Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal optical modulation element which is excellent in durability against blue laser and which can maintain the characteristics for a long period of time. A liquid crystal optical modulation element to modulate a laser beam having a wavelength of at most 500 nm, which comprises a layer of a polymer liquid crystal composition sandwiched between a pair of transparent substrates facing each other, characterized in that each of the pair of transparent substrates has an alignment film on the surface which faces the other transparent substrate, and the polymer liquid crystal composition is a polymer liquid crystal containing a hindered amine compound and a hindered phenol compound.

Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal optical modulation element which is excellent in durability against blue laser and which can maintain the characteristics for a long period of time. A liquid crystal optical modulation element to modulate a laser beam having a wavelength of at most 500 nm, which comprises a layer of a polymer liquid crystal composition sandwiched between a pair of transparent substrates facing each other, characterized in that each of the pair of transparent substrates has an alignment film on the surface which faces the other transparent substrate, and the polymer liquid crystal composition is a polymer liquid crystal containing a hindered amine compound and a hindered phenol compound.

Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal optical modulation element which is excellent in durability against blue laser and which can maintain the characteristics for a long period of time. A liquid crystal optical modulation element to modulate a laser beam having a wavelength of at most 500 nm, which comprises a layer of a polymer liquid crystal composition sandwiched between a pair of transparent substrates facing each other, characterized in that each of the pair of transparent substrates has an alignment film on the surface which faces the other transparent substrate, and the polymer liquid crystal composition is a polymer liquid crystal containing a hindered amine compound and a hindered phenol compound.

Abstract: To provide a photocurable composition with which a fine pattern molded product on which a fine pattern of a mold is highly precisely transferred can efficiently be produced. A photocurable composition comprising 100 parts by mass of a photocurable monomer (A), from 5 to 60 parts by mass of a colloidal silica (B) (solid content) having an average particle size of at most 200 nm, and from 0.1 to 10 parts by mass of a photopolymerization initiator (C), wherein the photocurable monomer (A) comprises a multifunctional monomer (A1) having at least 3 (meth)acryloyloxy groups in one molecule and a bifunctional monomer (A2) having two (meth)acryloyloxy groups in one molecule, at least one compound belonging to the multifunctional monomer (A1) or the bifunctional monomer (A2) has a hydroxy group, and the ratio of the total amount (mol) of hydroxy groups to the total amount (mol) of the multifunctional monomer (A1) and the bifunctional monomer (A2) is at least 10%.

Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal optical modulation element which is excellent in durability against blue laser and which can maintain the characteristics for a long period of time. A liquid crystal optical modulation element to modulate a laser beam having a wavelength of at most 500 nm, which comprises a layer of a polymer liquid crystal composition sandwiched between a pair of transparent substrates facing each other, characterized in that each of the pair of transparent substrates has an alignment film on the surface which faces the other transparent substrate, and the polymer liquid crystal composition is a polymer liquid crystal containing a hindered amine compound and a hindered phenol compound.

Abstract: To provide a process which is capable of producing, with good productivity, a liquid crystal polymer laminate having a uniformly aligned liquid crystal polymer and being excellent in transparency and which enables to enlarge the area. A process for producing a liquid crystal polymer laminate comprising a substrate, a layer containing a liquid crystal polymer, and a layer containing a non-liquid crystal covering polymer, which comprises a step of forming the layer containing a liquid crystal polymer on the substrate surface, a step of forming the layer containing the covering polymer on the layer containing a liquid crystal polymer, a step of performing heat treatment at a temperature of at least the glass transition point or the melting point of the covering polymer and at most the clearing point of the liquid crystal polymer.

Abstract: A liquid crystal compound represented by the formula CH2?CR1—COO-(L)k-E1-E2-E3-E4-R2 wherein R1: a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R2: a C1-8 alkyl group; k: 0 or 1; L: —(CH2)pO— or —(CH2)q— (wherein each of p and q which are independent of each other, is an integer of from 2 to 8); E1: a 1,4-phenylene group; E2, E3, E4: each independently a 1,4-phenylene group or a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group and at least one of E2 and E3 is a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group, provided that the 1,4-phenylene group and trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group in E1 to E4, may be such that a hydrogen atom bonded to a carbon atom in each group may be substituted by a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom or a methyl group. To provide a novel liquid crystal compound for preparing an optical element which can exhibit a proper Rd value depending upon usable wavelength and application and which is excellent in durability against a blue laser beam.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wire-grid polarizer showing high polarization separation ability in the visible light region and is excellent in heat resistance and durability; and a process for producing such a wire-grid polarizer with high productivity, which enables to produce a polarizer of large area. A process for producing a wire-grid polarizer, comprising a step of coating a supporting substrate with a photocurable composition, a step of pressing a mold having a plurality of parallel grooves at a constant pitch against the photocurable composition so that the grooves contact with the photocurable composition, a step of curing the photocurable composition in a state that the mold is pressed against the photocurable composition, to form a light-transmitting substrate having a plurality of ridges corresponding to the grooves of the mold, a step of separating the mold from the light-transmitting substrate, and a step of forming fine metalic wires on the ridges of the light-transmitting substrate.

Abstract: The present compound represented by formula(I) CH2?CR1—COO—(L)k-E1-E2-E3-(E4)m-(E5)n-R2??(1) provided that the symbols in the formula have the following meanings: R1: a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R2: a C1-8 alkyl group; L: —(CH2)pO—, —(CH2)q—, -Cy-COO— (Cy is a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group), -Cy-OCO—, -E6-(CH2)2—, -E7-CH2O— or -E8-O— (wherein each of p and q which are independent of each other, is an integer of from 2 to 8); E1, E2, E3 E4, E5, E6, E7, E8: each independently a 1,4-pheneylene group or a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group (provided that at least one of E1, E2 and E3 is a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group, and in a case where L is -Cy-OCO—, E1 is a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group),and k, m, n: each independently 0 or 1, provided that when k is 1 and L is -Cy-COO—, -Cy-OCO—, -E6-(CH2)2—, -E7-CH2O— or -E8-O—, at least one of m and n is 0. The present compound is useful for liquid crystal composition and optical element.

Abstract: To provide a novel liquid crystal compound for preparing, for example, an optical element which can exhibit a proper Rd value depending upon usable wavelength and application and which is excellent in durability against a blue laser beam. A liquid crystal compound represented by the formula CH2?CR1—COO-(L)k-E1-E2-E3-E4-R2 wherein R1: a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R2: a C1-8 alkyl group; k:0 or 1; L: —(CH2)pO— or —(CH2)q— (wherein each of p and q which are independent of each other, is an integer of from 2 to 8); E1: a 1,4-phenylene group; E2, E3, E4: each independently a 1,4-pheneylene group or a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group and at least one of E2 and E3 is a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group, provided that the 1,4-phenylene group and trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group in E1 to E4, may be such that a hydrogen atom bonded to a carbon atom in each group may be substituted by a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom or a methyl group.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystalline compound which has a large value of refractive index anisotropy, exhibits a liquid crystal phase in a wide temperature range, and is stable under use conditions. It is a liquid crystalline compound represented by the following formula (1): wherein the symbols in the formula have the following meanings: R1, R2: each independently, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkoxy group, a halogen atom or a cyano group, wherein at least one hydrogen atom in each of the alkyl, alkenyl and alkoxy groups may be replaced with a chlorine or fluorine atom; ring A, ring B: each independently, a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group or a 1,4-phenylene group, wherein a hydrogen atom in each of these rings may be replaced with a chlorine atom, fluorine atom or methyl group; X1, X2: each independently, a hydrogen or fluorine atom; n: 0 or 1.

Abstract: To provide a novel compound which satisfies characteristics required for an optical anisotropic material and which is excellent in durability against blue laser light, a liquid crystal composition containing the compound and an optical anisotropic material employing the liquid crystal composition. A compound represented by the following formula (1): CH2?CR1—COO-(E1)m-Cy-Y-Cy-E2-R2??(1) provided that the symbols in the formula have the following meanings. R1: a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R2: a C1-8 alkyl group; Y: —OCO— or —COO—; m: 0 or 1; E1 and E2: each independently a 1,4-phenylene group or a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group; and Cy: a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group; provided that the above 1,4-phenylene group and the trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group may be such that a hydrogen atom in each group may be substituted by a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom or a methyl group.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystalline compound which has a large value of refractive index anisotropy, exhibits a liquid crystal phase in a wide temperature range, and is stable under use conditions. It is a liquid crystalline compound represented by the following formula (1): wherein the symbols in the formula have the following meanings: R1, R2: each independently, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkoxy group, a halogen atom or a cyano group, wherein at least one hydrogen atom in each of the alkyl, alkenyl and alkoxy groups may be replaced with a chlorine or fluorine atom; ring A, ring B: each independently, a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group or a 1,4-phenylene group, wherein a hydrogen atom in each of these rings may be replaced with a chlorine atom, fluorine atom or methyl group; X1, X2: each independently, a hydrogen or fluorine atom; n: 0 or 1.

Abstract: To provide a novel compound which satisfies characteristics required for an optical anisotropic material and which is excellent in durability against blue laser light, a liquid crystal composition containing the compound and an optical anisotropic material employing the liquid crystal composition. A compound represented by the following formula (1): CH2?CR1—COO-(E1)m-Cy-Y-Cy-E2-R2??(1) provided that the symbols in the formula have the following meanings. R1: a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R2: a C1-8 alkyl group; Y: —OCO— or —COO—; m: 0 or 1; E1 and E2: each independently a 1,4-phenylene group or a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group; and Cy: a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group; provided that the above 1,4-phenylene group and the trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group may be such that a hydrogen atom in each group may be substituted by a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom or a methyl group.

Abstract: To provide a novel compound which satisfies characteristics required for an optical anisotropic material and which is excellent in durability against blue laser light, a liquid crystal composition containing the compound, an optical anisotropic material employing the liquid crystal composition and an optical element.

Abstract: A novel photochromic liquid crystal comprising a diarylethene compound having both photochromic properties and liquid crystallinity. This compound is a photochromic diarylethene compound having a mesogen group in each of the two aryl groups. The photochromic liquid crystal provides a large change in birefringence by photoisomerization or phase transition, and has high durability against repeated changes in birefringence. A side-chain polymer liquid crystal containing the above photochromic liquid crystal is useful as an optical recording material. Such an optical recording material is capable of performing light modulation by irradiation with light near Tc thereof, and is applicable to photo operator devices, optical memories, and the like. Further, the optical recording material is useful as a material for a recording layer of an optical recording medium such as an optical disk or an optical memory card.

Abstract: Optical recording material which is capable of recording and reading an information signal by utilizing a change in the double refraction caused by a change in the molecular orientation of a side-chain type polymer liquid crystal which has an electrocyclic-reaction-type photochromic compound (or a residue thereof), or a side-chain polymer liquid crystal having in a polymer chain thereof a monomeric unit to which the photochromic compound is bonded.

Abstract: A novel optical recording material is provided, which is capable of recording and reading an information signal by utilizing a change in the double refraction caused by a change in the molecular orientation of a side-chain type polymer liquid crystal which has an electrocyclic-reaction-type photochromic compound (or a residue thereof).

Abstract: A water dispersion type water and oil repellent composition capable of imparting highly long-lasting water and oil repellency to fibers of various materials. It comprises a polymer which essentially contains polymerized units of a (meth)acrylate having a polyfluoroalkyl group and polymerized units of a polymerizable monomer which essentially contains a polymerizable unsaturated group and a hydroxyl group and in which the polymerizable unsaturated group and the hydroxyl group are connected to each other through 7 or more covalent bonds, a surfactant which contains a nonionic surfactant in an amount of from 60 to 100 wt %, an aqueous medium, and a cross-linkable compound.

Abstract: In 100 parts by weight of a composition, from 2 to 89 parts by weight of a fluorinated polymer having a fluorine content of at least 65 wt %, from 97 to 10 parts by weight of a non-fluorinated polymer and from 1 to 35 parts by weight of a dispersing agent having a carboxylic acid group or its derivative, or a sulfonic acid group or its derivative, are blended.