JP3988067B2 - Electro-optical device component manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an electro-optical device component such as a color filter or an electroluminescence element matrix. In particular, the surface after drying is flattened by controlling the drying speed of electro-optical device parts manufactured by ejecting liquid materials such as fine ink droplets at positions where pixels are formed on the substrate. Regarding technology.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a method for manufacturing electro-optical device components such as color filters, a method using an inkjet method has been proposed. In this method, after a partition is formed on a transparent substrate in a matrix, a liquid material is applied to the partition using an inkjet method.
[0003]
In such a conventional method for manufacturing an electro-optical device component, when discharging a liquid material, the liquid material is applied to the extent that it rises above the partition on the substrate. When this is baked at a predetermined temperature and dried and cured, the volume is reduced and the surface is flattened.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, for example, in a color filter, if the leveling property of the ejected ink is insufficiently controlled, the volume of the ink at the time of drying is too large and rises above the partition on the substrate, or the volume at the time of drying. May be too small and become a dented shape.
[0005]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the ink surface of a pixel immediately after ink ejection and after drying. In each of FIGS. 1A to 1C, reference numeral 21 denotes an ink surface immediately after ink ejection, and reference numeral 22 denotes an ink surface when the ink is dried and solidified. As shown in each figure, the rise of the ink surface 21 immediately after ink ejection is not different in FIGS. 1 (a) to 1 (c). However, the ink surface 22 when the ink is dried and solidified is raised above the pixel partition in FIG. 1A, and is recessed below the upper end of the pixel partition in FIG. 1B. In FIG. 1C, the ink surface is flat with the same height as the upper end of the partition.
[0006]
The difference in the ink surface after drying is caused because the drying conditions are different even if the amount and concentration of the ink are the same. For example, when ink is ejected and dried under high temperature conditions, the drying proceeds faster, and the ink volume tends to become smaller as shown in FIG. Conversely, when drying is performed under a low temperature condition, the drying becomes slow, and the volume of the ink after drying tends not to be so small as shown in FIG.
[0007]
Therefore, in order to bring the dried ink surface into a desired state as shown in FIG. 1C, it is necessary to control the drying conditions of the ink. However, ink surface variations may occur between pixels on the same color filter substrate. In particular, variation occurs between the peripheral pixel and the central pixel of the pixel formation region, and between the peripheral pixel and the central pixel of the color filter substrate. This is considered to be because the drying speed of the peripheral edge of the pixel formation region is faster than that of the central part, and the drying speed of the peripheral edge of the substrate is faster than that of the central part of the substrate. Such a difference in leveling property on the same substrate is not preferable because it causes uneven color and tone difference.
[0008]
In order to solve this difference in drying speed, a mechanical device for accelerating the drying of the central pixel can be considered, but its design is not always easy.
[0009]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing an electro-optical device component that has a simple configuration and suppresses a difference in drying conditions of a liquid material, and has no uneven color, uneven color, and uneven brightness.
[0010]
In order to solve the above-described problem, an electro-optical device component manufacturing method according to the present invention includes a pixel formation region in which a plurality of pixels are continuously formed with a predetermined interval, and a non-formation region in which no pixels are formed over the predetermined interval. A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device component by discharging a predetermined liquid material to each pixel on a substrate, wherein the substrate is divided into a plurality of pixel formation regions by the non-formation region. Each of which includes a plurality of pixels, the step of discharging the liquid material to each pixel of the pixel formation region, and a part of the non-formation region surrounding each of the plurality of pixel formation regions, A step of surrounding the pixel formation region and discharging the liquid material; and a step of drying the discharged liquid material, wherein the non-formation region and the plurality of pixel formations are provided in the non-formation region Discharging at least the same amount of liquid material to the amount of liquid material to be discharged to the pixels forming the boundary line between the band.
[0011]
Thereby, the drying conditions of the liquid material in the pixel region can be made uniform, the surface after drying can be made uniform, and an electro-optical device component free from uneven color, uneven color tone, and uneven luminosity can be manufactured.
[0012]
In order to solve the above problems, a method for manufacturing an electro-optical device component according to another invention includes a pixel formation region in which a plurality of pixels are continuously formed at a predetermined interval, and a non-formation region in which no pixels are formed over the predetermined interval. A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device component by discharging a predetermined liquid material to each pixel on a substrate provided with the substrate, wherein the substrate is divided into a plurality of pixel formation regions by the non-formation region, and the pixel formation Each of the regions includes a plurality of pixels, a step of discharging the liquid material to each pixel of the pixel formation region, and a step of discharging the liquid material surrounding the plurality of pixel formation regions When,
And drying the discharged liquid material.
[0013]
In the electro-optical device component manufacturing method according to the aspect of the invention, the substrate may be a color filter substrate and eject ink as the liquid material. Thereby, it becomes easy to flatten the ink surface after drying, and a color filter free from uneven color and uneven color tone can be produced.
[0017]
Further, it is desirable to discharge at least the same amount of liquid material as the amount of liquid material discharged to the outermost pixel in the substrate into the discharge area in the non-formation region.
[0018]
In the method of manufacturing an electro-optical device component according to the aspect of the invention, a first discharge area that surrounds each of the plurality of pixel formation areas and discharges the liquid material, and surrounds the whole of the plurality of pixel formation areas. It is good also as providing the 2nd discharge area which discharges a liquid material.
[0019]
Further, the second discharge area may be formed outside the first discharge area.
[0020]
In the electro-optical device component manufacturing method according to the aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the ejection area in the non-formation area is formed along a boundary with the pixel formation area.
[0021]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
First, a method for manufacturing a color filter according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0022]
(Color filter configuration)
FIG. 2 shows a planar shape of a color filter substrate used when manufacturing a color filter in this embodiment. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in a circle indicated by a symbol A in FIG.
[0023]
As shown in FIG. 2, the color filter substrate 12 is in a state in which a plurality of panel chips 11 serving as a single color filter are arranged on a plane. In this embodiment, one color filter substrate 12 is composed of 8 × 12 = 96 panel chips 11. When manufacturing the color filter, the plurality of panel chips 11 are collectively ejected and dried, and then separated into panel chips to form a color filter.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 3, the panel chip 11 includes pixels 13 arranged in a matrix, and the boundary between the pixels is partitioned by a partition 14. Further, there is a non-formation region 19 in which no pixels are formed outside the pixel formation region in which the plurality of pixels 13 are continuously formed via the partition 14.
[0025]
In manufacturing the color filter, several drops of red, green, or blue ink are ejected to each of the pixels 13 one by one. In the example of FIG. 3, the arrangement of red, green, and blue is a so-called mosaic type. However, as long as the three colors are arranged uniformly, other arrangements such as a stripe type may be used.
[0026]
4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB ′ of FIG. The panel chip 11 constituting the color filter substrate includes a light transmitting layer 15 and a partition 14 that is a light shielding layer. The portion where the partition 14 is not formed (removed) forms the pixel 13. A color filter is formed by discharging liquid ink of each color to the pixel 13 and drying and solidifying the ink.
[0027]
(Disposition of ejected ink)
In the present invention, ink droplets are ejected so as to surround a pixel formation region in which a plurality of pixels are continuously formed in a non-formation region in which no pixels are formed in the panel chip, and the drying condition of the peripheral portion of the pixel formation region is set as a pixel. By approaching the drying condition at the center of the formation region, the drying speed of the peripheral portion of the pixel formation region is appropriately controlled.
[0028]
The embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 shows a planar positional relationship between the ink ejection pattern and the arrangement of pixels on the panel chip in the color filter manufacturing method according to the present embodiment. Reference numeral 13 in FIG. 5 indicates the position of each pixel. Reference numeral 17 denotes an ink ejection position. As shown in this figure, ink is ejected to each pixel on the panel chip, and ink is ejected along a boundary with the pixel formation region to a region where no pixel is formed. In particular, the first dummy that ejects a dummy ink droplet is equivalent to the case where there is another column of pixels on the non-forming region side with respect to the pixel that forms the boundary line between the pixel forming region and the non-forming region. Provide an area.
[0029]
In this case, it is desirable that the first dummy area is ejected with ink droplets that are equal to or more than the amount of ink droplets per pixel in the pixel formation area for each adjacent pixel. For example, if the ink droplet per pixel in the pixel formation region is about 70 picoliters, 70 picoliters or more are also placed next to the pixels forming the boundary line between the pixel formation region and the non-formation region. Ink droplets are ejected.
[0030]
Thereby, the ink drying condition of the pixel located in the peripheral part of the panel chip and the ink drying condition of the pixel located in the center part of the panel chip can be made closer. The color of the ink ejected to the part other than the pixel is not particularly limited. The order of ink ejection is not particularly limited, and may be programmed in consideration of the production efficiency of the color filter, such as the moving distance of the inkjet head.
[0031]
When an experiment was performed by actually ejecting ink, in the conventional method, the color variation ΔE between pixels was 7, but in this embodiment, ΔE is less than 3 and a color filter with small variation is manufactured. We were able to.
[0032]
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the arrangement of dummy regions. As shown in FIG. 6, a second dummy region 32 is provided outside the first dummy region 31 and along the peripheral edge of the color filter substrate 12 so as to surround the entire plurality of pixel formation regions. It is desirable that the amount of ink per unit area ejected to the second dummy region 32 is equal to the amount of ink per unit area of ink droplets ejected to the color filter. In addition, at least the same amount of ink droplets as the amount of ink droplets for the outermost pixel in the substrate are ejected to the second dummy area. Thereby, the ink drying condition of the pixel located in the peripheral part of the color filter substrate can be brought close to the ink drying condition of the pixel located in the center part of the color filter substrate.
[0033]
When an experiment was performed by actually ejecting ink, in the conventional method, the color variation ΔE between all the chips was 7, but in this embodiment, ΔE is less than 3 and a color filter with small variation is used. Could be manufactured.
[0034]
(Color filter manufacturing process)
Hereinafter, the manufacturing process of the color filter according to the manufacturing method of the present embodiment will be described in more detail.
[0035]
The surface of a transparent substrate made of non-alkali glass having a thickness of 0.7 mm, length of 38 cm, and width of 30 cm is washed with a cleaning solution in which 1% by weight of hydrogen peroxide is added to hot concentrated sulfuric acid, and rinsed with pure water. Air dry to obtain a clean surface. A chromium film with an average thickness of 0.2 μm was formed on this surface by sputtering to obtain a metal layer. Photoresist OFPR-800 (manufactured by Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.) was spin coated on the surface of this metal layer. The substrate was dried on a hot plate at 80 ° C. for 5 minutes to form a photoresist layer.
[0036]
A mask film on which a required matrix pattern shape was drawn was brought into close contact with the surface of the substrate, and exposure was performed with ultraviolet rays. Next, this was immersed in an alkaline developer containing potassium hydroxide at a ratio of 8% by weight to remove the unexposed photoresist and pattern the resist layer. Subsequently, the exposed metal layer was removed by etching with an etchant containing hydrochloric acid as a main component. In this way, a light shielding layer (black matrix) having a predetermined matrix pattern was obtained. The thickness of the light shielding layer was about 0.2 μm. The width of the light shielding layer was approximately 22 μm.
[0037]
On this substrate, a negative transparent acrylic photosensitive resin composition was further applied by spin coating. After prebaking at 100 ° C. for 20 minutes, UV exposure was performed using a mask film on which a predetermined matrix pattern shape was drawn. The unexposed resin was developed with an alkaline developer, rinsed with pure water, and spin-dried. After baking as final drying was performed at 200 ° C. for 30 minutes, the resin portion was sufficiently cured, and a bank layer was formed. The bank layer had an average film thickness of 2.7 μm. The width of the bank layer was approximately 14 μm. The light shielding layer had a ring-shaped exposed surface having a width of about 4 μm on the upper surface.
[0038]
In order to improve the ink wettability of the colored layer forming region partitioned by the obtained light shielding layer and bank layer, dry etching, that is, atmospheric pressure plasma treatment was performed. A high voltage is applied to a gas mixture of helium and oxygen at 20%, a plasma atmosphere is formed at an etching spot at atmospheric pressure, and the substrate is etched by passing under the etching spot to form a colored layer together with the bank layer. The activation process of the area | region (exposed surface of a glass substrate) was performed. Immediately after this treatment, the contact angle for water on the contrast test plate averaged 50 ° on the bank layer, whereas it averaged 35 ° on the glass substrate.
[0039]
Ink was applied to the colored layer formation region from the ink jet printing head while controlling the ink as a coloring material with high accuracy, and the ink was applied. As the ink jet printing head, a precision head using the piezoelectric effect was used, and 3 to 8 droplets of 20 picoliters were selectively ejected for each color forming region. In order to prevent the flying speed from the head to the target colored layer formation area, the flight curve, and the generation of split stray droplets called satellites, not only the physical properties of the ink but also the voltage that drives the piezo element of the head and its waveform is important. Therefore, a pre-set waveform was programmed, and ink droplets were simultaneously applied with three colors of red, green, and blue to form a colored layer having a predetermined color arrangement pattern.
[0040]
As an ink, after dispersing an inorganic pigment in a polyurethane resin oligomer, cyclohexanone and butyl acetate are added as a low boiling point solvent, butyl carbitol acetate is added as a high boiling point solvent, and 0.01% by weight of a nonionic surfactant is further added. A dispersant having a viscosity of 6 to 8 centipoise was used.
[0041]
After coating, the ink layer was set by leaving it in a natural atmosphere for 3 hours, then heated on a hot plate at 80 ° C. for 40 minutes, and finally heated in an oven at 200 ° C. for 30 minutes. The layer was cured to obtain a colored layer. Under these conditions, the variation in film thickness in the colored layer, particularly in the transmission part thereof, can be suppressed to 10% or less, and as a result, the color difference of the color tone of the colored layer can be suppressed to 3 or less, and further to 2 or less.
[0042]
A transparent acrylic resin paint was spin coated on the substrate to obtain an overcoat layer having a smooth surface. Furthermore, an electrode layer made of ITO was formed on the upper surface in a required pattern to obtain a color filter. The obtained color filter passed durability tests, such as a heat cycle durability test, an ultraviolet irradiation test, and a humidification test, and confirmed that it could be sufficiently used as an element substrate for liquid crystal display devices and the like.
[0043]
(Examples of other electro-optical device parts)
In the above-described embodiment, the color filter is described as an example of the electro-optical device component. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a liquid material such as an EL element matrix or an MLA (microlens array) used in an EL (electroluminescence) display device is used. The present invention can be applied to various electro-optical device components that include a step of applying and drying the material.
[0044]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, by uniformizing the drying condition of the liquid material at the peripheral portion and the central portion of the pixel formation region or the peripheral portion and the central portion of the substrate, the electro-optic without uneven color, uneven color tone, and uneven brightness. A method for manufacturing an apparatus component can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state of an ink surface of a pixel immediately after ink ejection and after drying.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a color filter substrate used when manufacturing a color filter in an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in a circle indicated by reference symbol A in FIG. 2;
4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB ′ of FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a planar positional relationship between an ink ejection pattern and a pixel arrangement in a panel chip in the color filter manufacturing method according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the arrangement of dummy areas.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13 ... Pixel, 17 ... Liquid substance, 19 ... Non-formation area, 21 ... Ink surface immediately after ink discharge, 22 ... Ink surface after ink drying, 12 ... Substrate, 11 ... Panel chip, 14 ... Partition, 15 ... Translucent Layer 31 ... first dummy region 32 ... second dummy region

Claims (7)

An electro-optical device component by ejecting a predetermined liquid material to each pixel on a substrate including a pixel forming region in which a plurality of pixels are continuously formed at a predetermined interval and a non-forming region in which pixels are not formed over the predetermined interval. A manufacturing method of
The substrate is divided into a plurality of pixel formation regions by the non-formation region, and each of the pixel formation regions includes a plurality of pixels.
Discharging the liquid material to each pixel in the pixel formation region;
Discharging the liquid material surrounding the pixel formation region to a part of the non-formation region surrounding each of the plurality of pixel formation regions;
Drying the discharged liquid material, and
In the non-formation region, a liquid material is ejected at least in the same amount as the amount of the liquid material that is ejected to pixels that form a boundary line between the non-formation region and the plurality of pixel formation regions.
Manufacturing method of electro-optical device components. An electro-optical device component by ejecting a predetermined liquid material to each pixel on a substrate including a pixel forming region in which a plurality of pixels are continuously formed at a predetermined interval and a non-forming region in which pixels are not formed over the predetermined interval. A manufacturing method of
The substrate is divided into a plurality of pixel formation regions by the non-formation region, and each of the pixel formation regions includes a plurality of pixels.
Discharging the liquid material to each pixel in the pixel formation region;
Surrounding the entire plurality of pixel formation regions and discharging the liquid material;
And a step of drying the discharged liquid material. A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device component according to claim 1,
The method of manufacturing an electro-optical device component, wherein the substrate is a color filter substrate and ejects ink as the liquid material. A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device component according to claim 2,
A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device component, wherein at least an amount of liquid material to be discharged to an outermost pixel in the substrate is discharged to a discharge area in the non-formation region. A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device component according to claim 2 or 3,
A first discharge area surrounding each of the plurality of pixel formation areas and discharging the liquid material;
A method for manufacturing an electro-optical device component, comprising: a second discharge region that surrounds the plurality of pixel formation regions and discharges the liquid material. A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device component according to claim 5,
The method of manufacturing an electro-optical device component, wherein the second discharge area is formed outside the first discharge area. An electro-optical device component manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device component in which the ejection area in the non-formation area is formed along a boundary with the pixel formation area.

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