Patent ID: 7002653
Filing Date: 2006-02-21
Classification: G02F

Abstract:
1. A liquid crystal display apparatus, comprising: a pair of substrates; a liquid crystal layer having negative dielectric anisotropy sandwiched by the pair of substrates; and a plurality of pixel electrodes each having a peripheral edge disposed in a matrix array on a surface of one of said substrates facing said liquid crystal layer and a counter electrode on a surface of the other of said substrates facing said liquid crystal layer so as to define a plurality of pixels respectively having peripheral edges corresponding to the respective peripheral edges of said pixel electrodes normal to said surfaces of said first and second substrates; wherein: liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer of each pixel are oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to said substrate surfaces in the absence of an applied voltage, are oriented in a direction substantially parallel to said substrate surfaces in the presence of an applied predetermined voltage, and are oriented in a slanting direction with respect to said substrate surfaces in the presence of an applied voltage less than said predetermined voltage; wherein: at least one of the electrodes of each pixel consists of at least first and second tilted surfaces adjacent to one another and respectively facing directions different from a direction substantially perpendicular to said substrate surfaces; wherein: an insulating film is provided on a liquid crystal molecule side of said electrodes consisting of at least first and second tilted surfaces to bury said tilted surfaces of said electrodes and define a flat surface substantially parallel to said substrate surfaces; and wherein: the slanting orientations of substantially all of the liquid crystal molecules in the portion of said liquid crystal layer located in each said pixel under conditions of applied voltage less than said predetermined voltage are regularly regulated to at least first and second predetermined directions different from a direction substantially perpendicular to said substrate surfaces facing said liquid crystal layer by the electrodes of each said pixel that consist of at least first and second tilted surfaces facing in directions different from a direction substantially perpendicular to said substrate surfaces facing said liquid crystal layer.