NOW UPDATED—THE HIGHLY PRACTICAL GUIDE TO ANALYZING LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAYS The subject of liquid crystal displays has vigorously evolved into an exciting interdisciplinary field of research and development, involving optics, materials, and electronics. Updated to reflect recent advances, the Second Edition of Optics of Liquid Crystal Displays now offers a broader, more comprehensive discussion on the fundamentals of display systems and teaches readers how to analyze and design new components and subsystems for LCDs. New features of this edition include: Discussion of the dynamics of molecular reorientation Expanded information of the method of Poincaré sphere in various optical components, including achromatic wave plates and compensators Neutral and negative Biaxial thin films for compensators Circular polarizers and anti-reflection coatings The introduction of wide field-of-view wave plates and filters Comprehensive coverage of VA-LCD and IPS-LCD Additional numerical examples This updated edition is intended as a textbook for students in electrical engineering and applied physics, as well as a reference book for engineers and scientists working in the area of research and development of display technologies.

An unprecedented look into the basic physics, chemistry, and technology behind the LCD Most notably used for computer screens, televisions, and mobile phones, LCDs (liquid crystal displays) are a pervasive and increasingly indispensable part of our lives. Providing both an historical and a business-minded context, this extensive resource describes the unique scientific and engineering techniques used to create these beautiful, clever, and eminently useful devices. In this book, the history of the science and technology behind the LCD is described in a prelude to the development of the device, presenting a rational development theme and pinpointing innovations. The book begins with Maxwell's theory of electromagnetism, and the ultimately profound realization that light is an electromagnetic wave and an electromagnetic wave is light. The power of mathematical physics thus was brought to bear upon the study of light, and particularly the polarization of light by material bodies, including liquid crystals. After a brief historical description of polarization, a physical interpretation provides substance to the mathematical concepts. Subsequent chapters cover: Thermodynamics for liquid crystals The Maier-Saupe mean field, phenomenological, static continuum, and dynamic continuum theories The transistor and integrated circuit Glass, panels, and modules The calculus of variations The active matrix Semiconductor fabrication The global LCD business Additionally, the book illustrates how mathematics, physics, and chemistry are put to practical use in the LCDs we use every day. By describing the science from an historical perspective and in practical terms in the context of a device very familiar to readers, the book presents an engaging and unique view of the technology for everyone from science students to engineers, product designers, and indeed anyone curious about LCDs. Series Editor: Anthony C. Lowe, The Lambent Consultancy, Braishfield, UK The Society for Information Display (SID) is an international society, which has the aim of encouraging the development of all aspects of the field of information display. Complementary to the aims of the society, the Wiley-SID series is intended to explain the latest developments in information display technology at a professional level. The broad scope of the series addresses all facets of information displays from technical aspects through systems and prototypes to standards and ergonomics.

Liquid Crystal Devices are crucial and ubiquitous components of an ever-increasing number of technologies. They are used in everything from cellular phones, eBook readers, GPS devices, computer monitors and automotive displays to projectors and TVs, to name but a few. This second edition continues to serve as an introductory guide to the fundamental properties of liquid crystals and their technical application, while explicating the recent advancements within LCD technology. This edition includes important new chapters on blue-phase display technology, advancements in LCD research significantly contributed to by the authors themselves. This title is of particular interest to engineers and researchers involved in display technology and graduate students involved in display technology research. Key features: Updated throughout to reflect the latest technical state-of-the-art in LCD research and development, including new chapters and material on topics such as the properties of blue-phase liquid crystal displays and 3D liquid crystal displays; Explains the link between the fundamental scientific principles behind liquid crystal technology and their application to photonic devices and displays, providing a thorough understanding of the physics, optics, electro-optics and material aspects of Liquid Crystal Devices; Revised material reflecting developments in LCD technology, including updates on optical modelling methods, transmissive LCDs and tunable liquid crystal photonic devices; Chapters conclude with detailed homework problems to further cement an understanding of the topic.

Polarized Light in Liquid Crystals and Polymers deals with the linear optics of birefringent materials, such as liquid crystals and polymers, and surveys light propagation in such media with special attention to applications. It is unique in treating light propagation in micro- and nanostructured birefringent optical elements, such as lenses and gratings composed of birefringent materials, as well as the spatial varying anisotropic structures often found in miniaturized liquid crystal devices.

Focusing on polarization matrix optics in many forms, this book includes coverage of a wide range of methods which have been applied to LCD modeling, ranging from the simple Jones matrix method to elaborate and high accuracy algorithms suitable for off-axis optics. Researchers and scientists are constantly striving for improved performance, faster response times, wide viewing angles, improved colour in liquid crystal display development, and with this comes the need to model LCD devices effectively. The authors have significant experience in dealing with the problems related to the practical application of liquid crystals, in particular their optical performance. Key features: Explores analytical solutions and approximations to important cases in the matrix treatment of different LC layer configurations, and the application of these results to improve the computational method Provides the analysis of accuracies of the different approaches discussed in the book Explains the development of the Eigenwave Jones matrix method which offers a path to improved accuracy compared to Jones matrix and extended Jones matrix formalisms, while achieving significant improvement in computational speed and versatility compared to full 4x4 matrix methods Includes a companion website hosting the authors' program library LMOPTICS (FORTRAN 90), a collection of routines for calculating the optical characteristics of stratified media, the use of which allows for the easy implementation of the methods described in this book. The website also contains a set of sample programs (source codes) using LMOPTICS, which exemplify the application of these methods in different situations

Devices based on liquid crystals have become the mainstay of display technology used in mobile devices, vehicles, computer systems, and almost any other opportunity for information display imaginable. The aim of this book is to provide the optics community a liquid crystals primer that focuses on the optical components made from these fascinating materials. The book provides a functional overview of liquid crystal devices, their history, and their applications so that readers are prepared for more advanced texts and can continue to grow their abilities in this field. While it is not meant to be a complete mathematical treatise on the basics and applications of liquid crystals, the book does fill in some of the technical gaps, in particular in the area of adaptive optics applications.

Liquid Crystal Display Drivers deals with Liquid Crystal Displays from the electronic engineering point of view and is the first expressively focused on their driving circuits. After introducing the physical-chemical properties of the LC substances, their evolution and application to LCDs, the book converges to the examination and in-depth explanation of those reliable techniques, architectures, and design solutions amenable to efficiently design drivers for passive-matrix and active-matrix LCDs, both for small size and large size panels. Practical approaches regularly adopted for mass production but also emerging ones are discussed. The topics treated have in many cases general validity and found application also in alternative display technologies (OLEDs, Electrophoretic Displays, etc.).