The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 28, 2003
Filed:
Oct. 19, 1999
Elizabeth J. Acosta, Botley, GB;
Martin D. Tillin, Abingdon, GB;
Michael J. Towler, Botley, GB;
Harry G. Walton, Cowley, GB;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An OCB device comprises upper and lower substrates, each provided with an alignment layer. A liquid crystal layer is provided between the substrates. The lower substrate has a low pre-tilt in regions A and C, so that an H-state is stable in these regions when no voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer. Region B has a high pre-tilt on the lower substrate, so that a HAN state is stable in region B under zero applied voltage. When a voltage is applied across the liquid crystal lever, a V-state is formed at the interface between the HAN-state and the H-states. This V-state then displaces the H-states in regions A and C. The high pre-tilt region, region B, is acting as a nucleation region. The V-state forms at a lower applied voltage than if the nucleation region is not provided.