Merging of liquid crystal electrooptics with silicon CMOS technology to enable high information content, large screen displays

Abstract

A display concept which combines liquid crystal (LC) electrooptics and Si CMOS technology with a reflective optical projection system is presented. A 45 degree twisted nematic LC is used. An applied voltage alters the equilibrium configuration of the nematic molecules and their electrooptic interaction with light. The mode operates in optical reflection such that incident polarized light undergoes a voltage-dependent change in its polarization state on passing through the LC, reflecting from a mirror, and passing again through the LC on exiting the cell. The polarization state of the reflected light is analyzed, the incident and reflected light are separated, and the reflected image is optically magnified to the desired viewing size.