According to one embodiment, a light control device includes a first liquid crystal cell including a first liquid crystal layer, a second liquid crystal cell including a second liquid crystal layer, and a polarization conversion element. The first liquid crystal layer and the second liquid crystal layer each includes a first region which scatters a first polarized component and transmits a second polarized component and a second region which transmits the first polarized component and scatters the second polarized component. The polarization conversion element overlaps the first region and the second region, converts the first polarized component into the second polarized component, and converts the second polarized component into the first polarized component.

A switchable privacy display comprises a spatial light modulator (SLM), a first switchable liquid crystal (LC) retarder and first passive retarder arranged between a first pair of polarisers and a second switchable LC retarder and second passive retarder arranged between a second pair of polarisers. Each switchable LC retarder comprises a homeotropic alignment layer and a homogeneous alignment layer. In privacy mode, on-axis light from the SLM is directed without loss, whereas off-axis light has reduced luminance to reduce the visibility of the display to off-axis snoopers. The display may achieve privacy operation in landscape and portrait orientations. Further, display reflectivity may be reduced for on-axis reflections of ambient light, while reflectivity may be increased for off-axis light to achieve increased visual security. In public mode, the liquid crystal retardance is adjusted so that off-axis luminance and reflectivity are unmodified. The display may be switched between day-time and night-time operation.

A liquid crystal cell including at least two substrates transparent to visible part of light spectrum, a liquid crystal layer encased between the substrates, and a stack of functional layers formed over the substrates and enclosed between a given substrate and the liquid crystal layer. In a direction from the given substrate towards the liquid crystal layer, said stack comprises a first dielectric layer, a transparent electrode layer, and a second dielectric layer. A refractive index of the first dielectric layer lies in a range between a refractive index of the given substrate and a refractive index of the transparent electrode layer. A refractive index of the second dielectric layer lies in a range between the refractive index of the transparent electrode layer and a refractive index of the liquid crystal layer corresponding to a homeotropic alignment of a liquid crystal material of the liquid crystal layer.

A pixel electrode is provided. A plurality of sub-trunks of a vertical trunk of the pixel electrode are spaced apart from each other. Each of the sub-trunks is parallel to a horizontal trunk. Therefore, liquid crystal molecules on each sub-trunk is basically inclined in a horizontal direction. If the pixel electrode with the above structure is applied to a liquid crystal display panel, a color shift generated by the liquid crystal display panel when displaying skin-tone colors can be improved, and quality of the display can be improved. A liquid crystal display panel having the pixel electrode is also provided.

In polarization-based optical systems, preserving a state-of-polarization (SOP) over a prescribed range of incidence angles and wavelengths may be necessary. Optical materials with local normal tilted with respect to an incident ray can introduce an undesirable polarization nonuniformity that can be substantially corrected using a compensator as disclosed herein. The compensator may include a uniaxial retarder and a z-partial polarizer (ZPP). The ZPP may include a uniaxial material with an absorption axis normal to the substrate.

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display panel sequentially including: a first substrate provided with a pixel electrode for each pixel; a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules; and a second substrate provided with a counter electrode, the liquid crystal display panel including pixels each including at least four alignment regions with different inclination azimuths of the liquid crystal molecules, with no voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer, the liquid crystal molecules aligning substantially vertically to the first substrate and the second substrate with inclinations along the inclination azimuths, the liquid crystal molecules having a twist angle of substantially 0° in each alignment region, at least one of the four alignment regions including a first region where the liquid crystal molecules have a relatively small average tilt angle and a second region where the liquid crystal molecules have a relatively large average tilt angle.

A transmittance-variable film and a use thereof, where the transmittance-variable film can control pretilt of a liquid crystal interface by applying a liquid crystal alignment film containing splay oriented liquid crystal molecules, and can vertically and horizontally orient a liquid crystal layer or a liquid crystal interface according to an average tilt angle of the liquid crystal alignment film to ensure uniformity of driving and fast response speed. In addition, by applying a liquid crystal alignment film, the transmittance-variable film can be implemented in various modes with a simple coating-drying-curing method excluding the rubbing process by controlling an arrangement of liquid crystal molecules in a liquid crystal alignment film other than the pretilt control method using the conventional rubbing method.

An electrically controlled polarization rotator is disclosed. The electrically controlled polarization rotator includes two substrates and a liquid crystal layer located between the two substrates. The two substrates have a homogeneous alignment and a homeotropic alignment respectively. A distance between the two substrates is a liquid crystal thickness. A switching electric field which is adjustable is provided between the two substrates. A polarized light is incident on the substrate having the homogeneous alignment. A polarization direction of the polarized light is orthogonal or parallel to an alignment direction of the substrate having the homogeneous alignment. A birefringence of the liquid crystal layer multiplied by the liquid crystal thickness and further divided by a wavelength of the polarized light is greater than 10. The polarization direction of the polarized light is rotated corresponding to an intensity of the switching electric field in the liquid crystal layer.

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display panel sequentially including: a first substrate provided with a pixel electrode for each pixel; a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules; and a second substrate provided with a counter electrode, the liquid crystal display panel including pixels each including at least four alignment regions with different inclination azimuths of the liquid crystal molecules, with no voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer, the liquid crystal molecules aligning substantially vertically to the first substrate and the second substrate with inclinations along the inclination azimuths, the liquid crystal molecules having a twist angle of substantially 0° in each alignment region, at least one of the four alignment regions including a first region where the liquid crystal molecules have a relatively small average tilt angle and a second region where the liquid crystal molecules have a relatively large average tilt angle.

A display device comprising a spatial light modulator having a display polariser arranged on one side of the spatial light modulator is provided with an additional polariser arranged on the same side as the display polariser and polar control retarders between the additional polariser and the display polariser. The polar control retarders include a liquid crystal retarder having two surface alignment layers disposed adjacent to a layer of liquid crystal material on opposite sides. The surface alignment layers provide alignment in the adjacent liquid crystal material with an in-plane component, wherein the angle of said in-plane component changes monotonically along a predetermined axis across the display device, providing reduction of luminance in directions that are offset from a viewing axis, increasing uniformity in the reduction of luminance in directions that are offset from a viewing axis.