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal panel inspection device capable of inspecting a liquid crystal panel accurately and at high speed.

The structure of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is, in a liquid crystal panel inspection apparatus having an array sensor incorporating a detection sensor, a thin array sensor provided on a substrate and a substrate adjacent to the array sensor on the substrate. A thin amplifier and a scanner provided and a plurality of stepwise cuts independently provided at the end of the substrate are provided, and the array sensor, the amplifier and the scanner, and the cuts are formed by forming a metal film. It is characterized by wiring between the two.

The structure of the present invention is a liquid crystal panel inspecting apparatus for inspecting a wire disconnection / short circuit by detecting a pixel voltage of a liquid crystal panel by using a potential sensor to which a field effect transistor is applied. A substrate, an array sensor in which a FET potential sensor is arranged on a convex portion of the substrate, and an amplifier and a scanner provided in a portion adjacent to the array sensor and not on the convex portion, and the array is formed by forming a metal film. Wiring is provided between the sensor, the amplifier, and the scanner.

[0012]

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an array sensor according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing an end portion of the array sensor, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the array sensor.

As shown in FIG. 1, which is a schematic perspective view of the detector, a thin array sensor 1 and thin amplifiers and scanners 2 are arranged on a substrate 4. The amplifier and scanner 2 are arranged adjacent to the left and right of the array sensor 1. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the left and right sides (end portions) of the substrate 4
A plurality of cuts 6 are provided in a stepwise manner, and a lead wire 3 is provided between the array sensor 1, the amplifier / scanner 2 and the cut 6 by forming a metal film.

FIG. 3 shows the positional relationship between the liquid crystal panel 23 having the pixel electrodes 21 and the array sensor 1. In order to perform an accurate inspection, it is necessary to set the distance d between the liquid crystal panel 23 and the array sensor 1 to 20 μm or less. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the array sensor 1, the amplifier, the scanner 2 and the like are extremely thin, for example, several tens.
The lead electrode 3 having a thickness of μm is used, and the lead electrode 3 in the meantime is wired to the left and right cuts 6 by forming a metal film to have an independent structure.

Since the array sensor 1, the amplifier and the scanner 2 are extremely thin and the extraction electrode 3 is formed by depositing a metal film as described above, the distance d can be set to 20 μm or less. Moreover, since the lead-out electric wire 3 is wired up to the cut 6, even if the distance d is 20 μm or less, the signal can be easily taken out through the electric wire 3 in the cut 6.

FIG. 1 shows the entire array sensor 1. Normally, the array sensor 1 is inspected while scanning while keeping a certain distance from the liquid crystal panel 23. , Liquid crystal panel 23 and array sensor 1
Since the distance d between and can be 20 μm or less, the detection level of the sensor and the S / N ratio are improved, and high accuracy,
A highly sensitive sensor system can be created.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the detection principle of the FET potential sensor according to the second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the array sensor, and FIG. 6 is a pixel electrode of the liquid crystal panel and the array sensor. FIG. 7, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are diagrams showing a method of determining the pixel electrode inspection by the FET potential sensor.

The main structure of the array sensor of the second embodiment is that the center of the substrate 27 is convex as shown in FIG. 5, and the FET potential sensors 24 are arrayed on the convex portion of the substrate 27. It is located in. The amplifier 25 and the scanner 2 are provided on the left and right sides of the FET potential sensor 24 and on the non-convex portion.
6 are arranged adjacent to each other. A wiring 19 is formed by forming a metal film between the FET potential sensor 24, the amplifier 25 and the scanner 26. This array sensor is scanned while being held at a constant distance from the liquid crystal panel, and the pixel electrodes 21 of the liquid crystal panel 23 are inspected.

The principle of detection of the liquid crystal panel is as shown in FIG. 4, in which a potential sensor 24 applying a field effect transistor (FET) is used, the pixel electrode 21 of the liquid crystal panel 23 is used as a gate, the pixel voltage is detected, and the wiring is disconnected.・ Detects short circuits. In FIG. 4, 22 is glass.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the distance between the liquid crystal panel 23 and the FET potential sensor 24 is set within 20 μm, and the pixel voltage during operation is detected as the gate voltage. , The pixel electrode 21 by amplifying this
Inspect for disconnection and short circuit.

In this case, the FET potential sensor 24 is connected to the substrate 2
7 and the wiring 19 is formed by depositing a metal film on the other hand, the amplifier 25 and the scanner 26 are arranged in the non-convex portion, so that the amplifier 25 and the scanner 26 are thick. Also, the upper surfaces of the amplifier 25 and the scanner 26 are
It is located below the upper surface of the FET potential sensor 24. Therefore, the liquid crystal panel 23 and the FET potential sensor 24 are not affected by the thickness of the amplifier 25 and the scanner 26.
The distance between and can be set within 20 μm.

The pixel electrodes 21 of the liquid crystal panel 23 are arranged in the 640 × 480 pixel array as described above. When the array sensor 20 scans the surface of the liquid crystal panel 23 at intervals of 20 μm or less to inspect the pixel electrode 21 as shown in FIG. 6, when a pulse voltage is applied to the pixel electrode A-1 in FIG.
A voltage waveform as shown in FIG. 8A is generated in the output of the FET potential sensor 28 which is assumed to be for disconnection, facing the pixel electrode A-1, but in the case of disconnection, the output voltage is as shown in FIG. 8B. Is 0.

Further, in this state, in the vicinity of the FET potential sensor 29 which is assumed to be for short circuit in FIG. 7, for example, A-2, B-.
When the voltage is generated at the position 1 or B-2, it means that the voltage is generated at the FET potential sensor 29 even though the pulse voltage is applied only to the pixel electrode A-1. Can be judged to be short-circuited. While scanning the array sensor by this method, it is inspected whether the pixel electrode 21 of the liquid crystal panel 23 is broken or short-circuited.

When the liquid crystal panel 23 is inspected by using the FET potential sensor 24, the pixel electrode disconnection
Short-circuit inspection can be performed at high speed and with high sensitivity.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an array sensor according to the third embodiment arranged in a staggered pattern. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the array sensor according to the third embodiment arranged in a staggered pattern.

FIG. 14 shows a state where the pitch L of the FET potential sensor 24 is deviated to L1 at the connection point of each array sensor when the array sensors are connected in series. FIG. 9 shows the third embodiment. The array sensor is mounted depending on the form.

In each array sensor 20, as shown in FIG. 9, FET potential sensors 24 for disconnection and short circuit inspection are arranged in series in two columns at equal intervals. When the array sensor 20 is linearly connected, the pitch L of the FET potential sensors 24 on both ends of the array sensor 20 becomes L1 as shown in FIG. 14 because of casings on both ends. Therefore, in the third embodiment, they are arranged in a staggered pattern as shown in FIG.

As a result, the distance L between the pixel electrodes of the liquid crystal panel
In addition, as shown in FIG. 10, by arranging a large number of array sensors 20, it is possible to deal with the inspection of a large-sized liquid crystal panel. In addition, in FIG.
Reference numeral 41 is an amplifier and a scanner, and 42 is an extraction electrode.

[0031]

As described above in detail with the embodiments, in the present invention, in a liquid crystal panel inspection device having an array sensor incorporating a detection sensor, a thin array sensor provided on a substrate and an array are provided. A thin amplifier and a scanner provided on the substrate adjacent to the sensor, and a plurality of stepped notches independently provided at the end of the substrate are provided, and the array sensor and the array sensor are formed by forming a metal film. A wiring is provided between the amplifier and the scanner and the cut.

With such a structure, the present invention does not cause a problem such as lifting of wire bonding, the interval between the liquid crystal panel and the array sensor can be reduced, and the detection level and S / N are improved. ,
Higher accuracy and sensitivity.

Further, according to the present invention, in the liquid crystal panel inspection device for inspecting the disconnection / short circuit of the wiring by detecting the pixel voltage of the liquid crystal panel by using the potential sensor to which the field effect transistor is applied, the substrate having a convex center And an array sensor in which a FET potential sensor is arranged on the convex portion of the substrate,
An amplifier and a scanner that are provided in a portion that is adjacent to the array sensor and that is not a convex portion are provided, and by forming a metal film, between the array sensor, the amplifier, and the scanner,
The configuration is wired.

With this structure, in the present invention, the distance between the liquid crystal panel and the array sensor can be reduced, the detection level and S / N are improved, the accuracy and sensitivity are improved, and the pixel electrode disconnection and High-speed short-circuit inspection
It can be performed with high sensitivity.

[0035]

[0036]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an array sensor according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing an end portion of the array sensor according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an array sensor according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an array sensor using a FET potential sensor according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a part of an array sensor according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows an array sensor and a liquid crystal panel according to a second embodiment, (a) is a plan view and (b) is a front view.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a determination method of a pixel electrode inspection by an FET potential sensor.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a determination method of a pixel electrode inspection by a FET potential sensor.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an array sensor according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an array sensor according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an electronic component that is wire-bonded.

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional array sensor using a wire bonding method.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a conventional prober type inspection apparatus.

FIG. 14 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional serial connection type array sensor using an FET potential sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Array sensor 2 amplifier and scanner 3 Drawer wire 4 substrates 6 notches 7 Liquid crystal display element 8 drive circuit chip 9 Mounting board 10 wire bonding 11 amplifier 12 circuit board 13 sensors 14 electrode pad 19 wiring 20 array sensor 21 Pixel electrode 22 glass 23 LCD panel 24 FET potential sensor 25 amps 26 Scanner 27 substrates 28 FET potential sensor for disconnection 29 FET potential sensor for short circuit 30 TFT transistor 31 Stylus (Prober) 32 Stylus (Prober) 33 Gate voltage wiring 34 substrate 35 Source voltage wiring 41 Amplifier and Scanner 42 Extraction electrode

Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Tadashi Rokkaku 3-2-1 Gion, Asanan-ku, Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Hiroshima Machinery Plant (56) Reference JP-A-64-35597 (JP, A) JP-A-1-167795 (JP, A) JP-A-4-34491 (JP, A) JP-A-8-110365 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G01R 31/00 G01R 31/302 G02F 1/1368

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A liquid crystal panel inspection apparatus having an array sensor incorporating a detection sensor, comprising: a thin array sensor provided on a substrate; a thin amplifier and a scanner provided on the substrate adjacent to the array sensor;
A plurality of stepwise cuts independently provided at the end of the substrate, and wiring is provided between the array sensor, the amplifier and the scanner, and the cuts by forming a metal film. LCD panel inspection device 2. A liquid crystal panel inspecting apparatus for inspecting a wire disconnection / short circuit by detecting a pixel voltage of a liquid crystal panel by using a potential sensor to which a field effect transistor is applied, wherein a substrate having a convex center and a substrate Of the array sensor having the FET potential sensor disposed in the convex portion, and an amplifier and a scanner provided in a portion adjacent to the array sensor and not in the convex portion. The array sensor and the amplifier are formed by forming a metal film. A liquid crystal panel inspection device, wherein wiring is provided between the scanner and the scanner.