Active matrix liquid crystal display element and a projection type active matrix liquid crystal display apparatus

Claim 2

The active matrix liquid crystal display element according to Claim 1, wherein the direction of the long axis of each liquid crystal particle in the liquid crystal polymer composite material is substantially random in the three-dimensional space.

Claim 3

The active matrix liquid crystal display element according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein a single element is provided with R, G and B color filters, and the electrode gap dx (µm) for each color (d G represents the electrode gap of the active matrix liquid crystal display element for green light) and the dominant wavelength λ x (µm) of each color satisfy the relation: 4R < A·d G < 15R   (5A) and wherein at least two colors among the R, G and B colors satisfy the relation: di²/λi ≈ dj²/λj   (7) where i ≠ j, and i and j represent either among R, G and B colors.

Claim 4

The active matrix liquid crystal display element according to anyone of Claims 1 through 3, wherein the following relation: 0.2 < R·Δn < 0.7   (3) is satisfied.

Claim 5

The active matrix liquid crystal display element according to anyone of Claims 1 through 4, wherein the following relation: (Δn²·Δε)/(K33·η) > 0.0011   (4) is satisfied.

Claim 6

The active matrix liquid crystal display element according to anyone of Claims 1 through 5, wherein a curable compound used for the liquid crystal polymer composite material is a photo-curable compound, and the liquid crystal polymer composite material obtained by irradiating light to a composition of the liquid crystal and the photo-curable compound to thereby cure the compound, is used.

Claim 7

The active matrix liquid crystal display element according to anyone of Claims 1 through 6, wherein a composition of the liquid crystal and a curable compound is held between the two substrates, and wherein liquid crystal particles are formed in a non-spherical shape by utilizing the shrinkage of the polymer at the curing and the long axis of the particles directs substantially random directions.

Claim 8

A projection type active matrix liquid crystal display apparatus comprising a plurality of color light sources, a plurality of active matrix liquid crystal display elements for receiving light from each of the color light sources and a projection optical system which synthesizes and projects light emitted from the active matrix liquid crystal display elements, characterized in that each of the active matrix liquid crystal display elements comprises an active matrix substrate having an active element for each electrode for picture element, a counter electrode substrate provided with a counter electrode and a liquid crystal polymer composite material in which a nematic liquid crystal having a positive dielectric anisotropy is dispersed and held in a polymer matrix, said liquid crystal polymer composite material being held between the active matrix substrate and the counter electrode substrate provided with the counter electrode, and the refractive index of the polymer matrix substantially agreeing with the ordinary refractive index (n₀) of the liquid crystal used; that the average particle diameter Rx (µm) of the liquid crystal corresponding to each color, which is dispersed and held in the polymer matrix, the aspect ratio A in average of liquid crystal particles, the specific dielectric anisotropy Δεx, the elastic constant K33x(10⁻¹²N), the viscosity ηx(cSt) and the refractive index anisotropy Δnx of the liquid crystal, the gap dx (µm) between the counter electrode and the picture element electrode, and the main wavelength λx (µm) of each of the colors satisfy the following relations: 3(K33x/ηx) 0.5 > Rx/Ax > 0.7(K33x/Δεx) 0.5 (1A) and 1.3 < Ax < 2.3   (2A) wherein at least a pair of the active matrix liquid crystal display elements satisfies the relations: (Δni·Ri)/(Ai·λi) ≈ (Δnj·Rj)/(Aj·λj)   (8) and di/Ri ≈ dj/Rj   (9) where i ≠ j, and i and j represent either color, or it satisfies the relation: Δni·di²/λi ≈ Δnj·dj²/λj   (10) where i and j are described above; and that in a plane cut in the direction perpendicular to the surface on the electrodes of the liquid crystal polymer composite material, the direction of the long axis of each liquid crystal particle is substantially random in the two-dimensional space.

Claim 9

The projection type active matrix liquid crystal display apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein said color light sources are R, G an B color light sources, x satisfies both the equations (1A) and (2A) for each of the R, G and B colors, and wherein the relations: (Δn R ·R R )/(A R ·λ R ) ≈ (Δn G ·R G )/(A G ·λ G ) ≈ (Δn B ·R B )/(A B ·λ B )   (8A) and d R /R R ≈ d G /R G ≈ d B /R B (9A) are satisfied, or the relation: Δn R ·d R ²/λ R ≈ Δn G ·d G ²/λ G ≈ Δn B ·d B ²/λ B (10A) is satisfied.

Claim 10

The projection type active matrix liquid crystal display apparatus according to Claim 8 or 9, wherein an active matrix liquid crystal display element which satisfies the relation: 0.2 < Rx·Δnx < 0.7   (3A) is used.

Claim 11

The projection type active matrix liquid crystal display apparatus according to anyone of Claims 8 through 10, wherein an active matrix liquid crystal display element which satisfies the relation: (Δnx²·Δεx)/(K33x·ηx) > 0.0011   (4A) is used.