KR101040951B1 - Method of disposing spacer - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the present invention, a process of attaching a plurality of droplets 200 containing a spacer 230 to a surface of a color filter (substrate) 100, an opening 400a for transmitting light, and a light shielding portion for preventing light A fixing step of fixing the spacer 230 in the droplet 200 facing the opening 400a to the color filter 100 by irradiating light onto the substrate 100 through the light shielding plate 400 having 400b; After the fixing process, an undried droplet removing process of removing the unfixed spacers 230 from the surface of the substrate 100 is provided.

Spacer, Droplet, Color Filter, Opening, Light Shield

Description

Method of disposing spacer

The present invention relates to a method of disposing a spacer.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART Conventionally, arrange | positioning a some spacer on a board | substrate is performed in manufacture of liquid crystal panels. In such a spacer arrangement method, a droplet of a spacer-containing liquid is ejected from an opening of a head container to deposit a droplet on a desired position on a substrate, for example, a black matrix, and then the droplet is dried to dry the spacer on a substrate. Methods of fixing to position are known.

In manufacture of a liquid crystal panel, it is necessary to arrange | position a spacer with respect to the extremely many position on a board | substrate, respectively. Therefore, a head container having a plurality of openings arranged at a predetermined pitch is used, and a plurality of droplets are ejected for one row from each opening of the head container to adhere to the substrate, and the head container and the substrate are relatively attached. It is conceivable to move in the direction intersecting with the arrangement direction of the opening and to deposit the droplets on the substrate in a matrix form (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-10412

Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-4094

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

Recently, there is a desire to make the arrangement of spacers on a color filter more accurate. However, even if the head container is moved with high precision with respect to the color filter, due to various factors, the droplets ejected from the opening of the head container bounce off at unintended locations on the substrate, i.e., largely deviate from the target impact position of the droplets. In addition, unintended satellite droplets may be ejected from the opening of the head container in addition to the intended droplets. If such droplets contain spacers, high precision placement of the spacers is hindered.

This invention is made | formed in view of the said subject, and an object of this invention is to provide the arrangement | positioning method of the spacer which can arrange | position a spacer to a desired position on a board | substrate at low cost.

Means to solve the problem

The arrangement method of the spacer according to the present invention includes an attaching step, a fixing step, and an unfixed spacer removing step. In the attaching step, a liquid film containing a plurality of spacers is attached onto the substrate, or a plurality of droplets containing spacers are attached onto the substrate. In the fixing step, light is irradiated to the substrate through a light shielding plate having an opening for transmitting light and a light shielding portion for not transmitting light, thereby fixing the spacer facing the opening of the light blocking plate to the substrate. In the unfixed spacer removing step, the unfixed spacer is removed from the surface of the substrate.

According to the present invention, among the plurality of spacers in the liquid film attached to the substrate or the spacers among the plurality of droplets attached to the substrate, a spacer present at a position facing the opening of the light shielding plate is selectively fixed to the substrate. Thereafter, by removing the unfixed spacer from the substrate, the spacer can be arranged at a desired position on the substrate, depending on the arrangement of the openings of the light shielding plate, regardless of the arrangement of the spacers on the substrate in the attaching step. In other words, according to the present invention, since the spacers attached other than the desired place can be easily prevented from adhering to the substrate, an extremely high precision spacer arrangement method is realized.

Specifically, in the fixing step, it is preferable to irradiate infrared rays to dry the liquid around the spacer facing the opening of the light shielding plate.

In this way, by drying the liquid film or liquid of the droplet around the spacer present at the desired position, the spacer in the droplet or liquid film is well adhered to the surface of the substrate almost in place, regardless of the type, material, or the like of the spacer.

In particular, when the surface of the spacer is formed of a resin such as a polymer or the functional group capable of bonding with the substrate is bonded to the surface of the spacer, the spacer can be adhered to the substrate with excellent dryness by drying the liquid around the spacer. .

Here, in the attaching step, the surface of the spacer is formed of a resin that is cured by irradiation with visible light or ultraviolet light. In the fixing step, after the liquid around the spacer is dried, visible light or ultraviolet light is applied to the substrate through a light shielding plate. You may investigate further.

In this case, since the surface of a spacer hardens | cures, the adhesive force of a spacer and a board | substrate can be heightened further.

On the other hand, it is also preferable that the surface of the spacer is formed of a resin cured by irradiation of light in the attaching step, and the spacer is in contact with the surface of the substrate when the light is irradiated in the fixing step.

According to this, since the surface of the spacer which contacts the board | substrate in a liquid hardens with light, a spacer of a desired place can be fixed to a board | substrate without drying a droplet.

As resin hardened | cured by irradiation of light, an ultraviolet curable resin, a visible light curable resin, an infrared curable resin, etc. are mentioned, for example.

In particular, when the surface of the spacer is formed of a resin that is cured by irradiation of ultraviolet rays, the spacer and the substrate can be secured to each other by irradiating ultraviolet rays.

In the fixing step, the spacer is fixed by light without drying the liquid, and then the infrared rays are further irradiated to the substrate through the light shielding plate, and the liquid around the spacer facing the opening of the light shielding plate is also preferably dried. In this way, stronger fixing becomes possible by drying of a liquid. In addition, since the spacer is already fixed by curing with light, even if the substrate is transported or the like while the droplet / liquid is dried by infrared rays, the attached droplet or the droplet / liquid film may be used. It is preferable because the spacer does not deviate from the desired position.

Moreover, it is preferable to perform an unfixed spacer removal process by supplying a liquid to the surface of a board | substrate.

This can facilitate the removal of the unfixed spacers. In particular, it is suitable to use a liquid compatible with the liquid constituting the liquid film or droplets used in the deposition step.

In the present invention, a plurality of droplets can be attached to the substrate in a matrix by ejecting droplets each containing a spacer from a plurality of openings arranged at a predetermined pitch. In this case, according to the arrangement of the openings, it is possible to arrange free and high precision spacers regardless of the arrangement of the plurality of openings of the head.

For example, by arranging the light shielding portion so that light is not irradiated to the rows of the droplets discharged from the specific openings, the spacers in the specific rows of droplets can be prevented from adhering to the substrate, and the width is wider than the pitch of the openings. Spacers can be arranged.

In the present invention, in the attaching step, it is preferable to spray the liquid containing a plurality of spacers so that the above-described liquid film is attached onto the substrate, or the plurality of droplets are attached onto the substrate. By spraying, the deposition of a large number of droplets or the formation of a liquid film can be made extremely easy and quick.

In the present invention, the liquid film is preferably attached onto the substrate by applying a liquid containing a plurality of spacers onto the substrate. By application | coating, the liquid film containing many spacers can be arrange | positioned extremely simply.

In the light shielding plate disposing step, it is preferable that the light shielding plate is disposed facing the substrate, and the light is irradiated to the substrate through the light shielding plate. Although a member which can block light can be used as a light shielding plate among members, such as wiring previously designed and arrange | positioned on a board | substrate, it is preferable to use a light shielding plate different from a board | substrate, especially for arrangement | positioning of the spacer with respect to the color filter which has a black matrix.

Effects of the Invention

According to the present invention, the spacers can be arranged simply and at a low cost to a desired position on the substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The schematic sectional drawing explaining the color filter used by each embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a method of attaching a droplet including a spacer onto a color filter in the first and second embodiments. FIG.

3 is a plan view showing a state in which droplets are attached onto a color filter;

4 is a cross-sectional view of FIG.

5 is a plan view of a light shield plate;

Fig. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which a light shielding plate is disposed opposite a color filter, and a light shielding plate is released to irradiate light to the color filter.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view following FIG. 6 showing a state after the droplet 200A has dried in the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view following FIG. 7 showing the shape of removing the droplet 200B and the spacer 230B from the surface of the color filter.

FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view following FIG. 8 showing a state where the spacer 230 is disposed at a portion except for the place B and the like of the color filter.

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a spacer-containing droplet spreading method according to a third embodiment. FIG.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a state where droplets are attached onto a color filter in a third embodiment; FIG.

12 is a plan view of a light shielding plate;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a color filter showing a state in which spacers are fixed only on a black matrix; FIG.

14 is a conceptual cross-sectional view showing the spacer-containing liquid film forming method according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a plan view of FIG. 14;

Description of the Related Art

1: spacer arrangement device 120: black matrix

120p: opening 130R, 130G, 130B: colored part

140: transparent electrode film 150: alignment film

160: upper membrane 160a: recessed portion

100: color filter

200, 200A, 200B, 200C, 300D, 200E: Droplets

230, 230A, 230B, 230C, 230D, 230E: spacer

400 and 402: Light shielding plate 400a: Opening portion 400b: Light shielding portion

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, preferred embodiment of the spacer arrangement | positioning method which concerns on this invention is described, referring drawings. In addition, in description of drawing, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same element, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted. In addition, in a figure, a dimension ratio does not necessarily correspond with what was described.

(1st embodiment)

First, a color filter (substrate) 100 as shown in FIG. 1 is prepared. The color filter 100 includes a transparent substrate 110, a black matrix 120, a red colored portion 130R, a green colored portion 130G, a blue colored portion 130B, and an upper film 160.

The transparent substrate 110 is a transparent plate formed of glass or the like.

The black matrix 120 is a film made of a material that shields visible light. As a material of the black matrix 120, metal type materials, such as chromium and chromium / chromium oxide, a resin material, etc. are mentioned, for example. The black matrix 120 has a lattice shape or a stripe shape and forms a plurality of openings 120p. In the figure which concerns on this embodiment, the stripe-shaped black matrix is employ | adopted. The width 120W of the black matrix can be, for example, about 5 to 30 µm. In addition, the height 120H of the black matrix can be, for example, about 0.1 to 2 mu m.

The red coloring part 130R, the green coloring part 130G, and the blue coloring part 130B are arrange | positioned in this order in each opening 120p of the black matrix 120, respectively. The red colored portion 130R, the green colored portion 130G, and the blue colored portion 130B are each made of a transparent coloring material that can selectively transmit visible light of each color, and for example, a transparent coloring resin can be used. . The width 130W of each coloring part 130R, 130G, 130B can be 5-100 micrometers, for example. The height 130H of each coloring part 130R, 130G, 130B can be 1-2 micrometers, for example.

Here, the height 130H of each coloring part 130R, 130G, 130B is sufficiently higher than the height 120H of the black matrix 120. FIG.

And the upper film 160 is formed on each of these coloring parts 130R, 130G, 130B, and the black matrix 120. As shown in FIG. The upper film 160 is a laminate including a transparent flattening film (not shown), a transparent electrode film 140, an alignment film 150, and the like, formed sequentially from the transparent substrate 110 side as necessary.

The transparent electrode film 140 is a common electrode to be disposed opposite to a pixel electrode (not shown) of the driving substrate of the liquid crystal display, and is formed of a transparent conductive material such as ITO. The thickness of the transparent electrode film 140 is about 0.1 micrometer, for example.

The alignment film 150 orientates the liquid crystal in a desired direction, and can be formed, for example, with a resin material such as polyimide. The thickness of the alignment film 150 is, for example, about 0.1 μm.

The black matrix 120 is formed on the surface of the color filter 100, that is, on the surface of the upper layer 160, corresponding to the step between the upper surface of the black matrix 120 and the upper surface of each of the coloring units 130R, 130G, and 130B. The recessed part 160a is formed in (). The black matrix 120 has a lattice or stripe shape, and the concave portion 60a has a groove shape along the black matrix 120. Moreover, the edge part at the side of the black matrix 120 of each coloring part 130R, 130G, 130B rises, respectively.

The color filter 100 forms, for example, the black matrix 120 on the transparent substrate 110 by a photolithography method or the like, and then the photolithography method or the like in the opening 120p of the black matrix 120. By sequentially forming the respective colored portions 130R, 130G, and 130B so as to be higher than the black matrix 120, and then sputtering or vapor deposition on the black matrix 120 and the colored portions 130R, 130G, and 130B. By forming a transparent electrode film 140 of a predetermined thickness by applying a predetermined thickness to the transparent electrode film 140 and by applying a predetermined thickness of an alignment film material such as polyimide resin, and by rubbing the surface thereof, the alignment film 150 is formed. Easily obtained.

Subsequently, onto the upper film 160 of the color filter 100, a droplet including a spacer is attached using the spacer arrangement apparatus 1 as shown in FIG. This spacer arrangement apparatus 1 is a device which injects a spacer containing liquid into the upper color filter 100 from the head apparatus 41, and adheres the droplet of a spacer containing liquid to the lower surface of the color filter 100, respectively.

The spacer arrangement | positioning apparatus 1 mainly carries out the stirring tank 20 which stirs the spacer containing liquid 12, and the spacer containing liquid 12 supplied from the inside of the stirring tank 20 toward the upper color filter 100. It controls the head device 41 which sprays as a droplet, the board | substrate movement unit 80 which moves the color filter 100 above the head apparatus 41, the head apparatus 41, the board | substrate movement unit 80, etc. The controller 90 is mainly provided.

The head device 41 has a head container 42. The head container 42 forms a box shape extending in the width direction of the color filter 100. On the upper surface of the head container 42, the openings 37 are formed by arranging a plurality of openings side by side at a predetermined pitch 37P. The arrangement direction of the opening 37 is parallel to the width direction of the color filter and perpendicular to the moving direction of the color filter.

Here, the diameter of the opening 37 can be about 10-50 micrometers, for example. In addition, the pitch 37P of the opening 37 is about 100 µm, for example. The pitch 37P is discharged from the opening 37 and droplets adjacent to the array direction of the opening 37 are formed based on the diameter (for example, 80 µm) of the droplet attached to the surface of the color filter 100. You may decide not to become one with each other.

In the head container 42, a hammer 52 and a piezo element 54 are formed in order from above. The bottom part of the piezo element 54 is fixed to the bottom part of the head container 42. In addition, the piezo element 54 is connected to the controller 90 and expands and contracts up and down in accordance with a signal from the controller 90.

The hammer 52 is fixed on the piezo element 54. The upper surface of the hammer 52 opposes each opening 37 from below and is spaced apart from each opening 37 by a predetermined interval.

Then, when the piezoelectric element 54 extends upward by the signal from the controller 90, the hammer 52 moves upward. Therefore, the spacer containing liquid 12 near the opening 37 is extruded from the opening 37 by the upper end surface 52d of the hammer 52, and the droplet of the spacer containing liquid 12 is ejected upward.

The stirring vessel 20 is provided with the stirring blade 17 which rotates by the motor 17a, and the spacer containing liquid 12 is stirred, and the spacer 230 is disperse | distributed in the spacer carrier liquid 11. As the spacer 230, silicon oxide particles such as silica having a particle diameter of about 1 to 7 μm, plastic particles such as silicon-modified polymer, and the like can be used. As the spacer carrier liquid 11 in which the spacer 230 is dispersed, for example, a mixed liquid of water and IPA can be used.

Further, the surface of the spacer is formed of a resin such as a polymer, or a functional group capable of bonding to the surface of the color filter on the surface of the spacer, for example, an epoxy group, a glycidyl group, an oxetane group, an acid anhydride group, or a lactone group And an amide group, a carboxyl group, or the like are preferable because the fixing force can be enhanced.

For example, when the surface of the spacer is formed of resin, the adhesion between the spacer and the color filter is further enhanced by heat during drying described later. Examples of the resin include thermoplastic resins, thermosetting resins, and resins cured by irradiation with light, for example, visible ray curable resins, ultraviolet curable resins, infrared curable resins, and the like. Here, the entire spacer may be formed of resin, or only the surface layer may be formed of resin. Moreover, even if the functional group mentioned above adheres to the surface of a spacer, the adhesiveness of a spacer and a color filter is improved by chemical bonding of a functional group and a color filter.

One end of the head container 42 is connected with the stirring vessel 20 by the line L1. Moreover, the other end of the head container 42 is connected with the stirring vessel 20 by the line L2 provided with the circulation pump 70. The circulation pump 70 sucks the spacer-containing liquid in the head vessel 42 and discharges it into the stirring vessel 20. Correspondingly, the spacer-containing liquid in the stirring vessel 20 is supplied into the head vessel 42 through the line L1.

The substrate moving unit 80 has a substrate sucking portion 82 and a substrate moving portion 84. The substrate suction unit 82 sucks the color filter 100 above the head device 41 by static electricity or reduced pressure to support the color filter 100. Here, the substrate suction part 82 supports the color filter 100 so that the recessed part 160a of the upper film 160 is downward and parallel to the arrangement direction of the opening 37.

In addition, the substrate moving part 84 horizontally moves the substrate suction part 82 which sucked the color filter 100 in the color filter movement direction, ie, the direction orthogonal to the width direction of a color filter. In addition, the substrate moving part 84 can move the color filter 100 a predetermined distance in the width direction of the color filter, and alignment of the color filter 100 becomes possible. As the board | substrate moving part 84, it is preferable that it is the linear motor type which can move the color filter 100 with high precision.

The controller 90 is a computer device which processes based on a predetermined program, and is connected to the substrate moving unit 80, the piezo element 54, the circulation pump 70, and the motor 17a to drive these drives. To control.

In the present embodiment, droplets are repeatedly discharged from each opening 37 of the head container 42 while moving the color filter 100 in the color filter moving direction, and a row (line) made of a plurality of droplets is substrate. By repeatedly attaching to the surface, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the plurality of droplets 200 are attached to the surface of the color filter 100 in a matrix form. Droplet 200 includes spacer 230.

Here, by controlling the substrate moving unit 80 and the piezo element 54, the movement of the color filter 100 is controlled so that the droplet 200 adheres to the concave portion 160a in the surface of the upper film 160. The pitch 37P of the droplet 200 on each recess 160a corresponds to the pitch 37P of the opening 37 of the head container 42. The diameter of the droplet 200 on the color filter 100 can be about 50-100 micrometers, for example.

Here, in FIGS. 3 and 4, the droplet 200A adheres the spacer 230 among a plurality of droplets arranged in a matrix form on the recess 160a as intended by the spacer arrangement apparatus 1. Droplet 200 is present in the place. Further, the droplet 200B is a droplet present in the place B where the spacer 230 is not fixed to, among the droplets arranged in a matrix on the recess 160a as intended by the spacer arrangement device 1. to be. Spacers in the droplets 200A are referred to as spacers 230A and spacers in the droplets 200B are referred to as spacers 230B.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the droplet 200C is ejected from the opening 37 of the head container 42 in an unintended direction by some circumstances (for example, disturbance, etc.), and is shown from a predetermined place. It is a drop attached to a place off to the right. Further, the droplet 200D is a droplet called a satellite having a smaller diameter than other droplets formed and inadvertently formed and ejected from the opening 37 of the head container 42 at an unintentional place. I attach it. Droplet 200C includes a spacer 230C, and drop 200D includes a spacer 230D. Further, the droplet 200E is a droplet in which the droplet itself is attached to the intended place, but the spacer 230 (230E) therein is present on the transparent colored resin 130R rather than on the black matrix 120.

In summary, the spacers to be fixed to the color filter 100 are only the spacers 230A in the droplets 200A, and the spacers 230B to 230E in the other droplets 200B to 200E are fixed to the color filters. I don't want it.

In the present embodiment, in the step of irradiating light, the direction of the color filter 100 is adjusted such that the spacer 230 in the droplet 200 contacts the surface of the color filter 100 as shown in FIG. 4. Specifically, as a method of bringing the spacer 230 in the droplet 200 into contact with the color filter 100, for example, when the specific gravity of the spacer 230 is greater than the specific gravity of the liquid, as shown in FIG. The color filter 100 may be disposed such that the droplet 200 exists on the upper surface side of the 100, and when the specific gravity of the spacer 230 is smaller than the specific gravity of the liquid droplet, the droplet exists on the lower surface side of the color filter 100. It is good to arrange a color filter so that it may be. As described above, the color filter 100 includes the transparent substrate 110, the black matrix 120, the red colored portion 130R, the green colored portion 130G, the blue colored portion 130B, and the upper film. It refers to the entirety including (160).

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, a light shielding plate 400 capable of shielding light is prepared, and this is disposed to face the surface of the color filter 100. The light shielding plate 400 may be opposed to any of the droplet attaching surfaces or the droplet non-adhering surfaces of the color filter 100, but it is preferable to oppose the droplet attaching surface.

The light shielding plate 400 is formed with a plurality of openings 400a arranged in a matrix. The width 400W of the opening 400a substantially corresponds to the width 120W of the black matrix 120. The length 400L of the opening 400a is, for example, about the same as or about twice the diameter of the droplet 200.

The opening 400a of the light blocking plate 400 is disposed to face the portion to which the spacer 230 is to be fixed, particularly within the black matrix 120 of the color filter 100, and the light blocking part 400b is formed of a color filter ( It is arrange | positioned so that the spacer on 100) may face the part which you do not want to fix.

That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the opening 400a faces the spacer 230A in the droplet 200A, while the light shield 400b faces the spacer 230B in the droplet 200B, and Although not shown, the light shielding portion 400b faces each spacer 230C in the droplet 200C, each spacer 230D in the droplet 200D, and the spacer 230E in the droplet 200E, respectively.

Such a light shielding plate 400 can be easily manufactured by patterning materials, such as a metal and resin, by a well-known patterning method. Further, the light shielding plate 400 may be formed of a material having a heat insulating effect in addition to infrared light shielding properties, for example, ceramic. In this case, since the light shielding plate 400 itself becomes difficult to heat and heat of the light shielding plate 400 hardly reaches the droplet 200, it is preferable. In addition, as will be described later, in the case where the fixing strength is increased by irradiation of ultraviolet rays, it is preferable that the light shielding plate 400 can shield ultraviolet rays.

Subsequently, a fixing process is performed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, in the infrared lamp 450I on the side opposite to the color filter 100 by sandwiching the light shielding plate 400, infrared rays (heating rays) through the opening 400a of the light shielding plate 400. Is irradiated on the color filter 100.

Here, the suitable wavelength range of infrared rays is about 0.76 micrometer-1000 micrometers, and especially far infrared rays, ie, 4 micrometers-1000 micrometers, are suitable.

In doing so, the infrared rays are selectively irradiated through the opening 400a of the light shielding plate 400 to the spacer 230A in the droplet 200A and the surroundings thereof, and by the temperature rise of the spacer 230A and the liquid around it, The spacer carrier liquid around the spacer 230A evaporates. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the spacer 230A included in the droplet 200A adheres to the black matrix 120 of the color filter 100.

On the other hand, infrared rays are not irradiated to the spacers 230B to 230E in the droplets 200B to 200E that are shielded by the light blocking portion 400b of the light blocking plate 400. Therefore, these spacers 230B to 230E do not adhere to the color filter 100.

Here, in the case where the surface of the spacer 230 is formed of a resin that is cured by visible light or a resin that is cured by ultraviolet light, visible light or ultraviolet rays are further irradiated through the light shielding plate 400 after fixing by drying. When the surface of the spacer 230A already adhered is hardened, more firm adhesion between the spacer 230A and the color filter 100 is realized.

Subsequently, the remaining unfixed spacers 230B to 230E are removed from the color filter 100.

Here, as shown in FIG. 8, the color filter 100 is arranged obliquely, the liquid 490 is supplied from the nozzle 480 to the surface, and the unfixed spacers 230B-230E are undried liquid. By washing together, these unfixed spacers 230B to 230E can be removed from the surface of the color filter 100. At this time, the spacer 230A fixed to the color filter 100 by the fixing process described above is hardly washed out by the liquid 490.

Herein, the liquid 490 is not particularly limited, but when a liquid compatible with the remaining droplet 200 is used, for example, a spacer carrier liquid, the unfixed spacers 230B to 230E can be easily removed.

Thereafter, the liquid on the color filter 100 may be dried. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the spacer 230 is not arrange | positioned in the place B which does not want to arrange | position a spacer. In addition, the spacer 230D in the satellite droplet 200D or the spacer 230C in the droplet 200C not disposed at a desired place is not fixed to the color filter 100. In addition, although the droplets themselves are attached at a desired place, the spacers 230E which are not arranged on the black matrix among the droplets 200E do not adhere to the color filter 100. This completes the spacer arrangement process.

Thereafter, the spacer 230A is sandwiched, the electrode substrate (not shown) is overlapped, and the liquid crystal display is completed by sealing the liquid crystal between the color filter 100 and the electrode substrate. In addition, once the spacer is fixed to the color filter, the spacer hardly moves when the electrode substrate is overlapped, and handling of the color filter, such as when conveying the color filter before the electrode substrate is overlaid, is also very easy.

According to this embodiment, according to arrangement | positioning of the opening part 400a of the light shielding plate 400, and the light shielding part 400b, it is located in a desired position among the spacers 230 among the several droplets 200 attached to the color filter 100. FIG. Only the arranged spacers 230A can be fixed to the color filter by drying. After that, by removing the unfixed spacers 230B to 230E from the color filter 100, the spacers 230 can be arranged at a desired position irrespective of the arrangement of the droplets 200 in the attaching step. have.

Thereby, in particular, it is not necessary to control the presence or absence of droplet ejection for each opening by using a head container in which openings are arranged at a predetermined fixed pitch. You can also 수도 布. Also, due to various disturbances, when the droplets are arranged at unintended positions on the color filter, or when the droplets are arranged at a desired place but the spacers are placed at unintended places in the droplets, such spacers are placed on the color filter. Sticking to an unintended position can be prevented.

In addition, since the liquid droplets 200B to 200E including the unfixed spacers are removed by supplying a liquid to the surface of the color filter 100, the removal thereof can be facilitated.

In addition, in the said embodiment, although the infrared ray 230 is irradiated in the state which the spacer 230 in the droplet 200 contacted the color filter 100, the droplet 200 at the start of a fixing process, ie, the irradiation of infrared rays, is carried out. The position of the spacer 230 in the inside is not particularly limited, and for example, the inside of the droplet 200 may be floating without being in contact with the color filter, and may also float in the droplet 200. In this embodiment, the spacer 230 is fixed by drying the liquid on the portion to be fixed. Therefore, even if the spacer 230 in the droplet 200 is in any state, the liquid on the portion to which the spacer is to be attached by the light shielding plate is removed. When dried, the spacer 230 is either fixed in a dry position or left in the remaining liquid that is not dry.

(2nd embodiment)

Then, 2nd Embodiment which concerns on this invention is described. The present embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the spacer 230A is fixed to the surface of the color filter 100 in the fixing step without drying the liquid around the spacer.

Specifically, as the spacer 230 to be contained in the droplet 200, a spacer having a surface formed of a resin cured by irradiation of light is used.

The entire spacer 230 here may be formed of a resin that is cured by irradiation of light, or may be formed of a resin that is cured only by irradiation of light. As resin hardened | cured by irradiation of light, an ultraviolet curable resin, visible ray hardening resin, an infrared ray hardening resin etc. are mentioned, for example. As resin hardened | cured by light, what mixed the photoinitiator, monomer, and oligomer which respond to the light of a desired wavelength is mentioned, for example.

And before irradiating light, the direction of the color filter 100 is adjusted so that the spacer 230 in the droplet 200 may contact the surface of the color filter 100 like the state of FIG. 6 previously.

Specifically, as a method of bringing the spacer 230 in the droplet 200 into contact with the color filter 100, for example, when the specific gravity of the spacer 230 is greater than the specific gravity of the liquid, as shown in FIG. The color filter 100 may be disposed such that the droplet 200 exists on the upper surface side of the 100, and when the specific gravity of the spacer 230 is smaller than the specific gravity of the liquid droplet, the droplet exists on the lower surface side of the color filter 100. It is good to arrange a color filter so that it may be.

In the state where the spacer 230 is in contact with the color filter 100 in this manner, light for curing the surface of the spacer from the lamp 450U through the opening 400a of the light shielding plate 400, for example, , Ultraviolet rays (wavelengths 4 to 400 nm), visible rays (wavelengths 400 to 760 nm), infrared rays and the like are irradiated.

When light is irradiated to the spacer 230A in the droplet 200A from the opening 400a of the light shielding plate 400, the surface of the spacer 230A is cured, and the spacer 230A is the color filter 100, for example, Adheres to the black matrix 120.

On the other hand, light is not irradiated to the spacers 230B to 230E in the droplets 200B to 200E facing the light blocking portion 400b of the light blocking plate 400, and each of the spacers 230B to 230E does not adhere to the color filter. In addition, although the droplet 200 is not dried by ultraviolet rays or visible rays, it is not necessary to dry the liquid around the spacer 230 unlike the first embodiment even when irradiating infrared rays.

In addition, if necessary, after fixing the spacer, further irradiating infrared rays through the opening 400a of the light shielding plate 400 to dry the liquid around the spacer 230 may further increase the fixing force of the spacer 230A. Many times you can.

Thereafter, similarly to FIG. 8 in the first embodiment, by removing the unfixed spacers 230B to 230E on the color filter 100, and drying as necessary, the spacer 230A to a desired position. Can be placed.

According to this embodiment, since the liquid around the spacer to be fixed does not have to be dried, efficient fixing treatment can be performed in a short time.

(Third embodiment)

Subsequently, a third embodiment according to the present invention will be described. In the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, a color is obtained by using the spraying apparatus 2 having the droplet spray nozzle 202, rather than the spacer arrangement apparatus 1 as in the first and second embodiments. The droplet 200 is attached onto the filter 100.

As the droplet spray nozzle 202, a normal two-fluid nozzle or the like can be used. The blower 204 is connected to this droplet spray nozzle 202 via the line L20, and the pump 206 and the stirring vessel 20 like 1st Embodiment are connected through the line L22. . Then, the spacer-containing liquid 12 is supplied to the droplet spray nozzle 202 by the pump 206, while air is supplied to the droplet spray nozzle 202 by the blower 204, and the droplet spray nozzle 202 is supplied. From this, a large number of droplets 200 of the spacer-containing liquid are formed. The plurality of droplets 200 are attached to the surface of the color filter 100 disposed opposite the droplet spray nozzles 202. Moreover, spray conditions, such as the orifice diameter of the droplet spray nozzle 202, the pressure of a spacer containing liquid, or air, are set so that the diameter of a droplet may become a desired magnitude | size. Each droplet 200 further includes a spacer 230.

In this spraying method, it is difficult to control the attachment position of the droplet 200 on the color filter 100 as in the first embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 11, the droplet 200 including the spacer 230 is Almost randomly disposed on the color filter 100. Thus, the spacer 230 in the droplet 200 is distinguished from the spacer 230G disposed on the black matrix 120 and the spacer 230H disposed on the portion other than the black matrix 120.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 12, a stripe light shielding plate in which a portion corresponding to the portion of the black matrix 120 of the color filter 100 serves as the opening portion 402a and the other portion serves as the light shielding portion 402b. Prepare 402.

The light blocking plate 402 is disposed so that the opening portion 402a faces the black matrix 120, and light is irradiated to the black matrix 120 of the color filter 100 through the opening portion 402a.

For example, when infrared rays are irradiated through the light shielding plate 402 as in the first embodiment, the portion on the black matrix 120 in the droplet 200 is dried, that is, the spacers on the black matrix 120 ( Since the liquid around 230G dries, spacer 230G sticks on black matrix 120. On the other hand, since the infrared rays are not irradiated to the portions other than the black matrix 120, the spacer 230H on the portions other than the black matrix 120 does not adhere to the color filter 100.

When the surface of the spacer 230 is formed of a resin that is cured by ultraviolet rays or a resin that is cured by visible rays, the spacer 230 is further irradiated with infrared rays or ultraviolet rays through the light shielding plate 402 to dry the spacers more firmly. 230A) may be fixed to the color filter 100.

On the other hand, as in the second embodiment, the droplets can be fixed without drying. For example, when the surface of the spacer 230 is formed of a resin that is cured by irradiation of light, the light shielding plate 402 in a state where the spacer 230 in the droplet 200 is in contact with the color filter 100. ), The color filter 100 is irradiated with light for curing the resin, for example, ultraviolet rays, infrared rays, visible rays, and the like. If so, the surface of the spacer 230G in the droplet 200 cures and the spacer 230 adheres onto the black matrix 120. On the other hand, since light is not irradiated to the spacer 230H in the droplet 200, the spacer 230H does not adhere to the black matrix 120. At the same time as the fixing by the curing or after the curing, the infrared rays are irradiated to the color filter 100 through the light shielding plate 402, and the liquid around the spacer 230G is dried to dry the liquid with the spacer 230G. It is also possible to increase the adhesion with the color filter 100.

Then, after fixing the spacer 230G on the black matrix 120 to the color filter in this manner, similarly to the first and second embodiments, if the unfixed spacer 230B is removed from the color filter surface, As shown in FIG. 13, a spacer 230 (230G) may be selectively disposed on the black matrix 120.

(4th Embodiment)

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the liquid film 203 of the spacer-containing liquid 12 is attached onto the color filter 100 instead of the droplet 200. Specifically, the liquid film 203 of the spacer-containing liquid 12 can be formed on the color filter 100 using various known coating devices. For example, the liquid film 203 can be formed using the die coater 3 and the like shown in FIG. 14. Moreover, formation of a liquid film is possible also by spraying droplets by a spray nozzle similar to 3rd Embodiment for a long time.

When the liquid film 203 is formed, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, in the liquid film 203, the spacers 230 are disposed almost randomly on the color filter 100. Here, the spacer disposed on the black matrix 120 is 230G, and the spacer disposed on the portion other than the black matrix 120 is 230H.

Thereafter, like the third embodiment, light may be irradiated through the light shielding plate 402. As in the third embodiment, the spacer 230G may be fixed to the color filter 100 by drying the liquid around the spacer 230G on the black matrix 120 by infrared rays, and the spacer 230G may be lighted. The surface may be cured to fix the spacer 230G and the color filter 100. After fixing, the unfixed spacer 230H may be removed by washing or the like. Thus, as shown in FIG. 13, the spacer 230 is selectively disposed on the black matrix 120.

This invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various modified form is possible. For example, in the first embodiment or the like, the color filter is inclined to flow the liquid 490 to the surface of the color filter in order to remove the undried droplet 200B and the spacer 230B. Although supplied to, it can also be removed by immersing the color filter in, for example, a tank in which the liquid is stored. Moreover, even if liquid is not supplied to the surface of the color filter 100, it is possible to implement, For example, the liquid 200B and the spacer 230 may be blown off by spraying gas etc. on the surface of the color filter 100. FIG. .

In addition, in the said 1st Embodiment, although the droplet 200B of one of the droplets 200 arrange | positioned in matrix form was undried and removed after that, the position of the droplet 200B which was undried and removed afterwards The number is arbitrary, and it can implement | work in arbitrary forms by selection of the position of the opening part 400a of the light shielding plate 400, and the light shielding part 400b. For example, the specific opening 37 is formed by setting the light shielding portion of the light shielding plate 400 so that light is not irradiated to a group of droplets formed from the specific opening 37 and arranged side by side in the moving direction of the color filter 100. It is possible to prevent the spacers in the droplets formed therefrom from sticking to the color filter, and the same effect as that of the enlarged pitch 37P of the opening 37 can be obtained.

In addition, in the first and second embodiments, the spacer arrangement apparatus 1 discharges the droplet 200 from the bottom to the top, and the upper surface 160 is disposed on the lower surface of the color filter 100 disposed downward. Although the droplets are attached, the droplets 200 are discharged from the top to the bottom by the spacer arrangement device 1, and the droplets 200 are attached to the upper surface of the color filter 100 in which the upper layer 160 is disposed downward. You may have to.

Moreover, of course, the relationship between the arrangement | positioning and the pitch of the opening 37, the arrangement direction of the opening 37, and the color filter moving direction is not specifically limited, either.

In addition, the relationship between the width of the opening of the light shielding plate and the width of the place where the spacer is to be disposed (for example, the black matrix) should be approximately equal, and the type of light (ultraviolet / visible / infrared: depending on the kind) The width of the opening and the spacer, depending on the characteristics such as the distance between the light shield plate and the color filter, the degree of irregularities of the color filter, and how the light reaches the light source from the light source (parallel or convergent light). The relationship with the width of the place where you want to arrange can be arbitrarily set appropriately. Usually, it is good to set it as (width of an opening part) <(width of the place where a spacer is to be arrange | positioned).

In addition, although 1st and 2nd embodiment uses the light-shielding plate 400 in which the opening part was formed in the matrix form, and in the 3rd and 4th embodiment, the light-shielding plate 402 in which the opening part was formed in stripe form is used, In the first and second embodiments, the light blocking plate 402 in which the openings are formed in a stripe shape may be used, and in the third and fourth embodiments, the light blocking plate 402 in which the openings are formed in a matrix shape may be used. The opening of the light shielding plate can be arbitrarily suited according to the shape of the place where the spacer is to be fixed.

Specifically, for example, in each of the above embodiments, the spacer is fixed on the black matrix by matching the shape and position of the opening with the black matrix 120 of the color filter 100, but the spacer is fixed to a portion other than the black matrix. In the case where the is to be arranged, an opening may be formed at a position corresponding to the place. For example, when the spacer is to be disposed on the transparent colored resin, an opening corresponding to the transparent colored resin may be set.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the liquid film / liquid on the color filter is disposed with a mask (light shielding plate) different from the color filter facing the color filter to irradiate light, that is, / light source / light shielding plate / droplet / black. Although it is the same structure as the board | substrate / containing a matrix, as a light shielding plate, back exposure using the black matrix itself, ie, the board | substrate / light source / containing a / droplet / black matrix, can also be performed. For example, in the state of FIG. 14, when light is irradiated from the surface (lower surface of the drawing) opposite to the surface to which the droplet / liquid adheres on the substrate 100, the light does not transmit through the black matrix 120. The transparent colored resins 130R, 130G, and 130B function as openings, and the black matrix 120 functions as light shielding portions. Therefore, the spacer 230H can be fixed on the transparent colored resins 130R, 130G, and 130B, while the spacer 230G can be prevented from sticking on the black matrix 120. In particular, such a scattering method can also be considered in substrates other than color filters. In Fig. 14, reference numeral 120 denotes a film that transmits ultraviolet rays and / or infrared rays, and transparent transparent resins (130R, 130G, 130B) are transparent colored resins when the film does not transmit infrared rays and / or ultraviolet rays. Since the 130R, 130G and 130B function as the light shielding portion and the film 120 as the opening portion, the spacer can be fixed on the film 120 instead of the transparent colored resins 130R, 130G and 130B. That is, in the light shielding plate of the present invention, the openings and the light shielding portions may have sufficiently different transmittances of light used in the fixing step.

In addition, in manufacturing other than a color filter, for example, a liquid crystal display element which requires a cell gap by a TFT substrate and also a spherical spacer, and a multimode optical waveguide or connector which requires gap control. When manufacturing optical devices, such as these, it is of course possible to use each said embodiment method for arrange | positioning a spacer with respect to a board | substrate.

Claims (13)

delete An attaching step of attaching a liquid film containing a plurality of spacers onto a substrate, or attaching a plurality of droplets containing a spacer onto a substrate, A fixing step of fixing the spacer facing the opening of the light shielding plate to the substrate by irradiating light to the substrate through a light shielding plate having an opening for transmitting light and a light shielding portion for not transmitting the light; An unfixed spacer removing step of removing the unfixed spacer from the surface of the substrate, The spacer arrangement method which irradiates infrared rays in the said fixing process, and dries the liquid around the spacer which opposes the opening part of the said light shielding plate. The method of claim 2, The surface of the said spacer is formed with resin, or the functional group which can be couple | bonded with the said board | substrate is couple | bonded with the surface of the said spacer. The method of claim 2, In the attachment step, the surface of the spacer is formed of a resin that is cured by irradiation with visible or ultraviolet rays, And in the fixing step, after drying the liquid around the spacer, visible light or ultraviolet rays are further irradiated to the substrate through the light shielding plate. The method of claim 2, In the attaching step, the surface of the spacer is formed of a resin that is cured by irradiation of the light, And the spacer is in contact with the surface of the substrate when irradiating the light in the fixing step. The method of claim 5, The said resin is resin hardened | cured by irradiation of an ultraviolet-ray, and the spacer arrangement method which irradiates an ultraviolet-ray in the said fixing process. An attaching step of attaching a liquid film containing a plurality of spacers onto a substrate, or attaching a plurality of droplets containing a spacer onto a substrate, A fixing step of fixing the spacer facing the opening of the light shielding plate to the substrate by irradiating light to the substrate through a light shielding plate having an opening for transmitting light and a light shielding portion for not transmitting the light; An unfixed spacer removing step of removing the unfixed spacer from the surface of the substrate,  In the attaching step, the surface of the spacer is formed of a resin that is cured by irradiation of the light, When irradiating the light in the fixing step, the spacer is in contact with the surface of the substrate, The said resin is resin hardened | cured by irradiation of an ultraviolet-ray, In the said fixing process, it irradiates an ultraviolet-ray, In the fixing step, further irradiating infrared rays to the substrate through the light blocking plate, and drying the liquid around the spacer facing the opening of the light blocking plate. An attaching step of attaching a liquid film containing a plurality of spacers onto a substrate, or attaching a plurality of droplets containing a spacer onto a substrate, A fixing step of fixing the spacer facing the opening of the light shielding plate to the substrate by irradiating light to the substrate through a light shielding plate having an opening for transmitting light and a light shielding portion for not transmitting the light; An unfixed spacer removing step of removing the unfixed spacer from the surface of the substrate, A method of arranging spacers, wherein the step of removing the unfixed spacers is performed by supplying a liquid to the surface of the substrate. The method of claim 8, And the liquid to be supplied is a liquid compatible with the liquid constituting the liquid film or droplets used in the attaching step. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, And in the attaching step, the droplets are attached to the substrate by ejecting droplets each containing the spacers from a plurality of openings arranged at a predetermined pitch. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, In the attachment step, the liquid film is attached onto a substrate by spraying a liquid containing a plurality of spacers or the plurality of droplets are attached onto a substrate. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, And in the attaching step, the liquid film is attached onto the substrate by applying a liquid containing a plurality of spacers onto the substrate. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, In the light shielding plate arrangement step, the light shielding plate is disposed to face the substrate, and light is irradiated to the substrate through the light shielding plate.

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