Liquid crystal display apparatus having alignment control for brightness and response

[0220]FIG. 14 is a view showing an example of the projections (linearly arranged structures) 30 and 32 according to the present invention. Slit structures 44 and 46 can of course be used in place of the projections 30 and 32 as the linearly arranged structures.

[0221]The liquid crystal display apparatus has the projections 30 of the upper substrate 12 and the projections 32 of the lower substrate 14, as described above. Each projection 30 or 32 is formed of a plurality of constituent units 30S or 32S. The constituent units 305 or 32S have a substantially uniform shape, and are distinguished from each other by a change in the shape or cutting. In the example of FIG. 14, two adjacent constituent units 30S or 32S are connected by a narrow portion. Also, the constituent units 30S of the projections 30 of the upper substrate 12 and the constituent units 32S of the projection 32 of the lower substrate 14 extend in parallel to each other, and the constituent units of the projections 30 of t...

[0250]FIG. 28 is a view showing the alignment of the liquid crystal of the liquid crystal display apparatus having the linearly arranged structures according to the present invention. FIG. 29 is a view showing the display characteristic of the configuration shown in FIG. 28. FIG. 30 is a view showing, in enlarged form, the features of the boundaries (singular points) of alignment of first type and the features of the boundaries (singular points) of alignment of second type indicated in FIG. 28.

[0251]In FIGS. 28 and 30, a study of the means capable of controlling the alignment of the liquid crystal on the projections 30 and 32 shows that there are two types of boundaries (singular points in director field), regarding boundaries of a plurality of areas having different liquid crystal alignment conditions. In the first type (I), the liquid crystal molecules around a point are directed toward said point. In the second type (II), some of the liquid crystal molecules around a point are di...

[0272]FIG. 43 is a plan view showing the alignment control structures according to the present invention. FIG. 44 is a cross-sectional view passing through the alignment control structures of FIG. 43. The basic configuration of this liquid crystal display apparatus is similar to that of the liquid crystal display apparatus according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. Specifically, the liquid crystal display apparatus 10 includes projections 30 and 32 as the alignment control structures (linearly arranged alignment control structures) for controlling the alignment of the liquid crystal between the projections 30 and 32 (display domain). The projections 30 and 32 are arranged in the direction parallel to each other and displaced from each other, as viewed normal to the substrate. FIG. 44 is a cross-sectional view passing through the projection 32 of the lower substrate 14 and the projection 30 of the upper substrate 12 is not shown in FIG. 44.

[0273]In this embodiment, the upper ...