This book traces the history of liquid crystal display (LCD) development from simple laboratory samples to the flat, thin LCDs that have become an important part of everyday life, appearing in television screens, computers, cellular phones, as well as numerous other consumer and industrial products. It provides insight into how these products were developed and what might be expected in the future. This account is a personal, in-depth look at the evolution of a high-technology industry from the eyes of the author, who watched it grow from inception to ubiquity for over nearly forty years. The story that is told in this book goes beyond the technical details and into the ideas, visions, struggles, and ambitions of the scientists and engineers who made it possible. In addition, the diverse field of LCD technology encompasses not only electronics but also physics, chemistry, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, marketing, and sales. Consequently, this book will be of interest to physical scientists from several disciplines as well as engineers and students.

Contents: The Early Years; Discovery; The Gathering; The Secret Years; Going Public; New Explorations; Enter the Japanese; Risky Business: Spin-Offs and New Ventures; Silicon Valley Calls; An Industry in Transition; View from the Sidelines; The Elusive Transistor; Television Arrives; The Personal Computer Revolution; Coming of Age; Competition from Other Flat Panel Technologies; Into the Future.