JP2007188112A - Liquid crystal device, method for manufacturing liquid crystal device, and electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a liquid crystal device which prevents or suppresses non-uniform substrate spacing and hardly causes a decrease in contrast.
A liquid crystal display device 1 includes a spacer 15 disposed between a pair of substrates 2 and 3 sandwiching a liquid crystal layer 4, a recess 39 is formed on the substrate 3, and the spacer 15 is mainly formed in the recess 39. Therefore, the distance between the substrates becomes more uniform in the plane. In particular, since the concave portions 39 are provided corresponding to the non-pixel regions 36, the influence on the display of the spacer 15 is reduced.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid crystal device, a method for manufacturing the liquid crystal device, and an electronic apparatus including the liquid crystal device, and more particularly to a technique for disposing a spacer between substrates.

  2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional liquid crystal device, there is a configuration in which a lower substrate and an upper substrate are attached to each peripheral edge of a substrate at a predetermined interval via a sealing material, and a liquid crystal layer is sealed between the pair of substrates. . Further, for example, a color filter layer including a red, green, and blue coloring layer and a light-shielding layer (black matrix) and a protective layer for protecting the color filter layer are sequentially formed on the lower substrate, and further on the protective layer. A liquid crystal device having a structure in which a transparent electrode is formed in a stripe shape on the upper substrate, a transparent electrode is also formed in a stripe shape on the upper substrate, and an alignment film is formed on each transparent electrode is known.

  In such a liquid crystal device, a large number of spherical spacers are arranged between the substrates on which transparent electrodes or alignment films are formed so that the distance between the substrates is uniform within the substrate surface. As a method of arranging such a spacer between the substrates, prepare a spacer dispersion solution in which the spacer is dispersed in a solvent such as water, chlorofluorocarbon, isopropyl alcohol, ethanol, etc., and inject it with the pressure of a gas such as air or nitrogen, Either a wet spraying method that sprays on one of the substrate surfaces, a spacer is supplied by a carrier gas such as air or nitrogen, and the spacer is naturally or intentionally charged in the middle of the supply, and the electrostatic force is used. A dry spray method in which a spacer is attached on one substrate is known. In such a wet spraying method and a dry spraying method, spraying is performed by freely dropping the spacer on the substrate, so that it becomes difficult to control the spraying position of the spacer, and the following problems may occur.

  For example, spacers may partially aggregate in a liquid crystal device, resulting in non-uniform spacer distribution density and increased dispersion of substrate spacing. In an active matrix type liquid crystal device, since a switching element or the like for driving a transparent electrode is formed on the substrate, a step is formed on the surface of the substrate corresponding to the formation position of the element. When spacers are dispersed in a region where a step is formed, dispersion of the substrate interval may increase.

  If the dispersion of the substrate spacing increases as described above, the dispersion of the thickness of the liquid crystal layer (cell thickness) sandwiched therebetween increases, and if the dispersion of the cell thickness increases, the liquid crystal device is used as a display device. It is known that display performance deteriorates. In particular, in a liquid crystal device of STN (Super Twisted Nematic) mode, it is known that the light transmittance changes due to a change in Δn · d value (where Δn is the birefringence of the liquid crystal and d is the cell thickness). If the dispersion of the Δn · d values, that is, the dispersion of the cell thickness d is large, the dispersion of the light transmittance becomes large and color unevenness occurs in the display, which may cause a problem that the display quality is deteriorated. As a technique for suppressing such cell thickness dispersion, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for forming a concave portion on a counter substrate corresponding to a position where a convex portion is formed on a substrate.

JP 2001-2222015 A

  However, in this case, partial aggregation of spacers cannot be avoided, and dispersion of cell thickness is not necessarily suppressed. Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a liquid crystal device that prevents or suppresses non-uniform substrate spacing and is unlikely to cause deterioration in display quality, a method for manufacturing the liquid crystal device, An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device including the liquid crystal device.

  In order to solve the above problems, a liquid crystal device according to the present invention is a liquid crystal device in which a spacer is disposed between a pair of substrates sandwiching a liquid crystal layer, and is provided on at least one of the pair of substrates. A recess is formed, and the spacer is mainly provided in the recess.

  According to such a liquid crystal device, since the concave portion is provided in the substrate and the spacer is mainly provided in the concave portion, the distance between the substrates can be made more uniform, and the depth of the concave portion and the diameter of the spacer can be reduced. It becomes possible to design the board | substrate space | interval freely from a relationship. In addition, it is possible to prevent or suppress the outflow of the spacer to a region other than the concave portion, and thus it is possible to prevent or suppress the spacer from floating in the liquid crystal layer. In practice, it is more preferable to dispose spacers only in the recesses. Specifically, the spacers are disposed in the recesses to such an extent that they can be manufactured. For example, 90% or more of the spacers to be disposed in the recesses. It is preferable to provide it in order to realize the effects of the present invention.

  In the liquid crystal device of the present invention, it is possible to have a pixel region and a non-pixel region in the substrate surface, and a recess is formed in the non-pixel region. In this case, since the spacer is mainly disposed in the non-pixel region, it is possible to prevent or suppress the occurrence of display defects due to the influence on the display by the spacer, for example, the liquid crystal alignment disorder around the spacer. It becomes. In the case where a spacer is provided in a liquid crystal device including a pixel region and a non-pixel region, it is preferable to provide the spacer in the non-pixel region in consideration of the influence on display. However, the non-pixel region tends to become narrower as the pixel region is enlarged to increase the area contributing to display. In many cases, it is difficult to dispose a spacer in a non-pixel region that is being narrowed. However, when a recess is formed in a non-pixel region as in the present invention, and a spacer is disposed in the recess, Since it is easy to guide the spacer, it is possible to more easily arrange the spacer in the non-pixel region. Accordingly, it is possible to more reliably dispose the spacer even in the non-pixel region that is being narrowed, and as a result, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal device having excellent display characteristics.

  In addition, a plurality of colored layers are formed corresponding to the pixel regions, and a light shielding film thinner than the colored layers is formed between the colored layers corresponding to the non-pixel regions. The above-mentioned concave part can be formed on the surface. In the color filter including the colored layer and the light shielding film as described above, the light shielding film formed corresponding to the non-pixel region is made thinner than the colored layer, thereby forming the above-described recess on the light shielding film. If the spacer is disposed in the recess as described above, the effect of the present invention can be exhibited.

  In addition, a plurality of scan electrodes are formed on one of the pair of substrates, and a plurality of data electrodes intersecting the scan electrodes are formed on the other substrate. The above-described recesses may be formed between the two. Thus, in a simple matrix type liquid crystal device having a scanning electrode and a data electrode, for example, a recess is formed between each electrode formed in a stripe shape, and if a spacer is disposed in the recess as described above, The effect of the present invention can be expressed. In addition to this, for example, it is also possible to form a recess directly on the substrate.

  In addition, a part or all of the surface of the spacer can be provided with orientation regulating means. That is, the alignment of the liquid crystal may be disturbed near the surface of the spacer, and the contrast may be lowered. By providing the alignment regulating means on the surface of the spacer as described above, the liquid crystal is aligned even near the spacer surface. As a result, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal device in which problems such as a decrease in contrast hardly occur. In addition, as an orientation control means, what gave the long-chain alkyl group to the spacer surface using a silane coupling agent etc. can be illustrated, for example.

  In addition, a cured thermosetting resin may be attached to part or all of the surface of the spacer. By forming a thermosetting resin on the surface of the spacer in this way and performing a heat treatment after arranging the spacer in the recess, for example, the spacer can be stably fixed to the bottom of the recess. It is possible to more reliably prevent the occurrence of problems such as floating off the surface.

  Furthermore, the spacer may be colored. For example, in the case where the liquid crystal device is used as a display device, in a region where black display (dark display) is performed, light escapes from the arranged spacers, and white display (bright display) is performed at that portion. In some cases, by coloring the spacer as described above, it is possible to reliably perform black display (dark display) by using a spacer colored in black.

  Next, the method for manufacturing the liquid crystal device includes the following steps. That is, the method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device according to the present invention is a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device in which a spacer is disposed between a pair of substrates that sandwich a liquid crystal layer, and a recess is formed on at least one of the substrates. A concave portion forming step, and a spacer disposing step of disposing the spacer in the concave portion. In the spacer disposing step, a spacer dispersion solution in which the spacer is dispersed in a predetermined solvent is obtained by a droplet discharge method. The spacer is disposed in the recess by discharging into the recess on the substrate and further evaporating the solvent.

  In this way, by dispersing the spacers by a droplet ejection method using a droplet ejection nozzle in which the ejection position and the number of ejections of the ejected droplets can be arbitrarily set, the position and number of spacers to be dispersed on the substrate can be determined. It can be easily controlled. Therefore, according to the manufacturing method of the present invention that employs the droplet discharge method, it is possible to reliably drop droplets into the recesses on the substrate. In the present invention, since the droplet is dropped into the recess, even when the droplet overflows from the recess, when the solvent is evaporated, the center portion of the dropping point, that is, the center of the recess is caused by the surface tension of the solvent. Spacers are easily gathered at the portions, and the spacers can be more reliably disposed near the center of the recesses. As a result, it is possible to provide spacers only in the recesses formed on the substrate. In addition, as a droplet discharge system, the inkjet system using an inkjet nozzle etc. can be illustrated, for example.

  In the method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device of the present invention, the recess forming step can form a recess between the electrodes by forming electrodes having a predetermined pattern on the substrate.

  Alternatively, the recess forming step forms a recess on the light shielding film by forming a plurality of light shielding films on the substrate and a colored layer thicker than the light shielding film between the light shielding films. It is also possible to form a recess directly on the substrate.

  In addition, an electronic apparatus according to the present invention includes the above liquid crystal device as a display device, for example. Thus, by providing the liquid crystal device of the present invention, it is possible to provide an electronic device with excellent display quality.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[Liquid Crystal Device]
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic partial plan view showing a liquid crystal display device according to a first embodiment of the liquid crystal device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of FIG. It is an example of a liquid crystal display device. In the following drawings, the film thicknesses and dimensional ratios of the respective components are appropriately changed in order to make the drawings easy to see.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid crystal display device 1 has a lower substrate 2 and an upper substrate 3 facing each other, and a liquid crystal 4 made of STN (Super Twisted Nematic) liquid crystal is placed in a space between the upper and lower substrates 2 and 3. The liquid crystal panel 10 is generally configured by being sandwiched, and the backlight (not shown) disposed on the rear surface side (the outer surface side of the lower substrate 2) of the liquid crystal panel 10 is schematically configured.

  On the inner surface side of the lower substrate 2 made of glass or resin, a stripe-shaped scanning electrode 8 made of a transparent conductive film such as ITO extends in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface, and is made of polyimide or the like so as to cover the scanning electrode 8. An alignment film 9 is laminated. On the other hand, on the inner surface side of the upper substrate 3 made of glass or resin, a striped signal electrode 6 made of a transparent conductive film such as ITO extends in the horizontal direction in the figure so as to be orthogonal to the scanning electrode 8 of the lower substrate 2. An alignment film 7 made of polyimide or the like is laminated on the signal electrode 6.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the region where the scanning electrode 8 and the signal electrode 6 intersect is a region where the display is performed by the liquid crystal driving by the change of the interelectrode potential and the region where the electrodes 8 and 6 do not intersect. Is a non-pixel region 36. The non-pixel region 36 is a gap portion between the stripe-shaped scanning electrode 8 or the stripe-shaped signal electrode 6, and at least a recess 39 is formed in the non-pixel region 36 as a region where these electrodes 8 and 6 are not formed. .

  On the other hand, a liquid crystal (liquid crystal layer) 4 is sandwiched between the lower substrate 2 on which the scanning electrode 8 and the alignment film 9 are formed and the upper substrate 3 on which the signal electrode 6 and the alignment film 7 are formed through a spacer 15. In particular, in the present embodiment, the spacer 15 is disposed only or mainly in the recess 39. Accordingly, in the liquid crystal display device 1 of the present embodiment, the spacer 15 is disposed only on or mainly on the bottom surface of the recess 39 formed in the non-pixel region 36, and therefore the spacer 15 is disposed at a portion having a different height on the substrate. As compared with the case where the substrate is distributed, the substrate interval (cell gap) is made more uniform in the plane. Further, by appropriately setting the diameter of the spacer 15 according to the depth of the recess 39, it is possible to obtain an arbitrary substrate interval (cell gap), and the degree of freedom in designing the substrate interval is increased.

  In order to arbitrarily set the depth of the concave portion 39 or to further increase the depth of the concave portion 39, a hole is directly formed in the lower substrate 2, and the spacer 15 is disposed corresponding to this position. You can also. In the present embodiment, an example in which the concave portion 39 is formed in the non-pixel region 36 is shown. However, from the viewpoint of uniforming the substrate interval, for example, a spacer may be provided for the concave portion on the arbitrarily formed substrate. In particular, the concave portion does not have to be formed in the non-pixel region.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 3 is a schematic partial plan view showing a liquid crystal display device according to a second embodiment of the liquid crystal device of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line XX ′ of FIG. It is an example of a liquid crystal display device. In the following drawings, the film thicknesses and dimensional ratios of the respective components are appropriately changed in order to make the drawings easy to see.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the liquid crystal display device 100 includes a lower substrate 102 and an upper substrate 103 that are opposed to each other, and a liquid crystal panel that is roughly configured by sandwiching a liquid crystal 104 in a space between the upper and lower substrates 102 and 103. 110 and a backlight (not shown) disposed on the rear surface side (the outer surface side of the lower substrate 2) of the liquid crystal panel 110. Note that the liquid crystal display device 100 of the present embodiment uses a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) element as a switching element, and the TFT element is formed in the non-pixel region 136 of the lower substrate 102. Therefore, in this embodiment, the lower substrate 102 is an element substrate, and the upper substrate 103 is a counter substrate.

  On the inner surface side of the lower substrate 102 made of glass, resin, or the like, a pixel electrode 108 configured in a matrix shape made of a transparent conductive film such as ITO, and an alignment film 109 made of polyimide or the like so as to cover the pixel electrode 108 Is formed. On the other hand, on the inner surface side of the upper substrate 103 made of glass, resin, or the like, a flat solid counter electrode 106 made of a transparent conductive film such as ITO, a colored layer 112 and a light shielding film 113 formed on the counter electrode 106 are formed. And a color filter layer 105 including the alignment film 107 formed on the color filter layer 105 and made of polyimide or the like.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pixel electrode 108 and the colored layer 112 are formed in the same region in plan view, and perform color display by liquid crystal driving by a change in potential between the pixel electrode 108 and the counter electrode 106. It is said. As described above, a region where the pixel electrode 108 and the colored layer 112 are formed is a pixel region 135, and a region where the pixel electrode 108 is not formed, that is, a region where the light shielding film 113 is formed is a non-pixel region 136. Yes. In the present embodiment, the light shielding layer 113 is formed of a thinner film than the colored layer 112, and thus the region where the light shielding layer 113 is formed, that is, the non-pixel region 136, and the recess 139 is formed on the upper substrate 103. Will be formed.

  On the other hand, a liquid crystal (liquid crystal) is interposed between the lower substrate 102 on which the pixel electrode 108 and the alignment film 109 are formed and the upper substrate 103 on which the counter electrode 106, the color filter layer 105 and the alignment film 107 are formed, via a spacer 115. Layer) 104 is sandwiched, and in the present embodiment, the spacer 115 is disposed only in the recess 139 or mainly. Therefore, in the liquid crystal display device 100 of the present embodiment, the spacer 115 is disposed only on or mainly on the bottom surface of the recess 139 formed in the light shielding film 113 in the non-pixel region 136, and therefore the height on the substrate is high. Compared to the case where spacers are dispersed and arranged in different portions, the substrate interval (cell gap) is made more uniform in the plane. Further, by appropriately setting the diameter of the spacer 115 according to the depth of the recess 139, it is possible to obtain an arbitrary substrate interval (cell gap), and the degree of freedom in designing the substrate interval is increased. In order to arbitrarily set the depth of the recess 139 or to further increase the depth of the recess 139, a hole is directly formed in the upper substrate 103, and a spacer 115 is disposed corresponding to this position. You can also.

  Next, the configuration of the spacer 15 (115) used in the liquid crystal display device of each of the above embodiments will be described. The spacer 15 can be composed of a spherical member made of, for example, silicon dioxide, polystyrene, or the like, and the diameter of the spacer 15 is the thickness (cell thickness) of the liquid crystal (liquid crystal layer) 4,104 sealed in the liquid crystal device, in particular, the recess 39. , 139, and is selected from a range of 2 to 10 [μm], for example.

  As the spacer 15 (115), a structure in which a thermosetting resin is applied to the surface as shown in FIG. 5 can be employed. In this case, the spacer 15 (115) is securely fixed to the lower substrate (TFT array substrate) 10, 110 and / or the upper substrate (counter substrate) 20, 120 by curing the thermosetting resin. For example, the spacers 15 (115) are disposed on the lower substrates (TFT array substrates) 10 and 110, and then heat treatment is performed to cure the thermosetting resin, thereby lowering the lower substrates (TFT array substrates) 10 and 110. On the other hand, the spacer 15 (115) is fixed.

  Further, a surface treatment layer 151 provided with a long-chain alkyl group can be formed on the surface of the spacer, for example, as shown in FIG. As a means for providing the surface treatment layer 151 provided with a long-chain alkyl group, for example, surface treatment is performed using a silane coupling agent. When the spacer 15 not provided with the surface treatment layer 151 is used, and in particular, when the recesses 39 and 139 are formed in the pixel region, the liquid crystal molecules near the surface of the spacer 15 as shown in FIG. May be disturbed, and light leakage may occur in that portion. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8B, when the spacer 15a provided with the surface treatment layer 151 is used, the liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a predetermined direction near the surface of the spacer 15a (in this embodiment, vertical). Orientation), and light leakage hardly occurs in that portion.

  Furthermore, the spacer can be colored, and the spacer 15b shown in FIG. 7 shows an example of a spacer colored in black. For example, as shown in FIG. 9A, when the non-colored spacer 15 is used and the concave portions 39 and 139 are formed in the pixel region, a white dot display corresponding to the spacer is displayed during black display (dark display). In some cases, this may cause a decrease in contrast. However, as shown in FIG. 9B, by using the colored spacer 15b as shown in FIG. 7, the white dot display corresponding to the spacer does not occur during black display (dark display). In addition, a black dot display corresponding to the spacer occurs during white display (bright display), but the effect on contrast reduction is small compared to the generation of white dot display during black display (dark display). Become.

[Method of manufacturing liquid crystal device]
Next, a method for manufacturing the liquid crystal device according to the above embodiment will be described with reference to the liquid crystal display device 1 shown in FIGS. First, the scanning electrodes 8 are formed in a stripe shape on the lower substrate 2 made of glass or the like by, for example, photolithography, and an alignment film 9 is formed by rubbing polyimide so as to cover the scanning electrodes 8. By forming the scanning electrode 8 and the alignment film 9, a recess 39 is formed between the scanning electrodes 8 in the stripe shape. If a groove-like recess is formed in advance on the substrate 2 corresponding to the region where the scan electrode 8 is not formed, the depth of the recess can be freely designed to some extent.

  After forming the scanning electrode 8 and the alignment film 9 in this way, the spacer 15 is disposed in the recess 39 on the substrate 2. Specifically, in the case of this embodiment, the spacer 15 is uniformly applied at a predetermined concentration by ultrasonic waves or the like in a single solvent or two or more mixed solvents selected from water, chlorofluorocarbon, isopropyl alcohol, ethanol and the like. Dispersed spacer dispersion solution is discharged onto the concave portion 39 of the substrate 2 and dried to allow fixed point arrangement on the concave portion 39. In this case, the ink jet method is used for discharging the spacer dispersion solution onto the recess 39.

  Hereinafter, the fixed point arrangement of the spacer 15 using the ink jet method will be described. In the case of the present embodiment, by using an inkjet nozzle 300 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the ejection position and the number of ejections of the ejected droplets (spacer dispersion solution) can be arbitrarily set, and on the substrate 2. A predetermined amount of the spacer dispersion solution can be discharged to a predetermined position (concave portion 39). Then, after discharging the spacer dispersion solution, the solvent of the dispersion solution is naturally evaporated or heated to evaporate, so that a predetermined number of spacers 15 can be arranged in the recesses 39 on the substrate 2.

  10 and 11 show a perspective view and a cross-sectional view of the inkjet nozzle 300, respectively. As shown in FIG. 10, the inkjet nozzle 300 includes, for example, a stainless nozzle plate 310 and a vibration plate 320, and both are joined via a partition member (reservoir plate) 330. A plurality of spaces 340 and a liquid reservoir 350 are formed between the nozzle plate 310 and the vibration plate 320 by the partition member 330. Each space 340 and the liquid reservoir 350 are filled with the above-mentioned spacer dispersion solution, and each space 340 and the liquid reservoir 350 communicate with each other via a supply port 360. Further, the nozzle plate 310 is provided with nozzle holes 370 for injecting the spacer dispersion solution from the space 340. On the other hand, a hole 380 for supplying the spacer dispersion solution to the liquid reservoir 350 is formed in the vibration plate 320.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 11, a piezoelectric element 390 is bonded to the surface of the diaphragm 320 opposite to the surface facing the space 340. The piezoelectric element 390 is located between the pair of electrodes 400 and bends so that when energized, the piezoelectric element 390 protrudes outward. At the same time, the diaphragm 320 to which the piezoelectric element 390 is bonded is also integrally formed outward. Bend. As a result, the volume of the space 340 increases. Therefore, the spacer dispersion solution corresponding to the increased volume in the space 340 flows from the liquid reservoir 350 through the supply port 360. Next, when energization to the piezoelectric element 390 is released, both the piezoelectric element 390 and the diaphragm 320 return to their original shapes. As a result, the space 340 also returns to its original volume, so that the pressure of the spacer dispersion solution in the space 340 increases, and the spacer dispersion solution droplet 410 is ejected from the nozzle hole 370 toward the substrate.

  According to the spacer arrangement method using such an ink jet method, the spraying position of the spacer 15 can be controlled. Specifically, the spacer 15 is arranged only in the recess 39 or mainly on the recess 39. It is possible to provide a liquid crystal display device having the above configuration. On the other hand, the signal electrode 6 and the alignment film 7 are formed on the upper substrate 3, and the substrate 3 and the substrate 2 provided with the spacer 15 are bonded via a sealing material, and after the sealing material is cured, The liquid crystal 4 is injected from the liquid crystal injection port formed in the sealing material, and the injection port is sealed with a sealing material, whereby the liquid crystal panel 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be obtained.

  In the case of the liquid crystal display device 100 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, after the TFT element is formed on the lower substrate 102 as the element substrate, the pixel electrode 108 and the alignment film 109 are formed on the substrate. The counter electrode 106 is formed on the upper substrate 103 that is the counter substrate, and the light shielding film 113 and the colored layer 105 that is thicker than the light shielding film 113 are formed, so that a concave portion corresponding to the formation position of the light shielding film 113 is formed. 139 is formed. Then, after forming the alignment film 107, the spacer 115 is provided on the recess 139 by using the ink jet method described above, and after bonding the substrates as in the above, liquid crystal is injected, and then sealing is performed, thereby performing a liquid crystal panel 110 is to be obtained. In this case, the depth of the concave portion can be freely designed by previously forming the groove-shaped concave portion on the substrate 3 corresponding to the position where the light shielding film 113 is formed.

  Thus, in the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment using the inkjet method in the spacer arranging step, the spacer dispersion solution is dropped particularly on the concave portion 39 and the solvent is evaporated, so that the spacer is formed into the concave shape of the concave portion 39. For example, as shown in FIG. 12A, when the spacer dispersion solution 158 is dropped from the inkjet nozzle 300, the spacer dispersion solution 158 overflows from the recess 39. . For example, as shown in FIG. 12A, even the spacer 15 may overflow from the recess 39, but in the present embodiment, since the recess 39 is formed, the surface tension of the solution 158 as the solvent evaporates. As a result, the spacer 15 moves toward the center of the recess 39, and as a result, the spacer 15 overflowing from the recess 39 when the droplet is dropped is also moved and arranged inside the recess 39. Therefore, by forming the recess 39 and using the ink jet method as in this embodiment, the spacer 15 can be formed mainly in the recess 39 or in the recess 39.

[Electronics]
Next, a specific example of an electronic apparatus including any one of the liquid crystal display devices shown in the first and second embodiments will be described.

  FIG. 13A is a perspective view showing an example of a mobile phone. In FIG. 13A, reference numeral 500 denotes a mobile phone body, and reference numeral 501 denotes a liquid crystal display unit including any one of the liquid crystal display devices of the first and second embodiments.

  FIG. 13B is a perspective view showing an example of a portable information processing apparatus such as a word processor or a personal computer. In FIG. 13B, reference numeral 600 denotes an information processing apparatus, reference numeral 601 denotes an input unit such as a keyboard, reference numeral 603 denotes an information processing main body, and reference numeral 602 denotes one of the liquid crystal display devices of the first and second embodiments. A liquid crystal display unit is shown.

  FIG. 13C is a perspective view showing an example of a wristwatch type electronic apparatus. In FIG. 13C, reference numeral 700 indicates a watch body, and reference numeral 701 indicates a liquid crystal display unit including any one of the liquid crystal display devices of the first and second embodiments.

  As described above, each of the electronic devices shown in FIGS. 13A to 13C includes any one of the liquid crystal display devices of the first and second embodiments. Therefore, an electronic device having excellent display quality. It becomes equipment.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the recesses are formed on at least one of the pair of substrates and the spacers are mainly disposed on the recesses, so that the distance between the substrates can be made more uniform. Thus, it is possible to freely design the substrate interval from the relationship between the depth of the recess and the diameter of the spacer. In addition, it is possible to prevent or suppress the outflow of the spacer to a region other than the concave portion, and thus it is possible to prevent or suppress the spacer from floating in the liquid crystal layer.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing the positional relationship between electrodes and spacers in the liquid crystal display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows the AA 'cross section of the liquid crystal display device of FIG. The plane schematic diagram which shows the positional relationship of an electrode and a spacer about the liquid crystal display device of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an XX ′ cross section of the liquid crystal display device of FIG. 3. The schematic diagram which shows the structure of a spacer. The schematic diagram which shows the structure at the time of providing a surface treatment layer in a spacer. The schematic diagram which shows the structure at the time of giving coloring to a spacer. Explanatory drawing which shows about the effect at the time of using the spacer of FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows the effect at the time of using the spacer of FIG. The schematic perspective view which shows an example of the inkjet nozzle used in the spacer arrangement | positioning process in the case of manufacturing the liquid crystal display device of this embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic sectional view of the ink jet nozzle of FIG. 10. Explanatory drawing which shows the effect in the spacer arrangement | positioning process in the case of manufacturing the liquid crystal display device of this embodiment. FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating some examples of the electronic apparatus according to the invention.

Explanation of symbols

  2 ... Lower substrate (substrate), 3 ... Upper substrate (substrate), 4 ... Liquid crystal layer (liquid crystal), 15, 115 ... Spacer, 35 ... Pixel region, 36 ... Non-pixel region.

Claims (8)

  A liquid crystal device in which a spacer is disposed between a pair of substrates sandwiching a liquid crystal layer, wherein a recess is formed on at least one of the pair of substrates, and the spacer is mainly provided in the recess. A liquid crystal device characterized by the above.   The liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal device has a pixel region and a non-pixel region in the substrate surface, and the recess is formed in the non-pixel region.   A plurality of colored layers are formed corresponding to the pixel regions, and a light-shielding film that is thinner than the colored layers is formed between the colored layers corresponding to the non-pixel regions. The liquid crystal device according to claim 2, wherein the recess is formed.   A plurality of scan electrodes are formed on one of the pair of substrates, and a plurality of data electrodes intersecting the scan electrodes are formed on the other substrate, and between each scan electrode and each data electrode The liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein the recess is formed between the two.   A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal device in which a spacer is disposed between a pair of substrates sandwiching a liquid crystal layer, wherein a recess is formed in at least one of the substrates, and the spacer is formed in the recess. A spacer disposing step of disposing, in the spacer disposing step, a spacer dispersion solution in which the spacer is dispersed in a predetermined solvent is discharged into the concave portion on the substrate by a droplet discharge method; A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal device, wherein the spacer is disposed in the recess by evaporating the solvent.   6. The method of manufacturing a liquid crystal device according to claim 5, wherein the recess forming step forms an recess between the electrodes by forming electrodes having a predetermined pattern on the substrate.   The recess forming step forms a recess on the light shielding film by forming a plurality of light shielding films on the substrate and a colored layer thicker than the light shielding film between the light shielding films. The method of manufacturing a liquid crystal device according to claim 5.   An electronic apparatus comprising the liquid crystal device according to claim 1.

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