JP2019109411A - Method for manufacturing liquid crystal panel - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a liquid crystal panel manufacturing method capable of minimizing an influence of side etching by dispensing with masking processing associated with the etching processing.SOLUTION: The liquid crystal panel manufacturing method includes at least a modified line formation step, an etching step, and a cutting step. In the modified line formation step, a modified line 20 is formed along a planned shape cutting line corresponding to the shape of a liquid crystal panel 10 on an array substrate 12 and a color filter substrate 14. The modified line 20 includes a first modified region 201 and a second modified region 202. The first modified region 201 is so formed that an amount of energy per unit area of pulse applied from a pulse laser becomes larger than that of the second modified region 202. In the etching step, etching processing is performed on the array substrate 12 and the color filter substrate 14 so as not to cut at the shape cutting line.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid crystal panel manufacturing method for obtaining a plurality of liquid crystal panels having a predetermined shape from a glass base material for chamfering a plurality of liquid crystal panels formed by bonding an array substrate and a color filter substrate.

  Generally, when manufacturing liquid crystal panels, a method (so-called multi-chamfering) in which a plurality of liquid crystal panels are simultaneously manufactured from a set of glass base materials and then divided into single liquid crystal panels is widely adopted. It has been. And when dividing a glass base material, methods, such as a scribe break, a laser ablation process, and an etching process, were used in many cases.

  However, when a scribe break is adopted, it is difficult to form a panel other than a rectangular shape such as a panel having a rounded contour or a panel having a notch. Further, in the laser ablation process, problems such as a slow processing speed and contamination due to ablation debris easily occurred. Furthermore, in the etching process, it is necessary to separately perform an appropriate masking process to protect the electrode terminal portion of the array substrate from the etching solution, which may make it difficult to improve the production efficiency.

  Therefore, some of the conventional techniques employ an etching process in which the electrode terminal portion is also masked simultaneously when applying the etching resistant agent to the color filter substrate (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ). By adopting such a configuration, a separate process is not required to protect the electrode terminal portion, and it has been supposed that protection of the electrode terminal portion is surely performed.

JP, 2016-224201, A

  However, in the prior art described above, although it is not necessary to separately perform the process for protecting the electrode terminal portion, it is still necessary to perform the masking process on the glass base material in the etching process, and after the etching process It had to be peeled off. In addition, since it is necessary to provide a space between each liquid crystal panel in the glass base material in consideration of the influence of side etching which proceeds in the direction orthogonal to the thickness direction of the glass base material, the efficiency of multiple beveling may be deteriorated. The

  An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal panel manufacturing method which can eliminate the masking process involved in the etching process and can minimize the influence of the side etching.

  The liquid crystal panel manufacturing method according to the present invention is to obtain a plurality of liquid crystal panels having a predetermined shape from a multiple bevel glass base material for multiple beveling of a liquid crystal panel formed by bonding an array substrate and a color filter substrate. This liquid crystal panel manufacturing method at least includes a reforming line forming step, an etching step, and a cutting step.

  In the modifying line forming step, the modifying line is formed along the shape cutting planned line corresponding to the shape of the liquid crystal panel to the array substrate and the color filter substrate, and has a property of being easier to be etched than other places A plurality of filaments are formed at regular intervals along the thickness direction of the array substrate and the color filter substrate by the beam of the pulse laser to form a modified line. Also, the reforming line has a first reforming region and a second reforming region. The first modified region is a region formed at the central portion in the thickness direction of the multiple bevel glass base material. The second modified region is a region formed adjacent to the first modified region on the surface side of the first modified region. Furthermore, the first modification region has a larger amount of energy per unit area of the pulse irradiated from the pulse laser than the second modification region. Representative examples of the laser device for forming the reforming line include a picosecond laser or a femtosecond laser. In addition, the width of the reforming line is preferably set to about 10 μm or less. As a method of adjusting the amount of energy per unit area in the first reforming region and the second reforming region, control of pulse duration, adjustment of pulse spot diameter, adjustment of pulse formation interval, etc. It can be mentioned.

  In the etching step, the array substrate and the color filter substrate are etched while being not cut along the planned shape cutting lines. As the etching process progresses, the cutting groove or the like may penetrate in the thickness direction along the planned shape cutting line, so the etching process is performed while confirming the shape cutting planned line at a slow etching rate of 10 μm / min or less. It is preferable to

  In the cutting step, cutting is performed at a planned shape cutting line after the etching process. After the etching process, it is in a substantially substantially cut state at the planned shape cutting line. Furthermore, a first modified region is formed at the center in the plate thickness direction, making it easy to cut the glass substrate. For this reason, it is possible to realize complete cutting by applying a slight mechanical pressure or thermal stress. For example, complete cutting can be realized without fouling the multi-faceted glass base material by applying a minute pressing force, giving a minute ultrasonic vibration, or heating.

  In the present invention, since the etching process is performed after the planned shape cutting line is easily cut in advance, the masking process for selectively etching only the planned shape cutting line is not necessary. Further, since the planned shape cutting line is easily cut in advance, the amount of etching can be significantly reduced as compared to the case where the entire thickness direction is etched, so the influence of side etching can be minimized. It will be possible. As a result, it is possible to use a multi-facet glass base material in which liquid crystal panels are arranged close to each other, and the bevel efficiency is improved. Furthermore, most or all of the area to be divided in the cutting step is the first modified area, the amount of energy per unit area of the pulse emitted from the laser is large, and the division is easy. For this reason, in the breaking process, the crack does not progress to an unexpected area, and it becomes possible to suitably divide along the planned shape cutting line.

  In addition, it is preferable that the first modified region has a higher density of filament formation than the second modified region. The formation density of the filament is determined by the formation pitch of the pulse emitted from the laser, but the formation pitch of the pulse can be appropriately changed by the design of the optical member of the laser device. For example, by using a Fresnel lens whose surface asperity is adjusted for the condenser lens of the laser device, it is possible to narrow the filament formation interval and to increase the energy density in the first modified region. Moreover, it is preferable to adjust the formation pitch of the filament in a modification line, for example in 1-50 micrometers.

  Also, the etching step preferably etches at least the second modified region. By etching the second modified region, the region to be divided in the cutting step is only the first modified region. In the first reforming region, in the reforming line forming step, energy having a density higher than that of the second reforming region is applied, which makes the dividing process easier.

  According to the present invention, in the manufacture of a liquid crystal panel, it is possible to eliminate the masking process involved in the etching process and to minimize the influence of the side etching.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the liquid crystal panel which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the glass base material for multiple chamfers containing several liquid crystal panels. It is a figure which shows the outline of the laser processing with respect to the glass base material for multiple chamfers. It is a figure shown about formation of the filament in a shape cutting scheduled line. It is a figure which shows an example of the etching apparatus applied to this invention. It is a figure which shows the variation of the etching process applied to this invention. It is a figure which shows the state of the shape cutting scheduled line by which the etching process was carried out. It is a figure which shows the outline of the glass base material for multiple chamfers of the parted state. It is a figure which shows the characteristic of a structure of a liquid crystal panel. It is a figure which shows other embodiment in division | segmentation of a liquid crystal panel.

  FIG. 1A shows a schematic configuration of a liquid crystal panel 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the liquid crystal panel 10 is configured such that an array substrate 12 and a color filter substrate 14 each having a thickness of about 300 to 500 μm are bonded together with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. The configurations of the array substrate 12 and the color filter substrate 14 may adopt the same configurations as known configurations, and thus the description thereof is omitted here.

  The array substrate 12 has an electrode terminal portion 122 provided so as to extend from the area to be bonded to the color filter substrate 14. A plurality of electric circuits are connected to the electrode terminal portion 122, and the liquid crystal panel 10 and the electric circuits thereof are housed in a case, whereby, for example, the smartphone 100 as shown in FIG. Configured

  Subsequently, an example of a method of manufacturing the liquid crystal panel 10 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, generally, the liquid crystal panel 10 is manufactured as a multiple bevel glass base material 50 including a plurality of liquid crystal panels, and the multiple bevel glass substrate 50 is divided. By doing this, a single liquid crystal panel 10 is obtained. In this embodiment, for convenience, the process for the multiple bevel glass base material 50 in which six liquid crystal panels 10 are arranged in a matrix of 3 rows and 2 columns will be described. However, the liquid crystal panel included in the multiple bevel glass base material 50 The number of ten can be increased or decreased as appropriate.

  First, as shown in FIGS. 3 (A) to 3 (C), the glass substrate 50 for multiple beveling has a reforming line 20 along a line to be cut corresponding to the shape (outline) of the liquid crystal panel 10. It is formed. The modification line 20 is, for example, a plurality of filaments formed by light beam pulses (a beam diameter is about 1 to 5 μm) irradiated from a pulse laser such as picosecond laser (wavelength 515 nm) or femtosecond laser (1030 nm) It is a filament array in which layers are arranged. A filament is an area modified by a pulsed beam from a laser. As a laser device for forming such a filament layer, for example, a laser device described in JP-A-2017-185547 can be used. The light beam from the laser device has a depth of focus deeper than the range including both the array substrate 12 and the color filter substrate 14. Therefore, reforming lines 20 for dividing the liquid crystal panel 10 are simultaneously formed on both the array substrate 12 and the color filter substrate 14.

  In principle, it is possible to process both the array substrate 12 and the color filter substrate 14 simultaneously by one laser, but this causes a defect in the liquid crystal layer or the sealing material for sealing the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer and the seal are formed by forming the reforming line 20 only on the array substrate 12 from the array substrate 12 side and forming the reforming line 20 only on the color filter substrate 14 from the color filter substrate 14 side. It becomes easy to control generation | occurrence | production of the malfunction in materials.

  In the reforming line 20, a plurality of filaments 28 are formed along the plate thickness direction on the intended shape cutting lines of the array substrate 12 and the color filter substrate 14 (see FIG. 4B). The reforming line 20 has the property of being more easily etched than the other portions in the multiple bevel glass base material 50 by forming the filaments 28 in the shape of perforations at regular intervals. The filament 28 is formed by focusing a plurality of beams emitted from a pulse laser in a glass substrate, as shown in FIG. 4 (A). The output energy of the pulse is adjusted so as not to thermally affect the liquid crystal layer or the like in the range of 30 to 300 μm J, although it depends on the thickness and composition of the glass substrate. The formation interval of the filaments formed along the thickness direction of the array substrate 12 and the color filter substrate 14 is determined by the pulse pitch of the laser beam. The pulse pitch can be appropriately changed by adjusting optical elements such as a focusing lens and a beam expander, and in order to form the reforming line 20, it is preferable to adjust in the range of 1 to 30 μm.

  The reforming line 20 includes a first reforming region 201 and a second reforming region 202. The first modified region 201 is a region formed at the central portion in the thickness direction of the array substrate 12 and the color filter substrate 14. The second reformed region 202 is a region formed to be adjacent to the first reformed region 201 on the surface side of the first reformed region 201. Also, the first modified region 201 is a region in which the formation density of the filaments 28 is higher than that of the second modified region 202. The formation interval of filaments in the first modified region 201 is preferably adjusted in the range of 1 to 10 μm, and the formation interval of filaments in the second modified region 202 is preferably adjusted in the range of 3 to 30 μm.

  In the present embodiment, in order to adjust the formation interval of the filaments 28, a Fresnel lens is used as a focusing lens as shown in FIG. 4 (A). By adjusting the formation pitch of the asperities of the Fresnel lens, it is possible to make the formation pitch of the pulse in the first modified region 201 narrower than the formation pitch of the pulse in the second modified region 202. As the density of formation of the filaments 28 increases, the amount of energy per unit area in the first modified region 201 (hereinafter also referred to as energy density) becomes higher than that of the second modified region 202 as a result. In the case where the seal material 24 used to bond the liquid crystal panels is present in the shape cutting scheduled line, the laser output or the like is prevented so that the seal material 24 and the liquid crystal layer do not suffer from the thermal influence from the laser. Adjust the focal length.

  The length of the first modified region 201 in the thickness direction is formed to be shorter than at least the second modified region 202. When the formation area of the first modified region 201 is increased, the energy density in the glass substrate is increased, and the seal material 24 may be thermally influenced. Therefore, it is preferable to set the formation region of the first modified region 201 where the energy density is high to 100 μm or less. In addition, by lowering the energy density in the second modified region 202, rapid progress of etching can be suppressed. In the etching step, control of the amount of etching is important, but when the etching is reformed so as to rapidly progress, it becomes difficult to control to a desired amount of etching. In order to facilitate control of the etching amount, the energy density of the second modified region 202 is preferably lower than that of the first modified region 201.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the energy density in the first modified region 201 and the second modified region 202 is adjusted by controlling the formation pitch of the pulse. By adjusting the pulse duration and the like, it is possible to adjust the energy density in an arbitrary region in the plate thickness direction.

  After the formation of the reforming line 20, as shown in FIG. 5, the multiple bevel glass base material 50 is introduced into the etching apparatus 300, and is subjected to an etching process with an etching solution containing hydrofluoric acid, hydrochloric acid, and the like. In the etching apparatus 300, the etching liquid is brought into contact with one side or both sides of the glass substrate for multiple chamfering 50 in the etching chamber while the glass substrate for multiple chamfering 50 is transported by the transport roller, thereby the glass substrate for multiple chamfering An etching process for 50 is performed. In addition, since the cleaning chamber for washing away the etching liquid adhering to the glass base material 50 for multiple chamfers is provided in the latter part of the etching chamber in the etching apparatus 300, the etching liquid removes the glass base material 50 for multiple chamfers. It is discharged from the etching apparatus 300 in the closed state.

  As an example of the method for bringing the etching solution into contact with the glass substrate 50 for multiple chamfering, as shown in FIG. 6A, in each etching chamber 302 of the etching apparatus 300, the etching solution for the glass substrate 50 for multiple chamfering And spray etching. Further, instead of the spray etching, as shown in FIG. 6B, in the overflow type etching chamber 304, a configuration is adopted in which the glass substrate for multiple chamfers 50 is transported while being in contact with the overflowing etching solution. Is also possible.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6C, a dip type etching in which one or a plurality of multi-faceted glass base materials 50 contained in the carrier are immersed in the etching bath 306 containing the etching solution is adopted. It is also possible.

  In any case, it is important not to cut the multi-chamfering glass base material 50 by the planned shape cutting line penetrating in the thickness direction during the etching process. Therefore, during the etching process (in particular, the latter half of the etching process), it is necessary to reduce the etching rate to control the etching amount accurately. In this embodiment, the etching process is performed at a slow speed of 10 μm / min or less by a thin hydrofluoric acid of 2 wt% or less, but it is not limited to this method.

  If the etching rate is not slowed down in the entire etching process but is gradually delayed while adopting an earlier etching rate, it is possible to shorten the etching time. For example, it is preferable to adopt a configuration in which the concentration of hydrofluoric acid in the etching solution is reduced within the range of about 1 to 10% by weight as the processing proceeds to the latter stage of the etching apparatus 300.

  When the glass substrate for multiple chamfers 50 passes through the etching apparatus 300, the reforming line 20 is etched. In the reforming line 20, the etching solution penetrates faster than the other portions of the multiple beveling glass base material 50, and the glass is melted along this line to form the planned cutting grooves 26. In addition, even when flaws or the like occur inside the array substrate 12 and the color filter substrate 14 during laser irradiation, the flaws are easily eliminated. The planned cutting groove 26 is not an isotropic groove formed by ordinary etching, but the aspect ratio in the depth direction is larger than the width direction. For this reason, even if it is the glass base material 50 for multiple chamfers in which each liquid crystal panel adjoins, the scheduled cutting groove 26 can be formed without affecting the liquid crystal panel 10. The planned cutting grooves 26 are formed in the array substrate 12 or the color filter substrate 14 so as not to completely penetrate in the thickness direction. In the etching process, the process is performed to etch at least the second modified region 202. Moreover, it is preferable to adjust the plate thickness of the lower part of the scheduled cutting groove 26 to be 100 μm or less. When the plate thickness of the unetched portion exceeds 100 μm, division in the cutting step described later may be difficult.

  In the glass substrate for multiple beveling 50, the planned shape cutting line is in a state of being easily divided by the planned cutting groove 26 and the first modified region 201 present in the lower part thereof. For this reason, the first modified region 201 is cracked only by applying a slight mechanical pressure to the shape cutting scheduled line, and the multiple bevel glass base material 50 can be divided. Specifically, it is possible to divide by applying a minute pressing force to the multiple bevel glass base material 50, giving a minute ultrasonic vibration, or using a tensile force by a film. In the present embodiment, the liquid crystal panel 10 is divided using a pressing device 60 as shown in FIG. 8 (A). The pressing device 60 has a bar-like shape, and has a spherical rotating jig 62 at its tip. The rotating jig 62 is rotatably supported at the tip of the pressing device 60. The rotating jig 62 is configured to rotate by moving the pressing tool 60 along the planned cutting line in a state where the pressing tool 60 is pressed against the planned cutting groove 26. When stress is applied to the first modified region 201 located in the lower part of the planned cutting groove 26 by the pressing device 60, a crack is generated, and the liquid crystal panel 10 can be divided. By using the pressing tool 60, it is possible to divide the liquid crystal panel 10 while preventing staining of the glass substrate for multiple chamfers 50 and contact between the end faces.

  By performing control to increase the energy density of the first modified region 201 in which the etching process is not performed in the step of irradiating the pulse laser, it is possible to further facilitate the dividing process after the etching process. Therefore, the pressure applied to the array substrate 12 and the color filter substrate 14 at the time of division is reduced, and the glass substrate can be prevented from being damaged. Furthermore, since the progress of the crack to the area other than the shape cutting planned line is suppressed, the possibility of breakage of the liquid crystal panel 10 is also low.

  Subsequently, a cutting process for removing a region of the color filter substrate 14 facing the electrode terminal portion 122 of the array substrate 12 is performed. In this embodiment, the inside of the region of the color filter substrate 14 facing the electrode terminal portion 122 of the color filter substrate 14 is cut along the terminal portion cut expected line by the scribe wheel (wheel cutter) 250. The terminal cutting groove 30 is formed on the color filter substrate 14 by the scribing wheel 250 along the terminal cutting lines. Furthermore, the color filter substrate 14 can be removed from the terminal portion cutting groove 30 by applying a pressing force to the terminal portion cutting groove 30 using a pressing device 60 or the like.

  In this embodiment, since the multiple bevel glass base material 50 is not completely cut by the etching process, the liquid crystal panel 10 end faces separated during the etching collide with each other to cause a failure. It is prevented. In addition, it is possible to carry the multi-faceted glass base material 50 in the incompletely cut state after the etching process (in the large size state). Furthermore, since the etching solution does not reach the electrode terminal portion 122, it becomes unnecessary to protect the electrode terminal portion by the etching agent-provided masking agent. In addition, since the etching process is applied to at least the central portion of the end face of the liquid crystal panel 10, the strength (for example, bending strength) of the liquid crystal panel is higher than when the cutting is performed only by laser processing.

  9A to 9C show schematic configurations of the liquid crystal panel 10 after division. As shown in the figure, the end face of the liquid crystal panel 10 is substantially perpendicular to the main surface. For example, the taper widths (L1 to L3 in FIG. 9C) generated on the end faces of the array substrate 12 and the color filter substrate 14 each having a thickness of about 0.15 mm to 0.25 mm are 50 μm or less (mostly) It can be suppressed to 20 to 35 μm.

  As described above, when manufacturing the liquid crystal panel 10, the influence of the side etching hardly occurs, so that it is possible to design the multiple bevel glass base material 50 in which the liquid crystal panels 10 are arranged close to each other. For example, if there is a gap of about 10 μm in total with a laser width of 2 μm + α, it is possible to properly separate the multiple bevel glass base material 50 into a single liquid crystal panel 10. Further, the shape of the liquid crystal panel is not limited to that of the present embodiment, and, for example, one having a notch or the like can also correspond.

  In the above-described embodiment, after the liquid crystal panel 10 is divided from the multiple bevel glass base material 50, the color filter substrate 14 is removed in a region facing the electrode terminal portion 122. However, the color filter substrate 14 is cut. Can be performed at any timing. For example, as shown in FIGS. 10 (A) and 10 (B), a terminal cutting groove is formed along the planned cutting line of the terminal using the scribing wheel 250 with respect to the glass substrate 50 for multiple chamfers after the etching process. Form 30. Then, as shown in FIG. 10C, when the liquid crystal panel 10 is divided along the shape cutting planned line, a pressing force is applied not only to the shape cutting planned line but also to the terminal cutting groove 30, The division of the liquid crystal panel 10 and the processing of the electrode terminal portion can be performed simultaneously. In addition, once the terminal cutting groove 30 is formed, the color filter substrate 14 can be removed, for example, at an arbitrary timing in the post process, even when the cutting of the liquid crystal panel 10 is not performed simultaneously.

  The above description of the embodiments should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated not by the embodiments described above but by the claims. Further, the scope of the present invention is intended to include all modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the claims.

10-liquid crystal panel 12-array substrate 14-color filter substrate 20-reforming line 30-terminal cutting groove 50-glass base material for multiple bevel 100-smartphone 122-electrode terminal portion 201-first reforming region 202-first 2 modified area 250-scribe wheel 300-etching apparatus 302, 304-etching chamber 306-etching tank

Claims (3)

A liquid crystal panel manufacturing method for obtaining a plurality of liquid crystal panels having a predetermined shape from a glass base material having a plurality of chamfers for chamfering a liquid crystal panel formed by bonding an array substrate and a color filter substrate.
It is a modification line formed along a shape cutting scheduled line corresponding to the shape of a liquid crystal panel with respect to the array substrate and the color filter substrate, and has a property of being easier to be etched than other places Forming a reformed line in which a plurality of filaments are formed at regular intervals along a thickness direction of the array substrate and the color filter substrate by a laser beam;
An etching step of performing an etching process on the array substrate and the color filter substrate while preventing the shape cutting scheduled line from being cut;
A cutting step of cutting at the shape cutting scheduled line after the etching process;
A liquid crystal panel comprising at least
The reforming line is a first reforming area formed at a central portion in the thickness direction of the multiple bevel glass base material, and the first reforming area on the surface side of the first reforming area. And a second modified region formed to be adjacent to the region, wherein the first modified region has an energy per unit area of a pulse emitted from the pulse laser. A liquid crystal panel manufacturing method characterized in that it is larger than the second modified region.   The liquid crystal panel manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the first modified region has a formed density of filaments higher than that of the second modified region.   The liquid crystal panel manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the etching step etches at least the second modified region.

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