JPH06347804A - Electrooptical element and its production and apparatus for production thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an electrooptical element which is uniform in the gap between substrates and has an excellent display grade by adequately arranging gaps spacers arranged between these substrates with specific varying densities. CONSTITUTION:The glass substrates 1 having transparent electrodes formed on their surfaces are so disposed that the transparent electrode sides face each other. The substrates are circumferentially sealed with a sealing material 5 contg. sealing spacers 4 so as to maintain the gap between the substrates 1 and 1. The arranging density of the gap spacers 3 between the substrates 1 and 1 is not uniform and has a part (high-density arranging part 13A) where the number of pieces per unit area is >=(N+4N<0.5>) pieces and a part (low-density arranging part 15A) where the number of pieces per unit area is <=(N+4N<0.5>) pieces when the number of the gap spacers 2 per unit area of a prescribed parts is N-pieces. As a result, the specified spacing between the substrates 1 and 1 is effectively maintained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, a gap spacer is sandwiched between a pair of opposed substrates, and an electro-optic material is filled between the pair of substrates. The present invention relates to an electro-optical element sealed with a sealing material containing a seal spacer, a manufacturing method thereof, and a manufacturing apparatus thereof. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electro-optical element capable of accurately controlling the distance between substrates, a manufacturing method thereof, and a manufacturing apparatus thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an electro-optical element represented by a liquid crystal element, as shown in FIG. 14, a substrate which is filled with an electro-optical material 3 and whose periphery is sealed with a seal material 5 containing a seal spacer 4. It was necessary to keep the distance between pair 1,1 constant. For this reason, gap spacers 2 are arranged between the substrates to keep the substrate spacing constant. Here, in order to make the substrate spacing constant, it goes without saying that the particle diameters of the gap spacers 2 are uniform, but it is considered important to manage so that the number of arranged spacers does not vary. It was

Conventionally, the number of arrangements has been controlled so that the number per unit area is within the range of (N ± 2N ^0.5 ). Here, the above N is about 100 / mm ² in a TN (twisted nematic) liquid crystal element, that is, the number of arrangement is 80 / mm ^{2 to} 120 / mm ^2.
Was said to be suitable. After that, as shown in FIG. 15, the substrate 1 is uniformly pressed by the pressure plate 21 so that the substrate pair 1, 1
Was adhered with the seal material 5 containing the seal spacer 4.
For this reason, when manufacturing such an electro-optical element 6, the focus is on the arrangement of the gap spacers 2 and how to make the pressure applied by the pressure plate 21 uniform, and a method and apparatus therefor have been developed. Came. For example, in order to arrange the gap spacers 2 uniformly, a gap spacer spraying device 74 as shown in FIG. 16 is used. In this device, it is expected that the gap spacers 2 ejected from the ejection unit 35 will be uniformly dispersed in the gap spacer spraying device 74 and adhere to the surface of the substrate 1, so that the gap spacers 2 are evenly distributed on the surface of the substrate 1. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the distance between the ejection unit 35 and the substrate 1. Also,
Gap spacer 2 in the gap spacer spraying device 74
Since only a part of the above is attached to the substrate 1, the utilization efficiency of the gap spacer was about several percent.

[0004]

However, in such a conventional configuration, the distance between the pair of substrates caused by the warp / surface deformation of the substrate and the strain of the substrate generated when the seal material containing the seal spacer is cured. Could not be corrected, and the variation in the substrate spacing had a serious adverse effect on the display quality of the electro-optical element. Therefore, conventionally, with respect to the warp and surface deformation of the substrate, non-standard ones have been excluded in advance by precision polishing and inspection, which has been a factor of cost increase. For distortion of the substrate that occurs when the seal material containing the seal spacer cures, either perform a bonding process at a temperature as low as possible, or slowly cool it after heating and curing and fix it with a mold until it returns to room temperature. I tried to deal with it by prolonging the processing time such as keeping. After the electro-optical material is injected between the substrates, it is also possible to perform pressure application with a mold when sealing the injection port (so-called pressure sealing), but there is a portion that cannot be handled by all means. , Was a factor that deteriorated the display quality.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned inconvenience, and is free from the influence of warpage or deformation of the substrate to be used and distortion of the substrate generated when the seal material containing the seal spacer is cured. The present invention provides an electro-optical element that is low in cost, has a constant gap between substrates, and is excellent in display quality, a manufacturing method for surely manufacturing the same, and a manufacturing apparatus used for the same.

[0006]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A gap spacer is sandwiched between a pair of opposing substrates, an electro-optical material is filled between the pair of substrates, and the periphery of the substrate pair is sealed with a seal material containing a seal spacer. In the electro-optical element, when the number of the predetermined number of the gap spacers arranged per unit area is N, the number of the gap spacers per unit area is (N + 4N ^0.5 ) or more and (N-4
It is characterized by having a portion of N ^0.5 ) or less.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a gap spacer is sandwiched between a pair of opposing substrate pairs, and an electro-optic material is filled between the substrate pairs, so that the periphery of the substrate pair is In an electro-optical element sealed with a seal material containing a seal spacer, when the number of the gap spacers arranged per unit area of a predetermined portion is N,
It is characterized in that the number of the gap spacers arranged is ((1/2) N) or less per unit area in the vicinity of the sealing material.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a gap spacer is sandwiched between a pair of opposed substrate pairs, and an electro-optical material is filled between the pair of substrate, so that the periphery of the substrate pair is surrounded. A method of manufacturing an electro-optical element sealed with a seal material containing a seal spacer, the method comprising: arranging the number of gap spacers between the substrate pairs so as to have a light and shade surface distribution; And at least a step of adhering under pressure.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the method of manufacturing an electro-optical element according to the third aspect, the step of measuring the warp / surface deformation of the substrates forming the substrate pair when disposing the gap spacers, According to the measurement result, if the gap spacers are uniformly arranged, the space between the substrate pairs is likely to be narrow at a high density, and the space between the substrate pairs is likely to be wide at a low density. And at least a step of arranging the number of gap spacers between them so as to have a light and shade surface distribution.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the method of manufacturing an electro-optical element according to the third aspect, when the substrate pair is pressure-bonded, the substrate surface is pressed with a strong and weak surface distribution. It is characterized by.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an electro-optical element, wherein the means for measuring the warp / surface deformation of the substrates forming a substrate pair is combined with each substrate. Means for calculating an appropriate distribution of the gap spacers to be arranged so that the distance between the pair of substrates is almost constant, means for arranging the gap spacers in the calculated predetermined distribution, and pressing the substrate pair to bond them to each other. It has at least a means to do.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the electro-optical element according to the sixth aspect, the means for pressurizing the substrate pairs and adhering them to each other has a surface distribution to press the substrates. It is characterized by having.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an electro-optical element, comprising means for holding a gap spacer in a container, means for introducing a high-pressure fluid into the container, and And a means for ejecting the gap spacer to a predetermined position on the surface of the substrate from a first end for a predetermined period.

[0014]

[Operation] The warp and surface deformation of the substrate can be measured and grasped before the gap spacers are sprinkled, and the strain of the substrate generated when the seal material containing the seal spacer is hardened is simulated or simulated. Although it was possible to estimate and grasp in advance, conventionally, regarding the warp and surface deformation of the substrate, non-standard ones were excluded by precision polishing and inspection in advance as described above, and the It has been attempted to deal with the distortion of the substrate that occurs when the sealing material hardens by prolonging the processing time.

On the other hand, according to the first aspect of the invention, the distribution density of the gap spacers arranged between the pair of substrates is (N
There is a large shade from + 4N ^0.5 ) or more to (N-4N ^0.5 ) or less. When the gap spacers are uniformly arranged, the gap spacers are arranged at a high density in a portion where the distance between the substrate pairs tends to be narrow, and conversely, at a low density in a portion where the distance between the substrate pairs is likely to become wide. Are arranged. For this reason, even if the substrate spacing is narrowed, the substrate spacing is maintained by a large number of gap spacers, and the gap spacers 2 are unnecessarily disposed at the portions where the gap spacers 2 do not need to maintain the spacing more than necessary. Since there is no warp or deformation of the substrate to be used or the strain of the substrate that occurs when the seal material containing the seal spacer is cured, it is possible to keep the distance between the substrate pair constant without waste.

The strain of the substrate generated when the seal material containing the seal spacer is cured is clarified by simulation. When the gap spacers are uniformly arranged between the substrate pairs, the vicinity of the center of the substrate pair swells. A phenomenon was found. This phenomenon has also been found in actual production. For this reason, conventionally, as described above, the method of arranging the gap spacer is not touched, and the treatment time is increased or the pressure is sealed so that the bulge is reduced.

On the other hand, according to the second aspect of the invention, when the number of the predetermined portions of the gap spacers arranged per unit area is N, the number of the gap spacers arranged per unit area in the vicinity of the seal material is ( The problem is dealt with by providing a number of (1/2) N) or less. By doing so, as a result of simulation, it was found that the phenomenon that the vicinity of the center of the substrate pair swells was not found, and the substrate spacing became almost uniform. This phenomenon was also confirmed by experiments.
The reason for this has not been fully clarified yet, but if the substrate pair is adhesively fixed with the seal material containing the seal spacer without using the gap spacer at all, the center of the substrate pair is dented. You can think from the results. According to this, the pair of substrates, which was originally trying to distort in the direction of depression, cannot be distorted in the direction of depression due to the gap spacer near the sealing material, and distorts in the opposite bulging direction, but the gap spacer near the sealing material. It is considered that when the arrangement density is low, the strain in the swelling direction is small, and the gap spacers are arranged in the vicinity of the center of the substrate pair, so that there is no dent.

According to the third aspect of the invention, since the number of the gap spacers arranged between the pair of substrates is arranged so as to have a light and shade surface distribution, and the pair of substrates is pressure-bonded, the manufacturing method is used. It is possible to manufacture the electro-optical element described in 1 and 2.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the gap spacer is arranged in the manufacturing method according to the third aspect,
According to the process of measuring the warp / surface deformation of the substrates forming the substrate pair, and the measurement result, if the gap spacers are uniformly arranged, the space between the substrate pairs is likely to be narrow, and the density is high. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising at least a step of arranging at a portion where the distance between the pair of substrates tends to be wide with a low density and providing a number of gap spacers between the pair of substrates with a light and shade surface distribution. 1 and 2
It is possible to manufacture the described electro-optical element more reliably.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the manufacturing method according to the third aspect, when the substrate pair is pressure-bonded, the substrate surface is pressed with a strong and weak surface distribution. Since it is a method, it is possible to apply a weak pressure to a portion where the distance between the substrate pair tends to be narrow and a strong pressure to a portion where the distance between the substrate pair tends to widen, so that the electro-optical element according to claim 1 or 2 can be more reliably performed. It becomes possible to manufacture efficiently.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to grasp the warp / surface deformation of the substrate, and based on the measurement result, the gap spacers to be arranged are arranged so that the distance between the pair of substrates is substantially constant. It is possible to calculate the proper distribution. Furthermore, the gap spacers can be arranged with the calculated proper distribution, and the manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the electro-optical element according to claim 1 or 2, by pressing the substrate pair and adhering them to each other, It functions as a manufacturing apparatus for carrying out the manufacturing method described in 4.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in addition to the electro-optical element manufacturing apparatus according to the sixth aspect, the manufacturing apparatus further includes means for pressing the substrates by applying a surface distribution to the means for pressing the substrate pairs and adhering them to each other. Therefore, it functions as a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the electro-optical element according to claims 1 and 2 and a manufacturing apparatus for carrying out the manufacturing method according to claims 3, 4 and 5.

According to the present invention, the gap spacer is held in the container, and the high-pressure fluid is introduced into the container. The high-pressure fluid causes the gap spacer to reach a predetermined density on the surface of the substrate from one end of the container. A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the electro-optical element according to claims 1 and 2, and a manufacturing apparatus for performing the manufacturing method according to claims 3, 4 and 5, and further claim 6 and It also functions as part of a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the electro-optical element described in 7.

[0024]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment 1) A schematic plan view of this embodiment is shown in FIG. Further, a schematic cross-sectional view of an arrow portion in FIG. 1 (A) is shown in FIG. 1 (B). Glass substrates 1 having transparent electrodes (not shown) formed on their surfaces are opposed to each other with their transparent electrode sides facing each other, and the periphery is kept by a sealing material 5 containing a seal spacer 4 so as to maintain a gap between the substrates 1 and 1. It is sealed to. A liquid crystal material is sealed as electro-optical material 3 between the substrates. Polarizing plates (not shown) are arranged on both outer sides of the substrate pair 1 and 1, and an alignment film (not shown) is arranged on a surface in contact with the electro-optical material, so that a TN (twisted nematic) type liquid crystal is formed. Forming the element.

Although the gap spacers 2 (Micropearl made by Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.) having an outer diameter of about 5 μm are arranged between the substrates, the arrangement density is not uniform, and the gap spacer high density arrangement portion 13 and the gap spacers are arranged. It has a low-density arrangement portion 15. Here, regarding the arrangement of the gap spacer high-density arrangement portion 13 and the gap spacer low-density arrangement portion 15, an optimal arrangement distribution was derived in advance by simulation and followed. Here, as shown in FIG. 1C, the gap spacer distribution density of the cross section of the arrow in FIG.
The average is about 100 / mm ² , and the gap spacer high-density arrangement portion 13 (13A in FIG. 1C) has a maximum of 1.
50 pieces / mm ² , gap spacer low-density arrangement portion 15
(15A in FIG. 1 (C)), the minimum is 50 pieces / mm ² , and the width of the distribution is remarkably wider than in the conventional case.

When the gap between the substrates having such a structure was measured by a gap tester, the gap between the substrates was within a range of 5 ± 0.05 μm, and the gap between the substrates was more uniform than when the conventional gap spacers were uniformly arranged. Therefore, a liquid crystal element having a good display quality was obtained.

Next, the method of arranging the gap spacers of this embodiment will be described with reference to the schematic sectional view shown in FIG. The closed container 31 is provided with a high-pressure fluid introduction part 33 for feeding the high-pressure fluid. Here, a gas such as dry air or dry nitrogen is suitable as the fluid, and the pressure is 0.5
Approximately ² kg / cm ² is suitable, but a volatile liquid can also be used. Inside the closed container 31, there are a movable valve 41 and a fixed valve 43 whose operations are controlled by a magnet 37 and a coil 39, and it is possible to control the inflow of the high pressure fluid from the high pressure chamber 45 to the gap spacer holding chamber 47. I can. Although the coil 39 is fixed to the movable valve 41 in this embodiment,
The positions of the magnet 37 and the coil 39 may be reversed, but the movable valve 41 is required to operate accurately and at high speed, and therefore, the movable valve 41 is preferably light in structure. In addition, the movable valve 4
As a method of accurately controlling 1 at a high speed, a piezoelectric element can be used instead of using the magnet 37 and the coil 39.

In the gap spacer holding chamber 47, gap spacers 2b distributed between the substrates are held. In this state, if the high pressure fluid is not allowed to flow into the gap spacer holding chamber 47 and is allowed to stand still, the gap spacer 2b is deposited on the bottom of the gap spacer holding chamber 47, but the movable valve is moved to move the gap spacer holding chamber 4
When a high-pressure fluid is made to flow into 7 in a pulsed manner for a short period of time, the gap spacer 2a rises up into the gap spacer holding chamber 47 and, at the same time, is ejected from the ejection portion 35 having an inner diameter of about 100 μm onto the surface of the substrate 1. By moving the substrate 1 (moving to the left in FIG. 4) while spraying the gap spacer 2 on the surface of the substrate 1, the gap spacers 2 can be scattered over the entire surface of the substrate 1.

The relationship between the high-pressure fluid ejection time for ejecting the high-pressure fluid in a pulsed manner and the ejection amount of the gap spacer 2 is as shown in FIG. 5, and the ejection amount of the gap spacer 2 corresponds to the high-pressure fluid ejection time. It does not depend on the pressure of the high pressure fluid. Further, the total spray amount of the gap spacer 2 can be controlled by the number of pulses of high-pressure fluid ejection. That is, it is possible to control the spray amount by changing the number of high-pressure fluid ejection pulses to a predetermined location. Further, when the pressure of the high-pressure fluid is about 1 kg / cm ² , the relationship between the distance D from the tip of the ejection portion 35 to the surface of the substrate 1 and the range in which the gap spacers 2 are scattered is as shown in FIG. From this, when the distance D is set to 10 mm ² and the pressure of the high-pressure fluid is set to 1 kg / cm ² , about 8 times for the average arrangement density of about 100 pieces / mm ² , the gap spacer high density It can be seen that the density distribution can be provided in the gap spacer arrangement of this embodiment by spraying about 12 times in the arrangement portion 13 and about 4 times in the gap spacer low density arrangement portion 15.

In this way, a substrate pair using the substrate 1 provided with the density distribution in the gap spacer arrangement is opposed to each other, and the substrate pair is pressure-bonded to form a liquid crystal element.

To control the high pressure fluid in this embodiment, the magnet 3 is used.
Although the valve mechanism constituted by 7 and the coil 39 is used, the present invention is not limited to this, and any effect can be obtained as long as the opening / closing operation can be performed accurately in a short time. Needless to say.

For example, it is possible to discharge a fixed amount of the gap spacer 2 in a fixed amount even with the mechanism shown in FIG. In FIG. 18, reference numeral 48 is a fixed valve, and reference numeral 49 is a movable valve made of a spring material. In the gap spacer holding chamber 47, the gap spacers 2 distributed between the substrates are held. In this state, if the high pressure fluid is not allowed to flow into the gap spacer holding chamber 47 and is allowed to stand still, there is a slight gap between the fixed valve 48 and the movable valve 49, and the gap spacer 2 is located in the gap spacer holding chamber 47. Although it has settled at the bottom, when the high-pressure fluid is continuously introduced into the high-pressure chamber 45, the high-pressure fluid flows into the gap spacer holding chamber 47 from the gap between the movable valve 49 and the fixed valve 48, and the gap spacer 2 becomes a gap. It rises up into the spacer holding chamber 47, and at the same time, it is blown onto the surface of the substrate 1 from the ejection portion 35 having an inner diameter of about 100 μm.

At this time, since the high-pressure fluid passes through the gap between the movable valve 49 and the fixed valve 48, the movable valve 49 is attracted to the fixed valve 48 due to a phenomenon known as Bernoulli's theorem. The gap between the valve 49 and the fixed valve 48 becomes narrower, the inflow of high-pressure fluid is blocked, and the discharge of the gap spacer 2 is stopped. When the inflow of the high pressure fluid is obstructed, the force attracting the movable valve 49 to the fixed valve 48 decreases, the gap between the movable valve 49 and the fixed valve 48 becomes wide again, and the inflow of the high pressure fluid flourishes. Then, the movable valve 49 is attracted to the fixed valve 48 at the same time when the gap spacer 2 is discharged. Thus, even if the movable valve 49, which is a spring material, vibrates by itself and continuously introduces a high-pressure fluid, the gap spacers 2 are intermittently discharged, and the substrate 1 is moved to move the entire surface of the substrate 1. The gap spacers 2 can be scattered. With this configuration, the discharge amount can be controlled by the pressure of the high-pressure fluid and the spring pressure of the movable valve.

In this embodiment, the high pressure discharge type manufacturing apparatus is used to provide the density distribution in the gap spacer arrangement, but the same effect can be obtained as long as the same arrangement density distribution can be obtained. As an example, the adsorption method shown in FIG. 7 and the sieving method shown in FIG. 9 are effective. The suction method will be described with reference to the schematic sectional view shown in FIG. The pressure adjustment chamber 53 on one side of the suction plate 51 in which the suction holes 55 are formed with a predetermined distribution density is depressurized, and the gap spacers 2 are suctioned to the suction holes 55.

A method of attracting the gap spacer 2 to the attraction hole 55 will be described with reference to FIG. The gap spacer 2 is allowed to stand in the gap spacer butt 57. In this state, the suction plate 51 is opposed to the gap spacer butt 57 (FIG. 8 (A)). In this state, while depressurizing the pressure adjusting chamber 53, an excitation signal is applied from the power source 59 to the vibrator 58 that is in close contact with the gap spacer butt 57, and the vibrator 58 is
Vibrate. As a result, the gap spacer butt 5
The gap spacer 2 in 7 floats and is sucked by the suction holes 55 of the suction plate 51 (FIG. 8 (B)). By maintaining this state, the gap spacers 2 can be adsorbed to all the adsorption holes 55 (FIG. 8 (C)).

Further, it is also effective to use the high-pressure discharge method as shown in FIG. 17 in order to suck the gap spacer 2 into the suction hole 55. The gap spacer 2 is left stationary in the gap spacer placement device 73, and the suction plate 5
1 is opposed to the gap spacer placement device 73. In this state, when the high pressure gas is introduced into the gap spacer placement device 73 while depressurizing the pressure adjustment chamber 53, the gap spacer 2 in the gap spacer placement device is discharged from the discharge part 35 and the suction holes of the suction plate 51. It is sucked by 55 (FIG. 17 (A)). By maintaining this state, the gap spacers 2 can be adsorbed to all the adsorption holes 55 (FIG. 17 (B)).

In this way, the suction plate 51 is made to face a predetermined position of the substrate 1 with the gap spacer 2 being sucked in the suction hole 55. After that, when the inside of the pressure adjusting chamber 53 is made equal to or slightly pressurized with the external pressure, the suction state of the gap spacer 2 that has been sucked in the suction holes 55 is released,
It drops and adheres to a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 which is arranged facing each other. By repeating this, the gap spacer 2 can be arranged on the entire surface of the substrate 1. here,
If necessary, the suction plate 5 with different formation density of the suction holes 55
By using 1, the gap spacers 2 can be adsorbed at different densities, and the gap spacers 2 can be arranged on the surface of the substrate 1 at different densities. That is, the suction plate 51 having the suction holes 55 of about 100 holes / mm ² is used at the position of the average placement, and the suction plate 51 having the suction holes 55 of about 150 holes / mm ² is further lowered in the high-density arrangement portion 13. Adsorption plates 51 having a density of about 50 pieces / mm ² are used for the density arrangement portion 15. It was confirmed that the liquid crystal element shown in FIG. 1 can also be manufactured by the method using this device.

Next, the sieving method will be described with reference to the schematic sectional view shown in FIG. A large number of the gap spacers 2 are arranged on the upper side of the sieve 61 in which the hole diameter is about 1.5 times the outer diameter of the gap spacer 2 to be used and the drop holes 65 having a predetermined density are formed (FIG. 9A). Then, the squeegee 63 is moved to rub the gap spacer 2 on the sieve 61 into the drop hole 65 (FIG. 9 (B)). Here, the gap spacer 2 does not drop and is held in the drop hole 65. Although the details are not clear, it is preferable that the squeegee 63 be charged because the gap spacer 2 is held in the drop hole 65 without excess and deficiency, and therefore the gap spacer 2 has a fine outer diameter of 5 μm. Therefore, it is considered that the static electricity generated during the rubbing operation holds it on the surface of the sieve. In this state, the sieve 61 is opposed to a predetermined position on the substrate 1 (see FIG. 9).
(C)). After that, by applying shock or vibration to the sieve 61, or removing generated static electricity or charging a predetermined electric charge, the adsorption state of the gap spacer 2 adsorbed in the drop hole 65 is released, and the gap spacer 2 is opposed. It drops and adheres to a predetermined surface of the arranged substrate 1. By repeating this, the gap spacer 2 is formed on the entire surface of the substrate 1.
Can be arranged.

Here, if necessary, by using the sieve 61 having different formation densities of the drop holes 65, it is possible to adsorb the gap spacers 2 with different densities, and the gap spacers 2 on the surface of the substrate 1 with different densities. Can be placed. That is, the sieve 61 having the dropping holes 65 of about 100 pieces / mm ² is used at the position of the average arrangement, and the sieve 61 having the falling holes 65 of about 150 pieces / mm ² is arranged at the low density arrangement portion. The portion 15 has a sieve 6 of about 50 pieces / mm ^2.
1 is used. It was confirmed that the liquid crystal element shown in FIG. 1 can also be manufactured by this method.

In this embodiment, the high pressure discharge method, the suction method or the sieving method is used to arrange the gap spacers 2 as described above. According to this method, only a few% of the gap spacers can be arranged on the substrate in the related art, and the utilization efficiency of the material is very poor, which is a factor of cost increase. On the other hand, the gap spacers 2 are surely attached to the surface of the substrate. Since they can be arranged, the utilization efficiency of the gap spacer 2 is significantly improved to about 90%.

Although the present embodiment relates to a TN type liquid crystal element, the substrate spacing such as a TFT driving liquid crystal element / STN (super twisted nematic) type liquid crystal element or a ferroelectric liquid crystal type liquid crystal element must be strictly controlled. The present embodiment can be applied to the electro-optical element that does not have the same effect, and the same action and effect can be obtained.

(Embodiment 2) A schematic plan view of this embodiment is shown in FIG.
It is shown in (A). Further, a schematic cross-sectional view of an arrow portion in FIG. 2 (A) is shown in FIG. 2 (B). The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the gap spacers 2 are arranged at a density of about 150 / mm ² in the high-density arrangement portion 13 in the central portion of the substrate and in the low-density arrangement portion 15 near the sealing material. The point is 50 pieces / mm ² . As shown in FIG. 2 (C), the gap spacer distribution density in the arrow portion of FIG. 2 (A) is about 150 / m in the gap spacer high density arrangement portion 13 (13A in FIG. 2 (C)).
m ² , gap spacer low-density arrangement portion 15 (FIG. 2C)
It was about 50 pieces / mm ² for the medium 15A).

By doing so, the phenomenon in which the substrate spacing near the center of the substrate pair widened in the past was slightly suppressed, and when the substrate spacing was measured by the gap tester, the substrate spacing was 5 ± 0. It was within the range of 05 μm, and a liquid crystal element having a more uniform substrate spacing and therefore a good display quality was obtained as compared with the case where the conventional gap spacers were uniformly arranged. The effect is that the distribution density of the gap spacers 2 in the gap spacer low-density arrangement portion 15 is 75 / mm.
Obtained at ² or less. Further, the gap spacer 2 of the present embodiment was arranged by using a high pressure discharge type manufacturing apparatus as in the case of the first embodiment. Similarly, the suction method shown in FIG. 7 and the sieve method shown in FIG. But it can be arranged.

(Embodiment 3) A schematic plan view of this embodiment is shown in FIG.
It is shown in (A). Further, a schematic cross-sectional view of an arrow portion in FIG. 3 (A) is shown in FIG. 3 (B). The present embodiment is different from the second embodiment in that the gap spacers 2 are arranged such that a low-density arrangement portion 15 exists near the center of the high-density arrangement portion 13 in the central portion of the substrate. As shown in FIG. 3C, the gap spacer distribution density in the arrow portion of FIG. 3A is about 150 in the gap spacer high-density arrangement portion 13 (13A in FIG. 3C).
Pieces / mm ² , gap spacer low-density arrangement portion 15 (see FIG.
It was about 50 pieces / mm ² in 15A of (C).

By doing so, the phenomenon in which the distance between the pair of substrates is complicatedly changed in the related art is completely suppressed. When the distance between the substrates is measured by a gap tester, the distance between the substrates is within 5 ± 0.05 μm. It has a more uniform substrate spacing than the conventional gap spacers.
Therefore, a liquid crystal element having a good display quality was obtained. The method of arranging the gap spacer 3 of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment.
Similarly to the above, a high-pressure discharge type manufacturing apparatus was used, but similarly, the adsorption method shown in FIG. 7 and the sieving method shown in FIG. 9 can be arranged.

(Embodiment 4) In Embodiments 1 to 3, the distribution of the arrangement density of the gap spacers (which portion should be the high density arrangement and which portion should be the low density arrangement) depends on the simulation result. Under the same parts and work conditions, the distribution of the layout density was the same. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the warp / surface deformation of the substrate used is measured, the distribution of the optimum gap spacer arrangement density is calculated, and the gap spacers are arranged. FIG. 10 shows a configuration example of the manufacturing apparatus used in this example. The substrate is introduced from the substrate loading section. This substrate loading unit is not special and may be a known one. Then, the surface shape of the substrate is measured by the displacement measuring unit 71 at the surface shape measuring unit. At the time of measurement, a laser-type displacement meter (for example, LD2500 manufactured by KEYENCE CORPORATION) that can perform non-contact measurement is suitable.
When measuring the displacement of each part of the substrate, it is suitable to measure the displacement while moving the substrate 1 under a plurality of (three in FIG. 11) displacement measuring devices 71 as shown in FIG. 11A is a schematic side view of the measurement system, and FIG.
Shows a schematic plan view.

Based on this measurement result, when the gap spacers are uniformly arranged by the gap spacer arrangement calculation unit, the gap between the substrate pairs is likely to be narrow, and the gap between the substrate pairs is likely to be wide. The appropriate distribution of the gap spacers is calculated so that the space between the substrates has a low density and the distance between the substrates is constant. This calculation is performed based on the dimensional relationship, thermal and mechanical properties of the materials used, preliminary experimental results and simulation results. According to this calculation result, the gap spacer placement device 7
3 is used to arrange the gap spacers on the surface of the substrate at the optimum density in the gap spacer arrangement portion. As the gap spacer placement device used here, the high pressure discharge type manufacturing device shown in FIG. 4, the suction type manufacturing device shown in FIG.
The sieving type manufacturing apparatus shown in 1 is suitable. A seal material containing a seal spacer is formed at a predetermined position of the substrate on which the gap spacer is formed on the surface, and the seal material is adhered to the counter substrate at the pressure bonding portion. The seal forming method and the pressure bonding method used here are not special ones and are well known.

The substrate pair thus bonded is carried out from the substrate carry-out section and proceeds to a post-process such as inspection. By doing so, the substrate spacing, which has been complicatedly changed due to the warpage and surface deformation of the conventional substrate, is completely suppressed. When the substrate spacing is measured by the gap tester, the substrate spacing is 5
It was within a range of ± 0.05 μm, and a liquid crystal device having a more uniform spacing between the substrates than that in the case where the conventional gap spacers were uniformly arranged, and thus having a good display quality was obtained.

This embodiment will be described more easily with reference to FIG. Even if the substrate 1 is deformed as shown in FIG. 12A, the deformation of the substrate can be measured and grasped by the surface shape measuring unit before the gap spacer is arranged. Based on this measurement result, by providing the gap spacer high-density arrangement portion 13 and the gap spacer low-density arrangement portion 15 as shown in FIG. It is possible to make it uniform. By using this embodiment, even if there is a warp or deformation that was conventionally excluded as a nonstandard board, it can be used as a normal component, and it becomes possible to loosen the specifications for the board, Cost reduction is possible.

(Embodiment 5) This embodiment is different from Embodiment 1 in that the substrate pair is pressure-bonded. Example 1
In this example, the pressure was applied with a uniform force over the entire surface of the substrate. However, in this example, when the substrate is pressed, pressure bonding was performed using a manufacturing apparatus capable of pressing the substrate with the surface distribution shown in FIG. . In FIG. 13, reference numeral 21 is a pressing board, reference numeral 23 is a distributed pressing board, the pressing board 21 is for pressing the entire surface of the substrate, and the distributed pressing board 23 is composed of a large number of piezoelectric elements. Can be controlled independently of each other, and can be partly or weakly pressed depending on a predetermined part of the substrate 1.

According to this method, the substrate spacing, which has been complicatedly changed due to the warp and surface deformation of the conventional substrate, is completely suppressed. When the substrate spacing is measured by the gap tester, the substrate spacing is 5 ± 0.03 μm. , The liquid crystal element having a substantially uniform substrate spacing, and thus good display quality, was obtained as compared with the case where a conventional substrate was uniformly pressed. Further, it is more effective to apply the pressure bonding method of this embodiment to the fourth embodiment.

[0052]

According to the electro-optical element described in the present invention, since the gap spacers arranged between the substrates are properly arranged with shades, the warp / surface deformation of the substrate and the seal containing the seal spacer are formed. Variations in the distance between the pair of substrates due to the distortion of the substrate that occurs when the material is cured are corrected, and it is possible to realize an electro-optical element having a uniform gap between the substrates and excellent display quality. Further, it becomes possible to loosen the standard of the substrate, and it is possible to reduce the cost. Further, since the quality is stable, the manufacturing yield is improved. According to the method of manufacturing an electro-optical element described in the present invention, it is possible to reliably manufacture the electro-optical element described in the present invention. According to the electro-optical element manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the method of manufacturing the electro-optical element of the present invention can be reliably performed, and the electro-optical element of the present invention can be reliably manufactured. It will be possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a structure of an electro-optical element described in Example 1.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a structure of an electro-optical element described in Example 2.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a structure of an electro-optical element described in Example 3.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a method of arranging a gap spacer with a high density according to the high pressure discharge method described in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a relationship between a high-pressure fluid ejection time and a gap spacer ejection amount.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the height of the tip of the discharge portion and the gap spacer dispersion range.

7A and 7B are views for explaining a method of arranging the density of the gap spacer by the adsorption method described in Example 1.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a method of attracting a gap spacer.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a method of arranging the density of gap spacers by the sieving method described in Example 1.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a manufacturing apparatus described in a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a view for explaining the arrangement of the displacement measuring device described in the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a manufacturing apparatus capable of pressing a substrate with the surface distribution described in Example 5;

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a conventional electro-optical element.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a conventional method for manufacturing an electro-optical element.

FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining a conventional gap spacer dispersion method for an electro-optical element.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a method of attracting a gap spacer.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a method of arranging light and shade of a gap spacer by the high pressure discharge method described in the first embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Substrate 2 Gap Spacer 3 Electro-Optical Material 4 Seal Spacer 5 Sealing Material 6 Electro-Optical Element 11 Near Sealing Material 13 Gap Spacer High Density Arrangement Area 15 Gap Spacer Low Density Arrangement Area 17 Gap Spacer Average Density Arrangement Area 21 Pressure Plate 23 Distributed Load Platen 31 Closed container 33 High-pressure fluid introduction part 35 Discharge part 37 Magnet 39 Coil 41 Movable valve 43 Fixed valve 45 High-pressure chamber 47 Gap spacer holding chamber 51 Adsorption plate 53 Pressure adjustment chamber 55 Adsorption hole 57 Gap spacer bat 58 Transducer 59 Power supply 61 Sieve 63 Squeegee 65 Drop hole 71 Displacement measuring device 73 Gap spacer placement device

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Keiji Kamata 1-7 Yukiya Otsukacho, Ota-ku, Tokyo Alps Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masahiro Mori 1-7 Yukiya Otsuka-cho, Ota-ku, Tokyo Alp Su Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masami Igarashi 1-7 Yukiya Otsuka-cho, Ota-ku, Tokyo Alps Electric Co., Ltd.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A seal in which a gap spacer is sandwiched between a pair of opposed substrates, an electro-optical material is filled between the pair of substrates, and the periphery of the pair of substrates includes a seal spacer. In the electro-optical element sealed with a material, when the number of the predetermined number of the gap spacers arranged per unit area is N, the number of the gap spacers per unit area is (N + 4N ^0.5 ). An electro-optical element having the above and (N-4N ^0.5 ) pieces or less. 2. A seal in which a gap spacer is sandwiched between a pair of opposing substrates, an electro-optical material is filled between the pair of substrates, and a seal spacer is provided around the periphery of the substrate pair. In the electro-optical element sealed with a material, when the number of the predetermined portions of the gap spacers arranged per unit area is N, the number of the gap spacers arranged per unit area near the sealing material ((( 1/2)
N) An electro-optical element having a number of portions equal to or less than N. 3. A seal in which a gap spacer is sandwiched between a pair of opposed substrates, an electro-optic material is filled between the pair of substrates, and the periphery of the pair of substrates contains a seal spacer. In a method of manufacturing an electro-optical element sealed with a material, a step of arranging the number of gap spacers between the substrate pairs so as to have a shaded surface distribution, and a step of pressure-bonding the substrate pair. A method for manufacturing an electro-optical element, comprising: 4. The method of manufacturing an electro-optical element according to claim 3, wherein when disposing the gap spacers, the step of measuring the warp / surface deformation of the substrates forming the substrate pair, and the gap according to the measurement result. Arrangement of gap spacers between the substrate pairs, with high density in a portion where the spacing between the substrate pairs tends to become narrow and low density in a portion where the spacing between the substrate pairs tends to widen when the spacers are uniformly arranged. A method of manufacturing an electro-optical element, comprising at least a step of arranging the number of elements so as to have a light and shade surface distribution. 5. The electro-optical element manufacturing method according to claim 3, wherein when the substrate pair is pressure-bonded, the substrate surface is pressed with a surface distribution of strength and weakness. Device manufacturing method. 6. A means for measuring warpage and surface deformation of substrates constituting a substrate pair, and an appropriate distribution of gap spacers arranged so that the distance between the substrate pairs when the substrates are combined is substantially constant. And a means for arranging the gap spacers in the calculated predetermined distribution, and a means for pressurizing and bonding the substrate pairs to each other. 7. The electro-optical element manufacturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the means for pressing the substrate pairs and adhering them to each other includes means for pressing the substrates with a surface distribution. Manufacturing equipment. 8. A means for holding a gap spacer in a container, a means for introducing a high-pressure fluid into the container, and a means for discharging the gap spacer to a predetermined position on the substrate surface for a predetermined period from one end of the container. An electro-optical element manufacturing apparatus comprising: