Light control element, optical device, and electrical device having lightweight, and method of producing thereof

• US 6,400,430 B2
• Filed: 11/12/1999
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakao, Kenji, Yamamoto, Masao, Nishiyama, Seiji, Uemura, Tsuyoshi, Kubota, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Toan
• Assistant Examiner(s): QI, ZHI QIANG
• Application Number:
  US09/439,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20020001053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 349/89, 349/84, 349/141, 349/92, 349/93, 349/156
• US Class Current: 349/89
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133368 Cells having two substrates with different characteristics, e.g. different thickness or material
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133377 Cells with plural compartments or having plurality of liquid crystal microcells partitioned by walls, e.g. one microcell per pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1334 based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1341 Filling or closing of cells

Abstract

A liquid crystal display device of the invention comprises a transparent substrate 2 a transparent electrode 6 formed on the inner surface of the transparent substrate 2, an alignment layer 7 formed over the transparent electrode 6, a composite 5 formed over the alignment layer 7, and a transparent electrode 8 on the upper surface of the composite 5. The composite 5 comprises a transparent polymer 4 and a liquid crystal droplet 3. The liquid crystal droplet 3 is configured in a substantially hemispherical shape such that a bottom surface of the droplet is in contact with the alignment layer and the remaining surface excluding the bottom surface bulges towards an upper surface of the composite 5. The polymer 4 constitutes the other surface of the composite 5 such that the polymer 4 covers the hemispherical liquid crystal droplets 3. Thus, the invention achieves a liquid crystal display device in which one of the pair of substrates is eliminated and thereby the weight of the device is significantly reduced.

Claims

1. A light control element, comprising

a composite composed of a polymer resin and a liquid crystal, and a resin film formed on one surface of the composite, the light control element driven by applying an electric field to the composite,

the light control element characterized in that:

the resin film was previously subjected to an alignment treatment,

the liquid crystal is in contact with the resin film in one surface of the composite,

a layer of the polymer resin constitutes the other surface of the composite such that the layer of the polymer resin covers the liquid crystal,

the liquid crystal is sealed by the resin film and the layer of the polymer resin, and

the light control element does not employ a substrate for sealing the liquid crystal.

2. A light control element according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal is formed in the form of a plurality of droplets, and the plurality of droplets are juxtaposed on the substrate so as to form a single layer of the droplets.

3. Alight control element according to claim 2, wherein the liquid crystal has a flattened shape having a substantially uniform thickness.

4. A light control element according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of pixels each having the plurality of liquid crystal droplets therein, the optical device wherein a diameter of a bottom surface of the liquid crystal droplet is larger than a thickness of the composite.

5. An optical device comprising a composite provided on a substrate, the composite comprising a polymer resin and a liquid crystal, the optical device wherein:

the liquid crystal is in contact with the substrate on a surface of the composite adjacent to the substrate,

the polymer resin constitutes the other surface of the composite such that a layer of the polymer resin covers the liquid crystal,

a means for applying an electric field to the liquid crystal is provided,

the liquid crystal comprises a plurality of droplets, and the plurality of droplets are juxtaposed on the substrate as a single layer structure, and

the liquid crystal has a substantially hemispherical shape.

6. An optical device according to claim 5, wherein a diameter of a bottom surface of the liquid crystal is larger than a thickness of the composite.

7. An optical device according to claim 5, wherein a surface of the substrate facing the composite is subjected to a wettability controlling treatment.

8. An optical device according to claim 5, wherein a surface of the substrate facing the composite is subjected to a predetermined alignment treatment.

9. An optical device according to claim 8, wherein the alignment treatment is a horizontal alignment treatment.

10. An optical device according to claim 9, wherein a chiral agent is doped to the liquid crystal, and a liquid crystal display mode of the device is a twisted nematic mode.

11. An optical device according to claim 9, wherein

the means for applying an electric field is a means for applying an electric field in a direction of a substrate plane, and a liquid crystal display mode of the device is an in-plane switching mode.

12. An optical device according to claim 8, wherein the alignment treatment is a vertical alignment treatment.

13. An optical device according to claim 12, wherein the liquid crystal has a negative dielectric anisotropy, and a liquid crystal display mode of the device is a vertical alignment mode.

14. An optical device according to claim 5, wherein a liquid crystal display mode of the device is a scattering type display mode.

15. An optical device according to claim 5, wherein a reflective electrode is provided outside the composite, and a liquid crystal display mode of the device is a reflective liquid crystal display mode.

16. An optical device according to claim 5, wherein a gas barrier layer is provided on the polymer resin.

17. An optical device according to claim 16, wherein the gas barrier layer is an SiOx layer.

18. An optical device comprising a composite provided on a substrate, the composite comprising a polymer resin and a liquid crystal, the optical device wherein:

the liquid crystal is in contact with the substrate on a surface of the composite adjacent to the substrate,

the polymer resin constitutes the other surface of the composite such that a layer of the polymer resin covers the liquid crystal,

a means for applying an electric field to the liquid crystal is provided,

a surface energy of the substrate is larger than a surface energy of the liquid crystal, and

the surface energy of the substrate is 30 dyne/cm or higher.

19. An optical device according to claim 18, wherein a surface of the substrate facing the composite is subjected to a predetermined alignment treatment.

20. An optical device according to claim 19, wherein the alignment treatment is a horizontal alignment treatment.

21. An optical device according to claim 20, wherein a chiral agent is doped to the liquid crystal, and a liquid crystal display mode of the device is a twisted nematic mode.

22. An optical device according to claim 20, the means for applying an electric field is a means for applying an electric field in a direction of a substrate plane, and a liquid crystal display mode of the device is an in-plane switching mode.

23. An optical device according to claim 19, wherein the alignment treatment is a vertical alignment treatment.

24. An optical device according to claim 23, wherein the liquid crystal has a negative dielectric anisotropy, and a liquid crystal display mode of the device is a vertical alignment mode.

25. An optical device according to claim 18, wherein a liquid crystal display mode of the device is a scattering type display mode.

26. An optical device according to claim 18, wherein a reflective electrode is provided outside the composite, and a liquid crystal display mode of the device is a reflective liquid crystal display mode.

27. An optical device according to claim 18, wherein a gas barrier layer is provided on the polymer resin.

28. An optical device according to claim 27, wherein the gas barrier layer is an SiOx layer.

29. An optical device comprising a composite provided between a pair of substrates, the composite comprising a polymer resin and a liquid crystal, the optical device wherein:

the liquid crystal is in contact with one of the substrates on a surface of the composite adjacent to the one of the substrates,

the polymer resin constitutes the other surface of the composite adjacent to the other one of the substrates such that a layer of the polymer resin covers the liquid crystal,

a means for applying an electric field to the liquid crystal is provided,

the liquid crystal comprises a plurality of droplets, and the plurality of droplets are juxtaposed on the substrate as a single layer structure, and

the liquid crystal has a substantially hemispherical shape.

30. An optical device according to claim 29, wherein a diameter of a bottom surface of the liquid crystal is larger than a thickness of the composite.

31. An optical device according to claim 29, wherein a surface of the substrate facing the composite is subjected to a wettability controlling treatment.

32. An optical device according to claim 29, wherein a surface of the substrate facing the composite is subjected to a predetermined alignment treatment.

33. An optical device according to claim 29, wherein a liquid crystal display mode of the device is a scattering type display mode.

34. An optical device according to claim 29, wherein a reflective electrode is provided outside the composite, and a liquid crystal display mode of the device is a reflective liquid crystal display mode.

35. An optical device according to claim 29, wherein at least one of the pair of substrates is a film substrate.

36. An optical device according to claim 35, wherein the film substrate serves as a gas barrier.

37. An optical device comprising a composite provided between a pair of substrates, the composite comprising a polymer resin and a liquid crystal, the optical device wherein:

the liquid crystal is in contact with one of the substrates on a surface of the composite adjacent to the one of the substrates,

the polymer resin constitutes the other surface of the composite adjacent to the other one of the substrates such that a layer of the polymer resin covers the liquid crystal,

a means for applying an electric field to the liquid crystal is provided,

a surface energy of the substrate is larger than a surface energy of the liquid crystal, and

the surface energy of the substrate is 30 dyne/cm or higher.

38. An optical device according to claim 37, wherein a surface of the substrate facing the composite is subjected to a predetermined alignment treatment.

39. An optical device according to claim 37, wherein a liquid crystal display mode of the device is a scattering type display mode.

40. An optical device according to claim 37, wherein a reflective electrode is provided outside the composite, and a liquid crystal display mode of the device is a reflective liquid crystal display mode.

41. An optical device according to claim 37, wherein at least one of the pair of substrates is a film substrate.

42. An optical device according to claim 41, wherein the film substrate serves as a gas barrier.

43. A light control element comprising a composite composed of a polymer resin and a liquid crystal, and a resin film on one surface of the composite, the light control element driven by applying an electric field to the composite, the light control element characterized in that:

in one surface of the composite, the liquid crystal is in contact with the resin film,

a layer of the polymer resin constitutes the other surface of the composite such that the layer of the polymer resin covers the liquid crystal,

the liquid crystal comprises a plurality of droplets, and the plurality of droplets are juxtaposed on the substrate as a single layer structure, and

the liquid crystal has a substantially hemispherical shape.

44. A light control element according to claim 43, wherein a diameter of a bottom surface of the liquid crystal is larger than a thickness of the composite.

45. An electric device comprising a composite provided on a substrate, the composite comprising at least a first substance being a solid substance and a second substance, the composite wherein:

the second substance is in contact with the substrate in a surface of the composite adjacent to the substrate,

the other surface of the composite is composed of the first substance such that the first substance covers the second substance,

a surface energy of the substrate is larger than a surface energy of the liquid crystal, and

the surface energy of the substrate is 30 dyne/cm or higher.

46. An electric device according to claim 45, wherein the first substance is a polymer resin.

47. An electric device according to claim 45, wherein the first substance is a transparent substance.

48. An electric device according to claim 45, wherein the first substance is a liquid glass.