Ferrolectric liquid crystal devices having improved operating properties

Abstract

A light shutter is provided wherein a first plate which includes a pixel electrode for use in applying a includes a background electrode located adjacent the pixel voltage potential across a ferroelectric material also electrode and substantially surrounding the pixel electrode, whereby an electronic mask can be created adjacent the pixel electrode in the ferroelectric material. A second plate which, along with the first plate sandwiches the ferroelectric material, includes a backplane electrode which is used in conjunction with the pixel and background electrodes on the first plate for applying voltage potentials across the ferroelectric material. By maintaining a minimal amount of spacing between the background electrode and the pixel electrode, a voltage potential can be applied between the background and backplane electrodes so that the ferroelectric material located adjacent the pixel electrode can be maintained in, for example, a non-light transmissive state whereby the contrast between the pixel and inter-pixel regions is greatly improved. Image bars or displays can be formed by arranging a plurality of light shutters (and consequently, pixel electrodes) on the first plate with one or more background electrodes surrounding the plurality of pixel electrodes. Additionally, the background electrode and/or other electrodes can be used for applying electric fields to the ferroelectric material which are non-parallel to the polarization direction of the molecules of the ferroelectic material to reduce the time required to change the ferroelectric material between light transmissive and light blocking states.