Patent ID: 7298445

Claim:
A method of producing a stable, fast-response optical modulator with vertically aligned (VA) fringing field switching (FFS) liquid crystals, comprising the steps of: a) forming a top substrate and a bottom substrate capable of supporting a top and bottom common electrode, respectively, connected to a voltage source, b) placing a nematic liquid crystal layer between the top and bottom substrate of (a) so that the molecules of said crystal are vertically aligned when there is no voltage applied, c) including top and bottom pixel electrodes on the top and bottom substrates, respectively, next to the liquid crystal layer, said pixel electrodes having discontinuous and narrow segments, wherein the top pixel electrodes are parallel to the bottom pixel electrodes; and d) connecting the top and bottom pixel electrodes of c) to a voltage source; and e) providing insulation between the top and bottom pixel electrodes and the top and bottom common electrode with a passivation layer; whereby intensity and phase modulation for displays and optical communication are accomplished.