# US 7,746,415 B2 · OCB liquid crystal device with a protrusion having a concave portion at its tip, method of manufacturing liquid crystal device, electronic apparatus, and projector

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

- Number: US 7,746,415 B2
- Document ID: US7746415B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/857,932
- Filed: 2007-09-19
- Published: 2008-03-27
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2006-09-25
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Inventors: Yutaka Tsuchiya; Kosuke Fukui
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7746415B2

## CPC

- G02F 1/133753: {with different alignment orientations or pretilt angles on a same surface, e.g. for grey scale or improved viewing angle}
- G02F 1/133707: {Structures for producing distorted electric fields, e.g. bumps, protrusions, recesses, slits in pixel electrodes}
- G02F 1/133776: {having structures locally influencing the alignment, e.g. unevenness}
- 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

## Abstract

Disclosed herein is a liquid crystal device which includes first and second substrates which face each other and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and transitions an alignment state of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer from a spray alignment to a bend alignment to perform display or optical modulation, the liquid crystal device including: a protrusion which is provided on at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate at the side of the liquid crystal layer and has a concave portion; and an alignment film which is provided on the surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate at the side of the liquid crystal layer so as to cover the surface of the protrusion including the concave portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A liquid crystal device which changes an alignment state of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer from a spray alignment to a bend alignment to perform display or optical modulation comprising:
a first substrate and a second substrate which face each other;
a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate;
a protrusion provided between the liquid crystal layer and one of the first substrate, the protrusion having a concave portion at its tip; and
an alignment film covering the surface of the protrusion including the concave portion,
the concave portion has a predetermined diameter r and a predetermined depth d, and
the predetermined diameter r and the predetermined depth d satisfy 1<(d/r)≦5.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The liquid crystal device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a pixel electrode provided on the first substrate; and
a switching element which is provided on the first substrate and is electrically connected to the pixel electrode through a contact hole,
wherein the contact hole is provided in a region which overlaps the pixel electrode in plan view, and
wherein the protrusion is provided at a position which overlaps the contact hole in plan view.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The liquid crystal device according to claim 2, wherein:
a common electrode is provided on the second substrate at the side of the liquid crystal layer, and
the protrusion is formed of a conductive material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The liquid crystal device according to claim 2, wherein the protrusion is provided on the pixel electrode.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The liquid crystal device according to claim 3, wherein the pixel electrode is provided on the protrusion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a tapered portion at the circumference of the concave portion.

### Claim 7

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal device which includes a pair of substrates which face each other and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the pair of substrates, and changes an alignment state of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer from a spray alignment to a bend alignment to perform display or optical modulation, the method comprising:
forming a switching element on one of the pair of substrates;
forming an insulating layer on the one substrates so as to cover the switching element;
forming a contact hole electrically connected to the switching element in a portion of the insulating layer;
forming an electrode on the insulating layer so as to cover the inside of the contact hole;
forming a mask layer on the electrode so as to surround the contact hole;
forming a material film on the one substrate, on which the mask layer is formed, by a sputtering method;
forming a protrusion having a concave portion by removing, by a lift-off method, the mask layer and a portion of the material film formed on the mask layer; and
forming an alignment film to cover the surface of the protrusion including the concave portion,
the concave portion has a predetermined diameter r and a predetermined depth d, and
the predetermined diameter r and the predetermined depth d satisfy 1<(d/r)≦5.

### Claim 8

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal device which includes a pair of substrates which face each other and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the pair of substrates, and changes an alignment state of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer from a spray alignment to a bend alignment to perform display or optical modulation, the method comprising:
forming a switching element on one of the pair of substrates;
forming an insulating layer on the substrates so as to cover the switching element;
forming a contact hole electrically connected to the switching element in a portion of the insulating layer;
forming a mask layer on the insulating layer so as to surround the contact hole;
forming a conductive material film on the one substrate, on which the mask layer is formed, by a sputtering method;
forming a protrusion having a concave portion by removing, by a lift-off method, the mask layer and a portion of the conductive material film formed on the mask layer and;
forming an electrode on the insulating layer so as to cover the surface of the protrusion including the concave portion; and
forming an alignment film on the surface of the one substrate along the surface of the electrode,
the concave portion has a predetermined diameter r and a predetermined depth d, and
the predetermined diameter r and the predetermined depth d satisfy 1<(d/r)≦5.