OPTICAL MODULATOR

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problems in a twisted nematic type liquid crystal display element that: (1) addition of a chiral material having only doubtful reliability is indispensable; (2) the variation of threshold voltage due to the variation of pre-tilt angles is high; and (3) it is needed to use a high pre-tilt angle alignment layer (having low controllability or manufacturing margin) when an array substrate having a high step is used as a substrate. SOLUTION: There is provided: an optical modulator containing a liquid crystal cell wherein a p type nematic liquid crystal (or an n type nematic liquid crystal) is encapsulated between two polarizing plates having transmission axis directions orthogonal to each other and two electrode substrates opposed to each other and horizontally aligned (or vertically aligned) and characterized in that the alignment direction of the liquid crystal is nearly parallel to the transmission axis direction of the polarizing plate or nearly vertical thereto; or an optical modulator containing a liquid crystal cell wherein a p type nematic liquid crystal is encapsulated between two electrode substrates opposed to each other and horizontally aligned and characterized in that the alignment direction of the p type nematic liquid crystal is displaced from the direction of electric field application by applying an electric field.