Liquid crystal display device and method for fabricating same having spacer in alignment groove in which the groove width is greater than the spacer diameter

1. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a first substrate, and a second substrate disposed opposing each other;

gate lines and data lines on the first substrate disposed perpendicular to each other to define pixel regions;

a black matrix layer on the second substrate disposed opposite to regions on the first substrate excluding the pixel regions;

a color filter layer on the second substrate;

an overcoat layer on an entire surface of the second substrate including the black matrix layer and the color filter layer;

a first alignment film on the overcoat layer, the first alignment film having a first alignment film groove in the first alignment film corresponding to a predetermined portion of the black matrix layer;

a first spacer in the first alignment film groove;

a seal pattern on a non-display region between the first or the second substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein a width of the first alignment film groove is greater than a diameter of the first spacer.

2. The liquid crystal display device as in claim 1 , wherein the first spacer has polygonal column shape.

3. The liquid crystal display device as in claim 1 , further comprising a second alignment film on the first substrate.

4. The liquid crystal display device as in claim 3 , wherein the second alignment film includes a second alignment film groove disposed opposite to the first alignment film groove.

5. The liquid crystal display device as in claim 1 , further comprising a thin film transistor at each cross of the gate lines and the data lines; and

a pixel electrode on each of the pixel regions.

6. The liquid crystal display device as in claim 5 , further comprising a common electrode formed alternately with the pixel electrode in the pixel region.

7. The liquid crystal display device as in claim 1 , wherein the first alignment film groove is formed so as to be corresponding to a predetermined region of the gate line.

8. The liquid crystal display device as in claim 1 , wherein the first alignment film groove is formed so as to be corresponding to a predetermined region of the data line.

9. The liquid crystal display device as in claim 1 , further comprising a second spacer on the first alignment film, the second spacer being formed so as to be disposed opposite a region excluding the pixel region.

10. The liquid crystal display device as in claim 1 , further comprising a common electrode layer on an entire surface of the overcoat layer.

11. A method for fabricating a liquid crystal display device comprising:

providing a first substrate and a second substrate each having a display region and a non-display region;

forming a thin film transistor array on the first substrate;

forming a color filter array on the second substrate;

forming a first alignment film on the second substrate, the first alignment film having a predetermined portion removed therefrom to form a first alignment film groove;

dispensing liquid crystals on the first substrate in the display region;

forming a spacer at a portion of the first alignment film groove on the second substrate;

forming a seal pattern on the non-display region of the first or the second substrate;

inverting the second substrate;

pressing surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate together, so as to bond the first substrate and the second substrate; and

curing the seal pattern and the spacer thermally at the same time, after bonding the first substrate and the second substrate.

12. The method as in claim 11 , wherein the spacer is formed by inkjet printing.

13. The method as in claim 11 , wherein the first alignment film is formed by inkjet printing.

14. The method as in claim 11 , further comprising forming a second alignment film on the first substrate.

15. The method as in claim 11 , wherein the thin film transistor array includes;

gate lines and data lines formed on the first substrate perpendicular to each other, to define pixel regions,

a thin film transistor at each cross of the gate lines and the data lines; and

a pixel electrode on each of the pixel regions.

16. The method as in claim 15 , wherein the first alignment film groove is formed in a region disposed so as to exclude the pixel region.

17. The method as in claim 16 , wherein the first alignment film groove is formed so as to be disposed opposite to the gate line.

18. The method as in claim 16 , wherein the first alignment film groove is formed so as to be disposed opposite to the data line.

19. The method as in claim 15 , further comprising a second spacer on a portion of the first alignment film having no the first alignment film groove, the second spacer being oriented so as to be disposed opposite to a region excluding the pixel region.

20. The method as in claim 15 , wherein the color filter array includes;

a black matrix layer formed on the second substrate to cover regions excluding the pixel regions, and

a color filter layer on the pixel region.

21. The method as in claim 20 , further comprising a common electrode layer on an entire surface of the second substrate including the black matrix layer, and the color filter layer.

22. The method as in claim 20 , further comprising an overcoat layer on an entire surface of the second substrate including the black matrix layer, and the color filter layer.

23. The method as in claim 20 , wherein the first alignment film groove is formed opposite to the black matrix layer.