Optical writing type liquid crystal light valve and writing apparatus therefor

• US 5,231,282 A
• Filed: 01/17/1992
• Issued: 07/27/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Tahata, Shin, Nakajima, Hajime, Horikawa, Tsuyoshi, Mizunuma, Masaya, Kaho, Shigeyuki, Masumi, Tatsuo, Nishi, Kazuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Application Number:
  US07/822,109
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 250/213 R, 250/213 VT, 359/72, 359/242, 359/252, 359/253, 359/299, 359/315
• US Class Current: 349/27
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/135 Liquid crystal cells structurally associated with a photoconducting or a ferro-electric layer, the properties of which can be optically or electrically varied G02F1/133348 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1354 having a particular photoconducting structure or material
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/061 for resetting or blanking
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/141 the light conveying information used for selecting or modulating the light emitting or modulating element
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/02 by tracing or scanning a light beam on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/36 using liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7441 the modulator being an array of liquid crystal cells

Abstract

A liquid crystal light valve has a photoconductive layer between a pair of electrodes, and a liquid crystal layer. The resistivity of the photoconductive layer at the portion which is irradiated with light is reduced by partial light irradiation. By applying a voltage between the electrodes in this state, the voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer in the portion which is irradiated with light and the crystalline structure at this portion is changed, thereby enabling image data writing. The photoconductive layer is a laminate of an amorphous Si film and an inorganic insulating film disposed on the electrode side, which structure suppresses the carrier injection from the electrode to the amorphous Si film. The polarity of a voltage for writing image data into the liquid crystal light valve is inverted for every horizontal scanning operation. That is, writing of black portions on a white background and writing of white portions on a black background are alternately executed. It is therefore possible to write data on one line and erase the data on the next line by a voltage of one polarity. By periodically setting a period in which no voltage is applied during writing, writing error caused by stored charges is prevented.

Claims

1. An optical writing type liquid crystal light valve comprising:

a pair of electrodes;

a photoconductive layer having a conductivity which changes according to light irradiation; and

a liquid crystal layer having a molecular alignment which changes in accordance with an applied voltage;

said liquid crystal layer and said photoconductive layer being positioned between said pair of electrodes;

said photoconductive layer including,

an inorganic insulating film, and

a laminate of amorphous Si films;

said inorganic insulating film being formed closest to one of said electrodes;

said laminate of amorphous Si films being formed closest to said liquid crystal layer.

2. The optical writing type liquid crystal light valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inorganic insulating film is an SiO₂ film.

3. The optical writing type liquid crystal light valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inorganic insulating film has a thickness between 20 to 200 nm.