Abstract: Prior art solutions to liquid crystal birefringence (which causes the emergent light to become elliptically polarized) have involved use of a single birefringent layer (macrocompensator) to compensate for this. This approach is only partly successful. The present invention improves the color balance still further by providing a separate set of microcompensators. Two of the color filters share a common microcompensator while a third color filter has its own microcompensator. The color filters are first formed on one of the two substrates' inner surfaces, with the appropriate microcompensators being then formed on the outward looking surface of the other substrate. By this means, a near perfect match between the color distortion introduced by the liquid crystal layer and the phase compensation needed to correct this can be made.

Abstract: First and second transparent hard plastic substrates are placed one over the other to form therebetween a gap into which a liquid crystal is to be sealed in. The first and second substrates are mounted on the reference plane of a stage. The distance between the first substrate and the reference plane is measured in a non-contact manner at a plurality of measuring points on a predetermined dividing line. Based on the distances measured, a slit is formed on the first substrate by cutting the first substrate along the dividing line while leaving a portion of a predetermined thickness uncut. The first substrate is then broken along the slit. With this arrangement, it is possible to cut the substrates while leaving a portion of an appropriate thickness uncut irrespective of unevenness of the thickness or waviness of the first substrate.