Having Particular Deposited Structure (e.g., Angled, Plural Layered) Produced By Vapor Deposition Patents (Class 349/125)
  • Patent number: 7633586
    Abstract: A display is provided for switching between a narrow or private viewing mode and a wide or public viewing mode. The display comprises a display device which is controlled to provide display of a desired image or sequence of images. This is associated with a liquid crystal device having at least one liquid crystal layer whose molecules are switchable between a first state providing a first angular viewing range and a second state providing a second angular viewing range which is within and smaller than the first angular viewing range. With the molecules in the second state, the device at least partially blocks light propagating towards part of the first angular viewing range outside the second angular viewing range. The or each liquid crystal layer is in contact with at least one alignment surface, the or each of which comprises a uniform non-patterned alignment surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Robert Winlow, Zabbie J. Acosta, Martin D. Tillin, Paul Bonnett, Diana U. Kean, Grant Bourhill, Michel Sagardoyburu, Emma Jayne Walton, Koji Yabuta, Hiroshi Fukushima, Tomoo Takatani
  • Patent number: 7626662
    Abstract: A method for fabricating liquid crystal (LC) alignment includes the steps of processing an alignment film having a plurality of liquid crystal molecules with a single or plurality of plasma generating devices, such that the liquid crystal molecules are aligned at a high pretilt angle. Compared with the prior art, the present invention is suitable for modifying the alignment film surface adjustablely in directions and angles, and can attain the effect of alignment stability with a high pretilt angle in a single process, thus overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chin-Yang Lee, Huang-Chin Tang, Kei-Hsiung Yang, Chih-Wei Chen, Chi-Hung Liu, Yu-Jung Shih
  • Patent number: 7612862
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a liquid crystal device that uses a smectic liquid crystal and that can produce a uniform display. The liquid crystal device includes a pair of substrates, a smectic liquid crystal provided between the pair of substrates, an injection hole for injecting therethrough the smectic liquid crystal into a gap formed between the pair of substrates, a plurality of scanning electrodes arranged at right angles to the direction of injection of the smectic liquid crystal between the pair of substrates, an alignment film deposited over the plurality of scanning electrodes, and voltage applying means for applying a voltage to the plurality of scanning electrodes in sequence proceeding from a side nearest to the injection hole toward a side farthest therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Noguchi
  • Patent number: 7612851
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display (LCD) device is provided. In the method, a vertical alignment layer having a first area and a second area is formed on a substrate. A first plasma gas is sprayed onto the first area with first spraying conditions under atmospheric pressure. A second plasma gas is sprayed onto the second area with second spraying conditions under atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Seoul National University Industry Foundation
    Inventors: Sin-Doo Lee, Eun-Je Jang, Hyung-Jun Song
  • Publication number: 20090237605
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes: a circuit substrate; a counter substrate disposed so as to be opposed to the circuit substrate; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the circuit substrate and the counter substrate, the liquid crystal layer showing vertical alignment as an initial alignment state; a first alignment layer manufactured on a side of the counter substrate using a coating process, the side facing the liquid crystal layer, the first alignment layer having a vertical alignment function; and a second alignment layer manufactured on a side of the circuit substrate using a vacuum process, the side facing the liquid crystal layer, the second alignment layer generating a pretilt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobukazu NAGAE, Takeshi MIYASHITA
  • Patent number: 7567335
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a liquid crystal display device includes: forming alignment keys by at least one of ink jet printing, offset printing, screen printing and laser marking on a dummy region of an upper substrate; forming a first alignment film over an active region of the upper substrate; forming sealant along a periphery of the active region of the upper substrate; and bonding the upper substrate to a lower substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yun Bok Lee, Woo Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 7567321
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device and fabrication method is provided. The liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates facing each other and a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates. Gate and data lines disposed on the first substrate cross each other to define a pixel region. A first protrusion extends from the gate line at a crossing of the gate line and the data line. A second protrusion extends from the data line at the crossing of the gate line and the data line. A thin film transistor is connected to the gate line and the data line. A pixel electrode in the pixel region is connected to the thin film transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: LG. Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin-Mo Yoon
  • Patent number: 7551258
    Abstract: A repeated pattern layer having areas for imparting different electro-optic characteristics to a light modulating device is disclosed. The repeated pattern is arranged so that any pixel area formed in the assembled device (above a certain minimum size) will contain an area of each electo-optic characteristic in the right proportions. The pattern is arranged as a two dimensional grid of areas of different characteristic with at least one area of each characteristic provided in each row and column of the grid. The patterned layer may usefully be an alignment layer for a liquid crystal device, especially a bistable device, and the different areas may be arranged to give grey scale in the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: ZBD Displays Limited
    Inventors: John C. Jones, Emma L. Wood
  • Patent number: 7548298
    Abstract: A liquid crystal panel includes: a pair of substrates; inorganic oriented films having plural fine pores being provided on surfaces of the substrates facing each other; a liquid crystal layer being provided between the inorganic oriented films; and a sealing part sealing the liquid crystal layer, the sealing part being provided between the inorganic oriented films and along an outer periphery of the inorganic oriented films, the liquid crystal panel further including a filling material including a compound having a first functional group having high affinity with the inorganic oriented films and a second functional group having high affinity with the sealing part, the filling material being filled in an area of the inorganic oriented films overlapping the sealing part to fill the fine pores and to covers surfaces of the inorganic oriented films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Terao, Yuji Shinohara, Tomoko Sasabayashi, Keipin Cho
  • Publication number: 20090128719
    Abstract: The disclosure includes a liquid crystal device, a projector and an optical compensation method of a liquid crystal device. In one embodiment, a liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal panel having a pair of substrates, each of which has an alignment film. A vertically-aligned liquid crystal, which has liquid crystal molecules pretilted by the alignment films, is interposed between the pair of substrates and modulates light. A pair of polarizing films interposes the liquid crystal panel therebetween. A first retardation film is disposed between the pair of polarizing films and includes (i) a first substrate and (ii) a first deposited film maintaining a first refractive anisotropy and being obliquely deposited on the first substrate so that a first optical axis of the first refractive anisotropy is tilted in a direction in which a variation in characteristic of the light due to the pretilted liquid crystal molecules is canceled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitake Tateno
  • Patent number: 7532300
    Abstract: A method for producing an alignment layer for a liquid crystal panel, which is produced by modifying an alignment film in a fixed direction and at a fixed angle by using an atmospheric pressure plasma source to form a uniform and isotropic alignment layer on the surface of the substrate. The resultant alignment layer has good uniformity and high anchoring energy, and the pre-tilt angle can be selected as desired. In addition, there are no problems with static charge generation, dust pollution and the like as in the prior arts. The method of the present invention is not restricted by vacuum apparatuses that need ion alignment or vacuum plasma alignment and the like and is not restricted by the size of the equipment. Therefore, the method of the present invention is suitable for treating the surface of an alignment layer of a large size liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Huang-Chin Tang, Chun-Hung Lin, Chih-Wei Chen, Chin-Jyi Wu, Chen-Der Tsai, Chin-Yang Lee
  • Patent number: 7518683
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device with an alignment film provided on at least one of a pair of substrates, sandwiching a liquid crystal layer, on the side facing the liquid crystal layer, in which the alignment film aligns liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer substantially vertical or horizontal when there is no voltage application, and a mask rubbing process is performed with at least a part of a hard mask adhered to the alignment film surface such that alignment control directions in regions of the alignment film are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Iichiro Inoue, Shinichi Terashita, Hiroyuki Hakoi, Koichi Miyachi, Akihito Jinda, Takako Koide
  • Patent number: 7518681
    Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an oriented film of a liquid crystal device holding a liquid crystal between a pair of substrates facing each other, includes: a film formation chamber; an evaporation section evaporating an oriented film material on the substrate by a physical vapor deposition, and forming the oriented film in the film formation chamber; a shielding plate formed between the evaporation section and the substrate, having an elongated opening for selectively evaporating the oriented film material, and covering an area of the substrate on which the oriented film is not formed; and a cleaning section providing a cleaning medium for removing the oriented film material adhered on the shielding plate, toward the opening of the shielding plate, and on the side of the shielding plate that faces the evaporation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Nagata, Yuichi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7515234
    Abstract: Provided is an alignment method including: forming an alignment film on a substrate; irradiating an ion beam onto the alignment film using a bar-type ion gun; and cleaning a surface of the substrate having the alignment film. The irradiating of an ion beam satisfies the following equation: 1.6×10?4?(Lg×I×T)/Ls?1.6×10?2, where I is an ion beam current (A) measured outside an ion beam outlet and irradiated from the bar-type ion gun, Lg is a length (cm) of the ion beam outlet with respect to a moving direction of the substrate, Ls is a length (cm) of the substrate in the moving direction of the substrate, and T is a process time (sec) for processing one substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yong Sung Ham
  • Patent number: 7505105
    Abstract: An in-plane switching liquid crystal display device is designed in such a way that an angle defined by the lengthwise direction of a common electrode and a pixel electrode and a rubbing direction of an alignment layer is set to 10 to 20°, a cell gap d is set to 2.7 ?m or smaller, the dielectric anisotropy ?? of a liquid crystal constituting a liquid crystal layer is set to 8 to 20, a white voltage Vwhite to be applied to the pixel electrode when displaying white is set to 4 to 7 V, and the white voltage Vwhite (V), the dielectric anisotropy ?? of the liquid crystal, the cell gap d (?m) and an interval L (?m) between the common electrode and the pixel electrode satisfy the following expression. 11.8 > V white d - 0.6 × L 0.5 × ? ? ? ? - 0.5 > 9.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Inoue, Shinichi Nishida
  • Patent number: 7499131
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention has a first structure (protrusion) which is provided on a first substrate and which causes liquid crystal molecules in the vicinity of the first structure to align with a first direction when a voltage is applied, and a second structure (protrusion) which is provided at a position on the second substrate where the second structure is opposed to the first structure and which causes liquid crystal molecules in the vicinity of the second structure to align with a second direction when the voltage is applied. Here, the second direction is different from the first direction. The shapes or sizes of the first and second structures are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Sasabayashi
  • Patent number: 7483103
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device including a pair of substrates with an electro-optical material interposed therebetween includes forming an alignment film made of an inorganic material on a substrate surface of at least one of the substrates opposite to the electro-optical material by fixing an angle between the substrate surface and a scattering direction of the inorganic material to a predetermined value and performing a PVD method, in a processing chamber; and, after the PVD method starts, introducing at least one kind of repair gas for repairing defects of the alignment film into the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7480022
    Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal display device and an electronic apparatus in which deterioration of contrast due to a protrusion or a slit used for division of alignment can be prevented in the liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal which has a negative dielectric anisotropy exhibiting vertical alignment as an initial alignment state. There is provided a liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal layer, which includes a liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy exhibiting vertical alignment as an initial alignment state, between a pair of substrates and disposed to be opposite to each other, in which alignment control means for controlling alignment of the liquid crystal layer is provided on at least one of electrodes provided on the pair of substrates, and in which a light-shielding film BM two-dimensionally overlapped with the alignment control means is provided on at least one substrate of the pair of substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tsuchiya, Joji Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7474372
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device having liquid crystal cells arranged in a matrix type, includes a gate line for receiving a scanning signal; a data line for receiving a data signal; a pixel electrode provided at an intersection of the gate line and the data line to drive a liquid crystal cell; a thin film transistor for responding to the scanning signal to switch the data signal into the pixel electrode; and an alignment film formed on at least a portion of the gate line, the data line and the pixel electrode to determine a primary alignment direction of a liquid crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yun Bok Lee
  • Patent number: 7473449
    Abstract: A liquid crystal panel includes a first substrate; a second substrate which opposes to the first substrate; a first alignment film which is provided on the first substrate; a second alignment film which is provided on the second substrate; and a liquid crystal layer which is interposed between the first alignment film and the second alignment film. The first alignment film and the second alignment film are formed by an oblique deposition method, and are formed by chemically bonding alcohols to a hydroxyl group which exists on at least a surface of an inorganic oxide film having a plurality of micropores, and the average molecular weight of alcohols of the first alignment film is different from the average molecular weight of alcohols of the second alignment film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Shinohara, Koichi Terao
  • Patent number: 7468770
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a display panel and a viewing angle control panel. The viewing angle control panel includes a pair of substrates, a liquid crystal layer interposed between the pair of substrates, and a pair of electrodes for applying an electric field to the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer is composed from hybrid-aligned liquid crystal molecules. The viewing angle of the display panel is controlled by changing an alignment state of the hybrid-aligned liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer by voltage applied by the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Okumura
  • Patent number: 7460199
    Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal display device and an electronic apparatus in which deterioration of contrast due to a protrusion or a slit used for division of alignment can be prevented in the liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal which has a negative dielectric anisotropy exhibiting vertical alignment as an initial alignment state. There is provided a liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal layer, which includes a liquid crystal having a negative dielectric anisotropy exhibiting vertical alignment as an initial alignment state, between a pair of substrates and disposed to be opposite to each other, in which alignment control means for controlling alignment of the liquid crystal layer is provided on at least one of electrodes provided on the pair of substrates, and in which a light-shielding film BM two-dimensionally overlapped with the alignment control means is provided on at least one substrate of the pair of substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tsuchiya, Joji Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7456920
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electro-optical device, the electro-optical device having a pair of substrates with an electro-optical material interposed therebetween, the method includes forming electrodes on a substrate surface of at least one substrate of the pair of substrates opposite to the electro-optical material so as to apply a predetermined voltage to the electro-optical material for every pixel; forming a base film of an alignment film made of an inorganic material on the electrodes by performing a first PVD method while setting an angle which a scattering direction of the inorganic material forms with respect to the substrate surface to one value or a plurality of values such that the electrode does not generate a blocked portion at one location with respect to the scattering direction; and forming the alignment film made of the inorganic material on the base film by fixing the angle to a predetermined value different from the value set by the first PVD method or performing a second PVD method with
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7430030
    Abstract: A bistable nematic liquid crystal display device comprises two opposed cell walls enclosing a layer of a nematic liquid crystal material. An inner surface of each cell wall is provided with an electrode for applying an electric field across at least some of the liquid crystal material. An inner surface of one of the cell walls is provided with a surface alignment capable of inducing a desired alignment in adjacent molecules of the liquid crystal material, and a layer of finely-divided particles is immobilized on the surface alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: David Sikharulidze
  • Publication number: 20080231787
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a liquid crystal device that uses a smectic liquid crystal and that can produce a uniform display. The liquid crystal device includes a pair of substrates, a smectic liquid crystal provided between the pair of substrates, an injection hole for injecting therethrough the smectic liquid crystal into a gap formed between the pair of substrates, a plurality of scanning electrodes arranged at right angles to the direction of injection of the smectic liquid crystal between the pair of substrates; an alignment film deposited over the plurality of scanning electrodes, and voltage applying means for applying a voltage to the plurality of scanning electrodes in sequence proceeding from a side nearest to the injection hole toward a side farthest therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventor: Kenji NOGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20080212004
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid crystal device including a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal being held between the first substrate and the second substrate, a base layer having alternating linear grooves and linear protrusions on at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate, and an alignment layer of an oxide film covering the base layer and having wedge-shaped tops over the linear protrusions of the base layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yasushi Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20080186438
    Abstract: A first film is formed on a substrate by oblique deposition and thereafter a second film is formed on the first film by sputtering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akira Sakai, Toshiaki Aiba, Yohei Ishida
  • Publication number: 20080123037
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display includes the steps of forming pixel electrodes on inside surfaces of a couple of substrates facing each other, each of the pixel electrodes having gaps; sealing, between the couple of substrates with the pixel electrodes formed, a liquid crystal layer containing a light curing material; and exposing the liquid crystal layer through use of a light shielding film having a plurality of openings, under a voltage applied between a pair of pixel electrodes facing each other on the couple of substrates, where the gaps are alternately disposed to form a staggered arrangement between the pair of pixel electrodes and, spacing between adjacent openings of the light shielding film is smaller than spacing, in a substrate surface direction, between the gap of a pixel electrode on one substrate and the gap of a pixel electrode on the other substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko Mizuki, Tsuyoshi Kamada
  • Patent number: 7374798
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing an LCD device, an atomic beam is irradiated onto a thin film including a carbon-carbon double bond to form a polarized functional group by transforming the carbon-carbon double bond into a carbon-carbon single bond and a radical state. Then, a polarity preserving material is combined with the polarized functional group so as to preserve a polarity of the polarized functional group. According to the present invention, the alignment film is formed on the thin film transistor unit cell and on the color filter unit cell by a non-contact method. Therefore, time of forming the alignment film is reduced and alignment of the liquid crystal molecules is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics, Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Dae-Ho Choo, Hak-Jin Kim, Bong-Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 7316831
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes an alignment layer with constituent materials. The constituent materials have a stoichiometric relationship configured to provide a given pretilt angle. Liquid crystal material is provided in contact with the alignment layer. A method for forming an alignment layer for liquid crystal displays includes forming the alignment layer on a substrate by introducing an amount of material to adjust a stoichiometric ratio of constituent materials wherein the amount is determined to provide a given pretilt angle to the alignment layer. Ions are directed at the alignment layer to provide uniformity of the pretilt angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul S. Andry, Praveen Chaudhari, James P. Doyle, Eileen A. Galligan, James A. Lacey, Shui-Chih A. Lien, Minhua Lu
  • Patent number: 7300688
    Abstract: The invention pertains to an alignment layer capable of aligning liquid crystal material, the alignment layer comprising: a first sublayer having regions capable of aligning the liquid crystal material in a first alignment, a second sublayer having regions capable of aligning the liquid crystal material in a second alignment, the first and the second alignment being different, the second sublayer overlaying the first sublayer and covering in accordance with a pre-determined pattern the first sublayer to provide, at desired locations, second sublayer regions capable of aligning the liquid crystal material and, at desired locations, regions of the underlying first sublayer that are not covered by the second sublayer, and to a method of making this alignment layer. The invention further relates to an optical or electro-optical device comprising said alignment layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Stichting Dutch Polymer Institute
    Inventors: Johannes T. A. Wilderbeek, Dirk J. Broer, Cornelis W. M. Bastiaansen
  • Patent number: 7298429
    Abstract: A fast and highly practical photoinduced switching liquid crystal device is provided. In the photoinduced switching liquid crystal device, in-plane switching of an optical anisotropic axis of dichroic nematic liquid crystal is performed at a high speed by light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Japan Science and Technology Agency
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yokoyama, Jun Yamamoto, Lachezar Komitov
  • Patent number: 7283191
    Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal device with a high contrast ratio without deteriorating the aperture ratios of the respective pixels by reducing inferior alignment in liquid crystal, which is caused by alignment films, a liquid crystal device includes an element substrate having active elements and pixel electrodes, a counter substrate arranged to face the element substrate and having counter electrodes that face the pixel electrodes, and a liquid crystal layer arranged between the element substrate and the counter substrate. On the internal surfaces of the element substrate and the counter substrate, the alignment films are made of column-shaped inorganic material structures inclined in a predetermined direction with respect to the surface of the substrates are provided. The liquid crystal is made of liquid crystal molecules having positive dielectric anisotropy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takaaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7256848
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus of aligning liquid crystal, a first ion beam is formed. The first ion beam is transformed into a second ion beam having transformed cross-section. The second ion beam advances toward a thin film including carbon-carbon double bond. The second ion beam forms a first angle with respect to the thin film. The second ion beam is transformed into an atomic beam. The atomic beam is irradiated onto the thin film to break the carbon-carbon double bond. The carbon-carbon double bond is broken to form a polarized functional group for aligning a liquid crystal molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dae-Ho Choo, Hwan-Kyeong Jeong, Bong-Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 7227604
    Abstract: In a reflective liquid crystal display device according to the invention, burn-in in a long-term drive which occurs due to asymmetric structures of side surfaces of an inter-pixel groove can be prevented, and long-term drive reliability can be achieved. A first obliquely evaporated alignment film is formed on a first side surface of the inter-pixel groove in a sectional surface of a pixel electrode substrate in a thickness direction through evaporation, and a second obliquely evaporated alignment film is formed on a second side surface facing the first side surface through evaporation. Thereby, the film structures of both side surfaces of the inter-pixel groove in the sectional surface become symmetric, so burn-in in a long-term drive which occurs due to the asymmetric structures of the side surfaces of the inter-pixel groove can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shunichi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7193671
    Abstract: In a reflective liquid crystal display device according to the invention, while maintaining alignment characteristics by an obliquely evaporated alignment film, an electrical problem due to the film structure can be solved, and ions of the like can be prevented from passing through an alignment film, thereby long-term drive reliability can be achieved. Further, misalignment and nonuniform alignment due to the structure of an inter-pixel groove can be prevented so as to achieve superior image quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shunichi Hashimoto, Tadaaki Isozaki
  • Patent number: 7164459
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a liquid crystal display device, which includes a liquid crystal layer, a pair of electrodes for use to apply a voltage to the liquid crystal layer, and at least one inorganic alignment film. The inorganic alignment film makes direct contact with the liquid crystal layer and is made of a crystalline conductive film where crystal grains are oriented in a predetermined direction preferentially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noriaki Ohnishi
  • Patent number: 7139056
    Abstract: When the orientation of liquid crystal molecules in a pixel are divided by an orientation divider, a boundary of the orientation is produced at any part of the pixel. A drain signal line (54) is formed to overlap with the boundary so that a light-shielding region in the pixel is decreased and an aperture ratio can be improved. Leakage of light caused when the orientation is disturbed can be shielded by the drain signal line (54), and contrast can be enhanced. The orientation divider can be an orientation control window (36), an orientation control slope (90) or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuji Nishikawa, Yasushi Miyajima, Masayuki Koga, Mitsugu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7123330
    Abstract: A substrate for a liquid crystal panel having an alignment film, wherein an evaporated film is formed as the alignment film on the substrate, and wherein a portion of the evaporated film corresponding to each single pixel is split into a plurality of segments, and the evaporated film is formed with a different evaporation angle on each of the segments. The evaporation angle ? which is different for each of the plurality of segments is set within a range of 80°???88° with respect to the layer normal to the substrate, and the plurality of split segments have approximately equal areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinya Kondoh
  • Patent number: 7119870
    Abstract: When the orientation of liquid crystal molecules in a pixel are divided by an orientation divider, a boundary of the orientation is produced at any part of the pixel. A drain signal line (54) is formed to overlap with the boundary so that a light-shielding region in the pixel is decreased and an aperture ratio can be improved. Leakage of light caused when the orientation is disturbed can be shielded by the drain signal line (54), and contrast can be enhanced. The orientation divider can be an orientation control window (36), an orientation control slope (90) or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuji Nishikawa, Yasushi Miyajima, Masayuki Koga, Mitsugu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7097884
    Abstract: A method for preparing an alignment layer surface provides a surface on the alignment layer. The surface is bombarded with ions, and reactive gas is introduced to the ion beam to saturate dangling bonds on the surface. Another method for preparing an alignment layer surface provides a surface on the alignment layer. The surface is bombarded with ions and quenched with a reactive component to saturate dangling bonds on the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alessandro C. Callegari, Praveen Chaudhari, Fuad E. Doany, James P. Doyle, Eileen A. Galligan, James H. Glownia, Gareth G. Hougham, James A. Lacey, Shui-Chih Lien, Minhua Lu, Alan E. Rosenbluth, Kei-Hsiung Yang
  • Patent number: 7075608
    Abstract: Disclosed are a rubbing cloth for aligning a liquid crystal, method of manufacturing the same, apparatus for manufacturing the same and method of manufacturing an LCD using the same. A rubbing pile formed on a rubbing cloth fabric fabricated by interweaving a weft and a warp having a length longer than that of the weft is aligned in a direction parallel to the weft. Accordingly, it is able to manufacture the rubbing cloth having a various size without a length of the alignment film and increase yield of the rubbing cloth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bong-Woo Lee, Hyo-Hak Nam
  • Patent number: 7041348
    Abstract: The instant invention relates to liquid crystal displays of the flexoelectric type operating in the uniformly lying helix mode and in particular to the orientation of the cholesteric liquid crystalline media, which have a short pitch, in these displays by making the system non-symmetric. The media comprise a bimesogenic component, component A and a chiral component, component B. The display comprises one substrate on which the liquid crystal is oriented homogeneously and preferably a second substrate on which the liquid crystal is oriented homeotropically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Merck Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Doina Ionescu
  • Patent number: 7009671
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device has inorganic alignment layers (36, 42) disposed on a surface of a liquid crystal layer side of a pair of the substrates, when the range of the average pre-tilt angle ? of liquid crystal molecules 50a of the liquid crystal layer is 5 degrees ???20 degrees, twist angle ? of the liquid crystal molecules (50a) of the liquid crystal layer, cell gap d, and helical pitch P of the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer satisfy the relationship of (0.6/360)?<d/P<(1.4/360)?, and when the range of the average pre-tilt angle ? of liquid crystal molecules 50a of the liquid crystal layer is ?>20 degrees, twist angle ? of the liquid crystal molecules (50a) of the liquid crystal layer, cell gap d, and helical pitch P of the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer satisfy the relationship of (0.8/360)?<d/P<(1.6/360)?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Tanaka, Yasushi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6999148
    Abstract: An apparatus for printing an alignment layer of a liquid crystal display device includes a dispenser dropping an alignment material, an anilox roll receiving the dropped alignment material, a doctor roll evenly spreading the dropped alignment material coated onto the anilox roll, and a printing roll receiving the alignment material from the anilox roll, and transferring the alignment material onto a substrate, wherein the printing roll has a plurality of masks each having a numerical aperture of about 5% to 25%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: LG.Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dae Hoon Lee
  • Patent number: 6965421
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device, in which an orientation film does not deteriorate over time, contrast decreases slightly during longterm use, the axial orientation in the horizontal direction is high, and superior display quality is exhibited, and electronic equipment therewith are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yutaka Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 6939587
    Abstract: A method for simultaneously fabricating a phase separated organic film and microstructures with liquid crystal having desired alignment is disclosed. The method includes the step of preparing a mixture of liquid crystal material, prepolymer, and polarization-sensitive material. The mixture is disposed on a substrate and a combination of UV or visible light or heat treatment is applied while simultaneously inducing phase separation so as to form a layer or microstructure of appropriately aligned liquid crystal material adjacent the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Kent State University
    Inventors: Satyendra Kumar, Liang-Chy Chien, Jae-Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 6876417
    Abstract: A liquid-crystal cell has a wall able to impart both the preferred tilt and preferred azimuthal alignment to the liquid-crystal molecules in use in the cell. The wall is made by exposing a material on it to oblique radiation which is circularly polarized or unpolarized, wherein multiple local zones of the material are exposed to radiation, the oblique angle of the radiation being uniform within each local zone but different between two or more zones and wherein locally different oblique radiation is applied in one radiation step by interposing a micro element array between the source of the radiation and the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Rolic AG
    Inventors: Hubert Seiberle, Martin Schadt
  • Patent number: 6858271
    Abstract: A conductive organic compound device structure suitable for constituting an electronic device, such as an organic EL device, is formed by including a pair of oppositely spaced electrodes, and a carrier transporting layer disposed between the electrodes and in contact with one of the electrodes. The carrier transporting layer comprises a conductive organic compound having a ?-electron resonance structure in its molecule. In the device, the ?-electron resonance structure plane of the conductive organic compound in the carrier transporting layer is aligned substantially parallel to surfaces of the electrodes. The conductive organic compound is preferably a conductive liquid crystal, such as a discotic liquid crystal or a smectic liquid crystal, and a layer thereof is included in the device, preferably by vacuum deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinjiro Okada, Akira Tsuboyama, Naoya Nishida, Takashi Moriyama
  • Publication number: 20040223105
    Abstract: An alignment layer to be used for liquid crystal displays each having at least two substrates with liquid crystals sealed therebetween is formed as follows: The substrates placed on each of several substrate trays are heated in a first load-lock chamber. At least one of the two substrates is irradiated with evaporated particles of oxide silicon (SiOx: 1.0≦x≦2.0) by vacuum deposition at an angle in the range from 45° to 60° from a direction of the normal line on the substrate surface to form an alignment layer thereon while the substrate trays are being moved in a layer-deposition chamber intermittently or sequentially. The substrate trays are cooled in a second load-lock chamber, thus producing substrates each formed the alignment layer thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nozomu Ohkouchi, Masanobu Shigeta, Tatsushi Nakanishi, Takashi Moroboshi, Takeshi Hosoya, Masami Sonda, Nobuyasu Katayama