Patent · US Expired

Light valve having reduced reflected light, high brightness and high contrast

US5737050A · kind A · utility

52Cited by
16References
41Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 16, 1996
Grant dateApr 7, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 16, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02F1/133553
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

In a light valve, a liquid crystal layer made of liquid crystal/resin composite is interposed between a transparent substrate with a counterelectrode and a reflection substrate with reflection electrodes. The size of the transparent substrate is designed so that the light modulated by the liquid crystal layer is prevented from again entering into the liquid crystal layer after reflected at an interface of the transparent substrate with air. The transparent substrate may be combined with a transparent plate or flat concave lens with a transparent coupling material. Each pixel has a reflection electrode and liquid crystal molecules above the reflection electrode are aligned according to the signals supplied to thin film transistors. The counterelectrode is formed as a multi-layer film of dielectric films and a transparent electrically conductive film. The dielectric films are made of a material having a refractive index of 1.6-1.8, and the optical thickness of the dielectric films is .lambda./4 while that of the transparent electrically conductive film is .lambda./2. Thus, the reflection of light is prevented by the interference in the multi-layer film. By using the light valve appar…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.