Abstract: A sensor circuit for detecting the occurrence of welding is disclosed. The sensor circuit uses a phototransistor operative to receive a light input and produce an output representative thereof. A resistor is coupled between the phototransistor's base and emitter to control the phototransistor's response to low intensity and high intensity light. An amplifier may be coupled to the output of the phototransistor so as to provide a gain for the output of the phototransistor; and feedback means may coupled to the phototransistor to bias the phototransistor, the feedback means comprising a resistor capacitor circuit for following the output of the phototransistor, a feedback transistor to provide a feedback signal to the phototransistor, and a resistor coupled between the base and the emitter of the phototransistor. Preferably the phototransistor is a planar phototransistor having a surface mount.

Abstract: An arrayed waveguide grating optical multiplexer/demultiplexer is configured to multiplex a plurality of lights having different wavelengths with a designed wavelength spacing and to demultiplex a light into a plurality of lights having different wavelengths with the designed wavelength spacing. The designed wavelength spacing is determined such that a value which is obtained by multiplying the designed wavelength spacing by an integer which is at least two is substantially equal to an actual wavelength spacing of lights which are input to or output from the multiplexer/demultiplexer.

Abstract: In a liquid crystal display apparatus including a transparent substrate, a plurality of first bus lines formed on the transparent substrate, a plurality of second bus lines formed on the transparent substrate substantially perpendicular to the first bus lines, a plurality of common electrode lines formed on the transparent substrate in parallel with the first bus lines, and a plurality of pixels each connected to one of the first bus lines, one of the second bus lines and one of the common electrode lines, a plurality of address marks are formed on the transparent substrate and each of the address marks is connected to one of the first bus lines, the second bus lines and the common electrode lines.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an active matrix type display providing a thin film transistor (TFT) as a switching device and which can obtain a large storage capacitor without thinning an insulating film between electrodes or expanding an electrode to a pixel area. The active matrix type display is structured to have a plurality of gate wirings formed on a glass substrate, a plurality of data wirings formed on the glass substrate substantially orthogonal to the gate wirings, the TFT decided by the gate wirings and data wirings and formed in a plurality of pixel areas arranged in a matrix shape, a pixel electrode formed inside the pixel area and connected to the TFT, and a plurality of storage capacitor electrodes layers formed a plurality of storage capacitors between the glass substrate and pixel electrode via a plurality of insulating films.

Abstract: A liquid crystal element of a layered type capable of high contrast is provided. For example, in the liquid crystal element of the layered type including liquid crystal layers b, g and r in this order, each of the liquid crystal layers b, g and r is held between electrode formation surfaces of a pair of substrates each provided with an electrode, an insulating film is disposed between the electrodes of the substrates, and at least two liquid crystal layers of the liquid crystal layers b, g and r have the insulating films opposed to the liquid crystal layers and being different in refractive index from each other, respectively.

Abstract: Simplified manufacturing method for active matrix type semipermeable liquid crystal display devices also having improved productivity. In a manufacturing method for an active matrix type semipermeable liquid crystal display device, an interlayered insulator film is formed and processed in process A for forming an interlayered insulator film on a silicon layer forming the source and drain of the TFT; in a process B for forming a photoresist layer on the interlayered insulator film; in a process C for forming the photoresist layer in a designated pattern using a mask formed with a pattern below the resolution limit in the section for forming the reflecting electrode; in a process D for patterning the photoresist layer made in process C as the etching mask for etching the interlayered insulator film. After the process D, a source electrode, signal lines, drain electrode and reflecting electrode are simultaneously formed from the metallic film.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a color filter. The method utilizes the dry film technology, photomasks, exposure and development process to form the black frame, the red pixel array and the green pixel array on the substrate. Finally, the blue pixel array is formed on the substrate by utilizing a back mask, exposure from a backside of the substrate and development process. Therefore, the red pixel array and the green pixel array on the substrate can cut the UV exposure from backside. In the exposure process, only the blue pixel array in a recess area exposes under the UV light. After the development process, the blue pixel array is formed on the substrate.

Abstract: Coherent illumination is used to illuminate a symmetrical alignment mark with an image rotation interferometer producing two images of the alignment mark, rotating the images 1800 with respect to each other, and recombining the images interferometrically. The recombined images interfere constructively or destructively, in an amplitude and or polarization sense depending upon the method of recombination, when the alignment sensor is located at the center of the alignment mark. The rotation interferometer is preferably a solid glass assembly made of a plurality of prisms. A detector extracts the alignment information from the image rotation interferometer. The resulting center of the alignment mark is accurately determined. A relatively large number of different alignment mark patterns may be utilized, as long as the alignment mark patterns exhibit one hundred and eighty degree symmetry. Parallel lines, a grid pattern, or a checkerboard grating may be used.

Abstract: A multi-domain liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates facing each other and a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates. A plurality of gate bus lines are arranged in a first direction on the first substrate and a plurality of data bus lines are arranged in a second direction on the first substrate to define a pixel region. A pixel electrode is electrically charged through the data bus line in the pixel region. A common-auxiliary electrode surrounds the pixel electrode on a same layer whereon the gate bus line is formed.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a pair of insulating substrates bonded to each other via a sealing material, and liquid crystal filled between a pair of the insulating substrates. A cell gap is formed so as to gradually increase from the center to an end of a display area at room temperature. According to this arrangement, it is possible to smooth out a difference in thermal expansion between the liquid crystal and the sealing material when an atmospheric temperature rises, and it is possible to prevent a cell gap from being too large in the center of the display area. Consequently, an irregular display color can be eliminated.

Abstract: A reflection member applicable to a liquid crystal display device is disclosed. The liquid crystal display device includes a reflective pixel electrode 19 formed on a matrix array substrate 11, a counter electrode provided opposite to the reflective pixel electrode 19 on a counter substrate 22, and a liquid crystal layer 27 held between the reflective and counter electrodes 19 and 25. The reflective pixel electrodes 19 have convex and concave portions 20a and 20b as light scattering elements. Centers of the convex portions 20a are disposed in lattice points of hexagonal lattices. Lattice parallel vectors are rotated around the radius center by an angle of about 60°, defined between the lattice points at both end portions of the pixel electrode, but, more suitably, the one ranging from 51.4° to 68.6°, i.e., 60°±8.6°. Such disposition of the light scattering elements reduces two dimensional periodicity as to the convex portions.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a liquid crystal panel in which a liquid crystal layer is interposed between a pair of substrates, a front light unit that illuminates the liquid crystal panel, and a cell case that cooperates with the front light unit to sandwich the liquid crystal panel. The front light unit comprises a light source section, a plate-shaped light guide body that guides light from the light source section to the liquid crystal panel, and a frame-shaped protection member mounted on a peripheral portion of the light guide body and engaged with the cell case, thus integrally holding the liquid crystal panel and the light guide body.

Abstract: The invention provides a reflective electrooptic device and an electronic apparatus using the reflective electrooptic device described above. In the reflective electrooptic device, variation in irregular shape is avoided or reduced by maintaining uniform conditions at the lower layer side of an irregularity-forming layer when being formed by a photolithographic technique. In a TFT array substrate of a reflective electrooptic device, an irregularity-forming layer to form an irregular pattern on a light reflection film is formed by half exposure, development, and heating performed for a photosensitive resin. At a lower layer side of the irregularity-forming layer, since a height difference, i.e., a step is eliminated by a step-eliminating film, exposure can be preferably performed for the photosensitive resin. In addition, since the height difference is eliminated, variation in thickness of the photosensitive resin is small, and hence variation in irregular shape becomes small.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display panel having first and second substrates, the method includes the steps of forming first and second orientation films on the first and second substrates, respectively, forming a seal material at edges of the first substrate, assembling the first and second substrates with each other, performing a first pressurizing and heating process on the first and second substrates to form a first cell gap, injecting a liquid crystal material into the first cell gap, performing second pressurizing and heating process on the first and second substrates to form a second cell gap, and sealing the second cell gap.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: a pair of substrates opposing each other; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the pair of substrates; a plurality of switching elements arranged in a matrix pattern on one of the pair of substrates; gate signal lines for supplying gate signals for driving the switching elements; source signal lines crossing the gate signal lines for supplying display signals to the switching elements; an interlayer insulating film provided on one of the pair of substrates over the gate signal lines and the source signal lines; and pixel electrodes provided over the gate signal lines and the source signal lines via the interlayer insulating film. The interlayer insulating film on one of the pair of substrates extends to a surrounding region of a display pixel area. An electrode pattern for adsorbing an ionic impurity is provided on the interlayer insulating film in the surrounding region.

Abstract: A distance measuring system, which comprises a control arithmetic unit 1, a light emitting unit 2 for emitting a measuring light beam and a photodetection unit 3 for receiving a reflection light beam from an object to be measured, the system being used for measuring a distance by receiving the reflection light beam from the object to be measured, wherein the control arithmetic unit compares a signal based on the photodetection amount of the reflection light from the object to be measured as well as a result of the distance measurement with reference data prestored in the control arithmetic unit relating to the reflection of the object to be measured, and judges whether the object to be measured is a prism or a natural object based on a result of the comparison.

Abstract: A process for producing an optical element which comprises a polymeric liquid crystal layer having a helically twisted molecular structure and has satisfactory thickness precision and satisfactory optical properties. The process comprises applying a mixed solution containing a polymerizable nematic liquid crystal compound and a polymerizable chiral reagent to an oriented substrate, followed by drying, to orient the liquid crystal compound; and irradiating the mixed solution applied with radiation from the oriented substrate side while maintaining the mixed solution in contact with a gas comprising oxygen to thereby polymerize and cure the mixed solution.

Abstract: For preventing light from leaking into pixels located at a periphery of a display region of a liquid crystal display device which has a first conductive layer being extended outside a liquid crystal sealing region formed at an at least one of first and second substrates thereof, an insulating layer covering the first conductive layer, and a terminal contacting the first conductive layer and being extended on the insulating layer at an outside of the display region thereof, a second conductive layer is provided having a different electrical potential from that of the first conductive layer and being formed between the display region and the terminal on the insulating layer.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device has a liquid crystal layer between a glass substrate and a counter substrate. A TFT and scanning lines which control the TFT are provided on the glass substrate. On the counter substrate, a gradation signal line which is connected to a counter electrode applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer is provided opposite to the scanning lines. A sealing section for sealing the liquid crystal of the liquid crystal layer is provided while enclosing the display area between the glass substrate and the counter substrate. The sealing section has conductive particles. Upper contact pads connected to the gradation signal lines and lower contact pads on the glass substrate are electrically connected via the conductive particles. This realizes a liquid crystal display device with a smaller frame and makes the mounting compact in size without causing poor connection due to line breakage.

Abstract: There is provided a reflective liquid crystal cell formed of a liquid crystal material disposed between first and second substrates. The first substrate is optically transparent and is formed with a coating of optically transparent and electrically conductive material on the side facing the liquid crystal material. The second substrate is formed with a plurality of coatings on the side facing the liquid crystal material. These coatings include in sequence a layer of metallic reflective material, a layer of electrically insulating material, a layer of na optically transparent and conductive material and a liquid crystal alignment layer.