ABSTRACT
Even until the 1960s many eminent scientists regarded liquid crystals as ‘academic curiosities’. This
changed in the early 1970s when, from humble beginnings in very simple watch displays, liquid
crystal displays advanced into everyday items and became state-of-the-art flat screen colour
monitors. However, there are many liquid crystal display types, each with its own set of properties
delivering displays optimized for different markets and providing formidable competition to new
technologies.
