Patent ID: 6456348
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: G02F

Abstract:
A bistable nematic liquid crystal device comprising:a layer of a nematic or long pitch cholestric liquid crystal material; two cell walls enclosing said liquid crystal material; electrode structures on both walls; a surface alignment on the facing surfaces of both cell walls providing alignment to liquid crystal molecules; an optical component for distinguishing between switched states of the liquid crystal material; a surface alignment grating on at least one cell wall that permits the liquid crystal molecules to adopt either one of two different pretilt angles in the same azimuthal plane, said pretilt angles falling within the range of from 0 degrees to not greater than 90 degrees; and the liquid crystal material, the cell walls and the surface alignment are adapted such that two stable liquid crystal molecular configuration can exist after suitable electrical signals have been applied to the electrode structures.