Wide-viewing-angle hybrid aligned nematic liquid crystal cell controlled by complex electric field

We have developed a hybrid aligned nematic liquid crystal (LC) cell driven by a complex electric field. In the device, the pixel electrode exists on the bottom substrate and the counter electrodes exist on the top and bottom substrates such that with a bias voltage both vertical and horizontal fields are generated. The LC molecules are hybrid aligned with homogeneous alignment on the bottom substrate where the alignment direction is coincident with one of the transmission axes of the crossed polarizers. Therefore, the cell appears to be black in the absence of an electric field. When a voltage is applied to obtain a white state, both vertical and horizontal fields enable the LC molecules to rotate with lowered tilt angles than those in the dark state. The device shows a much wider viewing angle than that of the twisted nematic mode, high light efficiency and low driving voltage in electro-optic characteristics.