Liquid crystal display with four-domain pixel and methods of fabrication

Abstract

A liquid crystal display (LCD) includes first and second LCD panels in an opposed relationship defining a space therebetween. A respective one of the first and second LCD panels includes a substrate and two alignment layers on the substrate. A plurality of alignment regions are formed on the alignment layers which define a plurality of pixel areas, a respective one of the pixel areas having a first alignment surface on a first alignment region, the first alignment surface being operative to align molecules of a liquid crystal material in contact therewith toward a first direction, and a second alignment surface on an exposed portion of the second alignment layer disposed laterally adjacent the first alignment region, the second alignment region being operative to align molecules of the liquid crystal material in contact therewith toward a second direction opposite the first direction. The liquid crystal material is disposed in the space between the first and second LCD panels, in contact with the first and second alignment surfaces. The first and second LCD panels are arranged in an opposed relationship such that a respective pixel area of the first LCD panel opposes a respective pixel area of the second LCD panel and such that each of the first and second alignment surfaces of a respective pixel area of the first LCD panel confronts both first and second alignment surfaces of a respective opposing pixel area of the second LCD panel to define four domains. Preferably, the alignment layers and the plurality of alignment regions are polystyrene. The alignment layers and the plurality of alignment regions may be formed of a polystyrene having a para-oriented benzene ring structure which may include an unsaturated or saturated alkyl group.