Process for producing a phase difference control component and liquid crystal display device

Abstract

There are provided a phase difference control component, which can realize a liquid crystal display device having a wide angle of visibility, has excellent phase difference symmetry and can realize optical compensation, and a process for producing the same. The phase difference control component comprises a base material; and a phase difference control layer formed of a fixed liquid crystal material provided on the base material through an aligning film and is characterized in that the angle of liquid crystal molecules, present at the interface of the aligning film and the phase difference control layer, to the base material being substantially 0 (zero) degree.

1 . A process for producing a phase difference control component, comprising a base material and a phase difference control layer formed of a fixed liquid crystal material provided on the base material through an aligning film, the process comprising the steps of:
 forming an unaligned aligning film on a base material;   providing a liquid crystal material on the unaligned aligning film to form a coating film;   applying a collimated deflected light to the coating film from the vertical direction in such a way that an angle of molecules of the liquid crystal material, present at an interface between the aligning film and the coating film, to the base material is substantially 0 (zero) degrees to align the liquid crystal material; and   curing the liquid crystal material to form the phase difference control layer.   
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the curing step uses ultraviolet light to cure the liquid crystal material. 
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the aligning film comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of azobenzene, polyvinyl cinnamate, polyimide resin, polymide having a benzophenone skeleton, modified polyvinyl alcohols or polyimide, and polyamic acid having a carbazole skeleton on its side chain. 
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein a phase difference property of the phase difference control component is symmetrical with respect to an observation angle when the observation angle varies in the range of −45 degrees to +45 degrees in a slow phase axis direction. 
   
   
       5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said phase difference control layer has positive birefringence properties and the optical axis thereof is parallel to the plane of the phase difference control layer. 
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said phase difference control layer comprises a first phase difference control layer and a second phase difference control layer stacked in that order, and the first phase difference control layer has positive birefringence properties and the optical axis thereof is parallel to the plane of the first phase difference control layer, while the second phase difference control layer has negative birefringence properties and the optical axis thereof is perpendicular to the plane of the second phase difference control layer. 
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said phase difference control layer comprises a first phase difference control layer and a second phase difference control layer stacked in that order, and the first phase difference control layer has positive birefringence properties and the optical axis thereof is parallel to the plane of the first phase difference control layer, while the second phase difference control layer has positive birefringence properties and the optical axis thereof is perpendicular to the plane of the second phase difference control layer.