Abstract: This invention provides LC compositions useful as birefringent materials in electrooptic devices which exhibit zero or low negatively sloped birefringence dispersioon (e.g., exhibiting positive birefringence dispersion significantly lower than that of currently available LC compositions) or more preferably positively sloped birefringence dispersion in which birefringence of the material increases with wavelength. The invention provides compounds useful as components of LC compositions which exhibit negative birefringence where n0 is higher than ne. The compounds of this invention are dimers of LC-like compounds in which the monomers are linked to each other through a high birefringence moiety (dimerization linker). The LC monomers consist of an LC core and one or two tail groups. Preferred monomers for this invention have low birefringence in comparison to the birefringence of the monomer linking moiety.

Abstract: This invention provides LC compositions useful as birefringent materials in electrooptic devices which exhibit zero or low negatively sloped birefringence dispersion (e.g., exhibiting positive birefringence dispersion significantly lower than that of currently available LC compositions) or more preferably positively sloped birefringence dispersion in which birefringence of the material increases with wavelength. The invention provides compounds useful as components of LC compositions which exhibit negative birefringence where n.sub.o is higher than n.sub.e. The compounds of this invention are dimers of LC-like compounds in which the monomers are linked to each other through a high birefringence moiety (dimerization linker). The LC monomers consist of an LC core and one or two tail groups. Preferred monomers for this invention have low birefringence in comparison to the birefrigence of the monomer linking moiety.