KR100760931B1 - Method for fabricating liquid crystal display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal panel that increases production efficiency by removing a defective alignment layer using chemicals and then reforming a new alignment layer when a defect occurs in the alignment layer formed on the substrate. Forming an alignment layer on a substrate, removing the alignment layer using a chemical substance heated when a defect occurs in the alignment layer, washing and drying the substrate from which the alignment layer has been removed, and forming a new alignment layer on the substrate. It comprises a step of forming, characterized in that any one of a stripper, an alignment film peeling solution or a developing solution as the chemical.

Alignment film, peeling liquid, stripper

Description

Manufacturing method of liquid crystal panel {METHOD FOR FABRICATING LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY PANEL}

1 is a plan view of a general liquid crystal panel for explaining a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal panel.

2 is an apparatus diagram for explaining an alignment film removing process according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

3 is an apparatus diagram for explaining an alignment film removing process according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

1: gate wiring 1a: gate electrode

2: data wiring 2a: source electrode

2b: drain electrode 3: semiconductor layer

5 pixel electrode 11 substrate

12: driving roller

13,14,15: first, second, third injection means

16: air knife

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device (LCD). Particularly, when a defect occurs in an alignment layer, a liquid crystal panel that increases production efficiency by removing the alignment layer using a chemical substance and then reforming a new alignment layer is formed. It relates to a manufacturing method.

Recently, a liquid crystal display device, which is one of the flat panel display devices, has been continuously attracting attention. Compared with the low power consumption, small volume, large size, and high definition, it is widely used.

The liquid crystal panel is formed by injecting liquid crystals between the two substrates after the two substrates are opposed to each other to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval, and the function is determined according to the arrangement characteristics of the liquid crystal molecules, thereby uniformly controlling the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules. Technology is very important.

Looking at the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal panel in more detail, first, a pixel region is defined by crossing gate lines and data lines on a first substrate, and a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode are formed in each pixel region.

In this case, the thin film transistor is formed by stacking a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer, and a source / drain electrode.

Next, a black matrix is formed on the second substrate, a color filter layer is formed between the black matrices, and a common electrode is formed on the entire surface including the color filter layer.

As such, after forming the patterns constituting the liquid crystal panel, an alignment layer capable of orienting liquid crystal molecules is formed on the first substrate or the second substrate.

At this time, an organic polymer material such as polyimide is mainly used as the alignment layer.

Subsequently, after the alignment film is formed, the surface is rubbed with a special type of cloth to perform an alignment film treatment.

However, if the alignment layer is improperly coated or contaminated, or holes are formed, the liquid crystal molecules cannot be aligned uniformly, and thus a defect occurs in the device.

Subsequently, a sealant acting as an adhesive agent is formed on the edge of the second substrate, the spacer is evenly distributed on the first substrate, and the first and second substrates are bonded to face each other.

Thereafter, the liquid crystal is injected between the two bonded substrates as described above, and the predetermined liquid crystal panel is completed by sealing the liquid crystal inlet.

However, the conventional manufacturing method of the liquid crystal panel as described above has the following problems.

That is, when the alignment film is applied or treated on the substrate, when the alignment film is contaminated by foreign matters or holes are formed in the alignment film, not only the liquid crystal molecules may be uniformly aligned, but also a large defect may be caused in the device.

In addition, since the substrate having a very poor alignment film state is not used and disposed of, the production margin is reduced.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, the manufacturing of the liquid crystal panel to increase the production efficiency by removing the defective alignment film using a chemical substance and re-form a new alignment film when the defect is detected early by the alignment film The purpose is to provide a method.

Method of manufacturing a liquid crystal panel of the present invention for achieving the above object is a step of forming an alignment film on the first substrate or the second substrate, and removing the alignment film by using a heated chemical material when the defect occurs in the alignment film And a step of cleaning and drying the substrate from which the alignment layer has been removed, and forming a new alignment layer on the substrate, wherein any one of a stripper, an alignment layer peeling solution, and a developing solution is used as the chemical. A method for producing a liquid crystal panel.

That is, it is characterized in that the production efficiency is increased by removing the alignment film of the substrate having a poor alignment state by using a chemical material and applying a new alignment film again.

In this case, the chemical substance is a stripper, a developer, an alignment layer peeling solution, or the like that can remove the alignment layer without damaging the pattern under the alignment layer.

Hereinafter, a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a plan view of a general liquid crystal panel for explaining a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal panel.

2 is an apparatus diagram for explaining the alignment film removing process according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an apparatus diagram for explaining the alignment film removing process according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal panel is described. First, a plurality of gate lines 1 and data lines 2 are formed on the first substrate to define a pixel area, and a thin film transistor is formed on each pixel area. And the pixel electrode 5 is formed.

In this case, the thin film transistor may include a gate electrode 1a formed simultaneously with the gate wiring 1, a gate insulating film (not shown) formed of an insulating material, and a semiconductor layer formed of amorphous silicon to serve as an active layer ( 3) and source / drain electrodes 2a / 2b formed at the same time as the data line 2, respectively.

Next, a black matrix is formed on a predetermined portion of the second substrate to prevent light leakage, a color filter layer of RGB is formed to express colors between the black matrices, and a common electrode is formed on the entire surface including the color filter layer.

Then, after the alignment film is applied to the entire surface of the first substrate or the second substrate on which the above-described components are formed, a rubbing treatment (orientation treatment) is selectively performed.

In this case, polyimide is usually used as the alignment layer.

Next, the liquid crystal panel is completed by opposing the first and second substrates treated with the alignment film and injecting and encapsulating the liquid crystal therebetween.

However, when applying the alignment film or rubbing the alignment film, if the defect occurs in the alignment film or contamination by foreign matter, the alignment film is removed.

Hereinafter, the alignment film removal process will be described below with reference to Examples.

First embodiment

The apparatus for removing the alignment layer is composed of a loading part, a stripper part, an IPA part, a cleaning part, a drying part, and an unloading part, as shown in FIG. 2. Load in.

The substrate 11 loaded as described above is conveyed to the stripper unit using the driving roller 12, and the stripper is sprayed through the first spraying means 13 provided on the stripper unit to remove the alignment layer.

At this time, the stripper is a chemical that normally removes the photoresist, and has a dual effect of removing contaminants and denaturation at the same time.

The method using the injection means as described above is called a nozzle injection method, in addition to the dip method,

The dip method is a method of removing an alignment layer by dipping a substrate in a chamber filled with a stripper using a robot arm.

In the above-described stripper stripping process, a stripper of 70 ° C. is used and sprayed for about 10 seconds to 30 minutes to allow the alignment layer to react with the stripper.

Next, the substrate from which the alignment film is removed by the stripper is conveyed to the IPA portion to remove the alignment film and the stripper remaining on the substrate.

The IPA part may also use a dip method and a nozzle injection method. Among them, as shown in FIG. 2, the organic material remaining by spraying IPA (isopropyl alcohol) through the second injection means 14 will be described. That is, the alignment film and the stripper solution are removed.

Subsequently, the substrate is conveyed to the cleaning unit by the driving roller, and the remaining IPA is completely removed by the pure water injected by the third jetting means 15.

Next, the washed substrate is transferred to a drying unit and dried.

Drying may apply a method using an air knife (16) or spin-drying method as shown in FIG.

Among them, the air knife method is a method of removing / drying water by spraying compressed air onto a purely cleaned substrate surface, and the spin-drying method is a method of rapidly removing water by centrifugal force by rotating the spin drying device at a high speed. .

Finally, when the substrate which has been dried up is conveyed to the unloading part, a substrate in which the defective alignment film is completely removed is obtained.

After the bad alignment film is completely removed, the substrate is transferred back to the alignment film printing apparatus, and then a new alignment film is recoated.

The first substrate or the second substrate coated with the alignment film in this manner is selectively aligned, and then the liquid crystal panel is completed by opposingly bonding the liquid crystal layer therebetween.

Second embodiment

Referring to the apparatus for removing the alignment layer according to the second embodiment of the present invention with reference to Figure 3, it consists of a loading portion, alignment layer peeling liquid portion, cleaning portion, drying portion, unloading portion, the substrate 21, the alignment layer is formed first Is loaded into the device.

Next, the loaded substrate 21 is conveyed to the alignment film stripping liquid unit using the driving roller 22, and the alignment film stripping liquid is sprayed through the first spraying means 23 provided on the alignment film stripping liquid unit to peel the alignment film and the alignment film. A chemical reaction occurs between the liquids and the alignment film is separated from the substrate.

For example, the polyimide stripping solution in the alignment layer stripping solution is a chemical composition consisting of tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide as an alkali builder, dimethyl sulfur oxide as a water-soluble solvent, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid as a metal ion encapsulant, a surfactant, and water.

In addition to the nozzle spraying method described above, the alignment film can be peeled off using a dip method.

In the alignment film removal process using the above-described method, a heated alignment film peeling liquid within a temperature of 230 ° C. or higher at room temperature is used and sprayed for about 10 seconds to 30 minutes.

The substrate from which the alignment film has been removed as the alignment film peeling liquid is immediately returned to the cleaning unit and completely washes off the alignment film and the alignment film peeling liquid remaining without being removed by the pure water injected by the second jetting means 25.

In addition to the nozzle spraying method, a dip method may be employed in the alignment film peeling liquid part.

The board | substrate with which the washing process was completed is conveyed to a drying part, and is dried.

FIG. 3 shows the removal or drying of moisture by spraying compressed air or ionic wind onto the cleaned substrate surface using an air knife 26.

That is, while the cleaned substrate 21 is conveyed by the drive roller 22, moisture on the surface of the substrate is blown out and dried by compressed air or ion wind injected from the air knife 26.

In addition, there is a spin-drying method of removing / drying moisture while rotating a substrate.

Finally, when the substrate which has been dried up is conveyed to the unloading part, a substrate in which the defective alignment film is completely removed is obtained.

Thus, the board | substrate from which the bad alignment film was removed is again conveyed to the alignment film printing apparatus, and a new alignment film is apply | coated again.

After the alignment of the first substrate or the second substrate to which the alignment film is applied is selectively performed, the liquid crystal panel is completed by opposing and bonding the liquid crystal layer therebetween.

The manufacturing method of the liquid crystal panel of the present invention as described above has the following effects.

First, the substrate can be reused by removing the alignment film in a bad state and forming a new alignment film, thereby increasing production efficiency.

Second, the defect of the alignment film formed on the substrate can be removed, thereby improving the reliability of the device.

Third, uneven alignment of liquid crystal molecules is prevented by removing defects and contamination of the alignment film.

Claims (7)

Forming an alignment film on the first substrate or the second substrate; Removing the alignment layer by using a heated chemical when the defect occurs in the alignment layer; Cleaning and drying the substrate from which the alignment layer is removed; Forming a new alignment layer on the substrate; Method for producing a liquid crystal panel, characterized in that any one of a stripper, an alignment film peeling solution or a developing solution as the chemical. delete The liquid crystal of claim 1, further comprising removing the alignment layer and the chemicals remaining on the substrate by using IPA (isopropyl alcohol) after removing the alignment layer using the stripper when using the stripper as the chemical. Method of manufacturing the panel. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing of the alignment layer using a chemical is performed for 10 seconds to 30 minutes. The method of claim 1, wherein when the stripper is used as the chemical, a stripper heated to 70 ° C. is used. The method of manufacturing a liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein when the alignment film stripping solution is used as the chemical substance, the alignment film stripping solution heated in a range from room temperature to 230 ° C is used. The method of claim 1, wherein when the alignment layer is formed of polyimide, the alignment layer peeling solution is composed of tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide as an alkali builder, dimethyl sulfur oxide as a water-soluble solvent, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid as a metal ion encapsulant, a surfactant, and water. The manufacturing method of the liquid crystal panel characterized by the above-mentioned.

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