Abstract: An optical resin film, which has Re (?) and Rth (?) satisfying retardation requirements (A) to (D), and has a thickness of from 30 ?m to 80 ?m: (A) 0.1<Re (450)/Re (550)<0.95 (B) 1.03<Re (650)/Re (550)<1.93 (C) 0.4<(Re/Rth (450))/(Re/Rth (550)))<0.95 (D) 1.05<(Re/Rth (650)/(Re/Rth (550))<1.9, and a polarizing plate and a liquid crystal display device using the optical resin film.

Abstract: A novel method for analyzing optical characteristics of an optical medium is disclosed.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for forming an alignment layer to align the orientation direction of liquid crystals. In an apparatus 10 for forming an alignment layer according to the present invention, the shape of an edge 32a of a mask 12 for forming a slit 14 is determined by integrating the orientation direction of liquid crystals. The liquid crystals can be uniformly oriented by the edge 32a having such shape. This leads to the manufacturing of a liquid crystal display free from irregularity in brightness and color.

Abstract: An image display apparatus comprises a pixel electrode, a common electrode, an aperture defined between the pixel electrode and the common electrode. The image display apparatus also includes a scanning line, a signal line, and a shield layer separate from the common electrode to block an electric field generated by at least one of the scanning line and signal line from passing through the aperture.

Abstract: A novel optical compensation film is disclosed. The optical compensation film has Re/Rth(450 nm), a ratio of Re to Rth measured at 450 nm, 0.4 to 0.95 times as large as Re/Rth(550 nm) at 550 nm, and having Re/Rth(650 nm) at 650 nm 1.05 to 1.9 times as large as Re/Rth(550 nm) at 550 nm. In the formulae, Re is in-plane retardation defined as Re={(nx?ny)×d1}; Rth is depth retardation defined as Rth=[{(nx+ny)/2?nz}×d1]; d1(nm) is a thickness of the film, nx, ny and nz are respectively mean refractive indices in the directions of x-axis, y-axis and z-axis orthogonal to each other; nx and ny are in-plane main mean refractive indices in parallel with the surface of said optical compensation film (where, ny<nx); and nz is a depth main mean refractive index.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for forming an alignment layer to align the orientation direction of liquid crystals. In an apparatus 10 for forming an alignment layer according to the present invention, the shape of an edge 32a of a mask 12 for forming a slit 14 is determined by integrating the orientation direction of liquid crystals. The liquid crystals can be uniformly oriented by the edge 32a having such shape. This leads to the manufacturing of a liquid crystal display free from irregularity in brightness and color.

Abstract: An image display apparatus comprises a pixel electrode, a common electrode, an aperture defined between the pixel electrode and the common electrode. The image display apparatus also includes a scanning line, a signal line, and a shield layer separate from the common electrode to block an electric field generated by at least one of the scanning line and signal line from passing through the aperture.

Abstract: A method for forming functional structures for a liquid crystal display, in accordance with the present invention includes providing a substrate and patterning a first color filter layer on the substrate. A second color filter layer is patterned on the first color filter layer and the substrate such that the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer overlap at predetermined locations. A third color filter layer is patterned on the second color filter layer and the substrate such that an overlap region exists between the first, second and third color filter layers at the predetermined locations. The overlap region includes a thickness of the first, second and third color filter layers. A dielectric layer is provided to form the functional structures.

Abstract: A vertical alignment liquid crystal display device capable of a complete contrast compensation, particularly by performing an optical compensation using an optically uniaxial anisotropic sheet and an optically biaxial anisotropic sheet. A retardation of the optically uniaxial anisotropic sheet should have an opposite sign to the retardation of a liquid crystal layer, and absolute value of the retardation of the optically uniaxial anisotropic sheet should be within the range of 75 to 100% of the retardation of the liquid crystal layer. The optically uniaxial anisotropic sheet may be united with a polarizing plate. The optically biaxial anisotropic sheet should have a retardation axis which is parallel to a transmitting axis of any one of the polarizing plates. The optically biaxial anisotropic sheet should exhibit an in-plane retardation of 190 to 390 nm, and exhibit a retardation of 0.28 to 0.67 in its thickness direction.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a novel transparent type liquid crystal display having a high contrast and transmittance that does not depend on an open area ratio without reducing a response speed. More specifically, the transparent type liquid crystal display of the present invention comprises at least a pair of first and second substrates 1 and 2 and a liquid crystal layer 3 interposed between the first and second substrates 1 and 2. A plurality of first light transmission portions 4 are formed on the first substrate 1, and a plurality of second light transmission portions 5 are formed on the second substrate 2.

Abstract: A soluble polyimide solution is applied to the color filter substrate and the TFT substrate of a liquid crystal display. The lower half of the pixels in the color filter substrate and the upper half of the pixels in the TFT substrate are dried by heating by irradiating it with a laser beam. The remaining sections are thereafter dried naturally. The pretilt angle of the molecules of the liquid crystal material in contact with the sections dried by heating with the laser beam is small and the pretilt angle of the molecules which are in contact with the section dried naturally is large, enabling the viewing angle to be widened.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a light scattering liquid crystal display applicable to direct view type displays which realizes a structure with uniform-brightness and high-contrast. A liquid crystal display of this invention including a light scattering liquid crystal cell 10 comprising: polymer dispersed liquid crystal; a first surface and a second surface defining the liquid crystal cell 10; a background having black patterns 17, each occupying an area covering at least display pixel, and first openings 19 existing between the black patterns on the first surface; and opaque mask 21 having second openings 23 and shading the locations opposite to the first openings 19.