KR20040043928A - Liquid Crystal Display Panel And Fabricating Method and Apparatus Thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display panel capable of forming a spacer at a desired position, and a method and apparatus for manufacturing the same.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a liquid crystal display panel includes a substrate having a mixed layer of a spacer material and a liquid crystal material, a surface treatment pattern formed on a non-display area of the substrate and formed of a material having high reactivity with the spacer material, and the surface treatment. And a spacer formed by combining the pattern and the spacer material.

Description

Liquid Crystal Display Panel And Fabricating Method And Apparatus Thereof}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display panel, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display panel capable of forming a spacer at a desired position, and a method and apparatus for manufacturing the same.

In general, a liquid crystal display (LCD) displays an image by adjusting the light transmittance of the liquid crystal using an electric field. To this end, the liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel in which liquid crystal cells are arranged in a matrix, and a driving circuit for driving the liquid crystal display panel. The liquid crystal display panel is provided with pixel electrodes and a reference electrode, that is, a common electrode, for applying an electric field to each of the liquid crystal cells. In general, the pixel electrode is formed for each liquid crystal cell on the lower substrate, while the common electrode is integrally formed on the front surface of the upper substrate. Each of the pixel electrodes is connected to a thin film transistor (hereinafter referred to as "TFT") used as a switching element. The liquid crystal cell is driven along with the common electrode in accordance with the data signal supplied through the TFT.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional liquid crystal display panel.

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional liquid crystal display panel includes a black matrix 2, a color filter 30, a common electrode 28, and an upper alignment layer 24a that are sequentially formed on an upper substrate 31. ), A lower plate DP composed of a TFT formed on the lower substrate 1, a pixel electrode 22, and a lower alignment layer 24b, and a spacer 4 formed between the upper plate UP and the lower plate DP. And a liquid crystal (not shown) injected into the inner space provided by the upper plate UP, the lower plate DP, and the spacer 4.

In the upper plate UP, the black matrix 2 is formed in a matrix form on the upper substrate 31 to divide the surface of the upper substrate 31 into a plurality of cell regions in which the color filters 30 are to be formed, as well as adjacent cells. It serves to prevent optical interference between the liver. On the upper substrate 31 on which the black matrix 2 is formed, color filters 30 of red, green, and blue primary colors are sequentially formed. The common electrode 28 to which the ground potential is supplied is formed on the upper substrate 31 on which the black matrix 2 and the color filter 30 are formed. The upper alignment layer 24a is formed by applying a material such as polyimide onto the upper substrate 31 on which the common electrode 28 is formed and then performing a rubbing process.

The TFT for switching the driving of the liquid crystal cell on the lower plate includes the gate electrode 6 connected to the gate line (not shown), the source electrode 8 connected to the data line (not shown), and the pixel electrode 22 through the contact hole. And a drain electrode 10 connected to it. Further, the TFT is formed by the gate insulating film 12 for insulating the gate electrode 6, the source electrode 8, and the drain electrode 10, and the source electrode 8 by the gate voltage supplied to the gate electrode 6; The semiconductor layers 14 and 16 are further provided to form a conductive channel between the drain electrodes 10. This TFT selectively supplies the data signal from the data line to the pixel electrode 22 in response to the gate signal from the gate line. The pixel electrode 22 is formed of a transparent conductive material having a high light transmittance and positioned in a cell region divided by a data line and a gate line. The pixel electrode 22 is formed on the passivation layer 18 coated on the entire surface of the lower substrate 1, and is electrically connected to the drain electrode 10 through a contact hole formed in the passivation layer 18.

Since the upper substrate 31 and the lower substrate 1 of the conventional liquid crystal display panel are mainly made of glass, the liquid crystal panel is thick and heavy as a whole. In addition, the upper substrate 31 and the lower substrate 1 formed of glass have a problem of being easily broken by an external impact.

In order to solve this problem, in the paper "Novel Flexible Display using Ferroelectric Liquid-Crystalline Polymer and Plastic Film Substrate" (SID2001), the liquid crystal using the upper plastic substrate 40 and the lower plastic substrate 42 as shown in FIG. Display panels have been proposed.

A common electrode and an insulating film (not shown) are formed on the upper plastic substrate 40, and a plurality of electrode layers and insulating films (not shown) are formed on the lower plastic substrate 42. The column spacer 46 and the liquid crystal 44 are formed between the upper plastic substrate 40 and the lower plastic substrate 42.

The manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display panel formed of such a plastic substrate will be described with the manufacturing apparatus of the liquid crystal display panel shown in FIG.

First, the mixed solution 26 is deposited on the upper plastic substrate 40 on which the common electrode is formed through the mixed solution supply unit 48. In the mixed solution 26, the curable resin and the liquid crystal are mixed in the organic solvent. The upper plastic substrate 40 on which the mixed solution is deposited is irradiated with UV light generated by the heating unit 38. At this time, the curable resin irradiated with UV light is phase-separated from the liquid crystal to form a column spacer. Thereafter, the upper plastic substrate 40 and the lower plastic substrate 42 are bonded by passing through two bonding rollers 4a and 4b. The bonded upper plastic substrate 40 and the lower plastic substrate 42 are stretched while being pushed in the same direction by the plurality of stretching rollers 2a, 2b, and 2c to supply softening force to the liquid crystal. Thus, the liquid crystals are aligned in the same direction without the alignment film. Then, the upper and lower plastic substrates 40 and 42 having the liquid crystals oriented in the same direction are cut by the cutouts 36 to form a plurality of liquid crystal display panels.

The liquid crystal display panel formed of such a plastic substrate is formed such that the upper and lower plastic substrates 40 and 42 face each other with the column spacer 46 therebetween. The column spacer 46 is formed by phase-separation from the liquid crystal 44 contained in the mixed solution while irradiating UV light to the curable resin contained in the mixed solution. At this time, the UV light is also irradiated to the curable resin formed in the display region because there is no blocking portion for blocking the UV light in the display area, and thus, the column spacer 46 is randomly formed as shown in FIG. 4. Accordingly, there is a problem in that the display area is relatively reduced and the image quality is deteriorated.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display panel, a method and a device for manufacturing the same, which can form a spacer at a desired position.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional liquid crystal display panel.

2 is a cross-sectional view showing a liquid crystal display panel formed of a conventional plastic substrate.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a manufacturing apparatus for forming the liquid crystal display panel shown in FIG.

4 is a diagram illustrating a column spacer formed randomly in a display area and a non-display area of the liquid crystal display panel illustrated in FIG. 2.

5 is a cross-sectional view showing a liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a manufacturing apparatus for forming the liquid crystal display panel shown in FIG.

7A to 7C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method of manufacturing the surface treatment unit shown in FIG. 5.

8A and 8B are cross-sectional views illustrating another method of manufacturing the surface treatment unit shown in FIG. 5.

Figures 9a and 9b is a cross-sectional view showing another manufacturing method of the surface treatment unit shown in FIG.

10A to 10C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method of manufacturing the column spacer shown in FIG. 5.

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawing>

1,31: Substrate

2a, 2b, 2c, 4a, 4b, 32a, 32b, 32c, 34a, 34b

6 gate electrode 8 source electrode

10 drain electrode 12 gate insulating film

14 active layer 16 ohmic contact layer

18: protective film 20: contact hole

22: pixel electrodes 24a, 24b: alignment layer

26,46,56: Spacer 28: Black Matrix

30: color filter 38: heating unit

40, 42, 50, 51, 52: plastic substrate 44, 54: liquid crystal

48 liquid crystal injection unit 58 sealing line

In order to achieve the above object, a liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention is a substrate having a mixed layer mixed with a spacer material and a liquid crystal material, and a surface formed on a non-display area of the substrate and made of a material having high reactivity with the spacer material And a spacer formed by combining the treatment pattern and the surface treatment pattern and the spacer material.

The substrate is characterized in that formed of plastic.

The spacer material is characterized in that the photocurable material.

The surface treatment pattern is characterized in that the photocurable material.

The surface treatment pattern is characterized in that the photosensitive material.

In order to achieve the above object, the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention comprises the steps of forming a surface treatment pattern on the substrate, and depositing a mixture of the liquid crystal and the spacer material on the substrate on which the surface treatment pattern is formed; And irradiating light onto the substrate on which the mixed material is formed to form a spacer in which the surface treatment pattern and the spacer material are combined.

Forming the surface treatment pattern is a step of patterning the photosensitive material after depositing a photosensitive material on the substrate.

The forming of the surface treatment pattern may include depositing curable resin on the substrate, depositing and patterning photoresist on the curable resin to form a photoresist pattern, and etching using the photoresist pattern. It characterized in that it comprises a step of patterning the curable resin.

Forming the surface treatment pattern is characterized in that the step of mounting the curable resin on the substrate using an inkjet spraying.

The method of manufacturing the liquid crystal display panel may further include bonding the substrate and the second substrate to each other with the spacer interposed therebetween, and supplying and orienting an extension force to the substrate and the second substrate. .

At least one of the substrate and the second substrate is characterized in that it is formed of plastic.

In order to achieve the above object, the apparatus for manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention is located in a horizontal direction with the mixed solution supply unit for supplying the spacer material and the liquid crystal material on the substrate on which the surface treatment pattern is formed, and the mixed solution supply unit A light irradiation unit for irradiating light onto the surface, a bonding roller for bonding the substrate irradiated with the light and the second substrate, and a stretching roller for rubbing the bonded substrate and the second substrate.

Other objects and features of the present invention in addition to the above objects will be apparent from the description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 10C.

5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, the liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention includes an upper plastic substrate 50 and a lower plastic substrate 52 formed to face each other with the column spacer 56 therebetween.

A common electrode and an insulating film (not shown) are formed on the upper plastic substrate 50, and a plurality of electrode layers and insulating films (not shown) are formed on the lower plastic substrate 52.

The column spacer 56 serves to provide a space in which the liquid crystal can be formed between the upper plastic substrate 50 and the lower plastic substrate 52. As the liquid crystal, a ferroelectric liquid crystal having a high viscosity is mainly used. The column spacer 56 is positioned on the surface treatment unit 60 formed on at least one of the upper plastic substrate 50 and the lower plastic substrate 52. The surface treatment unit 60 is formed of a material having high reactivity with the column spacer 56 in the region where the column spacer 56 is to be formed. For example, the surface treatment unit 60 is formed of the same material as the photosensitive material or the column spacer 56.

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel formed of a plastic substrate having such a surface treatment unit will be described with reference to the apparatus for manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel shown in FIG. 6.

First, a surface treatment part is formed by surface treatment on a lower plastic substrate 52 on which a plurality of electrode layers and insulating layers are located. The mixed solution 80 is deposited on the lower plastic substrate 52 on which the surface treatment unit is formed through the mixed solution supply unit 78. In the mixed solution 80, a curable resin and a liquid crystal are mixed in an organic solvent. The lower plastic substrate 50 on which the mixed solution 80 is deposited is irradiated with UV light generated by the heating unit 68. At this time, the curable resin irradiated with UV light is phase-separated from the liquid crystal to form a spacer. Thereafter, the upper plastic substrate 50 and the lower plastic substrate 52 on which the surface treatment part is formed are bonded by passing through two bonding rollers 34a and 34b. The bonded upper plastic substrate 50 and the lower plastic substrate 52 are stretched by being pushed in a predetermined direction by a plurality of stretching rollers 32a, 32b, and 32c, so that the stretching force is supplied to the liquid crystal. Thus, the liquid crystals are aligned in the same direction without the alignment film. Then, the upper and lower plastic substrates 50 and 52 having the liquid crystals oriented in the same direction are cut by the cut portions 66 to form a plurality of liquid crystal display panels.

In the apparatus for manufacturing the liquid crystal display panel, since the mixed solution supply unit 78 and the heating unit 68 are horizontally positioned, the mixed solution 80 does not flow down.

7A to 7C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method of forming the surface treatment unit illustrated in FIG. 5 in steps.

First, as shown in FIG. 7A, a curable resin 60a having high reactivity with a mixed solution deposited later is deposited on the plastic substrate 51. Here, the plastic substrate 51 is at least one of the upper plastic substrate 50 and the lower plastic substrate 52. After the photoresist 70 is entirely deposited on the plastic substrate 51 on which the curable resin 60a is deposited, the photoresist pattern 72 is formed in the non-display area as shown in FIG. 7B by an exposure and development process. do. As the curable resin 60a is patterned by an etching process using the photoresist pattern 72, the surface treatment part 60 is formed on the non-display area of the plastic substrate 51 as shown in FIG. 7C.

8A through 8B are cross-sectional views illustrating another method of forming the surface treatment region illustrated in FIG. 5.

First, as shown in FIG. 8A, a curable resin 60b having good reactivity and photosensitive properties is deposited on the plastic substrate 51. Here, the plastic substrate 51 is at least one of the upper plastic substrate 50 and the lower plastic substrate 52. By patterning the photosensitive curable resin 60b in an exposure and development process, the surface treatment part 60 is formed on the non-display area of the plastic substrate 51 as shown in FIG. 8B.

9A and 9B are cross-sectional views illustrating yet another method for forming the surface treatment unit illustrated in FIG. 5.

First, the inkjet injection apparatus 74 is aligned on the plastic substrate 51 as shown in Fig. 9A. Curable resin 60c is settled on the non-display area of the plastic substrate 51 using this inkjet injection device 74. By curing the curable resin 60c seated on the plastic substrate 51 at a predetermined temperature, the surface treatment part 60 is formed on the non-display area of the plastic substrate 51 as shown in FIG. 9B.

10A through 10C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method of forming the spacer illustrated in FIG. 5 in steps.

First, the mixed solution 76 is entirely deposited on the plastic substrate 51 on which the surface treatment unit 60 is formed, as shown in FIG. 10A. The mixed solution 76 is a solution in which the curable resin 74 and the liquid crystal 54 are mixed. The curable resin 74 contained in the mixed solution 76 has good reactivity with the surface treatment part 60 and is collected toward the surface treatment part 60. Thereafter, the plastic substrate 51 on which the mixed solution 76 is deposited is irradiated with UV light as shown in FIG. 10B. The curable resin 74 gathered toward the surface treatment unit 60 by the irradiated UV light is separated from the liquid crystal 54 and is formed of a column spacer 56 and a sealing line 58 as shown in FIG. 10C. At this time, the column spacer 56 and the sealing line 58 are formed on the non-display area of the plastic substrate 51.

As described above, the liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention, and a method and apparatus for manufacturing the same, form a surface treatment part on a plastic substrate using a material having high reactivity with a spacer material. As a result, spacers are formed on the surface treatment unit to form spacers and sealing lines on desired non-display areas, thereby improving image quality.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the detailed description of the specification but should be defined by the claims.

Claims (12)

A substrate having a mixed layer in which a spacer material and a liquid crystal material are mixed; A surface treatment pattern formed on a non-display area of the substrate and formed of a material having a high reactivity with the spacer material; The spacer includes a spacer formed by combining the surface treatment pattern and the spacer material. The method of claim 1, And the substrate is formed of plastic. The method of claim 1, And the spacer material is a photocurable material. The method of claim 1, The surface treatment pattern is a liquid crystal display panel, characterized in that the photocurable material. The method of claim 1, The surface treatment pattern is a liquid crystal display panel, characterized in that the photosensitive material. Forming a surface treatment pattern on the substrate; Depositing a mixture of a liquid crystal and a spacer material on a substrate on which the surface treatment pattern is formed; And irradiating light to the substrate on which the mixture is formed to form a spacer in which a surface treatment pattern and a spacer material are combined. The method of claim 6, Forming the surface treatment pattern is And depositing a photosensitive material on the substrate, and then patterning the photosensitive material. The method of claim 6, Forming the surface treatment pattern is Depositing curable resin on the substrate; Depositing and patterning photoresist on the curable resin to form a photoresist pattern; And patterning the curable resin in an etching process using the photoresist pattern. The method of claim 6, Forming the surface treatment pattern is And a step of seating a curable resin on the substrate by using an inkjet spraying device. The method of claim 6, Bonding the substrate and the second substrate to each other with the spacer therebetween; The method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel further comprising the step of supplying and orienting a stretching force to the substrate and the second substrate. The method of claim 6, At least one of the substrate and the second substrate is formed of plastic. A mixed solution supply unit supplying a spacer material and a liquid crystal material on a substrate having a surface treatment pattern formed thereon; A light irradiation part positioned in a horizontal direction with the mixed solution supply part and irradiating light onto the substrate; A bonding roller for bonding the substrate to which the light is irradiated and the second substrate; And a drawing roller for rubbing the bonded substrate and the second substrate.