REFLECTIVE TWISTED NEMATIC LIQUID-CRYSTAL DISPLAYS .2. ELIMINATION OFRETARDATION FILM AND REAR POLARIZER

Reflective twisted nematic liquid crystal displays consisting of just one input polarizer, a liquid crystal cell, and a rear reflector are d iscussed. We first show that all such display modes reported in the li terature can be depicted systematically in a series of parameter space diagrams. Then by making use of such diagrams as a guide, we show tha t other new high quality reflective display modes can be obtained. The three parameters that are varied are the input polarizer angle alpha, the liquid crystal twist angle phi, and the cell gap-liquid crystal b irefringence product d Delta n. A full numerical simulation which take s into account of the liquid crystal director deformation under the ap plication of an electric field was used to optimize such displays. Exp erimental results agree well with the theoretical predictions. (C) 199 7 American Institute of Physics.