Abstract: A liquid crystal device, comprises: a pair of opposite electrodes and a ferroelectric liquid crystal showing a first and a second alignment state depending on the direction of an electric field applied thereto and disposed between the opposite electrodes. The ferroelectric liquid crystal is placed in a stated of causing a relaxation such that, when a voltage pulse equal to the threshold is applied between the opposite electrodes, the ferroelectric liquid crystal causes a change in its molecular alignment state from one molecular alignment state toward the other molecular alignment state and continues the change in its molecular alignment state even after the removal of the voltage pulse until the change reaches a saturation in a certain period.

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.

Abstract: A display panel comprises a liquid crystal device including a pixel which comprises opposite electrodes and a ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed therebetween, and optical detection means. The written state of the pixel, i.e., the written information on the display panel, is read out by applying a detection signal voltage to the pixel and detecting a polarization current, if any, caused by the application of the voltage.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal device comprising: a pair of substrates each having a plurality of electrodes oppositely spaced from each other and intersecting with each other, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer disposed between the substrates and having a thickness small enough to release a helical structure in the absence of an electric field, a pixel being formed at each intersection of the opposite electrodes formed on the pair of substrates while leaving non-pixel portions at which the opposite electrodes do not face each other. The ferroelectric liquid crystal yields two stable orientation states providing two average molecular axes forming an angle 2.theta. therebetween under no electric field. The ferroelectric liquid crystal yields two states providing two average molecular axes forming an angle 2 .circle.H therebetween. The ferroelectric liquid crystal at the non-pixel portions forms an orientation state providing an average molecular axis forming an angle .theta. or -.theta..

Abstract: A ferroelectric smectic liquid crystal device having an improved impact resistance and an improved contrast is provided by using a pair of substrates provided with uniaxial alignment axes which are parallel and identical in direction with each other. A ferroelectric smectic liquid crystal is disposed between the pair of substrates so as to assume a higher-temperature alignment state and a lower-temperature alignment state on temperature decrease in its ferroelectric smectic phase placed in a bistable alignment state. The ferroelectric smectic liquid crystal is further placed in the lower-temperature alignment state which is characterized by having an inclination of forming a connected pair of a lightning defect and a hair pin defect coming after the lightning defect.

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 so as to provide a matrix of pixels as a whole and having 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 the respective pixels on a selected scanning electrode: at least two repeating sets of phases, each set of phases comprising a state-determining phase for determining the contrast of a pixel and an auxiliary phase for not determining the contrast of the pixel.

Abstract: A driving method for a liquid crystal cell of the type comprising a pair of oppositely spaced electrodes and a memory type liquid crystal disposed between the oppositely spaced electrodes, the driving method comprising: applying a driving voltage waveform provided with an attenuation slope at the falling part thereof.

Abstract: By use of specific color filters in Surface Stability Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Device having color filters assembled therein, generation of alignment defect ocurring in the initial alignment control step could be avoided.

Abstract: A method of toner transfer development in which a low frequency alternating electrical bias is applied to the space between a latent image bearing member and a developer carrying member to develop the latent image on the latent image bearing member, and an apparatus for carrying out the same method. This bias has a first process in which reciprocal movement of developer particles is effected also between the non-image area of the latent image bearing member and the developer carrying member, and a second process in which the intensity of the bias is adjusted so that one-sided movement of developer particles from the developer carrying member to the image area and one-sided movement of developer particles from the non-image area to the developer carrying member may take place.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprising a pair of base plates and a liquid crystal composition interposed between the pair of base plates; the liquid crystal composition comprising a liquid crystal compound showing at least chiral smectic phase and a liquid crystal showing at least nematic phase and having a pyrimidine skeleton; a face of at least one of the pair of base plates having been provided with a function of preferentially orienting the axes of the liquid crystal molecules contacting the face in one direction.

Abstract: An optical modulation device includes scanning electrodes and signal electrodes disposed opposite to an 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 driving method for a liquid crystal device of the type comprising a matrix electrode structure having scanning lines and data lines, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal. In the driving method, (a) in a first period, a scanning selection signal is applied to a scanning line and applying an information signal is applied to a data line in synchronism with the scanning selection signal, and (b) in a second period, an alternating auxiliary signal is applied to the data line.

Abstract: An optical modulation device comprises a pair of substrates respectively having electrodes thereon arranged so as to form a pixel at an intersection thereof, and an optical modulation material disposed at the pixel. The pixel has regions of the optical modulation material having mutually different threshold characteristics.

Abstract: A photoconductive member comprises a support for a photoconductive member and an amorphous layer having photoconductivity and containing an amorphous material comprising silicon atom as a matrix, said amorphous layer having a first layer region containing oxygen atoms and a second layer region containing Group III atoms of the Periodic Table Such that said Group III atoms are continuously distributed in the direction of the layer thickness and enriched at the support side and wherein oxygen is absent from said amorphous layer exclusive of the first layer region, said first layer region being present internally in the support side portion of the amorphous layer, and there being the following relationship:To/T.ltoreq.1where To is the layer thickness of the first layer region and T results from subtracting To from the layer thickness of the amorphous layer.

Abstract: Orientation of a liquid crystal is controlled by first forming a phase boundary of the liquid crystal between a monoaxially anisotropic phase where the liquid crystal molecules are aligned in one direction and a higher temperature phase between a pair of base plates, transforming a part of the higher temperature phase adjacent to the phase boundary under cooling into the monoaxially anisotropic phase where liquid crystal molecules are aligned in parallel with the liquid crystal molecules in the already formed monoaxially anisotropic phase, and successively causing the phase transformation in the direction perpendicular to the phase boundary.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprising a first base plate which has projections thereon and has been subjected to a uniaxial orientation treatment, a second base plate disposed oppositely spaced from the first base plate with the projections therebetween as spacers, and a liquid crystal disposed between the first and second base plates. The projections have a section taken in parallel with the base plates, and the section has a side with a length of 0-20 .mu.m in a direction perpendicular to the uniaxial orientation treatment. The projections may be in the form of rectangular pillars, cylindrical pillars, oval pillars, or hexagonal pillars.

Abstract: An optical modulation device is disclosed, which includes: a first substrate having thereon a signal transmission electrode connected to a signal source and a first electrode having a delay function connected to the transmission electrode; a second substrate having thereon a second electrode disposed opposite to said first electrode; and an optical modulation material, particularly a ferroelectric liquid crystal, disposed between the first and second electrodes. An optical modulation system, particularly a gradational display system, utilizing the delay function is also disclosed.

Abstract: An optical modulation device comprises a pair of base plates and a ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched therebetween. A plurality of structural members each having side walls are arranged in the form of stripes on one of the pair of base plates. A monoaxial treatment is applied to at least one of the pair of base plates in a direction parallel with or perpendicular to the extension direction of the abovementioned plurality of structural members.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprising a pair of base plates and a liquid crystal composition interposed between the pair of base plates; the liquid crystal composition comprising a liquid crystal compound showing at least chiral smectic phase and a liquid crystal showing at least nematic phase; a face of at least one of the pair of base plates having been provided with a function of preferentially orienting the axes of the liquid crystal molecules contacting the face in one direction.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device in which there is provided an element having a nonlinear voltage-current characteristic for each of picture elements of a matrix electrode construction in which the picture elements are defined at respective intersections between a scanning electrode group and a signal electrode group intercrossing the scanning electrode group and a ferroelectric liquid crystal is interposed between the scanning electrode group and the signal electrode group.