Temperature dependence of the electro-optic characteristics in the liquid crystal display switching modes

As the physical properties of nematic liquid crystals vary with respect to temperature, the performances of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are highly dependent on temperature. Additionally, it is well known that the electro-optic characteristics of LCDs, such as transmittance and threshold voltage, also rely on the LCD switching modes. The temperature dependence of the electro-optic characteristics of the wide-viewing-angle LCD modes, such as in-plane switching (IPS), multidomain vertical alignment by patterned electrode (PVA), and fringe-field switching (FFS), have been studied, and the results showed that the FFS mode has lower temperature dependence compared to the IPS and PVA modes. Since the liquid crystal (LC) reorients in different ways in each mode, this result is associated with the temperature dependence of LC's bend and twist elastic constants, and also with the position of the main reorientation, either in the middle or on the surface of the LC layer.