Reflection mode liquid crystal display devices having a parallel electric field and .alpha..sub.0 which is .ltoreq. 30.degree.

US5841499A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Merck Patent GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Gunter Baur · Glückstadt, DE
• Waltraud Fehrenbach · Hersbruck, DE
• Barbara Weber Ne Staudacher · Ettenheim, DE
• Friedrich Windscheid · Schallstadt, DE
• Rudolf Kiefer · Denzlingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 4, 1996
• Grant date: Nov 24, 1998
• Expiry date: Apr 4, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02F2201/124
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An electro-optical display device comprising a liquid crystal layer achieves switching using an electric field component which is predominantly parallel to the surface of the liquid crystal layer. Low dependence of image contrast on viewing angle is achieved by selection of parameters including pretilt angle .alpha..sub.0, orientation angle .beta..sub.0, etc. of the liquid crystal molecules in the layer. Reflection mode devices are described.