Liquid crystal display device

A liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a first substrate having a first polarization layer on a light incident side of the liquid crystal display device;
• a second substrate having a second polarization layer on a light outgoing side of the liquid crystal display device;
• a liquid crystal layer disposed between said first substrate and said second substrate;
• a first birefringent medium disposed between said first polarization layer and said liquid crystal layer;
• a second birefringent medium disposed between said second polarization layer and said liquid crystal layer;
• and
• a pixel electrode and a common electrode arranged on one of said first substrate and said second substrate,
• wherein an absorbing axis of said first polarization layer and an absorbing axis of said second polarization layer form an angle of from 88 degrees to 92 degrees;
• wherein said liquid crystal layer has a property that, when no electric field is applied between said pixel electrode and said common electrode, said liquid crystal layer is optically isotropic in-plane of said liquid crystal layer and that, when an electric field is applied between said pixel electrode and said common electrode, an in-plane refractive index anisotropy is induced in said liquid crystal layer;
• wherein said liquid crystal layer, when no electric field is applied, has a larger refractive index in a direction parallel to said first and second substrates than a refractive index in a direction perpendicular to said first and second substrates;
• wherein said first birefringent medium has an Nz coefficient of not larger than −5;
• wherein said second birefringent medium has an Nz coefficient of not larger than 0;
• and
• wherein a retarded phase axis in a plane parallel to said first and second substrates forms an angle of from 88 degrees to 92 degrees with the absorbing axis of said polarization layer.