The Birth of Liquid Crystals: From a Laboratory “Accident” to a Display Technology Revolution

The Birth of Liquid Crystals:

From a Laboratory “Accident” to a Display Technology Revolution

Have you ever wondered how the screens we look at every day—smartphones, computers, televisions—came into existence?
Behind modern display technology lies an unexpected scientific discovery that dates back more than a century.

An Accidental Discovery That Changed Display Science

The story of liquid crystals begins in 1888.
Austrian botanist Friedrich Reinitzer was conducting experiments on cholesterol derivatives when he observed a phenomenon that defied conventional material classifications.

• At 145.5°C, the substance melted into a cloudy, viscous liquid

• When heated further to 178.5°C, it suddenly became clear and transparent

This unusual behavior—neither purely solid nor fully liquid—captured the attention of scientists and challenged existing theories of material states.

The Formal Definition of “Liquid Crystal”

German physicist Otto Lehmann later examined the material using a polarized light microscope and discovered that it exhibited birefringence, a property typically associated with crystalline solids.

Based on this observation, Lehmann officially introduced the term “Liquid Crystal”, establishing a new state of matter and laying the foundation for future research and industrial applications.

What Is a Liquid Crystal?

As the name suggests, a liquid crystal exists between solid and liquid states:

• It maintains a highly ordered molecular structure, similar to a solid

• At the same time, it retains the fluidity of a liquid

This unique combination of order and mobility makes liquid crystals ideal for controlling light—an essential requirement for modern display technologies.

Key Milestones in Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Technology

The journey from scientific discovery to commercial application took decades of innovation:

• 1961 – RCA (USA) successfully developed the first LCD prototype

• 1969 – NHK (Japan) combined liquid crystals with integrated circuits, enabling mass production

• 1970s to Present – LCD technology evolved rapidly through multiple generations

Three Generations of LCD Applications

First Generation
Calculators, digital watches

Second Generation
Electronic dictionaries, handheld games, home appliances

Third Generation
Computers, smartphones, industrial systems, medical devices, smart terminals

Today, liquid crystal displays are everywhere, forming the backbone of consumer electronics, industrial automation, healthcare equipment, transportation systems, and smart infrastructure.

Why LCD Technology Became the Industry Standard

The widespread adoption of LCD technology is driven by its outstanding performance advantages:

• Low Power Consumption – Energy-efficient compared to traditional display technologies

• Slim and Lightweight Design – Ideal for portable and embedded applications

• High Information Density – Supports high-resolution and detailed graphics

• Excellent Color Performance – Suitable for multimedia and professional displays

• Radiation-Free & Environmentally Friendly – Safe, reliable, and sustainable

These benefits make LCD a long-term, trusted solution across multiple industries.

The “Three Brothers” of Liquid Crystals

Liquid crystals can be classified into three main types based on molecular alignment:

Nematic Liquid Crystals

Molecules align in a uniform direction with fast response times.
Widely used in TV, computer monitors, smartphones, and industrial displays.

Smectic Liquid Crystals

Molecules form layered structures with higher stability but slower response.
Often applied in optical storage and specialized scientific devices.

Cholesteric Liquid Crystals

Molecules arrange in a helical structure and change color with temperature.
Commonly used in temperature indicators and sensing applications.

Dedicated to Display Technology, Connecting the Future

As liquid crystal technology continues to evolve, DINGTouch remains committed to advancing display innovation as a specialized and technology-driven manufacturer.

Our product portfolio includes:

• Monochrome LCD modules

• TFT LCD display modules

• OLED display modules

• HMI (Human-Machine Interface) display solutions

With display sizes ranging from 0.96 inches to 15.6 inches, 23.6 inches, and up to 65 inches, DINGTouch delivers flexible solutions for diverse industrial and commercial applications.

Whether you are looking for custom LCD solutions or a reliable LCD display manufacturer, DINGTouch provides end-to-end services—from concept design and engineering to stable mass production.

Ready to Build Your Outdoor Display Solution?

Get in touch with us at sales@szdingtouch.com. Our expert engineers will help you design a cost-effective, tailored solution to meet your project’s exact specifications.

DINGTouch:Committed to continuous innovation and improvement of product quality to meet customers' high requirements and expectations.

DINGTouch is a manufacturer that provides high quality touch screen panels. Focus on the design, manufacturing and sales of touch screen panels, and are committed to providing customized solutions that satisfy customers.

DINGTouch: In the process of customizing touch screen panels, we focus on close cooperation and communication with customers. Understanding customers' needs and providing customized solutions will meet customers' individual needs. The company's products are favored by customers for their high quality and reliability, and provide them with the best touchscreen panel solutions.

At DINGTOUCH, we are the world's leading touchscreen manufacturer, helping businesses around the world take advantage of this exciting technology. For more information, please visit the home page now.

Find the DINGTouch technical team to achieve the success of your company's new project.

How to choose touch screen customization?

DINGTouch is a company specializing in the R&D and production of touch screen technology, headquartered in Shenzhen, China. As a professional touch screen supplier, DINGTouch is committed to providing high-quality, stable and reliable touch screen products to meet the diverse needs of customers. We continue to carry out technological innovation and product optimization to ensure that its touch screen products have good sensitivity, accuracy and durability.

In addition to the products themselves, we also focus on cooperation and communication with customers, and are committed to providing customized solutions and excellent after-sales services. Through continuous efforts to improve product quality and customer satisfaction, we have established a good reputation in the touchscreen industry and won widespread market recognition.

What DINGTOUCH can do:

• PCAP  maximum size 65”

• Multi-touch (Touch screen can be customized to your needs.)

• Optical bonding service/air bonding

• LCD interface: HDMI/RGB/MIPI/LVDS/EDP, etc.

• PCAP interface: IIC/USB interface

• CTP can customize the cover glass surface treatment process AG (anti-glare), AR (anti-reflection), AF (anti-fingerprint), waterproof, and glove touch

• Supports 0.55 mm-12 mm coverslip touch.

• Support operating temperature: -40℃-90℃.

Dingtouch Industrial Capacitive Touch Screen Manufacturer

In conclusion, Dingtouch as a professional touch screen manufacturer with more than 10 years touch screen experience.We have many capacitive touch screen. Such as 5  inch touch screen,7 inch touch screen,10.1inch touch screen,15 inch touch screen,15.6 inch touch screen,17 inch touch screen,18.5 inch touch screen,19 inch touch screen,21.5 inch touch screen,32 inch touch screen, However, we also welcome to customize your own touch screen . Contact our team today to learn what capacitive touch screen are best for our retail business needs.

Contact us NOW! sales@szdingtouch.com

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DINGTouch — Custom Touch Display Solutions Expert

Every touch, clear and precise, ready for any environment.