JPH1048632A - Liquid crystal cell and its orientation treatment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid crystal cell constituted to aver the extension of the orientation defect of smectic liquid crystals generated near a seal to a display region by devising the orientation treatment to the inside surfaces of both electrode substrates and an orientation treatment method for the same. SOLUTION: The inside surface 10A the electrode substrate 10 is subjected to the rubbing treatment in such a manner that the rubbing direction P1 of the inside surface part R1 of the electrode substrate 10 and the rubbing direction Q1 of the inside surface part R4 of the electrode substrate 20 intersect orthogonally with the rubbing direction P2 of both inside surface parts R2, R3 of the electrode substrate 10 and the rubbing direction Q2 of both inside surface parts R5, R6 of the electrode substrate 20. The inside surface of the electrode substrates countering the electrode substrate 10 are similarly varied in the rubbing directions.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal cell using a smectic liquid crystal and a method for aligning the liquid crystal cell.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the alignment treatment of this type of liquid crystal cell has been performed by
As shown in JP-A-6-289977, rubbing is generally performed over the entire inner surface of each electrode substrate on which an alignment film is formed. This rubbing is performed by rubbing the entire inner surface of each electrode substrate with a roller in a certain direction.

[0003]

By the way, each of the electrode substrates which have been subjected to the orientation treatment as described above are overlapped with each other via an annular seal (see reference numeral 1 in FIG. 8) formed on the outer peripheral portion of one of the inner surfaces. A ferroelectric liquid crystal is sealed through a seal. However, the amine which is a seal hardener component contained in the seal 1 has an adverse effect on the liquid crystal portion near the seal and disturbs the alignment. Therefore, this disorder of the orientation
There is a disadvantage that the liquid crystal portion in the display area (see reference numeral 2 in FIG. 8) of both electrode substrates is adversely affected.

More specifically, the alignment defect generated in the vicinity of the seal 1 grows to the liquid crystal portion of the display area 2 as indicated by reference numeral 3 in FIG. On the other hand, the alignment state of the ferroelectric liquid crystal by rubbing was examined. According to this, each liquid crystal molecule (see reference numeral 4 in FIG. 9)
Is formed in a direction (see reference numeral 5 in FIG. 9) orthogonal to the rubbing direction (see reference numeral 6 in FIG. 9),
The orientation defect grows in the same direction as the above-mentioned layer direction (see reference numeral 7 in FIG. 10) so as to split between the adjacent layers.

Moreover, since the rubbing treatment is performed in the same direction over the entire inner surface of the electrode substrate, the growth of the alignment defects extends to the display region 2. In order to cope with the above, the present invention has devised an alignment treatment for the inner surfaces of the two electrode substrates so that the alignment defect of the smectic liquid crystal generated near the seal does not reach the display area. An object of the present invention is to provide a cell and a method for aligning the cell.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, of the inner surfaces of the two electrode substrates facing each other via the smectic liquid crystal, the squares of the two electrode substrates are used. The rectangular inner surface portions corresponding to the shape display region are respectively oriented in one direction, and among the inner surfaces of both electrode substrates, the annular inner surface portion located outside the square inner surface portion is at least. In a region parallel to the orientation direction of the square inner surface portion, the orientation process is performed in a direction intersecting the orientation direction.

As a result, the alignment treatment is performed so that the layer direction of the smectic liquid crystal intersects the liquid crystal portion corresponding to the square inner surface portions of both electrode substrates and the other liquid crystal portions. As a result, the liquid crystal portions other than the liquid crystal portions corresponding to the square inner surface portions of both electrode substrates were disturbed in the alignment by the amine component in the seal, and the alignment defects in the liquid crystal portions grew toward the display region. However, this growth is prevented by the layer of the liquid crystal portion corresponding to the square inner surface portions of both electrode substrates. Further, even if the alignment defect grows along the seal due to the restriction of the layer direction of the smectic liquid crystal, it does not reach the display area.

As a result, display defects of the liquid crystal cell do not occur. According to the invention described in claims 4, 6 to 9, each of the inner surfaces of the two electrode substrates is made to have a region parallel to the orientation processing direction of at least the square inner surface portion of each of the annular inner surface portions. In the state of being sequentially masked by the thin layers, orientation treatment is performed in one direction, and each inner surface of both electrode substrates is formed in each of the annular inner surface portions except for a region parallel to at least the square-shaped inner surface portion in the orientation treatment direction. Are successively masked by the second thin layer, and orientation treatment is performed in the direction crossing.

According to the present invention, there can be provided a liquid crystal cell alignment treatment method capable of achieving the function and effect of the first aspect of the present invention. According to the invention as set forth in claims 5 to 9, each of the inner surfaces of the two electrode substrates is sequentially oriented in the one direction or the intersecting direction over the entire surface thereof. At least a region parallel to the orientation processing direction of the square inner surface portion or each region other than this region in the surface portion, in a state where each region is sequentially masked by a thin layer, the inner surface of both electrode substrates, a direction intersecting or An orientation treatment is performed in one direction.

According to this, substantially the same operation and effect as the invention described in claim 4 can be achieved. Here, as in the invention according to claim 9, if an annular boundary region having a width of about 0.5 mm is provided between the square inner surface portion and the annular inner surface portion of each electrode substrate. As described above, even if the alignment defect grows toward the display region, this growth is stopped at the outer peripheral edge of the annular boundary region. Therefore, there is no problem such as alignment disorder at the outer peripheral portion of the display area.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show a liquid crystal cell according to the present invention. This liquid crystal cell has two electrode substrates 10,
20. These two electrode substrates 10 and 20 are overlapped with each other via the annular seal 30, the spacer 40 and the adhesive fine particles 50, and the two electrode substrates 10 and 20 are
Between them, a smectic liquid crystal 60 such as a ferroelectric liquid crystal or an antiferroelectric liquid crystal is sealed via a seal 30.

Here, the electrode substrate 10 is formed by providing a square alignment film 12 on the inner peripheral side of the seal 30 with a plurality of transparent electrodes and insulating films 11 interposed on the inner surface of a glass substrate. . On the other hand, the electrode substrate 20 has a plurality of transparent electrodes (which constitute a matrix pixel together with the plurality of transparent electrodes) and a square insulating film 21 on the inner surface of the glass substrate.
The alignment film 22 is provided on the inner peripheral side of the seal 30.

Here, the inner surface of the electrode substrate 10 (hereinafter referred to as the inner surface 10A) is constituted by the alignment film 12 and the outer peripheral portion of the alignment film 12 of the insulating film 11. On the other hand, an inner surface of the electrode substrate 20 (hereinafter, referred to as an inner surface 20 </ b> A) is configured by the alignment film 22 and the outer peripheral portion of the alignment film 22 of the insulating film 21. However, both alignment films 12 and 22 have an area (A × B) larger than the square display area D (see FIGS. 1 and 2) of both electrode substrates 10 and 20 and extend to the vicinity of the inner periphery of seal 30. Extending.

Next, a method of manufacturing the liquid crystal cell will be described with reference to FIGS. In the two-electrode substrate forming step S1 of FIG. 3, the electrode substrate 10 is formed by providing an alignment film 12 on the inner surface of a glass substrate via a plurality of transparent electrodes and an insulating film 11 (see FIG. 4). On the other hand, the electrode substrate 20
A plurality of transparent electrodes and insulating films 21 are formed on the inner surface of a glass substrate.
It is formed by providing the alignment film 22 through the intermediary of

After this step, in a first rubbing step S2, the inner surface 10A of the electrode substrate 10 is divided into three inner surface portions R1, R2, R3 as shown in FIG. Here, the inner surface portion R1 is a square region Da including the display region D and the square region D of the inner surface 10A of the electrode substrate 10.
4A corresponds to the portion corresponding to the left and right regions in FIG.
However, the width W of the annular boundary between the square area Da and the display area D is set to about 0.5 mm.

In the state where both inner surface portions R2 and R3 are respectively masked by the first thin plates, the electrode substrate 1
The inner surface 10A is rubbed along the rubbing direction P1 to perform an alignment treatment. Here, as each of the first thin plates, a stainless plate or a polyester film having a plate thickness in the range of 0.03 mm to 0.2 mm is employed.

The rubbing is made of rayon, nylon,
This is performed by rubbing the inner surface 10A of the electrode substrate 10 using a nonwoven fabric such as cotton or a flocking cloth. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the inner surface 20A of the electrode substrate 20 has three inner surface portions R.
4, divided into R5 and R6. Here, the inner surface portion R4 is
In the inner surface 20A of the electrode substrate 20, it corresponds to a square area Da including the display area D and a part of the square area Da corresponding to the left and right areas shown in FIG.

With the inner surfaces R5 and R6 masked by the first thin plates, the inner surface 20A of the electrode substrate 20 is rubbed along the rubbing direction Q1 to perform an alignment process. Next, in the second rubbing step S3, both inner surface portions R2 of the electrode substrate 10 are formed.
The first two thin plates are removed from R3, and the inner surface portion R1 is replaced with a second thin plate (made of the same material and thickness as the first thin plate).
The inner surface 10 of the electrode substrate 10 is
A is aligned by rubbing A in the rubbing direction P2 (see FIG. 4). Here, both rubbing directions P
2, P1 is orthogonal to each other.

Further, both inner surface portions R5 and R5 of the electrode substrate 20 are formed.
6, the inner surface 20A of the electrode substrate 20 is rubbed along the rubbing direction Q2 (see FIG. 5) with the first and second thin plates removed and the inner surface portion R4 masked by the second thin plate. For orientation treatment. However, both rubbing directions Q2 and Q1 are orthogonal to each other. Thereafter, in the spacer / adhesion fine particle dispersing step S4, the spacers 40 and the adhesive fine particles 50 are dispersed on the inner surface 10A of the electrode substrate 10. On the other hand, in the seal printing step S5, the seal 30 is formed annularly on the outer peripheral edge of the inner surface 20A of the electrode substrate 20 by printing a sealant. Note that a liquid crystal injection port is formed in a part of the seal 30.

Next, in the superposition step S6, the electrode substrate 20 is superposed on the electrode substrate 10 via the seal 30, the spacer 40 and the adhesive fine particles 50. In this case, both rubbing directions P1, Q1 and both rubbing directions P2, Q2
However, the two electrode substrates 10 and 20 are superimposed so that they are opposite to each other. Then, in a seal hardening step S7, both the electrode substrates 10 and 20 are heated and pressurized while heating to harden the seal 30 and secure a predetermined cell gap.

Thereafter, in a liquid crystal injection sealing step S8,
The smectic liquid crystal 60 is liquefied by heating to form a seal 30.
Through the liquid crystal injection port of each of the inner surfaces 1 of both electrode substrates 10 and 20
After filling between 0A and 20A, the liquid crystal injection port is sealed. Thereby, the manufacture of the liquid crystal cell is completed. Thus, in a liquid crystal cell completed in this way,
As described above, the rubbing direction P1 of the inner surface portion R1 of the electrode substrate 10 and the rubbing direction Q1 of the inner surface portion R4 of the electrode substrate 20 are the same as the rubbing direction P2 of the inner surface portions R2 and R3 of the electrode substrate 10 and the rubbing direction P2. Inner surface portions R5, R6 of
Is orthogonal to the rubbing direction Q2.

For this reason, of the smectic liquid crystal 60,
The layer direction of the liquid crystal portion between both inner surface portions R1 and R4 is orthogonal to the layer direction of the liquid crystal portion between both inner surface portions R2 and R3 and both inner surface portions R5 and R6. Therefore, the alignment of the liquid crystal portion between the inner surface portions R2 and R3 and the inner surface portions R5 and R6 was disturbed by the amine component in the seal 30 and the shape of the seal 30. Grows toward the display region D, this growth is prevented by the layer of the liquid crystal portion between the inner surface portions R1 and R4.

Further, even if the alignment defect grows along the seal 30 due to the restriction of the smectic liquid crystal layer direction, it does not reach the display region D. As a result, a display defect of the liquid crystal cell does not occur. In this case, a gap of 0.5 mm is provided between each side of the square area Da and the display area D on the inner surface part R2 side and between each side of the square area Da and the display area D on the inner surface part R3 side. Is given.

For this reason, as described above, even if the alignment defect grows toward the display region D, this growth occurs in the square region Da.
At the position of the above side. Therefore, there is no problem such as disorder in alignment around the display area D. In the first embodiment, an example in which the processing of the second rubbing step S3 is performed after the processing of the first rubbing step S2 has been described. Instead, the first rubbing step S2 may be performed after the processing of the second rubbing step S3. Even if you perform the processing of
The same operation and effect as the first embodiment can be achieved.

In the first embodiment, in the first rubbing step S2, after rubbing the entire inner surface portion 10A of the electrode substrate 10 along the rubbing direction P1 (or P2), the second rubbing step S3 is performed. At the inner surface R
1 (or R2, R3) in a state where both inner surface portions R2, R3 (or R1) are masked in the rubbing direction P2 (or P2).
Rubbing may be performed along 1).

On the other hand, in the first rubbing step S2, the inner surface 20A of the electrode substrate 20 is entirely rubbed in the rubbing direction Q1.
After rubbing in the direction of (or Q2), in the second rubbing step S3, both inner surface portions R5, R6 (or R4) are rubbed in the rubbing direction Q2 (with the inner surface portion R4 (or R5, R6) masked). Alternatively, rubbing may be performed in the direction of Q1). (Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
It will be described based on.

In the second embodiment, the liquid crystal cell is manufactured by the manufacturing method shown in FIG. 6 instead of the manufacturing method described in the first embodiment. As in the first embodiment, both electrode substrates 10 and 20 are formed in the both electrode substrate forming step S1.
Is formed, in a first resist application step S9, a photoresist is applied over the entire inner surface 10A of the electrode substrate 10 to form a photoresist layer. On the other hand, the electrode substrate 2
A photoresist is applied over the entire inner surface 20A of the “0” to form a photoresist layer.

Next, in the first exposure and development step S10, the remaining layer portions of the photoresist layer of the electrode substrate 10 are left so that the layer portions corresponding to both inner surface portions R2 and R3 are left. The layer portion corresponding to the surface portion R1) is removed by exposure and development. On the other hand, the electrode substrate 20
The remaining layer portion of this photoresist layer (the layer portion corresponding to the inner surface portion R4) is removed by exposure and development so that the layer portions corresponding to both inner surface portions R5 and R6 of the photoresist layer are left.

Next, in a first rubbing step S11, an alignment treatment is performed by rubbing the entire inner surface 10A of the electrode substrate 10 along the rubbing direction P1. In this case, since only the inner surface portions R2 and R3 are covered with the photoresist layer, only the inner surface portion R1 is rubbed along the rubbing direction P1. On the other hand, rubbing is performed along the rubbing direction Q1 over the entire inner surface 20A of the electrode substrate 20. In this case, only the inner surface portions R5 and R6 are covered with the photoresist layer. For this reason,
Only the inner surface portion R4 is rubbed along the rubbing direction Q1.

Thereafter, in a first peeling and cleaning step S12, the photoresist layers on the inner surface portions R2 and R3 of the electrode substrate 10 are peeled off and the inner surface portion R of the electrode substrate 20 is removed.
5. The photoresist layer on R6 is peeled off, and both electrode substrates 10 and 20 are washed. Next, a second resist coating step S
At 13, a photoresist is applied over the entire inner surface 10A of the electrode substrate 10 to form a photoresist layer. On the other hand, a photoresist is applied over the entire inner surface 20A of the electrode substrate 20 to form a photoresist layer.

Next, in the second exposure and development step S14, the inner surface portion R of the photoresist layer of the electrode substrate 10 is formed.
The remaining layer portion of this photoresist layer (layer portion corresponding to both inner surface portions R2 and R3) is removed by exposure and development so that the layer portion corresponding to No. 1 remains. On the other hand, the electrode substrate 20
The remaining layer portions of the photoresist layer (layer portions corresponding to both inner surface portions R5 and R6) are removed by exposure and development so that the layer portion corresponding to the inner surface portion R4 of the photoresist layer is left.

Next, in a second rubbing step S15, a rubbing process is performed along the rubbing direction P2 over the entire inner surface 10A of the electrode substrate 10. In this case, since only the inner surface portion R1 is covered with the photoresist layer, only the inner surface portions R2 and R3 are rubbed along the rubbing direction P2. On the other hand, the inner surface 20A of the electrode substrate 20
Is subjected to a rubbing process in the rubbing direction Q2 over the entirety of.
In this case, since only the inner surface portion R4 is covered with the photoresist layer, only the inner surface portions R5 and R6 are rubbed in the rubbing direction Q2.

Thereafter, in a second stripping and cleaning step S16, the photoresist layer on the inner surface R1 of the electrode substrate 10 is stripped, and the photoresist layer on the inner surface R4 of the electrode substrate 20 is stripped. Then, both electrode substrates 10 and 20 are cleaned. The subsequent processing is the same as in the first embodiment. As described above, even if a photoresist layer is used instead of the thin plate described in the first embodiment, the same operation and effect as in the first embodiment can be achieved.

In the second embodiment, after the first resist coating step S9 to the first strip cleaning step S12, the second resist coating step S13 to the second strip cleaning step S1 are performed.
Although the example of performing the processing of No. 6 has been described, instead of this,
Second resist coating step S13 to second peeling cleaning step S1
Even if the processing of the first resist coating step S9 to the first peeling and cleaning step S12 is performed after the processing of step 6, the same operation and effect as in the second embodiment can be achieved.

FIG. 7 shows a modification of the second embodiment. In this modification, the first resist coating step S9 to the second peeling / cleaning step S16 described in FIG. 6 are changed to the first rubbing step S17 to the peeling / cleaning step S21 as shown in FIG. Thus, in this variation,
As in the second embodiment, after the processing in the electrode substrate forming step S1, in the first rubbing step S17, the entire inner surface 10A of the electrode substrate 10 is rubbed in the rubbing direction P1. On the other hand, the entire inner surface 20A of the electrode substrate 20 is rubbed along the rubbing direction Q1.

Next, in a resist coating step S18,
A photoresist is applied to the entire inner surface 10A of the electrode substrate 10 and the entire inner surface 20A of the electrode substrate 20, thereby forming a photoresist layer. Thereafter, in the exposure and development step S19, the layer portion corresponding to the inner surface portion R1 of the photoresist layer of the electrode substrate 10 is left so as to leave the remaining layer portion (the layer portion corresponding to both inner surface portions R2 and R3). Is removed by exposure and development.

On the other hand, a layer portion of the photoresist layer of the electrode substrate 20 corresponding to the inner surface portion R4 is left,
The remaining layer portions (layer portions corresponding to both inner surface portions R5 and R6) are removed by exposure and development. Then, in the second rubbing step S20, both inner surface portions R2 of the electrode substrate 10 are formed.
R3 is rubbed along the rubbing direction P2, while both inner surface portions R5 and R6 of the electrode substrate 20 are rubbed along the rubbing direction Q2.

Next, in a stripping step S21, the photoresist layers of both electrode substrates 10 and 20 are stripped. This makes it possible to achieve the same functions and effects as those of the second embodiment while further simplifying the steps described in the second embodiment. In the modification, in the first rubbing step S17, the entire inner surface 10A of the electrode substrate 10 and the entire inner surface 20A of the electrode substrate 20 are respectively moved in the rubbing direction P.
1 and Q1, but instead of this, the entire inner surface 10A of the electrode substrate 10 and the electrode substrate 2
0 in the entire rubbing direction P2.
And rubbing along Q2.

Accordingly, in the exposure and development step S19, the layer portions corresponding to both inner surface portions R2 and R3 of the photoresist layer of the electrode substrate 10 are left, and the remaining layer portions (the inner surface portion R1 are removed). The corresponding layer portion) is removed by exposure and development. On the other hand, a layer portion corresponding to both inner surface portions R5 and R6 is left in the photoresist layer of the electrode substrate 20, and the remaining layer portion (layer portion corresponding to the inner surface portion R4) is removed by exposure and development. I do.

Then, in the second rubbing step S20, the inner surface portion R1 of the electrode substrate 10 is rubbed along the rubbing direction P1, while the inner surface portion R4 of the electrode substrate 20 is rubbed along the rubbing direction Q1. This also achieves the same operation and effect as the above-described modification. In addition,
In carrying out the present invention, the smectic liquid crystal 60 is formed not by the injection method but by dropping the smectic liquid crystal on one inner surface of the electrode substrates 10 and 20 before the electrode substrates 10 and 20 are overlapped. Even if the process shifts to the process of the matching step S6, the same operation and effect as the above embodiment can be achieved.

In each of the above embodiments, an example has been described in which both rubbing directions P1, P2 and both rubbing directions Q1, Q2 are orthogonal to each other. However, the present invention is not limited to this. If Q1 and Q2 intersect with each other, the same operation and effect as the above embodiments can be achieved. In each of the above embodiments, both inner surface portions R
1 and R4 were rubbed in the same direction, but instead of this, both sides of each square region Da of both inner surface portions R1 and R4 were rubbed in a direction orthogonal to the rubbing direction in the square region Da. You may make it.

In each of the above embodiments, both electrode substrates 1
When 0 and 20 are overlapped, both rubbing directions P1 and Q
1 are opposite to each other and both rubbing directions P2,
Although the example has been described in which Q2 is in the opposite direction to each other, instead, the rubbing directions P1 and Q1 are both in the same direction and both rubbing directions P2 and Q2 are in the same direction. You may.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a liquid crystal cell according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the liquid crystal cell.

FIG. 3 is a process chart showing a method for manufacturing the liquid crystal cell of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an inner surface of the electrode substrate 10 of FIG. 1 in relation to a rubbing direction.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an inner surface of the electrode substrate 20 of FIG. 1 in relation to a rubbing direction.

FIG. 6 is a process chart showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a process chart showing a modification of the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an electrode substrate showing a situation where an alignment defect of a smectic liquid crystal occurs in a conventional liquid crystal cell.

9 is a partial plan view for explaining a relationship between a layer direction of a smectic liquid crystal and a rubbing direction in the liquid crystal cell of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a partial plan view for explaining a situation where an alignment defect occurs in a smectic liquid crystal layer in the liquid crystal cell of FIG. 9;

[Explanation of symbols]

10, 20 ... electrode substrate, 10A, 20A ... inner surface, 30
... seal, R1 to R6 ... inner surface part.

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A liquid crystal cell comprising two electrode substrates (10, 20) superposed via an annular seal (30), and a smectic liquid crystal (60) sealed between the two electrode substrates inside the seal. Among the inner surfaces (10A, 20A) of the two electrode substrates facing each other via the smectic liquid crystal, square inner surface portions (R1, R4) corresponding to the square display regions (D) of the two electrode substrates are formed. , Each of which has been subjected to orientation treatment in one direction (P1, Q1), and among the inner surfaces of the two electrode substrates, annular inner surface portions (R2, R3, R1, R1) located outside the square inner surface portion.
5, R6, R4) are oriented at least in a region (P2, Q2) intersecting the orientation direction in a region parallel to the orientation direction of the square inner surface portion. Liquid crystal cell. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the annular inner surface portion is subjected to an orientation process orthogonal to the orientation process direction in a region of the square inner surface portion parallel to the orientation process direction. 3. The liquid crystal cell according to 1. 3. The rectangular inner surface of each of the two electrode substrates,
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the alignment films is formed by an alignment film, and each of the alignment films also forms at least a part of each of the annular inner surface portions. 4. Liquid crystal cell. 4. The orientation processing direction (P) of at least the square inner surface portion of each of the annular inner surface portions, wherein each of the inner surfaces of the two electrode substrates according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is aligned.
A step (S2, S9 to S12) of aligning in one direction while regions (R2, R3, R5, R6) parallel to (1, Q1) are sequentially masked by a first thin layer; In the state where at least each region (R1, R4) of the respective annular inner surface portions other than the region parallel to the orientation processing direction of the square inner surface portion is sequentially masked by the second thin layer. And a step (S3, S13 to S16) of performing an alignment process in the intersecting direction. 5. A process for sequentially aligning the inner surfaces of the two electrode substrates according to claim 1 in the one direction (P1, Q1) or the intersecting directions (P2, Q2) over the entire surface. (17) After this step, regions (R2, R2) of at least the rectangular inner surface portions of the respective annular inner surface portions that are parallel to the orientation processing direction.
3, R5, R6) or each region other than this region (R1, R5
And (4) aligning each inner surface of the two electrode substrates in the intersecting direction or the one direction in a state where (4) is sequentially masked by a thin layer (S18 to S21). Method. 6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the intersecting direction is a direction orthogonal to the one direction. 7. The thin layer has a thickness of 0.03 mm to 0.2 m.
The method according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the liquid crystal cell is one of a stainless steel plate and a polyester film having a plate thickness in the range of m. 8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the thin layer is a photoresist layer. 9. An annular boundary region having a width of about 0.5 mm is provided between the square inner surface and the annular inner surface of each of the electrode substrates. 9. The method for aligning a liquid crystal cell according to any one of 8.