Abstract: An optical sheet constituted by a retardation film; and a transparent layer provided on one of opposite surfaces of the retardation film. The retardation film exhibits Nz=(nx?nz)/(nx?ny) in a range of from 0.6 to 0.9 and (nx?ny)d in a range of from 200 to 350 nm in which d is a thickness of the retardation film, nz is a refractive index in a direction of a Z axis expressing a direction of the thickness d of the retardation film, nx is a refractive index in a direction of an X axis expressing a direction of the retardation film in a plane perpendicular to the Z axis while the X axis also expresses a direction of the highest in-plane refractive index, and ny is a refractive index in a direction of a Y axis expressing a direction of the retardation film perpendicular both to the Z axis and to the X axis. The transparent layer has a thickness not larger than 10 ?m and exhibits refractive index anisotropy of nx?ny>nz.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display element includes array and counter substrates provided opposite to each other. The array substrate is covered with a color filter layer. Pixel electrodes are provided in a matrix form on the color filter layer. The surface of the counter substrate is provided with a common electrode. Alignment films are coated on the pixel and common electrodes. A gap defined between the array and counter substrates are filled with a liquid crystal material to form a liquid crystal layer. The alignment films are processed to have surface energy within the range from 51 to 60 dyn/cm. Such surface energy substantially prevents an image-sticking phenomenon of the liquid crystal display element caused by impurities dissolved into a liquid crystal layer and white or black turbid spots caused by hydrolysis of the alignment films by moisture in the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: An optical compensation film comprising a cellulose ester film is disclosed. In the film, (a) each of photoelastic coefficient C(md) in a mechanical direction and photoelastic coefficient C(td) in the transverse direction of the cellulose ester film is 1×10?9 to 1×10?13 Pa?1 and C(md)<C(td), (b) retardation R0 within the plane of the cellulose film defined by Formula (I) is 20 to 70 nm, (c) retardation Rt of the cellulose ester film in a thickness direction, defined by Formula (II) is 70 to 400 nm, and (d) both of a dimensional variation ratio S(md) in the mechanical direction and a dimensional variation ratio S(td) in the transverse direction of the cellulose ester film prior to and after being allowed to stand at ambient conditions of 80° C. and 90 percent relative humidity for 50 hours are ?1 to 1 percent, and |S(md)|>|S(td)|.

Abstract: A film which is a single polymer film and has a smaller phase difference as the wavelength becomes shorter. This film is made from an olefin-based polymer which has an alicyclic group in the side chain, such as hydrogenated polystyrene, the amount of the alicyclic group in the side chain being 60 to 90 wt % based on the whole polymer, and satisfies the following expression: R(450)/R(550)<1 wherein R(450) and R(550) are phase differences on the film plane at a wavelength of 450 nm and a wavelength of 550 nm, respectively.

Abstract: An edge-sealed barrier film composite. The composite includes a substrate and at least one initial barrier stack adjacent to the substrate. The at least one initial barrier stack includes at least one decoupling layer and at least one barrier layer. One of the barrier layers has an area greater than the area of one of the decoupling layers. The decoupling layer is sealed by the first barrier layer within the area of barrier material. An edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device is provided. A method of making the edge-sealed barrier film composite is also provided.

Abstract: A conductive organic compound device structure suitable for constituting an electronic device, such as an organic EL device, is formed by including a pair of oppositely spaced electrodes, and a carrier transporting layer disposed between the electrodes and in contact with one of the electrodes. The carrier transporting layer comprises a conductive organic compound having a ?-electron resonance structure in its molecule. In the device, the ?-electron resonance structure plane of the conductive organic compound in the carrier transporting layer is aligned substantially parallel to surfaces of the electrodes. The conductive organic compound is preferably a conductive liquid crystal, such as a discotic liquid crystal or a smectic liquid crystal, and a layer thereof is included in the device, preferably by vacuum deposition.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes two substrates, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the substrates and two alignment films, each being provided on one surface of associated one of the substrates so as to face the liquid crystal layer. The device defines multiple picture elements. At least one of the two alignment films is made of a polymer material that includes a main chain, an atomic group having a bond that is selectively cut when exposed to an actinic ray and a side chain bonded to the main chain via the atomic group. The polymer material with the side chain can give a pretilt angle of greater than 85 degrees but 90 degrees or less to liquid crystal molecules. The polymer material without the side chain can give a pretilt angle of 2 degrees to 15 degrees to the liquid crystal molecules.

Abstract: An antiglare film applicable to polarizers or displays includes a light-transparent resin, first light-transparent particles dispersed on surface of the light-transparent resin and second light-transparent particles dispersed inside the resin. The first light-transparent particles have a same refractive index as that of the resin and particle diameters of 9 to 500 nanometers that provide a less roughness surface of the resin in order to prevent from large angle diffusion to the interior light and improve clarity of image. The second particles have a different refractive index from the resin so as to diffuse the exterior light that comes to the antiglare film so as to decrease glare. The antiglare film can be made by one time of coating. The two layer light-transparent particles provide light interference and achieve a low reflectivity.

Abstract: A method for preparing a metallized surface that possesses gradients in surface topography includes obliquely depositing a metal from a metal source onto a surface of a support. The surface of the support includes a first end, a second end, and a region between the first and second ends. The second end of the surface is located nearer to the metal source than is the first end, and the metal is deposited onto the first end of the surface at a first angle of incidence and the metal is deposited onto the second end of the surface at a second angle of incidence. The first angle of incidence is greater than the second angle of incidence, and the metal is deposited onto the region between the first and second ends at angles of incidence that vary over the region to produce the metallized surface with gradients in surface topography. The angles of incidence are measured from the normal of the support.

Abstract: A cellulose ester film and its manufacturing method are disclosed, the cellulose ester film comprising a compound represented by the following formula (1) in an amount of from 1 to 30% by weight, wherein Y represents an ester bond or a divalent organic group containing an ester bond, RTA and Rd independently represent a substituent, and m and n independently represent an integer of 0 to 5, provided that when m or n is not less than 2, plural Ras or Rbs may be the same or different.

Abstract: A pipe whose at least interior wall structural component is comprised of: I. from 40 to 80 parts by weight of a polyamide, and II. from 60 to 20 parts by weight of a flexible polymer whose main chains consist of carbon atoms, where the amounts of I and II in parts by weight total 100, the pipe being useful for the piping of aqueous, aqueous-alcoholic or purely alcoholic liquids.

Abstract: A transmittable light-scattering sheet (a transmitting type light-scattering sheet) of the present invention comprises a plurality of layers, each having a bicontinuous structure composed of a plurality of polymers. The layers differ from each other in average period size of the bicontinuous structure. The sheet may comprise, for example, a first layer having a bicontinuous structure (e.g., the average period size of the bicontinuous structure of 1.5 to 4 &mgr;m) and a second layer each having a bicontinuous structure (e.g., the larger average period size of the bicontinuous structure than that of the first layer by 0.5 to 8 &mgr;m). In the sheet, the first layer may be next to the second layer. The ratio of the period size of the first layer to that of the second layer may be the first layer/the second layer=1.3/1 to 4/1. Such a sheet can impart a directionality to a reflected light.

Abstract: An optical compensation film for Ordinary-mode Normally White Twisted Nematic Liquid Crystal Display comprising, a first and a second optically anisotropic layers containing positively birefringent material disposed on a substrate, wherein the optic axis of said first optically anisotropic layer tilts in a first plane with an average tilt angle between 10° and 60°, and the optic axis of said second optically anisotropic layer tilts in a second plane with an average tilt angle between 0° and 30°, and said average tilt angle of said first optically anisotropic layer and said average tilt angle of said second optically anisotropic layer are different, and said first and said second planes are perpendicular to the plane of said optical compensation film with the angle between said first and said second planes being 90±10°, and the retardation defined by (ne1−no1)d1 of said first optically anisotropic layer is between 60 nm and 220 nm and the retardation defined by (ne2−no2)d

Abstract: An aromatic polyamide photoalignment material prepared by a reaction from a diamine compound with a side branch and a photosensitive dicarboxylic acid. Furthermore, liquid crystal display devices using such photoalignment materials in an alignment film on at least one substrate.

Abstract: This invention relates to a polyvinyl alcohol type polarizing film or plate which comprises a water-soluble dye having the formula (1) in a free acid form or a copper complex salt thereof. The said polarizing plate has excellent polarizing performance capability and durability, and is suitably used for the green channel of a liquid crystal projector when B in formula (1) is a benzoylamino group and the water-soluble dye has a wavelength for maximum absorption (&lgr;max) of 520 nm or more and less than 580 nm.

Abstract: A polyester film composite material comprising a biaxially oriented polyester film having a thickness of 5 at least 50 gm but not more than 200 gm and an easy-adhesion coating applied onto one or each surface thereof, and having a haze value of less than 2% and a total light transmissivity of at least 90%, and a light-diffusing plate comprising a light-diffusing layer 10 laminated on the surface of the easy-adhesion coating thereof. According to the present invention, a light-diffusing plate having excellent optical properties when used in a liquid crystal display and a substrate 15 therefor are provided.

Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal display unit without occurrence of abnormal orientation of liquid crystal molecules and deterioration of the image quality and a method for manufacturing the same. Above and below a TFT, light shielding films are disposed and further the ruggedness generated by stacking a plurality of light shielding films is smoothed using a transparent resin not absorbing light with a wavelength of not smaller than 300 nm. As this transparent resin, acrylic resins are used. As a result, according to the present invention, no abnormal orientation of liquid crystal molecules occurs and a problem of reverse twist, reverse tilt or the like is less probable to take place. Since the smoothening film absorbs no light of not smaller than 300 nm, neither denaturalization nor coloration nor bubbles occur in the smoothening film even under irradiating environments of intense light of a projector or the like.

Abstract: The invention relates to heat shrinkage films having polyvinylidene chloride methyl acrylate blend as a barrier layer. Specifically, this invention relates to film structures having a first barrier layer comprising polyvinylidene chloride methyl acrylate blend wherein said barrier layer has two opposing surfaces; a second layer adhered to one of the surfaces of the first barrier layer comprising ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer blend; a third layer adhered to the other surface of the first barrier layer comprising an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer blend; a fourth layer adhered to one of said second or said third layer comprising an ethylene acetate copolymer blend wherein the melt indexes of said blends of said second, third and fourth layers are the same; a fifth layer adhered to the other of said second or third layer comprising a blend of linear low density polyethylene and low density polyethylene. Said film structures have usefulness as shrink bags.

Abstract: Polyamideimide photoalignment materials having a photosensitive diamine derivative compound with side branches, and liquid crystal display devices using such a photoalignment material, beneficially as an alignment film. A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate with such a photoalignment material.

Abstract: The objective of the invention is to provide an highly efficient polarizer providing an improved brightness and color saturation of a LCI element based on such polarizer. This objective is to be attained by using, in manufacture of a polarizer and a LCI element based on such polarizer, at least one birefringent anisotropically absorbing layer having at least one refraction index that grows as the polarized light wavelength increases, i.e. having the abnormal dispersion. The use of said layer allows to create polarizers of both the dichroic and interference types. Further, the use of said layer allows to create a polarizer that provides, in a relatively simple design, conversion of practically all energy of a non-polarized radiation into the polarized radiation.