JPH0369914A - Device for correcting liquid crystal display - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely repair defects of the shorting between respective electrodes by foreign matter by irradiating a liquid crystal display formed to the irradiation loci of closed curves with alignment light to project the liquid crystal display image and positioning the alignment light so as to enclose the foreign matter in the picture element electrode among the respective electrodes into which the foreign matter intrudes. CONSTITUTION:The irradiation loci of the laser beam outputted from a laser oscillator 30 and the alignment light radiated from a light source 35 for alignment are respectively formed as the closed curves. The laser beam and alignment light formed to the closed curves are imaged to the prescribed position of the liquid crystal display 21. A vertical illumination 46 which illuminates the liquid crystal display 21 through this imaging optical system 41 and an image pickup device 47 which picks up the image of the liquid crystal display 21 through the imaging optical system 41 are provided. The image signal from this image pickup device 47 is received and is made into an image. The electrode into which the conductive foreign matter intrudes in the liquid crystal display 21 is detected. The defect of the shorting between the respective electrodes by the conductive foreign matter is surely repaired in this way.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Purpose of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a device for repairing a liquid crystal display.

(Prior Art) FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a liquid crystal display, in which flat glass substrates 2 and 3 as light-transmitting substrates are arranged facing each other using spacers 1 as a support. A common electrode 4 is introduced between the glass substrates 2.3 through 1 and the glass substrate 2, and a plurality of pixel electrodes 5-1, 5-2... are arranged in a plane on the glass substrate 3. The common electrode 4 and each pixel electrode 5-1, 5-2, . . . are arranged to face each other. Each pixel electrode 5-1.5-2 between the common electrode 4 and the glass substrate 2
. . . monochromatic color filters 6-1, 6-2, . Then, the common electrode 4 and each pixel electrode 5-1.5-2
Alignment films 7 and 8 are disposed between these alignment films 7 and 8, respectively, and a liquid crystal 9 is sealed between these alignment films 7 and 8. In addition,
10-1, 10-2... are thin film transistors.

When displaying in color on a display having such a configuration, light Q from a light source (not shown) is irradiated into the liquid crystal 9 through the glass substrate 3. In this state, when a voltage is applied between the common electrode 4 and a predetermined pixel electrode 5-1, 5-2..., the color filter 6-1, 6-2...
Light with a wavelength of ... will pass through.

By the way, in the manufacturing process of such a liquid crystal display, when the liquid crystal 9 is sealed, conductive foreign matter 11 may be mixed in as shown in FIG. In this way, foreign object 1
1 mixed in, for example, short-circuits between the common electrode 4 and the pixel electrode 5-2, making it impossible to control the transistor 10-2 by turning it on and off, so that the light Q always passes through the pixel electrode 5-2. I end up.

By the way, such a state is excluded as a defective liquid crystal display. Therefore, inspection is performed to exclude such defective products, but this inspection is performed after the final process of manufacturing the liquid crystal display is completed. Therefore, if a defect due to the foreign matter 11 is detected, the liquid crystal display is considered to be a defective product, and the amount of such defects is as high as several percent.

Therefore, the above-mentioned defects in liquid crystal displays are repaired to make them non-defective products, and this repair method involves directly irradiating the foreign matter 11 with a laser beam to destroy the foreign matter 11 and break it down into small pieces. .

However, in such a relief method, the foreign object 11 is not destroyed and moves to another location, where it is damaged by each electrode 4 and 5-1, 5-2.
There may be a short circuit between the foreign object 11 and the broken foreign object 11, or the pieces of the broken foreign object 11 may be scattered, which may even increase the number of defective locations.

(Problem 8 to be solved by the invention) As described above, the method of remediating the short circuit defect using the foreign object 11 has been carried out, but the foreign object 11 may not be destroyed and new defects may be created elsewhere, or Fragments of the foreign matter 11 were scattered, increasing the number of defective locations. Therefore, defects cannot be reliably repaired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display repair device that can reliably repair defects caused by short circuits between electrodes caused by conductive foreign matter.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides a laser oscillator, an alignment light source that emits alignment light of a laser beam output from the laser oscillator, and a laser beam output from the laser oscillator. and an irradiation forming optical system that forms irradiation trajectories of the alignment light emitted from the alignment light source into closed curves, respectively;
XY with a liquid crystal display mounted and movable on the XY plane
a table, a driving means for driving a liquid crystal display;
An imaging optical system that images the laser beam and alignment light formed into a closed curve by the irradiation forming optical system on a predetermined position on the liquid crystal display, epi-illumination that illuminates the liquid crystal display through this imaging optical system, and an imaging optical system. The above objective is achieved by providing an imaging device that images a liquid crystal display through a liquid crystal display, and a monitor that receives an image signal from the imaging device and converts it into an image to detect an electrode in which a conductive foreign substance has entered the liquid crystal display. This is a correction device for liquid crystal displays.

(Function) With the provision of such a means, the alignment light from the alignment light source is formed by the irradiation forming optical system into a closed curve irradiation locus and is irradiated onto the liquid crystal display through the imaging optical system. The liquid crystal display image captured by the imaging device is displayed on a monitor television, and alignment light is positioned so as to surround the foreign substance in the pixel electrode of each electrode of the liquid crystal display into which the conductive foreign substance has entered. Thereafter, the laser light output from the laser oscillator passes through the same optical path as the alignment light and is irradiated onto the liquid crystal display, thereby electrically insulating the portion inside the closed curve where the foreign object comes into contact with the portion outside the closed curve.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a liquid crystal display repair device.

In the figure, 20 is an XY table, and a liquid crystal display 21 is placed on this XY table 20. This XY table 20 has a hollow hole 22 formed in the center thereof, and is configured to guide white light P emitted from a transmitted illumination unit 23 arranged below the XY table 20 to a liquid crystal display 21. . In addition, in the liquid crystal display 21, each thin film transistor 10-1, 10-2, . . . is controlled to be turned on or off by a liquid crystal display driving device 24.

On the other hand, 30 is a laser oscillator that outputs a laser beam R for processing, and this laser oscillator 30 is supplied with power from a laser power source 31. An optical lens system 32 is arranged on the optical path of the laser beam R output from the laser oscillator 30. This optical lens system 32 has a function of converting the incident laser beam R into a collimated laser beam Ra having a large diameter, and the laser beam R converted by this optical system 32 is reflected by a mirror 33 and sent to a beam splitter. 34.

Further, 35 is an alignment light source that emits white light H, and this light? The white light H emitted from R35 is converted into parallel light with a large diameter by an optical lens 36 and guided to a beam splitter 34. This beam splitter 34 guides the laser light R- and the white light H onto the same optical path, and a slit plate 37 is arranged on the optical path of the laser light Ra and the white light H guided by the beam splitter 34. . This slit plate 37 has a ring slit 38 formed therein as shown in FIG. Specifically, the slit plate 37 is formed by coating three glass substrates with metal 40, and when coating the metal 40, a ring slit 38 is formed. Note that a plurality of slit plates 37 are prepared, each having ring slits with different diameters.

The laser light R and white light H that have passed through the ring slit 38 of the slit plate 37 are sent to an imaging optical system 41. The imaging optical system 41 has a function of condensing the laser light R and the white light H and forming a ring-shaped light image on the same spot on the liquid crystal display 21. Specifically, a microscope is used, and its configuration includes a dichroic mirror 42 and a condensing lens 43. Laser light R and white light H are reflected by the dichroic mirror 42 and then imaged by the condensing lens 43. It is supposed to be done. In addition, a beam splitter 44 and an imaging lens 45 are arranged on the optical path connecting the dichroic mirror 42 and the condensing lens 43 of the imaging optical system 41, and the beam splitter 4
Epi-illumination 46 is provided in the branching direction of 4. However, the light P2 emitted from the epi-illumination 46 is reflected by the beam splitter 44, passes through the dichroic mirror 42 and the condensing lens 43, and is irradiated onto the liquid crystal display 21.
And the reflected light from the liquid crystal display 21 is transmitted through a condensing lens,
The light is sent to an imaging lens 45 through a dichroic mirror 42 and a beam splitter 44.

A COD (solid-state image pickup device) camera 47 is disposed at the imaging position formed by the imaging lens 45, and the image signal output from this CCD camera 47 is sent to a monitor television 48.
It is now sent to

Further, 49 is a positioning drive device which relatively moves the XY table 20 and the imaging optical system 41 to determine the imaging position of the laser beam R and white light H output from the imaging optical system 41. This is for positioning the position of the liquid crystal display 1 where the defect exists.

Next, the corrective action in the apparatus configured as described above will be explained.

The liquid crystal display 21 is manufactured and inspected, and if a defect due to foreign matter is detected in this inspection, the liquid crystal display 21 is placed below the imaging optical system 41. Then, when the light P2 is emitted from the epi-illumination 46,
From now on, P2 passes through the beam splitter 44, dichroic mirror 42, and condensing lens 43, and then passes through the liquid crystal display 2.
1. Also, at this time, the CCD camera 47 is connected to the liquid crystal display 2 through the condenser lens 43, dichroic mirror 42, beam splitter 44, and imaging lens 45.
1 and outputs the image signal. This image signal is sent to a monitor television 48, which converts the image signal into a video image and displays it.

On the other hand, the liquid crystal display 21 is illuminated with white light Pl from a transmitted illumination unit 23 and is driven by a liquid crystal display driving device 24.

Therefore, the liquid crystal display 21 is displayed on the monitor television 48, and the XY table 20 is in this state.
A defect on the liquid crystal display 21 is detected by the movement of the image to the XY plane. Then, when a defect is detected, the light source 35 is turned on and white light H for alignment is emitted. This white light H is converted into parallel light with a large diameter by an optical lens 36, and further sent to a slit plate 37 through a beam splitter 34. As a result, the white light H passes through only the ring slit 38, becomes ring-shaped light, and is sent to the imaging optical system 41. However, in this imaging optical system 41, the ring-shaped white light H is reflected by the dichroic mirror 42, further condensed by the condensing lens 43, and irradiated onto the liquid crystal display 21.

In this state, the liquid crystal display 21 is moved on the XY plane by the XY table 20, and as a result of this movement, the ring-shaped white light H is positioned so that the foreign object 50 is placed in the center thereof, as shown in FIG. At this time, the ring diameter of the ring-shaped white light H is set to an appropriate value by replacing the slit plate 37.

Next, laser light R is output from the laser oscillator 30. This laser beam R is converted into parallel laser beam R with a large diameter by an optical lens system 32, and then reflected by a mirror 33 and a beam splitter 34 and guided to a slit plate 37. However, the laser beam R is converted into a ring-shaped laser beam by the slit plate 37 and sent to the imaging optical system 41, where it is focused and irradiated onto the liquid crystal display 21. In this case, the ring-shaped laser beam is irradiated to the same position as the ring-shaped white light H for alignment shown in FIG. Incidentally, an enlarged view of the laser beam irradiation state at this time is as shown in FIG. 4. That is, the ring-shaped laser beam forms an image on the pixel electrode 5-2 of the liquid crystal display 21. As a result, the ring-shaped portion 51 irradiated with the laser beam is removed. As a result, the pixel electrode 5
The inner small portion 52 removed in the ring shape of -2 and the other portion of the pixel electrode 5-2 are electrically insulated. Therefore, even if no voltage is applied between the common electrode 4 and the pixel electrode 5-2 by the liquid crystal display driving device 24, there is no voltage between the small portion 52 of the pixel electrode 5-2 and the common electrode 4. In the applied state, the white light P from the transmitted illumination unit 23 passes through the color filter 6-2 and emits light, but since the small portion 52 has an extremely small area, it will not be determined as a defect. For example, the area of the small portion 52 formed inside the ring shape is one-tenth or less of the area of one pixel.

As described above, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the area around the pixel electrode 5-2 in contact with the foreign substance 50 is irradiated with a ring-shaped laser beam formed by the slit plate 37, so that the small portion 52 of the pixel electrode 5-2 and the pixel electrode Since the liquid crystal 5-2 is electrically insulated from other parts, even if the foreign matter 50 gets into the liquid crystal 9, the area of the part that becomes a defect due to the foreign matter 50 can be made very small. Therefore, a liquid crystal display 21 that has been determined to be defective due to the foreign matter 50 can be salvaged into a non-defective product and used as a product, and the yield when manufacturing the liquid crystal display 21 can be improved.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and may be modified without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, when removing an electrode around a foreign object with a laser beam, instead of forming a ring-shaped laser beam with the slit plate 37, a spot-shaped laser beam 60 is scanned in the direction of the arrow (A) as shown in FIG. The part that is in a conductive state with respect to the foreign object 61 may be electrically insulated by doing so. In this case, there is a means for scanning the laser beam 60 in the direction of arrow (A) as shown in FIG. That is, a housing 64 is rotatably provided on the base 62 via a bearing 63, and a prism 65 is held in the housing 64. Further, a pulley 66 is fixed to the housing 64, and a motor 68 having a pulley 67 on its rotating shaft is also provided.

Six belts are hung between each pulley 66 and 67.

With such a configuration, the rotation of the motor 68 is transmitted to the housing 64 via the six belts, and thereby the prism 6
5 rotates. Due to this rotation of the prism 65, the laser beam 60 is refracted at an angle θ and output.

However, by arranging this means in place of the slit plate 37, the locus of the laser beam 60 shown in FIG. 5 can be obtained.

Further, as a means for forming a ring-shaped laser beam, as shown in FIG.
You may use the slit plate 72 formed with . In this case, first remove the slit plate 72 from the state shown in FIG.
``Rotate it to the state shown in the same figure (b). As a result, a ring-shaped laser beam is formed.

Furthermore, the white light H for alignment is provided by the beam splitter 3.
4, the laser beam is propagated along the same optical path as the laser beam, but the liquid crystal display 21 may be irradiated through a different path.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal display repair device that can reliably repair short-circuit defects between electrodes caused by conductive foreign matter.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to m4 are diagrams for explaining one embodiment of the liquid crystal display repairing device of the present invention, in which Figure 1 is a configuration diagram, Figure 2 is a configuration diagram of a slit plate, and Figure ff13 is an electrode FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the removal action of the electrode, FIGS. 5 to 7 are diagrams showing modified examples, and FIG.
The figure is a configuration diagram of a liquid crystal display, and FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state in which foreign matter has been mixed. 20... XY table, 21... Liquid crystal display, 23... Transmitted illumination unit, 24... Liquid crystal display drive device, 30... Laser oscillator, 32...
Optical lens system, 33...Mirror 34...Beam splitter, 35...Light source for alignment, 36...
Optical lens, 37... Slit plate, 41... Imaging optical system, 42... Gicroic mirror 43... Condensing lens, 44... Beam splitter, 45... Imaging lens, 46... Epi-illumination, 47... CCD camera, 48... Monitor television.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A laser oscillator, an alignment light source that emits alignment light of the laser light output from the laser oscillator, and irradiation trajectories of the laser light output from the laser oscillator and the alignment light emitted from the alignment light source are respectively closed curves. an XY table on which a liquid crystal display is placed and is movable on an XY plane; a driving means for driving the liquid crystal display; and the laser beam formed into a closed curve by the illumination forming optical system. and an imaging optical system that images the alignment light onto a predetermined position on the liquid crystal display, epi-illumination that illuminates the liquid crystal display through the imaging optical system, and imaging that images the liquid crystal display through the imaging optical system. 1. A liquid crystal display repair device, comprising: a device for repairing a liquid crystal display; and a monitor for receiving an image signal from the imaging device and converting it into an image to detect an electrode in which a conductive foreign substance has entered the liquid crystal display.