Abstract: In a process for producing a liquid crystal element comprising an alignment-treated substrate and a layer of polymer liquid crystal having a pattern, mesogenic groups in cross-linkable polymer liquid crystal are aligned, and the cross-linkable polymer liquid crystal is cross-linked while the mold is pressed against the layer of cross-linkable polymer liquid crystal, at a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of the cross-linkable polymer liquid crystal and lower than the clearing point temperature of the cross-linkable polymer liquid crystal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a radial-shaped liquid crystal compound, and an optical film and a liquid crystal display device comprising the same. Particularly the present invention provides a compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 comprising a radial-shaped core of tetraphenyl ethylene in which four phenyl groups are bonded to an ethylene group, and makes it possible to provide an optical film which can minimize the change of color according to viewing angle and has an improved contrast ratio and high refractive anisotropy, and a liquid crystal display device comprising the same, by using the compound.

Abstract: A liquid crystal film (LCF), a method of manufacturing the same, an optical device, or an LCD is provided. The exemplified LCF can be used as a reflective polarization plate, which can improve luminance and light utilization efficiency of a display device, such as an LCD, and the like.

Abstract: A cover for use in connection with a mirror of a vehicle is provided. The cover is provided with a lens having an electrically activatable material. The lens is positioned in front of the vehicle mirror. The electrically activatable material blocks visible light directed towards the vehicle mirror such that the electrically activatable material prevents the visible light from being reflected off of the vehicle mirror when the electrically activatable material is set to a light inhibiting state. A device that holds the lens is securable to the vehicle mirror. The electrically activatable material of the lens is configured to be switched to the light inhibiting state in response to user operation such that the lens prevents reflection of the visible light off of the vehicle mirror to reduce observability of the vehicle mirror.

Abstract: The instant invention relates electro-optical switching elements and displays comprising them. In particular, it relates to electro-optical switching elements comprising cholesteric liquid crystal layers, in particular, with both-handed twist senses, which selectively reflect visible light and/or light emitting moieties which are embedded in the cholesteric liquid crystal layers or other layers and an light controlling element that controls the amount of transmitted and/or reflected light. The displays give bright images under either bright or dark conditions with small power consumption. They are particularly suitable for e-paper applications and/or digital signage applications.

Abstract: A watermark formed of a bistable material, and a method of forming the watermark, are described.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a liquid crystalline coating liquid that substantially does not contain a fine crystal. The method of producing a liquid crystalline coating liquid of the present invention contains a heating step of heating a treatment liquid containing a lyotropic liquid crystalline compound containing an impurity, and a solvent, a depositing step of depositing a deposit by cooling the treatment liquid after the heating step to a temperature lower than 40° C., and a removing step of removing the deposit from the treatment liquid.

Abstract: Provided is an optical film laminate with a thinner thickness having an optical compensation function. According to the present invention is provided an optical film laminate comprising (i) a positive C plate comprising a liquid crystal material having a photosensitive group and (ii) a positive A plate, an optically biaxial plate, or an O plate, these plate comprising a liquid crystal material having a photosensitive group; wherein the both plates are directly bonded with each other to be firmly laminated without adhesive.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a discrimination module that discriminates whether an input image signal is of CG images or natural images, a color correction module that applies color correction processing for CG images to the input image signal when the input image signal is determined to be of CG images or applies color correction processing for natural images to the input image signal when the input image signal is determined to be of natural images, and a projection module that generates an optical image based on the image signal applied with the color correction processing, and projects and displays the image on a screen through a projection lens, are included.

Abstract: A watermark formed of a bistable material, and a method of forming the watermark, are described.

Abstract: A photodisplay device in which an optically addressed image can be viewed indefinitely, erased and readdressed with a new image is disclosed. Optically responsive reversible photochiral materials are incorporated into a bistable cholesteric liquid crystal in an electrooptic display cell. A high resolution image exposed on the cell is fixed by a low voltage pulse to unpatterned electrodes and can be, at a later time, erased with a high voltage pulse.

Abstract: A polarization-sensitive beaded retro-reflective sheeting having cholesteric liquid crystal material as the specular reflective coating and methods of making the same are described.

Abstract: There is provided an integrated wide viewing film including: a first film having an optical axis located in-plan; and a second film having an optical axis located in a thickness direction thereof, and inclined at a predetermined angle in an in-plane direction. The IPS-LCD employing the integrated wide viewing film can be significantly improved in a contrast ratio in a diagonal direction.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an optical film exhibiting a preferable wavelength dispersion and capable of being formed comparatively thinly. The present invention is an optical film containing the repeating unit represented by the following general formula (II). In the formula (II), A, A?, B, and B? each denote a substituent, a, a?, b, and b? denote the number of substituents of the corresponding A, A?, B, and B?. A, A?, B and B? each independently denote a halogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. R1 and R2 denote a halogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and the like. X denotes —CO—, —SO2—, and the like.

Abstract: A color separation system is disclosed, which comprises: a backlight source, being highly collimated and used for providing an incident beam; a color separation module, formed with a first color separation film for separating the incident beam basing on wavelength while deflecting the optical paths of the resulting split beams; and a beam splitting module, being configured with at least one beam splitting plate and a liquid crystal layer; wherein, the at least one beam splitting plate is used for converging the beams from the color separation module while deflecting the optical paths thereof for enabling those to be discharged thereout following a normal direction of a light emitting surface of the backlight source.

Abstract: The invention relates to a polymer film having negative optical dispersion, novel polymerisable compounds and liquid crystal (LC) materials for its preparation, and the use of the polymer film and novel compounds and materials in optical, electrooptical, electronic, semiconducting or luminescent components or devices.

Abstract: In order to provide a new light guiding unit capable of accommodating to area-active driving, and a lighting device, a lighting device (10) includes (i) a light guiding unit that includes (a) a light guiding plate (1) made of light-transmitting base material, (b) a plurality of columnar areas (4) filled with liquid crystal material, which columnar areas are provided in a direction intersecting with an in-plane direction of the light guiding plate (1), and (c) a transparent electrode with which a voltage is applied for driving the liquid crystal material, and (ii) an LED (2), as a primary light source.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device has a vertical alignment type liquid crystal panel. The vertical alignment type liquid crystal panel is provided with an active matrix substrate whereupon a light reflection pixel electrode for reflecting light and a light transmission pixel electrode for transmitting light are provided in each pixel section; a counter electrode substrate; and a liquid crystal layer made of a liquid crystal material having negative dielectric anisotropy. The counter electrode substrate includes a convex section so that the liquid crystal layer in the light reflection section has the thickness thinner than that in the liquid crystal layer of the light transmission section. A liquid crystal panel driving device carries out gray scale transition enhancement processing in which the input gray scale is corrected in accordance with gray scale transition.

Abstract: This invention relates to film layer which is suitable for use in a light guide plate and methods of forming said film layer and light guide plate. The invention also relates to the light guide plate and light guide devices made therefrom. The film and light guide plate are suitable for use in a range of applications, particularly in connection with the backlighting of displays, for example, liquid crystal displays.

Abstract: A compound of formula (1): wherein A1 and A2 are —O—, —NR—, —S—, or —CO—, in which R is a hydrogen atom or substituent; Z is one or two atoms selected from a carbon atom or a non-metal atom of Group 14, 15 or 16 in the Periodic Table, and forms a five- or six-membered ring with the C—C?C—C or C?C—C?C; R1, R2, and R3 each are a substituent; m is an integer of 0 to 4; L1 and L2 are a single bond or divalent linking group; X is a non-metal atom of Group 14, 15 or 16 in the Periodic Table, and may have a hydrogen atom or R4; and at least one of R, R1, R2, R3, and R4 is substituted with a polymerizable group; a liquid crystal composition, an optical film, a retardation sheet, a polarizing plate, and a liquid crystal display.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a display device includes a light source, a light guide, a light extraction unit, and a drive circuit. The light guide is configured to guide light emitted by the light source from one end side of the light guide toward one other end side of the light guide. The light extraction unit is provided on a surface of the light guide, and includes a liquid crystal dispersion layer, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The liquid crystal dispersion layer includes liquid crystal droplets, and the first and second electrodes are configured to cause an electric field to occur in the liquid crystal dispersion layer. The drive circuit is configured to apply a voltage between the electrodes. Liquid crystal molecules included in the liquid crystal droplets are configured to have an orientation parallel to the surface of the light guide in the electric field.

Abstract: A retardation element includes an alignment film and a retardation layer in contact with a surface of the alignment film, and the retardation layer is formed by applying a paint containing a liquid crystal monomer and a non-liquid crystal monomer on the surface of the alignment film and then polymerizing the paint while the liquid crystal monomer is placed in an alignment state.

Abstract: A display device, capable of changing view angle range and suitable for reducing thickness and weight, is provided. One compensating panel has such a structure that two polymer films, having birefringence, adhere to each other. The birefringence directions of the polymer films are parallel or orthogonal to the liquid crystal orientation direction. Similarly, another compensating panel has such a structure that two polymer films, having birefringence, adhere to each other. The birefringence directions of the polymer films are parallel or orthogonal to the liquid crystal orientation direction. Since the compensating panel does not include glass substrates but includes polymer films, the display device can be thin and light.

Abstract: Disclosed are a new dichroic dye having liquid crystal properties and dichroic properties and capable of being used for forming a polarization film with excellent heat resistance, durability, and polarizing properties, a composition including the same for a polarization film, a method for forming a polarization plate with excellent durability using the composition, and a polarization plate prepared thereby. The new dichroic dye has a structure of R1-L1-(M,L,D) (where, D is a dichroic structure, M is a structure with liquid crystal properties, R1 is a reactive end functional group, and L and L1 are linking structures). The composition for a polarization film includes the dichroic dye. In the method for forming the polarization plate, the composition for a polarization film is applied to a substrate and cured to prepare the polarization plate. The polarization plate has excellent dichroic ratio, heat resistance, durability, and polarizing properties.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal film which comprises a liquid crystal layer having excellent retainability of homeotropic alignment and which has excellent interlayer adhesion between a cycloolefin polymer (COP) film and the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal film is produced by aligning homeotropically a liquid crystalline composition containing a (meth)acrylic compound having an oxetane group and fixing the composition in a homeotropic alignment by polymerizing the oxetane group directly on the COP film. The liquid crystal film is excellent in interlayer adhesion. The present invention also provides an optical element produced using the liquid crystal film.

Abstract: Provided is a technology by which a retardation film in which regions different from each other in one or both of optical characteristics, i.e., an optical axis and a retardation are patterned can be produced with an additionally small load. The retardation film is formed of a liquid crystalline polyimide film having a photoreactive group. Further provided is an optical device and a liquid crystal display apparatus each having the retardation film.

Abstract: A decorative plate for a casing is attached to a casing, and utilized. The decorative plate is configured by a plate-shaped transparent base member, a color half mirror layer, placed on the lower face of the transparent base member, that is made of a metal thin film subjected to a tint treatment, a transparency-switching film, formed on the lower face of the color half mirror layer, that is capable of switching between transmitting and non-transmitting states, a transparent reflection-increasing film layer, placed on the lower face of the transparency-switching film, that is a composite film formed by alternately laminating a high refractive-index film and a low refractive-index film, and a backing layer that is formed on the lower face of the reflection-increasing film layer in a tightly contact state without having an air layer interposed therebetween, which are successively laminated.

Abstract: The invention relates to compounds represented by Formula (1): wherein Ra is independently halogen, cyano, —CF3, —CF2H, —CFH2, —OCF3, —OCF2H, —N?C?O, —N?C?S or alkyl having a carbon number of approximately 1 to approximately 20; in the alkyl, optional —CH2— may be substituted with —O—, —S—, —SO2—, —CO—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CH?CH—, —CF?CF— or —C?C—, and optional hydrogen may be substituted with halogen; Rb is fluorine or —CF3; A is independently 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-cyclohexenylene, 1,4-phenylene, naphthalene-2,6-diyl, tetrahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl, fluorene-2,7-diyl or bicyclo[2.2.

Abstract: A liquid crystalline coating solution which comprises: an azo compound represented by the following general formula (I); and a solvent to dissolve the azo compound: wherein Q1 is a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted naphthyl group; Q2 is a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group or a substituted or unsubstituted naphthylene group; m is an integer from 1 to 5; and M is a counter ion.

Abstract: An optical film contains a cellulose acylate film, and at least two layers of an optically anisotropic layer A and an optically anisotropic layer B, wherein the cellulose acylate film satisfies the specific formulae, Re(548) of the optically anisotropic layer A is from 80 to 190 nm and the slow axis of the optically anisotropic layer A is at 45°±10° with respect to the film conveying direction, and the optically anisotropic layer B satisfies the specific formulae.

Abstract: An exemplary method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display (LCD) includes providing an LCD panel (201) including a common voltage initialization circuit (2011); testing and inspecting the LCD panel for defects of the LCD panel, and thereby obtaining a preferred common voltage for the LCD panel; writing parameters of the preferred common voltage to the common voltage initialization circuit; and mounting a driving integrated circuit on the LCD panel, the driving integrated circuit being connected to the common voltage initialization circuit. The driving integrated circuit is connected to the common voltage initialization circuit.

Abstract: An outside mirror apparatus mounted to a sidewall of a vehicle to provide a driver's rear view, may include a front glass layer, a transmissivity variation unit attached to a rear surface of the front glass layer, the transmissivity variation unit selectively transmitting light or interrupting light transmission according to an electric signal, a rear glass layer attached to a rear surface of the transmissivity variation unit, and a control unit applying the electric signal to the transmissivity variation unit, wherein the front glass layer and the second glass layer have a different refractive index.

Abstract: A delay line interferometer is configured with a liquid-crystal (LC) tuning element as a phase modulator for demodulating a phase-modulated input signal. The LC tuning element allows for quickly tuning the phase difference between two optical signals separated from the phase-modulated input signal, so that the two optical signals can be coherently recombined to interfere with each other and produce one or more intensity-modulated optical signals. In some embodiments, the LC tuning element is configured to reduce polarization-dependent frequency shift without the use of additional high-precision optical elements and/or coatings.

Abstract: An optical shuttering device is provided, which includes an optical cell with a liquid crystal material between first and second transparent substrates and controlled by an electronic switching circuit. The switching circuit includes a power supply module, providing a control voltage, and a switching element mounted in series between the power supply module and the cell, making it possible to switch the cell between an on state and an off state. The electronic switching circuit furthermore includes a current source mounted in series between the power supply module and the switching element. The substrates preferably have different thickness and material.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes: a display unit having a pair of polarizing plates at a light incident side and a light exit side; and a light barrier unit that is provided at the light incident side or the light exit side of the display unit and includes plural opening and closing parts as light transmission regions or light blocking regions, wherein the light barrier unit has a liquid crystal layer orientation-controlled at a light incident side and a light exit side thereof in directions orthogonal to each other, and an orientation direction at the display unit side of the liquid crystal layer is in parallel or orthogonal to an absorption axis direction of a first polarizing plate of the pair of polarizing plates provided at the light barrier unit side of the display unit.

Abstract: A light reflective film is produced by (a) forming a hard coat layer having a surface energy of less than 30 mN/m and a pencil hardness of at least 2H on a resin film, (b) applying a curable liquid crystal composition onto the surface of the opposite side, (c) drying the applied curable liquid crystal composition to be in a state of a cholesteric liquid crystal phase, (d) promoting the curing reaction to form a light reflective layer, and (e) repeating at least once the process of from (b) to (d).

Abstract: A retardation layer that includes regions causing different retardations can be manufactured easily. A retardation substrate includes a substrate and a solidified liquid crystal layer supported by the substrate. The solidified liquid crystal layer includes first to third regions. The first to third regions re arranged on the substrate and different in degree of orientation of mesogens.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process of preparing a multilayer comprising two or more anisotropic layers with different optical axes by using a particle beam etching technique, to a multilayer obtained by said process, to the use of such a multilayer as optical compensator or retarder in optical and electrooptical devices, and to devices comprising such a multilayer.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention relates to a filter, a display device, and a liquid crystal display. The display device according to the embodiment of the invention includes a display panel, a filter disposed in the front of the display panel, and 3D glasses including a left eye lens and a right eye lens. The filter includes a substrate and a circular polarizing layer disposed on the substrate. Each of the left eye lens and the right eye lens transmits circularly polarized light and is turned on or off in response to an input synchronization signal.

Abstract: A patterned retardation film includes: a substrate; a first alignment film and a second alignment film disposed on the substrate, processed by different alignment processes and having different alignment directions; and a liquid crystal layer disposed on the first alignment film and the second alignment film, wherein the liquid crystal layer is patterned into a first region, which is aligned by the first alignment film, and a second region, which is aligned by the second alignment film.

Abstract: A method of producing an optical element that has spatial variation in refractive index includes providing a curable liquid crystal composition; applying a spatially varying electric field to the liquid crystal composition to induce a desired spatial variation in refractive index; and curing the liquid crystal composition while the electric field is still applied to fix the spatial variation in refractive index when the electric field is removed.

Abstract: An optical device has the structure to perform switching and attenuation of an optical beam with reduced polarization dependent loss (PDL). The optical device includes a birefringent displacer and two liquid crystal (LC) structures. The first LC structure is used to condition s-polarized components of the optical beam and the second LC structure is used to condition p-polarized components of the optical beam. Each LC structure has a separate control electrode so that the s-polarized components of the optical beam and the p-polarized components of the optical beam can be conditioned differently and in such a manner that reduces PDL. The optical device may be configured for processing multiple input light beams, such as the multiple wavelength channels de-multiplexed from a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical signal.

Abstract: A polarizer including a polarization grating comprising a polarization sensitive photo-alignment layer and a liquid crystal composition arranged on said photo-alignment layer. An alignment pattern, corresponding to the polarization pattern of a hologram, is recorded in the photo-alignment layer, and the liquid crystal composition is aligned on the photo-alignment layer.

Abstract: This invention generally relates to an optical beam steering apparatus and a method of manufacturing an optical beam steering apparatus, and more particularly to an optical add drop multiplexer (OADM) such as a reconfigurable OADM (ROADM) comprising the optical beam steering apparatus. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a slab and a plurality of optical elements in or on a first surface of said slab, the plurality of optical elements including at least one liquid crystal on silicon element, the apparatus being arranged such that at least one optical beam can propagate freely in the slab from one of said plurality of optical elements to another one of said plurality of optical elements via a reflection from a second surface of the optical beam steering apparatus.

Abstract: A laminated optical film including a first optical anisotropic layer, and a second optical anisotropic layer, wherein Relationship (1), ?10 nm??Re1??Re2?10 nm, is satisfied when a slow phase axis of the first optical anisotropic layer is substantially perpendicular to a slow phase axis of the second optical anisotropic layer, wherein Relationship (2), ?10 nm??Re1+?Re2?10 nm, is satisfied when the slow phase axis of the first optical anisotropic layer is substantially parallel to the slow phase axis of the second optical anisotropic layer, wherein an in-plane retardation value Re of the film as a whole satisfies 30 nm?Re?500 nm, where ?Re1 denotes a value calculated from “Re1 (at a temperature of 50° C.)?Re1 (at a temperature of 25° C.)” concerning the first optical anisotropic layer, and ?Re2 denotes a value calculated from “Re2 (at a temperature of 50° C.)?Re2 (at a temperature of 25° C.)” concerning the second optical anisotropic layer.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes first and second opposing substrates having first and second opposing surfaces, respectively, at least one of the surfaces having a metal disposed thereon, the substrates bonded together with an adhesive in contact with the metal, the adhesive comprising a blend of: a pressure sensitive adhesive component comprising at least one polymer having acid or base functionality, a high Tg polymer having a weight average molecular weight greater than 100,000 and having an acid or base functionality, and a crosslinker, wherein the functionality of the pressure sensitive adhesive component and the functionality of the high Tg polymer form an acid-base interaction when mixed.

Abstract: A liquid crystal filter made of a plurality of region having different liquid crystal molecule arrangement directions has a problem that linear defects, which are visible at boundaries between different liquid crystal molecule arrangement directions, are captured by image capturing elements. Therefore, provided is a liquid crystal filter comprising a first region that includes liquid crystals arranged in a first direction; a second region that includes liquid crystals arranged in a second direction, which is different from the first direction; and a buffer region that is disposed between the first region and the second region, and includes liquid crystals arranged in an intermediate direction between the first direction and the second direction.

Abstract: A filter, to be disposed concentrically with an optical axis of an imaging lens, capable of accurately controlling light transmission variation characteristics and effectively providing an apodization effect or a peripheral light intensity correction effect. The filter includes opaque dots disposed according to a honeycomb arrangement from a central portion toward a peripheral portion so as to have, at least partially, a Gaussian distribution like dot density and is structured to satisfy Condition Expression (1) given below when a size of the dots is taken as d. 0.003 mm?d?0.

Abstract: A product comprising a patterned optically anisotropic layer having two or more regions of different birefringence in the form of a pattern, which further comprises a semi-transmissive-half-reflective layer having a transmittance of 30% or higher and a reflectance of 30% or higher is provided. The product permits visualization of a latent image in the product through a polarizing plate as well as visualization of the information on the side opposite to the side to be viewed from.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing an optical laminate that can produce an optical laminate including an applied film containing a lyotropic liquid crystalline compound so that the thickness of the applied film will be approximately uniform. A method of producing an optical laminate having a base material and an applied film, comprising the step of applying a solution containing at least one kind of lyotropic liquid crystalline compound on the base material so as to form the applied film, wherein the concentration of the lyotropic liquid crystalline compound in the solution is lower than the isotropic phase—liquid crystal phase transition concentration. For example, the concentration of the lyotropic liquid crystalline compound in the solution is from (CIN?18)% by mass to (CIN?1)% by mass, where CIN represents the isotropic phase-liquid crystal phase transition concentration.