Abstract: Provided is a polarizer having a high degree of alignment and an image display device including the polarizer. The polarizer is formed of a polarizer-forming composition containing a polymer liquid crystal compound and a dichroic material, in which the polymer liquid crystal compound is a thermotropic liquid crystal and a crystalline polymer, the polymer liquid crystal compound and the dichroic material are horizontally aligned, and crystallinity of the polymer liquid crystal compound in the polarizer-forming composition is higher than the crystallinity of the polymer liquid crystal compound alone.

Abstract: The present invention provides a laminate and an image display device, in which alignment defects of a liquid crystal layer provided on an optical alignment layer are suppressed. The laminate includes an optical alignment layer and a liquid crystal layer provided on the optical alignment layer. In the laminate, the liquid crystal layer is formed from a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystal compound and a surfactant, and the liquid crystal compound is immobilized in a horizontal alignment state, and the surfactant is a copolymer having a repeating unit containing a fluorinated alkyl group and having a repeating unit containing a mesogenic group.

Abstract: A method including forming an insulating film over first, second, third and fourth regions of a semiconductor substrate; forming a polyimide film on the insulating film; and patterning the polyimide film with a lithography method using a photomask including at least a first region of a first transmittance rate, a second region of a second transmittance rate, a third region. having a shading material, and a fourth region, wherein the first, second, third and fourth regions of the photomask correspond to the first, second, third and fourth regions of the semiconductor substrate, respectively.

Abstract: Provided is a polarizer-forming composition from which a polarizer with a high degree of alignment and excellent heat resistance can be formed, a polarizer, and an image display device. The polarizer-forming composition includes a liquid crystal compound, and a dichroic material, in which the liquid crystal compound is a polymer liquid crystal compound, and a content of a component having a number average molecular weight of 1000 or less which is contained in the polymer liquid crystal compound is in a range of 0.10% to 5.0% by mass.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal composition with which a light absorption anisotropic film excellent in plane shape uniformity with a high alignment degree can be formed, a method of producing same, a light absorption anisotropic film, a laminate, and an image display device. The liquid crystal composition contains a high-molecular weight liquid crystal compound, and a dichroic substance, where the composition is a copolymer containing 90% by mass or more of a repeating unit (1) of Formula (1) and 10% by mass or less of a repeating unit (2) of Formula (2). In Formulae (1) and (2), P1 to P3 represent main chains, L1 to L3 represent a single bond or divalent linking group, P2 to SP3 represent a single bond or spacer group (SP1), M1 to M3 represent mesogenic groups, T1 represents a terminal group, and n and m are integers of 0 or 1.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal composition with a light absorption anisotropic film that has a high alignment degree, a light absorption anisotropic film, a laminate, and an image display device. The liquid crystal composition contains a high-molecular weight liquid crystal compound, and a dichroic substance, where the liquid crystal compound is a copolymer having a repeating unit (1) represented by Formula (1) and a repeating unit (2) represented by Formula (2), where P1 and P2 represent the main chain of the repeating unit, L1 represents a single bond or a divalent linking group, L2 represents a single bond, a divalent alicyclic group or an aromatic group, which may have a substituent, SP1 represents a spacer group, SP2 represents an alkylene group having 10 or more atoms in the main chain, M1 represents a mesogenic group, and T1 and T2 represent a terminal group.

Abstract: Provided are a polarizer having a high degree of alignment and an image display device including the polarizer. The polarizer of the present invention is a polarizer which is formed of a polarizer-forming composition containing a liquid crystal compound and a dichroic material, in which the liquid crystal compound and the dichroic material are horizontally aligned, and in an X-ray diffraction spectrum of the polarizer, at least one of a plurality of peaks observed in a diffraction angle range of 17° or less is a peak A in which an interval of a periodic structure corresponding to the at least one peak does not have an integer multiple relationship with an interval of a periodic structure corresponding to at least one of other peaks.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a polarizer with a high degree of alignment and an image display device including the polarizer. The polarizer of the present invention is a polarizer which is formed of a polarizer-forming composition containing a liquid crystal compound, a first dichroic material, and a second dichroic material, in which the polarizer has an array structure formed of the first dichroic material and an array structure formed of the second dichroic material.

Abstract: An optical film including: a cholesteric layer of a disk-like liquid crystal composition including a disk-like liquid crystal compound, in which the cholesteric layer exhibits a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase, and in which fluctuation of a helical pitch in a film thickness direction of the cholesteric layer is 2% or greater, and having a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase of a disk-like liquid crystal compound and a wide reflection bandwidth; a brightness enhancement film; a backlight unit with a brightness enhancement film; and a liquid crystal display device.

Abstract: An optical film includes a liquid crystal layer derived from a smectic phase, wherein an Nz factor of the liquid crystal layer is from 0.2 to 0.8. A display device that includes the optical film, and a method of producing an optical film is also provided.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a coloring composition which can form a light absorption anisotropic film having an excellent dichroic ratio, a dichroic dye compound, a light absorption anisotropic film, a laminate, and an image display device. A coloring composition according to the invention contains a dichroic dye compound which has a Hansen solubility parameter of 17.5 or greater and has a structure represented by Formula (1), and a liquid crystalline compound. L1-A1-N?N-A2-N?N-A3-L2??(1) in Formula (1), A1, A2, and A3 each independently represent a divalent aromatic group which may have a substituent. Any one of A1, A2, and A3 represents a divalent thienothiazole group which may have a substituent. In Formula (1), L1 and L2 each independently represent a substituent.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a polarizer with a high degree of alignment and an image display device including the polarizer. The polarizer of the present invention is a polarizer which is formed of a polarizer-forming composition containing a liquid crystal compound, a first dichroic material, and a second dichroic material, in which the first dichroic material and the second dichroic material are aligned horizontally with respect to a surface of the polarizer, the first dichroic material is a compound compatible with the liquid crystal compound, and the second dichroic material is a compound which is not compatible with the liquid crystal compound.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a polarizer having a high degree of alignment and an image display device including the polarizer. A polarizer of the present invention is a polarizer formed of a polarizer-forming composition containing a liquid crystal compound, a first dichroic material, and a second dichroic material, in which the polarizer has an array structure formed of the first dichroic material and the second dichroic material.

Abstract: Provided are a coloring composition with which a light absorption anisotropic film having excellent durability can be formed, a light absorption anisotropic film, a laminate, and an image display device. A coloring composition according to the invention contains a dichroic dye compound having a structure represented by Formula (1D) and a liquid crystalline compound.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a polarizer, a method of producing a polarizer, a laminate, and an image display device which enable achievement of both the degree of alignment and light fastness. The polarizer of the present invention is a polarizer formed of a polarizer-forming composition which contains a liquid crystal compound and a dichroic material, in which the liquid crystal compound is a polymer compound having a smectic liquid crystallinity.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a polarizer, a method of producing a polarizer, a laminate, and an image display device which enable achievement of both the degree of alignment and heat resistance. The polarizer of the present invention is a polarizer formed of a polarizer-forming composition which contains a liquid crystal compound and a dichroic material, in which the liquid crystal compound has a smectic liquid crystallinity, and a phase transition temperature of the polarizer-forming composition from a smectic phase to an isotropic phase or a nematic phase is 120° C. or higher.

Abstract: A side chain type polymer liquid crystalline compound with which a light absorption anisotropic film having a high alignment degree can be formed, which includes a liquid crystalline composition, a light absorption anisotropic film which is formed of the liquid crystalline composition, a laminate, and an image display device. A liquid crystalline composition contains a side chain type polymer liquid crystalline compound and a dichroic substance, the side chain type polymer liquid crystalline compound is a copolymer having repeating units 1 and 2, the repeating unit 1 has a mesogenic group and an electron-withdrawing group having a Hammett's substituent constant ?p of greater than 0 at a terminal of the mesogenic group, and the repeating unit 2 has a mesogenic group and a group having a Hammett's substituent constant ?p of 0 or less at a terminal of the mesogenic group.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing an optical laminate in which an alignment defect is less likely to occur in a light-absorbing anisotropic layer even in a case where a surface of a photo-alignment layer is rubbed; an optical laminate; and an image display device. The method for manufacturing an optical laminate according to an embodiment of the present invention is a method for manufacturing an optical laminate in which an optical laminate including a photo-alignment layer and a light-absorbing anisotropic layer and having a front transmittance of 60% or less is produced and which includes a photo-alignment layer formation step of forming a photo-alignment layer on a polymer film, and a light-absorbing anisotropic layer formation step of applying a liquid crystal composition containing a dichroic substance and a high-molecular liquid crystalline compound onto the photo-alignment layer to form a light-absorbing anisotropic layer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a polarizer having a high degree of alignment and an image display device including the polarizer. The polarizer according to the embodiment of the present invention is a polarizer which is formed of a polarizer-forming composition containing a polymer liquid crystal compound and a dichroic material, in which the polymer liquid crystal compound is a thermotropic liquid crystal and a crystalline polymer, and the polymer liquid crystal compound and the dichroic material are horizontally aligned.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a polarizer having a high degree of alignment and an image display device including the polarizer. The polarizer of the present invention is a polarizer which is formed of a polarizer-forming composition containing a polymer liquid crystal compound and a dichroic material, in which the polymer liquid crystal compound is a thermotropic liquid crystal and a crystalline polymer, the polymer liquid crystal compound and the dichroic material are horizontally aligned, and crystallinity of the polymer liquid crystal compound in the polarizer-forming composition is higher than the crystallinity of the polymer liquid crystal compound alone.