JP3277693B2 - Method of manufacturing image display device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an image display device for selecting an image by driving an electro-optic material layer using plasma.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, as a means for increasing the resolution and contrast of a display, for example, there is a method of providing an active element such as a transistor for each display pixel and driving it, that is, a so-called active matrix address system. . However, in this case, since it is necessary to provide a large number of semiconductor elements such as thin film transistors, there is a concern about a yield problem particularly when the display is enlarged, and a problem arises that the cost is inevitably increased.

Therefore, as a means for solving this problem,
A method has been proposed in which discharge plasma is used as an active element instead of a semiconductor element such as a MOS transistor or a thin film transistor. Hereinafter, an example of an image display device that drives liquid crystal using discharge plasma will be briefly described.

In this image display device, a liquid crystal layer, which is an electro-optical material layer, and a discharge region where plasma discharge is performed,
It is arranged adjacently via a thin dielectric microsheet made of glass or the like.

In the discharge region, a plurality of first electrodes made of line-shaped conductive paste are arranged at equal intervals on a glass substrate as a first substrate, and the anode and the cathode are alternately arranged. It has been. Terminals for applying a voltage to the plasma electrodes are alternately provided at one end of each plasma electrode. For example, at the left end of the glass substrate, each cathode is formed longer than each anode, and the left end of each cathode is formed. Are provided with the above terminals. At this time, each anode is formed longer than each cathode at the right end of the glass substrate, and the terminal is provided at the right end of each anode.

Further, a partition wall made of an insulating paste narrower than the plasma electrode is formed on each plasma electrode in parallel with each other, and an ionizable gas is sealed in the discharge region. Then, in each discharge region, the exposed both ends of the plasma electrode due to the formation of the partition function as an anode and a cathode, respectively. The lower part of the microsheet is supported and fixed by the frit provided on the upper end of the partition and the peripheral part of the glass substrate.

On the microsheet, an alignment layer for adjusting the alignment of the liquid crystal and the liquid crystal layer made of a nematic liquid crystal or the like sandwiched between the layers are provided with the periphery thereof supported by a liquid crystal seal. A transparent substrate, which is a second substrate, is disposed above the color filter 1 via a liquid crystal seal and an alignment layer. On the lower part of the transparent substrate, that is, on the surface on the liquid crystal layer side, a plurality of transparent electrodes as second electrodes are formed. These transparent electrodes are orthogonal to the above-mentioned plasma electrodes, and each intersection region with each plasma electrode corresponds to each pixel.

In the above-mentioned image display device, a discharge region where plasma discharge is performed is sequentially switched and scanned by each of the terminals, and a signal voltage is applied to the transparent electrode on the liquid crystal layer side in synchronism with the scan to thereby change the signal voltage. The voltage is held in each pixel, and the liquid crystal layer is driven. Therefore, each discharge region corresponds to one scanning line, and the discharge region is divided for each scanning unit.

In the above-mentioned image display device, the plasma electrode and the partition are formed by screen printing using a printing screen having a conductive paste transmitting portion having a predetermined pattern corresponding to the plasma electrode or the partition. It is. During this screen printing,
A printing screen with the required paste applied to the surface is placed on the glass substrate, and a stage arranged at one end of the printing screen is pressed and moved toward a stage arranged at the other end. A predetermined pattern formed as a conductive paste transmitting portion on the printing screen is transferred onto the glass substrate, and the plasma electrodes and the partition walls are formed by printing.

[0010]

When the above-mentioned plasma electrodes and the above-mentioned partition walls are formed by printing using a screen printing method, printing defects often occur because each plasma electrode is formed with high definition. As a result, the plasma electrode and the partition may be interrupted. In particular, if printing failure, that is, disconnection occurs during the printing of the plasma electrode, the quality of the image forming apparatus is significantly reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to easily and reliably prevent disconnection of the first electrode during screen printing of the first electrode. By repairing this disconnection and eliminating the disconnection portion of the first electrode, it is possible to greatly improve the reliability and yield of the product, and to increase the size and definition of the device, which has recently been required. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing an image display device which can perform the above.

[0012]

According to the present invention, a first electrode for discharging is formed on a first substrate by a screen printing method using a conductive paste, and a dielectric is formed on the first substrate. Laminating a film, an electro-optic material layer, and a second substrate having a second electrode orthogonal to the first electrode.

According to the present invention, a printing screen used for forming the first electrode is provided with a conductive paste transmitting portion corresponding to the shape of the first electrode, and when a disconnection occurs in the first electrode, screen printing is performed again. It is characterized by performing.

By the way, the disconnection of the plasma electrode is caused by dust adhering to the conductive paste transmitting portion of the printing screen or in the vicinity of the conductive paste or by clumping of the printing paste. Therefore, in the above case, if the printing screen used when the first electrode is disconnected is used as it is for the second printing, the disconnection occurs again at the same location, and the disconnected location of the plasma electrode is repaired. There is a problem that is difficult.

Therefore, in the present invention, when disconnection occurs in the first electrode, the second screen printing is performed by rotating the printing screen by 180 °. In order to perform this method, it is necessary that the shape of the first electrode is point-symmetric.

In the first screen printing and the second screen printing, printing may be performed with the arrangement of the printing screens shifted. In order to perform this method, it is necessary that the first electrodes are formed at an equal pitch. This method is particularly effective when, for example, several first electrodes are continuously disconnected.

Further, the second screen printing may be performed using another printing screen having the conductive paste transmitting portion of the same pattern.

The printing screen may be washed before the second screen printing.

[0019]

In the method of manufacturing an image display device according to the present invention, a first electrode is formed on a first substrate by screen printing. At this time, since each first electrode is formed with high definition, printing failure often occurs and disconnection occurs in the first electrode. The present invention is to perform screen printing again when a disconnection occurs in a first electrode printed corresponding to a certain conductive paste transmitting portion of a printing screen. Specifically, a method of rotating the print screen by 180 ° and reusing it, a method of displacing the arrangement of the print screen between the first screen print and the second screen print,
A method of performing the second screen printing using another printing screen having a conductive paste transmitting portion of the same pattern,
There is a method of cleaning the printing screen before performing the second screen printing.

As described above, the conductive paste transmitting portion of the printing screen, which does not have the cause (dust, clumping of the printing paste) that caused the disconnection of a certain first electrode, is printed again corresponding to the first electrode. Therefore, the probability that the cause of the disconnection exists in the conductive paste transmitting portion at the same position corresponding to the disconnection position of the first electrode can be regarded as substantially zero. Therefore, the disconnection of the first electrode is surely repaired by this reprinting, and it is possible to eliminate the disconnection of the first electrode of the image display device.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a specific embodiment of a method for manufacturing an image display device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The image display device manufactured according to the present embodiment uses a discharge plasma to drive a liquid crystal, which is an electro-optical material, to select an image. As shown in FIG. 1, this image display device has a liquid crystal layer 1 which is an electro-optical material layer.
1 and a discharge region 12 in which plasma discharge is performed are arranged adjacent to each other via a thin dielectric microsheet 13 made of glass or the like.

In the discharge region 12, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of plasma electrodes 15 as first electrodes made of line-shaped conductive paste are formed on a glass substrate 14 as a first substrate. The anodes A and the cathodes K are arranged alternately at intervals. Terminals for applying a voltage to the plasma electrodes 15 are provided alternately at one end of each plasma electrode 15. Here, at the right end of the glass substrate 14 corresponding to outside the effective screen, each cathode K is formed to be longer than each anode A.
Is provided with a terminal 15b at the right end. At this time, similarly, at the left end of the glass substrate 14 corresponding to the outside of the effective screen, each anode A is formed longer than each cathode K, and a terminal 15a is provided at the left end of each anode A. The plasma electrode 15 may be configured by reversing the relationship between the anode A and the cathode K.

Further, a partition 16 made of an insulating paste having a width smaller than that of the plasma electrode 15 is formed on each plasma electrode 15.
Are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the plasma electrode 15, and the discharge region 12
An ionizable gas is sealed therein.

Here, in each discharge region 12, both ends in the width direction of the partition 16 and the narrow plasma electrode 15 are exposed due to the formation of the partition 16, and the partition 16 is partitioned by two opposing partitions 16. The defined area is used as a plasma chamber, and the exposed portions 15a and 15
b functions as a pair of electrodes (anode and cathode). Further, the upper end portions of these partition walls 16 and the glass substrate 14
The lower part of the microsheet 13 is supported and fixed by a frit 17 provided on the peripheral edge of the microsheet 13.

On the microsheet 13, the liquid crystal layer 11 made of nematic liquid crystal or the like sandwiched between alignment layers 18a and 18b for adjusting the alignment of liquid crystal is provided with its periphery supported by a liquid crystal seal 19. I have. A transparent substrate 21 as a second substrate is provided above the color filter 20 via the liquid crystal seal 19 and the alignment layer 18b.
Is arranged. The lower part of the transparent substrate 21, that is, the liquid crystal layer 11
A plurality of transparent electrodes 22 as second electrodes are formed on the surface on the side. These transparent electrodes 22 are orthogonal to the respective plasma electrodes 15, and respective intersection regions with the respective plasma electrodes 15 correspond to respective pixels.

In the image display device, the discharge area 12 where plasma discharge is performed is sequentially switched and scanned by the terminals, and the transparent electrode 22 on the liquid crystal layer 21 side is scanned.
By applying a signal voltage in synchronization with this, the signal voltage is held in each pixel, and the liquid crystal layer 11 is driven.
Therefore, each discharge region 12 corresponds to one scan line, and the discharge region is divided for each scan unit.

Here, in order to manufacture the image display device, first, a plasma electrode 15 (anode A) is formed on a glass substrate 14 using a printing screen 1 as shown in FIG.
And the cathode K) is printed by screen printing.

In the printing screen 1, conductive paste transmitting portions 4a and 4b corresponding to the plasma electrodes 15 of the anode A and the cathode K are alternately formed on the main surface 3 in the screen frame 2 at predetermined intervals. . The conductive paste transmitting portions 4a and 4b correspond to the anode A and the cathode K, respectively. The conductive paste transmitting portion 4b corresponding to each anode A is formed longer than the conductive paste transmitting portion 4a corresponding to each cathode K at the left end of the main surface 3. Note that a printing screen having the conductive paste transmitting portions 4a and 4b in which the relationship between the anode A and the cathode K is reversed may be used.

Using the printing screen 1 having the above structure, the printing screen 1 having a required paste applied to the surface thereof is set on the glass substrate 14, and as shown in FIG. By moving the stage 5 arranged at the right end on the main surface 3 toward the left end, which is the terminal end, the conductive paste transmitting portions 4a and 4b are moved.
Is transferred onto the glass substrate 14,
Anode A and cathode K plasma electrodes 15 are formed on the glass substrate 14 by printing and dried.

Thereafter, each of the plasma-formed plasma electrodes 1 is formed.
Similarly, the insulating paste is printed to a width narrower than those of the plasma electrodes 15 by screen printing, and a partition 16 having a predetermined shape is printed and dried.

Here, since each of the plasma electrodes 15 is formed with high definition, a printing failure often occurs and the plasma electrode 15 may be disconnected. In this case, in the present embodiment, a conductive paste transmitting part of the printing screen 1, for example, the conductive paste transmitting parts 4a and 4b
When the disconnection occurs in the plasma electrode 15 printed corresponding to the above, screen printing is performed again.

More specifically, when a disconnection occurs in the plasma electrode 15, the printing screen 1 is turned upside down, that is, rotated by 180 ° to correspond to the plasma electrode 15 printed on the glass substrate 14. Install and print again. At this time, the broken plasma electrode 15
The printing may be performed on several conductive paste transmitting portions near the conductive paste transmitting portion corresponding to the above, but of course, the entire plasma electrode 15 may be printed again.

In order to perform this method, the glass substrate 1
It is necessary that the plasma electrode 15 on 4 is of a type formed in a point-symmetric structure.

As described above, the conductive paste transmitting portions 4a, 4 of the printing screen 1 which do not have a cause (dust, agglomeration of the printing paste) that has caused the disconnection of a certain plasma electrode 15
Since b is printed again corresponding to the first electrode, the probability that the cause of the disconnection exists at the same position corresponding to the disconnection position of the plasma electrode 15 in the conductive paste transmitting portions 4a and 4b is almost zero. Can be considered. Therefore, the conductive paste transmitting portions 4a, 4a
The broken portion of the plasma electrode 15 corresponding to 4b is surely repaired.

Then, a plasma electrode 15 made of a nickel paste formed on a silver paste formed on a glass substrate 14 and a partition 16 made of an insulating paste formed on the plasma electrode 15 are heated at a predetermined high temperature. Baking. Then, through various post-processes, the plasma electrode 15 and the partition 16 having no disconnection on the glass substrate 14 are completed.

Next, the lower portion of the microsheet 13 made of glass or SiO 2 is supported and fixed by the frit 17 provided at the upper end of each of the partition walls 16 and the peripheral portion of the glass substrate 14. Is filled with an ionizable gas.

Then, the image display device is completed by sequentially laminating the transparent substrate 21 on which the liquid crystal layer 11 as an electro-optical material and the plurality of transparent electrodes 22 are formed on the microsheet 13. As the liquid crystal layer 11, a liquid crystal material such as a nematic liquid crystal is used. Therefore, the alignment layers 18 a and 18 b and the color filter 20 are arranged on the upper and lower portions, and the micro sheet 1 is interposed via the liquid crystal seal 19.
3 and a predetermined gap, and can be easily manufactured by injecting, for example, a nematic liquid crystal between the transparent substrate 21 and the microsheet 13 like a normal liquid crystal cell.

Here, several modifications of the above embodiment will be described. Components corresponding to those described in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

First, a first modification will be described. In the first modification, the image display device is manufactured by a method substantially similar to that of the above-described embodiment. However, when disconnection occurs in a certain plasma electrode 15 during screen printing of the plasma electrode 15, reprinting is performed. The difference is in the way they are handled.

That is, in the first modified example,
When a disconnection occurs in the plasma electrode 15, the arrangement of the printing screen 1 is shifted in the first screen printing and the second screen printing, and the plasma screen 15 is installed in correspondence with the disconnected plasma electrode 15 printed and formed on the glass substrate 14. Print again. In other words, in this case, the printing screen 1 used for printing the plasma electrode 15 is used again, and several conductive pastes near the conductive paste transmitting portions 4a and 4b corresponding to the disconnected plasma electrode 15 are transmitted. Apply screen printing to the part.

In order to perform this method, it is necessary that the plasma electrodes 15 be of a type formed at equal pitches. This method is particularly effective when, for example, several plasma electrodes 15 are continuously disconnected.

Also in this first modification, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the conductive paste transmitting portion of the printing screen 1 which does not have a cause (dust, agglomeration of the printing paste) that caused the disconnection of a certain plasma electrode 15. The parts 4a and 4b
Since the printing is performed again corresponding to the electrodes, the probability that the cause of the disconnection exists in the conductive paste transmitting portions 4a and 4b at the same position corresponding to the disconnection position of the plasma electrode 15 can be regarded as substantially zero. . Therefore, the disconnection of the plasma electrode 15 corresponding to the conductive paste transmitting portions 4a and 4b is surely repaired by this reprinting.

Next, a second modified example will be described.
In the second modified example, similarly to the first modified example, the image display device is manufactured by a method substantially similar to that of the above-described embodiment. The difference is that a method for reprinting when a disconnection occurs is different.

That is, in the second modification,
When a disconnection occurs in the plasma electrode 15, another printing screen 1 having the same pattern of the conductive paste transmitting portion is used, and is installed again in correspondence with the plasma electrode 15 printed and formed on the glass substrate 14, and printing is performed again. .

This method can deal with all types of plasma electrodes regardless of the shape of the plasma electrode. In this case, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the cause of the disconnection of a certain plasma electrode 15 (dust, Lump of printing paste)
Conductive paste transmitting portion 4 of printing screen 1 having no
Since a and 4b are printed again corresponding to the first electrode, the probability that the cause of the disconnection exists in the conductive paste transmitting portions 4a and 4b at the same position corresponding to the disconnection position of the plasma electrode 15 is determined. It can be regarded as almost zero.
Therefore, the disconnection of the plasma electrode 15 corresponding to the conductive paste transmitting portions 4a and 4b is surely repaired by this reprinting.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and its modifications. For example, when a disconnection occurs in the plasma electrode serving as the first electrode, the used printing screen is washed to cause the disconnection. After removing the lump of dust and the paste for printing that became, it was superimposed on the plasma electrode using the same printing screen, and printing was performed again,
It is possible to eliminate disconnection.

[0048]

According to the method of manufacturing an image display device according to the present invention, a step of printing and forming a first electrode for discharge on a first substrate by a screen printing method using a conductive paste; Laminating a second substrate having a dielectric film, an electro-optical material layer, and a second electrode orthogonal to the first electrode on the first substrate. A printing screen used for forming an electrode is provided with a conductive paste transmitting portion corresponding to the shape of the first electrode, and when a disconnection occurs in the first electrode, screen printing is performed again. In some cases, even if a disconnection occurs in the first electrode, the disconnection of the first electrode can be easily and surely repaired without any disconnection, and the reliability and yield of the product can be greatly improved. What , It is possible to size and high definition of the device is a recent requirement

[0049]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an image display device manufactured according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing a first electrode of the image display device and a partition formed thereon.

FIG. 3 is a plan view schematically showing a printing screen for printing and forming the first electrode.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view schematically showing a state when the first electrode is formed by printing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Print screen 2 Screen frame 3 Main surface 4a, 4b, conductive paste transmission part 5 Stage 11 Liquid crystal layer 12 Discharge area 13 Microsheet 14 Glass substrate 15 Plasma electrode 15a Anode 15b Cathode 16 Partition 17 Frit 18a, 18b Alignment layer 19 Liquid crystal seal Reference Signs List 20 color filter 21 transparent substrate 22 transparent electrode

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02F 1/1333 G02F 1/1343 H01J 9/02 H01J 17/49

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A step of printing a first electrode for discharge on a first substrate by screen printing using a conductive paste so that the shape is symmetrical, and forming a dielectric on the first substrate. Laminating a film, an electro-optic material layer, and a second substrate having a second electrode orthogonal to the first electrode, the method comprising the steps of: The printing screen is provided with a conductive paste transmitting portion corresponding to the shape of the first electrode, and when a disconnection occurs in the first electrode, the printing screen is rotated by 180 ° and screen printing is performed again. Of manufacturing an image display device. 2. A step of printing and forming first electrodes for discharge on a first substrate at a constant pitch by a screen printing method using a conductive paste; and forming a dielectric film and an electro-optic material on the first substrate. Stacking a layer and a second substrate having a second electrode orthogonal to the first electrode. A method of manufacturing an image display device, comprising the steps of: A conductive paste transmitting portion corresponding to the shape of the first electrode is provided, and when disconnection occurs in the first electrode, the arrangement of the printing screen is shifted in the pitch direction in the first screen printing and the second screen printing. A method for manufacturing an image display device, wherein screen printing is performed again. 3. A step of printing and forming a first electrode for discharge on a first substrate by a screen printing method using a conductive paste; and forming a dielectric film, an electro-optic material layer, and Superimposing a second substrate having a second electrode orthogonal to the first electrode. A method of manufacturing an image display device, comprising the steps of: A conductive paste transmitting portion corresponding to the shape is provided, and when a disconnection occurs in the first electrode, a second screen printing is performed using another printing screen having a conductive paste transmitting portion of the same pattern. Of manufacturing an image display device. 4. A step of printing and forming a first electrode for discharge on a first substrate by a screen printing method using a conductive paste; and forming a dielectric film, an electro-optic material layer, and Superimposing a second substrate having a second electrode orthogonal to the first electrode. A method for manufacturing an image display device, comprising the steps of: A method for manufacturing an image display device, comprising: providing a conductive paste transmitting portion corresponding to the shape of (1); and, when a disconnection occurs in the first electrode, cleaning the printing screen before performing the second screen printing.