FERROELECTRIC LIQUID CRYSTAL ELEMENT

摘要

PURPOSE:To increase the tilt angle in a bistable state after removal of an AC electric field and the quantity of transmitted liquid and to realize a display element or shutter element having all of high speed responsiveness, picture element density and large area by impressing the high electric field AC to a cell of a ferroelectric liquid crystal having the bistable state. CONSTITUTION:The liquid crystal molecules are oriented by having an average molecular axis direction 101 of the liquid crystal coinciding with a rubbing direction 100 in an SmC* phase. The average molecular axis direction of the liquid crystal molecules incline in the direction 102 and the rubbing direction 100 and the average molecular axis direction 102 of SmC* have an angle thetato attain the 1st stable orientation state in an SmC* phase. A voltage is impressed in this state to the upper and lower substrates, then the average molecular axis direction of the liquid crystal molecules of SmC* changes to the angle larger than the angle theta and attains the 3rd stable orientation state satd. at the angle THETA. The average molecular axis direction in this stage is designated as 103. The liquid crystal molecules again restore the original state of the 1st molecular axis direction 102. The liquid crystal molecules have eventually the memory characteristic in the state of the 1st molecular axis direction 102.