Functional film, method of fabricating the same, liquid crystal display device using functional film, and method of fabricating the same

A functional film formed on a surface of a base material with an underlying layer interposed therebetween,

• the underlying layer being a thin film composed of a hydrolyzable compound represented by
• X′—(AlOX′)n—AlX′2
• (where X′ is an alkoxy group and n is an integer equal to or more than 0), bonded fixedly onto the base material via an —O—Al bond, and containing a structural unit represented by the following structural formula (2),
• the functional film being a thin film composed of a group of molecules of a silane-based compound each having an —O—Si bonding group in an end group thereof and chemically adsorbed to the underlying layer by chemical bonding
• 12
• (where n is an integer equal to or more than 0).

A functional film formed on a surface of a base material with an underlying layer interposed therebetween,

• the underlying layer being a thin film composed of a hydrolyzable compound represented by
• X—(SiOX2)n—SiX3
• (where X is at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of a halogen, an alkoxy group, and an isocyanate group and n is an integer equal to or more than 0) and a hydrolyzable compound represented by
• X′—(AlOX′)n—AlX′2
• (where X′ is an alkoxy group and n is an integer equal to or more than 0), bonded fixedly onto the base material via a siloxane bond and an —O—Al bond, and containing structural units represented by the following structural formulae (1) and (2), respectively,
• the functional film being a thin film composed of a group of molecules of a silane-based compound each having an —O—Si bonding group in an end group thereof and chemically adsorbed to the underlying layer by chemical bonding
• 13
• (where n is an integer equal to or more than 0).

A method of fabricating a functional film, the method comprising:

• an underlying-layer forming step of forming an underlying layer by bringing, into contact with a surface of a base material, an underlying layer solution containing a hydrolyzable compound represented by
• X—(SiOX2)n—SiX3
• (where X is at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of a halogen, an alkoxy group, and an isocyanate group and n is an integer equal to or more than 0) and drying the underlying layer solution;
• a thin-film forming step of forming a thin film by bringing a solution containing a silane-based compound into contact with the surface of the base material formed with the underlying layer to cause chemical adsorption of the silane-based compound to the surface of the base material;
• and
• a sintering step of sintering the base material after the thin-film forming step.

A method of fabricating a functional film, the method comprising:

• an underlying-layer forming step of forming an underlying layer by bringing, into contact with a surface of a base material, an underlying layer solution containing a hydrolyzable compound represented by
• X′—(AlOX′)n—Alx′2
• (where X′ is an alkoxy group and n is an integer equal to or more than 0) and drying the underlying layer solution;
• a coating forming step of forming a coating by bringing a coating forming solution containing a silane-based compound into contact with the surface of the base material formed with the underlying layer to cause chemical adsorption of molecules of the silane-based compound to the surface of the base material;
• and
• a sintering step of sintering the base material after the coating forming step.

A method of fabricating a functional film, the method comprising:

• an underlying-layer forming step of forming an underlying layer by bringing, into contact with a surface of a base material, an underlying layer solution containing a two-component mixture composed of a hydrolyzable compound represented by
• X—(SiOX2)n—SiX3
• (where X is at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of a halogen, an alkoxy group, and an isocyanate group and n is an integer equal to or more than 0) and a hydrolyzable compound represented by
• X′—(AlOX′)n—AlX′2
• (where X′ is an alkoxy group and n is an integer equal to or more than 0) and drying the underlying layer solution;
• a coating forming step of forming a coating by bringing a coating forming solution containing a silane-based compound into contact with the surface of the base material formed with the underlying layer to cause chemical adsorption of molecules of the silane-based compound to the surface of the base material;
• and
• a sintering step of sintering the base material after the coating forming step.

A liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a pair of substrates disposed in opposing relation, each of the pair of substrates having an electrode and a liquid crystal alignment film formed on a surface of the electrode with an underlying layer interposed therebetween;
• and
• a liquid crystal layer provided between the pair of substrates,
• the underlying layer being a thin film composed of a hydrolyzable compound represented by
• X—(SiOX2)n—SiX3
• (where X is at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of a halogen, an alkoxy group, and an isocyanate group and n is an integer equal to or more than 0), bonded fixedly onto the base material via a siloxane bond, and containing a structural unit represented by the following structural formula (1),
• the liquid crystal alignment film being an alignment film composed of a group of molecules of a silane-based compound each having an —O—Si bonding group in an end group thereof and chemically adsorbed to the underlying layer by chemical bonding
• 16
• (where n is an integer equal to or more than 0).

A liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a pair of substrates disposed in opposing relation, each of the pair of substrates having an electrode and a liquid crystal alignment film formed on a surface of the electrode with an underlying layer interposed therebetween;
• and
• a liquid crystal layer provided between the pair of substrates,
• the underlying layer being a thin film composed of a hydrolyzable compound represented by
• X′—(AlOX′)n—AlX′2
• (where X′ is an alkoxy group and n is an integer equal to or more than 0), bonded fixedly onto the base material via an —O—Al bond, and containing a structural unit represented by the following structural formula (2),
• the liquid crystal alignment film being an alignment film composed of a group of molecules of a silane-based compound each having an —O—Si bonding group in an end group thereof and chemically adsorbed to the underlying layer by chemical bonding
• 17
• (where n is an integer equal to or more than 0).

A liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a pair of substrates disposed in opposing relation, each of the pair of substrates having an electrode and a liquid crystal alignment film formed on a surface of the electrode with an underlying layer interposed therebetween;
• and
• a liquid crystal layer provided between the pair of substrates,
• the underlying layer being a thin film composed of a hydrolyzable compound represented by
• X—(SiOX2)n—SiX3
• (where X is at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of a halogen, an alkoxy group, and an isocyanate group and n is an integer equal to or more than 0) and a hydrolyzable compound represented by
• X′—(AlOX′)n—AlX′2
• (where X′ is an alkoxy group and n is an integer equal to or more than 0), bonded fixedly onto the base material via a siloxane bond and an —O—Al bond, and containing structural units represented by the following structural formulae (1) and (2), respectively,
• the liquid crystal alignment film being a thin film composed of a group of molecules of a silane-based compound each having an —O—Si bonding group in an end group thereof and chemically adsorbed to the underlying layer by chemical bonding
• 18
• (where n is an integer equal to or more than 0).

A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a pair of substrates having a liquid crystal alignment film internally of at least one of the pair of substrates;
• and
• a liquid crystal layer provided between the pair of substrates and having a given alignment structure due to the liquid crystal alignment film, the method comprising:
• an underlying-layer forming step of forming an underlying layer by bringing, into contact with a surface of each of the substrates, an underlying layer solution containing a hydrolyzable compound represented by
• X—(SiOX2)n—SiX3
• (where X is at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of a halogen, an alkoxy group, and an isocyanate group and n is an integer equal to or more than 0) and drying the underlying layer solution;
• a thin-film forming step of bringing a solution containing a silane-based compound into contact with the surface of the substrate formed with the underlying layer to cause chemical adsorption of molecules of the silane-based compound to the surface of the substrate and thereby forming the liquid crystal alignment film;
• a sintering step of sintering the substrate;
• and
• an alignment treatment step of performing an alignment treatment with respect to the liquid crystal alignment film.

A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a pair of substrates having a liquid crystal alignment film internally of at least one of the pair of substrates;
• and
• a liquid crystal layer provided between the pair of substrates and having a given alignment structure due to the liquid crystal alignment film, the method comprising:
• an underlying-layer forming step of forming an underlying layer by bringing, into contact with a surface of each of the substrates, an underlying layer solution containing a hydrolyzable compound represented by
• X′—(AlOX′)n—AlX′2
• (where X′ is an alkoxy group and n is an integer equal to or more than 0) and drying the underlying layer solution;
• a thin-film forming step of bringing a solution containing a silane-based compound into contact with the surface of the substrate formed with the underlying layer to cause chemical adsorption of molecules of the silane-based compound to the surface of the substrate and thereby forming the liquid crystal alignment film;
• a sintering step of sintering the substrate;
• and
• an alignment treatment step of performing an alignment treatment with respect to the liquid crystal alignment film.

A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a pair of substrates having a liquid crystal alignment film internally of at least one of the pair of substrates;
• and
• a liquid crystal layer provided between the pair of substrates and having a given alignment structure due to the liquid crystal alignment film, the method comprising:
• an underlying-layer forming step of forming an underlying layer by bringing, into contact with a surface of each of the substrates, an underlying layer solution containing a two-component mixture composed of a hydrolyzable compound represented by
• X—(SiOX2)n—SiX3
• (where X is at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of a halogen, an alkoxy group, and an isocyanate group and n is an integer equal to or more than 0) and a hydrolyzable compound represented by
• X′—(AlOX′)n—AlX′2
• (where X′ is an alkoxy group and n is an integer equal to or more than 0) and drying the underlying layer solution;
• a thin-film forming step of bringing a solution containing a silane-based compound into contact with the surface of the substrate formed with the underlying layer to cause chemical adsorption of molecules of the silane-based compound to the surface of the substrate and thereby forming the liquid crystal alignment film;
• a sintering step of sintering the substrate;
• and
• an alignment treatment step of performing an alignment treatment with respect to the liquid crystal alignment film.