JP5096026B2 - Manufacturing method of liquid crystal display element - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is the production of liquid crystal display relates to a manufacturing method for the device, flat panel displays and flexible displays suitable liquid crystal display element which is particularly required display low power consumption and high-speed tone image to modulate the light using a liquid crystal It is about the method.

  In recent years, liquid crystal displays have become widespread and have come to be commercialized from small displays for mobile phones to medium-sized displays for notebook computers and even large displays for televisions. Until now, liquid crystal display panels have been made of glass, but if flexible plastic film substrates can be applied, scroll-type displays that can be rolled up freely and screen-type large displays that do not require a projector, etc. Various new displays can be realized. However, when a thin glass plate or a flexible plastic film is used as the substrate of the element, the substrate is easily deformed when a physical external pressure is applied to the element. For this reason, there is known a method for dispersing the spacers on the substrate to maintain the gap between the substrates. However, in such a method, the spacer moves as the substrate is deformed, and the uniformity of the film thickness of the liquid crystal layer is increased. As a result, the light modulation characteristics fluctuate.

  Therefore, a technique is known in which spacers whose peripheral surfaces are physically coated with a thermoplastic resin are dispersed on the substrate and adhered to the substrate by heat treatment to prevent the spacer from moving (for example, see Patent Document 1). However, this method has a problem that the surface treatment layer easily peels off during the dispersion and dissolves in the liquid crystal to contaminate the liquid crystal, so that the light modulation characteristics of the liquid crystal light modulator deteriorate.

  In addition, in order to prevent the peeling and dissolution of the resin, which is a problem in the above-described method, a method is known in which spacers in which a thermoplastic resin is chemically bonded to the peripheral surface are dispersed on the substrate and bonded to the substrate by heat treatment. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2).

  However, depending on this method, the adhesive force between the spacer and the substrate is weaker than when physically bonding, and there is a problem that the spacer is easily peeled off from the substrate when external pressure is applied.

  On the other hand, a method of directly manufacturing a spacer on a substrate is known. In particular, a technique is known in which a photoresist material is regularly formed on a substrate using a photolithography method.

  However, when the alignment film for aligning the liquid crystal is formed after the spacer is formed, there is a problem that the liquid crystal alignment is disturbed due to a rubbing defect near the spacer. On the other hand, when a spacer is formed after forming an alignment film that has been rubbed, there is a problem that the alignment film is contaminated by a resist for forming the spacer. Further, when a plastic film substrate having low heat resistance and chemical resistance is used, there are problems that the substrate is thermally deformed and a high-strength spacer cannot be formed.

  In order to solve such problems, in recent years, a method of integrally forming an alignment film and a spacer has been developed (see Patent Documents 3 and 4 below).

JP-A 63-94424 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-235527 JP-A-11-160708 JP 2006-30254 A

However, in the techniques described in Patent Documents 3 and 4, the alignment control of the liquid crystal molecules depends on the shape anisotropy of the resin surface of the alignment film. In principle, it has been difficult to give the spacer the function of aligning the liquid crystal molecules so that the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is aligned with the alignment function of the alignment film.
For this reason, even if the spacer and the alignment film are integrally formed, the alignment function has not been greatly improved.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has a spacer structure that keeps the film thickness of the liquid crystal layer constant against external force, and the liquid crystal molecules are uniform in the vicinity of both the spacer and the alignment film. together may be oriented exhibit good display function, it is an object to provide a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device capable of ensuring a large element strength.

The method for producing the liquid crystal display element of the present invention comprises:
A spacer having a height that determines the thickness of the liquid crystal layer and an alignment film for aligning the liquid crystal are formed on at least one of the two transparent substrates arranged so as to sandwich the liquid crystal layer with the same resin material. In the method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display element in which an alignment film with a spacer formed integrally is disposed,
In the step of forming the alignment film with spacers, first, grooves for forming the spacers are patterned, and the surface of the mold including the grooves is peeled off by a fluororesin material that gives a molecular alignment function to the alignment film. After the layer is attached and the surface of the release layer is rubbed, the mold is pressed against the liquid crystalline resin material applied on the transparent substrate to transfer the groove shape to form a spacer. In addition, the molecules of the liquid crystalline resin material are aligned by the alignment regulating action of the release layer to provide a molecular alignment function, and the alignment film and the spacer as a whole have the same surface molecules of the liquid crystalline resin material. it is oriented in the direction, thereafter, that curing the liquid resin material a molecular orientation is fixed, thereby forming an alignment film with a spacer which is molecularly oriented by releasing from the mold It is an butterfly.

Further, in the above-described method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device, between the transparent substrate and the spacer with the alignment film, it is preferable to form the alignment undercoat layer to control the molecular orientation of the orientation film with the spacer.

In the method for producing a liquid crystal display element, the liquid crystalline resin material is preferably composed of a photocurable or thermosetting liquid crystalline monomer.

In the method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element, the alignment film with a spacer is added with a dichroic dye, and the dichroic dye is in the same direction as the direction in which the alignment of the liquid crystalline resin material is controlled. Molecular orientation is preferred.

In the method for producing a liquid crystal display element of the present invention, it is preferable that the spacer and the alignment film are integrally formed using the same resin material on at least one of the two transparent substrates with transparent electrodes holding the liquid crystal. A liquid crystal display element having a good display function and element strength can be obtained.

In the method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element of the present invention, since an alignment film with a spacer formed by integrally forming a spacer and an alignment film is provided, problems such as separation of the spacer hardly occur, and a large element strength is obtained. Can be secured.

  In addition, since the alignment film of the present invention can exhibit an alignment function with respect to the liquid crystal by alignment control at the time of formation, direct rubbing is not required, and the problem of rubbing failure of the alignment film with spacers can be solved.

  In addition, since it is possible to control the molecular orientation of the spacer so as to be in the same direction as the molecular orientation of the orientation film, it extends in one direction from the vicinity of the surface of the orientation film to the vicinity of the surface of the spacer, and Liquid crystal molecules can be aligned in a nearly uniform state, and a good display function can be obtained.

  Further, according to the method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element of the present invention, in addition to the above effect, the mold having a predetermined fine structure is pressed against the alignment film with spacers, and the resin material is cured in this state, thereby Since an alignment film with a spacer can be easily obtained, a spacer structure having excellent element strength can be obtained because the influence of thermal deformation and chemical resistance of the substrate is extremely small.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to increase the size and weight of a flat display or the like and further improve the impact resistance.

A method of manufacturing the liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 shows a schematic configuration of a liquid crystal display element of one embodiment manufactured by the present invention production process (cross section). The liquid crystal display element of the present embodiment is configured to be a transmission type, and a pair of transparent substrates 1a and 1b are arranged to face each other, and transparent electrodes 6a and 6b are laminated inside the transparent substrates 1a and 1b. Of these transparent electrodes 6a and 6b, an alignment film 7 is formed inside the transparent electrode 6a, and an alignment film with a spacer formed of the alignment film 3 and a spacer 2 that maintains the thickness of the liquid crystal layer is formed inside the transparent electrode 6b. P is provided, and a nematic liquid crystal 4 is filled between the alignment film 7 and the alignment film P with the spacer. Further, in the present embodiment, a sealing agent 5 for preventing leakage of the liquid crystal 4 and an alignment base layer 8 for controlling the molecular alignment of the alignment film 3 are provided.

  In the liquid crystal display element, when a voltage is applied between the transparent electrodes 6a and 6b, the molecular arrangement of the liquid crystal 4 can be changed, and light incident on the liquid crystal 4 can be modulated by an external voltage.

  As a light modulation method at that time, a method of controlling a light scattering state by applying a voltage, a polarization state of light incident on the liquid crystal 4 by sandwiching the liquid crystal display element between a pair of polarizing plates and applying the voltage is used. Various display methods of the liquid crystal display element, such as a method of controlling the transmittance by changing, can be employed.

  In this embodiment, since the spacer 2 is integrally formed with the alignment film 3 to form the alignment film P with a spacer, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer can be kept constant without moving inside the liquid crystal. .

  The resin on the surface of the alignment film with spacer P is molecularly oriented so that the surface molecules of the spacer 2 and the alignment film 3 are aligned in the same direction, and the liquid crystal molecules are aligned in the molecular alignment direction of the resin. By arranging the liquid crystal 4 between the counter substrate side alignment film 7, the alignment of the liquid crystal can be controlled well. At that time, the alignment film P with spacer and the counter substrate side alignment film 7 can control the pretilt angle of alignment, and can be freely selected from a horizontal alignment film to a vertical alignment film. In particular, it has been confirmed that the liquid crystal molecular alignment exhibits good uniformity in the horizontal alignment aligned horizontally on the substrate surfaces of the transparent substrates 1a and 1b and in the vertical alignment aligned perpendicularly to the substrate surfaces. ing.

The counter substrate-side alignment film 7 does not necessarily have to be formed of the same material as the alignment film P with a spacer. For example, a rubbing or photo-aligned polyimide resin, polyvinyl alcohol resin, or obliquely deposited SiO, Various materials that function as an alignment film, such as SiO ₂ , can be used.

  In addition, the thickness of the alignment film 3 is preferably 1 μm or less, more preferably 500 nm or less from the viewpoint of molecular alignment control, but it is also possible to make the thickness larger than 1 μm. It is also possible to ensure insulation.

  Further, in order to sufficiently control the surface molecules of the alignment film 3 to obtain a sufficient function as the alignment film, it is preferable to provide an alignment underlayer 8 and the like so as to surely control the molecular alignment as will be described later.

  In addition, if a minute uneven structure is formed on the surface of the alignment film 3, in addition to the alignment control function of the alignment film, the alignment control function by the unevenness can be provided, and effects such as easy adjustment of the alignment regulating force can be achieved. Obtainable. For example, when a striped uneven structure is formed, liquid crystal molecules can be aligned along the direction of the stripe.

  In this case, the stripe pitch of the concavo-convex structure is preferably about several nm to several hundred nm from the viewpoint of imparting a sufficient alignment function to the liquid crystal molecules, but can of course have a structure of 1 μm or more. It is.

  As the shape of the concavo-convex structure, a shape in which the concavo-convex structure is connected in one direction like the above-described stripe shape is advantageous for controlling the alignment of liquid crystal molecules. For example, a columnar shape, a cylindrical shape, a prismatic shape, a pyramid shape, a wave shape It is also possible to take other various shapes and the like, and the shape is not necessarily limited to a symmetrical shape or a regular shape.

  Note that the alignment direction of the alignment film surface and the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules controlled by the concavo-convex structure do not necessarily coincide with each other.

  Further, the spacer 2 is not necessarily bonded to the counter substrate side. However, if the spacer 2 is bonded to the substrate surface using thermosetting, photocuring, or the like, higher element strength can be obtained.

  As the shape of the spacer 2, various shapes such as a circle, a quadrangle, a polygon, a stripe, and a lattice can be adopted.

  The height, width, density, etc. of the spacer 2 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the height of the spacer 2 is desirably 3 μm or less in the case of a ferroelectric liquid crystal element, and desirably 3 to 7 μm in the case of a nematic liquid crystal, but of course it is not limited to these ranges. Absent.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, since the alignment film P with spacers is molecularly aligned as a whole, the area from the vicinity of the surface of the alignment film 3 to the vicinity of the surface of the spacer 2 extends in one direction and one. The effect that the liquid crystal molecules can be aligned in a state close to the above can be obtained.

  Further, a dichroic dye material is added inside the alignment film P with spacer, and this dichroic dye is made to function as a polarizing plate by orienting the molecules in the alignment direction of the molecules constituting the alignment film P with spacer. Can do. In this case, since it is not always necessary to dispose the polarizing plate outside the transparent substrate 1b, the thickness of the element can be greatly reduced. Further, when a plastic substrate is used for the transparent substrates 1a and 1b, the substrate The effect of birefringence on the display can be eliminated.

  As the liquid crystal 4, various types of liquid crystal such as nematic liquid crystal, cholesteric liquid crystal, and smectic liquid crystal can be used.

However in order to obtain a fast response is a liquid crystal material having a low viscosity and high elasticity is suitable, as the chemical structure, the refractive index of the liquid crystal 4 anisotropy [Delta] n ([Delta] n = extraordinary refractive index n _e - ordinary refractive index n _o A nematic liquid crystal such as cyano, biphenyl, terphenyl, pyrimidine, tolan or fluorine is suitable.

  Further, a mode in which liquid crystal is aligned only on one side can be used, and the counter substrate side alignment film 7 can be omitted.

  Typical liquid crystal modes include twisted nematic (TN), super twisted nematic (STN), vertical alignment (VA), in-plane alignment (IPS), cholesteric alignment, bend alignment (OCB), and ferroelectric liquid crystal. Examples thereof include alignment, mono-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal alignment (V mode and half V mode), anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal alignment, or an alignment method in which a polymer is dispersed therein. Various modes used in the above can be adopted as appropriate.

  As the transparent substrates 1a and 1b, for example, a thin and flexible plastic film having a thickness of 0.4 mm or less or a thin glass plate having a thickness of 0.7 mm or less can be used.

  Examples of the plastic film material include polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyarylate, polyetherimide, acetylcellulose, polystyrene, polyethylene, and modified products thereof. It is not limited to materials.

  In addition, a high contrast liquid crystal display device can be configured by providing a backlight in the liquid crystal display element of the above embodiment.

  Further, by providing the liquid crystal display element with a light reflecting plate or a light diffusing plate, a low power consumption reflective liquid crystal display device which does not require a backlight can be configured.

  In the case of configuring such a reflective liquid crystal display device, in the above-described embodiment, one transparent substrate 1a, 1b is opaque, or one transparent electrode 6a, 6b is an opaque metal electrode. It is also possible to replace it.

  Similarly, a transflective element can be configured by providing a window that transmits light in a part of the light reflecting plate.

  In addition, a color filter, a black matrix, or the like may be provided between the transparent substrates 1a and 1b and the transparent electrodes 6a and 6b, and a TFT or the like for driving pixels can be mounted on the substrate. Various known structures used for liquid crystal display elements can be employed as appropriate.

Next, the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display element according to the embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described. FIG. 2 shows each processing step for forming the alignment film P with spacers on the transparent substrate 50.

In the present embodiment, first, the alignment base layer 40 is formed on the transparent substrate 50, and the liquid crystalline resin material 10 is applied thereon (FIG. 2A). Next, a release layer 30 that functions as an orientation function-imparting layer is applied to the surface of the mold 20 in which grooves for forming the spacers 60 are formed, and the mold is subjected to a rubbing treatment. 20 is pressed onto the liquid crystalline resin material 10 (FIG. 2B). In this state, the liquid crystalline resin material 10 is cured using a curing method described later, and then released from the mold 20 to thereby form a spacer in which the alignment film 70 and the spacer 60 are integrally formed on the transparent substrate 50. An alignment film P is obtained (FIG. 2C).

In the present embodiment, in the state of FIG. 2B, the liquid crystalline resin material 10 is in a state in which the orientation of the liquid crystalline resin material 10 is controlled by the action of the orientation base layer 40 and the release layer 30.
For example, when both the alignment base layer 40 and the release layer 30 function as a horizontal alignment film and the alignment control directions are parallel to each other, the liquid crystalline resin material 10 is homogeneously aligned in a direction horizontal to the transparent substrate 50. become. Similarly, when the alignment underlayer 40 and the release layer 30 function as a vertical alignment film, the liquid crystalline resin material 10 is homeotropic aligned.

When the liquid crystalline resin material 10 is cured in the above state, the alignment film P with the spacer is fixed in a state in which the molecular orientations of the alignment film 70 and the spacer 60 formed are maintained in the same direction. Therefore, when the liquid crystal element is manufactured, alignment regulation can be applied to the liquid crystal molecules even in the vicinity of the boundary region between the alignment film 70 and the spacer 60.
As described above, the molecular alignment of the alignment film 70 and the spacer 60 can be freely determined by the alignment regulating action of the alignment base layer 40 and the release layer 30.

  In addition, the alignment underlayer 40 can be controlled by various alignment control methods applicable to conventionally known liquid crystals, such as a rubbing method, a photo-alignment method, or a method of forming a fine groove. it can.

  When a conductive polymer material capable of molecular alignment by rubbing or the like is used as the transparent electrodes 6a and 6b, the molecular alignment control of the alignment film 70 and the spacer 60 of the alignment film P with the spacer without forming the alignment base layer 40. Can be done.

On the other hand, to the orientation control the release layer 30 was coated on the mold 20 is carried out using a rubbing method in the peeling layer 30.

  In addition, by performing rubbing treatment on a flat portion other than the groove portion of the release layer 30, at least one side of the liquid crystalline resin material 10 entering the groove portion can be prevented from being subjected to alignment regulation, and the alignment control of the spacer portion is weakened. It is possible.

  As the liquid crystalline resin material 10, it is possible to use various low molecular materials and high molecular materials whose molecular orientation can be controlled by the release layer 30 on the surface of the mold 20, and a thermosetting resin, a photocurable resin, Although materials such as a reaction curable resin and a thermoplastic resin can be used, it is desirable to use a photocurable resin that can be cured at room temperature with ultraviolet rays or the like, particularly when applied to a plastic substrate having low heat resistance. . Further, as the liquid crystalline resin material 10, various low molecular materials and polymer materials that can be controlled in molecular orientation can be used, and in particular, a thermosetting, photocurable, or reactive curable liquid crystal. Use of a monomer is preferable because the molecular orientation can be adjusted relatively freely.

  Specific resin materials for forming the liquid crystalline resin material 10 include methacrylic resin, acrylic resin, urethane resin, polyvinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, phenol resin, epoxy resin, cellulose resin, polyethylene, polypropylene, melanin resin, polyester, Examples thereof include polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl carbazole, polyvinyl acetate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, silicone resin, and copolymers thereof, but are not limited to these polymer resins.

  When an ultraviolet curable resin is used as the liquid crystalline resin material 10, for example, a method of curing the liquid crystalline resin material 10 by irradiating ultraviolet light from the transparent substrate 50 side or the mold 20 side as shown in FIG. It is also possible to use.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the mold 20 is irradiated with ultraviolet light, the mold 20 is made of quartz or glass, or a thin resin film formed on quartz or glass, etc. However, when irradiating ultraviolet light from the transparent substrate 50 side, an opaque mold 20 such as a resin film formed on a silicon substrate can be used, for example.

  The mold 20 can be produced by applying a photolithography method in which a negative or positive photoresist is coated on a substrate such as glass or silicon, and a mold such as a groove is formed by exposure and development. is there.

  Similarly, it is also possible to directly draw patterns such as grooves by irradiating the surface of the mold 20 or the surface of a resin material coated on a substrate such as glass or silicon with an electron beam or laser light. In particular, an extremely fine pattern can be formed by drawing using an electron beam.

  Moreover, when using a photocurable resin, it does not necessarily need to be an ultraviolet light depending on the resin material, For example, it can also be set as visible light.

  Further, when a thermosetting resin is used as the liquid crystalline resin material 10, by heating the transparent substrate 50 or the mold 20 in a state where the liquid crystalline resin material 10 is oriented, the liquid crystalline resin material 10 is thermally cured, An alignment film P with a spacer can be formed. In this case, it is desirable that the mold 20 also has a function as a heater.

  When a thermoplastic resin is used as the liquid crystalline resin material 10, for example, the liquid crystal resin material 10 is cooled after heating the transparent substrate 50 or the mold 20 to control the molecular orientation while softening the liquid crystalline resin material 10. By doing so, it is possible to form the alignment film P with spacers.

On the other hand, the forming material of the release layer 30 has a function of easily releasing the alignment film P with the spacer 20 from the mold 20 after the formation of the alignment film P with the spacer, in addition to the function of providing the alignment function. must have, Ru having a high peel material by full fluororesin.

  Examples of the fluororesin material include a methacrylic resin, acrylic resin, urethane resin, polyvinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, phenol resin, epoxy resin, cellulose resin, polyethylene, polypropylene, having a fluorine group (F) in a part of the molecular structure. Examples thereof include, but are not limited to, melanin resin, polyester, polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl carbazole, polyvinyl acetate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, silicon resin, and copolymers thereof.

  Further, when a dichroic dye material is mixed into the liquid crystalline resin material 10 and irradiated with ultraviolet rays in a state where the dichroic dye material is molecularly oriented together with the liquid crystalline resin material 10, the dichroic dye material is oriented. Therefore, the alignment film P with spacers can be given a function as a polarizing plate.

In addition, instead of the method shown in FIG. 2, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, it is possible to adopt a modified mode in which a fine concavo-convex structure is formed on a mold surface on which a peeling layer 130 is formed and subjected to a rubbing process. is there. In this way, the concavo-convex shape is transferred to the surface of the alignment film P with the spacer, and the action of this shape and the molecular alignment action of the surface molecules of the alignment film P with the spacer combine, for example, the alignment regulating force, It is possible to adjust with a larger range and a greater degree of freedom.

Hereinafter, the above-described modification mode will be further described using specific examples.
That is, in this embodiment, nematic liquid crystal is used as the liquid crystal material, and the liquid crystalline resin material 110 for the alignment film P with the spacer in which the spacer 60 and the alignment film 70 are integrally formed is used as the ultraviolet curable liquid crystalline acrylic. Monomer (DIC, UCL-011) was used. An alignment base layer 140 is provided between the liquid crystalline resin material 110 and the transparent substrate 150.

As a specific manufacturing method, first, in order to form the mold 120, a positive photoresist is formed on a glass substrate with an ITO transparent electrode. A 6 μm high groove is formed by irradiating ultraviolet rays using a photomask shielded in a grid pattern (250 μm interval, width 20 μm), and developing and baking. A fluororesin (CTX-809A, Asahi Glass) is formed on the mold as the release layer 130, and the surface is rubbed (rubbed) in one direction with a fine lane brush to develop an orientation function.

  Next, a polyimide alignment film is applied onto a plastic film transparent substrate (polycarbonate, thickness 0.1 mm) 150 with a transparent electrode (In203: Sn) by spin coating, and a rubbing treatment is performed. The liquid crystal monomer 110 is applied to the transparent substrate 150 to which the alignment base layer 140 is applied (see FIG. 4A), and is laminated with the mold 120 to control the molecular orientation of the liquid crystal monomer 110 (FIG. 4 ( B)). Next, the liquid crystalline monomer 110 is cured by irradiating ultraviolet rays at room temperature, and then released from the mold 120 to form an alignment film P with spacers that is molecularly aligned on the transparent substrate 150 (FIG. 4 ( C)).

  After that, a nematic liquid crystal (not shown) is applied on the alignment film P with spacers, and the other transparent substrate (not shown) formed by forming the polyimide alignment film so that the rubbing directions are orthogonal to each other. And the periphery was sealed with a sealant to prepare a liquid crystal display element.

  When the transmitted light was observed by sandwiching the liquid crystal display element (2 cm × 3 cm) prepared by the above steps between a pair of crossed Nicols polarizing plates, it was confirmed that the liquid crystal was twisted (TN) -oriented. It has been demonstrated that the alignment film P with spacers formed from the monomer 110 can control the alignment of liquid crystal molecules. Observation with a polarizing microscope revealed that the liquid crystal molecules were uniformly aligned in the vicinity of the uniformly aligned wall, and the disorder of the liquid crystal alignment due to the rubbing failure could be eliminated. Furthermore, when the liquid crystal display element of this example sandwiched between a pair of polarizing films was bent and operated by applying a voltage between the transparent electrodes, it was confirmed that good light modulation characteristics were obtained.

Sectional drawing which shows the structure of an example liquid crystal display element produced with the manufacturing method which concerns on embodiment of this invention The figure which shows each process of the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display element which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2B is a diagram showing a state in which the alignment film with spacers is formed by curing the liquid crystal resin material with ultraviolet rays in the step shown in FIG. The figure which shows each process of the change aspect of embodiment method shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1a, 1b, 50, 150 ... transparent substrate 2, 60 ... spacer 3, 70 ... alignment film 4 ... liquid crystal 5 ... sealant 6a, 6b ... transparent electrode 7 ... counter substrate side alignment film 8, 40, 140 ... under alignment Base layer 10, 110 ... Liquid crystalline resin material 20, 120 ... Mold 30, 130 ... Release layer P ... Alignment film with spacer

Claims (4)

A spacer having a height that determines the thickness of the liquid crystal layer and an alignment film for aligning the liquid crystal are formed on at least one of the two transparent substrates arranged so as to sandwich the liquid crystal layer with the same resin material. In the method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display element in which an alignment film with a spacer formed integrally is disposed,
In the step of forming the alignment film with spacers, first, grooves for forming the spacers are patterned, and the surface of the mold including the grooves is peeled off by a fluororesin material that gives a molecular alignment function to the alignment film. After the layer is attached and the surface of the release layer is rubbed, the mold is pressed against the liquid crystalline resin material applied on the transparent substrate to transfer the groove shape to form a spacer. In addition, the molecules of the liquid crystalline resin material are aligned by the alignment regulating action of the release layer to provide a molecular alignment function, and the alignment film and the spacer as a whole have the same surface molecules of the liquid crystalline resin material. it is oriented in the direction, thereafter, that curing the liquid resin material a molecular orientation is fixed, thereby forming an alignment film with a spacer which is molecularly oriented by releasing from the mold Method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display element according to symptoms.   2. The method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element according to claim 1, wherein an alignment underlayer for controlling molecular alignment of the alignment film with spacers is formed between the transparent substrate and the alignment film with spacers. 3. The method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystalline resin material is composed of a photocurable or thermosetting liquid crystalline monomer. The dichroic dye is added to the alignment film with a spacer, and the dichroic dye is molecularly aligned in the same direction as the direction in which the liquid crystalline resin material is controlled to be aligned. The method for producing a liquid crystal display element according to any one of 1 to 3.

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