Abstract: A clamping device includes a first clamping member including a main rotating member rotatable around a main rotating shaft provided on a first end side of an evaporation mask to face a support member across the evaporation mask, the main rotating member including an auxiliary rotating shaft, and the first clamping member further including an auxiliary rotating member rotatable around the auxiliary rotating shaft to come into surface-contact with a second surface of the evaporation mask.

Abstract: A light emitting element includes a light emitting layer emitting light and a refractive index composite structure layer arranged in a light path of the light output from the light emitting layer.

Abstract: A diffractive spatial light modulator comprises first and second substrates (1, 2) between which an optical path is defined comprising, in order, first (8a,8b), second (5,6), and third (8a,8b) half wave retarders. The second retarder (6,5) has a fixed optic axis (9c) whereas the first and third retarders have switchable optic axes (9a,9b). The fixed optic axis (9c) is oriented outside the switching ranges of the switchable optic axes (9a,9b). The modulator is pixellated and each pixel comprises a switchable phase-only diffraction grating. Each pixel is switchable between a first mode in which incident light is output in the zeroth order diffraction lobe and a second mode in which incident light is deflected into higher order diffraction lobes. The spatial light modulator may be used in high brightness projection displays.

Abstract: A switchable liquid crystal device, for instance for use as a reflective display, includes a cell containing a helical polymer network and a nematic liquid crystal. Electrodes are provided for applying a field across the cell so as to switch between different optical states. In a reflective state, the cell reflects incident light within a waveband which is relatively insensitive to temperature variations. The device is formed by filling the cell with the liquid crystal and polymer precursor material and then cross-linking or polymerising, for instance by photopolymerisation, the precursor material to form the helical polymer network.

Abstract: A diffractive spatial light modulator includes first and second substrates between which an optical path is defined including, in order, first, second, and third half wave retarders. The second retarder has a fixed optic axis whereas the first and third retarders have switchable optic axes. The modulator is pixellated and each pixel includes a switchable phase-only diffraction grating. Each pixel is switchable between a first mode in which incident light is output in the zero-th order diffraction lobe and a second mode in which incident light is deflected into higher order diffraction lobes. The spatial light modulator may be used in high brightness projection displays.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes glass cell walls on which are formed alignment layers. The cell is filled with liquid crystal material, such as FLC material. Chemical bonds are formed between the alignment layers and the adjacent liquid crystal layers so that the liquid crystal layers are bonded to the alignment layers in order to increase resistance to mechanical damage.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus comprising a pair of transparent substrates which consists of a driving side substrate and an opposite side substrate; transparent pixels formed in matrix on said driving side substrate; a first orientation film formed on said pixels; a transparent electrode formed on said opposite side substrate; a shielding layer provided at least on the periphery of each of said transparent pixels and at either between said driving side substrate and said transparent pixels or between said transparent pixels and said orientation film; said pair of transparent substrates being located opposite to each other to form a cell in which a mixture comprising a liquid crystal, a photosetting polymer precursor and its polymerization initiator is put and irradiated with a light outside said cell thereby curing said photosetting polymer precursor selectively at a region free from said transparent pixels and enrich the resulting cured resin at said region.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes: a pair of substrates disposed so as to oppose each other, at least one of the pair of substrates being transparent; electrodes formed on an inside face of each of the pair of substrates; and a display medium for displaying an image, the display medium being divided into at least one liquid crystal region composed essentially of ferroelectric liquid crystal and a polymer region composed essentially of liquid crystalline polymer, and the display medium being controlled by applying a voltage to the electrodes.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal display device comprises a pair of substrates having respective electrodes formed on opposed surfaces thereof, a ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched between the pair of substrates, a pixel formed between the opposed electrodes, and partition walls formed on the electrodes and dividing the pixel into differently-sized partition areas.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal device having a pair of substrates each provided with voltage applying means, an orientation control layer formed on at least one of the substrates, and a layer of ferroelectric liquid crystal composition disposed between the pair of substrates, the ferroelectric liquid crystal composition comprising at least one compound (a) having an optically active group of the formula (I): ##STR1## at least one compound (b) which is reverse to the compound (a) in the direction of a helical pitch induced in a nematic phase and at least one liquid crystal compound (c) exhibiting a smectic C phase, the liquid crystal composition exhibiting at least a smectic C phase, smectic A phase and nematic phase.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: two substrates facing each other, at least one of the substrates being transparent; electrodes disposed on inside surfaces of the respective substrates; a display medium which is provided between the two substrates and formed of polymer walls containing a polymer as their main component and liquid crystal regions containing liquid crystal as their main component; and a plurality of pixels, wherein the liquid crystal regions are partitioned by the polymer walls and are close to the substrates, portions of the liquid crystal regions close to the substrates being in parallel with the substrates, an interval a between the center of one liquid crystal region and the center of an adjacent liquid crystal region in a direction along the surface of the substrate is within a width of one pixel along the direction, and 80% or more of the intervals a satisfy the relationship: 3b/2>a>b/2, where b is an average of the intervals a.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal device having a pair of substrates each provided with voltage application means, an orientation control layer formed on at least one of the substrates, and a layer of ferroelectric liquid crystal composition formed between the pair of substrates, the device being characterized in that the ferroelectric liquid crystal composition comprises at least one compound (a) having an optically active group of the formula (I): ##STR1## and at least one compound (b) which is reverse to the compound (a) in the direction of a helical pitch induced in a nematic phase, the liquid crystal composition exhibiting at least a smectic C phase, smectic A phase and nematic phase at least 20 .mu.m in helical pitch.

Abstract: A liquid crystal element includes a plurality of scanning electrodes, a plurality of signal electrodes, and a liquid crystal cell. The scanning and signal electrodes are formed in a matrix configuration. The liquid crystal cell has a pair of substrates provided with a switching device. The switching device has a gate-electrode and a source electrode at a crossing point of the above scanning electrodes and signal electrodes. A ferroelectric liquid crystal fills the liquid crystal cell. Furthermore, the scanning electrode is connected with the gate-electrode of the switching device, and the signal electrode is connected with the source-electrode of the switching device. The scanning electrode transmits a signal to turn on the switching device, and, simultaneously, the signal electrode transmits a multiple-value signal to drive the liquid crystal cell.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal display device comprising upper and lower substrates arranged opposite each other, each provided with electrodes on their respective surface, an insulating film formed on the electrodes on each substrate, an orientation film formed on the insulating film and subjected to a uniaxial orientation treatment, the orientation film with the same orientation direction on each of the two substrates, a liquid crystal composition with a chiral smectic C phase injected between the two substrates, drive means for switching an optical axis of the liquid crystals in the liquid crystal composition by selectively applying a voltage to the electrodes, means for optically identifying the switching of the optical axis, in which when the drive means is operated, the liquid crystal composition can reverse its molecular direction near the substrate and show a chevron structure which bends in a dogleg shape as a layer structure when it shows the chiral smectic C phase wherein a bending direction of the

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal composition including: at least one optically active compound of the formula (I): ##STR1## where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are, the same or different, a straight or branched chain alkyl group having 1 to 15 carbon atoms, k represents an integer of 0 or 1, and * represents an asymmetric carbon atom; andat least one compound selected from the group consisting of: compounds of the formula (II): ##STR2## where R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are a straight or branched chain alkyl or alkoxy group having 1-15 carbon atoms, ##STR3## and ##STR4## each represents ##STR5## X represents --O--, --CO-- or a single bond, m and n are independently an integer of 0 or 1; compounds of the formula (III): ##STR6## where R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are, the same or different, a straight or branched chain alkyl or alkoxy group having 1-15 carbon atoms, and p is an integer of 0 or 1;said ferroelectric liquid crystal composition exhibiting at least nematic phase, smectic A phase and smectic C phase.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal composition comprising a specific fluorophenyl compound (I) and a specific pyrimidine compound (II) and optionally a specific benzoate compound (III), which exhibits a high-speed response in room temperature and is useful for liquid crystal display devices of large capacity.

Abstract: An optically active compound represented by the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R is a straight or branched chain alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 15 carbon atoms, ##STR2## is a 1,4-cyclohexylene or 1,4-phenylene group, ##STR3## is a 1,4-phenylene or 3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene group, X is a mono-, di- or tri-fluoromethyl group, W is a straight or branched chain or cyclic alkylene group having 1 to 16 carbon atoms or a straight or branched chain alkenylene group having 2 to 16 carbon atoms, Y is a bond or --COO--, and Z is a straight or branched chain alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a phenyl group or a hydrogen atom, which is useful as a component of ferroelectric liquid crystal compositions or as a device utilizing said composition.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal composition comprising at least one compound represented by the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are, the same or different, a straight-chain or branched-chain alkyl group having 1 to 15 carbon atoms, and each asterisk represents an asymmetric carbon atom, and at least one compound represented by the formula (II): ##STR2## wherein R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are, the same or different, a straight-chain or branched-chain alkyl group having 1 to 15 carbon atoms, and each asterisk represents an asymmetric carbon atom, and liquid crystal device incorporating same.

Abstract: Novel derivatives of aromatic carboxylic acid esters which are useful as a dopant for liquid crystal compositions, and smectic liquid crystal compositions containing at least one of said derivatives.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal composition suitable to large capacity display which contains from 0.01 to 1% by weight of a liquid crystal or liquid crystal-compatible compound having a fluoroalkyl group in ferroelectric liquid crystals exhibiting a smectic C phase.