Ferroelectric liquid crystal device for gray scale display, gray scale display apparatus and method adopting the same

A ferroelectric liquid crystal display device comprising:

• first and second substrates positioned in opposition with respect to one another, the first and second substrates being separated by a predetermined distance;
• a first transparent electrode formed on the inner surface of said first substrate;
• a plurality of dielectric layers formed on the inner surface of said second substrate in positions corresponding to each pixel region, each of said plurality of dielectric layers having the same thickness and different optical transmittances;
• a plurality of second transparent electrodes formed on said plurality of dielectric layers;
• and
• a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer formed between said second substrate on which said second transparent electrodes are formed and said first substrate having said first transparent electrode.

A gray scale display apparatus comprising:

• a liquid crystal display device including:
• first and second substrates positioned in opposition with respect to one another, the first and second substrates being separated by a predetermined distance;
• a first transparent electrode formed on an inner surface of said first substrate;
• a plurality of second transparent electrodes formed on an inner surface of said second substrate in positions corresponding to each pixel region, each of said plurality of second transparent electrodes having a predetermined width;
• a plurality of dielectric layers formed on said plurality of second transparent electrodes, said plurality of dielectric layers having the same thickness and different optical transmittances;
• and
• a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer formed between said second substrate on which said dielectric layers are formed and said first substrate having said first transparent electrode thereon;
• and
• a signal voltage dividing means for dividing a signal voltage applied to terminals of said transparent electrodes so as to provide signals having different voltage levels.