Abstract: A display element according to the present invention is provided with a pair of substrates, at least one of which is transparent; a medium between the substrates, wherein optical anisotropy magnitude of the medium is changeable by and according to an electric field applied thereon; at least one pair of electrodes for applying, on the medium, the electric field substantially parallel to the substrates; and a shielding electrode overlapping at least a display portion of at least one of the substrates, and used for shielding the display element from static electricity.

Abstract: On one of surfaces of each substrate, an electrode is provided. Then, alignment films, which have been subjected to rubbing treatment, are provided on the respective electrodes so that the alignment films covers the respective electrodes. Moreover, on the other one of the surfaces of each substrate, a polarizer is provided so that its absorption axial direction matches with a rubbing direction of the corresponding alignment film. The substrates face each other so that the rubbing directions of the alignment films respectively provided on the substrates cross each other perpendicularly. A medium having a negative type liquid crystalline property is sealed between the substrates so as to form a material layer. In this way, it is possible to improve contrast and to alleviate coloring phenomenon in a display element in which transmittance is changed by controlling orientational order of molecules.

Abstract: Each of a pair of substrates respectively comprises an electrode and a rubbed alignment film on one surface, while the other surface is provided with a polarizer. The substrates are placed so that the surfaces provided with the alignment films are opposed to each other, and the area between the substrates is filled with a medium to form a material layer. Then, a medium made of a negative-type liquid crystalline compound sing a photopolymerizable monomer and a polymerization initiator is injected into the material layer held between the substrates. Further, ultra violet irradiation is performed with the medium exhibiting a liquid crystal phase, so that the photopolymerized monomer is polymerized, thus forming a polymer chain. In this manner, obtained is a display element, that causes change in degree of optical anisotropy in response to application of electric (external) field, which display element can be driven by a lower intensity electric (external) field.

Abstract: A display element includes: a pair of substrates, at least one of which is transparent; a medium, between the substrates, the medium being changeable in an optical anisotropy magnitude by and according to electric field application; and a region in which a pixel electrode and a counter electrode overlap with each other with an insulating layer therebetween.

Abstract: A display element includes a dielectric material layer 3, provided between a pair of substrates (substrates 1 and 2), which is made of a medium showing optical isotropy when no electric field is applied and showing optical anisotropy when an electric field is applied. Further, comb-shaped electrodes 4 and 5 are provided face to face on the substrate 1 so as to be positioned in a surface which faces the substrate 2. Furthermore, polarizing plates 6 and 7 are respectively provided on rear surfaces with respect to the counter surfaces of the substrates 1 and 2. Thus, it is possible to realize the display element which has a wide driving temperature range, a wide viewing angle property, and a high-speed response property.

Abstract: An electrode is provided on one surface of each of a pair of substrates. On the other surface of each of the substrates, a polarizer is provided. The substrates are assembled together so that their surfaces on which the electrodes are formed face each other. Then, a medium is introduced between the substrates, to form a dielectric material layer. The medium is prepared by mixing a chiral agent in a negative type liquid crystalline compound.

Abstract: A display element has a arrangement that allows the pixel to have at least two domains in which the medium shows optical anisotropies of different directions when a force (for example, an electric field) is applied or when no force is applied. It is preferable that directions of the optical anisotropies occurred in the respective domains when the electric field is applied respectively have 45 degrees±10 degrees with absorption axes of polarizers, and that the directions of the optical anisotropies occurred in the respective domains when the electric field is applied make 90 degrees±20 degrees.

Abstract: Before starting the regular display in a liquid crystal display device of the bend alignment type, it is necessary to transition all the pixel regions in the entire display portion uniformly from splay alignment into bend alignment. However, conventionally, when applying a simple ac voltage, the transition sometimes does not take place, and when it does take place, the transition time is very long, and display defects due to alignment defects tend to occur. In the method for driving a liquid crystal display device with OCB cells according to the present invention, a step of applying between an electrode 22 and a pixel electrode 23 an ac voltage superimposed with a bias voltage, and a step of applying zero voltage or a low voltage to the substrates are repeated in alternation preceding the begin of the regular display operation and the regular display operation is carried out after all pixels have transitioned into bend alignment.

Abstract: A dielectric liquid layer is sandwiched between a pixel substrate and a counter substrate, at least one of which is a transparent. The dielectric liquid layer is made from a liquid that is macroscopically isotropic and transparent, but has clusters microscopically, the clusters being agglomerations in each of which liquid crystal molecules are aligned in short distance order. Because of the presence of the cluster even at a temperature equal to or higher than the liquid crystal-isotropic phase transition temperature of a liquid crystal compound, reduction of the Kerr effect is suppressed even if the temperature rises. For example, clusters containing, for example, (a) a liquid crystal compound having an ability of forming an intermolecular hydrogen bond, (b) a liquid crystal compound having a smectic phase, (c) a particulate, (d) or the like, has a large cluster size and thus have a long life even if the temperature rises.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes two substrates and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the substrates and performs display by changing the orientation of the liquid crystal layer from a splay orientation to a bend orientation. Application of a voltage of less than a threshold voltage to the liquid crystal layer allows the liquid crystal layer to have a region where liquid crystal molecules parallel to the substrates predominantly lie on one substrate side and a region where those liquid crystal molecules predominantly lie on the other substrate side, and the two regions are present in substantially equal proportions. In a similar liquid crystal display, the absolute value of a pretilt angle of the liquid crystal molecules in the vicinity of one substrate differs from the absolute value of a pretilt angle of the liquid crystal molecules in the vicinity of the other substrate, and at least one of the substrates is provided with a bend transition nucleus induction means.

Abstract: An active matrix type liquid crystal display composed of a liquid crystal cell 124 is described. In the liquid crystal cell 124, liquid crystals at the upper and lower interfaces of a liquid crystal layer 122 inserted between an array substrate 106 having pixel electrodes 128 and an opposed substrate 105 having an opposed electrode 127 have pretilt angles opposite to each other in a positive/negative sense and are aligned in parallel with each other, forming a spray alignment. This liquid crystal display performs displaying by bend-aligning such a liquid crystal cell 124. The pixel electrodes 128 are formed on a flattening film 100 for covering switching elements 123 or wiring electrodes flat. With this arrangement, a spray to bend alignment transition can be reliably, easily caused in a short time within the liquid crystal cell pixels, so that an OCB mode liquid crystal display free from alignment defects and having high picture quality can be achieved.

Abstract: Before starting the regular display in a liquid crystal display device of the bend alignment type, it is necessary to transition all the pixel regions in the entire display portion uniformly from splay alignment into bend alignment. However, conventionally, when applying a simple ac voltage, the transition sometimes does not take place, and when it does take place, the transition time is very long, and display defects due to alignment defects tend to occur.

Abstract: An active matrix type liquid crystal display composed of a liquid crystal cell 124 is described. In the liquid crystal cell 124, liquid crystals at the upper and lower interfaces of a liquid crystal layer 122 inserted between an array substrate 106 having pixel electrodes 128 and an opposed substrate 105 having an opposed electrode 127 have pretilt angles opposite to each other in a positive/negative sense and are aligned in parallel with each other, forming a spray alignment. This liquid crystal display performs displaying by bend-aligning such a liquid crystal cell 124. The pixel electrodes 128 are formed on a flattening film 100 for covering switching elements 123 or wiring electrodes flat. With this arrangement, a spray to bend alignment transition can be reliably, easily caused in a short time within the liquid crystal cell pixels, so that an OCB mode liquid crystal display free from alignment defects and having high picture quality can be achieved.

Abstract: An active matrix type liquid crystal display composed of a liquid crystal cell 124 is described. In the liquid crystal cell 124, liquid crystals at the upper and lower interfaces of a liquid crystal layer 122 inserted between an array substrate 106 having pixel electrodes 128 and an opposed substrate 105 having an opposed electrode 127 have pretilt angles opposite to each other in a positive/negative sense and are aligned in parallel with each other, forming a spray alignment. This liquid crystal display performs displaying by bend-aligning such a liquid crystal cell 124. The pixel electrodes 128 are formed on a flattening film 100 for covering switching elements 123 or wiring electrodes flat. With this arrangement, a spray to bend alignment transition can be reliably, easily caused in a short time within the liquid crystal cell pixels, so that an OCB mode liquid crystal display free from alignment defects and having high picture quality can be achieved.

Abstract: Before starting the regular display in a liquid crystal display device of the bend alignment type, it is necessary to transition all the pixel regions in the entire display portion uniformly from splay alignment into bend alignment. However, conventionally, when applying a simple ac voltage, the transition sometimes does not take place, and when it does take place, the transition time is very long, and display defects due to alignment defects tend to occur. In the method for driving a liquid crystal display device with OCB cells according to the present invention, a step of applying between an electrode 22 and a pixel electrode 23 an ac voltage superimposed with a bias voltage, and a step of applying zero voltage or a low voltage to the substrates are repeated in alternation preceding the begin of the regular display operation and the regular display operation is carried out after all pixels have transitioned into bend alignment.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes two substrates and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the substrates and performs display by changing the orientation of the liquid crystal layer from a splay orientation to a bend orientation. Application of a voltage of less than a threshold voltage to the liquid crystal layer allows the liquid crystal layer to have a region where liquid crystal molecules parallel to the substrates predominantly lie on one substrate side and a region where those liquid crystal molecules predominantly lie on the other substrate side, and the two regions are present in substantially equal proportions. In a similar liquid crystal display, the absolute value of a pretilt angle of the liquid crystal molecules in the vicinity of one substrate differs from the absolute value of a pretilt angle of the liquid crystal molecules in the vicinity of the other substrate, and at least one of the substrates is provided with a bend transition nucleus induction means.

Abstract: An active matrix liquid crystal display device having a liquid crystal cell including an army substrate provided with a pixel electrode, a signal electrode line, and a gate electrode line and an opposing substrate provided with a common electrode, in which pretilt angles of liquid crystal at upper and lower interfaces of a liquid crystal layer disposed between the army substrate and the opposing substrate have opposite signs having splay alignment formed by parallel alignment process while no voltage is applied. The active matrix liquid crystal display device is subjected to an initialization process for transitioning the splay alignment to bend alignment by application of voltage before liquid crystal display driving and adapted to perform the liquid crystal display driving in the bend alignment.

Abstract: There are disclosed methods for driving liquid crystal display apparatuses for certainly completing in a short time to performing a transition of liquid crystal molecules to a displayable alignment in liquid crystal display apparatuses such that an initial alignment of the liquid crystal molecules is different from the displayable alignment, typically an optically compensated bend mode liquid crystal display apparatus. A voltage is applied to a liquid crystal layer until display area in the liquid crystal layer is transformed to the displayable alignment. After the completion of the transition, a backlight is switched on to sift to a display-driving mode. In order to complete the transition in a short time, voltage pulse under the conditions (such as a frequency and a voltage value) determined in accordance with a temperature of a liquid crystal panel is applied to the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: In a liquid crystal display element comprising at least one substrate and a liquid crystal layer, a different orientation direction area of an orientation direction locally different from an orientation direction of the other area is present.

Abstract: An active matrix type liquid crystal display composed of a liquid crystal cell 124 is described. In the liquid crystal cell 124, liquid crystals at the upper and lower interfaces of a liquid crystal layer 122 inserted between an array substrate 106 having pixel electrodes 128 and an opposed substrate 105 having an opposed electrode 127 have pretilt angles opposite to each other in a positive/negative sense and are aligned in parallel with each other, forming a spray alignment. This liquid crystal display performs displaying by bend-aligning such a liquid crystal cell 124. The pixel electrodes 128 are formed on a flattening film 100 for covering switching elements 123 or wiring electrodes flat. With this arrangement, a spray to bend alignment transition can be reliably, easily caused in a short time within the liquid crystal cell pixels, so that an OCB mode liquid crystal display free from alignment defects and having high picture quality can be achieved.