Abstract: A liquid crystal structure (200) comprising first and second reflective regions (214a, 214b, 214c) arranged to reflect respective first and second colours. The first and second reflective regions (214a, 214b, 214c) are disposed transversely to the direction of reflection (R). Each region includes a reflective back area and a selector (210) controllable to control light reflected from the region. Furthermore, a controllable reflector (212) is superposed over the reflective region in the direction of reflection (R) and controllable to transmit or scatter incident light.

Abstract: An image display system, e.g. for projection type displays, has an electrically addressed spatial light modulator or EASLM (1) and an optically addressed spatial light modulator or OASLM (5). An image formed on the EASLM (1) is transferred to a part of the OASLM (5) by an image transfer means (3) and the image produced by the OASLM (5) is formed from a plurality of successive images formed by the EASLM.

Abstract: A flat-panel modulator includes a plurality of separately modulatable elements or pixels in which the modulating elements on the panel are arranged, notionally or physically, into patches or blocks (shown schematically as 53a, b, c) of individual modulating elements such that space between each patch exists which has no modulating elements. Addressing lines can be located in the space between the blocks, decreasing resistivity. Also the optical resolution of the magnifying optics is much better than if the entire panel were imaged as a whole. Furthermore a seamless image can be built up using suitable optics (51) between the modulator blocks and a screen (52), at least some of the blocks being magnified.

Abstract: An infra-red light-modulating device comprises a semiconductor substrate, a layer of light-modulating material such as liquid crystal on a first part of the substrate, and electrodes for addressing the light-modulating layer, the electrode in one side can be a common ITO layer, and the pixel electrodes are formed by diffusions in the silicon. The drive circuitry for addressing the light-modulating layer via the electrodes is provided in a second part of the semiconductor substrate to the side of the pixels. In this way a transmissive modulator is formed, since the electrodes are made of a material (silicon) transparent to the wavelength of the light used. The modulating effect is preferably doubled by reflecting the light back through the modulator with a mirror.

Abstract: There is provided an electro-optical component comprising (a) a substrate, (b) a phase-variable element carried on the substrate, (c) a memory carried on the substrate for storing data representative of a phase state for the phase-variable element; and (d) a controller carried on the substrate, for utilizing the data and setting the phase state for the element. There is also provided an electro-optical component comprising (a) a substrate, (b) a phase-variable element carried on the substrate, and (c) a circuit carried on the substrate for computing and applying a phase state for the phase-variable element.

Abstract: A display device includes a shutter layer of liquid-crystal material arranged in cells to shutter input light selectively, a cover layer 5 on the shutter layer, and a set of phosphors 7 on the cover layer, corresponding to the cells, to be activated by the input light and provide the display image. To prevent crosstalk the active cell areas 10 defined by the electrode overlaps are smaller than the corresponding phosphors. This prevents crosstalk between cells even when input light that is not fully collimated is used and also allows space for thicker and/or broader electrodes 12 leading to the cells, reducing resistance, and for other components such as TFTs.

Abstract: In an active back-plane coordinate addressed liquid crystal cell whose pixels are set into one state by the application of a unidirectional potential across the thickness of the liquid crystal layer, and into the opposite state if the direction of the applied potential is reversed, refreshing is carried out in two sequential stages in order to avoid cumulative charge imbalance effects. In one stage the pixels are set to their required states, whereas in the other stage they are set to the inverse of those states.

Abstract: A co-ordinate addressed bistable liquid crystal cell is switchable between its two stable states by oppositely directed electric potential differences applied across the liquid crystal layer thickness between a front-plane electrode and the members of a co-ordinate address array of electrode pads of an active back-plane. Refresh data is compared with currently displayed data so that only those pixels scheduled for switching are subjected to switching stimuli. The electrode pad of a pixel scheduled for switching is taken from the potential of the front-plane electrode to a different potential by connection to a voltage source. It is then electrically isolated from that voltage source for a further period before its potential is restored to that of the front-plane electrode. This enables rows of pixels to be addressed with a line address time considerably shorter than the time necessary to effect full switching.