Patent ID: 6762812
Filing Date: 2004-07-13
Classification: G02F

Abstract:
A display device comprising:a liquid crystal layer having a spontaneous polarization and having a nematic phase or an isotropic phase on a high-temperature side of a chiral smectic C phase, an optical axis of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer substantially staying when no electric field or a first electric field of a first polarity are applied to the liquid crystal layer, and the optical axis of the liquid crystal molecules responding in accordance with a magnitude of a second electric field of a second polarity different from the first polarity when the second electric field is applied to the liquid crystal layer; a first device facing to a side of the liquid crystal layer, including: a) a plurality of scanning lines formed on a first substrate, b) a plurality of signal lines intersecting the scanning lines, c) a plurality of pixel electrodes, each formed at an intersection between one of the scanning lines and one of the signal lines, d) a plurality of switching elements, each connected between one of the pixel electrodes and one of the signal lines, and being controlled by a signal of a corresponding one of the scanning lines, and e) a first alignment layer formed on the first substrate so as to cover the pixel electrodes; and a second device facing to the other side of the liquid crystal layer, including: f) a counter electrode formed on a second substrate, and g) a second alignment layer formed on the second substrate so as to cover the counter electrode, wherein an electric field between the scanning lines and the counter electrode has the first polarity when the switching elements turn on.