Liquid crystal display device having a semi-transmissive dielectric film

A liquid crystal display device which is operable both in a reflective mode and in a transmissive mode, comprising:

• a liquid crystal panel comprising a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate spaced a predetermined distance from each other in an opposed relation, transparent electrodes and an orientation film provided on each of inner opposed surfaces of the first and second transparent substrates, and a nematic liquid crystal layer provided between the first and second transparent substrates;
• a semi-transmissive dielectric film provided on an inner surface of one of the transparent substrates of the liquid crystal panel, the semi-transmissive dielectric film having a multi-layered laminate structure including high refractivity layers and low refractivity layers stacked in an alternating relation;
• a first retardation plate provided on an outer surface of the first transparent substrate of the liquid crystal panel;
• a first polarizer plate provided on the first retardation plate;
• a second retardation plate provided on an outer surface of the second transparent substrate of the liquid crystal panel;
• a second polarizer plate provided on the second retardation plate;
• backlighting means for internal illumination provided on the polarizer plate provided on a side of the one transparent substrate provided with the semi-transmissive dielectric film;
• and
• a light scattering layer provided between the other transparent substrate of the liquid crystal panel and the retardation plate on the other transparent substrate;
• wherein the retardation plate provided on the one transparent substrate is conditioned to change the polarization state of the light emitted from the backlighting means used in the transmissive mode to be the same polarization state as the light reflected from the semi-transmissive dielectric film in the reflective mode.