JPH11295728A - Reflection type liquid crystal device, manufacture thereof and electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve production efficiency by transferring a resin layer formed on a transfer sheet beforehand onto the inner surface of a substrate and forming a reflection layer on it in a reflection type liquid crystal device composed by clamping a liquid crystal layer between a pair of the substrates. SOLUTION: The resin layer 21 where a recessed and projected shape 21a is formed beforehand is transferred onto the inner surface (on the surface on a liquid crystal layer side) of a back surface side substrate 20 and a reflection electrode 22 which is the reflection layer is formed on the recessed and projected shape 21a of the transferred resin layer 21. Thus, the need of adding a complicated process to the back surface side substrate 20 is eliminated and it is sufficient to only transfer the resin layer 21 provided with the recessed and projected shape 21a from a laminated film formed by a line different from the manufacture line of this reflection type liquid crystal device. In such a manner, since the resin layer 21 is formed at a difference place for an optional area by an optional method, the resin layer 21 is more easily formed at a low cost. Thus, the yield of a manufacture process and productivity are improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a reflection type liquid crystal device and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a reflection type liquid crystal device, a liquid crystal cell having a liquid crystal layer sealed between a transparent front substrate and a rear substrate is provided, and a reflection layer is formed on the inner surface of the rear substrate. Have been proposed. When a reflective layer is formed on the inner surface of the rear substrate in this manner, external light transmitted through and incident on the front substrate passes through the liquid crystal layer, is reflected by the reflective layer, and is again reflected on the liquid crystal layer and the front substrate. And enters the eyes of the viewer. There are various types of such reflective liquid crystal devices depending on the control method of the liquid crystal.

[0003] For example, in a system called a TN type or an STN type, a polarizing plate is arranged before and after a liquid crystal cell, and the polarization state of light is changed when passing through a liquid crystal layer to determine whether light passes through the polarizing plate. The display is performed according to the above. However, in this method, it is necessary to arrange the polarizing plate between the liquid crystal layer and the reflective layer. Therefore, in general, the polarizing plate is attached on the outer surface of the rear substrate, and further, the outer surface of the polarizing plate is further attached. It is configured such that a reflection plate is adhered thereon.

[0004] On the other hand, a single polarizing plate system (SPD: single polarizing plate device) requires only one polarizing plate, a guest-host system (GH liquid crystal), and a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (P liquid crystal).
DLC) does not require a polarizing plate at all. Generally, in the case of controlling the change in the color tone of the dichroic dye in the liquid crystal layer and the presence or absence of light scattering in the liquid crystal layer, it is not necessary to use a polarizing plate. In such a case, light is not absorbed by the polarizing plate, so that the display can be brightened. In the method using only one polarizing plate or the method not using a polarizing plate as described above, the reflective layer can be formed on the inner surface of the rear substrate, which is caused in the case of the two-sheet polarizing plate method. Double reflection of display,
It is possible to prevent blurring of display and color mixing.

In various reflective liquid crystal devices in which a reflective layer is formed on the inner surface of the rear substrate as described above, external light is reflected by the surface of the reflective layer and used as light for visually recognizing a display. In order to improve display characteristics, it is necessary to impart light diffusion or scattering to the reflection surface. For example, in the case of a liquid crystal device using a single polarizing plate method or a guest-host effect, white can be displayed by scattering of light on a reflection surface, and a viewing angle characteristic can be widened. For this reason, it is necessary to have a concave-convex shape on the reflection surface so as to suppress the decrease in brightness as much as possible while scattering the reflected light. In addition, in the case of a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal device in which the liquid crystal layer itself has a scattering mode, black is displayed when the liquid crystal layer is in a light transmitting state. At this time, the background or illumination is reflected on the reflection surface. In this case, the display quality of the liquid crystal screen may be remarkably deteriorated, so that it is necessary to form a smooth uneven structure on the surface of the reflection surface to reduce the regular reflection (direct reflection).

[0006]

By the way, the above-mentioned rough surface or uneven shape of the reflecting surface may be obtained by roughening the surface of the reflecting layer or forming a resin layer having an uneven surface structure as a base layer of the reflecting layer. Or formed by the method. Methods for roughening the surface of the reflective layer include etching and blasting, but it is difficult to control the optical characteristics of the scattering surface obtained by these methods. In particular, as can be seen from the subtle differences in the optical characteristics of the reflective surface required by the type of liquid crystal device as described above, in order to enhance the display quality of each liquid crystal device, it is necessary to scatter precisely controlled light. It is necessary to build the structure of. However, a structure for scattering light with high precision cannot be formed by the above manufacturing method.

On the other hand, the method of forming the surface of the resin layer in a concave and convex shape and applying a reflective film thereon has a relatively controllable shape so that the concave and convex shape of the reflective surface can be formed.
No. 19 also discloses the specific means. However, in this method, in order to obtain a good size and shape of the uneven shape, a photolithography process including coating, baking, exposing, and developing a photosensitive material for forming a resin layer on the inner surface of the rear substrate is used. In addition, many additional steps are required, such as performing a heating step to melt the resin layer, coating the polymer layer again on this resin layer, and forming a reflective layer on it. However, there is a problem that the performance and yield are reduced, and the manufacturing cost is increased. Also, in the application of a photosensitive material, it is necessary to form a relatively thick and uniform film in order to obtain a scattering structure, which is a very difficult process to control.

Accordingly, the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method for obtaining a concave-convex shape of a reflection surface in a process of manufacturing a reflection type liquid crystal device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method that can be formed with high accuracy, can improve the product yield with good productivity, and can reduce the manufacturing cost.

[0009]

Means taken by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problem is a reflection type liquid crystal device in which a liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between a pair of substrates. A resin layer having irregularities is formed on the substrate,
A reflection layer is formed on the resin layer.

By adopting such a structure, a reflection layer having an uneven surface can be easily formed, and a desired light scattering characteristic can be obtained by controlling the unevenness of the transfer sheet. Have.

Further, the resin layer is formed of a resin sheet, and is formed on the surface of the one substrate on the liquid crystal layer side. The resin layer is made of a photosensitive resin.

A method for manufacturing such a liquid crystal device is as follows. That is, a transfer sheet composed of a resin layer is formed, this transfer sheet is transferred onto one substrate of a liquid crystal device, and a reflection layer is formed on the surface of the resin layer.

According to this means, the resin layer previously formed on the transfer sheet is transferred onto the inner surface of the substrate, and the reflection layer is formed thereon, so that the reflection layer is formed on a separate line from the production line of the liquid crystal device. Since it is possible to provide a step of forming a resin layer for defining the surface shape of the resin layer, it is not necessary to form the resin layer on the substrate, and it is possible to improve production efficiency and to place the resin layer in another place. Since the resin layer can be formed in any area and by any method, the resin layer can be formed more easily and at lower cost.

Here, it is preferable that a predetermined uneven shape is formed on the surface of the resin layer before transfer to the substrate.

According to this means, since a resin layer having irregularities is formed on a transfer sheet made of the resin layer in advance, and this resin layer is transferred onto a substrate, it is different from a production line of a liquid crystal device. Since the resin layer can be completed on the line, the production efficiency and the yield can be improved, and the resin layer can be formed without any restrictions due to the structure of the substrate. It is possible to form an uneven shape having high shape accuracy. In this case, as a method of forming an uneven shape on the surface of the resin layer, in addition to a method such as embossing as described later, the resin layer is made of a photosensitive resin, mask exposure is performed, and the unevenness is formed using a photolithography method. Shapes can also be formed.

In this case, the resin layer is desirably made of a photosensitive resin.

According to this means, when forming the uneven shape of the resin layer and / or when patterning the resin layer, the resin layer itself can be formed by exposing and developing. Note that the resin layer is desirably a material that exhibits adhesiveness or softening properties that can be adhered to the rear substrate at a predetermined temperature or lower. In particular, when heating or pressing is performed at the time of transfer to the substrate, it is preferable that the material be capable of obtaining a sufficient adhesive force to the substrate by heating or pressing to a practical degree.

Preferably, the uneven shape of the resin layer is formed by embossing.

According to this means, the surface of the resin layer can be formed into a desired shape by pressing the surface with a mold roller or a mold plate, and then cured, whereby the uneven shape can be formed simply and at low cost. In this case, since the resin layer is in a film state in the step of forming unevenness, embossing can be easily performed.

Further, it is desirable that the uneven shape of the resin layer is formed by including fine particles in a dispersed state in the layer.

According to this means, for example, a resin in which fine particles are dispersed is applied, or a resin is applied to a place where the fine particles are dispersed and arranged. The surface irregularities are automatically formed on the surface, and the irregularity height and plane pitch of the irregularities can be adjusted according to the particle size and the degree of dispersion of the fine particles, so that the irregularities can be formed easily and at low cost.

Further, before transferring the resin layer, it is desirable to form an uneven shape on the surface of the resin layer by a photolithography method.

Also in this case, the resin is exposed in a sheet state,
Since a process such as development can be performed, the process can be simplified and an uneven structure can be accurately formed.

Further, the resin layer is formed of a photosensitive resin,
After transferring the resin layer onto the substrate, it is preferable to form an uneven shape on the surface of the resin layer by a photolithography method.

Also in this case, the thick film coating of the resin layer on the substrate, which was conventionally difficult, can be performed by a simple method of transferring a sheet, so that the manufacturing process is simplified and the uniform film is formed. A thick resin layer can be formed.

In each of the above-mentioned means, the transfer sheet is composed of the resin layer and a protective support laminated on the surface thereof, and after being transferred onto the substrate, the protective support is removed. It is preferable to form the reflection surface.

As a result, the surface of the resin to be transferred is protected in the transfer step, which can contribute to an improvement in the yield of this step.

In each of the above means, it is preferable that the resin layer is laminated on a temporary support, and the temporary support is removed to transfer the resin layer.

According to this means, after the resin layer is formed on the temporary support, the unevenness can be formed, so that the transfer sheet can be easily formed.

Further, in each of the above means, it is desirable to form a buffer layer between the resin layer and the protective support so as to exhibit flexibility at least during transfer.

According to this means, even when the surface of the substrate has irregularities, a uniform stress can be applied to the resin due to the flexibility of the buffer layer at the time of transfer. Transfer can be performed in a uniform state.

The buffer layer has a property that can be easily and selectively removed later, and a property that easily deforms at the time of transfer (especially, when transfer is performed by heating or pressurizing, it is easily deformed by heating or pressurizing). Characteristics that can uniformly press the resin layer)
It is desirable to have. Further, between the resin layer and the buffer layer, it is more desirable to form an intermediate layer having low oxygen permeability while securing the mutual adhesion, in order to enhance the storage stability of the transfer sheet.

[0033]

Next, an embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a reflection type liquid crystal device formed according to the present embodiment.

A transparent electrode 11 made of a transparent conductive film made of ITO (indium tin oxide) is formed on the inner surface of a transparent front substrate 10 made of inorganic glass or the like.
A transparent alignment film 12 made of polyimide, polyvinyl alcohol, or the like is formed thereon. Rubbing treatment is performed on the alignment film 12 in a predetermined direction as necessary.

On the other hand, a resin layer 21 is adhered on the inner surface of the substrate 20 on the back side, and fine irregularities 21a are formed on the surface of the resin layer 21. On the surface of the resin layer 21, a reflective electrode 22 made of a reflective and conductive material such as Al or Cr is applied, and on the surface of the reflective electrode 22, a transparent resin of the same material as the alignment film 12 is formed. Alignment film 23
Is formed by application. Rubbing treatment is also performed on the alignment film 23 in a predetermined direction. In this case, as shown in the figure, in order to suppress alignment failure due to surface irregularities, it is also possible to form the alignment film 23 to such a thickness that the irregularities on the surface of the reflective electrode 22 are filled up and the surface is almost flattened. . After another flattening layer made of a transparent resin or the like is formed on the reflective electrode 22, the alignment film 23 may be applied.

As the flattening layer, a transparent resin can be used as described above. Alternatively, an insulating film made of polysilazane can be formed. A solvent composed of polysilazane is applied so as to have a uniform film thickness over the entire surface of the substrate. After that, the applied solvent is baked to form an insulating film. By forming such an insulating film between the alignment film and the electrode, the surface of the substrate on the liquid crystal layer side becomes flat, and a liquid crystal device having no difference in the thickness of the liquid crystal layer can be obtained. Therefore, a display defect due to a difference in the thickness of the liquid crystal layer and a defect due to rubbing because the substrate has no unevenness are improved, and a liquid crystal device having excellent display characteristics can be obtained.

The front substrate 10 formed as described above
The substrate 20 on the back side is adhered at a predetermined interval via a sealing material (not shown), and a liquid crystal cell in which a liquid crystal layer 30 is sealed is formed by injecting liquid crystal between the two substrates. The liquid crystal layer 30 has an appropriate liquid crystal composition depending on the type, such as a single-polarizer type liquid crystal device utilizing birefringence of a liquid crystal, a guest-host type liquid crystal device, and a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal device.

In the case of the present embodiment, a single-reflector type liquid crystal layer is used which transmits and blocks reflected light by birefringence of the liquid crystal layer using a TN type liquid crystal having a predetermined twist angle. can do. In this case, a polarizing plate is disposed on the front side of the liquid crystal cell. The external light becomes linearly polarized light after passing through the polarizing plate, becomes circularly polarized light on the reflection surface when passing through the liquid crystal layer 30 in a state where no electric field is applied, is reflected, and then is again reflected on the liquid crystal layer 3.
Since the light passes through 0 and becomes linearly polarized light having a polarization direction orthogonal to the initial linearly polarized light, it cannot pass through the polarizing plate. On the other hand, when an electric field is applied to the liquid crystal layer 30, the influence of the linearly polarized light on the polarization state changes and becomes linearly polarized again on the reflection surface. It becomes linearly polarized light substantially equal to and can pass through the polarizing plate.

On the other hand, the relationship between the twist angle in the liquid crystal layer, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer, the polarization axis of the polarizing plate and the rubbing direction applied to the adjacent substrate, and further, the arrangement is such that the reflective layer becomes linearly polarized light. The relationship with at least one retardation plate can also be set.

In this case, the liquid crystal layer 30 has a thickness of 60 to 2
A nematic liquid crystal layer having a twist angle of 70 degrees can be used. In order to adjust the degree of influence of the birefringence of the liquid crystal layer 30 on the polarization state as described above, it is necessary to adjust the retardation Δnd of the liquid crystal layer. In some cases, a retardation plate may be disposed between the polarizing plate and the liquid crystal cell in order to compensate for wavelength dispersion of light. At least one retardation plate is provided, but two or more retardation plates can be provided in consideration of viewing angle compensation.

In the present embodiment, a light-scattering type liquid crystal layer which uses a light-scattering state and a light-transmitting state for display can be employed. The liquid crystal layer 30 of the present embodiment is preferably a liquid crystal layer of this type, which is called a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal.
The liquid crystal molecules and the polymer are present in a state where they are dispersed in each other. In this case, a polymer in a state where polymer particles are dispersed in a liquid crystal, a polymer in which a large amount of polymer particles are connected in a liquid crystal layer, and a gel-like polymer in a network-like skeleton. There are various modes such as a liquid crystal containing liquid crystal and a liquid crystal in which liquid crystal droplets are dispersed in a polymer.

In this embodiment, after a solution in which a liquid crystal and a polymer precursor that can be polymerized by light or an electron beam are compatible is injected into an empty cell, light or an electron beam is irradiated. Thus, the polymer precursor is polymerized, and the polymer is precipitated in the liquid crystal by phase separation.
0 can be formed. Various liquid crystals can be used as long as they have dielectric anisotropy and refractive index anisotropy. Here, when the liquid crystal has a positive dielectric anisotropy, the liquid crystal is horizontally aligned by rubbing the substrate surface, and when the liquid crystal has a negative dielectric anisotropy, the liquid crystal is vertically aligned. Is preferred. In particular, when a liquid crystal layer is formed by this method, both the liquid crystal and the polymer can be oriented in a predetermined direction.

Examples of the polymer precursor include photo- or electron-beam-polymerizable compounds such as biphenyl methacrylate and other methacrylates, acrylates and other vinyl compounds.
A thermopolymerizable compound such as an epoxy compound can be used. The thermopolymerizable compound can be heated to an appropriate temperature to cause phase separation of the polymer. In addition, a thermoplastic compound such as ethyl cellulose can be used as the polymer. In this case, the polymer is mixed with the liquid crystal in a heated state, and then injected into an empty cell and cooled to cause phase separation of the polymer. be able to. Note that by mixing a chiral component into the liquid crystal component, display contrast and viewing angle dependency can be improved.

As an example of forming the polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer 30 of the present embodiment, for example, 90 wt% of “BL007” (trade name) manufactured by Merck as a liquid crystal, and “CB15” manufactured by Merck as a chiral component. (Product name) 3wt
%, Biphenyl methacrylate as a polymer precursor
wt.% is prepared, and the solution is injected into an empty cell having a front-side substrate 10, a rear-side substrate 20, and a gap between substrates made of a sealing material and having a gap of about 5 microns, sealed, and then exposed to ultraviolet light. To cause the polymer particles to phase-separate in the liquid crystal. When the irradiation amount of the ultraviolet rays is appropriately set, the driving voltage becomes about 5 volts, and the clock IC can be driven sufficiently. In such a method of forming a liquid crystal layer, since the ratio of the liquid crystal component is about 50 to 95 wt%, the driving voltage and the display mode can be set in a practical range.

In the liquid crystal layer 30 of the present embodiment, when no electric field is applied, both the liquid crystal and the polymer particles in the liquid crystal layer are horizontally aligned, and the refractive indices of the liquid crystal and the polymer particles become substantially equal. It becomes a light transmitting state. On the other hand, when an electric field exceeding a predetermined threshold is applied, the liquid crystal having dielectric anisotropy is vertically aligned in a region where the electric field is applied, and the liquid crystal also has refractive index anisotropy. A difference occurs between the refractive index of the polymer and the polymer, which results in a light scattering state.

Therefore, by applying a voltage exceeding the threshold value to an area corresponding to display contents such as numbers, characters, figures, etc., it is possible to make the area opaque. In this case, the liquid crystal layer 3
In order to apply a predetermined electric field to zero, a large number of electrodes in a matrix may be formed on the inner surfaces of the front substrate 10 and the rear substrate 20, or some of the numerals, characters and figures may be formed. When it is sufficient to display only a limited number of display contents, some segment electrodes may be formed on one substrate inner surface, and a common electrode may be formed on the other substrate inner surface. Further, by setting the refractive indexes of the liquid crystal and the polymer, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which a light scattering state occurs when no electric field is applied and a light transmitting state occurs when an electric field is applied.

Since the liquid crystal layer employs a structure composed of liquid crystal molecules and polymers, this structure does not require the use of a polarizing plate, so that the amount of light loss due to the polarizing plate is reduced as in a TN or STN type liquid crystal device. Absent.

In this embodiment, the reflection electrode 22 is formed of a reflection film adhered on the surface of the resin layer 21 fixed on the inner surface of the substrate 20 on the back side. Here, the resin layer 21 is formed in advance in a state having the uneven shape 21a, and is then formed by being transferred onto the inner surface of the substrate 20 on the back side. An example of this transfer step will be described below with reference to FIGS.

First, as shown in FIG. 2, a photosensitive resin is applied on the surface of the temporary support 1 by a spin coating method, a roll coating method, or the like, and the resultant is embossed to provide the uneven shape 21a. The formed resin layer 21 is formed. This embossing is to press-mold the resin surface applied by a molding material such as a mold roller or a mold plate. For example, at least the resin surface is semi-cured by drying or heating, and then the molding material is actuated. Surface irregularities can be formed.

The unevenness 21a of the resin layer 21
May be formed by using a photolithography method, selectively exposing through a predetermined photomask or using an interference exposure method, baking if necessary, and then developing. In this case, it is possible to directly produce the uneven shape 21a as shown in the figure by controlling the exposure amount. For example, the dot-like resin separated from each other is formed on the surface of the temporary support 1 by the photolithography method described above. An area may be formed so as to cover the area, and thereafter, the entire area may be heated to melt the resin area to form a resin layer having a smooth uneven surface state. After making the shape smooth, a photosensitive resin may be further applied on the resin region to form a resin layer having a concavo-convex shape as illustrated.

The temporary support 1 is preferably a flexible sheet. For example, silicone paper, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyolefin,
Examples include a sheet of polytetrafluoroethylene. Although the thickness depends on the material, it is 1 to 125 μm, preferably 10 to 125 μm.
３０30 μm.

The material of the resin layer 21 is preferably a material which is softened at a predetermined temperature, for example, 150.degree. When a photosensitive resin is used, many of the photopolymerizable compositions have this property, but a thermoplastic binder or a compatible plasticizer may be appropriately added. Specific examples include a mixture of a negative diazo resin and an organic binder, a photopolymerizable composition, a mixture of an azide compound and an organic binder, a cinnamic acid-type photosensitive resin composition, and the like.

The resin layer 21 is formed to a thickness of about 0.2 to 5 μm. The uneven shape 21a is set so as to obtain a desired light scattering characteristic in accordance with the characteristics of the liquid crystal layer 30 to be combined. In general, it is desirable that the uneven shape be as smooth as possible. In the case where the liquid crystal layer of the single polarizing plate type shown in the present embodiment is employed, since light scattering properties on the reflecting surface are required, the pitch in the plane direction of the uneven shape is 2 to 50 μm, and the height of the uneven shape ( The height difference is preferably formed to about 0.1 to 2 μm. When the light scattering type liquid crystal layer shown in the present embodiment is adopted,
It is preferable that the pitch of the uneven shape in the plane direction is 30 to 150 μm, and the height (difference in height) of the uneven shape is about 0.5 to 2 μm. This is because the pitch in the plane direction needs to be within a range that does not affect the content of the liquid crystal display while preventing the viewer from recognizing the reflected image.

The buffer layer 2 made of a synthetic resin is formed on the surface of the resin layer 21 by coating. The buffer layer 2 allows the resin layer 21 to be stuck without gaps even when the resin layer 21 is transferred onto an uneven surface at the time of transfer, and acts as a gel at the time of transfer to prevent deformation of the resin layer 21. A substance soluble in an alkaline aqueous solution or the like is formed while being allowed. In the case of performing the transfer while heating, a thermoplastic resin is preferable.
In particular, those having a softening point of about 80 ° C. or less are desirable. Examples of such a thermoplastic resin include a saponified product of a copolymer of ethylene and an acrylate, styrene and (meth)
(Saponified copolymer of acrylic acid ester, saponified copolymer of vinyl toluene and (meth) acrylic acid ester, poly (meth) acrylic acid ester or butyl (meth) acrylate and vinyl acetate, etc. Saponified compounds such as (meth) acrylate copolymers. Further, a material having a softening point lowered by adding a plasticizer may be used. Examples of the plasticizer include polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, dioctyl phthalate, diheptyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, tricresyl phosphate, and cresyl. Examples include diphenyl phosphate and biphenyl diphenyl phosphate. Buffer layer 2
Is appropriately set depending on the flexibility of the material and the like, but is usually about 1 to 50 μm.

An intermediate layer may be formed between the buffer layer 2 and the resin layer 21 in order to enhance the adhesion between them. As the intermediate layer, a layer which is dispersed or dissolved in water or an aqueous alkali solution and has low oxygen permeability is preferable. For example, polyvinyl ether / maleic anhydride polymer, water-soluble salts of carboxyalkyl cellulose, water-soluble cellulose ethers, water-soluble salts of carboxyalkyl starch, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, various polyacrylamides, water-soluble polyamide, Water-soluble salt of acrylic acid, gelatin, ethylene oxide polymer,
Styrene / maleic acid copolymer, maleate resin and the like. The thickness of the intermediate layer may be about 1 to 20 μm.

A protective film 3 is adhered on the surface of the buffer layer 2. As the protective film 3, a film having sufficient releasability from the thermoplastic resin of the buffer layer 2 and having chemical and thermal stability and flexibility is employed. For example, it is a thin sheet of tetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene and the like. The thickness of the protective film 3 is about 5 to 300 μm, preferably 20 to 1 μm.
It is about 25 μm.

Using the laminated film shown in FIG. 2 formed as described above, as shown in FIG. 3, the temporary support 1 is peeled off via the roller 5 while the surface of the rear substrate 20 on the liquid crystal layer side is peeled off. The resin layer 21 is adhered thereon. If the resin layer 21 has sufficient tackiness at room temperature, there is no need to heat, but if there is a need to increase the tackiness and flexibility of the resin layer 21, the resin layer 21 is bonded while heating. Apply more pressure if necessary. For example, heating can be performed by incorporating a heater in the roller 4 shown in FIG. 3, and pressure can also be applied by the roller 4. The buffer layer 2 is deformed flexibly by heating or pressing of the roller 4, and uniformly presses the resin layer 21 to increase the adhesion of the resin layer 21 to the rear substrate 20. In particular, when active elements, wiring layers, and the like are formed in advance on the rear substrate 20 as in an active matrix type liquid crystal device, unevenness is formed on the inner surface of the rear substrate 30 by these. Therefore, it is necessary to bond the resin layer 21 flexibly according to these irregularities. In such a case, the buffer layer 2 functions effectively especially.

After the laminated film is stuck on the rear substrate 20 as described above, the protective film 3 is peeled off, and the buffer layer 2 is removed with an alkaline aqueous solution or the like to form an intermediate layer. In that case, the intermediate layer is also removed. In this way, as shown in FIG. 4, only the resin layer 21 remains on the inner surface of the rear substrate 20. Then, patterning is performed on the resin layer 21 by an exposure and development process using a photolithography method.
Note that this patterning step may be performed as needed, and if not necessary, the patterning step may not be performed. Further, a resin layer having no photosensitivity may be formed instead of the resin layer 21 and the patterning may be omitted.

Next, as shown in FIG.
The reflective electrode 22 is formed by depositing Al or the like on the concave / convex shape 21a by vapor deposition, sputtering, or the like. The reflection electrode 22 serves as both a reflection layer and a pixel electrode, and is patterned into a shape separated for each pixel region. However, instead of forming the reflective electrode, the reflective layer may be formed entirely and continuously, and a transparent electrode separated for each pixel may be separately formed thereon via an insulating layer.

In the present embodiment described above, the resin layer 21 on which the irregularities 21 a are formed in advance is transferred onto the inner surface of the rear substrate 20 (on the liquid crystal layer side), and the irregularities 21 a of the transferred resin layer 21 are transferred. Since the reflective electrode 22 serving as a reflective layer is formed on the substrate, there is no need to add a complicated process to the rear substrate 20 and a laminated film formed on a line different from the liquid crystal device manufacturing line Since it is only necessary to transfer the resin layer having the uneven shape from the above, the yield and productivity of the manufacturing process are improved.

Further, since the resin layer having the irregularities 21a is formed in advance on a line different from the manufacturing line, the contents of the forming process are not restricted by the structure of the liquid crystal device, and the range of selection is widened. For example, an ideal shape and a high shape precision can be obtained because the thickness of the underlayer can be easily increased, and a means (embossing or the like) which is not included in the manufacturing process of the conventional liquid crystal device can be used. The provided uneven shape can be formed. In addition, since the resin layer is made of a photosensitive resin, it becomes possible to perform patterning after transfer according to the structure of the liquid crystal display area, the pixel structure, and the like.

Next, with reference to FIG. 6, a method different from the above embodiment in the step of forming a laminated film will be described. In this method, a filler 24 having a particle size substantially corresponding to the height of the unevenness is formed on the surface of the temporary support 1.
Is uniformly dispersed in a resin having photosensitivity, and this resin is coated on the surface of the temporary support 1 to form a resin layer 25 having an uneven shape 25a as shown in the figure.
Is formed. Here, the uneven height (difference in height) of the uneven shape 25a of the resin layer 25 is determined by the particle size of the filler 24, the viscosity of the resin, other properties, the application method, and the like. The coating method may be a spraying method, a roll coating method, or the like. The spraying method can be easily performed by a method similar to the current method of spraying a paint containing a dispersoid (a known method using a stirrer or a special spray gun). Can be applied. The pitch in the plane direction of the uneven shape 25a of the resin layer 25 can be adjusted by the dispersion density of the filler.

As the filler, inorganic fine particles such as silica and calcium carbonate, and fine spheres of synthetic resin similar to those used as a gap material of a liquid crystal cell can be used. The particle size should be in accordance with the uneven shape, and is about 0.1 to 2 μm. In the above method, the filler is dispersed in the resin in advance, but the filler may be sprayed on the surface of the temporary support 1 and then the resin may be applied by a spray method or the like. That is, in the present invention, it is only necessary that the fillers are dispersed and arranged as a result, and that the presence and absence of the fillers create an uneven shape.

FIG. 7 shows a rear substrate 20 when the above embodiment is applied to an active matrix type liquid crystal device.
3 shows the inner surface structure of the present invention. In this case, the rear substrate 2
After an active element and a wiring layer are formed in advance on the inner surface of No. 0, a resin layer 21 is bonded thereon by a method shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 shows a case where an MIM (metal-insulator-metal) element, which is a kind of thin-film diode element, is formed as an active element. After a base layer (not shown) such as tantalum oxide is formed on the inner surface of the back substrate 20 made of inorganic glass, the wiring layer 26 is
Formed by a sputtering and patterning process.
In the wiring layer 26, an electrode portion 26a protruding for each pixel region is formed. A thin insulating film 27 made of tantalum oxide is formed on the surface of the wiring layer 26 by anodic oxidation, and the connecting layer 28 is formed on the electrode portion 26a via the insulating film 27.
Is deposited by Cr or the like.

The back substrate 2 formed as described above
When the resin layer 21 is adhered on the inner surface of the resin layer 0 by the method shown in FIG. 3, a part of the resin layer 21 is adhered on the wiring layer 26 and the connection layer 28. Next, the resin layer 21 is selectively exposed and developed to form an opening 21b (contact hole) exposing the connection layer 28. At this time, patterning may be performed so that the resin layer 21 is simultaneously removed from unnecessary regions of the resin layer 21 such as on a wiring, a sealing region of the panel, and a mounting terminal portion of the panel. Then, as described above, when the reflective electrode 22 is formed, the reflective electrode 22 and the connection layer 28 are conductively connected through the opening 21b. Here, the electrode section 26a, the insulating film 27, and the connection layer 28 constitute an MIM element. In this embodiment, the MIM element is used, but a thin film transistor can be used.

FIG. 8 shows a structure in which a thin film transistor is used as an active element. As shown in FIG.
A thin film transistor is formed on a substrate, and a resin layer 21 is formed as in FIG. The resin layer is formed on the insulating film, and the connection with the drain electrode is opened. An opening is also formed to open the connection between the drain electrode and the pixel electrode. The pixel electrode 22 is formed on the resin layer. As shown in the drawing, in the manufacturing method according to the present invention, a resin layer having an uneven shape is formed in advance on the laminated film as the transfer sheet, so that the resin layer is formed on the rear substrate forming the liquid crystal cell. As compared with the case, there is no restriction on the means for forming the uneven shape. For example, when a resin layer is formed on a temporary support or an uneven shape is formed, there is no risk of damaging the rear substrate and the active elements on the inner surface thereof. Since there are few restrictions and processing such as spin coating, pressurization, and heating can be performed freely, a resin layer having an optimal thickness and shape can be easily formed. Therefore, a very remarkable and realistic effect is obtained as a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal device.

Further, since the laminated film as the transfer sheet can be formed in a large area and the underlying insulating layer can be formed on a flat surface, the cost merit is extremely large. In addition, since the base insulating layer can be formed on a separate line, mutual contamination between the base insulating layer and the liquid crystal manufacturing line can be prevented, and there is a great effect that a clean and high-precision reflecting portion structure can be manufactured.

FIG. 9 is a view showing an electronic apparatus using the above-mentioned reflection type liquid crystal device. For example, FIG. 8A is a perspective view showing a mobile phone. Reference numeral 1000 denotes a mobile phone main body, of which 1001 is a reflection type liquid crystal device of the present invention (or
This is a liquid crystal display unit using a reflective liquid crystal panel.

FIG. 9B is a diagram showing a wristwatch-type electronic device. 1100 is a perspective view showing the watch main body. 11
Reference numeral 01 denotes a liquid crystal display unit using the reflection type liquid crystal panel of the present invention. Since this liquid crystal panel has higher definition pixels than a conventional clock display unit, it can also display television images, and can realize a wristwatch type television.

FIG. 9C shows a portable information processing apparatus such as a word processor or a personal computer. 1200 denotes an information processing apparatus, 1202 denotes an input unit such as a keyboard, 120
Reference numeral 6 denotes a display unit using the reflective liquid crystal panel of the present invention;
Reference numeral 4 denotes an information processing apparatus main body. Since each electronic device is a battery-driven electronic device, the use of a reflective liquid crystal panel without a light source lamp can extend the battery life. Further, since the peripheral circuit can be built in the panel substrate as in the present invention, the number of components can be greatly reduced, and the weight and size can be further reduced.

[0072]

As described above, according to the present invention, a resin layer previously formed on a transfer sheet is transferred onto the inner surface of a substrate, and a reflective layer is formed thereon, thereby achieving a liquid crystal device manufacturing line. Since it is possible to provide a resin layer forming step for defining the surface shape of the reflective layer on a separate line,
There is no need to form the resin layer on the substrate, and the production efficiency can be improved. In addition, the resin layer can be formed in any place and in any area by any method, so that the resin layer can be formed more easily and at lower cost. Can be formed.

In particular, by forming a predetermined uneven shape on the surface of the resin layer before transfer to the substrate, a resin layer having the uneven shape is formed on the transfer sheet in advance, and this resin layer is Since the resin layer is transferred onto the side substrate, the resin layer can be completed on a separate line from the liquid crystal device manufacturing line, so that production efficiency and yield can be improved, and there is no restriction due to the structure of the rear substrate. Since the resin layer can be formed at a high speed, it is possible to form a concave-convex shape having a desired high shape accuracy easily and at low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing a schematic structure of a liquid crystal device formed by an embodiment of a method of manufacturing a reflection type liquid crystal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing a structure of a laminated film including a resin layer used in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a process explanatory diagram showing a process of attaching a laminated film to a rear substrate in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a process explanatory view showing a rear substrate after a resin layer is attached.

FIG. 5 is a process explanatory view showing a state in which a reflective electrode is formed on a resin layer.

FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view showing a structure of a laminated film having a resin layer containing a filler.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an inner surface structure of a rear substrate provided with an MIM element.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a structure of a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an electronic apparatus equipped with the reflective liquid crystal device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Temporary support 2 Buffer layer 3 Protective film 10 Front side substrate 11 Transparent electrode 12, 23 Alignment film 20 Back side substrate 21, 25 Resin layer 21a, 25a Irregular shape 21b Opening 22 Reflecting electrode 24 Filler 26 Wiring layer 26a Electrode part 27 Insulating film 28 Connection layer

Claims (13)

[Claims] In a reflection type liquid crystal device having a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a pair of substrates, a resin layer having irregularities is formed on one of the pair of substrates, and a reflection layer is formed on the resin layer. A reflective liquid crystal device comprising a layer. 2. A reflection type liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein said resin layer is formed of a resin sheet and is formed on a surface of said one substrate on a side of said liquid crystal layer. 3. A reflection type liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein said resin layer is made of a photosensitive resin. 4. A reflection type liquid crystal, comprising forming a transfer sheet comprising a resin layer, transferring the transfer sheet onto one substrate of a liquid crystal device, and forming a reflection layer on the surface of the resin layer. Device manufacturing method. 5. A method for manufacturing a reflection type liquid crystal device according to claim 4, wherein a predetermined uneven shape is formed on the surface of said resin layer before transfer to said substrate. 6. A method for manufacturing a reflection type liquid crystal device according to claim 5, wherein an uneven shape is formed on the surface of said resin layer by embossing. 7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the irregularities formed in the resin layer are formed by including fine particles dispersed in the layer. . 8. The method of manufacturing a reflection type liquid crystal device according to claim 5, wherein an uneven shape is formed on the surface of the resin layer by a photolithography method before the transfer of the resin layer. 9. The method according to claim 4, wherein said resin layer is formed of a photosensitive resin, and said resin layer is transferred onto said substrate.
A method of manufacturing a reflective liquid crystal device, comprising forming an uneven shape on the surface of the resin layer by a photolithography method. 10. The transfer sheet according to claim 4, wherein the transfer sheet comprises the resin layer and a protective support laminated on the surface of the resin layer, and after being transferred onto the substrate, A method for manufacturing a reflective liquid crystal device, comprising removing the protective support and subsequently forming the reflective surface. 11. The method according to claim 4, wherein the resin layer is laminated on a temporary support, and the temporary support is removed to transfer the resin layer. Of manufacturing a reflective liquid crystal device. 12. The buffer according to any one of claims 4 to 10, wherein a buffer is provided between said resin layer and said protective support so as to exhibit flexibility at least during transfer. A method for manufacturing a reflective liquid crystal device, comprising forming a layer. 13. An electronic apparatus equipped with the reflective liquid crystal device according to claim 1.