Reflective type liquid crystal display device

A reflective type liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a first light-transmittable insulating substrate, including at least one transparent electrode;
• a second insulating substrate;
• a reflector formed on the second insulating substrate, the reflector forming at least one second electrode for display driving in connection with the at least one transparent electrode;
• a liquid crystal layer sealed between the first light-transmittable substrate and the reflector, the liquid crystal layer including nematic liquid crystal molecules;
• an optical phase compensating member disposed on the first light-transmittable substrate;
• and
• a polarizer at a light incident side, disposed on the optical phase compensating member,
• wherein the director direction of the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer is almost orthogonal to a slow direction of the optical phase compensating member, and
• further wherein a light transmission state is selected when a retardation .DELTA.n.sub.1 d.sub.1, wherein .DELTA.n.sub.1 is an optical anisotropy of the liquid crystal layer and d1 is a thickness of the liquid crystal layer, and a retardation .DELTA.n.sub.2 d.sub.2, wherein .DELTA.n.sub.2 is an optical anisotropy of the optical phase compensating member and d.sub.2 is a thickness of the optical phase compensating member, are in a relation of
• .vertline..DELTA.n.sub.1 d.sub.1 -.DELTA.n.sub.2 d.sub.2 .vertline./.lambda.=m/2.+-.0.1, (1)
• wherein m is an integer and .lambda. is a wavelength in a range of 400 to 700 nm, upon application of a voltage V.sub.1 (V.sub.1 .gtoreq.0) and a light shielding state is selected when the retardation of the liquid crystal cell and the optical phase compensating member are in a relation o f
• .vertline..DELTA.n.sub.1 d.sub.1 -.DELTA.n.sub.2 d.sub.2 .vertline./.lambda.=0.25+m/2.+-.0.1, (2)
• upon application of a voltage V.sub.2 (V.sub.2 >V.sub.1), wherein a numerical value of .vertline..DELTA.n.sub.1 d.sub.1 -.DELTA.n.sub.2 d.sub.2 .vertline. is varied depending on an electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer, and still further wherein the relation (.DELTA.n.lambda.)F>(.DELTA.n.lambda.)Lc is satisfied when .DELTA.n.sub.1 d.sub.1 >.DELTA.n.sub.2 d.sub.2 is met in the light shielding state, wherein (.DELTA.n.lambda.)F is a magnitude of wavelength dispersion of the optical compensating member and (.DELTA.n.lambda.)Lc is a magnitude of wavelength dispersion of the liquid crystal layer, and the relation (.DELTA.n.lambda.)F<(.DELTA.n.lambda.)Lc is satisfied when .DELTA.n.sub.1 d.sub.1 <.DELTA.n.sub.2 d.sub.2 is met in the light shielding state.