OPTICAL COMPENSATION MEMBER, LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE, COMPOSITION FOR ALIGNMENT LAYER, AND ALIGNMENT LAYER

• US 20080303996A1
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Jun, Senoue, Masaharu, Morisawa, Kazuhiko
• Application Number:
  US12/133,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20080303996A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/117
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/208 for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3016 involving passive liquid crystal elements optical properties of liquid crystals G02F1/0063; polarising elements associated with active liquid crystal devices G02F1/133528
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3083 Birefringent or phase retarding elements G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133632 with refractive index ellipsoid inclined relative to the LC-layer surface
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133633 using mesogenic materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/083 infrared absorbing
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2413/105 with varying inclination in thickness direction, e.g. hybrid oriented discotic LC

Abstract

An optical compensation member is provided and includes an alignment layer, and an optical anisotropic layer composed of liquid crystal molecules and provided on the alignment layer, wherein the alignment layer contains an additive which suppresses transmission of light in a specific wavelength range.

Claims

1. An optical compensation member comprising:

an alignment layer; and

an optical anisotropic layer composed of liquid crystal molecules and provided on the alignment layer,

wherein the alignment layer contains an additive which suppresses transmission of light in a specific wavelength range.

2. The optical compensation member according to claim 1, wherein the additive includes a light-absorbing material which absorbs light in the specific wavelength range.

3. The optical compensation member according to claim 1, wherein the transmittance of light transmitting through the alignment layer is controlled by at least one of the concentration of the additive contained in the alignment layer and the thickness of the alignment layer.

4. The optical compensation member according to claim 1, wherein the alignment layer easily transmits light in the visible range and suppresses transmission of light in the near-infrared range included in light emitted from a backlight light source of a liquid crystal display device.

5. The optical compensation member according to claim 4, wherein the alignment layer includes an alignment layer material and a near-infrared-absorbing material used as the additive.

6. The optical compensation member according to claim 5, wherein the near-infrared-absorbing material is composed of at least one near-infrared-absorbing agent selected from the group consisting of a diimmonium compound, an aminium salt, an iminium salt, a diiminium salt, a quinone compound, a cyanine dye, a phthalocyanine compound, a naphthalocyanine compound, and a metal complex compound.

7. The optical compensation member according to claim 5, wherein the alignment layer material is a cellulose resin or a polyamide-imide resin.

8. The optical compensation member according to claim 4, wherein the average transmittance for light having a wavelength in the range of 400 to 700 nm is 85% or more.

9. The optical compensation member according to claim 4, wherein the average transmittance for light having a wavelength in the range of 850 to 1,150 mm is 80% or less.

10. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a liquid crystal panel in which the light transmittance is controlled by changing the alignment of liquid crystal molecules in a liquid crystal cell to display an image; and

an optical compensation member including an alignment layer, and an optical anisotropic layer composed of liquid crystal molecules and provided on the alignment layer,

wherein the alignment layer contains an additive which suppresses transmission of light in a specific wavelength range, and

wherein the optical compensation member according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is provided at one side or both sides of the liquid crystal cell.

11. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a backlight device,

wherein the liquid crystal display device functions as a transmissive liquid crystal display device.

12. A composition for an alignment layer for obtaining an alignment layer which aligns liquid crystal molecules, the composition comprising:

an alignment layer material; and

an additive which suppresses transmission of light in a specific wavelength range.

13. The composition for an alignment layer according to claim 12, wherein the additive is a light-absorbing material which absorbs light in the specific wavelength range.

14. The composition for an alignment layer according to claim 13, wherein the light-absorbing material is a near-infrared-absorbing material which easily transmits light in the visible range and which easily absorbs light in the near-infrared range.

15. The composition for an alignment layer according to claim 14, wherein the near-infrared-absorbing material is composed of at least one near-infrared-absorbing agent selected from the group consisting of a diimmonium compound, an aminium salt, an iminium salt, a diiminium salt, a quinone compound, a cyanine dye, a phthalocyanine compound, a naphthalocyanine compound, and a metal complex compound.

16. The composition for an alignment layer according to claim 14, wherein the alignment layer material is a cellulose resin or a polyamide-imide resin.

17. An alignment layer which aligns liquid crystal molecules, the alignment layer comprising:

a composition including

an alignment layer material, and

an additive which suppresses transmission of a light in a specific wavelength.

18. An alignment layer according to claim 17, wherein the additive is a light-absorbing material which absorbs light in the specific wavelength range.

19. An alignment layer according to claim 17, wherein the light-absorbing material is a near-infrared-absorbing material which easily transmits light in the visible range and which easily absorbs light in the near-infrared range.

20. An alignment layer according to claim 17, wherein the near-infrared-absorbing material is composed of at least one near-infrared-absorbing agent selected from the group consisting of a diimmonium compound, an aminium salt, an iminium salt, a diiminium salt, a quinone compound, a cyanine dye, a phthalocyanine compound, a naphthalocyanine compound, and a metal complex compound.

21. An alignment layer according to claim 17, wherein the alignment layer material is a cellulose resin or a polyamide-imide resin.