Abstract: The invention relates to a transflective LCD incorporating a partial mirror (224) as the transflector. In the transmissive display mode, light from a backlight system (240) passes apertures (226) in the transflector (224). According to the invention, recycling of light to the backlight system (240) is improved by substantially only polarizing light that passes an aperture. This is achieved by means of a patterned polarizer (222) extending over the apertures in the partial mirror.

Abstract: A collimator panel comprises: a solid panel having a first face for receiving uncollimated radiation and a second opposite face for providing collimated radiation; and a plurality of elongate particles disposed in the panel and orientated to provide the collimating function. A method of manufacturing a collimator panel comprises the steps of: suspending a plurality of elongate particles in a liquid; applying an electric or magnetic field to the suspension to orientate the particles; and solidifying the liquid to fix the orientation of the particles, thereby forming a collimator panel. A method of manufacturing the elongate particles is also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a transflective LCD incorporating a partial mirror (224) as the transflector. In the transmissive display mode, light from a backlight system (240) passes apertures (226) in the transflector (224). According to the invention, recycling of light to the backlight system (240) is improved by substantially only polarizing light that passes an aperture. This is achieved by means of a patterned polarizer (222) extending over the apertures in the partial mirror.

Abstract: A method of forming a liquid-crystal display device having a display cell comprises forming retardation foils on substrattes using polymerized or vitrified liquid-crystal material wherein the liquid-crystal molecules of the polymerized or vitrified liquid-crystal material have a tilt angle with respect to a plane parallel to the substrates and so that the retardation foils have substantially complementary indicatrices and so that each one of the retardation foils brings about the compensation of approximately half the display cell in the driven state.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a compensator layer features forming first and second retardation foils by polymerizing or vitrifying liquid-crystalline material comprising liquid-crystal molecules in manner wherein the liquid-crystal molecules in the polymerized or vitrified liquid-crystalline material of the first and second retardation foils respectively exhibit first and second tilt angles which are respectively parallel to first and second planes that are normal to major surfaces of the foils and that are angled with respect to one another by an angle of 60–120 degrees.

Abstract: An article has transferred onto its surface a region-wise optically modified cholesteric liquid crystalline layer. The layer includes at least one single-film layer including a number of regions having cholesterically ordered material which differ from one another in pitch. The layer can include a holographic image.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal device including a layer having a fixed cholesteric order, the patterned layer is manufactured by providing a layer comprising polymerizable cholesterically ordered material and a compound convertible by means of radiation from a non-converted to converted state. The pitch of the cholesterically ordered material is influenced by the compound in its converted state to a different extent than in its converted state. The polymerizable layer is then irradiated pattern-wise thus creating regions of different pitch. The irradiated layer is then polymerized and/or cross-linked to fix the cholesteric order thus obtained.

Abstract: In a normally black double cell, grey scale enhancement is obtained by dividing pixels in the driving cell into sub-pixels which are rotated preferably through 180° with respect to each other.

Abstract: This invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, comprising at least one retardation film (4), a nematic liquid crystal layer (5), and a light reflecting RGB patterned cholesteric colour filter (6), for reflecting either essentially left-circular or right-circular polarised light, being characterised in that said liquid crystal layer (5) is a super twisted nematic liquid crystal layer having a twist angle in the interval 180-270 degrees, and in that the summed retardation R of the retardation film or retardation films and the liquid crystal layer is equal to approximately R=(3+2n)?/4, where n=0,1,2,3.

Abstract: A method of forming a liquid-crystal display device having a display cell comprises forming retardation foils on substrates using polymerized or vitrified liquid-crystal material wherein the liquid-crystal molecules of the polymerized or vitrified liquid-crystal material have a tilt angle with respect to a plane parallel to the substrates and so that the retardation foils have substantially complementary indicatrices and so that each one of the retardation foils brings about the compensation of approximately half the display cell in the driven state.

Abstract: This invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, comprising at least one retardation film (4), a nematic liquid crystal layer (5), and a light reflecting RGB patterned cholesteric color filter (6), for reflecting either essentially left-circular or right-circular polarized light, being characterized in that said liquid crystal layer (5) is a super twisted nematic liquid crystal layer having a twist angle in the interval 180-270 degrees, and in that the summed retardation R of the retardation film or retardation films and the liquid crystal layer is equal to approximately R=(3+2n)&lgr;/4, where n=0,1,2,3 . . . .

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid-crystal display device comprising a display cell and a plurality of retardation foils of polymerized or vitrified liquid-crystal material, whose liquid-crystal molecules have a tilt angle with respect to a plane parallel to the substrates, which retardation foils have substantially complementary indicatrices so that each one of the retardation foils brings about the compensation of approximately half the display cell in the driven state.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of providing a decorative coating or text or the like on articles, like shavers, GSM's, cards, etc. The coating comprises a region-wise optically modified (patterned) cholesteric liquid crystalline layer, which is transferred onto a surface of the article by means of a transfer operation. The so-called in-mold decoration technique has been found to be very advantageous for the transfer of decorative (patterned) cholesteric liquid crystalline layers. In this technique the layer is (releasably) deposited on a plastic carrier foil and provided with a layer of adhesive. The assembly is inserted in an injection mold before the injection molding of polymer material starts. In this way decorative coatings (e.g. multi color images) and texts or the like can be even applied onto, non-even and slightly curved substrates.

Abstract: Transflective display device has an optical waveguide commonly known as a light guide. The guide includes areas having a chiral nematic structure which splits light coming in from aside into two light beams having a mutually opposite circular polarization. Polarization splitting is achieved at the interface of the areas having the chiral nematic structure.

Abstract: In a normally black double cell, grey scale enhancement is obtained by dividing pixels in the driving cell into sub-pixels which are rotated preferably through 180° with respect to each other.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal device including a layer having a fixed cholesteric order, the patterned layer is manufactured by providing a layer comprising polymerizable cholesterically ordered material and a compound convertible by means of radiation from a non-converted to converted state. The pitch of the cholesterically ordered material is influenced by the compound in its converted state to a different extent than in its converted state. The polymerizable layer is then irradiated pattern-wise thus creating regions of different pitch. The irradiated layer is then polymerized and/or cross-linked to fix the cholesteric order thus obtained.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of providing a decorative coating or text or the like on articles, like shavers, GSM's, cards, etc. The coating comprises a region-wise optically modified (patterned) cholesteric liquid crystalline layer, which is transferred onto a surface of the article by means of a transfer operation. The so-called in-mold decoration technique has been found to be very advantageous for the transfer of decorative (patterned) cholesteric liquid crystalline layers. In this technique the layer is (releasably) deposited on a plastic carrier foil and provided with a layer of adhesive. The assembly is inserted in an injection mold before the injection molding of polymer material starts. In this way decorative coatings (e.g. multi color images) and texts or the like can be even applied onto, non-even and slightly curved substrates.

Abstract: In a normally black double cell, grey scale enhancement is obtained by dividing pixels in the driving cell into sub-pixels which are rotated preferably through 180° with respect to each other.

Abstract: A light-modulating cell and a display device based on a chiral nematic liquid crystal material in which the difference of optical rotation power between the planar nematic state and the focal conic state is used for discriminating between optical states, in particular for chiral nematic liquid crystal material having a pitch length associated with infrared light.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal device including a layer having a fixed cholesteric order, the patterned layer is manufactured by providing a layer comprising polymerizable cholesterically ordered material and a compound convertible by means of radiation from a non-converted to converted state. The pitch of the cholesterically ordered material is influenced by the compound in its converted state to a different extent than in its converted state. The polymerizable layer is then irradiated pattern-wise thus creating regions of different pitch. The irradiated layer is then polymerized and/or cross-linked to fix the cholesteric order thus obtained.