KR20070002203A - A polarizing system and an uv irradiating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A polarization system and a UV radiation system using the same are provided to prevent deterioration of a polarization film by using a beam splitter, minimize loss of UV energy by using a beam accumulator, and employ the polarization film instead of quartz for reducing manufacturing cost thereof. A polarization system includes a beam splitter(110), a polarization film(120) positioned at a lower part of the beam splitter, and a beam accumulator(130) positioned at a lower part of the polarization film. The beam splitter has a plurality of first glasses(115) inclined by a first predetermined angle(theta1) with respect to a horizontal surface, wherein the angle is 45‹, so that UV light radiated to the polarization film is spread out in a wide range. The beam accumulator has a plurality of second glasses(135) inclined by a second predetermined angle(theta2) with respect to the horizontal surface, wherein the angle is -45‹, so that the spread UV light is collected to minimize loss of the UV light.

Description

A polarizing system and an UV irradiating apparatus using the same

1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a conventional UV irradiation apparatus.

2 is a schematic diagram of a polarization system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a schematic diagram of a polarization system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a schematic view of a UV irradiation apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a schematic view of a UV irradiation apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

<Description of Signs of Major Parts of Drawing>

100 polarization system 110 beam splitter

115: first glass 120: polarizing film

130: beam accumulator 135: second glass

200: UV lamp 210: lamp housing

300: first plane mirror 400: optical lens

500: second plane diameter 600: collimator

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to manufacturing equipment for liquid crystal display devices, and more particularly, to a UV irradiation apparatus for forming an alignment film of liquid crystal display devices.

Among the ultra-thin flat panel displays, where the display screen is only a few centimeters (cm) thick, the liquid crystal display has a low operating voltage, so it has low power consumption and can be used as a portable device. The applications range from spacecraft to aircrafts.

The liquid crystal display device includes a lower substrate and an upper substrate facing each other, and a liquid crystal layer formed between the two substrates, and the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer is changed by applying a voltage, thereby adjusting the light transmittance. As a result, the image is reproduced.

In general, the lower substrate includes a thin film transistor as a switching element and a pixel electrode serving as an electrode for forming an electric field, and the upper substrate has a red, green, and blue color filter layer for color realization and for forming an electric field. A common electrode serving as an electrode is formed.

On the other hand, if the liquid crystal layer is arbitrarily arranged between both substrates 10 and 20, it is difficult to obtain a consistent molecular arrangement of the liquid crystal layer, so that both substrates are formed with alignment films aligned in a predetermined direction for initial alignment of the liquid crystal layer. It is.

Here, the method of forming the alignment film includes a rubbing alignment method and a photo alignment method.

The rubbing orientation method is a method of aligning an organic polymer in a predetermined direction by applying an organic polymer such as polyimide on a substrate and then rotating a rubbing roll wound with a rubbing cloth to form microgrooves through mechanical friction on the organic polymer. .

However, the rubbing orientation method has a problem in that the shape of the fine grooves varies according to the frictional strength so that the liquid crystal layer is not evenly aligned, and dust or static electricity is generated by rubbing during rubbing.

The photo-alignment method is a method in which an organic polymer reacts with UV and is aligned in a predetermined direction by applying an organic polymer having a photoreactor on a substrate and then irradiating UV polarized in a predetermined direction.

Since the photoalignment method does not cause mechanical friction, the problem of the above-described rubbing alignment method does not occur.

At this time, in the case of the photo-alignment method, a predetermined UV irradiation equipment is required to irradiate the polarized UV to the organic polymer.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings will be described for the conventional UV irradiation equipment.

1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a conventional UV irradiation apparatus.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the conventional UV irradiation equipment comprises a UV lamp 10 for emitting UV, and a polarizing system 30 located below the UV lamp.

The polarization system 30 is composed of a quartz substrate 33 formed in a mountain shape to have a predetermined angle and a holder 36 for supporting the quartz substrate 33.

When the unpolarized UV is emitted from the UV lamp 10, it is incident on the quartz substrate 33 of the polarization system 30 at a predetermined angle. A part of the incident UV is reflected and absorbed by the holder 36, and the other part is polarized through the quartz substrate 33 and then irradiated to the alignment layer 50 formed on the lower substrate 40.

Here, the polarization degree of the polarized light irradiated on the alignment film 50 is changed by adjusting the number of stacked layers of the quartz substrate 33.

In the drawing, only one layer of the quartz substrate 33 is stacked, but the quartz substrate may be stacked in two or more layers. In general, in order to obtain linear polarization (when polarization is 1), a predetermined number of quartz substrates may be stacked. In order to obtain partial polarization (when polarization degree is less than 1), one or more layers of quartz substrates are laminated.

Such a conventional UV irradiation device has the following disadvantages.

First, in order to increase the degree of polarization, the number of laminated quartz substrates should be increased. If the number of laminated quartz substrates is increased, the loss of light is increased by that much, and the efficiency decreases.

Second, since quartz substrates are expensive, manufacturing cost increases by increasing the number of stacked quartz substrates, which is disadvantageous in terms of economics.

The present invention was devised to solve such a conventional problem, and a first object of the present invention is to provide a polarization system that is advantageous in terms of economy while reducing light loss.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a UV irradiation apparatus to which a polarization system is applied, which is advantageous in terms of economy while reducing light loss.

In order to achieve the first object, the present invention provides a beam splitter; A polarizing film positioned below the beam splitter; And a beam accumulator positioned below the polarizing film.

The polarizing film is a device that realizes polarization by transmitting only light having a vibration plane in a predetermined direction (for example, vertical direction, horizontal direction, and circular direction) with respect to light having a vibration plane in all directions of 360 degrees, and not transmitting the remaining light.

Such a polarizing film is already known as a polarizing element, but has not yet been applied to a UV irradiation device. The reason is that the polarizing film is low in heat resistance and easily deteriorated by strong energy UV.

The present inventors have studied to apply such a polarizing film to the UV irradiation apparatus, and when the beam splitter is positioned on the polarizing film and the beam accumulator is placed on the lower polarizing film, the polarizing film is not deteriorated by UV and the desired polarization is Confirming that it can be obtained to complete the present invention.

The beam splitter plays a role of spreading UV widely, and by placing a beam splitter on the polarizer film, the polarizer film is prevented from being degraded by reducing the energy of UV irradiated to the polarizer film.

The beam accumulator serves to collect the spread UV again, thereby minimizing the energy loss of the finally irradiated UV by placing the beam accumulator under the polarizing film.

As such, the present invention combines a beam splitter and a beam accumulator together with a polarizing film, thereby making it possible to apply a polarizing film that is susceptible to UV irradiation, and to use an expensive quartz while reducing energy loss. Compared to the manufacturing cost will be reduced.

Here, the beam splitter and the beam accumulator preferably include a plurality of glasses arranged at an angle with respect to a horizontal plane. The predetermined angle may be appropriately selected in consideration of the energy intensity of UV to be irradiated and the kind of polarizing film.

The polarizing film is made of a stretched polymer film.

In addition, in order to achieve the second object, the present invention is a UV lamp; And a polarizing system for polarizing the UV emitted from the UV lamp.

The polarization system includes a polarization system consisting of the above-described beam splitter, a polarizing film, and a beam accumulator.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail.

2 is a schematic diagram of a polarization system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

As can be seen in Figure 2, the polarization system 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is composed of a beam splitter 110, a polarizing film 120, and a beam accumulator 130.

The beam splitter 110 serves to prevent deterioration of the polarizing film 120 by spreading the UV irradiated to the polarizing film 120 at a position above the polarizing film 120.

The beam splitter 110 includes a plurality of first glasses 115 inclined at a predetermined angle θ ₁ with respect to a horizontal plane.

Here, the angle θ _{1 in which} the first glass 115 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane is set to 45 degrees. When the first glass 115 is inclined at an angle of 45 degrees, a portion of the incident UV light passes through the first glass 115 and a part of the first glass 115 is reflected at right angles, as indicated by the arrows. By repeating in the UV irradiated to the lower polarizing film 120 is spread widely.

The beam accumulator 130 is located under the polarizing film 120 to collect the polarized UV transmitted through the polarizing film 120 to minimize the loss of UV.

The beam splitter 110 includes a plurality of second glasses 135 inclined at a predetermined angle θ ₂ with respect to a horizontal plane.

Here, the inclination angle θ _{1 of} the second glass 135 with respect to the horizontal plane is set to −45 degrees. When the second glass 135 is inclined at an angle of −45 degrees, the second glass 135 is widened as indicated by the arrow, and the incident UV is collected and irradiated downward.

The polarizing film 120 is preferably made of a stretched polymer film.

Here, the stretched polymer film may be prepared by dyeing a polyvinyl alcohol-based film with iodine in an aqueous solution before or after or during stretching, followed by fixing with an aqueous boric acid solution.

In addition, the stretched polymer film is dyed with iodine in an aqueous solution before or after or during the stretching of the polyvinyl alcohol-based film, and then fixed with an aqueous solution of boric acid, and then the triacetate cellulose film is further added to the obtained polyvinyl alcohol-based film. It may be prepared by sticking.

It is also possible to dye the polyvinyl alcohol-based film with a dye instead of dyeing with iodo. The polarizing film prepared by dyeing with dye is superior to the polarizing film prepared by dyeing with iodine in heat resistance, but inferior to the polarizing film prepared by dyeing with iodine in terms of polarization properties. Therefore, in the case of the polarizing film of high polarization characteristic, it is preferable to manufacture by dyeing iodine.

3 is a schematic diagram of a polarization system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

The polarization system according to the second embodiment of the present invention is the first embodiment described above except that the angles θ _{1 of} the plurality of first glasses 115 constituting the beam splitter 110 are inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. The same as the polarization system according to.

Accordingly, like reference numerals refer to like elements, and hereinafter, only the plurality of first glasses 115 constituting the beam splitter 110 will be described.

According to the second embodiment of the present invention, the angle (θ ₁ ) in which the plurality of first glasses 115 constituting the beam splitter 110 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane is 30 to 60 degrees (excluding 45 degrees). Is set.

Therefore, as indicated by the arrow, part of the incident UV light passes through the first glass 115 and is partially reflected at a predetermined angle to the lower polarizing film 120 by repeating the process on the plurality of first glasses 1150. The UV irradiated is spread widely.

In this case, in order for transmission and reflection to be repeated in the plurality of first glasses 115, the heights of the plurality of first glasses 115 may be set differently from each other in consideration of the angle θ ₁ .

4 is a schematic view of a UV irradiation apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

As can be seen in Figure 4, the UV irradiation apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention is UV lamp 200, lamp housing 210, the first flat mirror 300, the optical lens 400, the second flat mirror 500 ), A collimator 600, and a polarization system 100.

The UV lamp 200 serves as a light source, but a high pressure mercury lamp may be applied, but is not necessarily limited thereto.

The lamp housing 210 surrounds the UV lamp 200 to reflect the UV emitted from the UV lamp 200 to guide the UV lamp 200 toward the first flat mirror 300.

The first planar mirror 300 and the second planar mirror 500 serve to change the path of the UV by reflecting the UV.

The optical lens 400 may be configured as a convex lens to serve to prevent the condensed or scattered light of UV incident from the first planar mirror 300.

The collimator 600 serves to change the UV into parallel light.

The polarization system 100 serves to polarize the UV, the above-described beam splitter 110, the polarizing film 120 located below the beam splitter 110, and the polarizing film 120 is located below The polarizing system configured to include the beam accumulator 130 is applied. Detailed description of the polarization system will be omitted.

Looking at the action of such a UV irradiation device, the UV irradiated from the UV lamp 200 and reflected from the lamp housing 210 is reflected by the first flat mirror 300, the path is modified, the optical lens 400 After the condensation or scattered light is prevented from the second planar mirror 500 is reflected again, the path is modified, the collimator 600 is converted into parallel light is incident to the polarization system 100.

The UV incident on the polarization system 100 is polarized in a predetermined direction through the beam splitter 110, the polarizing film 120, and the beam accumulator 130, so that the polarized UV is irradiated onto the substrate 700.

5 is a schematic view of a UV irradiation apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

UV irradiation apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention in the above-described third embodiment except that the polarizing system 100 is not located behind the collimator 600, but located in front or rear of the optical lens 400 Same as the UV irradiation device according to.

The UV irradiating apparatus according to the fourth embodiment has an advantage that the size of the polarizing system 100 can be made smaller than that of the third embodiment because the polarizing system 100 is positioned in front of or behind the optical lens 400. have.

4 and 5 illustrate an example of the UV irradiation apparatus to which the polarization system 100 according to the present invention is applied. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the UV irradiation apparatus may be formed in various forms known in the art. can be changed.

As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, It can change within the range which is obvious to a person skilled in the art.

According to the present invention, the following effects.

First, since the beam splitter is applied, deterioration of the polarizing film is prevented by reducing energy of UV irradiated to the polarizing film.

Second, because the beam accumulator is applied, the energy loss of the irradiated UV can be minimized.

Third, since the polarizing film is applied, the manufacturing cost is reduced compared to that of quartz.

Claims (14)

Beam splitters; A polarizing film positioned below the beam splitter; And And a beam accumulator positioned below the polarizing film. The method of claim 1, And the beam splitter comprises a plurality of first glasses arranged at an angle with respect to a horizontal plane. The method of claim 2, And a tilt angle of the plurality of first glasses with respect to the horizontal plane is 30 to 60 degrees. The method of claim 2, And a tilt angle of the plurality of first glasses with respect to the horizontal plane is 45 degrees. The method of claim 3, And the plurality of first glasses have different heights. The method of claim 1, And the beam accumulator comprises a plurality of second glasses arranged at an angle with respect to a horizontal plane. The method of claim 6, And wherein the inclination angle of the plurality of second glasses with respect to the horizontal plane is -45 degrees. The method of claim 1, The polarizing film is a polarizing system, characterized in that made of a stretched polymer film. The method of claim 8, The stretched polymer film is A polyvinyl alcohol-based film is prepared by dyeing with iodine or dye on an aqueous solution before or after or during stretching, followed by fixing with an aqueous boric acid solution. The method of claim 8, The stretched polymer film is The polyvinyl alcohol-based film is dyed with iodine or dye on an aqueous solution before or after or during stretching, and then fixed with an aqueous solution of boric acid, followed by further adhering a triacetate cellulose film to the obtained polyvinyl alcohol-based film. Polarizing system. UV lamps; And A UV irradiation device comprising a polarization system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, which polarizes the UV emitted from the UV lamp. The method of claim 11, The UV irradiating apparatus further comprises a lamp housing, a first flat mirror, an optical lens, a second flat mirror, and a collimator. The method of claim 12, And the polarization system is located behind the collimator. The method of claim 12, And the polarization system is located in front of or behind the optical lens.

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