Patent ID: 7929097

Claim:
A method of producing a stable, fast-response optical modulator with vertically aligned (VA) fringing field switching (FFS) liquid crystals, consisting of the steps of: a) forming a top substrate and a bottom substrate, only the bottom substrate capable of supporting one single continuous common electrode 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 only one single pixel electrode only on the bottom substrate next to the liquid crystal layer above the continuous common electrode, said only one single pixel electrode having discontinuous and adjacent narrow segments that are parallel to one another having a width (W) and a space between segments forming a gap (G); and d) connecting the only one single pixel electrode to a voltage source, the parallel pixel electrode segments of a pixel connected to the same voltage source; and e) providing insulation between the only one single pixel electrodes and the only one single continuous common electrode with a passivation layer, wherein when the voltage in the on state, a layer of unswitched vertically aligned liquid crystal molecules are located adjacent to the top substrate; whereby intensity and phase modulation for displays and optical communication are accomplished.