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

Abstract

A process of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device of transverse electric-field type, wherein a halftone photomask which is used to form a photoresist pattern has a fully light-shielding area preventing UV irradiation of a portion of an active matrix substrate in which a thin-film transistor element is to be formed, so that the photoresist pattern includes a positive resist portion which has a first thickness and which is formed on the above-indicated portion of the substrate. The halftone mask further has a fully light-transmitting area which permits fully UV transmission therethrough to provide the photoresist pattern with a resist-free area which corresponds to a portion of the substrate in which a contact hole serving as a third connection portion connecting an external scanning-line driver circuit and a scanning-line terminal portion through a junction electrode is to be formed. The photoresist pattern also has a positive resist portion which is formed in the other portion of the substrate and which has a second thickness smaller than the first thickness. Also disclosed in a scan-exposing device used in the process is also disclosed.

1 . (canceled) 
   
   
       2 . (canceled) 
   
   
       3 . (canceled) 
   
   
       4 . (canceled) 
   
   
       5 . (canceled) 
   
   
       6 . (canceled) 
   
   
       7 . (canceled) 
   
   
       9 . 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, to a ultraviolet radiation through a quartz photomask substrate having a desired light-shielding pattern, said scan-exposing device comprising:
 at least one Bernoulli chuck of non-contact type disposed so as to be opposed to one of opposite surfaces of said one substrate upon which said ultraviolet radiation is incident, said at least one Bernoulli chuck being operable to reduce an amount of deflection of said quartz photomask substrate due to its own weight while sad quartz photomask substrate is placed in a horizontally extending position;   a laser displacement meter operable to measure an amount of displacement of said one of opposite surfaces of said quartz photomask substrate in a vertical direction; and   a substrate-position control device operable to control said at least one Bernoulli chuck on the basis of the amount of vertical displacement measured by said laser displacement meter, while said photoresist is scan-exposed to the ultraviolet radiation through said quartz photomask substrate.   
   
   
       10 . (canceled) 
   
   
       11 . 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 quartz photomask substrate having a desired light-shielding pattern, said scan-exposing device comprising:
 a quartz substrate disposed in opposition to said quartz photomask substrate and cooperating with said quartz photomask substrate to define therebetween an air-tight space;   a pressure sensor operable to detect a pressure within said air-tight space; and   a pressure control device operable to control a difference between the pressure within said air-tight space measured by said pressure sensor and an atmospheric pressure such that the pressure with in the air-tight space is lower than the atmospheric pressure by said difference so as to reduce an amount of deflection of said quartz photomask substrate due to its own weight, while said photoresist is scan-exposed through said quartz photomask substrate.   
   
   
       12 . (canceled) 
   
   
       13 . 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 said one of the pair of 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 without using said photomask, with a spot size ranging from about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm,   and wherein said photomask scan-exposing means and said spot scan-exposing means are operable concurrently to expose said photoresist.   
   
   
       14 . (canceled) 
   
   
       15 . A scan-exposing device according to  claim 13 , wherein said photomask scan-exposing means is operable to expose said photoresist through said photomask to a ultraviolet radiation whose irradiation energy density is determined so as to remove only a portion of a thickness of said photoresist, and said spot scan-exposing means includes a spot scan-exposing optical system operable to expose the photoresist to a spot light of a condensed ultraviolet radiation,
 and wherein said photomask scan-exposing means and said spot scan-exposing means are operable in one of two modes: consisting of: a mode in which said spot scan-exposing means is operated after an operation of said photomask scan-exposing means; and a mode in which said spot scan-exposing means is operated to expose said photoresist in a direct direction while said photomask scan-exposing means is operated to expose said photoresist in said first direction, and said spot scan-exposing means is operated to expose said photoresist in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction after a photomask scan exposure of said photoresist by said photomask scan-exposing means is completed over an entire surface areas of said photoresist.   
   
   
       16 . (canceled) 
   
   
       17 . (canceled)