Building a liquid crystal display (LCD)

I've been exploring technology made possible by having clear, patterned electrodes on glass, and succeeded in making a working (barely) LCD. In this video, I explain types of liquid crystal molecules, and how they can be used to make an efficient display.

[DC-gomc]

Ben, I was a working Engineer in the mid 80's and needed a 4x6 TN LCD with 64 segments for an application. All the manufacturers said it was impossible. The company I worked for paid for the research to develop many of the things you demonstrated. I worked with company X to do this work. We did the 5um glass beads, ITO patterning at large scale, crystal mix ratios, -40 to +70C performance range, super glue coating then using a cloth to scratch the parallel lines. Amazing to stumble across this video and see your presentation. Thanks for bringing back the memories. Very good explanation of issues we worked to resolve.

[handymanatwork]

Hi Ben, I'm an experienced LCD engineer who is still working in the field. I have to say your work is amazing even from a professional point of view! Here I'd like to remind you that most of materials, like PR, developer, are not good to health. So just be careful when using them. You may need a ventilation system to avoid breathing too much gases. Best regards:)

[RimstarOrg]

Man, you are one good explainer! And I can picture all the pleasure you had doing the research for this. Way too much fun. Fascinating. Thanks!

[degucitas]

You explained LCDs in a way even dummies like me can understand. THANK YOU1!!!!

[souravzzz]

When I was a kid I used to take off the top polarizer from calculators and rotate it 180 degrees. It'd give me a white-on-black display instead of the usual black-on-white and I used to feel like a god damn scientist :D

[JugurthaHadjar]

What a badass ! Whenever a friend comes near my computer, I tell him "Let me show you something" and then put any of your videos and say "Look at this dude."

Almost all my friends are engineers, as I am, so they appreciate the beauty of it.

Keep up the good work, Ben. You are a frigging inspiration, and I don't use that word !

[Rayden]

Before I saw this video, if someone were to ask me how LCDs worked. I would have answered, "magic." Thank you for the very informative video.

[SardiPax]

Fascinating video. I work with LCD displays and there were still quite a few bits of information that were new to me. I especially liked the 'rubbing the plastic' to align the crystal molecules.

I'd be interested to see you manufacture a laser, not an LED one, perhaps a gas or crystal one.

Thanks again.

[nunyabusiness]

Extremely thorough and well thought out for a fourteen minute presentation, as well an appreciated ability to speak clearly using proper English to convey/share with the rest of us curious minded tinkerers/ engineers. Keep on keeping on, I subscribed! Thank you!

[artonline]

if the zombie Apocalypse happens someone save him so we can rebuild technology faster

[RexTorres]

One of the best (if not *the* best) explanation of how LCDs work... This guy never ceases to amaze me.

[heXan]

In the first 1:20 min of the vid you completely shatter in a general way the knowledge of an average student with a BSc in physics in europe. Thank you for making these interesting videos! :)

[Falcrist]

This may be your best video yet, Ben. The clarity of your explanation puts it above even your electron microscope videos.

[michalotron]

This is the best explanation of how LCD works I've ever seen - thanks! Science is beautiful.

[dan]

The funny thing is most of us watched this video about creating primitive LCD displays on our own advanced LCD displays

[LoMe]

Great video - thank you very much!
About the rubbing with a cloth: Some years ago there was an article in a german magazine "c't" about how to make custom LCDs.
In the article they recommended to rub the surface with a piece of styrofoam to create the microscratches.

[maximilianufer]

This is so amazing
Just look at an LCD display in your house and think about how much work and cleverness is put into them

[NikolasSkoufis]

Amazing explanation of how LCDs work. Thanks Ben, and good luck with this project. It's proving to be really fascinating.

[richbooth]

Wow! I have played around with LCD displays and thought I knew a lot about them... wrong! I thought it was a big deal rotating the polarization film thus inverting the display (dark parts became light and light parts dark). You have a gift. Nice job!

[superdau]

I really love your videos! Since I've always been interested in everything science related I know the operating principle of almost all the things you try, sometimes even in great detail. But what I often don't know is how things are actually made. And you show that these things can even be made at home, when I thought you'd need a clean room, large machines and perfect computer control.

Btw. not to jinx it, but you're pretty much the only one I know who can get a video with a 1000:0 like/dislike ratio. Says quite alot about you and your subscribers! Thanks alot!