US5168383A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Liquid crystal device with fabry-perot etalon
Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc
•
Filing: 1989-11-29
•
Granted: 1992-12-01
•
Expires: 2009-11-29
Abstract
Abstract The liquid crystal device has a pair of flat glass substrates, a pair of dielectric multilayer film mirror, a plurality of transparent electrodes arranged in a matrix, a plurality of minute insulating films formed on inner face of the glass substrates, and a liquid crystal layer. A pair of dielectric multilayer film mirror constitute a Fabry-Perot etalon via the liquid crystal layer and enhance a contrast ratio. The minute insulating films are formed by physical vapor deposition and attain a uniform thickness, so that a liquid crystal device having a uniform cell gap is obtained.
Inventors
- 👤 Tadao Iwaki
- 👤 Hiroshi Kuroda
- 👤 Junko Yamanaka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 04:17
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; G02F1/1333; G02F1/1335; G02F1/133553; C; C09; C09K; C09K19/00; C09K19/04; C09K19/42; C09K19/46; G02F1/1339; G02F1/13394; G02F1/1343; G02F1/134309; G02F1/134336; G02F1/21; G02F1/216; G02F1/13392; G02F1/137; G02F1/139; G02F1/1396; G02F1/141
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
A liquid crystal device comprising: a first substrate having a first glass substrate, a first dielectric multilayer film mirror formed on said first glass substrate, a plurality of column electrodes formed on the first dielectric multilayer film mirror, a plurality of first electrodes formed on said first dielectric multilayer film mirror and connected to the column electrodes, and a first alignment layer; a second substrate having a second glass substrate, a second dielectric multilayer film mirror formed on said second glass substrate, a plurality of row electrodes formed on the second dielectric multilayer film mirror, a plurality of second electrodes formed on said second dielectric multilayer film mirror and connected to the row electrodes, and a second alignment layer; a liquid crystal layer placed between said first and second substrates; and wherein the column and row electrodes cross over one another to define a matrix of cross-over points each corresponding to one picture element, each picture element having a pair of opposed pixel electrodes comprised of one of said first electrodes and one of said second electrodes with the liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, and wherein light transmittance through each picture element depends on an etalon via the liquid crystal layer and is controlled by a voltage applied to the first and second electrodes to effect a change of refractivity of the liquid crystal layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
225 words
A liquid crystal device comprising: a first substrate having a first glass substrate, a first dielectric multilayer film mirror formed on said first glass substrate, a plurality of column electrodes formed on the first dielectric multilayer film mirror, a plurality of first electrodes formed on said first dielectric multilayer film mirror and connected to the column electrodes, and a first alignment layer; a second substrate having a second glass substrate, a second dielectric multilayer film mirror formed on said second glass substrate, a plurality of row electrodes formed on the second dielectric multilayer film mirror, a plurality of second electrodes formed on said second dielectric multilayer film mirror and connected to the row electrodes, and a second alignment layer; a liquid crystal layer placed between said first and second substrates; and wherein the column and row electrodes cross over one another to define a matrix of cross-over points each corresponding to one picture element, each picture element having a pair of opposed pixel electrodes comprised of one of said first electrodes and one of said second electrodes with the liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, and wherein light transmittance through each picture element depends on an etalon via the liquid crystal layer and is controlled by a voltage applied to the first and second electrodes to effect a change of refractivity of the liquid crystal layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A liquid crystal device claimed in claim 1; wherein each of said first and second glass substrates has a flatness of 0.05 μm or less.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A liquid crystal device claimed in claim 1; wherein each of said first and second electrodes comprises a plurality of transparent electrodes arranged in a matrix, and a plurality of metal electrodes arranged in rows.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A liquid crystal device claimed in claim 3; wherein each of said transparent electrodes has a picture element electrode and a junction electrode, and each of said metal electrodes is connected to a row of said picture element electrodes through said junction electrodes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A liquid crystal device claimed in claim 1 further comprising gap control means for forming a gap between said first and second substrates uniformly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A liquid crystal device claimed in claim 5; wherein said gap control means comprise a plurality of minute insulating films formed on an inner face of at least one of said first glass substrate and said second glass substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A liquid crystal device claimed in claim 1; wherein said liquid crystal layer comprises one of ferroelectric liquid crystal composition and TN liquid crystal composition.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A liquid crystal device claimed in claim 6; wherein said liquid crystal layer comprises ferroelectric liquid crystal composition.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A liquid crystal device claimed in claim 1; wherein each of said first and second dielectric multilayer film mirrors has a reflectivity of 50% or more.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
125 words
A liquid crystal device comprising: first and second glass substrates having a liquid crystal material interposed therebetween; first and second dielectric multilayer film mirrors on respective inner surfaces of the substrates to effect a Fabry-Perot etalon via the liquid crystal; a plurality of first pixel electrodes on the first dielectric multilayer film mirror; a plurality of second pixel electrodes on the second dielectric multilayer film mirror, the second pixel electrodes being opposed to respective first pixel electrodes with the liquid crystal material interposed therebetween to define a column-by-row matrix of picture elements; and means for selectively applying voltage to the opposed first and second pixel electrodes of each picture element to effect a change of refractivity of the liquid crystal material of each picture element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
125 words
A liquid crystal device comprising: first and second glass substrates having a liquid crystal material interposed therebetween; first and second dielectric multilayer film mirrors on respective inner surfaces of the substrates to effect a Fabry-Perot etalon via the liquid crystal; a plurality of first pixel electrodes on the first dielectric multilayer film mirror; a plurality of second pixel electrodes on the second dielectric multilayer film mirror, the second pixel electrodes being opposed to respective first pixel electrodes with the liquid crystal material interposed therebetween to define a column-by-row matrix of picture elements; and means for selectively applying voltage to the opposed first and second pixel electrodes of each picture element to effect a change of refractivity of the liquid crystal material of each picture element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of said first and second glass substrates has a flatness of 0.05 μm or less.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising means forming a uniform gap between said first and second substrates.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said means forming the gap comprises a plurality of minute insulating films formed between said first glass substrate and said second glass substrate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the liquid crystal is composed of a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the liquid crystal is composed of one of a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition and a TN liquid crystal composition.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 10, wherein each dielectric multilayer film mirror has a reflectivity of at least 50%.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
The liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the means for selectively applying voltage comprises a plurality of column electrodes each connected to a respective column of first pixel electrodes, and a plurality of row electrodes each connected to a respective row of second pixel electrodes.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
The liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the column electrodes are disposed on the first dielectric multilayer film mirror and the row electrodes are disposed on the second dielectric multilayer film mirror.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
82 words
The liquid crystal device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first pixel electrodes and the column electrodes are formed on the first dielectric multilayer film in non-overlapping relation, and junction electrodes connect the first pixel electrode and the column electrode of each picture element, and wherein the second pixel electrodes and the row electrodes are formed on the second dielectric multilayer film in non-overlapping relation, and junction electrodes connect the second pixel electrode and the row electrode of each picture element.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3910681A
Cited
US3846014A
Cited
US4012119A
Cited
US4448491A
Cited
JPS5852618A
Cited
DE3148427A1
Cited
US4696548A
Cited
US4714323A
Cited
EP0260073A2
Cited
US4790634A
Cited
US4925276A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-12-01 | 1996-06-01 | 1996-12-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-12-01 | 2000-06-01 | 2000-12-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-12-01 | 2004-06-01 | 2004-12-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |