LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid crystal display device which enables a user to view an excellent display over a wide visual angle and has high luminance. SOLUTION: This device is equipped with a liquid crystal cell 12 which has a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a couple of substrates, 1st and 2nd polarizing plates 20 and 22 which are arranged on both the sides of the liquid crystal cell, and a 1st optical retardation plate 24 arranged between the liquid crystal cell and 1st polarizing plate and a 2nd optical retardation plate 26 arranged between the liquid crystal cell and 2nd polarizing plate. The 1st and 2nd optical retardation plates have optical axes 24A and 26A respectively in planes parallel to the substrate surfaces and are nearly a quarter-wave out of phase with each other; and the optical axes 20A and 22A of the 1st optical retardation plate cross the optical axes of the 2nd optical retardation plate at right angles and the axes of polarization of the 1st and 2nd polarizing plates are arranged at 45 deg. to the optical axes of the 1st and 2nd optical retardation plates. The liquid crystal cell 12 changes in the alignment state of liquid crystal molecules when applied with a voltage while accompanied by extreme angle variation and azimuth angle variation.