Within Chiral Smectic Phase (includes Ferroelectric) Patents (Class 349/172)
  • Patent number: 11353763
    Abstract: A phase modulation device of the present disclosure includes: a light source; and an optical phase modulation element including a plurality of pixels in each of which liquid crystal molecules are arrayed, and including a plurality of pixel regions each including the plurality of pixels, the optical phase modulation element modulating, for each of the pixels, a phase of incident light entering the plurality of pixel regions from the light source. The optical phase modulation element includes, as the plurality of pixel regions, at least one first alignment region where an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is a first direction parallel with a polarization axis of the incident light, and at least one second alignment region where an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is a second direction parallel with the polarization axis of the incident light and different from the first direction by 180 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Kouyama
  • Patent number: 11239430
    Abstract: Boron and nitrogen containing heterocyclic compounds are disclosed, which can be used as emitters, hosts, charge blocking materials, charge transporting materials, etc. in an electroluminescent device. These novel compounds can offer very narrow emissive spectrum, and obtain high saturated deep blue emission. Also disclosed are an organic light-emitting device and a formulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: BEIJING SUMMER SPROUT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chuanjun Xia
  • Patent number: 11036091
    Abstract: A display panel may have a first region and a second region encircled by the first region. The display panel may include first substrate, second substrate, sealant, conductive layer, and display medium layer. The first substrate may have a first recess in the first region. The second substrate may be disposed opposite to the first substrate. The sealant may be disposed between the first and second substrates, and may be received by the first recess. The conductive layer may be disposed on the first substrate, cover the first recess in a conformal manner, and be interposed between the first substrate and the sealant. The display medium layer may be disposed between the first and second substrates and may be encircled by the sealant. A thickness of the sealant may be larger than a distance between the first substrate and the second substrate in the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Himax Display, Inc.
    Inventors: Po-Hung Pan, Ya-Jou Chen, Hsing-Lung Wang, Kuan-Hsu Fan-Chiang
  • Patent number: 10565946
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device including a plurality of pixels in a display portion and configured to performed display in a plurality of frame periods, each of the frame periods includes a writing period and a holding period, and after an image signal is input to each of the plurality of pixels in the writing period, a transistor included in each of the plurality of pixels is turned off and the image signal is held for at least 30 seconds in the holding period. The pixel includes a semiconductor layer including an oxide semiconductor layer, and the oxide semiconductor layer has a carrier concentration of less than 1×1014/cm3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Ryo Arasawa, Jun Koyama, Masashi Tsubuku, Kosei Noda
  • Patent number: 10281731
    Abstract: A 2D/3D switchable liquid crystal lens device includes: a polarization-dependent lens array, configured to provide a focusing effect for impinging light having a first plane of polarization of the impinging light and to provide no focusing effect for impinging light have a second plane of polarization orthogonal to the first plane of polarization; a switchable polarization rotating stage, comprising bi-stable liquid crystals, wherein the switchable polarization rotating stage is configured to output light having the first plane of polarization to the polarization-dependent lens array while the bi-stable liquid crystals are in a first state, and to output light having the second plane of polarization to the polarization-dependent lens array while the bi-stable liquid crystals are in a second state; and a driving system, configured to switch the bi-stable liquid crystals of the switchable polarization rotating stage between the first state and the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Abhishek Kumar Srivastava, Vladimir Grigorievich Chigrinov, Hoi-Sing Kwok
  • Patent number: 9823623
    Abstract: Fast processing of information represented in digital holograms is provided to facilitate converting a complex Fresnel hologram into a phase-only hologram, which can be a localized error diffusion and redistribution (LERDR) hologram, for displaying 3-D holographic images representative of a 3-D object scene. For a complex Fresnel hologram representing a 3-D object scene, a holographic generator component (HGC) can directly apply an LERDR process to the complex hologram to facilitate converting the complex hologram into an LERDR hologram. As part of the LERDR process, the HGC can partition the complex hologram into segments, convert the complex values of the pixels in each segment to phase-only values, and apply error diffusion to each segment to facilitate generating the phase-only hologram. The HGC can apply error redistribution to the last pixel of each segment to produce the resulting LERDR hologram, which can be displayed on a phase-only display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
    Inventor: Peter Wai Ming Tsang
  • Patent number: 9771517
    Abstract: The liquid crystal light modulator includes a first substrate (10) and a second substrate (20) disposed between two polarizers, and a pair of electrode structures (24, 24). The substrates include homeotropic alignment films (12) and (22), and at least one of the substrates has a function of aligning C-directors of liquid crystal molecules along one direction. The one direction forms an azimuth angle in the range of 35 to 55 degrees with the direction of the electric field generated by the pair of electrode structures (24, 24). A liquid crystal composition layer (31) contains a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition having a chiral smectic C phase or a liquid crystal composition that has an achiral smectic C phase and negative dielectric anisotropy. Light transmittance is modulated by the electric field generated by the electrode structures (24, 24) changing the birefringence index of the liquid crystal composition layer (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: DIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toru Fujisawa, Kazuaki Hatsusaka, Kazunori Maruyama, Isa Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 9721405
    Abstract: A method, a computer program product, and a computer system for displaying and erasing an ID badge image on an ID badge. An entry terminal device of a target area receives from an ID badge a transmission of an ID number and confirms the ID numbers. In response to determining that the ID number is confirmed, the entry terminal device obtains an ID badge image for the ID number. The entry terminal device transmits the ID badge image to the ID badge, wherein the ID badge image is displayed on the ID badge when the ID badge is carried into the target area. An exit terminal device of the target area transmits an instruction of erasing a display of the ID badge image on the ID badge, wherein the ID badge image is erased from the ID badge when the ID badge is carried out of the target area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Kentaro Shinto
  • Patent number: 9465261
    Abstract: The invention relates to a display device (10), in particular in the form of a multi-layer film body. The display device (10) has, in a first area (22), a first electrode (41), a second electrode (42), a third electrode (43) and a display layer (122) with a display material. The display layer (122) is arranged between the first electrode (41) and the second electrode (42). The third electrode (43) is arranged on the side of the display layer (122) facing away from the first electrode (41). The first electrode (41) is formed as an isolated electrode. The first electrode (41) overlaps both the second electrode (42) and the third electrode (43) at least in areas when viewed perpendicular to the plane spanned by the display layer (122).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignees: POLYIC GMBH & CO. KG, LEONHARD KURZ STIFTUNG & CO. KG, OVD KINEGRAM AG
    Inventors: Rainer Stahl, Klaus Ludwig, Johannes Schad, Wayne Robert Tompkin
  • Patent number: 9041896
    Abstract: In a conventional bistable liquid crystal device, switching characteristics fluctuate among panels and there is a problem in mass productivity. As an intermediate layer, an uneven film is inserted between a low anchoring layer and ITO. The uneven film has an average surface roughness of 2 nm or less, which is measured by an atomic force microscope. In this manner, the low anchoring layer is not affected by the surface shape of the ITO film which differs among panels, and the switching characteristics are stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Shigeru Senbonmatsu, Shuhei Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8994911
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical memory device and method for the preparation of the optical memory device based on glycerol, a very common and versatile solvent, mixed deformed helix ferroelectric liquid crystal (DHFLC) having applications in ferroelectric liquid crystal based devices, the said method comprising the steps of forming patterns of different shapes and configurations by lithographic methods to obtain an effective electrode area of at least 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Council of Scientific & Industrial Research
    Inventors: Prakash Jai, Ajay Kumar, Amit Choudhary, Anu Malik, Indrani Coondoo, Ashok Manikrao Biradar
  • Patent number: 8885123
    Abstract: The present invention provides a 3D display apparatus which comprises a display and a liquid crystal cell module. The liquid crystal cell module retards a phase of the light emitted from the display and corresponding to a display frame for forming a left-handed circularly polarized light and a right-handed circularly polarized light. The present invention further provides a method for manufacturing the 3D display apparatus. The present invention can display 3D images without losing image information. The response time of a ferroelectric liquid crystal and an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal of the present invention is faster, and thus the effect on the luminance of the display is less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Hong-Ji Huang
  • Patent number: 8821992
    Abstract: A liquid crystal formulation is described. The liquid crystal formulation comprises a first oligosiloxane-modified nano-phase segregating liquid crystalline material; and at least one additional material selected from a second oligosiloxane-modified nano-phase segregating liquid crystalline material, non-liquid crystalline oligosiloxane-modified materials, organic liquid crystalline materials, or non-liquid crystalline materials, wherein the liquid crystal formulation has an I?SmA*?SmC* phase transition, with a SmC* temperature range from about 15° C. to about 35° C., a tilt angle of about 22.5°±6° or about 45°±6°, a spontaneous polarization of less than about 50 nC/cm2., and a rotational viscosity of less than about 600 cP. Devices containing liquid crystal formulations are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignees: Dow Corning Corporation, Cambridge Enterprise Ltd.
    Inventors: Jonathan Paul Hannington, Terry Victor Clapp, Fumito Nishida, Russel Keith King, Omar Farooq, Martin Grasmann, William Alden Crossland, Harry James Coles, Anthony Bernard Davey, Huan Xu, Oliver Hadeler, Mykhaylo Pivnenko
  • Patent number: 8755022
    Abstract: The invention relates to liquid crystal display cells with fast response and continuous gray scale. The liquid crystal cell is based on a field-sequential color system (“FSC”) and comprises a chiral smectic liquid crystal whose helix pitch is less than thickness of liquid crystal layer placed between two polarizers, as well as a source of voltage applied to electrodes of the cell, wherein the amplitude of the applied voltage is less than the critical voltage amplitude of the helix unwinding. The liquid crystal has one steady state corresponding to twisted helix without applied voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Vladimir Grigorievich Chigrinov, Evgeny Pavlovich Pozhidaev, Anatoli Alexandrovich Murauski, Hoi Sing Kwok
  • Patent number: 8648994
    Abstract: Disclosed are a liquid crystal display element exhibiting a continuous gradation memory property as well as different display properties substantially similar to those of a liquid crystal display element having nematic liquid crystals, while enabling continuous tone display, and a method for manufacturing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignees: LG Display Co., Ltd., Tokyo Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Osamu Sato, Katsuyoshi Hiraki, Isao Adachi, Dong-Uk Cho, Kento Okoshi, Masatoshi Tokita, Junji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8203680
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes a first alignment film having a first alignment direction, a second alignment film having a second alignment direction, and a liquid crystal layer having liquid crystal molecules between the first and second alignment films. The liquid crystal layer is doped with a chiral material that tends to induce a first twist in directors of the liquid crystal molecules when an electric field is applied to the liquid crystal layer. The first and second alignment films have orientations that tends to induce a second twist in the directors when an electric field is applied to the liquid crystal layer, in which the direction of the first twist is different from the direction of the second twist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Chimei Innolux Corporation
    Inventors: Ju-Hyun Lee, Shin-Tson Wu, Wang-Yang Li, Chung-Kuang Wei
  • Patent number: 8139009
    Abstract: A transflective liquid crystal display panel includes a ferroelectric liquid crystal cell operating in a half V-switching mode. The ferroelectric liquid crystal cell includes a reflective portion and a transmissive portion. A cell gap of the reflective portion is similar to a cell gap of the transmissive portion. A voltage applied to the ferroelectric liquid crystal cell depends on a brightness level of ambient light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Su Seok Choi
  • Patent number: 8130358
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display, using a ferroelectric liquid crystal exhibiting mono-stability, which makes it possible to control the direction of the spontaneous polarization of the ferroelectric liquid crystal. The liquid crystal display includes: a first alignment treatment substrate having a first alignment layer which is a rubbed layer; a second alignment treatment substrate having a second alignment layer which is a photo alignment layer using a photo-dimerization type material; and a liquid crystal layer containing a ferroelectric liquid crystal and held between the first alignment treatment substrate and the second alignment treatment substrate. The ferroelectric liquid crystal exhibits mono-stability, and when a negative voltage is applied to a second electrode layer of the second alignment treatment substrate, a molecular direction of the ferroelectric liquid crystal is changed by about 2 times a tilt angle of the ferroelectric liquid crystal parallel to a surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoko Sawatari, Masato Okabe
  • Patent number: 8059255
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes an upper substrate including an upper polarizer having a first light absorption axis and an upper electrode, a lower substrate including a lower polarizer having a second light absorption axis substantially parallel to the first light absorption axis and a lower electrode, a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer formed on at least one of the upper substrate and the lower substrate, and a nematic system liquid crystal layer formed on the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer between the upper substrate and the lower substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Su Seok Choi, Sang Ho Choi
  • Patent number: 8045115
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes a first alignment film having a first alignment direction, a second alignment film having a second alignment direction, and a liquid crystal layer having liquid crystal molecules between the first and second alignment films. The liquid crystal layer is doped with a chiral material that tends to induce a first twist in directors of the liquid crystal molecules when an electric field is applied to the liquid crystal layer. The first and second alignment films have orientations that tends to induce a second twist in the directors when an electric field is applied to the liquid crystal layer, in which the direction of the first twist is different from the direction of the second twist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignees: Chimei Innolux Corporation, University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc,
    Inventors: Ju-Hyun Lee, Shin-Tson Wu, Wang-Yang Li, Chung-Kuang Wei
  • Patent number: 8035773
    Abstract: A liquid crystal electro-optical device comprises a pair of substrates, at least one of them being light-transmitting, electrodes provided on said substrates, an electro-optical modulating layer being sandwiched by said pair of substrates, and a black coating formed between the electro-optical modulating layer and one of the substrates. The electro-optical modulating layer comprises a dichroic dye and a liquid crystal material embedded in a transparent material which is cured except in a portion situated under the black coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Takeshi Nishi, Toshimitsu Konuma, Michio Shimizu, Kouji Moriya
  • Patent number: 8025937
    Abstract: A liquid crystal electro-optic device. The liquid crystal electro-optic device comprises at least one liquid crystal cell comprising: a pair of substrates having a gap therebetween; a pair of electrodes, the pair of electrodes positioned on one of the substrates or one electrode positioned on each substrate; and a ferroelectric, oligosiloxane liquid crystal material disposed in the gap between the pair of substrates, the ferroelectric, oligosiloxane liquid crystal material exhibiting an I-? SmC* phase sequence wherein the liquid crystal electro-optic device is bistable in operation. The invention also involves a method for making a liquid crystal electro-optic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignees: Dow Corning Corporation, Cambridge Enterprise Ltd.
    Inventors: Terry Victor Clapp, Fumito Nishida, Jonathan Paul Hannington, Russell Keith King, Omar Farooq, William Alden Crossland, Joo-Nyung Jang, Huan Xu, Anthony Bernard Davey
  • Patent number: 7999909
    Abstract: An in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate including a pixel electrode in a pixel region, a second substrate facing the first substrate and including a common electrode, a first alignment layer on the pixel electrode, a second alignment layer on the common electrode, a first ferroelectric liquid crystal layer on the first alignment layer and including a first spontaneous polarization, a second ferroelectric liquid crystal layer on the second alignment layer and including a second spontaneous polarization, a rotational direction of the first ferroelectric liquid crystal layer with respect to the first alignment layer being different from a rotational direction of the second ferroelectric liquid crystal layer with respect to the second alignment layer, and a twisted nematic liquid crystal layer between the first and second ferroelectric liquid crystal layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Su-Seok Choi
  • Patent number: 7929071
    Abstract: A disclosed electric field generating device includes an electric field generating unit including a substrate, line electrodes, and an electric field generating resistor and configured to generate an electric field. In the disclosed electric field generating device, the line electrodes are formed on at least one side of the substrate in parallel with each other so as to divide the side of the substrate into multiple sections; the electric field generating resistor is shaped like a strip and positioned so as to touch a part of each of the line electrodes; and some of the line electrodes have connectors for electric connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukiko Hirano, Toshiaki Tokita, Koh Fujimura, Yumi Matsuki, Toshimichi Hagiya, Takanobu Osaka, Masanori Kobayashi, Yohei Takano
  • Patent number: 7907247
    Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal display, using a ferroelectric liquid crystal exhibiting mono-stability, which makes it possible to control the direction of the spontaneous polarization of the ferroelectric liquid crystal. The liquid crystal display includes a first alignment treatment substrate and a second alignment treatment substrate in which the first alignment treatment substrate and the second alignment treatment substrate have the first alignment layer and a reactive liquid crystal layer that face each other; and in which a ferroelectric liquid crystal is held between the first alignment layer and the reactive liquid crystal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Okabe, Naoko Sawatari, Hideo Hama
  • Patent number: 7903228
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprises ferroelectric particles suspended in a liquid crystal material. A method for fabricating a light-modulating device is also disclosed. The method comprises the steps of providing a pair of substrates with a cell gap therebetween, wherein electrodes are disposed on the facing surfaces of the substrates, and permanently disposing a suspension of ferroelectric particles in a liquid crystal material into said cell gap. A method of generating an image comprises providing a pair of substrates with a cell gap therebetween, providing transparent electrodes on each of said substrates adjacent to the cell gap, permanently disposing a suspension of ferroelectric particles in a liquid crystal material within the cell gap, and applying an electric field across the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Kent State University
    Inventors: Yurii Reznikov, Anatoliy Glushchenko, Victor Reshetnyak, John West
  • Patent number: 7898622
    Abstract: An aligning method of a ferroelectric liquid crystal display includes; disposing a first mask and a second mask, each of which has opening regions and blocking regions arranged in alternating fashion in vertical direction and horizontal direction corresponding to liquid crystal cells of the liquid crystal display; and injecting a ferroelectric liquid crystal material within the liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Suk Won Choi, Hong Chul Kim
  • Patent number: 7847913
    Abstract: A liquid crystal material is used in which the maximum angle of the optical axis change by liquid crystal molecule when a voltage of one polarity is applied is larger than 45 degrees and a condition of |2Ps·A|>|5(V)Clc·A| is satisfied where Ps (nC/cm2) is the magnitude of the spontaneous polarization per unit area, A (cm2) is the electrode area of the pixel and Clc (nF/cm2) is the liquid crystal capacity per unit area. The transmittance in the liquid crystal part is increased and excellent display can be performed without the provision of a storage capacitor. Consequently, the storage capacitor is unnecessary, so that the aperture ratio of the liquid crystal panel can be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Toshiaki Yoshihara, Tetsuya Makino, Shinji Tadaki, Hironori Shiroto, Yoshinori Kiyota, Keiichi Betsui
  • Patent number: 7787088
    Abstract: An in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate including a pixel electrode in a pixel region, a second substrate facing the first substrate and including a common electrode, a first alignment layer on the pixel electrode, a second alignment layer on the common electrode, a first ferroelectric liquid crystal layer on the first alignment layer and including a first spontaneous polarization, a second ferroelectric liquid crystal layer on the second alignment layer and including a second spontaneous polarization, a rotational direction of the first ferroelectric liquid crystal layer with respect to the first alignment layer being different from a rotational direction of the second ferroelectric liquid crystal layer with respect to the second alignment layer, and a twisted nematic liquid crystal layer between the first and second ferroelectric liquid crystal layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Su-Seok Choi
  • Patent number: 7777847
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display including two alignment substrates, each having, in this order, a substrate, an electrode layer and an alignment layer, with a ferroelectric liquid crystal interposed therebetween. At least one of the two alignment layers is a columnar alignment layer having a column structure with plate-like molecules laminated with the normal directions of the plate-like molecules aligned in a certain direction of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Okabe, Naoko Sawatari, Makoto Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7758773
    Abstract: This disclosure outlines a new method of modifying the properties of existing liquid crystals by doping them with ferroelectric micro- and nanoparticles. We show that this approach, in contrast to the traditional time consuming and expensive chemical synthetic methods, enriches and enhances the electro-optical performance of many liquid crystal materials. We demonstrate that by changing the concentration and type of ferroelectric particles the physical properties of the nematic, smectic, and cholesteric liquid crystal materials can be changed, including the dielectric constants, the birefringence, the phase transition temperatures, and even the order parameter. We also demonstrate the performance of these new materials in various devices, including displays, light modulators, and beam steering devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Kent State University
    Inventors: John L. West, Chae Il Cheon, Anatoliy V. Glushchenko, Yuriy Reznikov, Fenghua Li
  • Patent number: 7639342
    Abstract: A ferroelectric composite includes a core including a ferroelectric material and a skin layer including a carbon structure comprising carbon atoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-Hyung Hwang, Byeong-Seob Ban
  • Patent number: 7623213
    Abstract: A switching device in which an organic bistable material layer containing an organic bistable compound having two types of stable resistance against an applied voltage is provided between at least two electrodes. In the switching device, a first electrode layer, an electric charge injection suppressing layer, an organic bistable material layer and a second electrode layer are sequentially formed on a substrate as respective thin films, in which the electric charge injection suppressing layer contains an electrically conductive layer which allows an electric charge injection amount from the first electrode layer to the organic bistable material layer to be small compared with that in a case in which the electric charge is directly injected from the first electrode layer to the organic bistable material layer without providing the electric charge injection suppressing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruo Kawakami, Hisato Kato, Keisuke Yamashiro, Kyoko Kato
  • 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: 7586570
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a liquid crystal display device capable of realizing a wide view angle. A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal film in which the liquid crystal molecules having positive dielectric anisotropy are diagonal oriented or hybrid oriented and a uniaxial film are arranged between the liquid crystal layer and at least one polarization plate, the orientation direction of the liquid crystal layer and the liquid crystal film are substantially the same, and the tilt direction of the liquid crystal molecules on the liquid crystal layer side of the liquid crystal film and the tilt direction of the liquid crystal molecules on the liquid crystal film side of the liquid crystal layer are substantially the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichirou Naka
  • Patent number: 7570331
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display including two alignment substrates having a base material, an electrode layer and alignment layer, with a ferroelectric liquid crystal interposed therebetween. One of the two alignment layers for controlling the alignment of the ferroelectric liquid crystal has a column structure with plate-like molecules having the photo dichroism in the visible light range laminated with the normal directions of the plate-like molecules oriented in a certain direction, and it is provided a columnar alignment layer having the alignment function and the polarizing function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Okabe, Naoko Sawatari, Makoto Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7564508
    Abstract: A light path shift device is disclosed that is able to divide an effective region of a light path and drive the divided regions independently. The light path shift device includes a liquid crystal layer held between at least two opposite transparent substrates, the liquid crystal layer being homeotropically aligned and being able to form a chiral smectic C phase; and plural electrodes for applying an electric field in the liquid crystal layer in a horizontal direction. An effective region of the liquid crystal layer through which a light path passes is divided into plural sub-regions, plural light path shift elements with the electrodes formed thereon are stacked only at positions corresponding to the sub-regions, and are arranged so that boundary lines of the sub-regions are in agreement when being viewed along the direction of light propagation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sugimoto, Toshiaki Tokita, Kazuhiro Fujita, Toshiharu Murai, Yasuyuki Takiguchi, Atsushi Takaura, Kazuya Miyagaki, Takanobu Osaka
  • Patent number: 7550094
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device including a first electrode substrate, a second electrode substrate and a liquid crystal layer is provided. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first electrode substrate and the second electrode substrate. The liquid crystal layer comprises liquid crystal molecules and particles. The liquid crystal molecules are vertically aligned when the applied voltage between the first electrode substrate and the second electrode substrate is less than a threshold voltage. The arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules is changed so as to produce optical changes in the liquid crystal device when the applied voltage between the first electrode substrate and the second electrode substrate is not less than the threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Shie-Chang Jeng, Hsing-Lung Wang, Chi-Chang Liao
  • Patent number: 7532298
    Abstract: An in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device comprises a first substrate including a pixel region and a pixel electrode in the pixel region; a second substrate facing the first substrate and including a common electrode; first and second alignment layers disposed on the entire surfaces of the pixel electrode and the common electrode; first and second ferroelectric liquid crystal layers coated on the first and second alignment layers and including first and second spontaneous polarizations; and a twisted nematic liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second ferroelectric liquid crystal layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: LG. Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Su-Seok Choi
  • Patent number: 7489383
    Abstract: An optical axis deflecting element is provided with a pair of transparent substrates, a liquid crystal layer disposed between substrate surfaces of the pair of transparent substrates and having a chiral smectic C-phase forming a homeotropic orientation, and a plurality of electrode pairs each defining one of a plurality of divided regions into which an effective region of the liquid crystal layer is divided, wherein an electric field is independently applicable to each divided region defined by a corresponding electrode pair in a direction parallel to the substrate surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sugimoto, Yumi Matsuki, Yukiko Hirano, Kenji Namie, Toshiaki Tokita, Takanobu Osaka, Koh Fujimura
  • Publication number: 20080303990
    Abstract: A liquid crystal material is used in which the maximum angle of the optical axis change by liquid crystal molecule when a voltage of one polarity is applied is larger than 45 degrees and a condition of |2Ps·A|>|5Clc·A| is satisfied where Ps (nC/cm2) is the magnitude of the spontaneous polarization per unit area, A (cm2) is the electrode area of the pixel and Clc (nF/cm2) is the liquid crystal capacity per unit area. The transmittance in the liquid crystal part is increased and excellent display can be performed without the provision of a storage capacitor. Consequently, the storage capacitor is unnecessary, so that the aperture ratio of the liquid crystal panel can be increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Toshiaki Yoshihara, Tetsuya Makino, Shinji Tadaki, Hironori Shiroto, Yoshinori Kiyota, Keiichi Betsui
  • Publication number: 20080204608
    Abstract: A liquid crystal element comprising a pair of transparent substrates, a liquid crystal layer which fills in between the pair of substrates and can form a chiral smectic C phase in homeotropic orientation, and an electrode which generates, at least, an electric field (parallel electric field) in directions parallel to a principal face of the substrate for the liquid crystal layer is provided, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises, at least, a chiral compound of the following general formula (1-I) or a chiral compound of the following general formula (2-I) and a chiral compound of the following general formula (2-II) in a base liquid crystal material which can provide a phase sequence of an isotropic liquid phase, a nematic phase, a smectic A phase and a smectic C phase from a higher temperature side, wherein R1, A2, Z1, Z2, m and I in formula (1-I), X, R1, R2, and * in formula (2-I), and X, R3, R4, R5, and * in formula (2-II) are defined in the specification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Yohei Takano, Hiroyuki Sugimoto, Toshiaki Tokita, Koh Fujimura, Yasuyuki Takiguchi, Yumi Matsuki, Haruki Amagawa, Toshiaki Nonaka
  • Patent number: 7410678
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display utilizes ferroelectric liquid crystals in its construction. The liquid crystal display includes a first substrate, a first alignment layer over the first substrate, and a first ferroelectric liquid crystal layer over the first alignment layer, which has a polarity in a first direction. A second substrate faces the first substrate, a second alignment layer is over the second substrate, and a second ferroelectric liquid crystal layer is over the second alignment layer. Both ferroelectric layers have and a polarity in the same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Su Seok Choi
  • Patent number: 7405795
    Abstract: An in-plane-switching mode liquid crystal display device includes a first ferroelectric liquid crystal layer on a first substrate, a second ferroelectric liquid crystal layer on a second substrate, the first and second substrates being bonded to each other with a space therebetween, and a nematic liquid crystal layer at the space between the first and second ferroelectric liquid crystal layers, the first and second ferroelectric liquid crystal layers including a photo-polymerizational monomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Su Seok Choi
  • Patent number: 7402332
    Abstract: A main object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display using a ferroelectric liquid crystal, showing the mono-stability operation mode using a material showing the chiral smectic C phase via the smectic A phase in the temperature lowering process as the ferroelectric liquid crystal. The present invention achieves the object by providing a reactive liquid crystal layer having a reactive liquid crystal fixed on at least one facing surface of the two alignment films in a liquid crystal display comprising two aligned substrates comprising a substrate, an electrode layer and an alignment film, disposed so as to have the alignment films face with each other, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched between the aligned substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoko Sawatari, Masato Okabe
  • Patent number: 7388645
    Abstract: A pressure sealing apparatus and method for a ferroelectric liquid crystal display is disclosed for improving an alignment characteristic of a liquid crystal. In the apparatus and method, simultaneously with a pressurization of a liquid crystal display panel into which a liquid crystal has been injected, the liquid crystal display panel is subjected to a temperature treatment along with an application of an electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Suk Won Choi, Su Seok Choi
  • Patent number: 7379144
    Abstract: An optical device includes a ferroelectric liquid crystal material. This optical device has a first and a second substrate. A first alignment treatment is applied to a surface of the first substrate, the first alignment treatment being intended to induce an orientation of at least a portion of the ferroelectric liquid crystal material along a first alignment direction with a first pretilt angle ?1 with respect to a plane parallel to the first substrate. A second alignment treatment is applied to a surface of the second substrate, the second alignment treatment being intended to induce an orientation of at least another portion of the ferroelectric liquid crystal material along a second alignment direction with a second pretilt angle ?2 with respect to a plane parallel to the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Displaytech, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiuzhi Xue, Beth L. Ellis, Stephen H. Perlmutter, Charles Crandall
  • Patent number: 7345733
    Abstract: A light deflection element has a pair of transparent substrates 2, 3; a chiral smectic C phase liquid crystal 5 with a homeotropic alignment filled between the pair of transparent substrates 2, 3; and at least an electric field applying device 6 for activating an electric field in the liquid crystal 5. Because a chiral smectic C phase liquid crystal is used, the problems of the conventional light deflection element, such as high cost, light loss, large size, and optical noise etc. due to its complicated structure, can be greatly improved. The conventional low response time due to the smectic A phase or the nematic liquid crystal is improved, thereby the high-speed response is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Comapny, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sugimoto, Toshiaki Tokita, Yumi Matsuki, Shigeaki Nimura, Masanori Kobayashi, Yasuyuki Takiguchi, Kenji Kameyama, Ikuo Katoh
  • Patent number: 7307685
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichi Miyachi, Iichiro Inoue, Seiji Shibahara, Shoichi Ishihara
  • Patent number: 7295272
    Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal device, comprising a liquid crystal bulk layer and chiral dopants being inhomogeneously distributed in the bulk layer as a result of being permanently attached to at least one surface, termed chiral surface. The invention also relates to methods for manufacturing as well as methods for controlling liquid crystal devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Ecsibeo PPF1 AB
    Inventors: Bertil Helgee, Latchezar Komitov