Abstract: The liquid crystal light modulation device of the present invention comprising a liquid crystal element consisting of one of plural liquid crystal cells and a voltage signal input means electrically connected with the liquid crystal element, wherein each liquid crystal cell contains a chiral smectic liquid crystal material layer and when a voltage signal is input to the liquid crystal element, the polarization direction of a light transmitted by the liquid crystal element is changed by approx. 90.degree. as compared with the state where the voltage signal is not input to the liquid crystal element enables a change of a light path and an open-close (on-off) operation of a light path at a high speed (optical switching time: not longer than 1 msec).

Abstract: A method is disclosed for making a liquid crystal composite in which droplets of a liquid crystal material are dispersed in a polymer matrix. At least one further material separates the liquid crystal material from the polymer matrix. This construction permits the polymer matrix to be selected on the basis of its environmental properties and the further material to be selected on the basis of its orientational interactions with liquid crystal material. Light valves made from such a composite exhibit improved electro-optical properties.

Abstract: An optical compensation sheet for improving the visual characteristics of a liquid crystal display device is disclosed with a liquid crystal display device using such a sheet. The optical compensation sheet contains at least one photopolymerization substance that is sterically or structurally isomerized by light, and has negative uniaxiality, with the optic axis of the sheet intersecting the surface of the sheet. Application of this optical compensation sheet to a TN liquid crystal display device allows it the visual angle property to be improved, thereby providing a high definition liquid crystal display device.

Abstract: A pair of transparent substrates are arranged to oppose each other and bonded to each other through a seal member. A polymer dispersed liquid crystal layer and spacers are provided between the pair of transparent substrates. A plurality of pixel electrodes respectively provided with TFTs are disposed in a matrix form on the counter surface of one substrate opposing the other substrate, and the spacers for regulating the gap between the substrates are fixed, through resin films, to remaining regions of the counter surface of one substrate obtained by excluding pixel regions corresponding to the pixel electrodes from the region inside the seal member. A black mask is formed on the remaining regions of the counter surface of the other transparent substrate, and a flat counter electrode opposing the plurality of pixel electrodes is formed on the black mask.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical compensatory sheet which comprises a transparent support and an optically anisotropic layer provided thereon, wherein the optically anisotropic layer comprises a compound having a discotic structure unit in its molecule and has negative birefringence, and the discotic structure unit has a plane inclined from a plane of the transparent support at an angle varying along a direction of depth of the anisotropic layer. A liquid crystal display and a color liquid crystal display provided with the optical compensatory sheet are also disclosed.

Abstract: A light valve apparatus in which a first lens array, a second lens array, and a light valve are arranged sequentially from an incident light side, and a focal length of each of microlens elements for the first lens array is set to be shorter than a focal length of each of microlens elements for the second lens array, and the respective microlens elements of the second lens array are adapted to form real image corresponding to an imaginary object on a focal point of the respective microlens elements of the first lens array, on corresponding pixels of the light valve. By the first lens array, a plurality of very small light source images corresponding to the light source are formed, and light emitted from the plurality of very small light source images are incident upon the respective microlens elements of the second lens array so as to be projected onto the pixels of the light valve.

Abstract: A display device (1) has a display panel (2) which comprises a first substrate (6) on which a first picture electrode (11-27) is provided as well as a substantially parallel second substrate (7) on which a second picture electrode (20) is provided, both substrates (6, 7) sandwiching an electro-optical medium (8). Said electro-optical medium (8) is capable of switching between an at least substantially transparent state and a scattering state under the influence of an electric field. A transparent insulating layer (10) is provided between the first picture electrode (11-17) and the electro-optical medium (8), said insulating layer reflecting the light (30) which, at least during operation, is emitted by a light source (3) and sidelong captured by the panel (2), so that it does not reach the first picture electrode (11-17).

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: a pair of substrates, at least one of which is transparent; and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the pair of substrates, the liquid crystal layer having a helical structure including: a liquid crystal material having a positive dielectric constant anisotropy; a pleochroic dye; and at least one of a cholesteric liquid crystal material and a chiral agent as an optical active material, wherein the liquid crystal layer has a helical axis in a thickness direction of the liquid crystal layer, and longitudinal axes of liquid crystal molecules in a vicinity of the pair of substrates are substantially parallel to the substrates, a ratio of a natural pitch (p.sub.0) and a thickness (d) of the liquid crystal layer of the helical structure satisfies a relationship: (2.theta.-.pi.)/4.pi.<d/p.sub.0 .ltoreq..theta./2.pi., where a twisted angle of the helical structure is .theta. rad, and the twisted angle .theta.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device is constituted by a pair of substrates, and a liquid crystal disposed between the substrates. At least one of the substrates has thereon an alignment film. The alignment film is characterized in that (1) it has a surface energy of at most 35 dyne/cm before rubbing and has been rubbed to have a refractive index anisotropy of at least 0.02, or (2) it has been rubbed to have a surface energy difference .DELTA.E of at least 9 dyne/cm and a difference .DELTA..delta. in dispersion term of the surface energy of at least 6 dyne/cm between before and after the rubbing. The alignment film is effective in providing a high contrast and decreasing a delay in optical response causing after-image.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel includes a plurality of signal lines Yj (j=1-N: total signal line number N) and a plurality of scanning lines Xi (i=1-M) arranged in a matrix pattern of N.times.M, and thin film transistors for switching signal inputs between a display pixel electrode C (i, j) and signal wiring Yj, disposed to correspond to respective intersections of the signal lines and the scanning lines, and auxiliary capacitance Cadd formed in an electrically parallel relationship with the display pixel electrode C (i, j) composed of liquid crystal. The auxiliary capacitance Cadd is formed between the scanning line Xi-1 controlling the display pixel electrode C(i-l, j) at a previous stage of the display pixel electrode C (i, j) and display pixel electrode C (i, j), and disposed n such a positional relationship that the display pixel electrode C (i, j) completely covers the scanning line Xi-1 at the previous stage in a direction of its line width in terms of a cross-sectional construction.

Abstract: A head-mounted see-through display which enables an outside image and an electronic image to be selectively observed by making a liquid crystal shutter transparent or opaque. To eliminate the problem that during the observation of the electronic image the outside image is undesirably seen through the peripheral region of the electronic image, display light from a two-dimensional display device (11) is first transmitted by a half-mirror (12), and the transmitted light is reflected by a concave mirror (13). Then, the reflected light is reflected by the half-mirror (12) so as to be led to the observer's eye as an enlarged image. To prevent the outside light from entering the eye through the half-mirror (12) during the observation of the electronic image, a negative or positive type TN or STN liquid crystal shutter (10) is disposed in front of the half-mirror (12).

Abstract: The present invention provides a color projector utilizing three liquid crystal display elements. The natural light is separated into illuminating rays of red, green and blue colors by a dichroic mirror, each of these illuminating rays being used to illuminate the corresponding one of the liquid crystal display elements. Each of the liquid crystal display elements is controlled by a desired image signal with respect to its transmittance at each pixel. After passed through the liquid crystal display elements, three kinds of colored illuminating rays are again synthesized by the other dichroic mirror to form a light beam which in turn is enlarged and projected by a projecting lens on a screen. By providing light source means including means for converting the natural light into the linearly polarized beam, the illuminating rays may have their polarizing angles coincide with each other without any loss of light.

Abstract: A reflective liquid crystal light valve includes transparent conductive layers of indium tin oxide (30) employed as an electrode to electrically modulate orientation of molecules of a liquid crystal material that receives a high intensity reading light (40) applied through the transparent electrode. Unwanted double reflection (64,66) from interfaces between the indium tin oxide electrode (30) and adjacent layers (22,32) are minimized by application of broad band anti-reflective coatings (70,72,74,76) formed by one or more pairs of thin layers having alternately high and low indices of refraction.

Abstract: A process for producing an electrode substrate for use in a liquid crystal device in which a laminate film comprised of a transparent conductive film and a metal film is formed of a first side of a transparent substrate. The laminate film is pattern-etched so as to form islands of the laminate film in a predetermined pattern. A photosensitive anaerobic colored resin is applied on the transparent substrate on which the islands of laminate film are arranged in the predetermined pattern. The transparent substrate is uniformly exposed to a light from a second side of the substrate opposite to the first side in an oxygen-containing atmosphere. Unexposed portions of the photosensitive anaerobic resin are removed so as to leave the photosensitive anaerobic resin only in the spaces between adjacent islands of the laminate film, for forming a light-shielding film in each of the spaces.

Abstract: An electro-optical device is disclosed. The device comprises a first substrate provided with an electrode and a lead thereon, a second substrate provided with an electrode and a lead thereon, a liquid crystal composition exhibiting ferroelectricity, and a means for orienting the liquid crystal composition at least in its early stage. The liquid crystal composition and the means for orienting the liquid crystal composition at least in its early stage are provided between the first and second substrates, and the product (.DELTA.nd) of the value of the optic anisotropy (.DELTA.n) of the liquid crystal composition and the thickness (d) of the liquid crystal composition is adjusted to 500 to 650 nm.

Abstract: A liquid crystal electro-optical device comprising a pair of substrates at least one of them is light-transmitting, electrodes being provided on said substrates, and an electro-optical modulating layer being supported by said pair of substrates, provided that said electro-optical modulating layer comprises an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal material or a smectic liquid crystal material which exhibits anti-ferroelectricity, and a transparent material.

Abstract: A driving method for an optical modulation device comprising matrix picture elements each formed at intersecting points of scanning lines and data lines between which a bistable optical modulation material represented by a ferroelectric liquid crsytal is interposed. The driving method comprises an erasure step of applying a voltage signal orienting the optical modulation material to the first stable state between the scanning and data lines, at all or a part of the matrix picture elements, and a writing step of sequentially applying a scanning selection signal to the scanning lines and applying an information orientation signal orienting the optical modulation material to the second stable state to the data lines in phase with the scanning selection signal.

Abstract: An optically addressed spatial light modulating system comprises a spatial light modulator using a liquid crystal material. A writing light irradiation device irradiates a writing light which records an image onto the spatial light modulator. A reading out light irradiation device irradiates a reading out light which is used to read out the recorded image from the spatial light modulator. A bias light irradiation device irradiates a bias light onto the spatial light modulator, and a bias light adjustment device changes at least one of the irradiation time and the light intensity of the bias light. A driving device supplies writing voltage signals to the spatial light modulator. The irradiation time of the write light and the irradiation time of the bias light overlap with the application time of the write voltage of the spatial light modulator for a predetermined amount of time for adjusting the sensitivity of the spatial light modulator.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is constituted by a pair of electrode plates each having a plurality of elongated electrodes, and a layer of ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the electrode plates so as to form a pixel at each intersection of elongated electrodes disposed respectively on the pair of electrodes plates. At least one electrode plate is provided with an unevenness at each pixel so as to form a cell thickness gradient within each pixel, and at least one electrode plate is provided with at least three types of color filters each corresponding to a pixel. Further, each color filter and/or each pixel is set to have an area and/or a shape varying depending on a local cell thickness so that light quantities or sensible light quantities transmitted through the respective filters and the liquid crystal layer are identical to each other regardless of the type of color filter.

Abstract: A full color display is disclosed having a high efficiency light source optically coupled by a light coupling lens array to the active matrix of pixel elements of an image forming means such as a transmissive liquid crystal light valve. The light source is comprised of a patterned matrix of individual, primary colored visible radiation emitters, such as individual phosphor elements, arranged in a manner suitable for the human eye to integrate the individual primary colored lights into a single mixture color. The light coupling lens array collects substantially all of the light rays emitted from each primary colored light emitter and focuses them on a respective one of the transparent electrodes in the active matrix, as a real image smaller than the size of the electrode. A suitable light coupling lens array is a gradient index lens array, a multiple layer, two dimensional array of microlenses functionally analogous to an array of strip lenses, or a microlens array.