Active matrix twisted nematic liquid crystal display with rubbing direction 1-44 degrees to the electrodes

An active matrix type of twisted nematic liquid crystal display, comprising:

• an array substrate;
• an opposite substrate arranged over the array substrate;
• a gate line arranged on the array substrate for transmitting a pulse signal;
• a source line arranged on the array substrate for transmitting electric charges;
• a switching device which is turned on by the pulse signal transmitted from the gate line;
• a pixel electrode for holding the electric charges transmitted from the source line through the switching device in cases where the switching device is turned on;
• a lower alignment layer arranged on the array substrate to cover the pixel electrode, the lower alignment layer being rubbed in a first rubbing direction to tilt major axes of liquid crystal molecules arranged on the lower alignment layer at a pretilt angle in the first rubbing direction, the first rubbing direction being inclined to the source line at an included angle ranging from 1 degree to 44 degrees;
• a common electrode arranged on the opposite substrate for inducing an electric field between the common electrode and the pixel electrode in cases where the electric charges are held in the pixel electrode;
• an upper alignment layer arranged on the common electrode to face the lower alignment layer, the upper alignment layer being rubbed in a second rubbing direction to tilt major axes of liquid crystal molecules arranged on the upper alignment layer at the pretilt angle in the second rubbing direction, the second rubbing direction being almost perpendicular to the first rubbing direction, and an intermediate direction between the first and second rubbing directions being parallel to the source line;
• a liquid crystal layer arranged between the lower and upper alignment layers facing each other, liquid crystal molecules set in a nematic liquid crystal phase being filled up in the liquid crystal layer, major axes of the liquid crystal molecules being gradually twisted from the first rubbing direction to the second rubbing direction along a vertical direction directed from the lower alignment layer to the upper alignment layer, and the major axes of the liquid crystal molecules arranged in a reference position lower than a middle position between the lower alignment layer and the upper alignment layer being oriented in the intermediate direction parallel to the source line.