Display device characteristics nematic liquid crystals

L. T. Creagh, A. R. Kmetz, and R. A. Reynolds, Performance Characteristics of Nematic Liquid Crystal Display Devices, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, p. 672 (1971). 

Among the characteristic physical properties of liquid crystals, what are of critical importance to display devices (LCDs) are those of macroscopic spatiotemporal scale there, the theories of liquid crystals as continuous media play essential roles. The basis of static continuum mechanics of nematic liquid crystals was established by... 

Prior to the development of thin film transistors (TFT) and active matrix technology for liquid crystal displays, the maximum number of hnes or rows in any display with an acceptable contrast was severely limited by the shallow voltage-transmission characteristics of, for instance, the twisted nematic mode. This inspired work to develop a liquid crystal device that could remain in either of two states (ideally black and white) after the removal of the electric field used to switch the liquid crystal into the selected state. With a memory in the liquid crystal an unlimited number of hnes can be displayed using a simple passive matrix and the constraints are instead in the refreshment requirements. 

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