Abstract: A liquid crystal device is constituted by (a) a pair of base plates each having an orientation control film thereon, and (b) a liquid crystal composition interposed between the base plates. The liquid crystal composition comprises a mixture including at least one liquid crystal compound which has a temperature range in which it shows chiral smectic phase and at least one optically active substance which does not have a temperature range in which it shows chiral smectic phase. The liquid crystal composition has a temperature range in which it shows cholesteric phase and is placed in chiral smectic phase which has been formed through cholesteric phase on temperature decrease. The liquid crystal composition comprises liquid crystal molecules having long axes forming a pre-tilt in the chiral smectic phase.

Abstract: A storage capacitor is constituted by a storage capacitor electrode, made of a transparent and conductive film extending substantially all over a substrate, and pixel electrodes overlapping with the storage capacitor electrode via an interlevel insulation layer. The storage capacitor holds charges. The storage capacitor electrode is positioned such that it faces the entire surface of the pixel electrodes. Since the transparent and conductive storage capacitor electrode does not reduce the aperture ratio, the storage capacitor can have a large capacitance. A signal voltage applied to the storage capacitor electrode is determined so as not to activate the thin film transistors which are not selected. A light-shielding layer is present at a position between pixel electrodes on or under the storage capacitor electrode. The light-shielding layer shields the thin film transistors, gate lines and drain lines from incident light, thereby preventing reduction of contrast of displayed pictures.

Abstract: A light valve includes a light valve layer for forming an optical image as variations in its ability to scatter light, and two substrates between which the light valve layer is sandwiched and at least one of which is transparent. The light valve satisfies the following condition: ##EQU1## where t denotes a central thickness of the at least one of the substrates, n denotes a refractive index of the at least one of the substrates and d denotes a maximum diameter of an effective display area of the light valve layer. Alternatively, a transparent plate can be optically coupled to one of the substrates by a transparent body. In this case, the same condition is satisfied except that the thickness refers to a central thickness from a face of the transparent plate remote from the transparent body to the light valve layer.

Abstract: A projection-type liquid crystal display is provided with an image-outputting section which includes a liquid-crystal panel. On the light-releasing side of the liquid crystal panel, an active-matrix substrate and a polarizing element are bonded to each other with a bonding material that has virtually the same refractive index as that of these members so as to reduce internal reflection on the light-releasing surface of the active-matrix substrate and external reflection on the light-incident surface of the polarizing element. Further, a reflection-reducing coating layer is formed on the light-releasing surface of the light-releasing-side polarizing element to reduce internal reflection on the light-releasing surface of the polarizing element.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal display device which comprises first and second transparent substrates disposed one above the other, and a liquid crystal layer disposed therebetween and having pixels. The second transparent substrate includes a microlens array therein, which has microlenses for converging light on the respective pixels. The microlenses are so positioned that their focal points are located in the vicinity of the inner surface of the second transparent substrate, which is the surface on the side provided with the liquid crystal layer. Since the microlens array is included in one of the two transparent substrates, the focal length of each microlens can be made shorter, resulting in an improved effective aperture ratio.

Abstract: A flat panel liquid crystal display module (34) has its front face adjacent a rear projection screen (40) and is illuminated by a pre-polarized collimated light source (10,14,16,18,22,26). Collimation is provided by either a Fresnel lens or a projection lens having a long focal length. The characteristics of the projection screen (40) provide narrowed vertical viewing angle and a fiber optic face plate (38) between the liquid crystal module (34) and the screen (40) provides sunlight rejection. The arrangement has greatly improved display brightness, with only minimal changes in contrast and color as viewing angle changes.

Abstract: A tunable wavelength filter is independent of the polarization. The filter includes first and second liquid crystal layers. Each liquid crystal layer includes two opposing glass substrates on which transparent electrodes, dielectric mirrors and alignment layers are coated in this order, respectively, and a liquid crystal interposed between the opposing alignment layers. In the first liquid crystal layer, the molecule alignment of the liquid crystal is twisted by n.pi./2 radian to one twisting direction where n is a positive uneven number. In the second liquid crystal layer, the molecule alignment of the liquid crystal is twisted by -n.pi./2 radian to the twisting direction. The first and second crystal layers are laid to overlap each other so that an axis of liquid crystal molecules on the emission side of the first liquid layer is perpendicular to an axis of liquid crystal molecules on the incidence side of the second liquid crystal layer.