Abstract: In an electro-optical element comprising a liquid crystal, such as a smectic liquid crystal, sealed between two substrates arranged to confront each other with a space of an order of .mu.m, if spacer particles for regulating the space between the substrates and phenol type curing agent-incorporated epoxy resin adhesive particles for moderating stresses generated by distortions or warps of the substrates are arranged in the space between the substrates, a minute uniform space, especially a uniform space of 1 to 3 .mu.m effective for a ferroelectric liquid crystal, can be maintained between the substrates. In this structure, alignmental films are not disturbed at all. Furthermore, even if a nematic or super-twist liquid crystal is used, a uniform space can be stably maintained between the substrates.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal element with an improved orientation layer and a coating composition for forming such an orientation layer. The orientation layer consists essentially of a polymer with a Mark-Houwink coefficient of not less than 0.85, the Mark-Houwink coefficient being represented by the formula [I]:[.eta.]=K.multidot.M.sup..alpha. [I]wherein [.eta.] represents intrinsic viscosity of the polymer determined by solution viscosity measuring method, K represents a constant, M represents molecular weight of the polymer, and .alpha. represents the Mark-Houwink coefficient. The coating composition comprises a polyfumaric acid ester represented by the formula [I]: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, are the same or different and each represents a straight or branched alkyl group, cycloalkyl group, haloalkyl group, silalkyl group or siloxanylalkyl group; and a halogen-containing organic solvent.

Abstract: A ferro-electric crystal electro-optical device which uses switching between bi-stable states of ferro-electric liquid crystal molecules. A change from one of the stable states to the other is effected by applying a selected voltage having a combination of chopping pulse to which the liquid crystal molecules are not responsive and DC pulse to which the liquid crystal molecules are responsive.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal electro-optical device driven in time-sharing comprising; a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer having bi-stable alignment characteristics, means for converting the bi-stable alignment state to optical ON state or optical OFF state, a matrix electrode and means for driving the liquid crystal layer by applying voltages to the liquid crystal layer through the matrix electrode. A voltage sufficient to change a stable alignment state of the ferro-electric liquid crystal molecular is applied to a selected pixel, a voltage insufficient to change a stable alignment state is applied to a non-selected pixel and an AC voltage for holding a stable alignment state is applied to a half-selected pixel. A bias value, which is the ratio of the amplitude of the voltage applied to the selected pixel to the amplitude of the AC voltage applied to the half-selected pixel, is set near the maximum value of B satisfying the following formulaB/(B-2).gtoreq.

Abstract: A ferro-electric liquid crystal electro-optical device comprising two plates having electrodes, and ferro-electric liquid crystals, for example, chiral smetic crystals, sandwiched between the plates. The inner surface of one of the two plates has a uni-axial alignment characteristic which aligns the liquid crystal molecules in its uni-axial direction. The inner surface of the other plate has a random homogeneous characteristic which aligns the molecules nearly parallel to the plates but does not let the molecules have any predetermined directional characteristic.