# US 10,770,486 B2 · Method of producing liquid crystal cell, and liquid crystal cell

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,770,486 B2
- Document ID: US10770486B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/339,415
- Filed: 2017-10-02
- Published: 2020-02-06
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-10-06
- Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Takashi Katayama; Isamu Miyake; Akira Hirai; Kei Shinada
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770486B2

## CPC

- H10D 86/60: wherein the TFTs are in active matrices
- C09K 19/56: Aligning agents
- G02F 1/133: Constructional arrangements; Operation of liquid crystal cells; Circuit arrangements (arrangements or circuits for control of liquid crystal elements in a matrix, not structurally associated with these elements G09G3/36)
- G02F 1/1337: Surface-induced orientation of the liquid crystal molecules, e.g. by alignment layers
- H01Q 3/34: by electrical means (active lenses or reflecting arrays H01Q3/46)
- H01Q 3/44: varying the electric or magnetic characteristics of reflecting, refracting, or diffracting devices associated with the radiating element
- H01Q 21/0012: {Radial guide fed arrays}
- H10D 86/021: {of multiple TFTs}
- H10D 86/441: {Interconnections, e.g. scanning lines}
- H10D 86/481: {integrated with passive devices, e.g. auxiliary capacitors}
- H10P 14/43: Chemical deposition, e.g. chemical vapour deposition [CVD]
- H10W 44/20: at high-frequency [HF] or radio frequency [RF]
- H10W 44/216: {Waveguides, e.g. strip lines}
- H10W 44/248: {for antennas}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A method of producing a liquid crystal cell includes: a thin-film forming step of forming, on a surface of one electrode-attached substrates including a TFT substrate and a slot substrate, the TFT substrate including a first dielectric substrate, TFTs, and patch electrodes electrically connected to the TFTs, the slot substrate including a second dielectric substrate and a slot electrode supported on the second dielectric substrate and having slots, a thin film so as to cover the patch electrodes and/or the slot electrode; and a light irradiating step of irradiating the thin film with light including p-polarized light to provide the thin film with alignment-regulating capability of aligning liquid crystal molecules to thereby obtain an alignment film. The thin film includes a polymer including a photoreactive functional group and exhibiting the alignment-regulating capability of the thin film in a direction orthogonal to a polarization axis of the p-polarized light.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of producing a liquid crystal cell, the method comprising:
a thin-film forming step of forming, on a surface of at least one electrode-attached substrate of a pair of electrode-attached substrates including a TFT substrate and a slot substrate, the TFT substrate including a first dielectric substrate, a plurality of TFTs supported on the first dielectric substrate, and a plurality of patch electrodes electrically connected to the TFTs, the slot substrate including a second dielectric substrate and a slot electrode supported on the second dielectric substrate and having a plurality of slots, a thin film so as to cover the patch electrodes and/or the slot electrode; and
a light irradiating step of irradiating the thin film with light including p-polarized light to provide the thin film with alignment-regulating capability of aligning liquid crystal molecules to thereby obtain an alignment film,
wherein the thin film includes a polymer including a photoreactive functional group and exhibiting the alignment-regulating capability of the thin film in a direction orthogonal to a polarization axis of the p-polarized light.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of producing a liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein the thin film exhibits the alignment-regulating capability due to isomerization of the photoreactive functional group of the polymer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of producing a liquid crystal cell according to claim 2, wherein the thin film exhibits the alignment-regulating capability due to dimerization of the photoreactive functional group of the polymer after isomerization.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of producing a liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein the thin film exhibits the alignment-regulating capability due to photocleavage of the photoreactive functional group of the polymer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of producing a liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein the thin film includes a cinnamate group as the photoreactive functional group of the polymer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of producing a liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein the thin film includes an azobenzene group as the photoreactive functional group of the polymer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of producing a liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein the thin film includes a cyclobutane diimide structure as the photoreactive functional group of the polymer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of producing a liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein the patch electrodes and the slot electrode are made of a metal or an alloy.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A liquid crystal cell comprising:
a pair of the TFT substrate and the slot substrate having on at least one surface thereof the alignment film obtained by the method of producing a liquid crystal cell according to claim 1; and
a liquid crystal layer interposed between the TFT substrate and the slot substrate which are disposed with the patch electrode side and the slot electrode side opposing each other in such a way that the slots are arranged in correspondence to the patch electrodes.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The liquid crystal cell according to claim 9, wherein the liquid crystal layer includes liquid crystal molecules that contain an isothiocyanate group.