Abstract: An optical film comprising at least one compound represented by formula (1) is disclosed. In the formula, Y11, Y12 and Y13 each independently represent methine or a nitrogen atom; R11, R12 and R13 each independently represent formula (A), (B) or (C) or a hydrogen atom, provided that at least two of R11, R12 and R13 each independently represent formula (A), (B) or (C). In the formulae, L12, L22, L32 each represent a 5-membered heterocyclic group.

Abstract: An optical film comprising at least one compound represented by formula (1) is disclosed. In the formula, Y11, Y12 and Y13 each independently represent methine or a nitrogen atom; R11, R12 and R13 each independently represent formula (A), (B) or (C) or a hydrogen atom, provided that at least two of R11, R12 and R13 each independently represent formula (A), (B) or (C). In the formulae, L12, L22, and L32 each represent a 5-membered heterocyclic group.

Abstract: There is provided an optically-compensatory sheet including, at least one optically anisotropic layer containing a discotic liquid crystalline compound on a transparent support, wherein the optically anisotropic layer contains a boronic acid compound represented by the following Formula (I): wherein, each of R1 and R2 independently represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic hydrocarbon group, an aryl group or a hetero cyclic group, and R1 and R2 may be linked to each other to form a ring, and R3 represents a substituted or unsubstituted, a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic hydrocarbon group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group.

Abstract: A compound represented by the following formula (DII): wherein Y31, Y32 and Y33 each independently represents a methine group or a nitrogen atom; R31, R32 and R33 each independently represents the following formula (DII-R):

Abstract: A composition comprising at least one liquid crystal compound, and at least one polymer is disclosed. The polymer comprises a constitutional unit represented by a following formula (A) and a constitutional unit derived from a monomer having a fluoroaliphatic group(s): wherein Mp represents a trivalent group constituting fully or partially a polymer main chain; L represents a single bond or a divalent linking group; and X represents a substituted or non-substituted aromatic condensed ring group.

Abstract: A retardation plate comprising at least one optically anisotropic layer, wherein at least one of said optically anisotropic layers is formed from a composition containing a liquid crystalline compound represented by the following formula: wherein Y11, Y12 and Y13 are methine or N; L1, L2 and L3 are single bond or divalent group; H1, H2 and H3 are formula (DI-A) or (DI-B); YA1, YA2, YB1 and YB2 are methine or N; XA and XB are O, S, etc.; R1, R2 and R3 are -(-L21-Q2)n1-L22-L23-Q1; L21 is single bond or divalent group; Q2 is cyclic divalent group; n1 is 0-4; L22 is —O—, —O—CO—, etc; L23 is —O—, —S—, etc.; Q1 is polymerizable group or H.

Abstract: A compound useful for fabrication of retardation plates, which is represented by the formula (DI): wherein Y11 to Y13 represent methine or nitrogen; R11 to R13 represent a group of the formula (DI-A) below or others: wherein A11 to A16 represent methine or nitrogen; X1 represents oxygen, sulfur, methylene or imino; L11 represents —O—, —C(?O)—, —O—CO—, —CO—O—, —O—CO—O—, —S—, —NH—, —SO2—, —CH2—, —CH?CH—, or —C?C—; L12 represents a divalent linking group; Q11 represents polymerizable group or hydrogen.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition is provided and includes: at least one kind of liquid crystal R exhibiting a liquid crystal phase having a positive birefringence property; and at least one kind of liquid crystal D exhibiting a liquid crystal phase having a negative birefringence property. The characteristic birefringence ?n (?) at wavelength ? of the liquid crystal phase exhibited by the liquid crystal R satisfies the equation (II): ?n (450 nm)/?n (550 nm)<1.0.

Abstract: A novel optically-anisotropic film is disclosed. The film is formed of a composition comprising at least one discotic liquid-crystal compound having a ratio, ?1, which is a ratio of birefringence at 400 nm to birefringence at 550 nm in a liquid-crystal state, of less than 1.25, in which the molecules of the liquid-crystal compound are fixed in an alignment state at a mean tilt angle ranging from 35 to 85°, wherein its in-plane retardation Re, as measured in a direction normal to a plane of the optically-anisotropic film for 550 nm wavelength light, falls within the range from 60 nm to 220 nm.

Abstract: An optical film comprising at least one compound represented by formula (1) is disclosed. In the formula, Y11, Y12 and Y13 each independently represent methine or a nitrogen atom; R11, R12 and R13 each independently represent formula (A), (B) or (C) or a hydrogen atom, provided that at least two of R11, R12 and R13 each independently represent formula (A), (B) or (C). In three formulae, L12, L22 and L32 each represent a 5-membered heterocyclic group.

Abstract: A compound represented by the following formula (DII): wherein Y31, Y32 and Y33 each independently represents a methine group or a nitrogen atom; R31, R32 and R33 each independently represents the following formula (DII-R):

Abstract: A liquid crystal display showing a high contrast and reduced in color shift depending on the viewing angle is provided. The liquid crystal display device comprises a liquid crystal cell having a retardation value Re1(400) at 400 nm and a retardation value Re1(550) at 500 nm in the black state; and at least one layer of optically anisotropic layer formed of a composition comprising at least one species of liquid crystalline compound, having a retardations value Re2(400) at 400 nm and a retardation value Re2(550) at 550 nm, wherein Re2(400) and Re2(550) of said optically anisotropic layer, and retardations values Re1(400) and Re1(550) satisfy the relational expression (1) below: 0.9??2/?1?1.1??Relational Expression (1) where, ?1=Re1(400)/Re1(550) and ?2=Re2(400)/Re2(550).

Abstract: An optically anisotropic film comprising a liquid crystal compound forming a nematic phase or smectic A phase, the liquid crystalline phase satisfying the following inequality: ?n(450 nm)/?n(550 nm)<1.0 in which each ?n (?) represents an intrinsic birefringence at a wavelength of ?, wherein the optically anisotropic film (A) has an absolute in-plane retardation (Re) of 40 nm or less and a retardation in the thickness direction (Rth) of ?10 nm or less.

Abstract: A liquid-crystalline compound of the following formula: wherein Y11, Y12 and Y13 are methine or N; L1, L2 and L3 are single bond or divalent group; H1, H2 and H3 are formula (DI-A) or (DI-B); YA1, YA2, YB1 and YB2 are methine or N; XA and XB are O, S, etc.; R1, R2 and R3 are -(-L21-Q2)n1-L22-L23-Q1; L21 is single bond or divalent group; Q2 is cyclic divalent group; n1 is 0-4; L22 is —O—, —O—CO—, etc; L23 is —O—, —S—, etc.; Q1 is polymerizable group or H.

Abstract: A composition comprising at least one liquid crystal compound, and at least one polymer is disclosed. The polymer comprises a constitutional unit represented by a following formula (A) and a constitutional unit derived from a monomer having a fluoroaliphatic group(s): wherein Mp represents a trivalent group constituting fully or partially a polymer main chain; L represents a single bond or a divalent linking group; and X represents a substituted or non-substituted aromatic condensed ring group.

Abstract: A compound useful for fabrication of retardation plates, which is represented by the formula (DI): wherein Y11 to Y13 represent methine or nitrogen; R11 to R13 represent a group of the formula (DI-A) below or others: wherein A11 to A16 represent methine or nitrogen; X1 represents oxygen, sulfur, methylene or imino; L11 represents —O—, —C(?O)—, —O—CO—, —CO—O—, —O—CO—O—, —S—, —NH—, —SO2—, —CH2—, —CH?CH—, or —C?C—; L12 represents a divalent linking group; Q11 represents polymerizable group or hydrogen.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition is provided and includes a liquid crystal compound a chiral agent. The liquid crystal compound has an intrinsic birefringence ?n(?) at a wavelength ? satisfying formula (1): ?n(450 nm)/?n(550 nm)<1.0.

Abstract: A new liquid crystal compound comprises two condensed and substituted rings. The ring preferably is a five-membered heterocyclic ring. The heterocyclic ring is preferably condensed with benzene ring or an aromatic six-membered heterocyclic ring. The benzene ring or the aromatic six-membered heterocyclic ring is preferably substituted with a group comprising a cyclic structure and a chain structure. The liquid crystal compound is advantageously used in preparation of a thin phase retarder, such as a wide-ranged ?/4 plate, which gives inverse wavelength distribution. The phase retarder can be easily produced according to a simple process by using the new liquid crystal compound.

Abstract: To provide a liquid crystalline composition, which can be obtained by mixing a plurality of liquid crystalline compositions each of which can exhibit different liquid crystal phases from one another, being capable of exhibiting a biaxial liquid crystal phase, a liquid crystalline composition contains a liquid crystalline composition R which exhibits a liquid crystal phase having a positive birefringence; and a liquid crystalline composition D which exhibits a liquid crystal phase having a negative birefringence, in which the liquid crystalline composition R comprises a compound having a rectangular plate-like shape.

Abstract: A retardation plate is provided and includes: a transparent support; and an optically anisotropic layer formed from a discotic liquid crystalline compound.