Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal display, using a ferroelectric liquid crystal exhibiting mono-stability, which makes it possible to control the direction of the spontaneous polarization of the ferroelectric liquid crystal. The liquid crystal display includes a first alignment treatment substrate and a second alignment treatment substrate in which the first alignment treatment substrate and the second alignment treatment substrate have the first alignment layer and a reactive liquid crystal layer that face each other; and in which a ferroelectric liquid crystal is held between the first alignment layer and the reactive liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display using a ferroelectric liquid crystal, which can give mono-domain alignment of the ferroelectric liquid crystal without forming alignment defects such as zigzag defects, hairpin defects and double domains and which is so remarkably good in alignment stability that the alignment thereof can be maintained even if the temperature of the liquid crystal is raised to the phase transition point or higher. The liquid crystal display has a ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched between two substrates, wherein an electrode and a photo alignment layer are each successively formed on opposite faces of the two substrates facing each other, and a constituent material of the respective photo alignment layer has a different composition with the ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched there between.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display using a ferroelectric liquid crystal, which can give mono-domain alignment of the ferroelectric liquid crystal without forming alignment defects such as zigzag defects, hairpin defects and double domains and which is so remarkably good in alignment stability that the alignment thereof can be maintained even if the temperature of the liquid crystal is raised to the phase transition point or higher. The liquid crystal display has a ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched between two substrates, wherein an electrode and a photo alignment layer are each successively formed on opposite faces of the two substrates facing each other, and a constituent material of the respective photo alignment layer has a different composition with the ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched therebetween.

Abstract: The invention provides a liquid crystal displays using a ferroelectric liquid crystal, which can give mono-domain alignment of ferroelectrical liquid crystal without forming orientation defects and which is so remarkably good in orientation stability that the orientation thereof can be maintained even if the temperature of the liquid crystal is raised to the phase transition point or higher. The invention provides liquid crystal displays comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched between two substrates, wherein an electrode and a photo alignment film are each successively formed, the first of which is a photoreactive material which generates photoreaction to give anisotropy to the photo alignment film, and the constituent material of the second film is an optically isomerizable material comprising an optically isomerization-reactive compound.

Abstract: The invention provides a liquid crystal display using a ferroelectric liquid crystal, which can give mono-domain alignment of the ferroelectric liquid crystal without forming alignment defects which is so remarkably good in alignment stability that the alignment thereof can be maintained even if the temperature of the liquid crystal is raised to the phase transition point or higher. The present invention provides a liquid crystal display comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched between two substrates, wherein an electrode and a photo alignment layer are each successively formed a constituent material of the respective photo alignment layer is a photoreactive material which generates a photoreaction to give anisotropy to the photo alignment layer; and the constituent material of the respective photo alignment layer has different composition from each other with the ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched therebetween.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display using a ferroelectric liquid crystal, which can give mono-domain alignment of the ferroelectric liquid crystal without forming alignment defects such as zigzag defects, hairpin defects and double domains and which is so remarkably good in alignment stability that the alignment thereof can be maintained even if the temperature of the liquid crystal is raised to the phase transition point or higher. The liquid crystal display has a ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched between two substrates, wherein an electrode and a photo alignment layer are each successively formed on opposite faces of the two substrates facing each other, and a constituent material of the respective photo alignment layer has a different composition with the ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched there between.

Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal display, using a ferroelectric liquid crystal exhibiting mono-stability, which makes it possible to control the direction of the spontaneous polarization of the ferroelectric liquid crystal. The liquid crystal display includes a first alignment treatment substrate and a second alignment treatment substrate in which the first alignment treatment substrate and the second alignment treatment substrate have the first alignment layer and a reactive liquid crystal layer that face each other; and in which a ferroelectric liquid crystal is held between the first alignment layer and the reactive liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display using a ferroelectric liquid crystal, which can give mono-domain alignment of the ferroelectric liquid crystal without forming alignment defects such as zigzag defects, hairpin defects and double domains and which is so remarkably good in alignment stability that the alignment thereof can be maintained even if the temperature of the liquid crystal is raised to the phase transition point or higher. The liquid crystal display has a ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched between two substrates, wherein an electrode and a photo alignment layer are each successively formed on opposite faces of the two substrates facing each other, and a constituent material of the respective photo alignment layer has a different composition with the ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched therebetween.

Abstract: A main object of the invention is to provide liquid crystal displays using a ferroelectric liquid crystal, which can give mono-domain alignment of the ferroelectric liquid crystal without forming orientation defects such as zigzag defects, hairpin defects and double domains and which is so remarkably good in orientation stability that the orientation thereof can be maintained even if the temperature of the liquid crystal is raised to the phase transition point or higher.

Abstract: Optical materials with improved heat resistance, especially dopant-type GI POFs with improved heat resistance are provided.

Abstract: The first smectic liquid crystal composition of the invention has a voltage gradation parameter L of less than 0.6, said parameter being defined by the equation L=S.sub.H /S.sub.O with the proviso that: a liquid crystal cell filled with a liquid crystal composition is placed between a pair of polarizing plates arranged in the crossed Nicols state; a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal cell to form a hysteresis curve showing a correlation between the voltage and a transmittance; and a tangent line I.sub.R of the hysteresis curve within a region wherein the transmittance steeply increases intersects a tangent line I.sub.F of the hysteresis curve within a region which is adjacent to the voltage-steep increase region and which is on the higher-voltage side at an intersection point P. In the above equation, S.sub.

Abstract: An LCD which having a high response speed, a wide viewing angle and a high contrast and capable of displaying high-quality gray-scale images at normal temperature. The LCD comprises an array substrate, a counter substrate opposing the array substrate, pixel electrodes arranged on the the array substrate in rows and columns, each connected to an active element, a first orientation film provided on the pixel electrodes, a counter electrode opposing the pixel electrodes, arranged on the counter substrate, a second orientation film provided on the counter electrode, rubbed in a direction slightly inclined to a direction in which the first orientation has been rubbed, and a layer of antiferroelectric liquid crystal sealed in a gap between the first and second orientation films, the antiferroelectric liquid crystal being a smectic liquid crystal which contains an antiferroelectric liquid crystal compound represented by R.sup.1 (O)--Zm--Y--E--COO--C*HX--R.sup.4.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal device comprising a liquid crystal cell filled with a liquid crystal material capable of exhibiting a smectic phase, said cell including upper and lower substrates each having in order an electrode and an orientation film in contact with the liquid crystal material, a cross angle e formed by the orientation treatment directions of the orientation films is 180.degree.-.delta. or 360.degree.-.delta. (0.degree.<.delta..ltoreq.90.degree.). Also disclosed is a process for preparing the above-mentioned liquid crystal device comprising treating the orientation films and preparing the liquid crystal cell so as to have the orientation treatment directions of the orientation films form the cross angle .THETA. within the above range in the cell.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal device comprising a liquid crystal cell filled with a liquid crystal material capable of exhibiting a smectic phase, said cell including upper and lower substrates each having in order an electrode and an orientation film in contact with the liquid crystal material, a cross angle .THETA. formed by the orientation treatment directions of the orientation films is 180.degree.-.delta. or 360.degree.-.delta. (0.degree.<.delta..ltoreq.90.degree.). Also disclosed is a process for preparing the above-mentioned liquid crystal device comprising treating the orientation films and preparing the liquid crystal cell so as to have the orientation treatment directions of the orientation films form the cross angle .THETA. within the above range in the cell.

Abstract: Striped electrodes are formed on upper and lower substrates respectively, and a plurality of partition members are formed in a striped fashion so that a plurality of parallel sealed linear interstices R, each having a rectangular section, are formed between the substrates. A upper-side rubbing direction crosses a lower-side rubbing direction at a predetermined angle, and the direction of extension of each of the partition members is caused to fall within the above cross angle. An antiferroelectric liquid crystal is sealed in the linear interstices, and the liquid crystal panel is cooled while proceeding from one end of the linear interstices to the other end thereof. The layer normal direction of liquid crystal molecular layer becoming irregular between the upper and lower substrates is prevented by the employment of the cross rubbing method to thereby avoid the occurrence of defects in the liquid crystal.

Abstract: The liquid crystal light modulation device of the present invention comprising a liquid crystal element consisting of one of plural liquid crystal cells and a voltage signal input means electrically connected with the liquid crystal element, wherein each liquid crystal cell contains a chiral smectic liquid crystal material layer and when a voltage signal is input to the liquid crystal element, the polarization direction of a light transmitted by the liquid crystal element is changed by approx. 90.degree. as compared with the state where the voltage signal is not input to the liquid crystal element enables a change of a light path and an open-close (on-off) operation of a light path at a high speed (optical switching time: not longer than 1 msec).

Abstract: A novel hydrazine compound represented by the formula (I) is disclosed. ##STR1## Also disclosed are a process for preparing the novel hydrazine compound comprising reacting a specific hydrazine compound and a specific acid halide, a nonlinear optical organic material comprising the hydrazine compound represented by the above formula (I), and a nonlinear optical organic element comprising the nonlinear optical organic material. The nonlinear optical organic material shows excellent nonlinear optical effect, and the material is favorably applied to nonlinear optical organic elements such as an optical wavelength conversion element and an electrooptical element.

Abstract: An antiferroelectric liquid crystal composite material comprising an organic polymer and an antiferroelectric liquid crystal material, both being in the dispersed state; a process for preparing a liquid crystal element including a step of mixing an organic polymer and an antiferroelectric liquid crystal material; and a liquid crystal element having such a structure that the above-mentioned antiferroelectric liquid crystal composite material is sandwiched between a pair of electrodes are provided. According to the present invention, there can be obtained a liquid crystal element which is available at a low price, quick in the electrooptical response, free from occurrence of switching failure and is able to make a large display screen.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there are provided carboxylate compounds represented by the following formula [A] and liquid crystal material comprising said compounds ##STR1## wherein R is a group selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy and halogenated alkyl group of 3-20 carbon atoms, X and Y represent each a group selected from the group consisting of --COO--, --OCO--, --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 O--, --OCH.sub.2 --, --S--S--, ##STR2## or a single bond, A and B represent each a group selected from the group consisting of specific divalent aromatic and alicyclic group such as phenylene, cyclohexylene and tetrahydronaphthalene and R* is an optically active group of 4-20 carbon atoms containing at least one asymmetric carbon atom (hydrogen atoms attached to the carbon atoms of said optically active group may be substituted with halogen atoms), and m and n are each an integer of 0-2, with the proviso that both m and n do not become 0 at the same time.

Abstract: The liquid crystal composition of the present invention comprises 1-99 wt. % of an antiferroelectric liquid crystal compound such as a compound represented by the following formula [A-8] and 99-1 wt. % of a cholesteric liquid crystal compound such as a compound represented by the following formula [B-2]. ##STR1## By the use of the liquid crystal composition of the invention, a liquid crystal element improved in liquid crystal properties such as contrast can be prepared.