A liquid crystal display device having a configuration in which a front linearly polarizing plate, a first retardation film, a second retardation film, a liquid crystal layer, a third retardation film, a fourth retardation film, and a rear linearly polarizing plate are arranged in this order from a front side thereof, wherein:
- the linearly polarizing plate, the first and second retardation films form means having one of the right-hand and left-hand circularly polarizing functions, and the third and fourth retardation films and the rear linearly polarizing plate form means having the other one of the right-hand and left-hand circularly polarizing functions;
- the first retardation film has a fixed retardation of substantially half of a wavelength of incident light;
- the liquid crystal layer comprises a parallel alignment type of liquid crystal material;
- and
- the fourth retardation film has a fixed retardation of substantially half of a wavelength of incident light;
- any one of the following conditions is fulfilled:
- (1) an absorption axis of the front linearly polarizing plate and a slow axis of the first retardation film are deviated from their parallel position by a first predetermined angle less than 45 degrees, and a slow axis of the second retardation film and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer are substantially perpendicular to each other, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a slow axis of the third retardation film are substantially perpendicular to each other, and a slow axis of the fourth retardation film and an absorption axis of the rear linearly polarizing plate are deviated from their parallel position by a second predetermined angle less than 45 degrees;
- (2) an absorption axis of the front linearly polarizing plate and a slow axis of the first retardation film are deviated from their parallel position by the first predetermined angle, and a slow axis of the second retardation film and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer are substantially perpendicular to each other, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a slow axis of the third retardation film are substantially perpendicular to each other, and a slow axis of the fourth retardation film and an absorption axis of the rear linearly polarizing plate are deviated from their perpendicular position by the second predetermined angle;
- (3) an absorption axis of the front linearly polarizing plate and a slow axis of the first retardation film are deviated from their parallel position by the first predetermined angle, and a slow axis of the second retardation film and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer are substantially perpendicular to each other, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a slow axis of the third retardation film are substantially perpendicular to each other, and a slow axis of the fourth retardation film and an absorption axis of the rear linearly polarizing plate are deviated from their parallel position by the second predetermined angle;
- (4) an absorption axis of the front linearly polarizing plate and a slow axis of the first retardation film are deviated from their parallel position by the first predetermined angle, and a slow axis of the second retardation film and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer are substantially perpendicular to each other, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a slow axis of the third retardation film are substantially perpendicular to each other, and a slow axis of the fourth retardation film and an absorption axis of the rear linearly polarizing plate are deviated from their parallel position by the second predetermined angle;
- (5) an absorption axis of the front linearly polarizing plate and a slow axis of the first retardation film are deviated from their parallel position by the first predetermined angle, and a slow axis of the second retardation film and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer are substantially parallel to each other, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a slow axis of the third retardation film are substantially perpendicular to each other, and a slow axis of the fourth retardation film and an absorption axis of the rear linearly polarizing plate are deviated from their parallel position by the second predetermined angle;
- (6) an absorption axis of the front linearly polarizing plate and a slow axis of the first retardation film are deviated from their parallel position by the first predetermined angle, and a slow axis of the second retardation film and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer are substantially parallel to each other, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a slow axis of the third retardation film are substantially perpendicular to each other, and a slow axis of the fourth retardation film and an absorption axis of the rear linearly polarizing plate are deviated from their perpendicular position by the second predetermined angle;
- (7) an absorption axis of the front linearly polarizing plate and a slow axis of the first retardation film are deviated from their parallel position by the first predetermined angle, and a slow axis of the second retardation film and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer are substantially parallel to each other, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a slow axis of the third retardation film are substantially parallel to each other, and a slow axis of the fourth retardation film and an absorption axis of the rear linearly polarizing plate are deviated from their parallel position by the second predetermined angle;
- (8) an absorption axis of the front linearly polarizing plate and a slow axis of the first retardation film are deviated from their parallel position by the first predetermined angle, and a slow axis of the second retardation film and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer are substantially parallel to each other, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a slow axis of the third retardation film are substantially parallel to each other, and a slow axis of the fourth retardation film and an absorption axis of the rear linearly polarizing plate are deviated from their perpendicular position by the second predetermined angle;
- (9) an absorption axis of the front linearly polarizing plate and a slow axis of the first retardation film are deviated from their perpendicular position by the first predetermined angle, and a slow axis of the second retardation film and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer are substantially perpendicular to each other, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a slow axis of the third retardation film are substantially perpendicular to each other, and a slow axis of the fourth retardation film and an absorption axis of the rear linearly polarizing plate are deviated from their parallel position by the second predetermined angle;
- (10) an absorption axis of the front linearly polarizing plate and a slow axis of the first retardation film are deviated from their perpendicular position by the first predetermined angle, and a slow axis of the second retardation film and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer are substantially perpendicular to each other, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a slow axis of the third retardation film are substantially perpendicular to each other, and a slow axis of the fourth retardation film and an absorption axis of the rear linearly polarizing plate are deviated from their perpendicular position by the second predetermined angle;
- (11) an absorption axis of the front linearly polarizing plate and a slow axis of the first retardation film are deviated from their perpendicular position by the first predetermined angle, and a slow axis of the second retardation film and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer are substantially perpendicular to each other, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a slow axis of the third retardation film are substantially parallel to each other, and a slow axis of the fourth retardation film and an absorption axis of the rear linearly polarizing plate are deviated from their parallel position by the second predetermined angle;
- (12) an absorption axis of the front linearly polarizing plate and a slow axis of the first retardation film are deviated from their perpendicular position by the first predetermined angle, and a slow axis of the second retardation film and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer are substantially perpendicular to each other, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a slow axis of the third retardation film are substantially parallel to each other, and a slow axis of the fourth retardation film and an absorption axis of the rear linearly polarizing plate are deviated from their perpendicular position by the second predetermined angle;
- (13) an absorption axis of the front linearly polarizing plate and a slow axis of the first retardation film are deviated from their perpendicular position by the first predetermined angle, and a slow axis of the second retardation film and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer are substantially parallel to each other, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a slow axis of the third retardation film are substantially perpendicular to each other, and a slow axis of the fourth retardation film and an absorption axis of the rear linearly polarizing plate are deviated from their parallel position by the second predetermined angle;
- (14) an absorption axis of the front linearly polarizing plate and a slow axis of the first retardation film are deviated from their perpendicular position by the first predetermined angle, and a slow axis of the second retardation film and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer are substantially parallel to each other, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a slow axis of the third retardation film are substantially perpendicular to each other, and a slow axis of the fourth retardation film and an absorption axis of the rear linearly polarizing plate are deviated from their perpendicular position by the second predetermined angle;
- (15) an absorption axis of the front linearly polarizing plate and a slow axis of the first retardation film are deviated from their perpendicular position by the first predetermined angle, and a slow axis of the second retardation film and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer are substantially parallel to each other, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a slow axis of the third retardation film are substantially parallel to each other, and a slow axis of the fourth retardation film and an absorption axis of the rear linearly polarizing plate are deviated from their parallel position by the second predetermined angle;
- and
- (16) an absorption axis of the front linearly polarizing plate and a slow axis of the first retardation film are deviated from their perpendicular position by the first predetermined angle, and a slow axis of the second retardation film and an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer are substantially parallel to each other, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a slow axis of the third retardation film are substantially parallel to each other, and a slow axis of the fourth retardation film and an absorption axis of the rear linearly polarizing plate are deviated from their perpendicular position by the second predetermined angle,
- if a relationship between the slow axis of the second retardation film and the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a relationship between the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and the slow axis of the third retardation film both correspond to a substantially parallel or substantially perpendicular relation, the second retardation film, the liquid crystal layer and the third retardation film have a retardation of substantially half of a wavelength of incident light as a whole during black displaying operation of the device, whereas if a relationship between the slow axis of the second retardation film and the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and a relationship between the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer and the slow axis of the third retardation film correspond to mutually different relations of one and the other of substantially parallel and substantially perpendicular relations, the second retardation film, the liquid crystal layer and the third retardation film have a retardation substantially equal to zero as a whole during black displaying operation of the device.