Liquid crystal display device and method for manufacturing liquid crystal display device

A liquid crystal display device having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix along a first direction and a second direction that is different from the first direction, comprising:

• a TFT substrate which includes thin film transistors and pixel electrodes corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of pixels, a signal line generally extending in the first direction for supplying a display signal to the thin film transistors, and a scanning line generally extending in the second direction for supplying a gate signal to the thin film transistors;
• a counter substrate which includes a counter electrode that opposes the pixel electrodes;
• a liquid crystal layer interposed between the TFT substrate and the counter substrate;
• and
• an alignment film provided over a surface of at least one of the TFT substrate and the counter substrate, which is closer to the liquid crystal layer, for orienting liquid crystal molecules contained in the liquid crystal layer generally perpendicular to a substrate surface,
• wherein when a potential difference is produced between the signal line or the scanning line and the counter electrode, a region is formed at a boundary of two adjacent pixels in which orientations of liquid crystal molecules are maintained generally perpendicular to a substrate surface.

A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device which has a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix along a first direction and a second direction that is different from the first direction, the liquid crystal display device including

• a TFT substrate which includes thin film transistors and pixel electrodes corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of pixels, a signal line generally extending in the first direction for supplying a display signal to the thin film transistors, and a scanning line generally extending in the second direction for supplying a gate signal to the thin film transistors,
• a counter substrate which includes a counter electrode that opposes the pixel electrodes,
• a liquid crystal layer interposed between the TFT substrate and the counter substrate, and
• an alignment film provided over a surface of at least one of the TFT substrate and the counter substrate, which is closer to the liquid crystal layer, for orienting liquid crystal molecules contained in the liquid crystal layer generally perpendicular to a substrate surface,
• the method comprising the steps of:
• providing a liquid crystal display panel in which the liquid crystal layer containing a polymerizable composition is interposed between the TFT substrate and the counter substrate;
• and
• polymerizing the polymerizable composition contained in the liquid crystal layer in the presence of an applied voltage across the liquid crystal layer to form an alignment sustaining layer over a surface of the alignment film which is closer to the liquid crystal layer,
• wherein during the polymerization step, there is a region at a boundary of two adjacent pixels in which orientations of liquid crystal molecules are maintained generally perpendicular to a substrate surface.