JPH11109377A - Liquid crystal display element device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a good liquid crystal display device element without irregularity in a display such as interferential colors by adhering an element substrate and a counter substrate with plural different sealing materials. SOLUTION: A cell is formed by disposing a spacer 118 on a pair of substrates (element substrate and counter substrate 101) and sealing the peripheral part of a display part with sealing materials 105, 106, and then a liquid crystal 119 is injected through an injection port and sealed with a sealing material 107. In this method, a first sealing pattern with short ring wirings formed under the sealing pattern consists of a sealing material 105 containing particles 109 having a larger particle size. A second sealing pattern consists of a sealing material 106 containing particles 110 having a smaller particle size than the particle size in the first sealing pattern. Dummy wirings 113 are formed under the second seal pattern so as to keep a constant distance from the surface of a lower substrate 100 to the surface of an interlayer insulating film 111 adjacent to the second sealing pattern.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a liquid crystal display device having a uniform distance between substrates.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional liquid crystal panel assembly process will be briefly described below. An element substrate is manufactured. The space between the substrate and the opposing substrate is maintained by a spacer, and the substrates are bonded with a sealant (adhesive). The pair of substrates is bonded with a sealant, and is heated and pressed to be firmly bonded. The pair of bonded and bonded substrates is divided into arbitrary shapes. Liquid crystal is injected from the liquid crystal injection port, and the injection port is sealed. Through the above steps, a liquid crystal panel as shown in FIG. 4 was manufactured.

In the above process, the element substrate refers to a substrate provided with an active matrix circuit and peripheral circuits on a base substrate 400. In addition, the counter substrate 401 in this step is a substrate provided so as to face the element substrate and has a counter electrode, a color filter, and the like formed thereon. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 402 denotes a display portion and peripheral circuits, and 407 denotes a sealing material.

In such a liquid crystal display device, the display characteristics are extremely sensitive to the distortion of the substrate and the change of the cell interval (the thickness of the liquid crystal layer of the liquid crystal cell). There has been a demand for a highly uniform substrate spacing and cell spacing. In particular, distortion due to substrate deformation
By changing the substrate interval and the cell interval, display quality is greatly impaired with color unevenness.

Conventionally, as a method of making the substrate spacing and the cell spacing uniform, spacers (also referred to as gap materials) are dispersed in a liquid crystal layer to make the substrate spacing and the cell spacing uniform over the entire substrate. A method in which columnar fibers and fine particles (spacers) are mixed in a sealing material (sometimes referred to as an adhesive) for bonding an element substrate to make the substrate spacing and the cell spacing uniform at the substrate end. It has been known.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, when the substrates are bonded by using the above method of making the substrate spacing and the cell spacing uniform,
There has been a problem that the substrate spacing varies and the substrate is deformed. This is because, in the conventional panel configuration, since the wiring is formed below the seal pattern, the surface of the interlayer insulating film that is finally stacked on the base substrate has irregularities.

The wiring below the seal pattern is a signal line, and is connected to a pixel portion TFT arranged in a display section. In addition, the end of this wiring is directly used as a lead terminal. Normally, a flattening film is laminated as an interlayer insulating film, but this uneven portion cannot be completely flattened.

[0008] Therefore, uneven portions of the substrate, particularly,
As a method of alleviating a step in a lower layer of the seal pattern caused by a protrusion of a wiring having a terminal portion at an end portion with a sealing material drawn out, a method of providing a dummy wiring in a lower layer of the seal pattern (JP-A-9-179130) was used. As shown in the AA ′ cross-sectional view of FIG. 5A, the wiring 417 below the seal pattern has a two-layer structure in order to prevent short circuit between the upper and lower layers. For this purpose, dummy wirings 413 are provided at equal intervals on the second interlayer insulating film 415 and the first interlayer insulating film 414 to make the lower structure uniform and to reduce the distance from the base substrate surface to the interlayer insulating film surface. It was constant.

However, in the case where a short ring is provided to prevent electrostatic damage of the display element during the manufacturing process, if a dummy wiring is provided above or below the short ring wirings 411 and 412, a capacitance is formed. Not preferred.

The number of the short ring wirings is 4
11 is at least as many as the number of scanning lines. In addition, the number of wirings 412 of the short ring wiring is at least the number of signal lines.

Further, the short ring wirings 411 and 412
Is the width of the wiring 4 having the extraction terminal (408) at the end.
17 (width 30-40 μm), which is as thin as 5 μm,
Even if an interlayer insulating film was used, planarization could not be performed, and a step occurred.

It is assumed that the short ring wirings 411 and 412
Even if a dummy wiring is provided in the upper layer or the lower layer, there is a problem that a recess is formed as compared with another place (a place where the dummy wiring is provided) where a seal pattern is formed. Was.

When a sealing material 406 is provided in the concave portion and bonded by applying pressure, the substrate is cut as shown in the sectional view taken along the line BB 'in FIG. 5B and the sectional view taken along the line CC' in FIG. The substrate 401 was deformed, and the distance between the substrates was not constant. Although not shown in FIGS. 5B and 5C, the base substrate 400 and the entire element substrate are of course similarly deformed.

When a pair of substrates are bonded and adhered,
Irregularities on the element substrate, particularly the substrates around the short ring wirings 403 and 404, were deformed, causing unevenness in display and prominent display defects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a good liquid crystal display device in which the distance between substrates is constant and there is no display unevenness such as interference color.

[0016]

Means for Solving the Problems According to the structure of the present invention disclosed in this specification, an element substrate having a matrix circuit, an opposing substrate facing the element substrate, and a gap between the element substrate and the opposing substrate are provided. What is claimed is: 1. A liquid crystal display device, comprising: a liquid crystal sealed through at least one liquid crystal injection port, wherein said element substrate and said counter substrate are bonded with a plurality of different sealing materials. It is.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an element substrate having a matrix circuit, an opposing substrate facing the element substrate, and a gap between the element substrate and the opposing substrate, at least one liquid crystal injection port. What is claimed is: 1. A liquid crystal display device having liquid crystal sealed therein, wherein said element substrate and said counter substrate are adhered with a first sealant and a second sealant. .

In the above structure, a short ring wiring is provided below the first sealing material via an interlayer insulating film.

The term "below the first sealant" as used herein refers to the base substrate side in the element substrate.

In the above configuration, the first sealing material and the second sealing material
In the seal material, at least fine particles or fibers are mixed, and the diameter of the fine particles or fibers mixed with the first seal material is larger than the diameter of the fine particles or fibers mixed with the second seal material. large.

In the above structure, the fine particles may include:
Glass fiber spacers, plastic sphere spacers, and alumina particles.

[0022]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The configuration of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic top structural view of the present invention, in which a peripheral circuit (peripheral drive circuit) and a display unit are integrated with a panel.

In the liquid crystal display device of the present invention, a spacer 118 is arranged on a pair of substrates (the element substrate and the counter substrate 101), and the periphery of the display portion is sealed with sealing materials 105 and 106 to form a cell. Is a liquid crystal display element in which a liquid crystal 119 is sealed and sealed with a sealing material 107.

The most characteristic configuration of the present invention is that a pair of substrates is bonded by two seal patterns. That is, the first seal pattern in which the short ring wiring is formed in the lower layer is composed of fine particles 1 having a large particle diameter.
09 is formed, and the second seal pattern is formed of the seal material 106 containing fine particles 110 smaller than the particle diameter of the first seal pattern.

A dummy wiring 113 is provided below the second seal pattern, and an interlayer insulating film (11) contacting the second seal pattern from the surface of the underlying substrate (100).
6) The distance to the surface is kept constant. On the other hand, since a short ring is provided below the first seal pattern, no dummy wiring is formed. Therefore, the distance from the surface of the underlying substrate to the surface of the interlayer insulating film (116) in contact with the first seal pattern is shorter than the distance from the surface of the underlying substrate to the surface of the interlayer insulating film (116) in contact with the second seal pattern. And there is a step.

The short ring wiring 111 is connected to the gate line of the pixel TFT of the matrix circuit, and extends across the sealing material 105 to the end of the substrate. Also,
The short ring wiring 112 is connected to the pixel T of the matrix circuit.
It is connected to the signal line of the FT, and extends to the edge of the substrate across the sealing material 105.

Actually, a number of these short ring wirings are provided, but only a few are shown in the figure for convenience. Also, a large number of wirings 117 are provided,
Similarly, only a few are shown in the figure for convenience.

In FIG. 1C, the particle size of the spacers 118 disposed in the display unit and the peripheral circuit 102 and the particle size of the fine particles 110 are substantially the same. The particle size of the spacer 118 of the display portion is larger than that of the display portion.

According to the present invention, the first seal pattern in which the short ring wiring is formed in the lower layer is formed of a seal material containing fine particles having a large particle diameter, and the second seal pattern is formed of the first seal pattern. The distance between the substrates is kept constant by using a sealing material containing fine particles smaller than the particle size of the seal pattern.

In the present invention, it is important that a dummy wiring does not exist under the first seal pattern formed of a seal material containing fine particles having a large particle diameter. The first seal pattern is desirably formed on all the short ring wirings 111 and 112 as shown in FIG. 1. However, if the distance between the substrates can be kept constant, all the short ring wirings are particularly preferable. There is no need to provide it above.

Further, the second seal pattern is extended to a part on the short ring wiring areas 103 and 104, and a margin is provided so that the second seal pattern can be securely adhered to the first seal pattern when the panels are bonded. It is desirable. However, the dummy wiring does not exist below the portion (margin) extending on the short ring wiring.

That is, in the seal forming region of the short ring region, the distance between the substrates is kept constant by the fine particles having a large particle diameter. In the seal forming region other than the short ring forming region, the distance between the substrates is kept constant by the fine particles having a small particle diameter.

Further, an end of a seal pattern formed of a seal material containing fine particles having a large particle diameter, and an end of a seal pattern formed of a seal material containing fine particles of a small particle diameter. In the joint of the above, the distance between the substrates is kept constant by the fine particles having a large particle diameter.

According to the present invention, a sealing material containing fine particles having a particle size larger by the step of the surface of the interlayer insulating film (116) is used for the first sealing pattern. That is, in the seal pattern forming region, the particle size of the fine particles mixed with the sealant is adjusted in order to keep the substrate interval constant.

[0035]

【Example】

[Embodiment 1] Hereinafter, a specific embodiment of the present invention will be described, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. FIG.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a)
FIG. 1B is a basic top view of the liquid crystal cell, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along a line BB ′ perpendicular to the substrate and showing the inside. Hereinafter, a manufacturing process of the panel of this embodiment will be described.

First, an element substrate and a counter substrate 101 are prepared.

The element substrate refers to a substrate on which an active matrix circuit and peripheral circuits are provided on a base substrate 100. Here, 103 is a short ring wiring area (scanning line side), 111 is a short ring wiring, 104 is a short ring wiring area (signal line side), 112 is a short ring wiring, 113 is a dummy wiring, 114 is a base film or a first wiring. Reference numeral 115 denotes a second interlayer insulating film;
Reference numeral 16 denotes a third interlayer insulating film, and 117 denotes a wiring having a lead terminal at an end.

The dummy wirings 113 are provided on the element substrate. In the area where the seal pattern is formed, the wiring 117 having the lead-out terminal (100) at the end becomes a convex portion. It is formed at the same time to make the thickness uniform.

The opposing substrate 101 is a substrate provided so as to oppose the element substrate, on which an opposing electrode, a color filter and the like are formed. The base substrate and the counter substrate are not particularly limited as long as they are substrates having an insulating property, such as a glass substrate and a plastic substrate.

Next, an alignment film (not shown) for aligning liquid crystal is applied to the element substrate and the opposing substrate, and rubbing is performed after firing. In this embodiment, the liquid crystal is vertically aligned.

Next, the spacers 118 are selectively dispersed to the display section and the peripheral circuit 102. As the spacer material, a spherical material such as a polymer material, a glass material, and a silica material is used. Spacers are uniformly dispersed in the display portion surrounded by the sealing material, and have a function of making the cell intervals uniform. In this embodiment, the particle size of the spacer 118 is 5 μm.

Thereafter, a seal pattern of the panel is provided on the element substrate or the counter substrate by a seal printing machine or a seal dispenser. As the sealing materials 105 and 106, a sealing resin or the like which has ultraviolet curability or thermosetting and is mixed with columnar fibers or fine particles 109 and 110 is used.

Examples of the fine particles 109 and 110 include glass fiber spacers, plastic sphere spacers, and alumina particles.

In this embodiment, a seal pattern is provided by using two types of seal materials 105 and 106 containing fine particles having different particle diameters. This is because the surface of the element substrate in this embodiment has a step, and in particular, in the short ring wiring formation regions 103 and 104, the distance from the surface of the base substrate (100) to the surface of the interlayer insulating film (116) is different. This is because it is shorter than the distance from the surface of the base substrate (100) to the surface of the interlayer insulating film (116).

Therefore, in the region where the short ring wiring is formed in the lower layer, the first seal pattern is formed by the seal material 105 containing the fine particles 109 having a large particle diameter. In a region where the short ring wiring does not exist in the lower layer, fine particles 11 having a particle diameter smaller than that of the first seal pattern are provided.
A second seal pattern is formed with the seal material 106 containing 0. Further, the difference between the particle size of the fine particles 109 of the first sealing material and the particle size of the fine particles 110 of the second sealing material is as follows.
The structure was substantially equal to the distance of the step of the interlayer insulating film 116. By doing so, the configuration is such that the substrate interval is kept constant. In this embodiment, the fine particles 109 have a particle diameter of 4.2 μm, and the fine particles 110 have a particle diameter of 4 μm.

The shape of the sealing material is not limited to the square frame shape as shown in FIG. 1, but may be any shape according to the shape of the display area required for the element.

Next, the element substrate or the opposing substrate provided with the spacer and the seal pattern are overlapped and bonded by hot pressing. At this time, two types of seal patterns are joined.

Next, an inlet for liquid crystal material is formed by a dividing step using a scriber and a breaker, and one or more inlets are provided on the side where the pair of end faces of the panel are aligned. At this time, the short ring is also cut.

The liquid crystal layer is formed by injecting the liquid crystal material 119 from the liquid crystal injection port and sealing the injection port with the sealing material 107.

As the liquid crystal material 119, nematic, smectic, cholesteric and the like can be used. Here, a nematic liquid crystal is used.

As the sealing material 107, an ultraviolet-curing or thermosetting sealing resin was used.

In this embodiment, a transmission type liquid crystal display element was manufactured. However, when a reflection type liquid crystal display element was manufactured, a reflection electrode was provided on an element substrate, and the diameter of a spacer in a display portion was 5 μm. The particle diameter of the fine particles contained in the first sealing material is 3.8 μm, and the particle diameter of the fine particles contained in the second sealing material is 3 μm.

As described above, the substrate interval and the cell interval can be made constant, and a liquid crystal display device having a uniform background color and good display characteristics can be obtained.

[Embodiment 2] FIG. 2 is a structural view of this embodiment. The present embodiment is an example in the case of being configured with four seal patterns. The basic configuration is almost the same as that manufactured in the first embodiment. 2, reference numeral 200 denotes a base substrate; 201, a counter substrate; 202, a display unit and peripheral (drive) circuits; 207, a sealing material;
Reference numeral 17 denotes a wiring having a lead terminal (208) at an end.

Only the short ring wiring regions 203 and 204 have a configuration in which the first sealing material 205 is formed in contact with the outer edge of the second sealing material 206. By doing so, it is possible to ensure a configuration in which the dummy wiring does not exist in the lower layer of the first seal pattern formed of the seal material containing the fine particles having a large particle diameter.

In this embodiment, the diameter of the spacer arranged in the display section and the peripheral (drive) circuit 202 is 4.5 μm.
m, the particle size of the fine particles contained in the first sealing material is 4
μm, and the particle diameter of the fine particles contained in the second sealing material was 3.8 μm.

[Embodiment 3] FIG. 3 is a structural view of this embodiment. The present embodiment is an example in the case of being configured with four seal patterns. The basic configuration is almost the same as that manufactured in the first embodiment. 3, reference numeral 300 denotes a base substrate; 301, a counter substrate; 302, a display portion and peripheral (drive) circuits; 307, a sealing material;
Reference numeral 17 denotes a wiring having a lead terminal (308) at an end.

The first sealant 305 is formed only in the short ring wiring regions 303 and 304 in contact with the inner edge of the second sealant 306. By doing so, it is possible to ensure a configuration in which the dummy wiring does not exist in the lower layer of the first seal pattern formed of the seal material containing the fine particles having a large particle diameter.

In this embodiment, the diameter of the spacer arranged in the display section and the peripheral (drive) circuit 302 is 5 μm.
The particle size of the fine particles contained in the first sealing material is 4.2.
The second sealing material used had a particle diameter of 4 μm.

[Embodiment 4] In this embodiment, an example of an electronic apparatus (applied product) using an electro-optical device using the present invention is shown in FIG. Note that an electronic device refers to a product on which a semiconductor circuit and / or an electro-optical device is mounted.

The electronic equipment to which the present invention can be applied includes a video camera, an electronic still camera, a projector, a head-mounted display, a car navigation, a personal computer, a portable information terminal (mobile computer, mobile phone, PHS (personal handy phone system)), and the like. ).

FIG. 6A shows a mobile phone, and a main body 200.
1, audio output unit 2002, audio input unit 2003, display device 2004, operation switch 2005, antenna 2006
It consists of. The present invention can be applied to the audio output unit 2002, the audio output unit 2003, the display device 2004, and the like.

FIG. 6B shows a video camera,
101, display device 2102, audio input unit 2103, operation switch 2104, battery 2105, image receiving unit 210
6. The present invention can be applied to the display device 2102, the sound input unit 2103, the image receiving unit 2106, and the like.

FIG. 6C shows a mobile computer (mobile computer), which includes a main body 2201 and a camera section 2.
202, an image receiving unit 2203, operation switches 2204, and a display device 2205. The present invention is a camera unit 220.
2. Applicable to the image receiving unit 2203, the display device 2205, and the like.

FIG. 6D shows a head-mounted display, which includes a main body 2301, a display device 2302, and a band 2
303. The present invention can be applied to the display device 2302.

FIG. 6E shows a rear type projector, which includes a main body 2401, a light source 2402, a display device 2403,
Polarizing beam splitter 2404, reflector 240
5, 2406 and a screen 2407. The invention can be applied to the display device 2403.

FIG. 6F shows a front type projector, which includes a main body 2501, a light source 2502, and a display device 250.
3. It comprises an optical system 2504 and a screen 2505. The invention can be applied to the display device 2503.

As described above, the applicable range of the present invention is extremely wide, and can be applied to electronic devices in all fields. Further, the present invention can be applied to all products requiring an electro-optical device or a semiconductor circuit.

[0069]

According to the present invention, a plurality of sealing materials in which fine particles having different particle sizes are mixed are used.

Since the sealing material containing the fine particles having a large particle diameter is provided at the location of the short ring, and the sealing material containing the fine particles having the small particle diameter is provided at other locations, a certain substrate is provided. It is possible to provide a liquid crystal display device device which maintains the interval with high precision, has no display unevenness such as interference colors, and has good contrast.

In particular, the present invention is most effective in a liquid crystal display device utilizing the birefringence of liquid crystal (ECB mode). Further, the present invention can be applied to all liquid crystal display modes such as a transmission type liquid crystal display element and a reflection type liquid crystal display element, typically, a TN type liquid crystal display element and an S-TN type liquid crystal display element. The same effect can be obtained, that is, good contrast can be obtained without display unevenness such as interference color (brightness unevenness and the like).

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a top structural view and a sectional view according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top structural view according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top structural view according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a conventional example.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a conventional example.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of an electric device.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Base substrate 101 Counter substrate 102 Display unit and peripheral circuit 103 Short ring wiring region (scanning line side) 104 Short ring wiring region (signal line side) 105 First sealant 106 Second sealant 107 Sealant 108 Pull out Terminal 109 Fine particles (first sealing material) 110 Fine particles (second sealing material) 111 Short ring wiring (scanning line) 112 Short ring wiring (signal line) 113 Dummy wiring 114 Base film or first interlayer insulating film 115 Second interlayer insulating film 116 Third interlayer insulating film 117 Wiring having a lead terminal at an end 118 Spacer (display unit and peripheral circuit 1)
02) 119 liquid crystal material

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A liquid crystal display comprising: an element substrate having a matrix circuit; a counter substrate facing the element substrate; and a liquid crystal sealed in at least one liquid crystal injection port in a gap between the element substrate and the counter substrate. An element device, wherein the element substrate and the counter substrate are bonded with a plurality of different sealing materials. 2. A liquid crystal display comprising: an element substrate having a matrix circuit; a counter substrate facing the element substrate; and a liquid crystal sealed in at least one liquid crystal injection port in a gap between the element substrate and the counter substrate. An element device, wherein the element substrate and the counter substrate are bonded with a first sealant and a second sealant. 3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2, wherein a short ring wiring is provided below the first sealing material via an interlayer insulating film. 4. A method according to claim 2, wherein at least fine particles or fibers are mixed in the first sealing material and the second sealing material, and the diameter of the fine particles or fibers mixed in the first sealing material. Is a liquid crystal display device having a diameter larger than the diameter of fine particles or fibers mixed in the second sealing material. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fine particles are
A liquid crystal display device using a material selected from glass fiber spacers, plastic sphere spacers, and alumina particles.