SPLAYED TN CONFIGURATION STABILITY IN DOMAIN-DIVIDED TN MODE

In the domain-divided TN mode for a wide-viewing-angle LCD, the LC dir ectors are arranged in the splayed TN configuration by mismatching the pretilt directions on both substrates. For this mismatched pretilt al ignment, the splayed TN configuration and the reversely-twisted TN con figuration are possible. It is shown that the reversely-twisted TN is more stable than the splayed TN in the high voltage range. The splayed TN stability proved to be evaluated by the balanced voltage, defined as voltage at which LC bulk energy becomes equal for two configuration s in a simulation or voltage at which the boundary between two configu rations is fixed in an experiment. Narrow twist angle, short chiral pi tch and low pretilt angles raise the balanced voltage, i.e., stabilize the splayed TN configuration.