Abstract: A design structure comprising an apparatus which reduces the power in memory devices in general and, in particular, static random access memory (SRAM) arrays featuring sense amplifier assist (SAA) circuitry. The design structure limits the implementation of the SAA circuitry to SRAM array blocks that do not meet the application voltage requirements.

Abstract: A number of surge protection device disconnector designs provide protection to a load over a full range of fault currents provide adequate surge protection as well. The designs quench arcs that may tend to occur as a result of MOV faults, thereby protecting the surrounding components.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprises a nematic liquid crystal, voltage means for applying a voltage across said liquid crystal, and two substrates (42, 30) each provided with an alignment layer (32, 33), wherein: said liquid crystal is sandwiched between said two substrates (42, 30); said nematic liquid crystal can be placed in at least one operating state and at least one non-operating state, and at least one of said alignment layers (32, 33) is provided with a plurality of surface protrusions (40) formed from an anisotropic material.

Abstract: A Content Addressable Memory (CAM) cell with PFET passgate SRAM cells which results in a smaller cell size because of the more balanced number of 8 PFET devices and 8 NFET devices. The PFET passgates allow the size of the SRAM cell pulldown devices to be reduced, and lower the power dissipation in the SRAM during standby or during read/write.

Abstract: A surface mode liquid crystal device, for example of the pi-cell type, comprises a layer nematic liquid crystal (10) disposed between alignment layers (4,9) and an electrode arrangement (3,8). The nematic liquid crystal has viscosity coefficients &eegr;1, &eegr;2 and &ggr;1, such that (&eegr;1-&eegr;2)/&ggr;1≧1.15 or (&eegr;1-&eegr;2)/&ggr;1≦0.9.

Abstract: A reflective liquid crystal device comprises in sequence a linear polarizer, a retarder arrangement comprising two retarders, and a reflector. A first of the retarders provides a retardation of m&lgr;/2 and a second of the retarders provides a retardation of n&lgr;/4, where m is an integer and n is an odd integer, and wherein at least one of the first and second retarders comprises a Bistable Twisted Nematic (BTN) liquid crystal. This BTN retarder is switchable between a first state in which the retarder provides a retardation of m&lgr;/2 or n&lgr;/4 and a second state in which the retardation is zero.

Abstract: A Content Addressable Memory (CAM) cell with PFET passgate SRAM cells which results in a smaller cell size because of the more balanced number of 8 PFET devices and 8 NFET devices. The PFET passgates allow the size of the SRAM cell pulldown devices to be reduced, and lower the power dissipation in the SRAM during standby or during read/write.

Abstract: A broadband optical retardation device, such as may be used for polarisation encoding of display information or in diffractive optical systems, includes a patterned uniform half wave plate retarder in combination with a non-patterned uniform quarter wave plate retarder having an optic axis oriented at 90° to the xz plane. The patterned retarder consists of alternating first and second regions having first and second optic axes at different orientations to a reference axis, for example at +22.5° and −22.5° to the xz plane. Considering light of wavelength &lgr;° incident on the retarder and linearly polarised in the xy plane, such light is differently polarised by the regions, and the light output by the device includes regions in which the light is right circularly polarised and regions in which the light is left circularly polarised.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprises: a layer of a chiral liquid crystal material disposed between first and second substrates; and means for applying a voltage across the liquid crystal layer. A first region of the liquid crystal layer is an active region for display and a second region of the liquid crystal layer is a nucleation region for generating a desired liquid crystal state in the first region when a voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer. The ratio of the thickness d of the liquid crystal layer to the pitch p of the liquid crystal material has a first value (d/p)A in the first region of the liquid crystal layer and has a second value (d/p)N different from the first value in the second region of the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A luminescent device having first and second light-emitting regions, wherein the first light-emitting region emits, in use, a first polarised light and the second light-emitting region emits, in use, a second polarised light different from the first polarised light.

Abstract: A method of making a patterned retarder of the present invention includes the steps of providing an alignment layer rubbing the alignment layer in a first rubbing direction, masking with a mask at least one first region of the alignment layer, to reveal at least one second region of the alignment layer, rubbing the at least one second region through the mask in a second rubbing direction different from the first rubbing direction, removing the mask, disposing on the alignment layer a layer of birefringent material whose optic axis is aligned by the alignment layer, and fixing the optic axis of the birefringent layer.

Abstract: A display device and method driving a display device makes use of the dynamic variation in the brightness of a surface mode liquid crystal device cell having a liquid crystal layer with a non-zero twist angle. The liquid crystal layer is switched before the equilibrium value of the brightness has been reached, so as to make use of the non-equilibrium increased brightness and so increase the brightness of the display.

Abstract: A pi-cell liquid crystal device comprises a nematic liquid crystal layer (17) disposed between alignment layers (14,15) which provide a pretilt such that, at a zero applied field, the energy of the H-state is less than the energy of the V-state, which is less than the energy of the T-state. A drive arrangement (18) switches the pi-cell by applying a first electric field, at which the energy of the V-state is less than the energy of each of the H-state and the T-state, or a second smaller electric field, at which the energy of the H-state is less than the energy of each of the V-state and the T-state. The T-state may thus be avoided while maintaining high switching speeds.

Abstract: A surface mode liquid crystal device, comprising a liquid crystal layer disposed between first and second alignment layers for substantially parallel-aligning the liquid crystal layer, the first alignment layer comprising a plurality of regions defining respective picture elements, each of the regions comprising a plurality of sub-regions, the plurality of sub-regions each comprising at least one first sub-region for aligning the adjacent liquid crystal In a first alignment direction and at least one second sub-region for aligning the adjacent liquid crystal in a second alignment direction substantially different from that of the first alignment direction.

Abstract: A reflective liquid crystal device comprises a polarizer and a mirror between which are disposed several retarder. At least one of the retarders is a variable liquid crystal element whose optic axis is switchable so as to switch the device between a reflective state and a non-reflective state. In the non-reflective state, the total retardance of the retarders between the polariser and the mirror is equal to an odd number of quarter wavelengths for a wavelength at or adjacent the middle of the visible spectrum.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprises a first substrate, a first alignment layer disposed on a surface of the first substrate, a second substrate, second alignment layer disposed on a surface of the second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The alignment direction of the first alignment layer has a non-zero component in a first azimuthal direction in a first region of the alignment layer and has a non-zero component in a second azimuthal direction different from the first azimuthal direction in a second region of the first alignment layer. In consequence, in zero applied electric field across the liquid crystal layer, a first liquid crystal state is stable in a first volume of the liquid crystal layer defined by the first region of the first alignment layer.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display element is formed by providing a liquid crystal layer made of ferroelectric liquid crystal material between electrode substrates. One of the electrode substrate is composed of a substrate, electrodes, an insulating film, and an alignment film, while the other substrate is composed of a substrate, electrodes, an insulating film, and an alignment plate. The alignment film is formed by mixing a substance with ionic bond in an alignment film material and thereafter applying the mixture on the paired substrates on each of which the electrodes and the insulating film are provided. With this arrangement, ions are eluted from the alignment films thus formed into the liquid crystal layer, thereby becoming dispersed therethrough homogeneously. This remarkably reduces influences of display history, and half-tone display with excellent response characteristics can be realized, being not affected by display history.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprises a nematic liquid crystal, voltage means for applying a voltage across said liquid crystal, and two substrates (42, 30) each provided with an alignment layer (32, 33), wherein: said liquid crystal is sandwiched between said two substrates (42, 30); said nematic liquid crystal can be placed in at least one operating state and at least one non-operating state, and at least one of said alignment layers (32, 33) is provided with a plurality of surface protrusions (40) formed from an anisotropic material.

Abstract: A pi-cell liquid crystal device comprises a nematic liquid crystal layer (17) disposed between alignment layers (14,15) which provide a pretilt ouch that, at a zero applied field, the energy of the H-state is less than the energy of the V-state, which is less than the energy of the T-state. A drive arrangement (18) switches the pi-cell by applying a first electric field, at which the energy of the V-State is less than the energy of each of the H-state and the T-state, or a second smaller electric field, at which the energy of the H-state is less than the energy of each of the V-state and the T-state. The T-state may thus be avoided while maintaining high switching speeds.

Abstract: A method of addressing a liquid crystal device having a plurality of scanning electrodes and a plurality of data electrodes defining a plurality of pixels at the intersections between at least one of the plurality of scanning electrodes and at least one of the plurality of data electrodes, the method comprising applying one frame of a scanning signal to one of the plurality of scanning electrodes, applying a data signal to at least one of the plurality of data electrodes, one frame of the scanning signal comprising n strobe portions, where n is an integer greater than 1, for co-operation with the at least one data signal to address one of the plurality of pixels, and at least one blanking portion, the number of blanking portions not exceeding (n−1).