The Twisted Nematic LCD

5CB — 4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl — is the first room-temperature liquid crystal (Gray, 1972), and almost every early LCD uses it or a relative. Its shape is the device: a rigid biphenyl rod so the molecules line up (the nematic phase), a floppy pentyl tail so it stays liquid, and a polar cyano end that is the handle the electric field grabs to switch it. Rigid enough to align, floppy enough to flow, polar enough to steer.

A real build. Two ITO-coated glass plates (find the conductive side with a meter, ~hundreds of ohms). Wipe a thin PVA or polyimide film on each and RUB firmly one way — the grooves align the molecules. Assemble conductive faces in, rubbing directions at 90 degrees, ~10 um spacers, three edges sealed. Draw in 5CB by capillary action (warm it above ~35 C so it flows), seal the last edge. Add a polariser each side, axes crossed. Test: crossed polarisers, no volts = bright; touch 3-5 V AC to the two ITO faces and the lit area goes dark. Use AC, not DC — DC electrolyses and kills the cell in minutes.