32-channel arbitrary waveform generator for bistable nematic devices

All commercially available liquid crystal nematic displays use cells with strong surface anchoring conditions and under field bulk monostable texture distortions. About ten years ago, a technological research line started to study liquid crystal nematic displays with intrinsic bistable textures. It implies pixels with two distinct stable states in the absence of field, but electrically switchable. Bistability allows infinite multiplexing for passive matrix displays: It suppresses the need of refreshing permanent informations. At present, commercial active matrix displays behave like bistable displays by means of electronic elements (TFT or diodes), one for each pixel. This is not an intrinsic bistability, because it is due to external active devices placed on the screen surface. The aim of the present research is to design a suitable and flexible experimental setup to create addressing waveforms for passive electro-optical intrinsically bistable devices. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.