Fast and high-contrast liquid-crystal shutters with low power consumption based on an optical-mode-interference cell.

Three electro-optical modes of nematic liquid crystal (LC) were investigated as applications for LC shutters: the waveguide mode (TN), optical mode interference (OMI), and supertwist nematic (STN). The characteristics of the three modes under dynamic driving were simulated by solving the Ericksen-Leslie hydrodynamic equations numerically. Prototypes of the three types of LC were fabricated for verification. The experimental data show good coincidence with the simulation results. Among the three LC modes, the OMI was found to have the greatest potential for LC shutter applications. The prototype that used the OMI mode showed high contrast, fast response times, low power consumption owing to the pseudomemory effect under an optimal driving scheme, and a low optical retardation of the LC cell.