Abstract: A liquid crystal display is furnished with: a liquid crystal display element having a pair of substrates, to which alignment members are provided to their respective opposing surfaces, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched by the pair of substrates; an alignment mechanism for providing at least two different director configurations simultaneously on different arbitrary regions used for display in the liquid crystal layer; and a reflection film provided to at least one of the different arbitrary regions showing different director configurations; wherein the different arbitrary regions showing different director configurations are used for a reflection display section for showing reflection display and a transmission display section for showing transmission display, respectively.

Abstract: A reflective display device includes a switching layer, placed between substrates, for switching between a transmissive state for allowing transmission of incident light and a scattering state for scattering the incident light, and a retro-reflector for reflecting an incident ray from the liquid crystal layer so that an outgoing ray of the reflected light is parallel to the incident ray. A pitch of smallest unit structures of the retro-reflector is set to be larger than 0 mm and not more than 5 mm. The retro-reflector is preferably in a form of a corner cube array and has light absorbing surface portions at borders of the smallest unit structures. With this reflective display device, brightness of white state and contrast ratio can be improved.

Abstract: A reflection-type liquid crystal display device includes upper and lower substrates which respectively have upper and lower electrodes, the upper and lower substrates being arranged in parallel with the upper electrode facing the lower electrode, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the upper and lower substrates, the upper substrate being transparent and having protruding portions adjacent to the liquid crystal layer, each protruding portion having a surface downwardly inclined to defined a prism, the lower substrate having light reflection portions and light absorption portions, wherein when an electric field is applied to the liquid crystal layer, incident light into the upper substrate is selectively directed to the light reflection portions and the light absorption portions by means of the protruding portions and the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A reflective display device includes a switching layer, placed between substrates, for switching between a transmissive state for allowing transmission of incident light and a scattering state for scattering the incident light, and a retro-reflector for reflecting an incident ray from the liquid crystal layer so that an outgoing ray of the reflected light is parallel to the incident ray. A pitch of smallest unit structures of the retro-reflector is set to be larger than 0 mm and not more than 5 mm. The retro-reflector is preferably in a form of a corner cube array and has light absorbing surface portions at borders of the smallest unit structures. With this reflective display device, brightness of white state and contrast ratio can be improved.

Abstract: A laminated phase plate is formed by laminating a first optical phase difference compensation plate, having a retardation between 100 and 180 nm for transmitted light, with a wavelength of 550 nm and a second optical phase difference compensation plate having a retardation between 200 and 360 nm for transmitted light with a wavelength of 550 nm. The optical phase difference compensation plates are arranged so that |&thgr;1−(2×&thgr;2)| is between 80 and 100 degrees. The term &thgr;1 is an angle between a vibration direction of linearly polarized light and a slow axis direction of the first optical phase difference compensation plate when the linearly polarized light, which is visible light and has a fixed plane of vibration, is incident on the second optical phase difference compensation plate.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display is furnished with: a liquid crystal display element having a pair of substrates, to which alignment members are provided to their respective opposing surfaces, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched by the pair of substrates; an alignment mechanism for providing at least two different director configurations simultaneously on different arbitrary regions used for display in the liquid crystal layer; and a reflection film provided to at least one of the different arbitrary regions showing different director configurations; wherein the different arbitrary regions showing different director configurations are used for a reflection display section for showing reflection display and a transmission display section for showing transmission display, respectively.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display is furnished with: a liquid crystal display element having a pair of substrates, to which alignment members are provided to their respective opposing surfaces, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched by the pair of substrates; an alignment mechanism for providing at least two different director configurations simultaneously on different arbitrary regions used for display in the liquid crystal layer; and a reflection film provided to at least one of the different arbitrary regions showing different director configurations; wherein the different arbitrary regions showing different director configurations are used for a reflection display section for showing reflection display and a transmission display section for showing transmission display, respectively.

Abstract: A reflection-type liquid crystal display device includes a first liquid crystal display layer having a first liquid crystal layer including a liquid crystal molecule, a p-type dichroic dye and a polymer; a reflecting polarizer disposed to transmit linearly polarized light having a polarization direction in a transmitted axis direction of the first liquid crystal display layer; and the second liquid crystal display layer including a polarizer disposed to transmit the linearly polarized light transmitted through the first liquid crystal display layer and reflecting polarizer, a second liquid crystal layer capable of bright/dark display depending on presence or absence of an applied voltage, and a reflector, wherein the first liquid crystal display layer, reflecting polarizer and second liquid crystal display layer are stacked in this order from the side light is incident from, thus providing a reflection-type liquid crystal display device with desirable display quality, capable of bright and high-contrast displ

Abstract: A display includes a polarizing member and a reflective display element behind an EL element. The EL element self-emits light to display information and doubles as a display-use light source for the reflective display element. In a sufficiently bright environment, ambient light enters a liquid crystal layer after passing through a frontal substrate of the reflective display element, and is reflected from a metal electrode to produce displays. In addition to the direct light from the EL element, light that enters the liquid crystal layer is simultaneously used. In a dark environment, the EL element emits light, and displayed contents are visible owing to the reflection from the metal electrode as well as directly exiting light.

Abstract: A laminated phase plate is formed by laminating a first optical phase difference compensation plate (1) having a retardation between 100 and 180 nm for transmitted light with a wavelength of 550 nm and a second optical phase difference compensation plate (2) having a retardation between 200 and 360 nm for transmitted light with a wavelength of 550 nm.

Abstract: A reflective type liquid crystal display device in accordance with the present invention includes a reflector film having excellent polarization preservation properties and an anisotropic diffusing film for diffusing only the light polarized in a particular direction. The anisotropic diffusing film is composed of a complex of liquid crystal and a polymer and selectively diffuses incident light. If a liquid crystal layer composed of dichroic dye and liquid crystal is employed, it becomes possible to carry out high contrast display with the anisotropic diffusing film and the reflector film and to prevent reflections of nearby objects appearing on the screen.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display is furnished with: a liquid crystal display element having a pair of substrates, to which alignment members are provided to their respective opposing surfaces, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched by the pair of substrates; an alignment mechanism for providing at least two different director configurations simultaneously on different arbitrary regions used for display in the liquid crystal layer; and a reflection film provided to at least one of the different arbitrary regions showing different director configurations; wherein the different arbitrary regions showing different director configurations are used for a reflection display section for showing reflection display and a transmission display section for showing transmission display, respectively.

Abstract: A reflective display device includes a switching layer, placed between substrates, for switching between a transmissive state for allowing transmission of incident light and a scattering state for scattering the incident light, and a retro-reflector for reflecting an incident ray from the liquid crystal layer so that an outgoing ray of the reflected light is parallel to the incident ray. A pitch of smallest unit structures of the retro-reflector is set to be larger than 0 mm and not more than 5 mm. The retro-reflector is preferably in a form of a corner cube array and has light absorbing surface portions at borders of the smallest unit structures. With this reflective display device, brightness of white state and contrast ratio can be improved.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a reflecting plate having excellent reflecting characteristics and a reflection type liquid crystal display apparatus having an improved display quality. A mask has a plurality of basic uneven spot patterns for individual pixels, and two or more uneven regions for at least one basic uneven spot pattern are formed. Any two of the two or more uneven regions appear at least in a relation of parallel displacement in which the uneven spot patterns are displaced in parallel with each other, among relations of parallel displacement, rotational displacement and reversal of uneven spot pattern, and the uneven regions are irregularly arranged. A reflecting plate and a reflection type liquid crystal display apparatus both having convexes are manufactured by an exposure of a photosensitive resin film using the mask. Even in the case where an exposure step is repeated in different positions, no seam is observed.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display is furnished with: a liquid crystal display element having a pair of substrates, to which alignment members are provided to their respective opposing surfaces, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched by the pair of substrates; an alignment mechanism for providing at least two different director configurations simultaneously on different arbitrary regions used for display in the liquid crystal layer; and a reflection film provided to at least one of the different arbitrary regions showing different director configurations; wherein the different arbitrary regions showing different director configurations are used for a reflection display section for showing reflection display and a transmission display section for showing transmission display, respectively.

Abstract: A reflection-type liquid crystal display device includes upper and lower substrates which respectively have upper and lower electrodes, the upper and lower substrates being arranged in parallel with the upper electrode facing the lower electrode, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the upper and lower substrates, the upper substrate being transparent and having protruding portions adjacent to the liquid crystal layer, each protruding portion having a surface downwardly inclined to defined a prism, the lower substrate having light reflection portions and light absorption portions, wherein when an electric field is applied to the liquid crystal layer, incident light into the upper substrate is selectively directed to the light reflection portions and the light absorption portions by means of the protruding portions and the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A reflective type liquid crystal display device in accordance with the present invention includes a reflector film having excellent polarization preservation properties and an anisotropic diffusing film for diffusing only the light polarized in a particular direction. The anisotropic diffusing film is composed of a complex of liquid crystal and a polymer and selectively diffuses incident light. If a liquid crystal layer composed of dichroic dye and liquid crystal is employed, it becomes possible to carry out high contrast display with the anisotropic diffusing film and the reflector film and to prevent reflections of nearby objects appearing on the screen.

Abstract: A reflection-type liquid crystal displaying device is described. It has at least one optically transmitting first substrate on which an optically transmitting electrode is formed and a second substrate that reflects light. A liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first and the second substrates. An anisotropic scattering film for anisotropically scattering an incident light is formed directly on a side of the first substrate.

Abstract: A reflective-type liquid crystal display device in accordance with the present invention includes: a first substrate including a light-reflective electrode; a transparent second substrate including a transparent electrode; a nematic liquid crystal layer, sandwiched between the first and second substrates, having negative dielectric anisotropy, and twisting with application of a voltage; a plurality of optical retardation compensation plates disposed on a light-entering side of the second substrate; and a polarizer plate disposed on the light-entering side of the second substrate, wherein surfaces of the first and second substrates undergo substantially vertical alignment processing, and liquid crystal has a natural pitch p, a layer thickness d, and a refractive index differece .DELTA.n with respect to characteristic polarization thereof selected so as to satisfy 0<.vertline.d/p.vertline.<1 and 135 nm.ltoreq..DELTA.n.times.d.ltoreq.1200 nm.

Abstract: A reflection type liquid crystal display comprises a first substrate including a rough portion formed on a surface thereof and a reflection electrode formed on the rough portion; a second substrate including a counter electrode formed thereon; and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates, driven by the reflection electrode and the counter electrode to perform a display. The reflection electrode is made of aluminum or aluminum alloy, and the reflection electrode includes surface oxidation layer having at least 5 nm thickness. The first substrate includes a vertical alignment film made of insulating material formed on the surface oxidation layer of the reflection electrode.