Abstract: A liquid crystal device is constituted by (a) a pair of base plates each having an orientation control film thereon, and (b) a liquid crystal composition interposed between the base plates. The liquid crystal composition comprises at least two liquid crystal compounds including at least one liquid crystal compound which has a temperature range in which it shows cholesteric phase. The liquid crystal composition has a temperature range in which it shows cholesteric phase and is placed in chiral smectic phase which has been formed through cholesteric phase on temperature decrease. The liquid crystal composition comprises liquid crystal molecules having long axes forming a pre-tilt in the chiral smectic phase.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device is constituted by (a) a pair of base plates each having an orientation control film thereon, and (b) a liquid crystal composition interposed between the base plates. The liquid crystal composition comprises at least two liquid crystal compounds including at least one liquid crystal compound which has a temperature range in which it shows cholesteric phase. The liquid crystal composition has a temperature range in which it shows cholesteric phase and is placed in chiral smectic phase which has been formed through cholesteric phase on temperature decrease. The liquid crystal composition comprises liquid crystal molecules having long axes forming a pre-tilt in the chiral smectic phase.

Abstract: An optical modulation device comprises scanning electrodes and signal electrodes disposed opposite to and intersecting with the signal electrodes, and an optical modulation material disposed between the electrodes, a pixel being formed at each intersection of the electrodes and showing a contrast depending on the polarity of a voltage applied thereto.

Abstract: A method for driving an optical modulation device having a group of scanning electrodes and a group of signal electrodes arranged so that picture elements are defined at the intersections therebetween and a bistable optical modulation material assuming one of two stable states between the groups of electrodes, by in a first phase orienting the bistable material at the picture elements on an N-th scanning electrode to one stable state, and applying a writing signal to the signal electrodes in synchronism with a scanning signal to the N-th scanning electrode while orienting the bistable material at the picture elements on an N+1-th scanning electrode to the one stable state.

Abstract: A driving method for an optical modulation device is applicable to driving of an optical modulation device, e.g. a liquid crystal device having a matrix electrode arrangement comprising a group of scanning electrodes, a group of signal electrodes oppositely spaced from the group of scanning electrodes, and an optical modulation material (e.g. a liquid crystal) showing histability with respect to an electric field applied thereto disposed between the groups of scanning electrodes and signal electrodes.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device is constituted by (a) a pair of base plates each having an orientation control film thereon, and (b) a liquid crystal composition interposed between the base plates. The liquid crystal composition comprises at least two liquid crystal compounds including at least one liquid crystal compound which has a temperature range in which it shows cholesteric phase. The liquid crystal composition has a temperature range in which it shows cholesteric phase and is placed in chiral smectic phase which has been formed through cholesteric phase on temperature decrease. The liquid crystal composition comprises liquid crystal molecules having long axes forming a pre-tilt in the chiral smectic phase.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device is constituted by (a) a pair of base plates each having an orientation control film thereon, and (b) a liquid crystal composition interposed between the base plates. The liquid crystal composition comprises a mixture including at least one liquid crystal compound which has a temperature range in which it shows chiral smectic phase and at least one optically active substance which does not have a temperature range in which it shows chiral smectic phase. The liquid crystal composition has a temperature range in which it shows cholesteric phase and is placed in chiral smectic phase which has been formed through cholesteric phase on temperature decrease. The liquid crystal composition comprises liquid crystal molecules having long axes forming a pre-tilt in the chiral smectic phase.

Abstract: A liquid crystal apparatus comprises a liquid crystal device having scanning electrodes arranged in a matrix with and spaced apart from signal electrodes with a liquid crystal showing different stable states in accordance with different applied voltages and having a memory function disposed therebetween. First drive circuitry selects and sequentially drives the scanning electrodes by application of a scanning selection signal, and second drive circuitry drives the signal electrodes by application of a writing voltage and a first non-writing voltage corresponding to display contents in synchronism with the application of the scanning selection signal. The first drive circuitry applies reset voltages to the pixels of the liquid crystal to make orientation of the liquid crystal's molecules uniform before the selection of the scanning electrode.

Abstract: A photoconductive member, comprises a support for a photoconductive member and an amorphous layer which is constituted of silicon atoms as matrix containing at least one of hydrogen atom and halogen atom and exhibits photoconductivity, said amorphous layer having a layer region containing carbon atoms in at least a part thereof, the content of the carbon atoms in said layer region being distributed unevenly in the direction of the thickness of said layer.

Abstract: A photoconductive member, comprises a support for a photoconductive member and an amorphous layer which is constituted of silicon atoms as matrix containing at least one of hydrogen atom and halogen atom and exhibits photo-conductivity, said amorphous layer having a layer region containing carbon atoms in at least a part thereof, the content of the carbon atoms in said layer region being distributed unevenly in the direct on of the thickness of said layer.

Abstract: Surface Stability Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Device having color filters assembled avoids, generation of alignment defect ocurring in the initial alignment control step by providing space of 0-5 microns between adjacent trapezoidal color filters having prescribed taper angle and thickness.

Abstract: A driving method is provided for driving an optical modulation device. The device has picture elements arranged in the form of a matrix consisting of a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns defined by the intersections of scanning electrodes and signal electrodes, and a liquid crystal having a memory function. The picture elements in each row are selectively supplied with either a voltage for orienting the liquid crystal to one display state, or another voltage for orienting the liquid crystal to another display state.

Abstract: A driving method for an optical modulation device comprising matrix picture elements each formed at intersecting points of scanning lines and data lines between which a bistable optical modulation material represented by a ferroelectric liquid crsytal is interposed. The driving method comprises an erasure step of applying a voltage signal orienting the optical modulation material to the first stable state between the scanning and data lines, at all or a part of the matrix picture elements, and a writing step of sequentially applying a scanning selection signal to the scanning lines and applying an information orientation signal orienting the optical modulation material to the second stable state to the data lines in phase with the scanning selection signal.

Abstract: A surface stability ferroelectric liquid crystal device has color filters with adjacent resin films. The resin films are provided by a first resin film and a second resin film, wherein the second resin film is formed with a resin solution having a viscosity higher than that of the first resin film.

Abstract: An optical modulation apparatus has a matrix electrode arrangement comprising scanning electrodes and signal electrodes oppositely spaced from the scanning electrodes. Scanning signals are selectively applied sequentially and periodically to the scanning electrodes and information signals are selectively applied to the signal electrodes in synchronism with the scanning signals to effect optical modulation of an optical modulation material showing a first stable state and a second stable state with respect to an electric field applied thereto interposed between the scanning and signal electrodes.

Abstract: Surface Stability Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Device having color filters assembled therein avoids generation of alignment defect ocurring in the initial alignment control step by providing space of 0-5 microns between adjacent color filters.

Abstract: A driving method for an optical modulation device is applicable to driving of an optical modulation device, e.g. a liquid crystal device having a matrix electrode arrangement comprising a group of scanning electrodes, a group of signal electrodes oppositely spaced from the group of scanning electrodes, and an optical modulation material (e.g. a liquid crystal) showing bistability with respect to an electric filed applied thereto disposed between the groups of scanning electrodes and signal electrodes.

Abstract: An optical modulation device includes scanning electrodes and signal electrodes disposed opposite to and intersecting with the signal electrodes, and an optical modulation material disposed between the electrodes, a pixel being formed at each intersection of the electrodes and showing a contrast depending on the polarity of a voltage applied thereto. The device is driven by a method including in a writing period for writing in all or prescribed pixels among the pixels on a selected scanning electrode, a first phase for applying a voltage of one polarity having an amplitude exceeding a first threshold voltage of the optical modulation material to the all or prescribed pixels, and a second phase for applying a voltage of the other polarity having an amplitude exceeding a second threshold voltage of the optical modulation material to a selected pixel and applying a voltage not exceeding the threshold voltages of the optical modulation material to the other pixels, respectively among the all or prescribed pixels.

Abstract: A method for driving an optical modulation device of a group of scanning electrodes and a group of signal electrodes arranged so that picture elements are defined at the intersections therebetween and a bistable optical modulation material assuming one of two stable states between the groups of electrodes, by in a first phase orienting the bistable material at the picture elements on an N-th scanning electrode to one stable state, and applying a writing signal to the signal electrodes in synchronism with a scanning signal to the N-th scanning electrode and while orienting the bistable material at the picture elements on an N+1-th scanning electrode to the one stable state.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device is constituted by a pair of substrates; an alignment film comprising a polyimide which has a fluorine-containing substituent in its diamine-originated moiety, disposed on at least one of the pair of substrates and subjected to an aligning treatment; and a chiral smectic liquid crystal disposed between the pair of substrates in an alignment state where its helical structure is suppressed. The chiral smectic liquid crystal is placed in an alignment state of forming an aligned region occupying an area which is at least 95% of the effective display region of the liquid crystal device. The aligned region includes a plurality of unidirectionally bent layers each organized by plural liquid crystal molecules in chiral smectic phase.