Optical properties of general twisted nematic liquid-crystal displays

Abstract

An analytic expression for the optical field propagating normally in a general twisted nematic liquid-crystal structure is obtained for the first time. Based upon this, analytic expressions are obtained for the optical transmissions of the general twisted nematic liquid-crystal displays (including standard twisted nematic, supertwisted, supertwisted birefringence effect, lower twisted, and optical mode interference) with arbitrary polarizer orientations, liquid-crystal indices of refraction, twist angle, surface pretilt angle, and cell thickness. Routes for improving the display performances are discussed.