Abstract: An electro-optic device having at least one liquid crystal cell for providing spatially variable control of light includes: a pair of opposed substrates sandwiching a liquid crystal layer therebetween; a pair of electrodes for applying an electric field therebetween, each electrode being deposited on a corresponding substrate; and a liquid crystal reservoir wall defining a lateral extent of the liquid crystal layer between the substrates. The reservoir wall includes: a first bottom barrier deposited on a bottom one of the pair of substrates; and a second curable top barrier deposited on the top substrate outside the first barrier. The first barrier and second uncured barrier are configured to merge on contact to retain liquid crystal material inside the reservoir wall prior to curing the second barrier. Also, a method of wafer level manufacturing and assembly of a liquid crystal optical device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for testing operation of a single or multiple tunable active optical device(s) operated by one or more driving electrodes are described. Test methods and apparatus are provided for device testing without necessarily requiring direct physical contact with the driving electrodes. Testing subjects devices to incident light along an optical path and to an external electric field applied to the device producing a dipolar charge distribution within the electrodes, causing the device to operate. The effect of device operation on incident light is optically sensed. The sensed effect is analyzed to identify device defects. Test methods and apparatus are provided for testing multiple unsingulated devices during fabrication employing a strip contact structure having contact strips connected to multiple devices and extending to wafer edges, such that singulating devices leaves portions of the strip contact structure exposed on device dice edges providing electrical contacts in use.

Abstract: An electro-optic device having at least one liquid crystal cell for providing spatially variable control of light includes: a pair of opposed substrates sandwiching a liquid crystal layer therebetween; a pair of electrodes for applying an electric field therebetween, each electrode being deposited on a corresponding substrate; and a liquid crystal reservoir wall defining a lateral extent of the liquid crystal layer between the substrates. The reservoir wall includes: a first bottom barrier deposited on a bottom one of the pair of substrates; and a second curable top barrier deposited on the top substrate outside the first barrier. The first barrier and second uncured barrier are configured to merge on contact to retain liquid crystal material inside the reservoir wall prior to curing the second barrier. Also, a method of wafer level manufacturing and assembly of a liquid crystal optical device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for testing operation of a single or multiple tunable active optical device(s) operated by one or more driving electrodes are described. Test methods and apparatus are provided for device testing without necessarily requiring direct physical contact with the driving electrodes. Testing subjects devices to incident light along an optical path and to an external electric field applied to the device producing a dipolar charge distribution within the electrodes, causing the device to operate. The effect of device operation on incident light is optically sensed. The sensed effect is analyzed to identify device defects. Test methods and apparatus are provided for testing multiple unsingulated devices during fabrication employing a strip contact structure having contact strips connected to multiple devices and extending to wafer edges, such that singulating devices leaves portions of the strip contact structure exposed on device dice edges providing electrical contacts in use.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for testing operation of a single or multiple tunable active optical device(s) operated by one or more driving electrodes are described Test methods and apparatus are provided for device testing without necessarily requiring direct physical contact with the driving electrodes Testing subjects devices to incident light along an optical path and to an external electric field applied to the device producing a dipolar charge distribution within the electrodes, causing the device to operate The effect of device operation on incident light is optically sensed The sensed effect is analyzed to identify device defects Test methods and apparatus are provided for testing multiple unsingulated devices during fabrication employing a strip contact structure having contact strips connected to multiple devices and extending to wafer edges, such that singulating devices leaves portions of the strip contact structure exposed on device dice edges providing electrical contacts in use.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for testing operation of a single or multiple tunable active optical device(s) operated by one or more driving electrodes are described Test methods and apparatus are provided for device testing without necessarily requiring direct physical contact with the driving electrodes Testing subjects devices to incident light along an optical path and to an external electric field applied to the device producing a dipolar charge distribution within the electrodes, causing the device to operate The effect of device operation on incident light is optically sensed The sensed effect is analyzed to identify device defects Test methods and apparatus are provided for testing multiple unsingulated devices during fabrication employing a strip contact structure having contact strips connected to multiple devices and extending to wafer edges, such that singulating devices leaves portions of the strip contact structure exposed on device dice edges providing electrical contacts in use.

Abstract: The present invention is aimed to make displays with wide viewing angle possessing higher brightness in transmission mode and to develop more simple method for making such displays. This target is achieved by making in display with multiple pixels deflecting elements of dielectric material and depositing them over the electric conductive coating at least on one of the substrates the space between which is occupied by liquid crystal. Dielectric deflecting elements may be displaced along the perimeter of the pix as well as across its area. After applying electric voltage to the electrodes at the opposite substrates at the interface LC-dielectric deflecting dement distortions of the electric field arise with the component of electric field parallel to substrates.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of electronics and may be used for making displays and, in particular, liquid crystal information displays, panels, cells e.t.c. The object of invention is to simplify the method for making liquid crystal devices by reducing the number of technological operations and consequently to reduce the cost of liquid crystal display without sacrificing the quality (wide viewing angle). To achieve this the electric field applied to the liquid crystal in such display has the non-uniform component parallel to the plane of the substrates, which leads to the non-uniform reorientation of the aforementioned liquid crystal in the space between the aforementioned electrodes within the pixel area and hence improves optical properties of this display in various directions of observation.

Abstract: An optical apparatus comprises a reflective liquid crystal (LC) panel, and an optical device. The LC panel includes a twisted-nematic (TN) LC material, wherein one mode of the LC material includes a 90 degree twist (90TN0). A color sequential light valve may incorporate the LC material with the 90 degree twist (90TN0). The LC panel beneficially exhibits a contrast of at least approximately 1000:1. Moreover the LC panel exhibits minimal divergence between transfer characteristics for different colors of the optical system. Furthermore, the LC panel provides a higher contrast and superior uniformity in both dark and bright states, compared to known LC devices. Finally, the use of retarders in LC-based systems may be minimized or eliminated using the LC panel.

Abstract: The present invention is aimed to make displays with wide viewing angle possessing higher brightness in transmission mode and to develop more simple method for making such displays. This target is achieved by making in display with multiple pixels deflecting elements (5, 6) of dielectric material and depositing them over the electric conductive coating at least on one of the substrates (1, 2) the space between which is occupied by liquid crystal. Dielectric deflecting elements (5, 6) may be displaced along the perimeter of the pix as well as across its area. After applying electric voltage to the electrodes (3) at the opposite substrates (1, 2) at the interface LC-dielectric deflecting dement distortions of the electric field arise with the component of electric field parallel to substrates.

Abstract: A method for driving an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal display (LCD) panel in which a plurality of parallel signal electrode lines are arranged over anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal cells (LCs) and a plurality of parallel scan electrode lines are arranged below the anti-ferroelectric LCs, perpendicular to the signal electrode lines is provided. The method includes the steps of selectively shifting LCs into a ferroelectric state, keeping the selected LCs in the ferroelectric state, activating the selected LCs, and restoring the activated LCs to an anti-ferroelectric state. In particular, a scan selection voltage is applied to a scan electrode lines to be scanned, and a display data signal is applied to all of the signal electrode lines, to selectively shift LCs into a ferroelectric state.