Hughes Aircraft Company

Robert D TeKolste

Rodney D Sterling

A liquid crystal light valve projection system is provided with increased optical overshoot, and thereby decreased optical response time, by employing a liquid crystal mixture (52) having molecules substantially perpendicularly aligned to the face of the liquid crystal light valve electrodes (42,70) and axially twisted. The axial twist of the liquid crystal molecules is provided by laying down alignment grooves (90,92,96,98) for the liquid crystal mixture that are oriented with respect to one another, on the opposite alignment layers, by an angle of between about 45.degree. and 90.degree.. This mutually angled orientation of the opposed alignment grooves on the opposed alignment layers causes optical overshoot of the system to vary when the entire liquid crystal cell (34) is rotated relative to the output polarizer (18) about an axis perpendicular to the output face of the cell. This rotation of the cell (34) of twisted perpendicular liquid crystal relative to the output polarizer (18) allows a faster optical rise time to be achieved.

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Robert D TeKolste