JP4924815B2 - Method for manufacturing phase difference control member - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a phase difference control member including a phase difference layer having a birefringence function that gives a phase difference to transmitted light.

Liquid crystal display devices are used in various fields such as televisions and medical devices because they have advantages such as being easy to reduce the thickness and weight, reducing power consumption, and preventing flicker. On the other hand, depending on the angle at which the user views the liquid crystal display screen, there is a problem that light leakage or gradation reversal occurs, that is, a narrow viewing angle.
In order to eliminate this problem, a liquid crystal display device is combined with a retardation film obtained by uniaxially or biaxially stretching a triacetyl cellulose (TAC) film, or a retardation layer in which liquid crystal molecules are aligned and fixed in a specific direction. Various inventions for controlling outgoing / incident light have been proposed.

In particular, in recent years, from the viewpoint that the thickness of the entire liquid crystal display device can be reduced because the adhesive layer for adhering the retardation film to the substrate can be eliminated, and that good durability and light transmission can be obtained. A retardation control member having a so-called in-cell type retardation layer in which the retardation layer is formed inside a liquid crystal cell in which driving liquid crystal molecules are sandwiched between two substrates has been proposed.
As a method of installing a retardation layer inside a liquid crystal cell using a liquid crystal material such as a crosslinkable liquid crystal or a polymer liquid crystal, for example, an alignment film is formed on the surface of the substrate on which the retardation layer is formed, and then the liquid crystal material is used. A method of forming a retardation layer by obtaining a predetermined alignment state by applying a coating composition for forming a retardation layer (hereinafter referred to as “liquid crystalline ink”) dispersed in a solvent onto the alignment film. (See Patent Document 1 below) and a method of forming an in-cell type retardation layer by aligning a polymerizable liquid crystal monomer on a substrate with homeotropic alignment or homogeneous alignment without using an alignment film (see Patent Document 2 below) ) Etc. are being studied.

Here, the liquid crystal display device is a color in which a colored layer for finely patterning a visible layer entering and exiting a liquid crystal cell into R (red), G (green), B (blue), etc. for each pixel is formed on the substrate. Has a filter.
Therefore, by laminating an in-cell type retardation layer on the colored layer of the color filter, a retardation control member having a function as a transparent protective layer for physically protecting the colored layer in addition to a viewing angle compensation function is provided. As a result, the number of parts can be reduced, and consequently the production cost can be reduced.

  To form an in-cell type retardation layer, first, liquid crystalline ink in which polymerizable liquid crystal molecules are dissolved in a suitable solvent together with a photopolymerization initiator (initiator) and other additives is directly applied on the substrate. Or indirectly through another layer such as a colored layer, and uniformly coating using a technique such as a spin coating method, a die coating method, an ink jet coating method, or a slit & spin coating method to form a film. Among these, from the viewpoint of being able to coat to a uniform thickness, the spin coating method is less wasteful because liquid crystal ink does not scatter during coating, and the device itself is relatively compact, reducing the production cost. From this point of view, the die coating method is widely used. In particular, in recent years, liquid crystal ink coating on a large substrate has been desired in order to increase the size of the liquid crystal display device itself and to reduce production costs. Therefore, it is possible to use a spin coating method in which the substrate is rotated at a predetermined angular velocity. It is difficult, and because the coating speed by the die coating method and the adjustment accuracy of the relative position of the die head and the substrate have improved, batch coating by the die coating method (coating method by the die coating method alone) is widely used now. It is applied to mass production.

In the handling process of the phase difference control member, it is necessary to perform alignment (alignment adjustment) with other apparatuses and substrates. For alignment adjustment, simple and low-accuracy pin alignment adjustment performed by bringing a phase difference control member into contact with a pin standing on a jig, and high-precision optical adjustment performed by recognizing the alignment mark with an aligner (so-called registration marks). Adjustment) is typically performed. In general, the former can be aligned with a positional accuracy of about 1 mm or less, and the latter with a positional accuracy of 5 μm or less.
A plurality of alignment marks formed in a fine cross shape, etc. are provided outside the effective display area of the liquid crystal display device among the light-transmitting base materials constituting the phase difference control member. In the step, any one or more of the plurality is appropriately selected and used for alignment with various apparatuses and panels.

As a specific case of aligning the substrate using alignment marks,
(I) alignment of the base material with the photomask or the ink jet coater when the colored layer is finely patterned on the upper surface of the base material by a photolithography method or an ink jet method;
(Ii) Positioning of the substrate and the die head when liquid crystal ink is applied to the upper surface of the substrate by a die coating method;
(Iii) alignment of the substrate and the photomask when the applied liquid crystal ink is subjected to patterning exposure by a photolithography method;
(Iv) After the retardation layer is formed, the columnar body for keeping the cell thickness of the liquid crystal cell (hereinafter referred to as the cell gap) constant, the protrusion for regulating the alignment direction of the driving liquid crystal molecules, etc. are formed by photolithography. Alignment of the substrate and the photomask or transfer device when a fine pattern is formed by a method or a transfer method;
(V) alignment of the substrate and the coating apparatus when the driving liquid crystal molecules or alignment films thereof are applied directly or indirectly onto the retardation layer after the retardation layer is formed;
(Vi) alignment of the base material and the cutting device when the base material is cut along a predetermined cut line after the retardation layer is formed;
(Vii) Positioning of the base material and the liquid crystal driving substrate when the base material on which the retardation layer is formed and the liquid crystal driving substrate in which the liquid crystal driving circuit is arranged for each pixel are bonded together;
Etc. can be cited as an example.

JP 2005-165239 A JP 2005-165240 A

The alignment mark (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as “AM” for simplicity) is recognized by illuminating the AM with an illumination system provided with an aligner equipped with an objective CCD camera, and the transmittance between the AM and its neighboring area. Or it is usual to measure by measuring the contrast ratio of reflectance.
Therefore, when a colored layer or retardation layer is made on the AM, the illumination light may be partially absorbed and its transmittance may be lowered, but if the scattered light component is sufficiently suppressed, the illumination light By increasing the intensity of AM, AM can be recognized. On the other hand, when a scattered light component is generated in the illumination light, the contrast ratio measured by the aligner is remarkably lowered, which causes a problem that the AM cannot be accurately recognized.

  Here, the colored layer, the columnar body, the protrusions, and the like applied on the base material are made of an optically isotropic material, so that generation of scattered light components can be suppressed. However, in the case of a phase difference layer in which liquid crystal molecules are aligned, if alignment defects of liquid crystal molecules occur in the vicinity of the AM, scattered light components are generated, making it difficult to accurately recognize the outline of the AM. There is a serious problem that the AM cannot be recognized and the substrate cannot be aligned.

  For example, when the retardation layer (positive C plate) that expands the viewing angle of two polarizing plates sandwiching the liquid crystal cell in a crossed Nicol state is formed in an in-cell type, the liquid crystal molecules are homeotropically aligned in the effective display area of the substrate. In recent years when liquid crystal display devices are becoming larger, the clearance between the effective display area and the end face of the substrate is as small as about 10 mm in order to make the effective display area as large as possible with respect to the substrate area. It has become. For this reason, the application process of liquid crystalline ink is usually performed by solid coating on the entire surface of the substrate, and the liquid crystalline ink is also applied above and in the vicinity of the AM generally disposed on the periphery of the substrate. That is, the AM is usually coated on the retardation layer.

On the other hand, the homeotropic alignment of liquid crystal molecules is disturbed above and in the vicinity of the AM for the following reasons, and the scattered light component is generated in the illuminating light of the aligner, and there is a high possibility that an error occurs in the AM pattern recognition.
(A) In order to satisfactorily homeotropically align liquid crystal molecules in the effective display region, the surface of the retardation layer (for example, a colored layer) is subjected to ultrasonic cleaning treatment using a surfactant or UV-ozone treatment. Usually, surface treatment such as surface activation is performed, but since a colored layer is generally not provided near the AM provided outside the effective display area, the upper surface of the base material such as bare glass is the base of the retardation layer. Thus, the surface properties are different from the inside of the effective display area, and liquid crystal molecules are likely to be poorly aligned.
(B) When the spin coat method is used for the application of the liquid crystal ink, the ink is returned to the edge of the base material on which the AM is provided, and an ink pool is formed in a frame shape. It will be thickly coated. Also, when the die coating method is used for coating the liquid crystalline ink, the coating end swells thickly, so that the liquid crystalline ink was applied to the end surface of the substrate as described above, and the coating end reached the AM. In this case, it will be thickly coated on the AM. On the other hand, coupled with the fact that the AM itself has a predetermined thickness, the vertical alignment of the liquid crystal molecules is tilted obliquely in the outer peripheral portion including the AM, and a good vertical alignment is not always obtained.

  When light scattering occurs due to poor alignment of liquid crystal molecules in the outer periphery of the substrate, among the alignment cases (i) to (vii) above, especially after the photolithography process of the retardation layer and the retardation layer formation In the cases of (iii) to (vii), which are the processes of (5), there is a problem inherent in the case of forming an in-cell type retardation layer, in which AM recognition becomes difficult.

  In addition, positive A plate and negative C plate, which are fixed by aligning liquid crystal molecules homogeneously (horizontal) inside the liquid crystal cell, are transmitted by the liquid crystal molecules rising locally due to the horizontal alignment being disturbed. Light is scattered, and the problem of AM recognition error occurs as described above.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, that is, a phase difference control member formed by applying liquid crystalline ink to a substrate without waste, and facilitates optical recognition of alignment marks. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a phase difference control member capable of reliable alignment. Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.

  The liquid crystal ink is applied onto the substrate by a die coating method, and the alignment mark on the substrate is exposed from the liquid crystal ink application region and placed outside the phase difference layer formation region, thereby aligning the alignment mark. By avoiding the formation of a retardation layer around the periphery and facilitating optical recognition of the alignment mark, reliable alignment is possible.

That is, the manufacturing method of the phase difference control member according to the present invention is as follows.
(1) A method for producing a retardation control member comprising a retardation layer,
Forming a plurality of alignment marks including alignment marks arranged on the outer surface of the retardation layer on the upper surface of the light-transmitting substrate;
A liquid crystalline ink containing a crosslinkable liquid crystal molecule is applied to the upper surface of the base material at any position in the coating width direction, and at least an alignment mark disposed outside the retardation layer forming region. Applying a predetermined coating width by a die coating method while avoiding an area including one ;
Heating the applied liquid crystalline ink to align the crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules;
A step of polymerizing and fixing the aligned crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules to obtain a retardation layer;
A method for producing a phase difference control member comprising:
(2) In the step of applying with a predetermined coating width by the die coating method,
The liquid crystalline ink can be applied in a thin film form on the substrate through a slit-like discharge port formed between two halves facing each other, and a comb-like shim is interposed in the discharge port. The manufacturing method according to (1) above, wherein a plurality of non-ejection areas where the liquid crystalline ink is not ejected are used as a die coater formed at the ejection port;
Is the gist.

Since the retardation control member manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention has the alignment mark formed outside the retardation layer, it is possible to reliably align the member without any recognition error caused by the aligner. It is.
In addition, since the retardation control member manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention includes the retardation layer in an in-cell type, the viewing angle of the liquid crystal display device is expanded by combining it with a liquid crystal driving substrate, and the overall thickness is also increased. And good durability and light transmittance of the retardation layer can be obtained.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be specifically described below. In the following description, the “phase difference control member manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention” may be referred to as “the phase difference control member of the present invention”. FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing a phase difference control member of this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II.
The phase difference control member 1 of the present invention is an optical member having a birefringence function that gives a phase difference to transmitted light passing therethrough. In addition to a color filter used in a liquid crystal display device as described in detail below, the output is controlled. / Used in combination with an optical device such as a digital camera for controlling the phase difference of incident light. In these display devices and optical devices, an area where transmitted light is emitted / incident and a predetermined display or observation is performed is generally called an effective display area, and the phase difference control member 1 also corresponds to an effective display area. Is prepared.

In the retardation control member 1 of the present invention, a plurality of alignment marks (AM) 3 for alignment are formed on a light-transmitting substrate 2, and the retardation layer 4 is formed directly or indirectly on the surface thereof. Configured. When the retardation layer 4 is formed by coating, alignment between the coating device and the substrate 2 is performed by pin alignment adjustment or optical adjustment (register mark adjustment) using AM3.
As shown in FIG. 1, at least one of the AMs 3 of the present invention is provided so as to be exposed outside the coating formation region of the retardation layer 4.

  The width direction and the length direction of the phase difference control member 1 are indicated by double-sided arrows in FIG. In the present invention, for the sake of convenience, the application direction of liquid crystal ink, which will be described later, is the length direction of the phase difference control member 1, and the application width direction is the width direction of the phase difference control member 1. That is, for example, when the phase difference control member 1 is combined with a liquid crystal display device and used for an observer, the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, and the length direction and width of the phase difference control member 1 referred to in the present invention. It does not necessarily correspond to the direction.

Further, in the present embodiment, the base material 2 of the phase difference control member 1 has a light-shielding black matrix (hereinafter abbreviated as BM) that forms the outer edge of the effective display region through which transmitted light passes on the same surface side as the AM 3. 5) is provided.
Note that the effective display area prepared in the phase difference control member 1 includes the case where the pattern is explicitly formed by a light shielding material such as BM5 as in the present embodiment, and the effective display area in the center of the phase difference control member 1. There may be a case where there is only a light transmission area having an area enveloping the planned area of the display area. In any case, an effective display area required based on the specifications of the display device or optical apparatus in which the phase difference control member 1 of the present invention is used is first virtually formed on the substrate 2 and does not interfere with this. AM3 will be placed in
That is, in the present invention, the state in which the effective display area is defined on the base material 2 is a state in which the opening is surrounded by the BM 5 or a frame-shaped seal 8 described later, or the colored layer 6 or the retardation layer 4. Is a state in which a pattern is formed in the center of the base 2 while avoiding AM3. On the other hand, the state in which the effective display area is preliminarily formed on the base material 2 is a state in which the BM 5 or the seal 8 is not formed on the base material 2 on which the AM 3 is provided, or the BM 5 or the seal 8 is not formed. A state in which the colored layer 6 and the retardation layer 4 are solid-coated on the base material 2 while avoiding at least one of the AM3.

Further, the BM 5 has a large number of fine openings 15 formed inside the effective display area 10. In each of the openings 15, for example, three colored light-transmitting color patterns 61, 62, 63 are arranged so as to cover the colored layer 6, that is, the phase difference control member 1 is transmissive. It functions as a color filter that disperses visible light to color red (R), green (G), and blue (B), respectively. That is, the opening 15 constitutes one pixel of the liquid crystal display device. The BM 5 prevents color mixing of adjacent color patterns, sharpens the contours of the pixels, and provides a liquid crystal drive circuit, drive electrodes, etc. provided on a liquid crystal drive substrate (not shown in the figure, see FIGS. 6 and 7). It has a function to conceal and protect from transmitted light. A combination of three adjacent openings 15 (pixels) covered with different color patterns may be referred to as a picture element 16.
In the figure, a state in which nine pixels are arranged in the width direction of the phase difference control member 1 is schematically shown. However, in the case of the phase difference control member 1 used in combination with a liquid crystal display device, it is effective. While the width dimension of the display region 10 is about several centimeters to several tens of centimeters, the pixel width is about 100 μm.

  In the present invention, the BM 5 and the colored layer 6 may be unnecessary depending on the use and specification of the phase difference control member 1. Further, the color pattern constituting the colored layer 6 can also be a CMY system which is a complementary color system in addition to the above three colors of the RGB system, and further, in the case of a single color or two colors, or more than four colors. It can also be used.

  In the retardation control member 1 of the present embodiment, a large number of columnar bodies 7 are dispersed and erected on the top surface of the retardation layer 4 and covered with the BM 5. The columnar body 7 has a function of maintaining a cell gap at a predetermined thickness when a liquid crystal cell is formed by bonding the base material 2 to a liquid crystal driving substrate with the retardation layer 4 inside. As shown in FIG. 1, the columnar bodies 7 may be arranged in a pattern for each pixel or a plurality of columns. The columnar body 7 may be erected so that its base end (lower side in the figure) abuts on the retardation layer 4 as shown in FIG. 2, or the base end penetrates the retardation layer 4. You may stand in contact with BM5 or the colored layer 6.

  On the outer side in the width direction of the effective display area 10, a seal 8 is erected in a frame shape. The seal 8 is made of an adhesive and ultraviolet curable resin material such as epoxy acryl, for example, and prevents driving liquid crystal molecules (see FIG. 3) constituting the liquid crystal cell from flowing out. In the illustrated embodiment, the AM 3 is located on the outer side in the width direction than the seal 8, but the seal 8 may be provided at a position covering a part or all of the AM 3. This is because the seal 8 can be made of a light transmissive and optically isotropic material, and therefore does not cause light scattering when the AM 3 pattern is recognized by the aligner.

  Hereinafter, each element which comprises the phase difference control member 1 of this embodiment is demonstrated more concretely.

<About the base material>
The base material 2 can select suitably the plate-shaped body which consists of various materials other than glass materials, such as a glass substrate. In particular, when the retardation control member is used for a liquid crystal display, the substrate forming material is preferably alkali-free glass. In addition to the glass substrate, the base material 2 includes a plastic substrate made of polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene terephthalate, triacetyl cellulose, and films such as polyethersulfone, polysulfone, polyproprene, polyimide, polyamideimide, and polyetherketone. May be used.
In order to improve the wettability with respect to AM3, BM5, the colored layer 6, etc., it is good to give the base material 2 well-known surface treatment including a washing process.

<About Black Matrix (BM)>
As a method for forming BM5, (1) a method of forming a metal thin film such as chromium on the substrate 2 by sputtering or vacuum deposition, and patterning the thin film, (2) carbon fine particles, metal oxide, etc. Examples thereof include a method of forming a resin layer such as a polyimide resin, an acrylic resin, and an epoxy resin containing light-shielding particles on the substrate 2 and patterning the resin layer.

<About alignment mark (AM)>
AM3 is a registration mark that serves as a reference when aligning the base material 2, and is optically recognized by the aligner in various cases exemplified in the above (i) to (vii). The AM3 has a contrast ratio transmittance or reflectance that can be clearly compared with the AM3 formation position and its periphery with respect to the aligner illumination light.
The aligner illumination light source and its light receiving unit (objective CCD camera) may be arranged on the same side as AM3 or on the opposite side. When arranged on the same side, by making AM3 light reflective, the illumination light is reflected at the AM3 formation position and is observed brightly at the light receiving portion, and the periphery of the AM3 is observed to be black by transmitting the illumination light. When arranged on the opposite side, the AM3 is made light-shielding (absorbing or reflecting), so that the illumination light is absorbed or reflected at the AM3 formation position and is observed as black light omission in the light receiving part, and its periphery is The transmitted illumination light is observed brightly.

The illumination light observed by the light receiving unit is subjected to image processing by a computer, and the edge of AM3 is detected when a contrast ratio equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold is measured in adjacent pixels.
Therefore, AM3 has a single layer of a black resin material or a black metal material in the same manner as BM5 so as to obtain light transmittance with low transmittance that can be regarded as light absorbency or substantially light absorbency, or high light reflectivity. Alternatively, a black metal material and another metal material may be stacked.

  When AM3 is made light transmissive, the contrast ratio is improved by selecting a color having high absorbance with respect to the irradiation light of the aligner, and the pattern recognition accuracy is increased. For example, AM3 should be blue when yellow light (yellow light), which excludes high-energy violet light or short-wave components of blue light from visible light, is used as aligner irradiation light so that the liquid-crystal ink is not exposed to light. The irradiation light is absorbed, and the alignment mark position is observed in the night vision (black), and the periphery thereof is observed in the clear vision (yellow), thereby enabling alignment adjustment.

  The size of AM3 is not particularly limited. However, since the visibility by the aligner and AM3 are provided outside the effective display area, the size in plan view is preferably 0.1 to 10 mm. The thickness of AM3 is typically about 0.05 to 2 μm, although it depends on the material and manufacturing method.

A plurality of AMs 3 are provided on the substrate 2, and one or more of them are selected and used depending on the alignment case. The surface of the base material 2 on which the AM 3 is provided may be on the same side as the surface on which the BM 5 or the retardation layer 4 is formed by coating, or on the back side thereof. However, as described later, when the phase difference control member 1 and the liquid crystal drive substrate 31 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) are opposed to each other and aligned with each other, the out-of-plane distances of the alignment marks included in both are brought close to each other. Since it is preferable to reduce the focal depth, the AM 3 provided on the base material 2 of the phase difference control member 1 is preferably provided on the in-cell side, that is, on the side where the phase difference layer 4 and the columnar body 7 are formed.
The AM 3 may have a shape including a corner portion where lines cross each other, such as a cross shape or a saddle shape, so that the position and orientation of the base material 2 can be accurately adjusted. A plurality of AMs 3 may be provided at positions facing each other across the effective display area 10 in order to improve the position adjustment accuracy.
However, the shape and position of the AM 3 and the order of forming the plurality of AM 3 can be appropriately set according to the alignment case of the substrate 2.

Of the plurality of AMs 3, the phase difference layer 4 is scheduled to be formed for those used in the alignment step for coating and forming the retardation layer 4 and the alignment step after forming the retardation layer 4. It arrange | positions on the base material 2 so that it may be exposed to the exterior of a position. Accordingly, the retardation layer 4 is not formed on the AM 3 with a predetermined alignment defect, and therefore light scattering that causes an error in recognition of the AM 3 by the aligner does not occur.
On the other hand, for example, alignment of the ink jet coater and the base material 2 for applying the coloring material by the ink jet method, which is a step before the coating formation of the retardation layer 4, or development fixing of the coloring material by the photolithography method. AM3 used only for the process of positioning the photomask and the substrate 2 for the purpose is provided inside the coating formation (planned) region of the retardation layer 4, that is, the liquid crystalline ink is a part of the AM3. Or you may apply | coat so that it may apply to all.

In AM3 and BM5, first, AM3 is formed on the base material 2 in a state where the coating device of AM3 and the base material 2 are aligned by pin alignment, and subsequently, the black resin material ink that becomes the material of BM5 is applied. While capturing and aligning the AM3 with an aligner included in a processing apparatus or a black metal material film forming apparatus, the black material is spread from the AM3 and its vicinity, and the BM5 is placed at a predetermined relative position with respect to the AM3. It may be formed.
However, in order to perform AM3 formation and subsequent plate-making process easily and accurately, in the case of a light-shielding alignment mark, the same light shielding as BM5 is performed together with BM5, that is, by opening the corresponding part of AM3 in the mask pattern of BM5. It is good to form at the same time with a conductive material.
Moreover, when setting it as a light-transmitting mark, it can form by coating one color or multiple colors of the coloring layer mentioned later to the AM3 predetermined position.

  In the plate making process, the bonding process, the cutting process, and the like of the phase difference control member 1, the AM 3 formed on the substrate 2 is read by an aligner provided in the manufacturing apparatus used in each of the above processes. For example, in the step of forming the retardation layer 4 by applying liquid crystal ink, the aligner objective CCD camera incorporated in the liquid crystal ink application device captures the AM 3 of the base material 2 to thereby apply the coating device and the base material 2. The relative position and relative angle with respect to are adjusted.

The phase difference controlling member 1 of the present invention is the one in which the phase difference layer 4 is formed by coating in the AM 3 or the phase difference layer 4 is formed in the region where the phase difference layer 4 is formed. It is located outside. In arranging the AM3 exposed to the outside of the retardation layer 4, (1) a method of preventing liquid crystal ink from being applied directly or indirectly on the AM3, and (2) liquid crystal applied on the AM3. The method of removing the property ink can be taken. Examples of the former may further include (1a) a method of applying and evacuating AM3, and (1b) a method of preventing liquid crystal ink from adhering by providing water repellency to AM3 and its vicinity.
In the present invention, the above (1a) is adopted from the viewpoint that it can be implemented at a low cost without increasing the number of manufacturing steps of the phase difference control member 1.
In the present invention which solves the above-mentioned problem due to the fact that the clearance between the effective display area and the substrate end surface is becoming as small as several millimeters with the increase in size of the liquid crystal display device, the substrate end surface is applied during application of liquid crystalline ink. A specific method for painting away the AM 3 provided in the vicinity will be described later.

<About the colored layer>
Next, a color pattern can be formed on the base material 2 on which a large number of pixels are formed by BM5. As shown in the figure, when obtaining an RGB three-color filter, a red pattern 61 is formed in the red pattern forming region, a green pattern 62 is formed in the green pattern forming region, and a blue pattern 63 is formed in the blue pattern forming region simultaneously or in any order. Then, the colored layer 6 is produced.

As a specific method for forming the color pattern of each color, for example, a coloring material in which a pigment is dispersed as a colorant is applied in a film shape of a predetermined shape using a photolithography method or an inkjet method, so-called pigment dispersion Can be used.
In the case of the photolithography method, first, a red photosensitive resin layer containing a colorant of the first color (here, red is selected) is applied to the entire surface of the base material 2 so as to cover the BM 5 and AM 3. The red pattern 61 can be formed in the red pattern forming region by performing the development and exposing the red photosensitive resin layer with actinic radiation through a photomask having an open red pattern forming region. it can. By applying a spin coating method to the coloring material, alignment adjustment is not required and the coating thickness can be made uniform. In addition, since the coloring material is inexpensive in forming the colored layer 6, even if the spin coating method is used in carrying out the photolithography method, scattering of the material does not cause a large cost increase.

When patterning exposure of the coloring material by the photolithography method, the alignment marks provided on the photomask and the substrate 2 are read by an aligner using a reflection light source or a transmission light source, and both are aligned. In addition, when the coloring material is solid-coated on the base material 2, the alignment adjustment is performed in the state where the coloring material is also applied in the vicinity of AM3, but the coloring material is optically isotropic. Scattered light is not generated in the aligner irradiation light, and pattern recognition of AM3 is possible.
In addition, when the coloring material is applied to a predetermined position by the ink jet method, the alignment mark 3 provided on the substrate 2 is read by the aligner provided in the ink jet coater, and the ink jet nozzle is aligned to the predetermined application position.

Similarly, a photosensitive resin layer of the second color (green is selected as an example) is formed on the substrate 2 to form a green pattern 62 in the green pattern forming region, and further, a third color (as an example) The photosensitive resin layer is selected on the substrate 2 to form a blue pattern 63 in the blue pattern forming region.
When AM3 is made light-transmitting, marks used in the subsequent processes can be formed by applying a coloring material at a predetermined position of AM3 in the color pattern application process.

Moreover, as a formation method of the colored layer 6, in addition to the pigment dispersion method, for example,
(A) A water-soluble polymer material, which is a dyeing material, is applied onto the substrate 2 and patterned into a desired shape by a photolithography method, and then the resulting pattern is immersed in a dyeing bath and colored. Staining method to obtain a different pattern;
(B) A printing method (thermal transfer method) in which a pigment is dispersed in a thermosetting resin, and each color is separately applied by repeating printing (or thermal transfer), and then the colored layer 6 is formed by thermosetting the resin.
(C) A transparent conductive film is formed on the substrate 2 in advance and immersed in an electrodeposition coating solution containing a pigment, resin, electrolyte, etc., and a predetermined color is electrodeposited to form a colored pattern layer of each color. Electrodeposition method for thermosetting resin;
Can also be used.

  In order to improve the orientation of the retardation layer 4 to be described later, surface treatment such as ultrasonic cleaning treatment using a surfactant or surface activation by UV-ozone treatment is performed on the upper surface of the formed colored layer 6. It is good to apply.

<About retardation layer>
The phase difference layer 4 is a layer having a function of birefringing light transmitted therethrough, and an xyz orthogonal three-dimensional space is assumed with the xy axis in the plane and the z axis in the thickness direction. A refractive index of light in the x, y, and z axis directions is nx, ny, and nz, respectively, and any one of nx, ny, and nz is in a larger or smaller state than the others.

  For example, when the refractive index is nx> ny = nz or ny> nx = nz, the retardation layer 4 functions as a so-called “+ A plate” (positive A plate) and has a refractive index of When nx = ny> nz, it functions as a so-called “−C plate” (negative C plate), and when the refractive index is nx = ny <nz, so-called “+ C plate” (positive C plate).

  The retardation layer 4 has a polymer structure in which cross-linkable liquid crystal molecules having a polymerizable functional group in the molecular structure (cross-linkable liquid crystal molecules) are three-dimensionally cross-linked with each other in a predetermined direction. Have. The retardation layer 4 is prepared by applying a liquid crystalline ink in which a crosslinkable liquid crystal molecule is dispersed in a solvent together with various additives to the base material 2 in a thin film and fixing the liquid crystal ink in a predetermined orientation. can do.

  When rod-like nematic liquid crystal molecules are used as the crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules, the positive C plate can be obtained by setting the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules to be perpendicular to the substrate, and the positive A plate can be obtained by setting the horizontal direction. However, the negative C plates can be obtained by spirally rotating in the direction perpendicular to the surface after setting the horizontal direction. Moreover, a hybrid alignment layer can be obtained by changing the tilt angle between the liquid crystal molecules and the substrate 2 in the thickness direction of the retardation layer 4.

(About components of liquid crystalline ink)
The crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules constituting the retardation layer 4 preferably have an unsaturated double bond as a polymerizable functional group in the structure of the liquid crystal molecule, and have an unsaturated double bond at both ends of the molecular structure. Those having two or more unsaturated double bonds are more preferable.
Examples of the crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules used for obtaining the retardation layer 4 include crosslinkable nematic liquid crystal molecules (crosslinkable nematic liquid crystal molecules). Examples of the crosslinkable nematic liquid crystal molecules include monomers, oligomers, and polymers having at least one polymerizable group such as a (meth) acryloyl group, an epoxy group, an octacene group, and an isocyanate group in one molecule. More specifically, as such a crosslinkable liquid crystal molecule, one compound (compound (I)) of the compounds represented by the general formula (1) shown in the following chemical formula 1 is used. One of the compounds represented by the general formula (2) shown (compound (II)) or a mixture of two or more, one of the compounds shown in chemical formulas 3 and 4 (compound (III)) These compounds, a mixture of two or more kinds, or a mixture of these can be used.

In the general formula (1) shown in Chemical formula 1, each of R ¹ and R ² represents hydrogen or a methyl group, but at least R ¹ is required to broaden the temperature range at which the crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules exhibit a liquid crystal phase. And R ² is preferably hydrogen, more preferably hydrogen. X in the general formula (1) and Y in the general formula (2) may be any of hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, iodine, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a methoxy group, a cyano group, or a nitro group. Is preferably a chlorine or methyl group. Moreover, a and b which show the chain length of the alkylene group between the (meth) acryloyloxy group and aromatic ring of the both ends of the molecular chain of General formula (1), and d and e in General formula (2) are respectively 1 Although an arbitrary integer can be taken in the range of -12, it is preferable that it is the range of 4-10, and it is further more preferable that it is the range of 6-9. The compound (I) of the general formula (1) in which a = b = 0 or the compound (II) of the general formula (2) in which d = e = 0 has poor stability and is easily hydrolyzed, and the compound (I) or (II) itself has high crystallinity. Further, the compound (I) of the general formula (1) or the compound (II) of the general formula (2) in which a and b, or d and e are each 13 or more, has a low isotropic phase transition temperature (TI). For these reasons, both of these compounds have a narrow temperature range in which the liquid crystal molecules stably exhibit liquid crystallinity (temperature range for maintaining the liquid crystal phase), and are not preferred for use in the retardation layer 4.

  As the crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules, the above-mentioned chemical formula 1, chemical formula 2, chemical formula 3, and chemical formula 4 exemplify liquid crystal monomers having polymerizability. However, polymerizable liquid crystal oligomers, polymerizable liquid crystal polymers, and the like may be used. Also, known ones such as oligomers and polymers such as the above-mentioned chemical formula 1, chemical formula 2, chemical formula 3, and chemical formula 4 can be appropriately selected and used.

  In the phase difference layer 4, the degree of polymerization of liquid crystal molecules (in the case of cross-linkable liquid crystal molecules, the degree of cross-linking polymerization) is preferably about 80 or more, and more preferably about 90 or more. If the degree of polymerization of the liquid crystal molecules constituting the retardation layer 4 is less than 80, there is a possibility that the uniform orientation cannot be sufficiently maintained. The degree of polymerization and the degree of cross-linking polymerization indicate the proportion of the polymerizable functional group of the liquid crystal molecule consumed in the polymerization reaction of the liquid crystal molecule.

The liquid crystalline ink is prepared by blending liquid crystal molecules such as the above-mentioned compounds (I) to (III) constituting the retardation layer 4 and a solvent.
If necessary, the liquid crystalline ink may contain an alignment aid such as a surfactant that improves the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules, or if the crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules are photopolymerizable, it is irradiated with actinic radiation. Various additives such as a known photopolymerization initiator that opens a heavy bond to cause a crosslinking polymerization reaction and a sensitizer that accelerates the photopolymerization reaction may also be added.

  The solvent used for the adjustment of the liquid crystalline ink is not particularly limited as long as it has a viscosity that can dissolve the liquid crystal molecules constituting the retardation layer 4 and can be discharged from the slit-like discharge port of the die coater. Specifically, hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, xylene, n-butylbenzene, diethylbenzene and tetralin, ethers such as methoxybenzene, 1,2-dimethoxybenzene and diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone and cyclohexanone Ketones such as 2,4-pentanedione, ethyl acetate, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, propylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate, γ-butyrolactone, etc. Amide solvents such as 2-pyrrolidone, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, chloroform, dichloromethane, carbon tetrachloride, dichloroethane, tetrachloroethane, tritrichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, chlorobenzene, orthodichlorobenzene, etc. Halogen solvents, t-butyl alcohol, diacetone alcohol, glycerin, monoacetin, ethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, hexylene glycol, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethyl cellosolve, butyl cellosolve and other alcohols, phenol, parachlorophenol 1 type, or 2 or more types, such as phenols etc., can be used. If only one kind of solvent is used, the solubility of compound components such as crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules is insufficient, or the material that forms the other side of coating when applying liquid crystalline ink In the case where there is a risk of the material being attacked, these disadvantages can be avoided by using a mixture of two or more solvents. Among the above-mentioned solvents, hydrocarbon solvents and glycol monoether acetate solvents are preferable as the sole solvent, and preferable solvents are ethers or ketones and glycols mixed. It is a mixed solvent. The concentration of the composition component of the liquid crystal ink varies depending on the solubility of the composition component used in the solvent in the solvent, the layer thickness desired for the retardation layer, and the like, but is usually 1 to 60% by weight, preferably 3 to 40%. It is in the range of wt%.

When the retardation layer 4 is a positive C plate, a positive A plate, and a negative C plate, an additive to be added to the liquid crystalline ink or an underlayer of the retardation layer 4 (this In the case of the embodiment, the surface treatment method of the colored layer 6) will be briefly described below.
Among these, since the positive A plate and the negative C plate are coated and formed on the horizontal alignment film as will be described later, the occurrence of misalignment in which the liquid crystal molecules try to rise locally from the horizontal state in the vicinity of the AM. It is expected to be relatively suppressed by the alignment regulating force of the alignment film. On the other hand, for the positive C plate, the alignment regulating force of the vertical alignment film is weaker than that in the case of the horizontal alignment described above, and further, due to the action of additives added to the liquid crystalline ink without using the vertical alignment film as described later. In some cases, the liquid crystal molecules are vertically aligned, so that alignment defects easily occur in the vertical alignment in the vicinity of the AM, and scattered light in the vicinity of the AM, which is a subject of the present invention, easily occurs.

(For positive C plate)
The retardation layer 4 functions as a positive C plate by vertically aligning the crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules with respect to the substrate 2. In order to vertically align the crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules, either or both of a method of forming a vertical alignment film on the surface of the underlayer of the retardation layer 4 and a method of adding a vertical alignment aid to the liquid crystalline ink are roughly classified. It can be taken.

  An example of the vertical alignment film is polyimide. In particular, a polyimide having a long-chain alkyl group is preferable because the thickness of the retardation layer 4 formed on the retardation control member can be selected within a wide range. Specific examples include SE-7511 and SE-1211 manufactured by Nissan Chemical Industries, and JALS-2021-R2 manufactured by JSR. The vertical alignment film is formed by applying a vertical alignment film composition liquid containing a component such as polyimide constituting the vertical alignment film on the substrate 2 by a method such as flexographic printing or spin coating, It can be formed by curing this coating film. In the case where the vertical alignment film has high water repellency or oil repellency, the liquid crystal molecules may be homeotropically aligned before the liquid crystal material is applied on the vertical alignment film to form the retardation layer 4. The wettability of the surface of the vertical alignment film on which the liquid crystal composition liquid is to be applied may be increased in advance by performing UV cleaning or plasma treatment within a possible range.

  Since the vertical alignment film itself is generally an optically isotropic material, it may be coated on the entire surface of the substrate 2, that is, the AM 3 may be covered with the vertical alignment film. However, as will be described later, in the present invention, since at least a part of AM3 is exposed outside the coating width of the retardation layer 4, it is not necessary to form a vertical alignment film in the outer region. . Further, by forming a pattern of the vertical alignment film only in the effective display area, it does not go under the seal 8 which is coated in a frame shape to surround the effective display area later, and the sealing function of the liquid crystal cell by the seal 8 is achieved. There is no loss.

Examples of the vertical alignment aid include surfactants and coupling agents.
The surfactant used for the vertical alignment aid is not particularly limited as long as the polymerizable liquid crystal molecules can be homeotropically aligned, but the liquid crystal molecules are heated to the transition temperature to the liquid crystal phase when the retardation layer is formed. Since it is necessary, those having heat resistance to the extent that they are not decomposed even at the transition temperature to the liquid crystal phase are preferable. Further, based on the affinity with the solvent of the liquid crystalline ink, it can be appropriately selected from nonionic, cationic, anionic and the like.

  When a coupling agent is used as the vertical alignment aid, specifically, n-octyltrimethoxysilane, n-octyltriethoxysilane, decyltrimethoxysilane, decyltriethoxysilane, n-dodecyltrimethoxysilane, n- Examples include silane coupling agents obtained by hydrolyzing silane compounds such as dodecyltriethoxysilane, octadecyltrimethoxysilane, octadecyltriethoxysilane, amino group-containing silane coupling agents, fluorine group-containing silane coupling agents, etc. be able to.

  When the vertical alignment film is not formed on the upper surface of the colored layer 6 that is the underlayer of the retardation layer 4, the wettability of the liquid crystalline ink is preferably improved on the upper surface of the colored layer 6 by UV cleaning or plasma treatment.

(About positive A plate)
When the retardation layer 4 is a layer having an optical compensation function as a positive A plate, the retardation layer 4 is a liquid crystal molecule having a positive refractive index anisotropy such that its optical axis is parallel to the xy plane. It is obtained by horizontally aligning and fixing it.

  In order to horizontally align the liquid crystal molecules, a liquid crystal ink is laminated on the horizontal alignment film by interposing a horizontal alignment film for horizontally aligning the liquid crystal molecules on the upper surface of the base layer of the retardation layer 4.

  The horizontal alignment film is prepared by adjusting the resin material constituting the resin film forming the alignment film, applying the resin material on the substrate 2 to form a horizontal alignment film-forming coating film, and solidifying it. This can be concretely realized by applying a rubbing treatment or a photo-alignment treatment to the surface of the alignment film forming coating film so that the horizontal alignment film forming coating film becomes an alignment film.

(About negative C plate)
In the case where the retardation layer 4 is a layer having an optical compensation function as a negative C plate, the retardation layer 4 contains liquid crystal molecules having negative refractive index anisotropy so that the optical axis is directed in the z-axis direction. Either by aligning and fixing, or by adding a chiral agent to liquid crystal ink in which liquid crystal molecules such as crosslinkable nematic liquid crystal as shown in the above compounds (I), (II), (III) are added to a solvent, Cholesteric regularity is imparted to the liquid crystal molecules to form a chiral nematic alignment state.

The chiral agent is a low molecular weight compound having an optically active site in the molecule and is preferably a compound having a molecular weight of 1500 or less. As the chiral agent, those capable of inducing a helical pitch without impairing the liquid crystallinity of the crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules are selected, and those having a polymerizable functional group at both terminal sites in the molecular structure are particularly suitable for retardation with good heat resistance. It is preferable for obtaining the layer 4. The chiral agent is preferably a compound having an optically active site in the molecular structure.
The chiral agent includes, for example, a compound having one or more asymmetric carbons, a compound having an asymmetric point on a heteroatom such as a chiral amine or chiral sulfoxide, or a shaft such as cumulene or binaphthol. Examples include compounds with asymmetry, but depending on the properties of the selected chiral agent, nematic regularity may be destroyed and the orientation may be lowered. In the case of a non-polymerizable chiral agent, it may be caused by polymerization of a polymerizable liquid crystal. In addition to incurring a situation in which the curing performance is lowered, there is a risk of inducing a situation in which the electrical reliability of the retardation layer formed using the liquid crystal material is lowered, and furthermore, a large amount of a chiral agent having an optically active site is used. Incurs cost increase. Accordingly, as the chiral agent, it is preferable to select a chiral agent that has a large effect of inducing a helical pitch in the alignment of liquid crystal molecules even in a small amount, and more specifically, a commercially available product such as S-811 manufactured by Merck is used. be able to.

  The upper surface of the base layer of the retardation layer 4 may be applied to a horizontal alignment film in the same manner as the positive A plate. The liquid crystal molecules applied to the horizontal alignment film are horizontally aligned and a helical pitch is induced with positive uniaxial nematic regularity. The phase difference layer 4 has a negative refractive index anisotropy while the optical axis faces the z direction. Given.

(About liquid crystal ink application method)
When the surface treatment of the base layer of the retardation layer 4 is performed as described above and the liquid crystalline ink is adjusted, this is then applied to the substrate 2 to form a liquid crystal coating film.

In the present embodiment, the AM3 is applied to the outside of the liquid crystal ink coating region and exposed. In addition, a die coater (slit die coater) that discharges liquid crystalline ink in a thin film form from a slit-like discharge port is used for the purpose of performing this with a small number of steps and eliminating waste of liquid crystalline ink as much as possible. The die coating method used is adopted.
In the die coating method, liquid crystalline ink is ejected from the ejection port of the die head disposed at a slightly spaced upper position with respect to the upper surface of the substrate 2, and a meniscus (bead) is formed between the ejection port and the substrate 2. Form. The liquid crystal coating film is formed by coating by moving the die head in the in-plane direction of the substrate while maintaining this state. Therefore, the moving direction of the die head is the film forming direction of the liquid crystal coating film.
When applying the liquid crystalline ink, the die coater and the substrate 2 are usually aligned by pin alignment adjustment. An aligner including an objective CCD camera and an illumination system is arranged on the die coater, and Using the formed AM3 as a reference, the die head and the base material 2 may be aligned by optical adjustment with higher accuracy.

  At least a part of the AM 3 provided outside the effective display region 10 is exposed to the outside of the retardation layer 4 and formed on the substrate 2. As will be described later, in the case of the so-called multi-faceted phase difference control member 1 according to the present invention in which a plurality of effective display areas 10 are formed in the width direction with respect to the base material 2, each effective display area 10 includes On the other hand, a desired AM3 is formed, that is, AM3 may be arranged between the effective display areas 10.

The method of forming AM3 outside the coating (planned) region of the liquid crystal coating film 41 is roughly classified.
(A) In the application process of liquid crystalline ink, a non-application area of liquid crystalline ink is left in any position of the substrate 2 in the ink coating width direction (the width direction of the phase difference control member 1). A method in which AM3 is previously formed at a position corresponding to the non-application area;
(A) In the liquid crystal ink application process, the non-application area of the liquid crystal ink is left in any position in the ink application direction (the length direction of the phase difference control member 1) in the substrate 2 and applied. A method in which AM3 is previously formed at a position corresponding to the non-application area;
Can be mentioned.

  In the present embodiment to be described later, the above (a) is adopted from the viewpoint that the non-application region of the liquid crystal ink can be formed stably and accurately. That is, in the die coating method, the bead formation is unstable immediately after the start of coating and immediately after the end of coating, and there is a high risk of uneven coating over a predetermined length. ) Because it is relatively difficult to avoid AM3 with high accuracy.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a state in which the liquid crystal ink is applied to the upper surface of the base material 2 having the AM 3 formed on the upper surface to form the liquid crystal coating film 41. FIG. Such a coating method, FIG. 5B, shows a conventional coating method. In the figure, the BM 5 and the colored layer 6 are not shown.

  As shown in FIG. 5B, in the past, liquid crystal ink was applied to the end face of the base material 2 using a die head 9 having substantially the same width as that of the base material 2, so that the AM 3 is formed of the liquid crystal coating film 41. It was in the state of being coated inside the coating width. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the width of the discharge port of the die head 9 is narrower than the interval between the AMs 3 formed on both sides of the effective display area 10 in the width direction.

  In order to make the width dimension of the discharge port of the die head 9 narrow, a method of forming the die head 9 to be narrow in accordance with the formation interval of the AM 3 and a method of shortening the length of the slit-like discharge port There is.

  As for the coating method of the present embodiment, a method of adjusting the length of the slit-like discharge port to be short so as to apply the liquid crystalline ink while accurately avoiding the formation position of the AM 3 provided in the very vicinity of the end surface of the substrate 2. take. Specifically, in the present embodiment, a method of forming a non-ejection area where liquid crystal ink is not ejected with high dimensional accuracy by attaching a shim to the ejection opening will be described.

  FIG. 4 shows a die coater that obtains a liquid crystal coating film 41 by coating liquid crystal ink on a substrate 2 in a thin film form through a slit-like discharge port 92 formed between halved lips 91a and 91b facing each other. FIG. 2A is an exploded perspective view of the die head 9, and FIG. 2B is a lower perspective view of the die head 9 in which a comb-like shim 93 is interposed between the lips 91.

The lip 91a is provided with a supply hole 94 for supplying liquid crystal ink, and the liquid crystal ink is continuously supplied from a die coater body (not shown).
When the halves lip 91 a and 91 b are opposed to each other and fastened with screws 95, the inside of the die head 9 is filled with liquid crystal ink in a manifold 96 communicating with the supply hole 94 and discharged from the discharge port 92. . Note that both ends of the manifold 96 are closed by lids 98, and liquid crystalline ink does not leak from both ends of the die head 9 in the width direction.

Here, by sandwiching a shim 93 having a plurality of teeth 99 between the lips 91a and 91b, as shown in FIG. 97 is formed.
Therefore, a shim 93 with teeth 99 protruding corresponding to the formation position of AM3 is produced, and this is simply sandwiched between lips 91a and 91b. By using a known die head 9, AM3 is avoided and a predetermined coating is performed by a die coating method. Liquid crystalline ink can be applied with a work width.

  The number and position of the teeth 99 protruding from the shim 93 are selected depending on the position and number of the AM 3 that should avoid the liquid crystal coating film 41. FIG. 4 illustrates a comb-like shim 93 having four teeth 99 at equal intervals. If the die head 9 having such a shim 93 is used, three rows of liquid crystal coating films 41 can be simultaneously formed on the base material 2 while leaving a coating escape corresponding to the width dimension of the teeth 99. The shim 93 can be made by appropriately selecting from resin materials such as rubber and plastic, metal materials, and the like. Since the dimensional accuracy of the shim 93 is a high processing accuracy at the factory level, the non-ejection region 97 corresponding to the AM3 formation position on the substrate 2 can be realized with high dimensional accuracy by the formation position of the teeth 99.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which liquid crystal ink is applied to the upper surface of the base material 2 in the case where the phase difference control member 1 is obtained in a so-called multi-faceted state in which a plurality of effective display areas 10 are provided in the width direction of the base material 2. It is a schematic diagram shown. In the figure, as one mode, in order to obtain a total of eight phase difference control members 1, two in the width direction of the substrate 2 and four in the length direction, eight effective display areas 10 are formed on the substrate 2. A partition is formed by BM5.
As shown in the figure, when two rows of liquid crystal coating films 41 are formed simultaneously, it is necessary for those skilled in the art that the number of teeth 99 provided on the comb-shaped shim 93 in the die head 9 shown in FIG. It will be clear.

  In forming the liquid crystal coating film 41 on the base material 2 by the die coater, the AM 3 provided on the base material 2 is captured by the aligner of the die coater, and the die head 9 is aligned with the base material 2 and the die head 9. Is slid in the coating direction with respect to the die coater. Thereby, the liquid crystal coating film 41 can be formed with high positional accuracy with respect to the effective display area 10 partitioned by the BM 5.

(About alignment and fixation of crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules)
A predetermined orientation is imparted to the crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules contained in the liquid crystal coating film 41 prepared by applying liquid crystal ink to the surface of the substrate 2. For imparting the orientation to the liquid crystal molecules, the liquid crystal coating film 41 is heated to a temperature at which the internal liquid crystal molecules become a liquid crystal phase (liquid crystal phase temperature) or higher and lower than the isotropic phase transition temperature at which the isotropic phase (liquid phase) becomes This is done by controlling the temperature so that At this time, the heating means of the liquid crystal coating film 41 is not particularly limited, and it may be heated by appropriately combining heating by heat transfer or radiation. In addition to the above method, the method for aligning the crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules may be a method of spontaneously inducing alignment in the liquid crystal molecules in the cooling process after the liquid crystal coating film 41 is once heated to the isotropic phase temperature, This can also be realized by a method of applying an electric field or a magnetic field to the film 41 from a predetermined direction.

  Thus, after the state in which the orientation is imparted to the liquid crystal molecules contained in the liquid crystal coating film 41 is formed, the liquid crystal molecules are subjected to a crosslinking polymerization reaction.

  In this polymerization reaction, active radiation such as light having a photosensitive wavelength (specifically, for example, ultraviolet light) of a photopolymerization initiator added to the liquid crystal material is irradiated or patterned on the liquid crystal coating film 41 in the liquid crystal phase state. Proceed by irradiation. The wavelength of light applied to the liquid crystal coating film 41 may be appropriately selected according to the type of photopolymerization initiator contained in the coating film. In the case of patterning irradiation, actinic radiation is exposed through a photomask having an opening where the phase difference layer 4 is to be formed, and after the patterning exposure, unpolymerized portions of the liquid crystal coating film 41 are removed by etching. The patterning exposed portion may be further baked and thermally polymerized and cured.

  At this time, AM3 to which liquid crystal ink is not applied is selected on the upper surface, and the photomask and the substrate 2 are aligned. That is, when liquid crystalline ink is applied to AM3, alignment failure occurs in the vicinity of AM3 at the stage of imparting alignment to liquid crystal molecules, and it is impossible to align the photomask with the aligner in the patterning exposure process. In the present invention, liquid crystal ink is not applied to at least a part of AM3 in the present invention, so that a good pattern recognition of AM3 by the aligner is possible.

<About the patterning process>
The phase difference control member 1 coated with the phase difference layer 4 is a structural member that defines a cell gap on the phase difference layer 4 as needed and can withstand a pressing load applied to the phase difference control member 1. The columnar body 7 and protrusions (not shown) for regulating the alignment direction of the liquid crystal can be provided in a pattern.

Also in this case, it is preferable to perform patterning using a photolithography technique in the same manner as the pattern exposure of the colored layer 6 and the retardation layer 4 itself.
The columnar body 7 will be described as an example. The photoresist constituting the columnar body 7 is solid-coated on the retardation layer 4 and exposed and developed through a photomask aligned with reference to AM3. The columnar body 7 can be configured only at a desired position corresponding to each pixel. At this time, for alignment of the photomask and the base material 2, it is common to use the alignment mark used when the colored layer 6 or the retardation layer 4 is configured, but when making the BM5, Different alignment marks provided in advance different from those for making the colored layer 6 and the retardation layer 4 may be used.

  The columnar body 7 can be composed of a light-transmitting and optically isotropic resin material having photo-curable photosensitivity such as acrylic-based and amide-based or ester-based polymer containing polyfunctional acrylate. . When the resin material of the columnar body 7 is exposed and developed, the aperture of the photomask corresponding to the AM3 and its neighboring area is covered with a light-shielding shielding member (light-shielding plate) so that it is applied above the AM3. Usually, the resin material is removed by etching without fixing. However, by selecting an optically isotropic material as described above, even if the resin material is exposed and cured above the AM 3, it does not cause scattered light in the transmitted light like the retardation layer 4. In the subsequent steps, AM3 recognition failure does not occur in the aligner.

  In addition, when providing the columnar body 7 in the phase difference control member 1, not only the case where the columnar body 7 is directly provided on the surface of the retardation layer 4, but also a publicly known means such as a sputtering method using a transparent electrode such as an ITO film. The columnar body 7 may be erected after being appropriately selected and formed on the retardation layer 4.

<About the cutting process>
After each layer is laminated on the base material 2, the phase difference control member 1 is aligned along a predetermined cut line that envelops the effective display area 10 in a state where the base material 2 and the cutting device are aligned with the AM 3 as a reference position. Is cut out.
As AM3 used in the cutting process, those used in the plate making process described above may be used, or those provided individually on the periphery of each effective display area 10 may be used.

<About the bonding process>
The phase difference control member 1 cut out through the cutting process is coated with an alignment film for aligning driving liquid crystal molecules, and is bonded in a state facing the liquid crystal driving substrate (see FIG. 6). The The phase difference control member 1 and the driving liquid crystal substrate are bonded together in a state where the alignment marks provided on each of them are aligned and aligned.
In addition, when the phase difference control member 1 of the present invention is produced by multi-sided attachment (see FIG. 5), the bonding step with the liquid crystal driving substrate is performed before the cutting step, and then the base material 2 is cut. May be.

A driving liquid crystal layer is formed between the phase difference control member 1 and the liquid crystal driving substrate with driving liquid crystal molecules interposed therebetween. The driving liquid crystal molecules are formed on the phase difference layer 4 so that the columnar body 7 is immersed. The driving liquid crystal layer may be formed by a liquid crystal dropping method (ODF method) in which the liquid crystal is dropped and bonded to the liquid crystal driving substrate in a vacuum, or the phase difference control member 1 and the liquid crystal driving substrate are sealed with the seal 8. Alternatively, a driving liquid crystal layer may be formed by injecting driving liquid crystal molecules between them under reduced pressure.
When the driving liquid crystal molecules are horizontally aligned when the driving voltage is not applied, such as the so-called IPS mode or TN mode, the top surface of the phase difference control member 1 on which the driving liquid crystal molecules are dropped. A horizontal alignment film similar to that at the time of plate making of the positive A plate or the negative C plate may be coated and formed on the surface of the retardation layer 4 in the above example.

  The phase difference control member 1 of the present invention is obtained by carrying out any or all of the above steps. That is, the phase difference control member 1 of the present invention is not only an aspect in which the phase difference control member 1 is cut out from the base material 2 and bonded to the liquid crystal drive substrate, but is also an aspect in which each layer is simply made on the base material 2 by single-sided or multi-sided attachment In addition, it includes a mode in which this and a liquid crystal driving substrate are bonded together.

<About liquid crystal display devices>
A liquid crystal display device incorporating the phase difference control member 1 of the present invention will be described.
6 is a schematic sectional view of the liquid crystal display device 51, and FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view thereof. As the liquid crystal display device 51, a so-called IPS mode is exemplified, but other modes such as an MVA mode and an OCB mode may be used.

In the liquid crystal display device 51, the phase difference control member 1 of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is incorporated as a color filter on the side of the viewer facing the viewer (upward in FIG. 6). However, the columnar body 7 is not shown in FIG. 6, and the seal 8 is not shown in FIG. The retardation layer 4 is a positive C plate in which liquid crystal molecules are vertically aligned (see FIG. 7).
On the other hand, a liquid crystal driving substrate 31 provided with a liquid crystal driving circuit 38 and a liquid crystal driving electrode 39 (not shown in FIG. 7) on which the applied voltage is controlled on the in-cell side is a backlight (not shown) far from the observer. Arranged on the side. The liquid crystal drive electrode 39 is patterned for each pixel partitioned by the BM 5 at a position on the base material 32 and shielded by the BM 5.

  The driving liquid crystal layer 22 including the driving liquid crystal molecules 21 is sealed in a sealed space surrounded by the phase difference control member 1, the liquid crystal driving substrate 31, and the seal 8, and is applied from the liquid crystal driving electrode 39 in the in-panel direction. The driving liquid crystal molecules 21 are switched by the voltage.

  The liquid crystal display device 51 includes, in order from the observer side, a linearly polarizing plate 41, a retardation film 42 having an optical compensation function as a positive A plate, a retardation control member 1, a driving liquid crystal layer 22, a liquid crystal driving substrate 31, and a straight line. A polarizing plate 43 and a backlight are arranged, and bright display and dark display are performed by controlling transmission or blocking of the backlight light for each pixel. As shown in FIG. 7, the linearly polarizing plate 41 and the linearly polarizing plate 43 are arranged so that the transmission axis directions are orthogonal to each other.

An alignment mark (AM) 33 is formed on the base material 32 of the liquid crystal drive substrate 31. The AM 33 may be provided on the in-cell side of the base material 32, that is, on the liquid crystal drive electrode 39 formation side in order to improve the alignment accuracy by the aligner by bringing the focal depth of the phase difference control member 1 with the AM 3 close as described above. .
Among the AM33, it is preferable that the light-absorbing / light-reflecting properties seen from the light receiving part side of the aligner are the same as those of AM3. That is, when AM3 of the phase difference control member 1 is light-absorbing, AM33 is also made light-absorbing, and using a transmission light source disposed on the opposite side of the light-receiving part of the aligner across the liquid crystal display device 51, AM3 and AM33 Match / mismatch can be determined by image processing. Further, when AM3 of the phase difference control member 1 is light reflective, AM33 is also made light reflective, and the AM3 and the liquid crystal display device 51 are arranged on the same side as the light receiving part of the aligner with the AM3. A match / mismatch with the AM 33 is determined by image processing. In the former case where AM3 and AM33 are aligned using a transmissive light source, one or both of AM3 and AM33 may be light reflective.

  Although the shape of the AM 33 can be selected as appropriate, in the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the AM 33 has a rectangular shape surrounding the cross-shaped AM 3. The opening size inside the rectangle of AM33 is formed to be slightly larger than the cross of AM3, and is observed in a non-contact manner without overlapping each other with their centers aligned. Thereby, alignment with the base material 2 and the base material 32 using an aligner is performed accurately.

  The liquid crystal display device 51 is configured such that the AM 3 of the phase difference control member 1 and the AM 33 of the liquid crystal drive substrate 31 are opposed to each other and aligned by an aligner in a vacuum atmosphere, while the phase difference control member 1 and the liquid crystal drive substrate 31 are aligned. Paste together. In the bonding, for example, an appropriate amount of driving liquid crystal molecules is dropped onto the in-cell side of the phase difference control member 1, and the cell gap is held by the columnar body 7, and the phase difference control member 1 and the liquid crystal driving substrate 31 are bonded by the seal 8. The gap is sealed.

  Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below.

<1. Preparation of base substrate>
Appropriate cleaning treatment was performed to prepare a cleaned glass substrate (Corning Corp .: 1737 material) as a base material.

<2. Adjustment of colored resist>
A pigment-dispersed photoresist was used for the black matrix (BM) and the coloring material constituting the colored layer. The colored layer was three colors of red (R), green (G), and blue (B). A pigment dispersion-type photoresist uses a pigment as a coloring material, adds beads to a dispersion composition (containing a pigment, a dispersant, and a solvent), disperses for 3 hours with a disperser, and then removes the beads. And a clear resist composition (containing a polymer, a monomer, an additive, a photopolymerization initiator, and a solvent). Its composition is shown below. In addition, as a disperser, the commercially available paint shaker (made by Asada Tekko Co., Ltd.) was used.

(Photoresist for black matrix)
Black pigment (Daiichi Seika Kogyo Co., Ltd .: TM Black # 95550) 14.0 parts by weight Dispersant (Bic Chemie Co., Ltd .: Disperbyk 111) 1.2 parts by weight Polymer (Showa High) Molecule Co., Ltd .: VR60) ... 2.8 parts by weight / monomer (Sartomer Co., Ltd .: SR399) ... 3.5 parts by weight / additive (Soken Chemicals Co., Ltd .: L-20) ... 0.7 parts by weight / initiator (2-benzyl-2-dimethylamino-1- (4-morpholinophenyl) -butanone-1) ... 1.6 parts by weight / initiator (4,4 '-Diethylaminobenzophenone) ... 0.3 parts by weight initiator (2,4-diethylthioxanthone) ... 0.1 parts by weight solvent (ethylene glycol monobutyl ether) 75.8 parts by weight

(Red (R) pixel photoresist)
Red pigment (CIPR 254 (Ciba Specialty Chemicals: Chromophthal DPP Red BP)) 3.5 parts by weight Yellow pigment (CI PY139 (BASF: Pariol Yellow D1819))
・ ・ ・ 0.6 parts by weight ・ Dispersant (manufactured by Zeneca Co., Ltd .: Solsperse 24000) ・ ・ ・ 3.0 parts by weight ・ Monomer (Sartomer Co., Ltd .: SR399) ・ ・ ・ 4.0 parts by weight ・ polymer 1 ... 5.0 parts by weight / initiator (Ciba Geigy: Irgacure 907) ... 1.4 parts by weight / initiator (2,2′-bis (o-chlorophenyl) -4,5,4 ′ , 5'-tetraphenyl-1,2'-biimidazole) ... 0.6 parts by weight.Solvent (propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate).

(Green (G) pixel photoresist)
Green pigment (CI PG7 (manufactured by Dainichi Seika Kogyo Co., Ltd .: Seika Fast Green 5316P)) ... 3.7 parts by weight Yellow pigment (CI PY139 (manufactured by BASF: Paliotor Yellow) D1819))
... 2.3 parts by weight-dispersing agent (manufactured by Zeneca Co., Ltd .: Solsperse 24000) ... 3.0 parts by weight-monomer (manufactured by Sartomer Co., Ltd .: SR399) ... 1 ... 5.0 parts by weight / initiator (Ciba Geigy: Irgacure 907) ... 1.4 parts by weight / initiator (2,2′-bis (o-chlorophenyl) -4,5,4 ′ , 5'-tetraphenyl-1,2'-biimidazole) ... 0.6 parts by weight.Solvent (propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate).

(Blue (B) pixel resist)
Blue pigment (C.I.PB15: 6 (manufactured by BASF: Heliogen Blue L6700F))
... 4.6 parts by weight and purple pigment (CI PV23 (Clariant: Foster Palm RL-NF))
... 1.4 parts by weight pigment derivative (manufactured by Zeneca: Solsperse 12000) ... 0.6 parts by weight dispersing agent (manufactured by Zeneca: Solsperse 24000) ... 2.4 parts by weight Monomer (Sartomer Co., Ltd .: SR399) ... 4.0 parts by weight Polymer 1 ... 5.0 parts by weight Initiator (Ciba Geigy: Irgacure 907) ... 1.4 parts by weight Initiator (2,2′-bis (o-chlorophenyl) -4,5,4 ′, 5′-tetraphenyl-1,2′-biimidazole) ・ ・ ・ 0.6 parts by weight / solvent (propylene glycol monomethyl Ether acetate) ・ ・ 80.0 parts by weight

  The polymer 1 is based on 100 mol% of a copolymer of benzyl methacrylate: styrene: acrylic acid: 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate = 15.6: 37.0: 30.5: 16.9 (molar ratio). 2-methacryloyloxyethyl isocyanate was added at 16.9 mol%, and the weight average molecular weight was 42500.

<3. Production of black matrix and alignment mark>
The prepared black matrix photoresist was applied to the substrate using a die coating method.

Subsequently, the solvent was removed by pre-baking on a hot plate at 90 ° C. for 3 minutes, and pattern exposure was performed through a photomask having openings of a prescribed pattern. The exposure at that time was 100 mJ / cm ² . At this time, the pattern to be the alignment mark was baked so that the alignment mark region was outside the coating width of the retardation layer that was applied and formed by a die coating method in a later step.

  Next, as a development process, 0.05% KOH aqueous solution was sprayed on the exposed substrate for 60 seconds to remove unexposed portions and pattern BM and AM simultaneously. Further, the development-completed base material was post-baked at 200 ° C. for 30 minutes in a clean oven to completely advance the curing reaction, and finally a substrate having BM and AM having a thickness of 1.2 μm was produced. .

<4. Preparation of colored layer>
A red (R) pigment-dispersed photoresist is applied to the base material on which the BM is formed by the same die coating method, prebaked at 80 ° C. for 5 minutes, and then a predetermined color pattern photomask is formed. Using alignment exposure (300 mJ / cm ² ), performing spray development using a 0.1% KOH aqueous solution for 60 seconds, and then post-baking at 200 ° C. for 60 minutes, a predetermined pattern for the BM arrangement pattern is obtained. A red (R) pixel pattern having a film thickness of 2.0 μm at the center of the pixel was formed at the position.

  Subsequently, a blue (B) pixel pattern having a film thickness of 1.9 μm at the center of the pixel was formed by using a blue (B) pigment-dispersed photoresist as the second color by the same method as the red (R). .

  Finally, a green (G) pixel pattern with a film thickness of 2.0 μm at the center of the pixel using a pigment dispersed photoresist of green (G) by the same method as the red (R) and blue (B). To form a colored layer.

  In any of the above cases, the AM was optically read and aligned in a state once covered with the colored layer. Scattered light components were suppressed in all the colored layers, and good alignment was possible.

<5. Production of retardation layer>
[Ink adjustment]
Polymeric liquid crystal molecules, photopolymerization initiators, silane coupling agents, and solvents shown in the following compounds (a) to (d) were mixed to prepare a liquid crystal material having the following composition.

(Composition of liquid crystal material)
-Compound (a) ... 8.3 parts by weight-Compound (b) ... 4.7 parts by weight-Compound (c) ... 5.4 parts by weight-Compound (d) ... 5.4 Part by weight / photopolymerization initiator (Ciba Specialty Chemicals: Irgacure 907)
1.3 parts by weight / silane coupling agent (amine group-containing silane coupling agent (GE Toshiba Silicone, Inc .: TSL-8331)) 0.05 part by weight, solvent (chlorobenzene) 75 0.0 parts by weight

[Formation of retardation layer]
Next, the prepared liquid crystalline ink was applied on the base color filter constructed as described above by a commercially available die coater. At this time, the coating was performed such that the AM previously disposed on the base material was exposed to the outside of the end surface of the coating surface of the die coat.

[Formation of liquid crystal phase state for liquid crystal contained in liquid crystal coating film]
The substrate on which the liquid crystal coating film was formed was heated on a hot plate at 100 ° C. for 5 minutes to remove the solvent and transfer the liquid crystal molecules contained in the liquid crystal coating film to the liquid crystal phase. The confirmation of the transition to the liquid crystal phase was performed by visually confirming that the liquid crystal coating film was changed from a cloudy state to a transparent state. Thereby, homeotropic alignment was imparted to the liquid crystal molecules.

[Crosslinking polymerization reaction of liquid crystal molecules]
Next, under a nitrogen atmosphere, ultraviolet rays (365 nm) are applied to the transparent liquid crystal coating film with a commercially available ultraviolet irradiation device using an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp of 18.0 kW as a light source so that the exposure amount is 500 mJ / cm ^2. The liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal coating film were irradiated and subjected to a cross-linking polymerization reaction to fix the liquid crystal molecules in a state in which orientation was imparted thereto, and the liquid crystal coating film was used as a retardation layer having the function of a positive C plate.

[Post-polymerization heat treatment]
The base material on which the retardation layer was formed was further subjected to a treatment (post-polymerization heat treatment) of heating at 200 ° C. for 30 minutes on a hot plate.

<6. Evaluation>
When the AM of the configured phase difference control member is observed under crossed Nicols of a polarizing microscope, a uniform dark field is realized regardless of the azimuth angle of the phase difference control member, and blurring of the outline of the AM due to scattered light is I was not able to admit.

<1. Production of each layer>
About the phase difference control member obtained in Example 1, the process which arrange | positions a columnar body on the surface of a phase difference layer as follows was given as a post-process.

<2. Arrangement of columnar bodies>
First, as a resin composition for forming a columnar body, an ultraviolet curable transparent negative resist (NN700, manufactured by JSR) was used, and this resin composition for forming a columnar body was positioned on a retardation layer by a die coating method. The entire surface of the phase difference layer was coated and dried under reduced pressure, and further heated at 100 ° C. for 3 minutes using a hot plate to remove the solvent, thereby forming a coating film.

  On the other hand, a predetermined position on the retardation layer corresponding to the BM formation position and a planned position (columnar body formation planned position) where the columnar body is to be arranged are previously selected 80000 locations, and the columnar body formation planned position is opened. A mask (columnar mask) was created. An alignment mark was formed on the columnar mask so that the relative position with the opening coincided with the relative position between the AM and the columnar formation planned position in the phase difference control member.

  In a state where a separation distance of 100 μm was left with respect to the coating film, the phase difference control member AM and the alignment mark of the column state-like mask were aligned by an aligner, and a columnar body mask was arranged.

  Then, with the light shielding plate interposed above the columnar mask so as to cover the opening corresponding to the AM of the phase difference control member, the columnar body mask is directed to the columnar body formation planned position via the columnar mask. Then, ultraviolet rays (365 nm) were irradiated for 10 seconds by the above-described ultraviolet irradiation apparatus using a 18.0 kW ultrahigh pressure mercury lamp as a light source. As a result, the coating film was in a state where a portion irradiated with ultraviolet rays in the coating film was cured.

  Thereafter, the coating film was immersed in a 0.05 wt% potassium hydroxide aqueous solution (liquid temperature: 23 ° C.) for 1 minute and alkali-developed to remove an uncured portion of the coating film. Further, the base material on which the coating film from which the uncured part has been removed is left in an atmosphere of 200 ° C. for 30 minutes, and then the remaining part of the coating film that has not been removed by alkali development is columnar. As obtained.

<3. Evaluation>
When the arrangement state of the arranged columnar bodies was confirmed with a microscope, it was confirmed that the columnar bodies were correctly arranged at the columnar body formation planned positions.

(Comparative Example 1)
An alignment mark was placed inside the retardation layer, and in the same manner as in Example 1, a BM, a colored layer and a retardation layer formed on a substrate (Comparative member 1) was prepared.

  Using the comparative member 1, as in Example 1, when the alignment mark and the surrounding area were observed under a crossed Nicol of a polarizing microscope, the outline of the alignment mark was blurred due to scattered light components around the alignment mark. Reading was difficult.

(Comparative Example 2)
An alignment mark was placed inside the retardation layer, and in the same manner as in Example 2, a BM, a colored layer, and a retardation layer were formed on the base material (Comparative member 2).

  In the same manner as in Example 1, using the comparative member 2, the columnar body-forming resin composition coating film was applied to the entire top surface of the retardation layer by a die coating method, and then the columnar body mask and the substrate When the alignment was attempted by optical adjustment of the alignment mark, the aligner could not optically recognize the alignment mark due to the scattered light generated at the periphery of the alignment mark, and as a result, the columnar photolithography was performed. I could not.

It is a top view which shows typically the phase difference control member manufactured by this embodiment. It is II-II sectional drawing of FIG. It is a top view showing typically signs that liquid crystal ink is applied to a substrate, (a) shows the application method of this embodiment, and (b) shows the conventional application method. (A) It is a disassembled perspective view of the die head used for coating of the phase difference layer in one embodiment of the manufacturing method of this invention. (B) It is a downward perspective view of the die head which interposed the comb-like shim on the lip. It is a top view which represents typically a mode that liquid crystalline ink is apply | coated among the manufacturing processes of the phase difference control member of multi-sided attachment. It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a liquid crystal display device provided with the phase difference control member obtained by this embodiment. It is a disassembled perspective view of a liquid crystal display device provided with the phase difference control member obtained by this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1 Phase difference control member 2, 32 Base material 3, 33 Alignment mark (AM)
4 Retardation layer 5 Black matrix (BM)
6 Colored layer 7 Columnar body 8 Seal 9 Die head 10 Effective display area 15 Opening 22 Drive liquid crystal layer 31 Liquid crystal drive substrate 41 Liquid crystal coating film 51 Liquid crystal display device 91a, 91b Lip 92 Discharge port 93 Shim 97 Non-discharge area 99 Teeth

Claims (2)

A method for producing a retardation control member comprising a retardation layer,
Forming a plurality of alignment marks including alignment marks arranged on the outer surface of the retardation layer on the upper surface of the light-transmitting substrate;
A liquid crystalline ink containing a crosslinkable liquid crystal molecule is applied to the upper surface of the base material at any position in the coating width direction, and at least an alignment mark disposed outside the retardation layer forming region. Applying a predetermined coating width by a die coating method while avoiding an area including one ;
Heating the applied liquid crystalline ink to align the crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules;
A step of polymerizing and fixing the aligned crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules to obtain a retardation layer;
The manufacturing method of the phase difference control member containing this. In the step of applying with a predetermined coating width by the die coating method,
  The liquid crystalline ink can be applied in a thin film form on the substrate through a slit-like discharge port formed between two halves facing each other, and a comb-like shim is interposed in the discharge port. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein a die coater in which the plurality of non-ejection areas where the liquid crystalline ink is not ejected is formed in the ejection port is used.

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