Patent ID: 8081274

Claim:
A liquid crystal device comprising: a first substrate and a second substrate that are disposed to face each other; a first electrode and a second electrode that are disposed on a surface, which faces the second substrate, of the first substrate; a liquid crystal layer that is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and has liquid crystal molecules aligned in a direction parallel to the first substrate; and a pair of polarizing elements having the liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are adapted to generate an electric field having a component parallel to the first substrate when a potential difference exists between the first electrode and the second electrode, the electric field adapted to drive the liquid crystal molecules, the first electrode and the second electrode have portions forming comb-teeth shapes, that are formed in a same layer, and are disposed to face each other such that the portions forming the comb-teeth shapes are alternately disposed, a retardation of the liquid crystal layer is about 0.75λ for light having a wavelength λ of 555 nm, the retardation of the liquid crystal layer selected to produce a minimum loss of contrast independent of an accuracy of alignment of an orientation of the pair of polarizing elements, wherein the liquid crystal device has a contrast higher than 600 when the transmission axes of the polarizing elements are deviated up to a range of plus or minus 1 degree, and wherein when one or both of the polarizing elements are deviated, the contrast decreases to the at least substantially the same degree irrespective of the direction of deviation of the polarizing elements, and wherein when a first one of the polarizing elements is deviated up to a range of plus or minus 1 degree relative to a Y axis of a second one of the polarizing elements, the light passing through the liquid crystal layer is elliptically polarized light having a major axis which is parallel to the Y axis.