OPTICAL MODULATION DEVICE AND DISPLAY DEVICE

摘要

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an optical modulation device in which aggregation of shape-anisotropic particles is prevented. This optical modulation device comprises (1) a first substrate and a second substrate, (2) an optical modulation layer, and (3) vertical orientation films. The (2) optical modulation layer further comprises (2A) liquid crystal molecules which have a positive dieletric anisotropy, the size Δε of the dielectric anisotropy thereof being 10 or greater, and (2B) shape-anisotropic particles, comprising a core and a coating layer which constitutes the outer surface of the particles and which is composed of a material which includes fluorine atoms. The first substrate comprises a pair of electrodes. In a state wherein no voltage is applied to the electrodes, the liquid crystal molecules and the shape-anisotropic particles are oriented vertically with respect to the first substrate. In a lateral electric field state wherein a voltage is applied to the electrodes, the liquid crystal molecules and the shape-anisotropic particles incline horizontally with respect to the first substrate. The surface energy of the liquid crystal molecules is 27-35 mN/m. The surface energy of the vertical orientation films is 30-40 mN/m.