Abstract: A liquid crystal phase consisting of at least three components A, B and C, each of which contains one or more compounds, wherein component A has a viscosity of at most about 25 mPa.s at 20.degree., a clearing point of at most 130.degree. and a dielectric anisotropy between about -2 and about +2, component B has a dielectric anisotropy above about +8, component C has a clearing point of more than 130.degree. and a dielectric anisotropy between about -2 and about +2, characterized in that component A contains at least one compound of the formula III ##STR1## in which R.sup.1 is alkyl of 1 to 12 C atoms, in which in addition one or two non-adjacent CH.sub.2 groups can be replaced by O atoms, --CO--, --O--CO--, --CO--O-- and/or --CH.dbd.CH-- groups,R.sup.2 has one of the meanings of R.sup.1, ##STR2## Z.sup.1 is --CO--O--, --O--CO-- or --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, o is 1 or, if A.sup.

Abstract: Liquid crystal phases containing components of the formulae I and III ##STR1## have an acceptable combination of threshold steepness, viewing angle and temperature dependence at a low threshold voltage.