Liquid crystal display device
First Claim
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1. A liquid crystal device comprising:
- (1) a liquid crystal cell capable of rotating plane polarized light and comprising;
(i) two spaced transparent slides,(ii) a layer of a liquid crystal material comprising a cholesteric liquid crystal material having a molecular pitch substantially different from the wave length of visible light disposed between the two slides and(iii) an electrode structure mounted on each slide for applying an electric field across the thickness of the liquid crystal layer;
(2) at least one layer of birefringent material arranged parallel to the cell; and
(3) a polarizer and analyzer arranged parallel to the cell;
the arrangement being such that when an electric field is applied to the electrode structures the color of light passing through the device is observed to vary with variation in applied electric voltage.
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Abstract
A liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal cell capable of rotating plane polarized light, one or more layers of a birefringent material, and polarizers. Application of voltages to the liquid crystal cell changes the angular rotation of light passing through the device and hence changes the observed color. The actual color observed is dependent on the birefringent film, its thickness and its relative angular orientation to the polarized light.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A liquid crystal device comprising:
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(1) a liquid crystal cell capable of rotating plane polarized light and comprising; (i) two spaced transparent slides, (ii) a layer of a liquid crystal material comprising a cholesteric liquid crystal material having a molecular pitch substantially different from the wave length of visible light disposed between the two slides and (iii) an electrode structure mounted on each slide for applying an electric field across the thickness of the liquid crystal layer; (2) at least one layer of birefringent material arranged parallel to the cell; and (3) a polarizer and analyzer arranged parallel to the cell; the arrangement being such that when an electric field is applied to the electrode structures the color of light passing through the device is observed to vary with variation in applied electric voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A liquid crystal device comprising:
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(1) a plurality of liquid crysal cells each arranged to rotate plane polarized light by a different angle, each cell comprising; (i) two spaced transparent slides; (ii) a layer of liquid crystal material contained between the slides; and (iii) an electrode structure mounted on each slide for applying an electric field across the thickness of said layer; (2) at least one layer of birefringent material arranged parallel to the cells; and (3) a polarizer and analyzer arranged parallel to the cells, the arrangement being such that when electric voltages are applied to the electrode structures polarized light passing through the device may be rotated by a number of angular steps so that a plurality of different colors may be observed.
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15. A liquid crystal device comprising:
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(1) a liquid crystal cell capable of rotating plane polarized light and comprising; (i) two spaced transparent slides; (ii) a layer of liquid crystal material contained between the slides; and (iii) an electrode structure mounted on each slide for applying an electric field across the thickness of said layer; (2) at least one layer of a birefringent material arranged parallel to the cell; and (3) a polarizer and an analyzer arranged parallel to the cell and in front of the cell and birefringent layer; and (4) a reflector arranged behind the cell and birefringent layer;
the arrangement being such that when an electric voltage is applied to the electrode structures the color of light reflected from the device is observed to vary with variation in the applied electric voltage. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification