Patent ID: 8149363

Claim:
A liquid crystal display device comprising a plurality of pixels and a pair of polarizing plates placed in crossed Nicols, the liquid crystal display device being configured to display an image in a normally black mode, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a liquid crystal layer including a nematic liquid crystal material whose dielectric anisotropy is negative, a pixel electrode and a counter electrode opposing each other via the liquid crystal layer, a pair of vertical alignment films respectively interposed between the pixel electrode and the liquid crystal layer and between the counter electrode and the liquid crystal layer, a pair of alignment sustaining layers formed by a photopolymerized material on respective surfaces of the pair of vertical alignment films which are closer to the liquid crystal layer, and at least one cruciform opening provided only in the counter electrode among the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, the cruciform opening being disposed so as to coincide with polarization axes of the pair of polarizing plates, when a predetermined voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer, four liquid crystal domains are formed in the liquid crystal layer, azimuths of directors of the four liquid crystal domains that are representative of orientations of liquid crystal molecules included in the four liquid crystal domains being different from one another, and each of the directors forming an angle of about 45° relative to the polarization axes of the pair of polarizing plates, and when no voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer, a pretilt azimuth of a liquid crystal molecule included in a region corresponding to each of the four liquid crystal domains is regulated by the alignment sustaining layers.