Abstract: A liquid crystal display element comprising a liquid crystal composition having an optically active compound as at least one constituent and showing a cholesteric phase in a bulk state, wherein the liquid crystal composition is arranged between substrates, at least one of which is provided with a transparent electrode, so that long axes of individual liquid crystal molecules are in parallel to one another and are oriented in the same direction as the surfaces of the substrates, and the long axes of the molecules are uniformly aligned in parallel, vertically or inclined to the surfaces of the substrates, wherein the gap d (.mu.m) between the substrates and the size p (.mu.m) of the helical pitch shown by the cholesteric phase liquid crystal at room temperature when an electric field is not applied satisfy the following relationships:d/p.gtoreq. 1.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display element comprising a liquid crystal composition having an optically active compound as at least one constituent and showing a cholesteric phase in a bulk state, wherein the liquid crystal composition is arranged between substrates, at least one of which is provided with a transparent electrode, so that long axes of individual liquid crystal molecules are in parallel to one another an are oriented in the same direction as the surfaces of the substrates, and the long axes of the molecules are uniformly aligned in parallel, vertically or inclined to the surfaces of the substrates, wherein the gap d (.mu.m) between the substrates and the size p (.mu.m) of the helical pitch shown by the cholesteric phase liquid crystal at room temperature when an electric field is not applied satisfy the following relationships:d/p.gtoreq.1.

Abstract: A bright and large information capacity projection-type multi-color liquid crystal display is realized by a display device which includes a liquid crystal panel having a plurality of layers of cholesteric-nematic phase transition type liquid crystals having a positive dielectric anisotropy and phase transition hysterisis when a voltage is applied. The liquid crystals are driven to be in homeotropic and focalconic textures which are maintained when at a certain voltage is applied thereto. A desired color of the projected display can be obtained by selecting a thickness of the liquid crystal layer and a refractive index anisotropy of the liquid crystal of the liquid crystal layers.