Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Hitoshi Watanabe

Seiji Fujiwara

Takashi Sonoda

Nobufumi Tomimaru

Fumikazu Shimoshikiryoh

Shinichi Terashita

Yuhichi Yamamoto

The present invention provides a polarized light irradiation device capable of setting an alignment azimuth angle &#x3b8; of liquid crystal molecules to be a desired angle even when the incident angle of polarized light on a substrate is not 0&#xb0; in irradiation of a photo alignment film with polarized light, and a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device by using the polarized light irradiation device. The polarized light irradiation device is used in alignment treatment of a photo alignment film provided on a substrate, the device including: a stage including a placement surface on which the substrate is placed; and a polarized light irradiation unit configured to irradiate the placement surface with polarized light through a polarizer in a direction tilted relative to the normal of the placement surface, wherein a polarization azimuth angle &#x3b1;, which is an angle of the polarization axis of the polarizer when the polarization axis of the polarizer is projected onto the placement surface, satisfies 30&#xb0;&#x3c;&#x3b1;&#x3c;45&#xb0;, 45&#xb0;&#x3c;&#x3b1;&#x3c;60&#xb0;, &#x2212;60&#xb0;&#x3c;&#x3b1;&#x3c;&#x2212;45&#xb0;, or &#x2212;45&#xb0;&#x3c;&#x3b1;&#x3c;&#x2212;30&#xb0;, as viewed in an irradiation axis direction of the polarized light with the longitudinal direction of the substrate taken to be 0&#xb0;.

Polarized-light irradiation device and method for manufacturing liquid crystal display device

A photo-alignment treatment device for a liquid crystal display panel substrate includes at least one light irradiation mechanism including a light source, a polarizer, and a rotation adjustment mechanism and configured to irradiate a liquid crystal display panel substrate with light emitted from the light source through the polarizer. The device also includes a stage configured to support the liquid crystal display panel substrate thereon. The photo-alignment treatment device is configured to irradiate the liquid crystal display panel substrate with light while moving the liquid crystal display panel substrate or while moving the light source with respect to the liquid crystal display panel substrate. A light irradiation direction with respect to the liquid crystal display panel substrate is parallel to a moving direction of the liquid crystal display panel substrate or a moving direction of the light source. The rotation adjustment mechanism is configured to rotate a polarization axis of the polarizer to adjust an exposure direction on a surface of the liquid crystal display panel substrate to substantially 45&#xb0; with respect to the light irradiation direction.

Method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel comprising performing a photo-alignment treatment using a photo-alignment treatment device having a light irradiation mechanism and a rotation adjustment mechanism

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Sakai, Japan

Hitoshi Watanabe