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A new type of holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC) device in which liquid-crystal (LC) alignment is controlled by polymerized layers has been developed. In the alignment-controlled HPDLC device, the polymerized regions (polymer layers) are formed periodically in homogeneously aligned LC. When an electric field is applied vertically between the substrates, the LC molecules in the residual regions (LC layers) rotate towards the electric field. This causes a difference in refractive index between the polymer layers and LC layers, so selective reflection occurs in accordance with Bragg's law. The selectively reflected light shows strong polarization dependence. Only light polarized parallel to the alignment direction of LC molecules is reflected.

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A new mode of operation for an alignment-controlled holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC) device has been confirmed experimentally. In this mode, called in-plane operation, an electric field is applied parallel to the substrates. In the alignment-controlled HPDLC device, the polymer layers are formed periodically with aligned LC layers. We confirmed the fundamental operation of this in-plane mode experimentally. The polarization dependence of the reflected light proves that the LC molecules in the LC layers move in-plane. The in-plane operation makes the alignment-controlled HPDLC device polarization free.

A stack of liquid-crystal displays is expected to reduce visual fatigue caused by a flat-panel three-dimensional (3D) display. We previously developed a compact depth-fused 3D (DFD) display by using a stack of two twisted-nematic (liquid-crystal) LC panels, but its viewing-angle characteristics and color reproducibility were not so good. Therefore recent wide-view LC panels should be used. We report calculated and measured luminance addition characteristics, which are essential for evaluating 3D display characteristics, of a stack of two multidomain LC panels. We found that LC panels with super in-plane switching, patterned vertical alignment, multiple vertical alignment, and continuous pinwheel alignment modes are suitable for DFD display application.