JP2003107444A - Liquid crystal display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid crystal display device with excellent display quality. SOLUTION: The liquid crystal display device is provided with a liquid crystal composition 300 held between a couple of substrates 100 and 200. The array substrate 100 is provided with a columnar space 31 of a single layer structure forming a prescribed gap between a plurality of color filter layers 24 (R, G, B) arranged for every pixel and a couple of substrates in a display area 102 for displaying an image, and also with a shade layer SP made of a resin resist with a shade property in a shade area 41 and a columnar spacer 500 of a stack structure for forming the prescribed gap between a couple of the substrates and formed by stacking a plurality of the color filter layers 24 (R, G, B) in a plurality of colors.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a color liquid crystal display device having a light shielding layer that shields a peripheral region of a display region for displaying an image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, a liquid crystal display device of active matrix drive which is generally used is, for example, a thin film transistor (TFT) having a semiconductor layer of amorphous silicon (a-Si) and a pixel electrode connected to the TFT. And an opposing substrate provided with a counter electrode arranged to face the array substrate, a color filter layer, and the like, and a liquid crystal composition is sandwiched between the two substrates. Has been done.

The array substrate and the counter substrate are fixed around their periphery by an adhesive applied except for the liquid crystal sealing port. The liquid crystal filling port is sealed with a sealant. Among them, the liquid crystal display device for color display is a red (R), green (G), blue () arranged on each pixel of one of the two glass substrates in a display area for displaying an image. The color filter layer comprises the colored layer of B).

In these liquid crystal display devices, a light shielding layer is provided in a light shielding area around the display area. This light shielding layer is often provided on the same substrate as the substrate provided with the color filter layer. In particular, by providing both the color filter layer and the light-shielding layer on the array substrate, the aperture ratio of the pixel portion can be improved, and a liquid crystal display device with a high aperture ratio can be obtained.

In such a liquid crystal display device, a structure has been proposed in which a columnar spacer is provided on at least one of the substrates to maintain a constant gap between the array substrate and the counter substrate.

[0006]

However, since the columnar spacer formed by laminating a plurality of color filter layers has different leveling characteristics depending on the laminating conditions at the forming position, the leveling characteristics are high. Variation occurs. When the columnar spacer having such a structure is formed in the display region, it becomes difficult to maintain a constant gap, and display defects such as display unevenness may occur.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to provide a liquid crystal display device having excellent display quality.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, a first aspect of the present invention is a liquid crystal display device constituted by sandwiching a liquid crystal composition between a pair of substrates. One of the substrates includes a color filter layer arranged for each pixel in a display area for displaying an image, and a first columnar spacer having a single-layer structure that forms a predetermined gap between the pair of substrates. A light-shielding layer formed of a resin resist having a light-shielding property, and a color filter layer of a plurality of colors stacked to hold a gap between the pair of substrates in a light-shielding region arranged along the outer periphery of the display region. And a second columnar spacer having a laminated structure formed in the above manner.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

A liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment of the present invention, for example, an active matrix type liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel.

(First Embodiment) That is, the liquid crystal display panel 10 according to the first embodiment is, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an array substrate 100 and this array substrate 10.
Counter substrate 200 and array substrate 10 which are arranged to face each other.
0 and the liquid crystal composition 30 disposed between the counter substrate 200
It has 0 and. In such a liquid crystal display panel 10, the display area 102 for displaying an image is the array substrate 1
00 and the counter substrate 200 are formed in a region surrounded by the outer edge seal member 106. A peripheral region 104 arranged along the outer periphery of the display region 102
Has a light-shielding region formed in a frame shape.

In the display area 102, the array substrate 10
0 is m arranged in a matrix as shown in FIG.
× n pixel electrodes 151, m scanning lines Y1 to Ym formed along the row direction of these pixel electrodes 151, and n signal lines X1 to X1 formed along the column direction of these pixel electrodes 151. Xn, m × n thin film transistors, that is, pixel TFTs 121 arranged as switching elements near the intersections of the scanning lines Y1 to Ym and the signal lines X1 to Xn, corresponding to the m × n pixel electrodes 151. .

In the peripheral region 104, the array substrate 100 has the scanning line driving circuit 18 for driving the scanning lines Y1 to Ym and the signal line driving circuit 1 for driving the signal lines X1 to Xn.
9 and so on.

As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid crystal capacitance CL is formed by the pixel electrode 151, the counter electrode 204, and the liquid crystal layer 300 sandwiched between these electrodes. Further, the auxiliary capacitance Cs is electrically formed in parallel with the liquid crystal capacitance CL. The auxiliary capacitance Cs is formed by a pair of electrodes, which are opposed to each other via an insulating film, that is, the auxiliary capacitance electrode 61 having the same potential as the pixel electrode 151, and the auxiliary capacitance line 52 set to a predetermined potential. .

As shown in FIG. 3, the liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal composition 30 between the array substrate 100 and the counter substrate 200.
A transmission type liquid crystal display panel 10 sandwiching 0 and a backlight unit 400 for illuminating the liquid crystal display panel 10 from the back side are provided.

Array substrate 100 of liquid crystal display panel 10
Is a pixel TF formed in the display region 102 on a transparent insulating substrate 11 such as a glass substrate corresponding to a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix.
T121, a color filter layer 24 (R, G, B) formed so as to cover the display region 102 including the pixel TFT 121,
Pixel electrodes 151 arranged for each pixel on the color filter layer 24, a plurality of columnar spacers arranged on the color filter layer 24 and forming a predetermined gap between the array substrate 100 and the counter substrate 200 (first One columnar spacer) 31 and the alignment film 13A formed so as to cover the entire plurality of pixel electrodes 151.

The array substrate 100 has a peripheral region 10
4, the columnar spacers 31 surrounding the outer periphery of the display area 102 and arranged in the light shielding area 41 of the insulating substrate 11
And a plurality of columnar spacers (second columnar spacers) 500 that form a predetermined gap between the array substrate 100 and the counter substrate 200.

The color filter layer 24 is, for example, about 3.2.
It has a thickness of μm and is arranged for each pixel of green (G), blue (B), and red (R). These color filter layers 24 are composed of colored resin resists of three colors that respectively transmit light of respective color components of green, blue, and red.

The pixel electrode 151 is made of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) formed on the color filter layers 24G, 24B and 24R assigned to each pixel.
It is formed of a light-transmissive conductive member such as. The pixel electrode 151 has the color filter layers 24 (R, G,
Pixel TFT1 through through hole 26 penetrating B)
21 are respectively connected.

Each pixel TFT 121 is connected to a scanning line Y formed along a row of pixel electrodes 151 and a signal line X formed along a column of pixel electrodes 151, and is turned on by a driving voltage from the scanning line Y. Then, the signal voltage is applied to the pixel electrode 151.

As shown in more detail in FIG. 4, in the array substrate 100, the scanning lines Y formed along the rows of the pixel electrodes 151 and the signal lines X formed along the columns of the pixel electrodes 151. The pixel TFT 121 is provided near the intersection of the scanning line Y and the signal line X corresponding to the pixel electrode 151.

Further, the array substrate 100 has a liquid crystal capacitance C.
An auxiliary capacitance electrode 61 having the same potential as the pixel electrode 151, which is arranged to face the pixel electrode 151 in order to form an auxiliary capacitance CS electrically parallel to L, and an auxiliary capacitance line 52 set to a predetermined potential. It has and.

The signal line X is arranged so as to be substantially orthogonal to the scanning line Y and the auxiliary capacitance line 52 via the interlayer insulating film 76. The auxiliary capacitance line 52 is formed of the same material in the same layer as the scanning line Y and is formed substantially parallel to the scanning line Y. A part of the auxiliary capacitance line 52 is arranged to face the auxiliary capacitance electrode 61 via the gate insulating film 62. The auxiliary capacitance electrode 61 is formed of an impurity-doped polysilicon film.

Wiring portions such as the signal lines X, the scanning lines Y, and the auxiliary capacitance lines 52 are formed of a light-shielding low-resistance material such as aluminum or molybdenum-tungsten. In this embodiment, the scanning line Y and the auxiliary capacitance line 52 are made of molybdenum-tungsten, and the signal line X is mainly made of aluminum.

The pixel TFT 121 has a semiconductor layer 11 formed of a polysilicon film in the same layer as the auxiliary capacitance electrode 61.
Have two. The semiconductor layer 112 is the glass substrate 1
Drain region 112 that is formed on the undercoating layer 60 that is formed on the first region and is formed by doping impurities on both sides of the channel region 112C.
It has a D and a source region 112S. This pixel TF
T121 is the semiconductor layer 112 via the gate insulating film 62.
Of the gate electrode 63 integrated with the scanning line Y arranged to face
Is equipped with.

The drain electrode 88 of the pixel TFT 121 is
It is formed integrally with the signal line X and is electrically connected to the drain region 112D of the semiconductor layer 112 via a contact hole 77 penetrating the gate insulating film 62 and the interlayer insulating film 76. The source electrode 89 of the pixel TFT 121 has a source region 112 of the semiconductor layer 112 via a contact hole 78 penetrating the gate insulating film 62 and the interlayer insulating film 76.
It is electrically connected to S.

The color filter layers 24 (R, G, B) colored red (R), green (G), and blue (B) are arranged on the interlayer insulating film 76. The pixel electrode 151 is
The source electrode 89 of the pixel TFT 121 is disposed on the color filter layer 24 (R, G, B) and through the through hole 26 formed in the color filter layer 24 (R, G, B).
Electrically connected to.

The auxiliary capacitance electrode 61 is electrically connected to a contact electrode 80 formed of the same material as the signal line X via a contact hole 79 penetrating the gate insulating film 62 and the interlayer insulating film 76. Pixel electrode 151
Are electrically connected to the contact electrode 80 through a contact hole 81 penetrating the color filter layer 24. Thereby, the source electrode 8 of the pixel TFT 121
9, the pixel electrode 30, and the auxiliary capacitance electrode 61 have the same potential.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the display region 102, the columnar spacers 31 are formed of a black resin resist having a single layer structure. The columnar spacers 31 are formed to a height of about 4.5 μm. In the display area 40, the columnar spacers 31 are provided in a wiring portion having a light shielding property (for example, a scanning line or an auxiliary capacitance line formed of a molybdenum-tungsten alloy film, a signal line formed of aluminum, etc.). Each laminated color filter layer 2
4 (R, G, B).

In the light-shielding region 41 provided in a frame shape along the outer periphery of the display region 102, the light-shielding layer SP is formed of a black resin resist of the same material as the columnar spacer 31.

In the light-shielding region 41, the columnar spacer 500 is formed by laminating the same colored resin resist as the color filter layers of a plurality of colors arranged in the display region 102. In this embodiment, the columnar spacers 500 are, for example, the red color filter layer 24.
It is formed by stacking R, the green color filter layer 24G, and the blue color filter layer 24B in this order from the main surface side of the array substrate 100.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the columnar spacers 500 are arranged on the light-shielding wiring portion (for example, various metal wirings drawn from the display area 102) 510. There is. That is, since the columnar spacers 500 are formed by laminating colored resin resists of a plurality of colors, the light transmitted through the columnar spacers 500 is sufficiently shielded, but in order to improve the light shielding property of the light shielding region 41. In particular, it is desirable that the wiring portion 510 is arranged on the wiring portion 510 having a light shielding property.

The alignment film 13A aligns the liquid crystal molecules contained in the liquid crystal composition 300 in a predetermined direction with respect to the array substrate 100.

The counter substrate 200 has a counter electrode 204 arranged on a transparent insulating substrate 21 such as a glass substrate, and an alignment film 13B covering the counter electrode 204.

The counter electrode 204 is arranged so as to face all the pixel electrodes 151 on the array substrate 110 side.
It is formed of a light-transmissive conductive member such as O. The alignment film 13B aligns liquid crystal molecules contained in the liquid crystal composition 300 in a predetermined direction with respect to the counter substrate 200.

Array substrate 1 in liquid crystal display panel 10
A polarizing plate PL1 is provided on the surface of 00, and a polarizing plate PL2 is provided on the surface of the counter substrate 200.

In such a liquid crystal display device, the light emitted from the backlight unit 400 illuminates the liquid crystal display panel 10 from the back side of the array substrate 100. The light that has passed through the polarizing plate PL1 on the array substrate 100 side of the liquid crystal display panel 10 and enters the inside of the liquid crystal display panel 10 is modulated through the liquid crystal composition 300, and the counter substrate 2
It is selectively transmitted by the polarizing plate PL2 on the 00 side. As a result, a color image is displayed.

By the way, in the columnar spacer formed by laminating the color filter layers 24 (R, G, B) of a plurality of colors as described above, the height varies depending on the laminating condition at the forming position. This phenomenon will be described with reference to the drawings. Here, it is assumed that the red color filter layer 24R, the green color filter layer 24G, and the blue color filter layer 24B are stacked in this order.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5, first, a red color resist 24R for the first color is formed and patterned to form a red color filter layer.

Next, the second color green resin resist 24G
To form a film. At this time, the green resin resist 24G is laminated on the red color filter layer 24R on the one hand, but flows into the valleys of the red color filter layer 24R on the other hand and is leveled. Therefore, when the film thickness of the green resin resist 24G flowing into the valley is made equal to that of the red color filter layer 24R, the film thickness of the green resin resist 24G laminated on the red color filter layer 24R is smaller than that of the red color filter 24R. Become thin. A green color filter layer is formed by patterning such a green resin resist 24G.

Subsequently, the third color blue resin resist 24B
To form a film. At this time, the blue resin resist 24B flows into the red color filter layer 24R on the one hand, and into the valley between the green color filter layer 24G and the green color filter layer 24G and the adjacent red color filter layer 24R on the other hand, Be leveled. Therefore, when the film thickness of the blue resin resist 24B flowing into the valley is made equal to that of the red color filter layer 24R and the green color filter layer 24G, the film thickness of the blue resin resist 24B laminated on the green color filter layer 24G is , Which is thinner than the green color filter 24G. A blue color filter layer is formed by patterning such a blue resin resist 24B.

In this way, the color filter layer 24 (R,
The columnar spacers formed by stacking G and B) have different heights due to their leveling characteristics. That is, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, when the second green color filter layer 24G is laminated on the first red color filter layer 24R, the green resin resist is It just flows into the valley in the direction.

On the other hand, when the second green color filter layer 24G is laminated on the first island-shaped red color filter layer 24R as shown in FIG. The resist flows into the valleys in both directions. Therefore, the film thickness of the second layer of the structure shown in FIG.
It becomes thinner than the film thickness of the second layer of the structure shown in (a) and (b).

As shown in FIG. 6A, when the third blue color filter layer 24B is laminated on the second green color filter layer 24G, the blue resin resist is 1 in both directions. Red color filter layer 24R of the second layer
And only flows into the green color filter layer 24G.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C, the third blue color filter layer 2 is formed in the vicinity of the position where the first blue color filter layer 24B is formed.
When 4B are stacked, the blue resin resist may have a valley between the red color filter layer 24R and the green color filter layer 24G in one direction ((b) of FIG. 6) or a valley of the red color filter layer 24R (see FIG. 6). (C)). Therefore, the film thickness of the third layer of the structure shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C is smaller than the film thickness of the third layer of the structure shown in FIG.

When the film thicknesses of the second and third layers are taken into consideration, the example of the structure shown in FIG. 6A has the highest columnar spacer height, and the structure shown in FIG. For example, the height of the columnar spacers decreases in the order of the structure example shown in FIG.

Therefore, in the liquid crystal display device according to the above-mentioned first embodiment, the array substrate 100 is not formed by stacking the color filter layers 24 in the display region 102, but is formed by another material such as a black resin resist. The columnar spacer 31 having a layered structure is provided.

Thus, in the display area 102,
By applying the single-layer structure columnar spacers 31, it is possible to prevent the heights of the columnar spacers from varying, and it is possible to maintain a uniform gap between the substrates.

Further, for example, in the light-shielding region 41, the color filter layer 24 (R, G, B) is provided below the light-shielding layer SP.
It is possible to dispose one of the layers and form the columnar spacer by stacking this layer and the light shielding layer SP. In this case as well, the columnar spacer formed in the display region 102 by the leveling phenomenon described above. Not equal to the height of 31.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the columnar spacer 500 formed in the light-shielding region 41 has a laminated structure of the color filter layers 24 (R, G, B) and is displayed according to the height of the columnar spacer 500. By adjusting the height of the columnar spacers 31 in the region 102, the inter-substrate gap between the light shielding region 41 and the display region 102 can be made uniform, and display defects can be prevented.

Therefore, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal display device having excellent display quality.

Further, each color filter layer 24 (R, R, which constitutes the columnar spacer 500 arranged in the light shielding region 41).
Since G and B) can be formed simultaneously with each color filter layer 24 (R, G, B) in the display area 102, the manufacturing cost does not increase.

Next, a method of manufacturing the above-mentioned liquid crystal display panel 10 will be described.

In the manufacturing process of the array substrate 100, first,
A silicon nitride film and a silicon oxide film are successively formed on the insulating substrate 11 having a thickness of 0.7 mm by the CVD method to form an undercoating layer 60 having a two-layer structure.

Then, an amorphous silicon film is formed on the undercoating layer 60 by the CVD method or the like. Then, this amorphous silicon film is irradiated with an excimer laser beam and annealed to be polycrystallized. After that, the polycrystallized silicon film, that is, the polysilicon film 112 is patterned by a photolithography process to form a semiconductor layer of the TFT 121 and an auxiliary capacitance electrode 61.

Then, a silicon oxide film is formed on the entire surface by the CVD method to form a gate insulating film 62. Then, tantalum (Ta), chromium (Cr), aluminum (Al), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), and the like are formed on the entire surface of the gate insulating film 62 by a sputtering method.
A simple substance such as copper (Cu), a laminated film of these, or an alloy film thereof (in this embodiment, Mo-W).
An alloy film) is formed and patterned into a predetermined shape by a photolithography process. As a result, the scanning line Y, the auxiliary capacitance line 52, and the gate electrode 63 integrated with the scanning line Y are formed.
And various wirings are formed.

Then, using the gate electrode 63 as a mask,
Impurities are implanted into the polysilicon film 112 by an ion implantation method or an ion doping method. As a result, the TFT 12
One drain region 112D and one source region 112S are formed. Then, the entire substrate is annealed to activate the impurities.

Subsequently, a silicon oxide film is formed on the entire surface by the CVD method to form an interlayer insulating film 76.

Then, by a photolithography process,
The TFT penetrates through the gate insulating film 62 and the interlayer insulating film 76.
The contact hole 77 reaching the drain region 112D of 121 and the contact hole 7 reaching the source region 112S.
8 and a contact hole 79 reaching the auxiliary capacitance electrode 61
And form.

Then, Ta, Cr, Al, Mo, W, C are formed on the entire surface of the interlayer insulating film 76 by the sputtering method.
A simple substance such as u, a laminated film of these, or an alloy film of these (a laminated film of Mo—Al in this embodiment) is formed and patterned into a predetermined shape by a photolithography process. As a result, the signal line X is formed and the drain electrode 88 of the TFT 121 is formed integrally with the signal line X. At the same time, the source electrode 89 of the TFT 121 and the contact electrode 80 that contacts the auxiliary capacitance electrode 61 are formed.

Subsequently, a UV curable acrylic resin resist in which a red pigment is dispersed is applied to the entire surface of the substrate by a spinner. Then, this resist film is exposed with a light exposure amount of 100 mJ / cm ² at a wavelength of 365 nm through a photomask that irradiates the portion corresponding to the red pixel with light. Then, the resist film is developed with a 1% KOH aqueous solution for 20 seconds, washed with water, and then baked. As a result, the red color filter layer 24R is formed.

Subsequently, by repeating the same steps, a green color filter layer 24G made of an ultraviolet curable acrylic resin resist in which a green pigment is dispersed, and an ultraviolet curable acrylic resin resist in which a blue pigment is dispersed are formed. The blue color filter layer 24B is formed. These color filter layers 24 (R, G, B) are formed to have a film thickness of 3.2 μm, for example.

In the step of forming the red color filter layer 24R, the same red resin resist is formed on the wiring portion 510 of the light shielding region 41 to form the first layer of the columnar spacer 500. The first layer is formed to have the same film thickness as the color filter layer 24 (R, G, B) of the display region 102, and has a film thickness of 3.2 μm, for example. The first layer is formed to have a size of 30 μm × 30 μm.

In the step of forming the green color filter layer 24G, the same green resin resist is laminated on the first layer to form the second layer of the columnar spacer 500. The second layer is formed to have a smaller film thickness than the first layer and has a thickness of, for example, 2.5 μm.
It has a film thickness of. In addition, this second layer is 26 μm ×
The size is 26 μm.

In the step of forming the blue color filter layer 24B, the same blue resin resist is laminated on the second layer to form the third layer of the columnar spacer 500. The third layer is formed to have a smaller film thickness than the second layer and has a thickness of, for example, 2.0 μm.
It has a film thickness of. In addition, this third layer is 22 μm ×
It is formed to a size of 22 μm.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the columnar spacer 500 having a stacked structure having a height of about 7.7 μm is formed in the light shielding region 41.

In the process of forming these color filter layers 24, the through holes 26 that contact the switching elements 121 and the pixel electrodes 151, and the pixel electrodes 151.
A contact hole 81 for making contact with the contact electrode 80 is also formed simultaneously.

Subsequently, ITO is formed into a film having a thickness of 1500 angstroms on the color filter layer 24 (R, G, B) by a sputtering method, and a predetermined pixel pattern is patterned by a photolithography process to perform switching. A pixel electrode 151 that contacts the element 121 is formed.

Then, a black photosensitive acrylic resin resist having a light shielding property is applied to the surface of the substrate by a spinner. Then, this resin resist is treated at 90 ° C. for 10 minutes.
After drying for a minute, a photomask having a predetermined pattern shape is used for exposure at a wavelength of 365 nm and an exposure amount of 100 mJ / cm ² . Then, the resin resist is adjusted to pH 1
By developing with an alkaline aqueous solution of 1.5 and baking at 200 ° C. for 60 minutes, the light shielding region SP in the light shielding region 41 and the columnar spacer 3 having a height of about 4.5 μm in the display region 102.
1 is formed.

Subsequently, an alignment film material such as polyimide is applied to the entire surface of the substrate to a film thickness of 600 angstroms and baked to form an alignment film 13A.

As a result, the array substrate 100 is formed.

On the other hand, in the manufacturing process of the counter substrate 200, first, ITO is formed into a film having a thickness of 1500 angstrom on the insulating substrate 21 having a thickness of 0.7 mm by the sputtering method to form the counter electrode 204. . Then, an alignment film material such as polyimide having a film thickness of 500 angstrom is applied to the entire surface of the insulating substrate 21 so as to cover the counter electrode 204, and is baked to form the alignment film 13B.

As a result, the counter substrate 200 is formed.

In the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display panel 10, the outer edge seal member 106 is printed and applied along the outer edge of the array substrate 100 so as to surround the liquid crystal receiving space, leaving the liquid crystal inlet 32, and further, the counter electrode is applied from the array substrate 100. An electrode transition material for applying a voltage to the outer peripheral sealing member 106
It is formed on the electrode transfer electrode around the electrode. Then, the alignment film 13 A of the array substrate 100 and the alignment film 13 of the counter substrate 200
The array substrate 100 and the counter substrate 200 are arranged such that B and B face each other, and the outer edge sealing member 106 is cured by heating to bond the both substrates. Outer edge sealing member 10
6 is, for example, a thermosetting epoxy adhesive.

Subsequently, the liquid crystal composition 300 is applied to the liquid crystal injection port 3
Then, the liquid crystal injection port 32 is sealed with an injection port sealing member 33 which is an ultraviolet curing epoxy adhesive.

The liquid crystal display panel 10 is manufactured by the above manufacturing method.

The active matrix type color liquid crystal display device thus manufactured has a cell gap of 4.5 ±.
The uniformity was as high as 0.05 μm, and no display defect due to unevenness in the gap was confirmed between the display area and the light-shielding area around the display area. In addition, the color filter layer 24 (R,
Since G and B) are formed on the array substrate, the aperture ratio is improved by about 5% as compared with the case where the color filter layer is formed on the counter substrate side.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, but various modifications can be made. Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

(Second Embodiment) As shown in FIG. 7, the liquid crystal display device according to the second embodiment has an array substrate 1
00 and a counter substrate 200, a transmissive liquid crystal display panel 10 sandwiching a liquid crystal composition 300, and a backlight unit 400 functioning as an illuminating means for illuminating the liquid crystal display panel 10 from the back side. .

Array substrate 100 of liquid crystal display panel 10
Are pixel TFTs 121 formed on the transparent insulating substrate 11 such as a glass substrate in the display region 102 so as to respectively correspond to a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix.
The organic insulating layer 25 formed so as to cover the display region 102 including the pixel TFT 121, the pixel electrode 151 arranged for each pixel on the organic insulating layer 25, arranged on the organic insulating layer 25 and facing the array substrate 100. A plurality of columnar spacers (first spacers) that form a predetermined gap with the substrate 200.
The columnar spacer) 31 and the alignment film 13A formed so as to cover the entire plurality of pixel electrodes 151.

The pixel electrode 151 is the organic insulating layer 2 for each pixel.
5 is formed of a light-transmissive conductive member such as ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) formed on each of the electrodes 5, and is connected to the pixel TFT 121 via a through hole 26 penetrating the organic insulating layer 25.

The counter substrate 200 is a color filter layer 24 formed by being assigned to each pixel in the display area 102 on the transparent insulating substrate 21 such as a glass substrate.
(R, G, B). In addition, the counter substrate 200
Has a counter electrode 204 common to all pixels formed on the color filter layer 24 (R, G, B), and an alignment film 13B covering the counter electrode 204.

Further, the counter substrate 200 has the peripheral region 10
4, a plurality of columnar spacers that surround the outer periphery of the display region 102 and form a predetermined gap between the array substrate 100 and the counter substrate 200 and the light shielding layer SP arranged in the light shielding region 41 of the insulating substrate 21 ( Second columnar spacer)
And 500.

In the light-shielding region 41, the light-shielding layer SP is formed of a colored resin resist, for example, a black resin resist, in order to block the transmission of light. In addition, the light shielding area 41
In, the columnar spacer 500 is formed by laminating the same colored resin resist as the color filter layers of a plurality of colors arranged in the display area 102.

In this embodiment, the columnar spacer 500 is used.
Are, for example, a red color filter layer 24R, a green color filter layer 24G, and a blue color filter layer 24B.
Are laminated in this order from the main surface side of the counter substrate 200. In addition, in this embodiment, the columnar spacer 500 has the light-shielding region 41 as shown in FIG.
In order to improve the light shielding property of the
It is located above 0.

The color display type active matrix liquid crystal display device having such a structure has a cell gap of 4.5 ±.
The uniformity was as high as 0.05 μm, and no display defect due to unevenness in the gap was confirmed between the display area and the light-shielding area around the display area.

In the liquid crystal display device according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the columnar spacers 31 are provided on the array substrate 100 side, but they may be provided on the counter substrate 200 side.

As described above, according to the liquid crystal display device of the embodiment of the present invention, the columnar spacer having a single layer structure made of a material different from that of the color filter layer is arranged in the display area. Then, in a frame-shaped light-shielding region along the periphery, columnar spacers having a laminated structure formed by laminating colored resin resists of the same material as the color filter layer arranged in the display region are arranged. Has been done.

As a result, it is possible to eliminate variations in the height of the columnar spacers and evenly position the cell gap between the substrates. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of display defects due to the cell gap unevenness, and it is possible to provide a liquid crystal display device having excellent display quality.

Further, according to the liquid crystal display device of the embodiment of the present invention, the columnar spacers in the light-shielding region are formed of the same material and in the same process as the color filter layer arranged in the display region. It is possible to reduce the number of manufacturing steps, and it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost.

Further, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, the columnar spacer 31 is not necessarily made of the same material as the light shielding layer SP, and may be formed by using, for example, a transparent resin resist.

[0092]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal display device having excellent display quality.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a structure of a liquid crystal display panel applied to a liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram schematically showing a configuration of the liquid crystal display panel shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the liquid crystal display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a structure of an array substrate which constitutes the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a difference in film thickness due to a difference in leveling characteristics of laminated resin resists.

6 (a) to 6 (c) are views showing a difference in height due to a difference in the arrangement position of the columnar spacers.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view schematically showing a structure of a liquid crystal display device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Liquid crystal display panel 24 (R, G, B) ... Color filter layer 31 ... Columnar spacer (first columnar spacer) 41 ... Shading area 100 ... Array substrate 102 ... Display area 104 ... peripheral area 121 ... Switching element 151 ... Pixel electrode 200 ... Counter substrate 204 ... Counter electrode 300 ... Liquid crystal composition 500 ... Columnar spacer (second columnar spacer) 510 ... Wiring part SP ... Shading layer

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A liquid crystal display device constituted by sandwiching a liquid crystal composition between a pair of substrates, wherein one of the pair of substrates is arranged for each pixel in a display area for displaying an image. A resin having a light-shielding property, which includes a color filter layer and a first columnar spacer having a single-layer structure that forms a predetermined gap between the pair of substrates, and a light-shielding region arranged along the outer periphery of the display region. A light-shielding layer formed of a resist; and a second columnar spacer having a laminated structure formed by laminating color filter layers of a plurality of colors while maintaining a gap between the pair of substrates. Liquid crystal display device. 2. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the second columnar spacers are arranged on a metal wiring having a light shielding property. 3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the second columnar spacer is formed of the same material as the color filter layer arranged in the display region. 4. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the first columnar spacers are formed of a transparent resin resist. 5. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the first columnar spacer is formed of the same material as the light blocking layer disposed in the light blocking region. 6. One of the substrates includes a scanning line arranged in a row direction, a signal line arranged in a column direction, and a switching element arranged near an intersection of the scanning line and the signal line. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, further comprising: a pixel electrode connected to the switching element and formed in a matrix. 7. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the one substrate is provided with a counter electrode common to all pixels.