JPH02157819A - Liquid crystal electro-optical device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten a liquid crystal sealing time by providing a groove on a surface to make contact with at least one of a liquid crystal layers of two substrates pinching the liquid crystal layer and a spacer. CONSTITUTION:A large-scale liquid crystal electro-optical device is composed so as to pinch a spacer 106, a transparent electrode 103, an insulating layer 104, a liquid crystal oriented film 105, and a liquid crystal 107 between glass substrates 101 and 102. Further, a groove 109 connected to a liquid crystal bank 110 is provided between electrodes on a surface making contact with the liquid crystal layer of the glass substrate 102. In such a constitution, the ferroelectric liquid crystal is injected to the liquid crystal bank 110 of the liquid crystal electro-optical device by a vacuum charging method. At such a time, the liquid crystal has permeated the groove 109, next has spread to a part at a small inter-electrode distance, and finally has injected to the whole device. Thus, the liquid crystal sealing time is drastically shortened.

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】 ［産業上の利用分野］ 本発明は大型の液晶電気光学装置に関し、特にその構造
に関する。DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a large-sized liquid crystal electro-optical device, and particularly to its structure.

［従来の技術］ 従来の液晶電気光学装置においては、電極を設けた２枚
の平板なガラス基板をスペーサーを介して張り合わせた
後、その内部を減圧することによって、あるいは、更に
その外部を加圧することによって液晶を注入している。[Prior Art] In a conventional liquid crystal electro-optical device, two flat glass substrates provided with electrodes are pasted together via a spacer, and then the inside of the substrate is reduced in pressure, or the outside of the substrate is further pressurized. By doing this, liquid crystal is injected.

［発明が解決しようとする課題］ しかし、従来の方法によって強誘電性液晶を用いた大型
液晶電気光学装置を作成しようとした場合、次のような
間Ｕ点がある。[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, when attempting to create a large-sized liquid crystal electro-optical device using ferroelectric liquid crystal using the conventional method, there is a problem as follows.

ネマチック液晶を用いた場合、その液晶層厚は６μｍ程
度であるが、強誘電性液晶を用いた場合は２μｍ程度ま
で薄くしなければならない。２枚の基板間の距離、すな
わち液晶層厚が薄くなればなるほど液晶を注入するため
に必要な時間が長くなり、例えば液晶電気光学装置の大
きさが３０ｃｍ四方で液晶層厚が２μｍの場合、液晶溜
に液晶を注入してから注入が終わるまでに約１０時間必
要である。また、注入している間、液晶電気光学装置全
体を液晶が等方相になる温度に保っておかなければなら
ないため、生産性が悪い。When a nematic liquid crystal is used, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer is about 6 μm, but when a ferroelectric liquid crystal is used, the thickness must be reduced to about 2 μm. The thinner the distance between the two substrates, that is, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer, the longer the time required to inject the liquid crystal.For example, if the size of the liquid crystal electro-optical device is 30 cm square and the thickness of the liquid crystal layer is 2 μm, Approximately 10 hours are required from the time the liquid crystal is injected into the liquid crystal reservoir to the end of the injection. Furthermore, during injection, the entire liquid crystal electro-optical device must be maintained at a temperature at which the liquid crystal becomes isotropic, resulting in poor productivity.

そこで本発明は、これらの問題点を解決して、液晶注入
が容易な大型液晶電気光学装置を提供することを目的と
するものである。SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve these problems and provide a large-sized liquid crystal electro-optical device in which liquid crystal can be easily injected.

［課題を解決するための手段〕 本発明の液晶電気光学装置は、 電極を設けた２枚の基板間に、液晶層と前記液晶層の厚
さを制御するためのスペーサーを挟持した液晶電気光学
装置において、前記２枚の基板のうち少なくとも一方の
基板の、前記液晶層と接する面上の前記電極間に、液晶
溜とつながった溝を設けたことを特徴とする。[Means for Solving the Problems] A liquid crystal electro-optical device of the present invention includes a liquid crystal layer and a spacer for controlling the thickness of the liquid crystal layer sandwiched between two substrates provided with electrodes. The device is characterized in that a groove connected to a liquid crystal reservoir is provided between the electrodes on the surface of at least one of the two substrates that is in contact with the liquid crystal layer.

［実施例］ 以下、実施例により本発明の詳細を示す。[Example] Hereinafter, the details of the present invention will be shown by examples.

実施例１ 第１図に本発明による液晶電気光学装置の例を示す。第
１図＜ａ）は略平面図、第１図（ｂ）はＡＡ’に於ける
断面図である。１０１は上ガラス基板、１０２は下ガラ
ス基板、１０３は透明電極、１０４は絶縁層、１０５は
液晶配向膜、１０６はスペーサー　１０７は液晶層、１
０８は偏光板、１０９は溝、１１０は液晶溜である。こ
の液晶電気光学装置の大きさは３０　ｃｉ　Ｘ　２０　
ａｍ、液晶層の厚さは２μｍ、電極の幅は２７０μｍ、
電極間距離は３０μｍ、溝の深さと幅はそれぞれ２μｍ
と３０μｍである。Example 1 FIG. 1 shows an example of a liquid crystal electro-optical device according to the present invention. FIG. 1<a) is a schematic plan view, and FIG. 1(b) is a sectional view at AA'. 101 is an upper glass substrate, 102 is a lower glass substrate, 103 is a transparent electrode, 104 is an insulating layer, 105 is a liquid crystal alignment film, 106 is a spacer, 107 is a liquid crystal layer, 1
08 is a polarizing plate, 109 is a groove, and 110 is a liquid crystal reservoir. The size of this liquid crystal electro-optical device is 30 ci x 20
am, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer is 2 μm, the width of the electrode is 270 μm,
The distance between the electrodes is 30 μm, and the depth and width of the groove are each 2 μm.
and 30 μm.

本実施例では、強誘電性液晶（チッソ社製Ｏ８−１０１
５）を真空封入法によって第１図に示した液晶！気光学
装置に封入した。封入法としては、この液晶の濠晶相−
等方相転移点が７８°Ｃであるため、液晶電気光学装置
全体を８０°Ｃに加熱しながら約９０分間真空引きした
後、液晶を液晶溜に注入し、その後常圧に戻して８０″
Ｃで保持しておいた。その時、まず最初に溝の中に液晶
力書受入し、次いで電極間距離の小さい部分へ溝から広
がっていくような形で液晶が液晶電気光学装置全体に注
入された。このように液晶を液晶溜に注入してから約２
時間で液晶電気光学装置全体に液晶を注入することがで
きた。In this example, a ferroelectric liquid crystal (O8-101 manufactured by Chisso Corporation) was used.
5) is produced using the vacuum sealing method as shown in Figure 1! It was enclosed in an air optic device. As for the encapsulation method, the moat crystal phase of this liquid crystal is used.
Since the isotropic phase transition point is 78°C, the entire liquid crystal electro-optical device is heated to 80°C and evacuated for about 90 minutes, then the liquid crystal is injected into the liquid crystal reservoir, and then the pressure is returned to normal pressure to 80"
I kept it at C. At that time, the liquid crystal was injected into the entire liquid crystal electro-optical device in such a way that the liquid crystal was first received in the groove and then spread from the groove to the area where the distance between the electrodes was small. After injecting the liquid crystal into the liquid crystal reservoir in this way, about 2
It was possible to inject liquid crystal into the entire liquid crystal electro-optical device in a matter of hours.

実施例２ 第２の実施例では、溝の深さと幅をそれぞれ８μｍと２
０μｍとした。他の条件は第１の実施例と同じである。Example 2 In the second example, the depth and width of the groove are 8 μm and 2 μm, respectively.
It was set to 0 μm. Other conditions are the same as in the first embodiment.

この場合は常圧に戻してから約３時間で液晶を完全に注
入することができた。In this case, the liquid crystal could be completely injected in about 3 hours after returning to normal pressure.

実施例３ 第３の実施例では、液晶電気光学装置の大きさは２０　
ｃｒｓ　Ｘ　１５　ａｍ、液晶層の厚さは２μｍ、電極
の幅は１８０μｍ、電極間距離は２０μｍ、溝の深さと
幅はそれぞれ４μｍと２０μｍとした。この場合は、常
圧に戻してから約１時間で液晶を完全に注入することが
できた。Example 3 In the third example, the size of the liquid crystal electro-optical device is 20
crs X 15 am, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer was 2 μm, the width of the electrode was 180 μm, the distance between the electrodes was 20 μm, and the depth and width of the groove were 4 μm and 20 μm, respectively. In this case, the liquid crystal could be completely injected in about one hour after returning to normal pressure.

以上実施例を述べたが、本発明は以上の実施例のみなら
ず他の強誘電性液晶やカイラルネマチック液晶に対して
も有効である。又、溝の形状や幅と深さは限定されず、
第１図に示したように全ての画素間に溝を設置する必要
もないが、本発明を最も有効に作用させるためには、幅
が電極間距離と等しい溝を全ての’ｘｉ間に設置するこ
とが望ましい。Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is effective not only for the above embodiments but also for other ferroelectric liquid crystals and chiral nematic liquid crystals. Moreover, the shape, width and depth of the groove are not limited.
Although it is not necessary to provide grooves between all pixels as shown in FIG. It is desirable to do so.

［発明の効果］ 以上述べたように、本発明による大型液晶電気光学装置
は液晶封入時間が大幅に短縮され、生産性が高くなると
いう効果を有する。本発明は大型デイスプレーや光変調
器などに応用できる。[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the large-sized liquid crystal electro-optical device according to the present invention has the advantage that the liquid crystal filling time is significantly shortened and productivity is increased. The present invention can be applied to large displays, optical modulators, etc.

【図面の簡単な説明】[Brief explanation of the drawing]

第１図（ａ）は本発明による液晶電気光学装置の一例の
平面図であり、第１図（ｂ）は第１図（ａ）のＡＡ’に
おける断面図である。 １０１・・・上ガラス基板 １０２・・・下ガラス基板 １０３・・・透明電極 １０４・・・絶縁膜 １０５・・・液晶配向膜 １０６・・・スペーサー １０７・・・液晶層 １０８・・・偏光板 溝 液晶溜 以 上FIG. 1(a) is a plan view of an example of a liquid crystal electro-optical device according to the present invention, and FIG. 1(b) is a sectional view taken along line AA' in FIG. 1(a). 101... Upper glass substrate 102... Lower glass substrate 103... Transparent electrode 104... Insulating film 105... Liquid crystal alignment film 106... Spacer 107... Liquid crystal layer 108... Polarizing plate Groove liquid crystal reservoir or more

Claims (3)

【特許請求の範囲】[Claims] （１）電極を設けた２枚の基板間に、液晶層と前記液晶
層の厚さを制御するためのスペーサーを挟持した液晶電
気光学装置において、前記２枚の基板のうち少なくとも
一方の基板の前記液晶層と接する面上に溝を設けたこと
を特徴とする液晶電気光学装置。(1) In a liquid crystal electro-optical device in which a liquid crystal layer and a spacer for controlling the thickness of the liquid crystal layer are sandwiched between two substrates provided with electrodes, at least one of the two substrates is A liquid crystal electro-optical device characterized in that a groove is provided on a surface in contact with the liquid crystal layer. （２）前記溝は、前記溝が設けられている基板上の前記
電極間に配置されていることを特徴とする請求項１に記
載の液晶電気光学装置。(2) The liquid crystal electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the groove is arranged between the electrodes on a substrate on which the groove is provided. （３）前記溝は、液晶溜とつながっていることを特徴と
する請求項１に記載の液晶電気光学装置。(3) The liquid crystal electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the groove is connected to a liquid crystal reservoir.