IP Library Granted Patent US 7,787,083
Granted Patent B2
US 7,787,083 · App. 11/653,834 · Granted Aug 31, 2010

Liquid crystal device and electronic apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,787,083
App. No.
11/653,834
Granted
Aug 31, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A liquid crystal device includes a first substrate having an alignment film; a second substrate disposed opposite the first substrate and having first and second electrodes and an alignment film; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the alignment films of the first and second substrates; a retardation film disposed on a side of the first substrate facing away from the liquid crystal layer; a first polarizer disposed on the side of the first substrate facing away from the liquid crystal layer; and a second polarizer disposed on a side of the second substrate facing away from the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer is aligned in a direction parallel to the first and second substrates by the alignment films and is driven by an electric field generated between the first and second electrodes. The slow axis of the retardation film is parallel to the transmission axis of the first or second polarizer and is parallel to the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer. The Nz coefficient and the phase shift Δnd (nm) of the retardation film fall within a range defined on a graph showing Nz coefficients and phase shifts Δnd as points (Nz, Δnd) by linking point A 1 (0.3, 68), point A 2 (0.5, 175), point A 3 (0.7, 215), point A 4 (0.7, 332), point A 5 (0.5, 365), and point A 6 (0.3, 230). The Nz coefficient is defined by the following formula (1): Nz =( nx−nz )/| nx−ny|   (1).

Claims (32)

1. A liquid crystal device comprising:

a liquid crystal panel including a first substrate, a second substrate which has first and second electrodes, and a liquid crystal disposed between the first and second substrates, an electric field generated between the first and second electrodes driving the liquid crystal;

a first polarizer;

a second polarizer, the liquid crystal panel being disposed between the first and the second polarizers; and

a retardation film disposed between the liquid crystal panel and one of the first and the second polarizers;

a sub-pixel region formed in a matrix;

wherein the retardation film has a slow axis which is parallel to the transmission axis of the one of the first and second polarizers, and the liquid crystal initially aligns in a direction parallel to the slow axis of the retardation film,

wherein a point (Nz, Δnd) falls within a range surrounded by points of A 1 (0.3, 68), point A 2 (0.5, 175), point A 3 (0.7, 215), point A 4 (0.7, 332), point A 5 (0.5, 365), and point A 6 (0.3, 230), Δnd (nm) being a phase shift of the retardation film and Nz being the coefficient of the retardation film defined by the following formula (1):

Nz =( nx−nz )/| nx−ny|   (1),

and

wherein one of the first and second electrodes forms a pixel electrode, and the other forms a common electrode, the pixel electrode being connected to a TFT element and the common electrode covering the sub-pixel region in plan view.

2. An electronic apparatus comprising the liquid crystal device according to claim 1 .

3. The liquid crystal device according to claim 1 , further comprising an insulating layer disposed between first and second electrodes.

4. The liquid crystal device according to claim 1 , further comprising a display pixel including a plurality of sub-pixel regions, wherein each sub-pixel region includes a reflective display region.

5. The liquid crystal device according to claim 4 , wherein the retardation film is disposed on a display side of the liquid crystal panel.

6. A liquid crystal device comprising:

a liquid crystal panel including a first substrate, a second substrate which has first and second electrodes, and a liquid crystal disposed between the first and the second substrates, an electric field generated between the first and second electrodes driving the liquid crystal;

a first polarizer;

a second polarizer, the liquid crystal panel being disposed between the first and the second polarizers;

a first retardation film disposed between the liquid crystal panel and one of the first and the second polarizers;

a second retardation film disposed between the liquid crystal panel and one of the first polarizer; and

a third retardation film disposed between the liquid crystal panel and the second polarizer;

a sub-pixel region formed in a matrix;

wherein the first retardation film has a slow axis which is parallel to the transmission axis of the one of the first and second polarizers, and the liquid crystal initially aligns in a direction parallel to the slow axis of the retardation film,

wherein a point (Nz, Δnd) falls within a range surrounded by points of C 1 (0, 68), point C 2 (0.3, 71), point C 3 (0.5, 104), point C 4 (0.5, 184), point C 5 (0.3, 227), and point C 6 (0, 162), Δnd (nm) being a phase shift of the retardation film and Nz being the coefficient of the retardation film defined by the following formula (1):

Nz =( nx−nz )/| nx−ny|   (1),

and

wherein one of the first and second electrodes forms a pixel electrode, and the other forms a common electrode, the pixel electrode being connected to a TFT element and the common electrode covering the sub-pixel region in plan view.

7. The liquid crystal device according to claim 6 , further comprising an insulating layer disposed between the first and second electrodes.

8. The liquid crystal device according to claim 7 , wherein one of the first and the second electrodes forms a pixel electrode, and the other forms a common electrode, the pixel electrode being connected to a TFT element.

9. The liquid crystal device according to claim 6 , further comprising a display pixel including a plurality of sub-pixel regions, wherein each sub-pixel region includes a reflective display region.

10. The liquid crystal device according to claim 9 , wherein the retardation film is disposed on a display side of the liquid crystal panel.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 11, 2025
From: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
To: MAGNOLIA WHITE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072398/0001 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 24, 2025
From: JAPAN DISPLAY EAST INC.; JAPAN DISPLAY WEST INC.
To: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
Reel/Frame 071935/0063 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2013
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: JAPAN DISPLAY WEST INC.
Reel/Frame 031377/0914 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2010
From: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024500/0239 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 22, 2007
From: SANYO EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
To: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 019066/0784 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2007
From: MATSUSHIMA, TOSHIHARU
To: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 018933/0522 →