Transverse electric-field type liquid crystal display device, process of manufacturing the same, and scan-exposing device

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device including a pair of substrates at least one of which is transparent, and a layer of a liquid crystal composition interposed between the pair of substrates by a scan-exposing device, said scan-exposing device being operable to scan-expose a photoresist applied to one of said pair of substrates, through a photomask having a desired light-shielding pattern, said scan-exposing device comprising:

• a slide carrying one of the pair of said substrates;
• photomask scan-exposing means for scan-exposing said photoresist while said photomask and said slide are moved at a same speed in a same direction;
• and
• spot scan-exposing means for directly spot scan-exposing said photoresist with respect to an area that has been exposed by said photomask scan-exposing means, with using a spot light of ultraviolet radiation whereas without using said photomask, where said photomask scan-exposing means and said spot scan-exposing means operate with one another to expose said photoresist,
• said manufacturing method comprising:
• a photomask scan-exposing process to expose an entire surface area of said photoresist through said photomask to an ultraviolet radiation in a halftone exposure state by using said photomask scan-exposing means, in which irradiation energy density is reduced so as to remove only a portion of a thickness of said photoresist, toward a first direction which is a moving direction of said slide, and
• a spot scan-exposing process to expose said photoresist to a spot light of ultraviolet radiation by using said spot scan-exposing means toward said first direction and a second direction which is perpendicular to said first direction,
• wherein said spot scan-exposing process is conducted after said photomask scan-exposing process.

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device including a pair of substrates at least one of which is transparent, and a layer of a liquid crystal composition interposed between the pair of substrates by a scan-exposing device, said scan-exposing device being operable to scan-expose a photoresist applied to one of said pair of substrates, through a photomask having a desired light-shielding pattern, said scan-exposing device comprising:

• a slide carrying one of the pair of said substrates;
• photomask scan-exposing means for scan-exposing said photoresist while said photomask and said slide are moved at a same speed in a same direction;
• and
• spot scan-exposing means for directly spot scan-exposing said photoresist with respect to an area that has been exposed by said photomask scan-exposing means, with using a spot light of ultraviolet radiation whereas without using said photomask, where said photomask scan-exposing means and said spot scan-exposing means operate with one another to expose said photoresist,
• said manufacturing method comprising:
• a photomask scan-exposing process to expose an entire source area of said photoresist through said photomask to an ultraviolet radiation in a halftone exposure state by using said photomask scan-exposing means, in which irradiation energy density is reduced so as to remove only a portion of a thickness of said photoresist, toward a first direction which is a moving direction of said slide, and
• a first spot scan-exposing process to expose said photoresist to a spot light of ultraviolet radiation by using said spot scan-exposing means toward said first direction,
• a second spot scan-exposing process to expose said photoresist to a spot light of ultraviolet radiation by using said spot scan-exposing means toward a second direction which is perpendicular to said first direction,
• wherein said photomask scan-exposing process and said first scan-exposing process are conducted at the same time, and after said photomask scan-exposing process and said first scan-exposing process, said second spot scan-exposing process is conducted.

A scan-exposing device used in a process of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device including a pair of substrates at least one of which is transparent, and a layer of a liquid crystal composition interposed between the pair of substrates, said scan-exposing device being operable to scan-expose a photoresist applied to one of said pair of substrates, through a photomask having a desired light-shielding pattern, said scan-exposing device comprising:

• a slide carrying one of the pair of said substrates to move said substrate in a first direction and a second direction which are perpendicular with one another where both directions are parallel with a surface of said substrate;
• an ultraviolet source disposed between said substrate and said photomask for irradiating an ultraviolet light toward said substrate;
• a spot scan-exposing module stationarily disposed between said substrate and said photomask for irradiating a spot light of ultraviolet radiation toward said substrate;
• wherein said photomask moves in said first direction in synchronism with said slide.

A scan-exposing device used in a process of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device including a pair of substrates at least one of which is transparent, and a layer of a liquid crystal composition interposed between the pair of substrates, said scan-exposing device being operable to scan-expose a photoresist applied to one of said pair of substrates, through a photomask having a desired light-shielding pattern, said scan-exposing device comprising:

• a slide carrying one of the pair of said substrates to move said substrate in a first direction which is parallel with a surface of said substrate;
• an ultraviolet source disposed between said substrate and said photomask for irradiating an ultraviolet light toward said substrate;
• a spot scan-exposing module disposed between said substrate and said photomask for irradiating a spot light of ultraviolet radiation toward said substrate while moving in a second direction which is perpendicular to said first direction;
• wherein said photomask moves in said first direction in synchronism with said slide.