Abstract: A liquid crystal display device has a liquid crystal cell, a liquid crystalline substance layer, a pair of polarizers, and an optical compensation element. The twist angle of the liquid crystal cell is set to 180 to 270 degrees. The optical compensation element has a twisted structure twisted in the opposite direction to that of the liquid crystal cell. The difference in the absolute values of the twist angles between the liquid crystal cell and the optical compensation element is from 40 to 100 degrees. The difference in retardation at a wavelength ?=550 nm between the liquid crystal cell and the optical compensation element is from 100 to 250 nm. When the absolute values of the differences in retardation at wavelengths ? of 400 nm and 550 nm between the liquid crystal cell and the optical compensation element are represented by ?R(400) and ?R(550), respectively, and the ratio D therebetween is represented by D=?R(400)/?R(550), D is within the range of 0.5 to 1.0.

Abstract: Methods and systems relating to a LCD are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the LCD has an active state and an inactive state. The inactive state is configured to produce a desired residual image. The active state is configured to produce a desired non-residual image.

Abstract: In a normally black double cell, grey scale enhancement is obtained by dividing pixels in the driving cell into sub-pixels which are rotated preferably through 180° with respect to each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical compensator for liquid crystal displays comprising: at least one O plate retarder (3, 3?), and at least one twisted A plate retarder (6, 6?) with a twist angle ? of more than 90°, and further relates to a liquid crystal display comprising such a compensator, a liquid crystal cell (1) and polarizers (2, 2?).

Abstract: A liquid display device of D-STN mode capable of suppressing a line-shaped ununiformity of brightness in displaying a dark appearance is presented. A displaying cell 1 and a compensation cell 21 are formed so that there is a difference of thickness of at least 0.05 mm between the thickness of a glass substrate 2 at a front side of the displaying cell 1 and the thickness of a glass substrate at a rear side of the compensation cell 21. The displaying cell 1 and the compensation cell 21 are arranged between a first polarizing plate 32 and a second polarizing plate 33. A backlight 31 is of a type emitting light whose half value width with respect to the peak luminance is at least 5 nm.

Abstract: Compensation, e.g. temperature compensation of the operating voltage of an LCD is obtained by using the V50 point of a test cell via the differentiated AC current (switching current of the test cell as a control parameter).

Abstract: A cholesteric liquid crystal display with gray scales is disclosed which includes a substrate, a patterned first conductor disposed over the substrate, and a layer including a cholesteric liquid crystal material dispersed over the first patterned conductor. The display further includes a patterned second conductor disposed over the lay including cholesteric liquid crystal, and control means for applying voltages across particular portions of the patterned first and second conductors to cause electric fields to portions of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer to directly change its reflectance into a plurality of reflectance. The gray scale of the display can be obtained by a single pulse voltage independent of the initial state of the said display.

Abstract: The present invention is provided for obtaining a liquid crystal display device and a mobile phone which exhibit the low power consumption and do not damage the display quality. To this end, a display part of the liquid crystal display device is divided into two regions, wherein one region performs a display in a semi-transmission type or in a reflection type and the other region performs a display in a transmission type. Further, the display is performed in a state that the liquid crystal display device is incorporated into the mobile phone.

Abstract: A color switch is provided for selectively switching between color bands for use, for example, in projection optics and direct view optics. The color switch has fewer and thinner layers than in the prior art, but exhibits equal or better color purity and light efficiency. The color switch or filter includes a first filter section for selectively blocking green light and including a cholesteric filter, a quarter wave plate and a liquid crystal switch. The color filter has a second filter section for selectively blocking blue and/or red light including a stack of retarder elements and liquid crystal switches, preferably Deformed Helical Ferroelectric (DHF) switches. The parameters of the filter are determined by an optimization process including minimizing a cost function (G) with respect to the parameters of the second filter section. A polarizing element may be positioned in front of the stack and may be of a type which does not absorb radiation.

Abstract: A liquid crystal (LC) lightvalve comprising a twisted nematic LC layer whose molecules are aligned with pixel edges at the mirror backplane, thereby providing improved contrast and efficiency, and reduced visibility of post spacers in black state. The present invention is directed to an LC structure wherein the backplane is rubbed in a direction rectilinear with pixel edges. The LC layer is given the same twist rotation and birefringence as in the conventional TN lightvalve. Polarization control is maintained by illuminating the lightvalve with light whose polarization is rotated by the twist angle relative to the x,y, pixel axes, and by collecting the orthogonally polarized component of the reflected light. The lightvalve top glass is thus rubbed in a direction which is rotated by the twist angle from the horizontal or vertical direction at which the backplane is rubbed.

Abstract: This invention is an image display device comprising an LCD in which plural pixels are two-dimensionally arranged; a digital image processing circuit for controlling in the LCD for each pixel to display an image on the basis of image signals; a wobbling optical element, which is composed of a liquid crystal cell or a birefringence, for sequentially refracting optical paths of beams emitted from the display element to perform pixel-staggering; and a mask circuit for masking end areas in the horizontal direction, where the wobbling optical element performs pixel-staggering by a length longer than a pitch of the pixels so that pixel density is thin, so as to be displayed in black; and a control signal generator for judging whether any subject pixel is a pixel to be masked on the basis of a start signal, a vertical synchronization signal, a horizontal synchronization signal, a clock and the like.

Abstract: A tunable liquid crystal switch is disclosed. An electronic controller provides an electronic drive scheme for achieving low intra-channel crosstalk of less than −40 dB using only electronic compensation. A cross-talk less than −50 dB is provided by combining coarse temperature turning and electronic compensation. This is acheived by designing the thickness of the liquid crystal device to cause a minimum to occur at a wavelength longer than a longest operating wavelength and at a temperature greater than a maximum operating temperature. This ensures that the liquid crystal device is tunable over all operating wavelengths and temperatures using electronic compensation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal display comprising a first substrate including a first electrode; a second substrate including a second electrode, the second substrate being arranged substantially in parallel with the first substrate and with a predetermined gap therebetween; a liquid crystal layer formed by injecting liquid crystal material between the first and second substrates, long axes of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer being arranged vertically to the first substrate and the second substrate; and first and second orientation layers formed on the first substrate and the second substrate, respectively, and providing an orientation force to the liquid crystal molecules such that the long axes of the liquid crystal molecules are slanted or twisted by 0 to 10°.

Abstract: An achromatic half wave plate includes a first twisted nematic liquid crystal layer, a second twisted nematic liquid crystal layer, and a uniaxial half wave plate between the first twisted nematic liquid crystal layer and the second twisted nematic liquid crystal layer. In one embodiment the first twisted nematic liquid crystal layer and the second twisted nematic liquid crystal layer have an identical twist angle of 135 degrees. The optic axis at the entrance of the first twisted nematic liquid crystal layer is substantially orthogonal to the optic axis at the exit of the second twisted nematic liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A variable reflectance mirror employing a super-twisted nematic (STN) liquid crystal cell to control reflectivity. The STN liquid crystal cell includes a layer of STN liquid crystal material formed between a pair of transparent electrodes, where a polymer alignment layer is formed over the electrodes so as to orient the STN liquid crystal material to possess a twist angle between approximately 180° and approximately 270°. A pair of crossed polarizers are respectively positioned on the outer surfaces of the front and rear plates. A layer of reflective material is further formed adjacent to the outer surface of the polarizer adjacent to the rear plate. The transparent electrodes are connected to a voltage source to apply an electrical bias across the STN liquid crystal layer, where the transmitivity of the STN liquid crystal layer to light can be varied by varying the electrical bias applied across the transparent electrodes to vary the birefringence of the STN liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A reflective-type liquid crystal display is configured so that a liquid crystal is sandwiched between a Thin Film Transistor (TFT) substrate and a facing substrate. A polarizer is formed on a side opposite to a side being in contact with the liquid crystal on a second transparent insulating substrate with a layer-stacke ¼ wavelength plate constructed by combining a ½ wavelength phase difference film with a ¼ wavelength phase difference film. Both films are made from a norbornene polymer and are sandwiched between the polarizer and second transparent insulating substrate. A permittivity anisotropy of the liquid crystal is set to be about 6 or more.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates spaced apart from each other with a liquid crystal therebetween. The liquid crystal display device adopts a cholesteric liquid crystal color filter. Each portion of the cholesteric liquid crystal color filter is designed to have an adjusted order parameter according to a wavelength of a corresponding color ray. Therefore, with the variously adjusted order parameters of the cholesteric liquid crystal color filter, an increase of the color shift due to a longer wavelength is prevented.

Abstract: In a normally black double cell, grey scale enhancement is obtained by dividing pixels in the driving cell into sub-pixels which are rotated preferably through 180° with respect to each other.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes at least two liquid crystal display units that are stacked up one another. Each liquid crystal display unit comprises, from top to bottom, a first polarizer, a first substrate, a first pile layer, a liquid crystal layer, a second pile layer, a second substrate, and a second polarizer. The liquid crystal layer has a twist angle of zero or greater than zero. All of the first polarizer, the first substrate, the first pile layer, the liquid crystal layer, the second pile layer, the second substrate, and the second polarizer in each said liquid crystal display unit are adhered to each other by means of whole-face bonding by transparent or non-transparent glue. Alternatively, all of the first polarizer, the first substrate, the first pile layer, the liquid crystal layer, the second pile layer, the second substrate, and the second polarizer in each said liquid crystal display unit are adhered to each other by means of peripheral-bonding by transparent or non-transparent glue.

Abstract: In normally black double cells, the viewing angle (especially for DSTN) is increased by adding a retardation foil, having its optical axis parallel to an optical axis of the analyzer.

Abstract: In a display element in which three or more display layers for displaying mutually different color lights are stacked within one pixel and which controls display states of the plural display layers by applying a voltage from the outside of the plural display layers, eight colors—white, black, blue, green, red, cyan, magenta, and yellow—can be displayed within one pixel. Display layers having cholesteric liquid crystals selectively reflecting blue, green, and red lights are stacked between a pair of substrates, and a light absorption layer is formed on the back of the substrate of a non-display side. Threshold voltages of orientation change of the display layers are mutually changed, and a threshold voltage Vpf90(A) of change from a planar state to a focal conic state of the display layer having the highest threshold voltage is made higher than a threshold voltage Vfh90(C) of change from a focal conic state to a homeotropic state of the display layer having the lowest threshold voltage.

Abstract: A twist-nematic liquid crystal display includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed to oppose to the first substrate with distance d1 therebetween, either one of the first and second substrates being a transparent substrate; a plurality of pixel electrodes formed on either one of a surface of the first substrate and a surface of the second substrate, said surfaces opposing to each other; a common electrode formed on other one of the surfaces respectively of the first and second substrates, a voltage applying unit for applying a voltage between the pixel electrodes and the common electrode, twist-nematic liquid crystal sandwiched between the first and second substrates, molecules of the liquid crystal respectively having long axes continuously twisted between the first and second substrates. When the twist-nematic liquid crystal has a birefringence index (retardation) of &Dgr;n, &Dgr;n×d1>2 &mgr;m is satisfied, where d1 is expressed in micrometers.

Abstract: In realizing a new display technique for a display device for reliably producing icon displays of various designs and allowing displayed information to be easily grasped, and providing a display device which provides high visibility in an electronic device and the like, in order to obtain icon displays, display pattern portions 171, 172, and 173 are formed in an optical modulation layer 17, and control regions 114, 115, and 116 are formed in a liquid crystal panel 11 so as to overlap with the display pattern portions in a plane. In particular, the control regions 114, 115, and 116 are formed to be somewhat larger than icons so as to completely cover the icons and to include the icons with some extra space. This makes it possible to display icons without any trouble even when some pattern displacement in a planar portion is caused between the display pattern portions 171, 172, and 173 formed on a transmissive film 14 and the control regions 114, 115, and 116 of the liquid crystal panel 11.

Abstract: A reflection-type liquid crystal display device includes a first liquid crystal display layer having a first liquid crystal layer including a liquid crystal molecule, a p-type dichroic dye and a polymer; a reflecting polarizer disposed to transmit linearly polarized light having a polarization direction in a transmitted axis direction of the first liquid crystal display layer; and the second liquid crystal display layer including a polarizer disposed to transmit the linearly polarized light transmitted through the first liquid crystal display layer and reflecting polarizer, a second liquid crystal layer capable of bright/dark display depending on presence or absence of an applied voltage, and a reflector, wherein the first liquid crystal display layer, reflecting polarizer and second liquid crystal display layer are stacked in this order from the side light is incident from, thus providing a reflection-type liquid crystal display device with desirable display quality, capable of bright and high-contrast displ

Abstract: The invention relates to reflective mixed-mode twisted nematic liquid crystal displays. A direct-view display consists of a front substrate, a polarizer, liquid crystal and a rear substrate having a reflective coating. The twist angle, polarizer angle and retardation are optimized and fall within the following ranges: twist angle of between 67° and 83°; polarizer angle of between 5° and 21° or between 95° and 111°; and retardation of between 0.18 and 0.28. An alternative configuration for the display is a projection display having a front substrate, a rear substrate with a reflective coating, liquid crystal between the substrates, a polarizing beam splitter and a screen.

Abstract: An optical compensation sheet favorably employable for a liquid crystal display has an optical anisotropic layer which is composed of a polymer of a non-chiral discotic liquid crystal compound having a polymerizable group and a chiral compound. The non-chiral discotic liquid crystal compound is preferably aligned at an angle between 45° and 90° to a plane of the compensation sheet and under a twisted orientation at an angle between 90° and 360°.

Abstract: An optical equalizer for use primarily with an erbium-doped fiber amplifier has an initial polarizer that convert the input beam to a predetermined polarization, followed by a series of dynamically-adjustable sinusoidal filters that provide attenuation as a sinusoidal function of beam wavelength. Each of the sinusoidal filters has a first liquid crystal cell adjustably rotating the polarization of the beam from the preceding polarizer. This is followed by a second optical element that retards the beam as a sinusoidal function of beam wavelength. For example, the second optical element can be a birefringent crystal that provided a fixed degree of retardance to the beam and a second liquid crystal cell that provides a variable degree of retardance, thereby allowing adjustment of the center frequency of the sinusoidal function. Finally, a third liquid crystal cell adjustably rotates the polarization of the beam.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device is constituted by a chiral smectic liquid crystal to form a plurality of pixels. The chiral smectic liquid crystal has a temperature-dependent tilt angle characteristic satisfying the following relationship: Ĥ10−Ĥ1≦4.0 degrees, wherein Ĥ10 denotes a tilt angle at a temperature which is 10° C. lower than an upper limit temperature of chiral smectic C phase and Ĥ1 denotes a tilt angle at a temperature which is 1° C. lower than the upper limit temperature.

Abstract: A display unit which allows stereoscopic images to be displayed on a direct-vision liquid crystal panel is provided. The display unit has the formation in which liquid crystal is sandwiched in a gap between a pair of glass substrates. When linearly polarized lights whose polarizing directions are differentiated by 90° from each other by a &pgr; cell are input alternately to the liquid crystal, images to be displayed turn out as two images whose polarizing directions differ by 90° from each other and which are displayed in a time-division manner. The images may be perceived as a stereoscopic image by viewing them by glasses having polarizing directions different by 90° for right and left eyes.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprises two substrates with nematic liquid crystal sandwiched between, wherein the direction of uniaxial orientation of the upper and lower substrates is either parallel or anti-parallel. The temperature change of the retardation value of the liquid crystal device is reduced by changing the orientation state of liquid crystal molecules so as to compensate for change in the birefringence of the liquid crystal composition due to changes in temperature. Accordingly, deterioration of contrast owing to the temperature properties of the &Dgr;n of the liquid crystal composition is reduced.

Abstract: A reflective liquid crystal display device of the present invention has the following construction. Only one polarization film is needed. The twist angle of the nematic liquid crystal layer is set in the range of 0° to 90°. The product of the birefringence of the nematic liquid crystal layer &Dgr;nLC and the thickness of the liquid crystal layer dLC, &Dgr;nLC·dLC, is in the range of 0.35 &mgr;m to 0.50 &mgr;m. The birefringence difference, &Dgr;R=RFilm−&Dgr;nLC·dLC is in the range of −0.20 &mgr;m to 0.00 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A color liquid crystal device is constituted by a pair of rectangular substrates disposed opposite to each other to form a cell structure having a liquid crystal injection port, and a liquid crystal injected into the cell structure through the liquid crystal injection port. The pair of rectangular substrates includes a first substrate provided with a color filter and stripe electrodes disposed on the color filter and a second substrate provided with stripe electrodes disposed opposite to and intersecting the stripe electrodes on the first substrate. On each rectangular substrate, the stripe electrodes are divided into two groups which are electrically connected to external drive circuits disposed along one and the other, respectively, of mutually opposite sides of the rectangular substrate. The liquid crystal injection port is disposed at one of mutually opposite sides parallel to the stripe electrodes on the first substrate.

Abstract: A normally white mode twisted nematic liquid crystal display devices having significantly improved viewing angle characteristics of display contrast and gray scale inversion comprising an about 90° twisted nematic liquid crystal cell and a first and a second light polarizing film separately disposed on two sides of said liquid crystal cell, a first and a second optical compensation layer which each comprises at least one optical compensation layer and has almost no refractive index anisotropy in-plane of the optical compensation layer A and has a characteristic wherein a refractive index in the thickness direction of the optical compensation layer A is lower than that in-plane of the optical compensation layer A, and a first and second optical compensation layer B, which each comprises at least one optical compensation layer and has optically positive refractive index anisotropy and has a characteristic wherein a principal optic axis of the optical compensation layer B is tilted 20 to 70° from the nor

Abstract: An ECB mode liquid crystal display device in which birefringence of liquid crystal is controlled by an applied voltage. The liquid crystal display device has: a drive liquid crystal cell having a pair of substrates disposed to face each other through a predetermined gap, each substrate having an electrode on one surface thereof, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the pair of substrates. The birefringence of the liquid crystal layer of the drive liquid crystal cell is controlled by a voltage applied between electrodes, and an optical compensation unit is disposed between the drive liquid crystal cell and one of the pair of polarizers. The optical compensation unit includes a lamination of a left-twist liquid crystal layer of liquid crystal molecules having a chirality in a left-twist direction and a right-twist liquid crystal layer of liquid crystal molecules having a chirality in a right-twist direction.

Abstract: The present invention of reflective liquid crystal display device include in: substrate having a surface; a pixel electrode on the surface; a first liquid crystal layer provided on the substrate; a second liquid crystal layer provided on the first liquid crystal layer; a counter electrode formed on the second liquid crystal layer; and a separating member provided between the first liquid crystal layer and the second liquid crystal layer. The first and second liquid crystal layers constituted by liquid crystal material having Bragg reflection(selective reflection in the same twist direction. The separating layer constituted optical compensator.

Abstract: Supertwist liquid crystal displays (STN displays) of excellent characteristics are obtained if the nematic liquid crystal mixtures used therein comprise at least one compound of the formula IA ##STR1## and at least one compound of the formula IB ##STR2## in which R.sup.a, R.sup.b, Z, L.sup.a, L.sup.b, L.sup.c, L.sup.d, L.sup.e, L.sup.f, L.sup.g, L.sup.h, R.sup.3, R.sup.4 are as defined below.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device with an enhanced viewing angle characteristics includes a liquid crystal layer between first and second substrates, and a first portion having a first thickness and a second portion having a second thickness smaller than the first thickness. The first portion of the liquid crystal layer satisfies a condition .DELTA.n.multidot.d.gtoreq..lambda./2, where .DELTA.n is optical anisotropy of the liquid crystal, d is a thickness of the liquid crystal layer, and .lambda. is a wavelength of transmitted light in the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A reflection type color liquid crystal display apparatus comprising a polarizing plate 1 having an absorbing axis 18, a birefringent plate 3, a liquid crystal layer 6 and a reflection layer 8 wherein the absorbing axis 18, a first orientation 14, a second orientation 15, a first optical anisotropic axis 16 and a second anisotropic axis 17 are set so as to form predetermined crossing angles .theta..sub.1, .theta..sub.2, .theta..sub.3, .theta..sub.4, and selected voltage values of at least three values are applied to the liquid crystal layer 6 from a multiplex driving circuit 10.Without using a color filter, a very bright chromatic color (white or black) is displayed at the time of an OFF waveform even in multiplex driving, and development of colors of very bright red, blue and green can be obtained with a selection voltage or an intermediate voltage between the selection voltage and a non-selection voltage.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device having improved and broadened viewing angle characteristics. The device includes a liquid crystal cell of the twisted nematic type for driving sandwiched by a pair of upper and lower polarizing plates in which at least one compensating film is inserted between the liquid crystal cell and the upper polarizing plate or between the liquid crystal cell and the lower polarizing plate. Alternatively, two compensating films are respectively inserted between the liquid crystal cell and the upper polarizing plate and between the liquid crystal cell and the lower polarizing plate. The compensating film consists essentially of a liquid crystalline polymer showing optically a positive uniaxiality, the liquid crystalline polymer being fixed in a nematic hybrid orientational order.

Abstract: A display unit which allows stereoscopic images to be displayed on a direct-vision liquid crystal panel is provided. The display unit has the formation in which liquid crystal is sandwiched in a gap between a pair of glass substrates. When linearly polarized lights whose polarizing directions are differentiated by 90.degree. from each other by a .pi. cell are input alternately to the liquid crystal, images to be displayed turn out as two images whose polarizing directions differ by 90.degree. from each other and which are displayed in a time-division manner. The images may be perceived as a stereoscopic image by viewing them by glasses having polarizing directions different by 90.degree. for right and left eyes.

Abstract: A large flat panel display having a plurality of tile display modules with capability in the range of 12 or more lines per inch, being precisely manufactured and aligned such that the interpixel spacing between two adjacent tiles maintains the uniformly periodic spacing of the interpixel spacing within tiles. The display is addressed as a single monolithic display, without reference to the plurality of individual tiles making up the display. All of the interconnections between tiles are located between tiles in the "shadow area", unless all tiles can have an edge around the periphery of the display. Also disclosed are methods of making and assembling the tiles and the displays.

Abstract: This invention refers to a liquid crystal device that provides a color display by utilizing a colorization phenomenon caused by double refraction birefringence of a liquid crystal, wherein the color tone that appears when no voltage or a non-selected voltage is applied is white or a non-color close thereto, and at least two colors are displayed when a voltage is applied, and electronic equipment in which this liquid crystal device is installed.A liquid crystal device which is capable of displaying colors without using color filters and which is also capable of displaying white or a non-color close thereto is implemented by optimizing the value of .DELTA.n.multidot.d of the liquid crystal and the relationship between the value of .DELTA.n.multidot.d of the liquid crystal and the value of retardation (R) of an optically anisotropic substance such as a retardation film.In other words, the liquid crystal cell and the optically anisotropic substance should be such as to satisfy the following relationships:.DELTA.

Abstract: In order to generate dynamic images whose structure (spatial frequency) or chromaticity may be modulated or controlled by various low frequency signal sources, a rotary-dispersive, optical element (NC) which may be varied through outer influences and controlled as an analyzer and of a transparent object (OAM) arranged in the path of the rays betwen the polarizer and the analyzer. The object is designed as a polarization matrix or as one or several homogeneous, optically rotating substances.

Abstract: The invention is in the field of retardation layers comprising high-molecular weight liquid-crystalline material for liquid-crystalline displays. The invention is directed to a retardation layer for a liquid-crystalline display comprising high-molecular weight liquid-crystalline material, wherein the dispersion has been adapted to that of the active liquid-crystalline cell by varying the mesogenic groups of the high-molecular weight liquid-crystalline material, so that the difference in dispersion between the active cell and the retardation layer in the wavelength area of 400-800 nm is not more than 0.1.

Abstract: Phase-type spatial modulation of light is achieved by placing a twisted pneumatic liquid crystal cell between two polarizers, such that a direction of alignment of liquid crystal molecules at an input side of the liquid crystal cell is parallel to a transmission access of a first one of the polarizers, and such that a direction of alignment liquid crystal molecules at an output side of the liquid crystal cell is parallel to a transmission access of a second one of the polarizers. Also, phase modulation which is substantially free from amplitude variations can be realized by placing two twisted pneumatic liquid crystal cells between two polarizers.

Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device having a driving liquid crystal cell interposed between two polarizers 1 and 4, the cell having a liquid crystal layer 3e held between two substrates 3a and 3b, the layer having a twisted molecular alignment when no voltage is applied, and the liquid crystal cell performing optical control, using the optical anisotropy of liquid crystal, there is provided with an optical anisotropic element 2 between the polarizer and the driving liquid crystal cell, the optical anisotropic element 2 comprising an optical anisotropic substance layer 2c in which the optical rotatory power slanted to the normal of the substrates 3a and 3b is greater than the optical rotatory power in the direction of the normal of the substrate. The angle of the optical axis of the optical anisotropic element 2 varies continuously or in stages in the direction of layer thickness of the optical anisotropic element as against the surface of the optical anisotropic element.

Abstract: A double-layer type super-twisted nematic liquid crystal display system including a liquid crystal display device for displaying characters and/or graphic forms, a compensating liquid crystal device for compensating the optical phase of the liquid crystal display device, a temperature sensor for detecting the ambient temperature of those devices, a light sensor for calculation of the display contrast of the liquid crystal display device, drive voltage control circuits for controlling the drive voltages applied to the liquid crystal display device and the compensating liquid crystal device, and a displaying light source. In the display system, the drive voltages applied to the liquid crystal display device and compensating liquid crystal device are adjusted according to the calculation of contrast, whereby the display is high in contrast at all times independently of the ambient temperature.