How Can I Improve the Viewing Angle on a Basic LCD?

[odelay17]

I'm in need of some help understanding the viewing angle of a basic LCD.

I am replicating a product that contains a backlit LCD from a similar product. The original product has an orange display that is clearly viewable at most angles. The similar product has a blue display that has poor visibility at certain angles.

There are two differences I can tell between the two LCDs. Obviously one is the color. The original has orange bulbs with a white diffuser. The similar product has white bulbs with a blue diffuser. The only other difference is that there is something visibly different about the polarizing films. The original has a matte antiglare property and the similar product is very glossy.

Can anyone help me improve the viewing angle of the similar product to that of the original? I have researched endlessly to find a solution. I have found compensation film (quarter wave plate film) which appears to not be produced any longer, I have also realized that a circular polarized film is just a linear polarizer on top of wave plate film. Lastly I had found some linear polarizing that claimed to have a wide viewing angle.

Am on the right track? I purchased some linear polarizing film with an antiglare and hardcoat to experiment with to see if I could improve the viewing angle. It did not help.

I will add some pictures shortly that illustrate the problem.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

[Achy47]

.

Thank you for reaching out for help with understanding the viewing angle of a basic LCD. As a scientist with expertise in this field, I would be happy to provide some insights and suggestions to help improve the viewing angle of your similar product.

Firstly, the color of the backlight bulbs and diffuser can have a significant impact on the viewing angle of an LCD. In general, warm colors like orange tend to have wider viewing angles compared to cool colors like blue. This is because the human eye is more sensitive to warm colors, allowing for better visibility at different angles. So, the difference in color between the two LCDs could be a major contributing factor to the different viewing angles.

Secondly, the polarizing films on an LCD are responsible for controlling the direction of light passing through the screen. In order to achieve a wide viewing angle, it is important to have a uniform orientation of the polarizing films. Any visible differences in the films, such as the matte antiglare property on the original product and the glossy appearance on the similar product, can lead to a narrower viewing angle. Therefore, it may be worth looking into replacing the polarizing films on the similar product with ones that have a similar matte finish.

You mentioned that you have purchased linear polarizing film with an antiglare and hardcoat to experiment with. While this may help improve the viewing angle to some extent, it may not be enough to match the original product's wide viewing angle. I would suggest considering using a circular polarizing film instead, as it offers a wider viewing angle compared to linear polarizing film. Additionally, using a quarter wave plate film along with the circular polarizing film can further improve the viewing angle.

In conclusion, to improve the viewing angle of your similar product, it would be beneficial to use warm-colored backlight bulbs and a matte finish polarizing film with a circular polarizing film and a quarter wave plate film. I hope this information helps you in your efforts to replicate the original product's viewing angle. Best of luck with your project!