Abstract: An image forming process provides an excellent ink fixation effect for high speed, low energy consumption printing. Two-valued or multi-valued gradation expression of a picture element, or the smallest output unit, is realized by controlling the number of liquid droplets impacting on a recording medium for each dot formed on the recording medium. The liquid droplets are subjected to physical or chemical modification so as to be fixed to the recording medium. The present invention is also directed to an image forming apparatus, an ink for liquid droplet recording and a liquid droplet ejection and projection method that can use the image forming process.

Abstract: This invention provides an image forming process that by turn provides an excellent ink fixation effect for high speed low energy consumption printing. Two-valued or multi-valued gradation expression of a picture element, or the smallest output unit, is realized by controlling the number of liquid droplets impacting on a recording medium for each dot formed on the recording medium. The liquid droplets are subjected to physical or chemical modification so as to be fixed to the recording medium. The present invention also provides an image forming apparatus, an ink for liquid droplet recording and a liquid droplet ejection and projection method that can be used for the image forming process.

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: A liquid crystal apparatus comprises a liquid crystal device comprising a group of scanning electrodes and a group of signal electrodes intersecting each other to form an electrode matrix, and a chiral smectic liquid crystal disposed in a non-helical alignment state so as to form a picture element at each intersection of the scanning electrodes and the signal electrodes.

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 liquid crystal apparatus includes a liquid crystal device having a group of scanning lines and a group of signal lines intersecting each other to form a matrix of picture elements, and a chiral smectic liquid crystal disposed so as to form the picture elements.

Abstract: A liquid crystal apparatus includes a liquid crystal device having a group of scanning lines and a group of signal lines intersecting each other to form a matrix of picture elements, and a chiral smectic liquid crystal disposed so as to form the picture elements. The device is driven by: (a) applying a scanning selection signal and a scanning non-selection signal to the scanning lines, (b) applying data signals having a predetermined voltage determined according to an environmental temperature and including a gradation data signal to the signal lines so as to provide a selected picture element at an intersection of a selected scanning line receiving the scanning selection signal and a selected signal electrode with a ratio between an area occupied with one orientation state and an area occupied by another orientation state, respectively of the chiral smectic liquid crystal, depending on given gradation data, and (c) periodically applying the scanning selection signal to the scanning lines.

Abstract: A liquid crystal apparatus includes a liquid crystal device having a group of scanning electrodes and a group of signal electrodes intersecting each other to form an electrode matrix, and a chiral smectic liquid crystal having a threshold voltage varying depending on a voltage pulse width disposed so as to form a picture element at each intersection of the scanning electrodes and the signal electrodes.

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: A liquid crystal apparatus includes a liquid crystal device having a group of scanning electrodes and a group of signal electrodes intersecting each other to form an electrode matrix, and a chiral smectic liquid crystal having a threshold voltage varying depending on a voltage pulse width disposed so as to form a picture element at each intersection of the scanning electrodes and the signal electrodes.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition comprises at least three compounds represented by formulae (A), (B) and (C), respectively as in Claim 1. The compound of the formula (A) has an indan skeleton, the compound of the formula (B) has a quinoxaline skeleton, and the compound of the formula (C) has a pyrimidine skeleton or a benzothiazole skeleton and a terminal cyclic group comprising a cyclohexyl group or a phenyl group. The liquid crystal composition is effective in improving a display quality and drive characteristics of a liquid crystal device using the composition when the liquid crystal device is continuously driven for a long time.

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 crystal 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 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 liquid crystal device having a cell structure comprising a pair of base plates and a smectic liquid crystal having cholesteric phase at a higher temperature side; the ratio (P/d) of the spiral pitch of the cholesteric phase (P) to the spacing between the pair of base plates (d) is 0.5 or more.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition contains a mesomorphic compound represented by the following formula (A): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 denotes a linear or branched alkyl group having 1-18 carbon atoms; X.sub.1 denotes a single bond, --O--, --CO--O-- or --O--CO--; X.sub.2 denotes a single bond, --OCH.sub.2 --, --CO--O-- or --O--CO--; n is an integer of 3-16; and A.sub.1, denotes ##STR2## and a mesomorphic compound represented by the following formula (B): ##STR3## wherein R.sub.2 denotes a linear or branched alkyl group having 1-18 carbon atoms; X.sub.3 and X.sub.4 independently denote a single bond, --O--, --CO--O-- or --O--CO--; m is an integer of 3-16; and A.sub.2 denotes ##STR4## The liquid crystal composition may preferably be formulated as a chiral smectic liquid crystal composition. The liquid crystal composition is useful in providing a liquid crystal device using the liquid crystal composition with a good alignment characteristic, a good drive characteristic, and a high contrast ratio.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition is composed of at least three types of mesomorphic compounds. The liquid crystal composition may preferably contain a mesomorphic compound having an indan skeleton represented by the formula (1) or (3) and a mesomorphic compound having a terminal cyclic group represented by the formula (2) or (4). The liquid crystal composition may also preferably further contain an optically active compound to be formulated as a chiral smectic (or ferroelectric) liquid crystal composition. When the chiral smectic liquid crystal composition is disposed between a pair of electrode substrates provided with uniaxial alignment axes, the liquid crystal composition may preferably be placed in an alignment state in C1 uniform alignment, so that a resultant liquid crystal device provides a higher contrast ratio and a wider drive voltage margin.

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 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 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 liquid crystal composition, comprising a main chain-type mesomorphic polymer and a mesomorphic monomer and showing a smectic phase including a plurality of molecular layers, wherein a linkage of a covalent bond is present between adjacent molecular layers among the plurality molecular layers. Because of the presence of the covalent bond linkage between the molecular layers, the elastic energy of the liquid crystal per se relating to the elastic energy between the smectic liquid crystal molecular layers can be controlled to provide a uniform alignment. The mesomorphic polymer preferably has a structure represented by the following formula (1): ##STR1## wherein A denotes a terminal flexible chain group, M denotes a mesogen group, F denotes a spacer flexible chain group, x is 0 or 1, B denotes an ester bond group, ether bond group, thioester bond group, dimethylsiloxane bond group or thioether bond group, and y is 1-200.