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Liquid crystal device with the retardation of the liquid crystal layer greater than .lambda./2 and a method for driving the same

  • US 5,640,259 A
  • Filed: 12/19/1994
  • Issued: 06/17/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A liquid crystal device comprising:

  • a pair of substrates;

    a liquid crystal layer interposed between the pair of substrates;

    at least one polarizing element;

    a plurality of pixels;

    a retardation (d×

    Δ

    n) of the liquid crystal layer satisfying one of a relation;

    
    
    space="preserve" listing-type="equation">d×

    Δ

    n>

    λ

    /2 in a case where an incident light is output after passing through the liquid crystal layer once, and a relation;

    
    
    space="preserve" listing-type="equation">2d×

    Δ

    n>

    λ

    /2 in a case where the incident light is output after passing through the liquid crystal layer twice, where d is a thickness of the liquid crystal layer, Δ

    n is a birefringence, and λ

    is a wavelength of the light incident on the liquid crystal layer; and

    driving voltage applying means for applying a driving voltage including a voltage higher than a maximum voltage providing an extremum of the output light intensity in a voltage-output light intensity characteristic of the pixels to the plurality of pixels thereby utilizing a relaxation process of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer to obtain a predetermined output light intensity.

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