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:
Jun. 06, 2006
Filed:
Jul. 23, 2004
Kenneth C. Ho, Yonkers, NY (US);
Minhua LU, Mohegan Lake, NY (US);
Alan E. Rosenbluth, Yorktown Heights, NY (US);
Kei-hsiung Yang, Katonah, NY (US);
Kenneth C. Ho, Yonkers, NY (US);
Minhua Lu, Mohegan Lake, NY (US);
Alan E. Rosenbluth, Yorktown Heights, NY (US);
Kei-Hsiung Yang, Katonah, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A liquid crystal (LC) lightvalve comprising a twisted nematic LC layer whose molecules are aligned with pixel edges at the mirror backplane, thereby providing improved contrast and efficiency, and reduced visibility of post spacers in black state. The present invention is directed to an LC structure wherein the backplane is rubbed in a direction rectilinear with pixel edges. The LC layer is given the same twist rotation and birefringence as in the conventional TN lightvalve. Polarization control is maintained by illuminating the lightvalve with light whose polarization is rotated by the twist angle relative to the x,y, pixel axes, and by collecting the orthogonally polarized component of the reflected light. The lightvalve top glass is thus rubbed in a direction which is rotated by the twist angle from the horizontal or vertical direction at which the backplane is rubbed.