Abstract: A separately-excited inverter circuit includes: an oscillator which generates a high-frequency voltage pulse by mixing a high-frequency voltage pulse of a first frequency and a high-frequency voltage pulse of a second frequency different from the first frequency; and a transformer drive part which buffers an output signal of this oscillator, and inputs the signal to a primary side of a transformer. The inverter circuit includes a capacitor which is connected in parallel with an output of a secondary side of the transformer. When used for lighting the backlight of a liquid crystal display, the present invention can improve the lighting characteristics of the backlight with a long cold-cathode tube.

Abstract: A reflector for reflecting incident light from outside includes an insulating film being formed on a substrate and including multiple concavities and convexities, and a metal film formed on the insulating film. Respective convex portions constituting the multiple concavities and convexities are formed into shapes in which positions of peak portions relative to the entire convex portions are tilted in one direction when viewed from a direction of a normal line of the substrate.

Abstract: An active matrix substrate comprises a matrix array of TFTs. A double-layered film includes an under-layer of aluminum-neodymium (Al—Nd) alloy and an over-layer of high melting point metal. The double-layered film forms first interconnection lines for connection to the TFTs. A triple-layered film includes an under-layer of said high melting point metal, a middle-layer of said Al—Nd alloy and an over-layer of the high melting point metal. The triple-layered film forms second interconnection lines for connection to the TFTs.

Abstract: In a semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device, the thickness of liquid crystal layer in the reflective region can be adjusted by controlling the film thickness of the organic insulating film for reflection and the film thickness of the color layer for reflection. Furthermore, the thickness of liquid crystal layer in the transmissive region can be adjusted by controlling the film thickness of the organic insulating film for transmission and the film thickness of the color layer for transmission. Since the thicknesses of liquid crystal layer in the reflective region and that in the transmissive region can be adjusted, the reflectance in the reflective region and the transmittance in the transmissive region can each be set at the most appropriate values.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device has a fluorescent lamp and a driving circuit as a back light. A closed container, a discharge gas sealed in the closed container, first discharge electrodes, and second discharge electrodes are included in the fluorescent lamp. The driving circuit repeats a first step of causing electric discharge in first discharge areas by applying a voltage having a negative polarity to the first discharge electrodes and a voltage having a positive polarity to the second discharge electrodes, and a second step of causing electric discharge in second discharge areas which are different from the first discharge areas by applying a voltage having a positive polarity to the first discharge electrodes and a voltage having a negative polarity to the second discharge electrodes.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel comprises a TFT substrate unit having a thin film transistor (TFT), a control electrode connected to the TFT, a flattening film covering the control electrode, and a pixel electrode having a cross slit and formed on the flattening film and insulated from the control electrode. An opposite substrate unit has an opposite electrode facing the pixel electrode at a predetermined position. A liquid crystal layer disposed between the TFT substrate unit and the opposite substrate includes liquid crystal molecules having negative dielectric aeolotropy. When voltage is supplied between the control electrode and the opposite electrode, an electric field is generated between them. The electric field divides the liquid crystal layer into four domains in each pixel according to the cross slit formed in the pixel electrode.