Liquid crystal display device and liquid crystal orientation method

A liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a first substrate having thereon a pixel electrode and an active element;
• a second substrate having thereon an opposed electrode;
• and
• a liquid crystal layer interposed between said first and second substrates with said electrodes facing each other,
• wherein an orientation control element giving an orientation regulating force to liquid crystal molecules near an edge of said pixel electrode on said first substrate is locally provided near said edge on said first substrate so that said liquid crystal molecules including those near said edge are oriented in substantially the same direction, when difference in orientation direction among said liquid crystal molecules adjacent to each other near said edge is caused by an orientation regulating force given by said edge of said pixel electrode to said liquid crystal molecules of said liquid crystal layer when voltage is being applied between said pixel and opposed electrodes.

A liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a first substrate having thereon a pixel electrode and an active element;
• a second substrate having thereon an opposed electrode;
• and
• a liquid crystal layer interposed between said first and second substrates with said electrodes facing each other,
• wherein a first orientation control element extending in a nonparallel direction relative to an extending direction of an edge of said pixel electrode and a second orientation control element extending in a parallel direction relative to an extending direction of said edge are provided on at least one of said first and second substrates, and
• said first orientation control element is larger in width than said second orientation control element.

A liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a first substrate having thereon a pixel electrode and an active element;
• a second substrate having thereon an opposed electrode;
• and
• a liquid crystal layer interposed between said first and second substrates with said electrodes facing each other,
• wherein a first orientation control element extending in a nonparallel direction relative to an extending direction of an edge of said pixel electrode and a second orientation control element extending in a parallel direction relative to an extending direction of said edge are provided on at least one of said first and second substrates, and
• liquid crystal molecules of said liquid crystal layer on said second orientation control element are non-vertically oriented relative to said substrate when no voltage is being applied between said pixel and opposed electrodes.

A liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a first substrate having thereon a pixel electrode and an active element;
• a second substrate having thereon an opposed electrode;
• and
• a liquid crystal layer interposed between said first and second substrates with said electrodes facing each other,
• wherein a first orientation control element extending in a nonparallel direction relative to an extending direction of an edge of said pixel electrode and a second orientation control element extending in a parallel direction relative to an extending direction of said edge are provided on at least one of said first and second substrates, and
• at least a part of liquid crystal molecules of said liquid crystal layer on said second orientation control element are oriented in a vertical direction relative to said substrate when voltage is being applied between said pixel and opposed electrodes.

A liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a first substrate having thereon a pixel electrode and an active element;
• a second substrate having thereon an opposed electrode;
• and
• a liquid crystal layer interposed between said first and second substrates with said electrodes facing each other,
• wherein a first orientation control element extending in a nonparallel direction relative to an extending direction of an edge of said pixel electrode and a second orientation control element extending in a parallel direction relative to an extending direction of said edge are provided on at least one of said first and second substrates, and
• said second orientation control element is constituted by an assembly of shapes having directivity in a direction of the substrate's plane surface.