Liquid Crystal Display with Slit Electrode and Photo-Aligned Layer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Vertically-aligned mode liquid crystal displays face reduced light transmittance due to the horizontal component of the electric field in the fringe electric field, which affects their contrast ratio and viewing angle.
Innovation Solution
A liquid crystal display design featuring a first and second substrate with a liquid crystal layer in between, including a first electrode, an insulating layer, a second electrode with a fine slit structure, and an alignment layer with a sub-alignment substance, where different voltages are applied to the electrodes to generate a vertical electric field, minimizing the impact of the horizontal electric field component.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a vertically-aligned mode liquid crystal display uses a fringe electric field to arrange liquid crystal molecules in various directions, then the display achieves wide viewing angle and large contrast ratio, but the horizontal component of the electric field reduces light transmittance
Solution Approach 1:
The second electrode is divided into multiple fine slit structures arranged in a specific pattern, which segment the electric field distribution to minimize horizontal field components while maintaining vertical alignment of liquid crystal molecules
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment layer is configured with different properties in different regions: it has alignment grooves in some areas and is free of alignment grooves in other areas, creating local variations in alignment characteristics to optimize both viewing angle and light transmittance
2Ease of operation
If the alignment layer has alignment grooves to control liquid crystal molecule orientation, then the display achieves good viewing angle, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing alignment grooves across the entire alignment layer, the invention applies alignment grooves only in specific regions where they are needed for optimal viewing angle, leaving other regions without grooves to simplify the overall structure and reduce manufacturing complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances light transmittance and alignment of liquid crystal molecules, maintaining a high contrast ratio and wide viewing angle while reducing transmittance loss, thereby improving the display's performance.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the liquid crystal layer and the alignment layer includes a sub-alignment substance... radiating light to the liquid crystal layer while applying the different voltages to the second electrode and the third electrode
Implementation Method 2
The electric field determines the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer, which controls the polarization of light from the light source
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid crystal display may include a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer comprising liquid crystal molecules that are interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a first electrode disposed on the first substrate, an insulating layer disposed on the first electrode, a second electrode disposed on the insulating layer, a third electrode disposed on the second substrate, and an alignment layer disposed on any one of the second electrode and the third electrode. The second electrode comprises a fine slit structure, and at least one of the liquid crystal layer and the alignment layer comprises a sub-alignment substance.