Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes: a pair of substrates; polymer walls; and a display medium interposed between the pair of substrates, including a liquid crystal region partially provided with or completely surrounded by the polymer walls. The liquid crystal region includes a liquid crystal material having a helical pitch, the helical pitch being either unchanged or reduced upon rise in temperature.

Abstract: Crystals with an average crystal size of ≦10 &mgr;m comprising compounds of the formula Ia and/or IIa A process for making said crystals.

Abstract: An electrolyte composition comprising a polymer compound formed by polymerizing an ionic liquid crystal monomer containing at least one polymerizable group. Also disclosed are an electrochemical cell, a nonaqueous secondary cell and a photoelectrochemical cell, each comprising the electrolyte composition.

Abstract: A new class of asymmetric polar diphenyldiacetylene liquid crystal compounds and method for preparation are disclosed. The new class of liquid crystal compounds comprises the basic structure: Wherein R1 is an alkenyl group having the general formula (C2H2n−1), X is a cyano group, a fluoro group, CF3, OCF3, or a chloro group, Y1 is unsubstituted, a fluoro group, a chloro group or a methyl group, Y2 is unsubstituted, a fluoro group, a chloro group, or a methyl group, Z1 is unsubstituted, a fluoro group, or a methyl group, and Z2 is unsubstituted, a fluoro group, or a methyl group. The compounds disclosed exhibit high birefringence, low rotational viscosity, and have unexpectedly broad nematic ranges. Also disclosed are eutectic mixtures comprising at least one polar diphenyldiacetylene having the general structure described above. The eutectic mixtures also have unexpectedly broad nematic ranges.

Abstract: Ferroelectric liquid crystal devices having two spaced cell walls each bearing electrode structures and treated on at least one facing surface with an alignment layer, and a layer of a smectic liquid crystal material enclosed between the cell walls, exhibits a minimum in its response time versus voltage curve. The crystal material has two components, A and B.

Abstract: Novel chiral swallow-tailed liquid crystals synthesized from chiral material comprised of alkyl(s)-2-{6-[4-(4′-alkyloxyphenyl)benzoyloxy]-2-naphthyl}propionates having a rigid core, a chiral center directly linked to the rigid core, a chiral tail, and a swallow-tailed group linked to the chiral tail. The chiral center and the swallow-tailed group are arranged at the same side in the molecular structure of the chiral material. These structural characteristics enable the chiral material to have same property of threadholdless antiferroelectricity, and the advantage of simple manufacturing process. The chiral material shows an optimum application effect in liquid crystal displays.

Abstract: A method of producing a difluorobenzyl ether derivative (6) in which a benzene derivative (1) is reacted with a base to form carbanion which is in turn reacted with a difluoromethane derivative (2) to give a benzene derivative (3) which is further reacted with a phenol derivative (5) in the presence of a base.

Abstract: A polymer film with a helically twisted molecular structure exhibiting at least two maxima of the selective reflection wavelength. A process of preparing such a polymer film and processes for using such polymer film in optical data storage devices, photomasks, decorative pigments, cosmetics, security devices or active and passive optical elements such as polarizers, optical retarders or color filters.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition is disclosed which comprises: as a first component at least one of the compounds of the following formulas (1-1) and (1-2); as a second component at least one of the compounds of the following formula (2); as a third component at least one of the compounds of the following formulas (3-1) and (3-2); and as a fourth component at least one of the compounds of the following formulas (4-1) to (4-3)

Abstract: Liquid crystalline compounds are provided which have an extremely high voltage holding ratio, altered only slightly by change of temperature, and which have a low threshold voltage and a high &Dgr;n. Also provided are liquid crystal compositions containing the liquid crystalline compound; and liquid crystal display devices containing the liquid crystal composition. The liquid crystalline compound is expressed by the general formula (1) wherein R, Y1 to Y16, X and Z1 to Z3 are defined in claim 1.

Abstract: The invention is to provide liquid crystalline compounds which have a low viscosity, high negative dielectric anisotropy, high resistivity, and high voltage holding ratio, and are stable against heat and ultraviolet light; to provide liquid crystal compositions comprising the liquid crystalline compound; and to provide liquid crystal display devices using the liquid crystal composition therein; the liquid crystalline compound is expressed by the general formula (1) wherein R1 and Y1 represent an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; X1, X2, and X3 independently represent single bond, 1,2-ethylene group, vinylene group, —COO—, —CF2O—, or —OCF2—; ring A1, ring A2, ring A3, and ring A4 independently represent trans-1,4-cyclohexylene, or 1,4-phenylene hydrogen atom on the ring may be replaced by fluorine atom or chlorine atom provided that at least one of ring A2, ring A3, and ring A4 represents 2,3-difluoro-1,4-phenylene; m and n are 0 or 1, and each elem

Abstract: A liquid crystal device having a pair of electrode substrates, and a liquid crystal composition disposed between the substrates. At least one of the substrates is provided with an alignment control layer having a thickness of at most 200 Å and having been subjected to a rubbing uniaxial aligning treatment. The liquid crystal composition contains at least 30 wt. % of (i) at least one species of a fluorine-containing mesomorphic compound (B) represented by a formula (II) having smectic C phase and providing a tilt angle below 30 degrees at a temperature 15° C. below an upper limit temperature of said smectic C phase (ii) at least one species of compound (C) in an amount at least 5 wt. % represented by the formula (II) having a smectic C phase and which provides a tilt angle of at least 30 degrees at a temperature 15° C. below an upper limit temperature of said smectic C phase.

Abstract: A tetracyclic compound expressed by the following general formula (1) wherein H1 to H12 represent hydrogen atom at least one of which is replaced by a halogen atom, when either H6 or H8 is replaced by a halogen atom, at least one of the remaining hydrogen atoms is replaced by a halogen atom; R1 and Y1 independently represent an alkyl group, alkoxy group, or alkoxyalkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or an alkenyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, one or more methylene group in R1 and Y1 may be replaced by oxygen atom, sulfur atom, dihydrosilylene group, dimethylsilylene group, —CH═CH—, or —C≡C—; and X1, X2, and X3 independently represent a covalent bond, 1,2-ethylene group, or 1,4-butylene group; and a novel liquid crystal composition comprising the tetracyclic compound and having, at the same time, a wide temperature range of a nematic phase, high optical anisotropy, and high chemical stability.

Abstract: The present invention provides new liquid crystalline compounds having a high optical anisotropy value and excellent compatibility with the other liquid crystals, and liquid crystal composition comprising the compounds. The liquid crystalline compounds are represented by the general formula (1): wherein H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6, H7, H8, H9, H10, H11 and H12, each independently, represent H, F or Cl, at least one of H1, H2, H3, H4, H9, H10, H11 and H12 is F or Cl, R1 represents an alkyl group of C1-20, in which methylene groups may be replaced by —O—, —S—, —Si—, —CH═CH— or —C≡C—, any hydrogen atoms may be replaced by a halogen atom, and Y1 is replaced by R1, F, Cl, Br, I or a cyano group.