Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: a pair of substrates; a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer provided between the pair of substrates; and an electrode for applying a voltage to the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer has bent smectic layers, and an effective bend angle .theta.L of the bent smectic layers satisfies the relationship: .theta.Leff>.theta.L>0.degree. in a temperature range in which the ferroelectric liquid crystal display device is stored, where an effective bend angle of the smectic layers in a first state is .theta.Leff, the first state being obtained by cooling the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer from a temperature higher than a phase transition temperature of a chiral smectic C phase--a smectic A phase to a temperature not higher than a phase transition temperature of the chiral smectic C phase--the smectic A phase.

Abstract: A bright reflective liquid-crystal display element with high contrast which does not require a polarizer is provided together with a laminated retardation film applied thereto. Row electrodes are formed on the surface of an upper substrate, and on the surface of a lower substrate, a column electrode is formed. On top of the row electrodes and the column electrode, an alignment film is printed, and both substrates are subject to rubbing process from the right side of the paper face to the left side. Then, these substrates are joined together to form a blank cell. Chiral nematic liquid crystals are made by mixing a trace of chiral dopant to nematic liquid crystals, and 1% of black dichroic dye made by mixing a several colors of anthraquinone dichroic dye is dissolved in the chiral nematic liquid crystals to form guest host liquid crystals. The gest host liquid crystals are injected into the blank cell, thereby forming a liquid crystal panel.

Abstract: A display has a large-sized screen made up of a plurality of liquid crystal display panels, each of which comprises first and second substrates opposed to and spaced from each other. The two substrates have respective peripheral portions rearwardly bent along edges of a display region defined therebetween. A plurality of row electrodes are mounted on an inner surface of the first substrate and extend generally in parallel with one another, whereas a plurality of column electrodes are mounted on an inner surface of the second substrate so as to be opposed to the row electrodes. The column electrodes extend generally in parallel with one another in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction in which the row electrodes extend. The above display region is delimited by outer edges of outermost row and column electrodes.

Abstract: In a ferroelectric liquid crystal panel, the switching current of spontaneous polarization is detected from the difference between the current supplied to a selected pixel and the constant multiplication of the current supplied to a non-selected reference pixel, and when the amount of switched spontaneous polarization reaches a desired gray scale level, the applied voltage is changed so that even if any nonuniformity is involved within the panel, a uniform analog gray scale display can be realized.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate opposed to and spaced from the first substrate, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal interposed between the first and second substrates and having a given layer structure. The second substrate expands and contracts in a direction normal to the layer structure of the liquid crystal according to deformation of the first substrate.

Abstract: An optical modulation element capable of displaying gradations and including common electrodes, segment electrodes and subelectrodes provided for each of the common electrodes such that each of the subelectrodes is connected to two of the common electrodes by electrical elements.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device and its driving method of the present invention have a voltage application scheme to control a stable condition of a gap between pixels, by applying a voltage to a liquid crystal panel in which ferroelectric liquid crystal is sandwiched between substrates each having a plurality of electrodes. It is possible to implement the black matrix conditions with a simple configuration without a light shielding layer by controlling the stable condition of the gap, to display a grey tone with a combination of pixels and a gap, or to raise the opening ratio by making the condition between adjacent pixels and a gap the same condition.

Abstract: In a method of driving a liquid crystal matrix panel, a group of voltage pulses are applied to each pixel connected to a scanning line during a reset period prior to a selection period so as to reset the state of each pixel before writing data. When the voltage pulse group contains a voltage pulse having a voltage whose absolute value is at least equal an absolute value of a threshold voltage of the liquid crystal, the group also contains, before or after the voltage pulse, a voltage pulse having a voltage whose absolute value is smaller than the absolute value of the threshold voltage and whose polarity is opposite to that of the former voltage pulse.

Abstract: A driving method in accordance with the present invention permits the simple time sharing driving of a ferroelectric liquid crystal matrix panel at high scanning frequency and high multiplexing ratio. A predetermined pulse is applied to a scanning electrode when another scanning electrode is selected to reset the pixel. The pixel is inverted or kept by the action of a pulse applied to the pixel when selected and, under this condition, a desired brightness is written in a short scanning period. Besides, the representation of a number of grey levels is obtained by multiple scanning at reset timing varying with the scanning.

Abstract: An improved driving method capable of achieving high-quality display even in simple matrix addressing for a ferroelectric liquid crystal matrix panel at a high multiplex ratio applies pulses of a frequency higher than that of a scanning voltage in an addressed condition to a scanning electrode in a non-addressed condition to gain either a surface stabilizing effect or an AC field stabilizing effect, hence ensuring high-contrast display. And the panel is so driven that the temporal average of the voltage applied to each pixel becomes zero, thereby averting deterioration of the liquid crystal.

Abstract: In a method of driving an optical modulation device via scanning lines and signal lines a "selection period" of each scanning line is divided into at least four division periods. A voltage applied to a pixel allows the pixel to become a first stable state of bistable states of the pixel during third and second division periods from the last division period, and to either become a second stable state of the bistable states or hold the first state during the last division period. The scanning lines are scanned sequentially while at least two sequential scanning lines thereof may be applied with a same selection voltage at the same time, thereby reducing a time required for rewriting all pixels.