TABLE OF CONTENTS Liquid crystal display (LCD) units used for the purposes of moving picture reproduction are some of the more popular flat panel displays. Like all flat panel displays, LCDs employ a matrix structure in which the active element, in this case a liquid crystal (LC), forming the pixel cell is located at the intersection of two electrode buses.
So, what is a liquid crystal? An LC is neither crystal nor liquid. It exhibits liquid-like as well as crystal-like properties. This feature is a result of the LC s comparatively elongated molecules and their structure. Though an LC is a natural material, the liquid crystal which is used for LC displays is a multi-component mixture that is artificially created by blending of biphenyl, cyclohexane, ester and the like.
Light is a transverse electromagnetic (EM) wave composed of an electric and a magnetic field. The two fields are at right angles to each other travelling at the speed of light. In an EM wave, the electric field defines the designation of the wave in terms of its polarisation: if the electric field is vertical, the wave is said to be vertically polarised or p-polarised (Figure 11.1) and conversely if the electric field is horizontal, the wave is said to be horizontally polarised or s-polarised . Natural light from the sun or any other light source such as a lamp is unpolarised. It contains both vertical and horizontal polarisation. Light may become polarised if the vertical or horizontal polarisation is...
