Contents

Abstructs of Reviews

In-Cell Technology-Current Status and Future Prospect

Yasuhiro UKAI

This paper reviews the current status and future prospect of the "In-Cell Technology" which incorporates several components of a module into the TFTLCD cell structure.
In addition to optical films such as a polarizer film or compensator film, input-devices and system-on-panel technologies are discussed.
Keywords :In-cell, TFT-LCD, Retarder, Polarizer, Driving Circuit, Touch Panel, System on Panel

Ergonomics for Liquid Crystal Displays

Yuzo HISATAKE

VDT work has been rapidly increased since a CRT display was applied for a computer monitor. In mid 1970s, the study of visual characteristics of CRT displays has been started especially from ergonomics point. Recently,FPDs,especially LCDs,have been developed and used for several applications, i.e. text information and video images. Legibility and visual fatigue diversifies because the FPDs show different characteristics from CRTs.
I report ergonomics of LCDs for various applications
Keywords :Ergonomics, Visual Characteristics, Subjective Evaluation, International Standard,Liquid Crystal Displays

Functional Light-Guide Plate for LCD Backlight Unit

Kalil KALANTAR

The optical structures of conventional backlight units were studied, and micro structured light-guide plates whose functions are based on the total internal reflection were realized.
The light-guide plates were characterized by optical micro-reflectors and micro-deflectors.The optical characteristics of the functional light-guide plates were discussed and backlight units using single prism films were proposed.
Novel double-surface light-emission backlights that each uses single functional light-guide plate have been developed for illumination of two Liquid-Crystal Displays for clamp-shell type cellular phone.
The characteristics of the novel backlights were discussed.
Keywords : Backlight Unit, Functional Light-Guide Plate,Optical Micro-Reflector,Optical Micro-Deflector

On the Problems of Display Devices in Relation to the Response Time of Liquid Crystal

Kazuo SEKIYA, Hironori YAGINUMA

Liquid crystal displays (LCD) have set the major position among display devices and further fast-response LCDs are demanded.Those who are developing liquid crystal as a material are expected to understand the required characteristics in the display systems. In this paper, several things on display systems are described in relation to the response time of liquid crystal：difference between the response time as a measure of the material property and the response time of TFT-LCD,the principle of the overdrive and characteristics of liquid crystal,relation between cell gaps and response times, response times with three primary colors,moving picture quality and the response time on LCDs dedicated for moving pictures, etc.
Keywords : Response Time, Liquid Crystal Display, Moving Picture, TFT-LCD, Overdrive

Microwave and Milliwave Variable Phase Shifter Using Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal

Hiroshi MORITAKE

Microwave and milliwave variable phase shifter using ferroelectric liquid crystal is reviewed. The dielectric characteristics of liquid crystal in high frequency range such as microwave and milliwave bands are discussed and the dielectric anisotropy of liquid crystal is almost constant in this frequency range.Two types of variable phase shifters in microwave and milliwave bands using ferroelectric liquid crystal, which consist of microstrip line and coplanar waveguide,are discussed.It is demonstrated that the switching speed of variable phase shifter of coplanar waveguide is faster than that of microstrip line.
Keywords : Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal, Microwave, Milliwave,Variable Phase Shifter,Variable Delay Line, Microstrip Line, Coplanar Waveguide