Electro-optical device, method for manufacturing electro-optical device, apparatus for manufacturing electro-optical device, and electronic apparatus

• US 6,995,893 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2003
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Hidekazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lester, Evelyn A.
• Application Number:
  US10/420,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20040109218A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 359265-275, 359290-298, 359/223, 359/224, 345 36- 42, 345/45, 345/76, 347/263, 257/433, 257678-733, 349/58, 349/60, 349/122, 349/155
• US Class Current: 359/272
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13394 spacers regularly patterned on the cell subtrate, e.g. walls, pillars G02F1/133377 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/841 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8722 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants

Abstract

The invention provides an electro-optical device, a method of manufacturing an electro-optical device, an apparatus for manufacturing an electro-optical device, and an electronic apparatus, in which, in the electro-optical device, a gap formed between two substrates functioning as constituent elements thereof or the thickness of an adhesive layer, which adheres the two substrates to each other, can be precisely controlled. The electro-optical device has at least a substrate and a sealing substrate which is adhered to the substrate and which is composed of a transparent plate member, in which the substrate and the sealing substrate are adhered to each other with an adhesive layer provided therebetween so as to form a gap therebetween; measurement surfaces, used to measure the thickness of the adhesive layer, are provided in the gap; and on the measurement surfaces, an adhesive is not provided.

Claims

1. An electro-optical device, comprising:

a first substrate;

an adhesive layer;

a second substrate adhered to the first substrate with the adhesive layer provided therebetween, the second substrate being composed of a plate member, a gap being defined between the first substrate and the second substrate; and

a measurement surface that protrudes from the second substrate into the gap, the measurement surface being separated from the first substrate by a space and usable to measure the thickness of the adhesive layer.

2. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, the measurement surface being not applied with an adhesive.

3. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, the surface of the first substrate, facing the measurement surface, having a part having a reflectance of 90% or less.

4. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, a difference in height between measurement surface and an adhesion surface formed between the adhesion layer and the second substrate being 100 μ

m or less.

5. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, the measurement surface being processed by smoothing treatment.

6. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, the first substrate and the second substrate each having a square shape, and a measurement surface being provided at each of the individual four corners of the square shape.

7. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of data lines, which are formed in a matrix;

a switching device connected to the scanning lines and the data lines; and

pixel electrodes connected to the switching device.

8. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

the electro-optical device according to claim 1.

9. An electro-optical device comprising:

a first substrate;

an adhesive layer;

a second substrate adhered to the first substrate with the adhesive layer provided therebetween, the second substrate being composed of a plate member, a gap being defined between the first substrate and the second substrate; and

at least four measurement surfaces provided in the gap and usable to measure the thickness of the adhesive layer.

10. An electro-optical device, comprising:

a first substrate;

an adhesive layer;

a second substrate adhered to the first substrate with the adhesive layer provided therebetween, the second substrate being composed of a plate member, a gap being defined between the first substrate and the second substrate;

electrodes and a light-emitting layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; and

a measurement surface provided in the gap and usable to measure the thickness of the adhesive layer.

11. An electro-optical device comprising:

a first substrate;

an adhesive layer;

a second substrate adhered to the first substrate with the adhesive layer provided therebetween, the second substrate being composed of a plate member, a gap being defined between the first substrate and the second substrate;

at least a drying device and a deoxidizing device provided in the gap; and

a measurement surface provided in the gap and usable to measure the thickness of the adhesive layer.