Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal device is described. The device comprises a pair of substrates, an electrode arrangement formed on the inside surface of the substrates, an orientation control surface provided on the inside surface of one of said substrates, and a blended ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the substrates. By suitably preparing the liquid crystal, multi-micro-domains are formed in the liquid crystal. By virtue of the multi-micro-domains, the contrast ratio and the response speed are significantly improved.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal composition exhibiting a chiral smectic C phase, in which the tilt angle with an electric field applied is from 12.degree. to 18.degree. and the tilt angle during memory is from 8.degree. to 15.degree., and a liquid crystal display device are disclosed. The composition has high memory effects, high display contrast, and high rate of reponse.

Abstract: A fluorine-containing optically active compound represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents a straight chain alkyl or alkoxy group having from 6 to 14 carbon atoms or a 4-alkylphenyl or 4-alkoxyphenyl group having from 8 to 12 carbon atoms; R.sub.2 represents a straight chain alkyl group having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms; C.sup.* represents an asymmetric carbon atoms; and X represents a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom, provided that X represents a fluorine atom when R.sub.1 contains a phenyl group, and a liquid crystal composition containing the same are disclosed. The compound (I) has large spontaneous polarization and low viscosity to achieve a fast response time. In the N.sup.* phase of the compound (I), the helical pitch has small temperature dependence.