Liquid crystal optical device

摘要

A liquid crystal optical device having improved dielectric relaxation at low frequency is provided. The liquid crystal optical device includes a liquid crystal panel having an optically active nematic liquid crystal composition with a dielectric anisotropy which becomes zero at a crossing frequency ("fc") of 100 KHz or less at atmospheric temperatures and is positive at frequencies lower than fc ("fl") and negative at frequencies higher than fc ("fh"). The interior surfaces of the substrates in the liquid crystal panel haven been oriented so that the liquid crystal molecules adjacent to the surfaces are oriented parallel to the directions of orientation. A polarizer is disposed on each outer surface of the panel with the axis of polarization substantially orthogonal to each other. The axis of polarization are disposed at a position of +/-45 DEG to the bisector of the two directions of orientation on the interior surfaces of the substrate. This construction results in improved light transmittence and response speed.