Twisted nematic liquid crystal display device

Claim 1

A twisted nematic liquid crystal display device comprising: a twisted nematic liquid crystal cell including a pair of parallel substrates provided with electrodes and a nematic liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates, the liquid crystal molecules being twisted gradually from one substrate to the other substrate according to the orientation on the substrates by 80-100 degrees in the absence of electric field, and being oriented substantially orthogonal to the substrate when a voltage is applied between the electrodes, thereby exhibiting a positive optical anisotropy; a pair of crossed polarizers sandwiching the twisted nematic liquid crystal cell and having polarization axes mutually crossing orthogonally; and anisotropy compensating means disposed between the liquid crystal cell and at least one of the polarizers, including at least two sheets of anisotropic film, the optic axes of which are relatively rotated to make an angle o about 90 degrees in a plane or planes parallel to the substrate, and exhibiting, in total, a negative optical anisotropy with an axis along the normal of the substrate which compensates the positive optical anisotropy of the liquid crystal layer, when the liquid crystal molecules are oriented normal to the substrate under the application of an electric field.