Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprises a pair of substrates; and a composite layer disposed between the pair of substrates, the composite layer including a resin phase and a liquid crystal phase of a liquid crystal material exhibiting cholesteric characteristic, the composite layer having an area defining one pixel, and the area including a plurality of regions being different from each other in condition of the resin phase. A method of producing a liquid crystal device comprises the steps of defining an area corresponding to one pixel; and forming a plurality of regions of composite layer in the area, the composite layer including a resin phase and a liquid crystal phase of a liquid crystal material exhibiting cholesteric characteristic, and each of the regions being different from the others in condition of the resin phase.

Abstract: A method of making a liquid crystal device having a plurality of cells of liquid crystal material, includes the steps of: (a) preparing a first base having a first surface; (b) providing a first phase of a material and a plurality of second phases of at least one liquid crystal material on the first surface, said second phases being spatially dispersed in a first prescribed pattern; (c providing a second base having a second surface, the second surface being substantially in contact with the first and second phases; and (d) solidifying the material of the first phase. The liquid crystal cells are formed of the dispersed liquid crystal materials. The plurality of second phases may include at least a group of liquid crystal materials which exhibits a cholesteric characteristic having a selective reflection wavelength in the visible range and a group of liquid crystal materials which exhibits a cholesteric characteristic having a different selective reflection wavelength in the visible range.

Abstract: (1) A liquid crystal device comprises a pair of substrates; and a composite layer disposed between the pair of substrates, the composite layer including a resin phase and a liquid crystal phase of a liquid crystal material exhibiting cholesteric characteristic, the composite layer having an area defining one pixel, and the area including a plurality of regions being different from each other in condition of the resin phase. (2) A method of producing a liquid crystal device comprises the steps of defining an area corresponding to one pixel; and forming a plurality of regions of composite layer in the area, the composite layer including a resin phase and a liquid crystal phase of a liquid crystal material exhibiting cholesteric characteristic, and each of the regions being different from the others in condition of the resin phase.

Abstract: A liquid crystal reflective display comprising cholesteric liquid crystal capable of selectively reflecting spectral rays of a specific wavelength in a visible range; and a carrier carrying said cholesteric liquid crystal, wherein at least one of said cholesteric liquid crystal and said carrier contains a coloring agent absorbing spectral rays in a wavelength range different from the selective reflection wavelength of said cholesteric liquid crystal.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a near field light generating device is provided. A photoresist layer is formed on a transparent layer (123). Then, illumination light (L2) directed from the side of solid immersion lenses (11) passes through first openings (122a) and the transparent layer (123) to reach and expose the photoresist layer. After development of the photoresist layer, exposed parts of the photoresist remain as microscopic resist regions (MR) in positions corresponding to the first openings (122a). After a second opaque layer (124) is formed on the transparent layer (123) and the microscopic resist regions (MR), the microscopic resist regions (MR) are removed by a lift-off method to form second openings (124a) in the second opaque layer (124). The first openings (122a) are thus used as a photomask to form the second openings (124a). Therefore, a large number of microscopic openings (MO) having good product quality are formed accurately and easily as the near field light generating device.

Abstract: On a waveguide 34 formed on a substrate 33, a plurality of comblike shaped electrodes 37, 38 that generate surface acoustic waves 37a, 38a from different directions are provided. And a periodic refractive indices portion 40 is formed, where the refractive indices are periodically distributed in accordance with the wavelengths of the surface acoustic waves 37a, 38a generated by applying a voltage to the comblike shaped electrodes 37, 38. And by changing a frequency of the applying voltage for sequentially changing the wavelengths of the surface acoustic waves 37a, 38a, the exiting direction of the light exiting from the periodic refractive indices portion 40 is scanned. This makes it possible to provide an optical functional device and an optical scanning apparatus that perform light scanning less costly but at a high speed, and that can secure a wide scanning angle.

Abstract: A liquid crystal reflective display comprising cholesteric liquid crystal capable of selectively reflecting spectral rays of a specific wavelength in a visible range; and a carrier carrying said cholesteric liquid crystal, wherein at least one of said cholesteric liquid crystal and said carrier contains a coloring agent absorbing spectral rays in a wavelength range different from the selective reflection wavelength of said cholesteric liquid crystal.

Abstract: An optical module has a substrate, a waveguide, formed on the substrate, for guiding light, and a photonic crystal portion that has media having different refractive indices arranged in a periodic pattern and that is disposed in a channel of the waveguide on the substrate. Here, the photonic crystal and the substrate are integrally formed.

Abstract: A liquid crystal element, in which a liquid crystal layer is held between a pair of substrates, an electrode and a functional thin film such as an insulating film are formed on at least one of the substrates, and a refractive index difference between a largest refractive index and a smallest refractive index among refractive indexes of the substrate, the electrode formed on this substrate and the functional thin film formed on this substrate is in a range from 0 to 0.3.

Abstract: A reflecting liquid crystal display unit that reflects light entering from an observer side to display an image. The reflecting liquid crystal display has a composite layer of cholesteric liquid crystal material and polymer resin, and an an isotropic scattering layer. The an isotoropic scattering layer scatters light entering this layer at a relative large incident angle passes light entering this layer at a relative small incident angle. The an isotoropic scattering layer is provided on an observer side of the composite layer.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is, in a solar battery where at least an electrolyte and a porous member of an oxide semiconductor retaining a pigment material are provided between a transparent electrode and a counter electrode, to obtain a high conversion efficiency by improving the contact between the transparent electrode and the porous member of the oxide semiconductor. In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in the solar battery according to the present invention where at least the electrolyte 6 and the porous member 3 of an oxide semiconductor retaining pigment material are provided between the transparent electrode 1 and the counter electrode 5, a finely-formed film 8 made of the same oxide semiconductor as the porous member 3 is further provided between the transparent electrode 1 and the porous member 3 of the oxide semiconductor.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device that includes a pair of substrates and a composite layer disposed between the substrates. The composite layer has a liquid crystal phase of a liquid crystal material and a resin phase of a resin. The liquid crystal device is made such that the resin phase comprises a resin wall structure which does not contain a substantial amount of the liquid crystal material. To enhance contrast and viewing angle, the resin phase has a rough surface which is sufficient to disarrange an orientation of molecules of the liquid crystal material. The invention is further directed to a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal device, which includes the steps of defining a mixing ratio of two kinds of resin raw materials that have different contact angles, mixing these kinds of resin raw materials, mixing the mixed raw material with a liquid crystal material, and separating the mixed material from the liquid crystal material.

Abstract: A liquid crystal element has a pair of substrates at least one of which is transparent, and a composite layer, which is retained between said pair of substrates, comprising a transparent resin matrix and a liquid crystal material having cholesteric characteristics.(1) In the liquid crystal element, a contact angle between the liquid crystal material and the resin used in the transparent resin matrix is 30.degree. or less.(2) In the liquid crystal element, said liquid crystal material reflects a light component having a wavelength in a range from 1.0 .mu.m to 1.5 .mu.m in a planar state.(3) In the liquid crystal element, said transparent resin matrix is formed by polymerizing of a mixture of compound having the following formula (1) and multi-functional acrylate derivative, ##STR1## wherein n is a natural number from 1 to 2.

Abstract: A liquid crystal element includes a pair of plates at least one of which is transparent, and a composite layer retained between the plates and including a liquid crystal material in a transparent resin substrate.

Abstract: A composite material includes a cholesteric liquid crystal; a polymer which is distributed in phase-separated domains and provides an effective form-retention property for the composite material; and an additional material which is dissolved in the cholesteric liquid crystal and maintains a cholesteric phase of the liquid crystal and bistability of a focal conic state and a planar state of the liquid crystal.

Abstract: A composite material includes a cholesteric liquid crystal; a polymer which is distributed in phase-separated domains and provides an effective form-retention property for the composite material; and an additional material which is dissolved in the cholesteric liquid crystal and maintains a cholesteric phase of the liquid crystal and bistability of a focal conic state and a planar state of the liquid crystal.

Abstract: A phase modulating device for spatially modulating a phase of an incident light beam is of a binary type having a plurality of rectangular protrusions on a cross section thereof. A distribution is provided to a diffraction efficiency at each point of the phase modulating device by varying a width of each protrusion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-layered coating for an optical part comprising at least a YF.sub.3 layer between a substrate and a dielectric material layer.

Abstract: An antireflection coating which comprises a substrate and a multilayered coating is provided. The substrate is made of silicon (Si) or germanium (Ge). The multilayered coating is formed on the substrate and consists of a plurality of layers. In the multilayered coating, a layer of silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) of a predetermined thickness is contiguously formed to the substrate.

Abstract: A ceramic substrate for forming electronic tip parts. At least a pair of slits is substantially parallelly formed in the ceramic substrate for forming side electrodes, and a plurality of grooves are also formed in the ceramic substrate between the slits to cross the slits so as to define together with the slits divisions respectively for the individual electronic tip parts.