Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal element using a film transistor as a switching element, the liquid crystal element comprising two substrates opposed to each other, film transistors and spacers disposed on the opposed surface of one of the substrates, a transparent electrode formed on the opposed surface of the other substrate, a metal wiring formed simultaneously with a light shield of a film transistor or an upper metal layer of the spacer, the metal wiring having one end disposed between the film transistor or spacer and the transparent electrode whereas the other end thereof extends to the peripheral edge of the one substrate.

Abstract: A light source is disposed and spaced apart from a display surface and the light from the light source is changed into the light rays having a substantially uniform distribution of luminous flux density by a light control device such as a mirror having a specially designed configuration before the light reaches the display surface. An image generation device such as a transmission type liquid crystal image generation device is inserted in the path of the light rays having a substantially uniform distribution of luminous flux density, and the such light rays transmitted through the image generation device forms an image on the display surface with uniform intensity of illumination. In order to form a color image, three optical systems as above corresponding to the three red, green and blue primary colors are provided and the lights from the three primary color light sources are transmitted with a time difference to an image generation device.

Abstract: Bistable operation of ferroelectric liquid crystal smectic I* or smectic F* display cells is disclosed which uses a greater liquid crystal layer thickness than is achievable with smectic C* material while yet retaining bistability of operation.

Abstract: By suitable choice of the liquid crystal parameters K.sub.3 /K.sub.1 and K.sub.3 /K.sub.2, it becomes possible to achieve a steep electrooptical characteristic line and a maximum contrast with minimum dependence on the viewing angle in electrooptical display elements with a twist angle with a value between 150.degree. and 250.degree..

Abstract: The liquid crystal display according to this invention comprises a liquid crystal cell having a pair of substrates with faced insides which are provided with electrodes, ferroelectric liquid crystal with a chiral smectic C phase in between said substrates and a polarizing plate on the light incidence side. One of said electrodes is a relfective electrode. The display is utilized with microcomputers, word processors, television or so on, and wherein, due to a small number of parts, the absorption loss of light is small and a reflective plate is prevented from being oxided and therefore degraded in reflection index, since it is not exposed to air.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device can be controlled by applying a positive (or negative) voltage to certain pixels and by removing the applied voltage through a main electrode arrangement in the form of a matrix. The liquid crystal layer embodying the liquid crystal device is entirely subjected, during operation, to a reverse electric field by a reverse voltage applied to an adjunct electrode arrangement. With this structure, each pixel defined in the liquid crystal layer is always subjected to an electric field so that a highly stabilized operation can be realized.

Abstract: Liquid crystal is sealed in between a pair of opposed first and second transparent substrates, picture element electrodes, gate buses, and source buses are formed on the first transparent substrate, and thin film transistors are each disposed at one of the intersections of the source and gate buses, thereby constituting an active matrix liquid crystal display element. On the first transparent substrate there are provided capacitive electrodes respectively opposite the source buses, with an insulating layer interposed therebetween, and the capacitive electrodes are connected to a common potential point.

Abstract: A linear array of liquid crystal shutters mounted near a photoreceptor surface and arranged transversely to the direction of travel of the photoreceptor surface, an array of thin film transistors connected to the array of liquid crystal shutters for electrically driving the shutters and logic means connected to the array of thin film transistors selectively pulsing the liquid crystal shutters to selectively expose the photoreceptor surface a line at a time. The system further includes circuit means for producing an electric field between the opposed electrodes of each of the liquid crystal shutters to prevent passage of light through the shutters and means for selectively de-energizing each of the pairs of electrodes for predetermined time period in response to the receipt of input data signals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal optical switch array in which optical switch elements are opened and closed by the time-sharing drive and to an optical printer using this optical switch array. The optical switch element comprises a ferroelectric liquid crystal having a relaxative memory effect, signal electrodes and scanning electrodes which sandwich the liquid crystal layer, and a resistor element which is formed between the scanning electrode and the liquid crystal. A line selection signal is sequentially supplied to the scanning electrodes, these scanning electrodes become substantially the open state when the selection signal is not supplied. When the scanning electrodes are open, the resistor element has a predetermined resistance value. When the selection signal is supplied to the scanning electrodes, the resistor element has a lower resistance value.

Abstract: An active-matrix liquid crystal color display panel includes lines of color pixel elements composed of first, second and third types of cell elements, each cell element having two display electrodes each connected to a video signal bus running therebetween through parallely connected two thin film FET's (TFT's) having gates connected to different scanning signal buses, the first, second and third types of cell elements having different one of three primary color filters, and repetition of the color pixel elements in adjacent line being shifted with a half length of the color pixel element to form triangular color pixel arrangement.

Abstract: A liquid crystal optical device is comprised of a pair of substrates having respective inner major surfaces spaced apart from one another and a liquid crystal layer composed of liquid crystal molecules and interposed between the spaced inner major surfaces. An electrode layer is disposed on at least one of the inner major surfaces. An organic filter layer colored in a given color tone is electrodeposited on the electrode layer. An organic alignment layer is disposed on the filter layer in contact with the liquid crystal layer for aligning the liquid crystal molecules. An organic protective layer is interposed between the alignment layer and filter layer for adhesively securing the alignment layer to the filter layer to protect the alignment layer from stress applied thereto relative to the filter layer.

Abstract: An electro-optic modulator consists of a Fabry-Perot etalon containing intra-cavity liquid crystal material between mirror layers. Each mirror bears a respective rubbed polyimide layer, which provides homogeneous alignment of the liquid crystal molecules. The mirror layers are connected to a bias voltage source, which provide an electrical bias variable between two values both above the threshold for refractive index sensitivity to applied voltage. For nematic materials, this is the Freedricks threshold or transition. The bias variation provides optical modulation of the etalon transmission with a time constant which is much shorter than devices switching between voltages either side of the threshold.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes a pair of substrates each having a uniaxial orientation as provided by rubbing or oblique vapor deposition, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the substrates. The uniaxial orientation axes respectively provided to the pair of substrates intersect each other at an intersection angle .theta.. The ferroelectric liquid crystal molecules may have such an alignment tendency that their axes are twisted along a normal to the substrates in the absence of an electric field when they are disposed between two substrates having the same direction of uniaxial orientation axes. The liquid crystal device may be subjected to an AC application pretreatment. The uniaxial orientation axes respectively provided to the base plates may have mutually different orientation controlling powers.

Abstract: A method applicable to a liquid crystal cell comprising two parallel transparent plates (11, 12) coated on their facing inert faces with electrode-forming conductive coatings (14,15), and with a shim (13) interposed between the plates, the space in said cells between said plates containing a substance (17) including molecules which are endowed with nematic properties, wherein: controlled variations in surface impedance are defined on at least one of the electrode coatings in selected zones (16) thereof; and a variable frequency excitation electrical voltage is applied between the electrodes (14, 15) provided on respective ones of said plates (11, 12), and voltage being selected to be suitable for producing alternately an electric field extending normally to the electrodes and an electric field which slopes relative to the normal to said electrodes at said zones (16) having a controlled impedance variation.

Abstract: An electron beam addressed liquid crystal light modulator or "valve" includes a liquid crystal cell having a target surface which a writing electron beam and an erasing electron beam address to provide a display image. The writing electron beam and the erasing electron beam sequentially strike preselected locations on the target surface to cause an emission of secondary electrons and, thereby, develop an electrostatic potential at such preselected locations. A secondary electron collector electrode positioned over and above the target surface collects in a uniform manner the secondary electrons emitted by all regions of the target surface. A collector electrode controller circuit sequentially applies first and second potential differences between the target surface and the collector electrode in synchronism with the striking of the preselected locations by the respective writing and erasing beams.

Abstract: An optical modulation device comprises a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of lines. Each pixel is electrically connected to an optical modulation material, such as ferroelectric liquid crystal, showing a first and a second orientation state depending on an applied electric field and is composed to be capable of forming a potential gradient. The optical modulation device is driven to provide a gradation display by a method comprising a first step of forming in a line of pixels a written state in a width exceeding a prescribed width, and a second step of erasing an excess width to leave the written state in the prescribed width.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal electro-optical device driven in time-sharing comprising; a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer having bi-stable alignment characteristics, means for converting the bi-stable alignment state to optical ON state or optical OFF state, a matrix electrode and means for driving the liquid crystal layer by applying voltages to the liquid crystal layer through the matrix electrode. A voltage sufficient to change a stable alignment state of the ferro-electric liquid crystal molecular is applied to a selected pixel, a voltage insufficient to change a stable alignment state is applied to a non-selected pixel and an AC voltage for holding a stable alignment state is applied to a half-selected pixel. A bias value, which is the ratio of the amplitude of the voltage applied to the selected pixel to the amplitude of the AC voltage applied to the half-selected pixel, is set near the maximum value of B satisfying the following formulaB/(B-2).gtoreq.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for phase conjugation of an input beam with thresholding of spatially resolvable parts of the beam that have amplitudes greater than a predetermined threshold value. A phase conjugation reflector produces a phase conjugated replica of a specularly reflected and thresholded portion of the input beam, which is retroreflected toward the source of the input beam. All of the spatial components of the phase conjugated replica retain the same relative phase relationships with respect to each other as the incident complex beam. In a preferred embodiment the invention comprises a liquid crystal light valve (LCLV) system, input and output polarizers, and a phase conjugate mirror (PCM). This combination of elements forms a device that can function as a threshold retroreflector with .about.10.sup.6 resolvable elements.

Abstract: A display device consisting of a plurality of scanning electrodes, a plurality of signal electrodes, a driving circuit feeding these electrodes with a scanning voltage and a signal voltage applied thereto, display elements having a pair of electrodes opposite to each other, which are disposed on the intersecting portion of the signal electrodes with the scanning electrodes, and switching elements controlling the feeding of one of the electrodes with the signal voltage, depending on the scanning voltage, comprises further a delaying circuit, which retards the timing of applying the signal voltage applied to a part of the signal electrodes, which are distant from the input terminal of the scanning voltage, with respect to the timing of applying the scanning voltage applied to the scanning electrodes.

Abstract: Liquid crystal material is operable to modulate light transmitted through a panel such as a sunroof, window or partition. The panel may have safety glazing properties. The panel may also include means for reflecting infrared energy. The liquid crystal material includes operationally nematic liquid crystal having positive dielectric anisotropy and a containment medium for containing plural volumes of the liquid crystal material. The panel includes transparent surfaces with the liquid crystal material disposed therebetween and selectively operable primarily to transmit or primarily to scatter light. The liquid crystal material may alternatively include volumes of liquid crystal with a pleochroic dye in a containment medium for selectively attenuating light.