Theory of LCD Operation

Liquid crystal displays are composed of thin, layered sheets. Each layer either modifies the light that passes through it or prevents the passage of light.

Layer 1: Reflective Layer

The reflective layer sits behind the backlight bulbs, reflecting their light toward the front of the screen. This shiny sheet is usually the rearmost layer in an LCD panel. Because the reflective layer maximizes the available light, LCD panels consume much less power than CRT displays.

Layer 2: CCFL Bulb Layer

The LCD's backlight source is the cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) bulb layer, sitting just in front of the reflective layer. The ...

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