Abstract: A display device 100 has a display unit 110 and a display switching unit 120. The display switching unit 120 is provided with a reflective polarizing plate 121, a liquid crystal panel 122, and a polarizing plate 123 arranged in this order from the side of the display unit 110 to the observation side. By controlling the liquid crystal panel 122, the display switching unit can be switched between a light transmissive state and a light reflective state. The display unit 110 and the display switching unit 120 are optically adhered to each other by an adhesive layer 131. Thus, deterioration of the contrast by boundary reflection can be restrained, and the flatness and the rigidity of the device can be improved.

Abstract: In view of the above problems of the prior art, the present invention has been made, and an object of the present invention is to provide a board, which is free from coloring, has high color tone quality, can realize a bright display screen, and imposes no significant restriction on the provision of an electric circuit, and a display device comprising the board, and further provides a liquid crystal display board, which is excellent in color contrast between transmission display and reflection display, and a semi-transmission color liquid crystal display device comprising the liquid crystal display board. A board according to the invention comprises a light transparent substrate and a cholesteric layer provided on the substrate and provided with an optical window of a predetermined pattern.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes: first and second substrates facing and spaced apart from each other; a retardation layer on an outer surface of the first substrate; a linear polarizing layer on the retardation layer; a cholesteric liquid crystal color filter (CCF) layer on an inner surface of the second substrate; a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the CCF layer; a first cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) polarizing layer on an outer surface of the second substrate, the first CLC polarizing layer having a first helical pitch of a first circular polarization direction; a second cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) polarizing layer on the first CLC layer, the second CLC polarizing layer having a second helical pitch of a second circular polarization direction opposite to the first circular polarization direction; and a backlight unit outside the second CLC layer.

Abstract: Provided herein is a retardation optical element 10 that produces no bright and dark fringes on a displayed image even when placed between a liquid crystal cell 104 and a polarizer 102B and thus can effectively prevent lowering of display quality. The retardation optical element 10 includes a retardation layer 12 having a cholesteric-regular molecular structure with liquid crystalline molecules in planar orientation. The helical pitch in the molecular structure of the retardation layer 12 is so adjusted that the retardation layer 12 can, owing to its molecular structure, selectively reflect light whose wavelength falls in a range different from the wave range of light incident on the retardation layer 12 (the selective reflection wave range of the retardation layer is either shorter or longer than the wave range of the incident light).

Abstract: A reflective cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) display device has a cholesteric liquid crystal color filter in which a plurality of protrusions is formed on an upper portion of the cholesteric liquid crystal color filter to obtain a uniform luminance and a uniform color in a main viewing angle range. The reflective cholesteric liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, an absorption layer on the first substrate, a cholesteric liquid crystal color filter on the absorption layer, the cholesteric liquid crystal color filter having a plurality of protrusions, an overcoat layer on the cholesteric liquid crystal color filter, a first electrode on the overcoat layer, a second substrate, a second electrode beneath the second substrate, a retardation layer on the second substrate, a polarizer on the retardation layer, and a liquid crystal layer between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a lower substrate, an upper substrate facing the lower substrate, a common electrode and a plurality of data electrodes on the lower substrate to generate an In-Plane switching mode electric field parallel to the lower and upper substrates, and a liquid crystal layer having a helical alignment between the lower and upper substrates.

Abstract: A projection screen including a polarized-light selective reflection layer having a cholesteric liquid crystalline structure that causes selective diffuse-reflection of a specific polarized-light component, and a substrate for supporting the polarized-light selective reflection layer. The polarized-light selective reflection layer includes three partial selective reflection layers, each of which contains molecules of a liquid crystal made from an organic compound, forming an organic film as a whole, and has a cholesteric liquid crystalline structure that causes selective diffuse-reflection of a specific polarized-light component. Each partial selective reflection layer of the polarized-light selective reflection layer is ordered according to wavelength of the range of light reflected. Beginning from the observation side, the order is as follows: blue (B) color wave range, green (G) color wave range, and red (R) color wave range.

Abstract: The invention provides a thin reflective plate having cholesteric liquid crystal that can prevent or reduce a decrease of reflection efficiency. A reflective plate includes a cholesteric liquid crystal layer, and the cholesteric liquid crystal layer includes a plurality of regions in which the helical axes of the cholesteric liquid crystal are aligned in different directions in the plane of a substrate, and therefore, the regions can reflect color light components having different wavelengths. Consequently, the cholesteric liquid crystal layer can reflect light formed of light components of different colors (for example, white light) as a whole. When the reflective plate is applied to a reflective liquid crystal display device or the like, it is possible to appropriately reflect white light for display.

Abstract: This invention relates to a transflective liquid crystal display device, having a plurality of pixels (1), each comprising a liquid crystal layer (2) being sandwiched between a front and a back substrate (4, 5), a back light (10), a semi-transparent reflective element (7), being arranged between the back substrate (5) and the back light (5), a front polarizer (6), and a driving arrangement (3) for controlling optical properties of the liquid crystal layer (2), whereby the pixel is subdivided into a reflective pixel part (1a) and a transmissive pixel part (1b).

Abstract: A projection screen including a polarized-light selective reflection layer having a cholesteric liquid crystalline structure that causes selective diffuse-reflection of a specific polarize-light component, and a substrate for supporting the polarized-light selective reflection layer. The polarized-light selective reflection layer includes three partial selective reflection layers that are layered one over another, and each partial selective reflection layer has a cholesteric liquid crystalline structure that causes selective diffuse-reflection of a specific polarized light component. In the polarized-light selective reflection layer, three partial selective reflection layers that reflect light in the green (G) color wave range, red (R) color wave range, and blue (B) color wave range are layered in this order, the firstly-mentioned partial selective reflection layer being on the observation side.

Abstract: A projection screen includes a polarized-light selective reflection layer having a cholesteric liquid crystalline structure, capable of selectively diffuse-reflecting a specific polarized-light component; a substrate for supporting the polarized-light selective reflection layer; and an optical member provided on the observation side of the polarized-light selective reflection layer. The optical member diffuses imaging light which the polarized-light selective reflection layer diffuse-reflects, while maintaining the state of polarization of the imaging light. The optical member diffuses right-handed circularly polarized light that is projected on the projection screen, when the light travels from the observation side to the polarized-light selective reflection layer.

Abstract: The invention provides a cholesteric liquid crystal composition that includes at least one cholesteric liquid crystal precursor, and at least one non-liquid crystalline additive that is a non-liquid crystalline compound of formula I The invention also provides cholesteric liquid crystal films and optical bodies formed from cholesteric liquid crystal compositions of the invention. The invention further provides an optical display that includes a display medium, and a reflective polarizer including a cholesteric liquid crystal composition in accordance with the invention.

Abstract: To realize at low cost a liquid crystal display device which is thin and in which display on a single liquid crystal panel can be viewed in both ways, from the front and from the back. The liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel in which a liquid crystal layer is interposed between opposing substrates, and a polarizer and a reflection-polarizing plate provided so as to interpose the liquid crystal panel therebetween. The reflection axis of the reflection-polarizing plate is set in the same direction as a polarization direction of light that exits the liquid crystal panel after its polarization direction is changed in the liquid crystal layer, or a polarization direction of light that exits the liquid crystal panel without being changed in polarization direction in the liquid crystal layer. Due to this arrangement, a liquid crystal display device can be provided which is thin and capable of displaying on both the front side and the back side.

Abstract: A chiral structure having an advantageous extended chiral defect that provides an enhanced energy distribution characteristic therein. This is accomplished by configuring a central portion of the chiral structure with a pitch different from the rest of the structure. This may be envisioned as a distributed chiral twist with a predefined angle over a portion of a chiral structure. With the distributed defect, the photonic stop band remains wide, allowing for the substantial increase in the lifetime of the mode in which lasing occurs, while the extent of the high intensity region of the mode is large. The extended chiral defect structure may also be implemented as a thin-film chiral structure, for example using cholesteric liquid crystal or sculptured thin films.

Abstract: A projection screen includes a polarized-light selective reflection layer having a cholesteric liquid crystalline structure, capable of selectively reflecting a specific polarized-light component; and a substrate that supports the polarized-light selective reflection layer. In the cholesteric liquid crystalline structure of the polarized-light selective reflection layer, the helical pitch on the side farther from the imaging-light-incident side is longer than that on the side closer to the imaging-light-incident side.

Abstract: The present invention provides a projection screen capable of sharply displaying an image by minimizing the influence of the loss of light that occurs on a polarized-light selective reflection layer and of providing high image visibility. A projection screen includes: a polarized-light selective reflection layer that selectively reflects a specific polarized-light component; and a substrate that supports the polarized-light selective reflection layer. The polarized-light selective reflection layer includes a plurality of partial selective reflection layers that are laminated to one another, and the partial selective reflection layers have cholesteric liquid crystalline structures, owing to which they selectively reflect a specific polarized-light component.

Abstract: To provide a display device that can display images on both the front and the rear surfaces and that can display images brightly without increasing the electrical power consumption. A liquid crystal device 100 includes two liquid crystal cells 10 and 20, a backlight 40, which is interposed between the two liquid crystal cells 10 and 20 and which can emit light to the liquid crystal cells 10 and 20, and two reflective polarizers 31 and 32 interposed between the backlight 40 and each of the liquid crystal cells 10 and 20, respectively.

Abstract: A dual display liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes a front light unit for supplying a light, a first polarizing plate disposed on the front light unit, a first phase compensation film disposed on the first polarizing plate, an LCD panel disposed on the first phase compensation film, a selective reflection/transmission unit disposed on the LCD panel, a second phase compensation film disposed on the selective reflection/transmission unit, and a second polarizing plate disposed on the second phase compensation film, wherein the selective reflection/transmission unit selectively reflects and transmits the incident light so that the dual display LCD device operates in reflection mode to display an image on a front side thereof in a first display mode and operates in a transmission mode to display an image on a rear side thereof in a second display mode.

Abstract: A cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) color filter substrate for reflective liquid crystal display devices comprises an alignment layer on a black substrate, a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) color filter on the alignment layer, the cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) color filter including sub-color-filters red (R), green (G), and blue (B), and black matrices on boundaries of each of the sub-color filters R, G, and B. In addition, a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) color filter substrate for a reflective liquid crystal display devices comprises an alignment layer on a black substrate, a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) color filter on the alignment layer, the cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) color filter including sub-color-filters R, G, and B, and boundaries of the sub-color filter R, G and B that reflect incident light having a long wavelength.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a circular polarizer, more specifically, to a diffusively reflective circular polarizer (DRCP), which is characterized by broadband reflection and transmission over a hemispheric viewing angle. A thermo phase separation process of a cholesteric liquid crystal polymer system creates the DRCP film. As a multi-functional optical material, the DRCP film combines the merits of polarizer, reflector and diffuser to form an all-in-one component in the electro-optical industry. Moreover, since the novel film has a “silver white” appearance and super “hiding power”, it will initiate many other applications.

Abstract: The invention prevents a connection failure arising from an ingress of a conductive material, such as a solder ball, into a cholesteric liquid crystal layer in a liquid crystal display device having the cholesteric liquid crystal layer on a substrate when an electronic component is mounted to be connected to a conductor arranged on the substrate having the cholesteric liquid crystal layer thereon. A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal cell having a liquid crystal layer between an upper substrate and a lower substrate bonded to each other with a sealing member interposed therebetween. First conductors are arranged on the inner surface of the lower substrate and second conductors are arranged on the inner surface of the upper substrate. A transflective layer containing a cholesteric liquid crystal layer is arranged between the lower substrate and the first conductors. Electronic components are mounted on the inner surface of the upper substrate outside the sealing member.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display (3) in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention includes a liquid crystal panel and a backlight module (36). The liquid crystal panel has a reflective polarizing element (342). The backlight module has a light source (361), a light guide plate (362), a reflector (365), and a quarter-wave plate (366). The light source is disposed adjacent to the light guide plate, and the reflector, the light guide plate and the quarter-wave plate are stacked together in order. The liquid crystal panel is located on the backlight module, and the reflective polarizing element of the liquid crystal panel faces toward the quarter-wave plate of the backlight module. The liquid crystal display 3 has a high brightness since light energy is efficiently used.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display improves light utilization efficiency with a cholesteric liquid crystal filter to ensure color density enough to enable both transmission and reflection type displays. The display comprises a liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal layer between transparent substrates, a voltage applying electrode, a driving circuit, an illumination light source, and a pair of circularly polarizing plates. A cholesteric liquid crystal filter semitransparent to red, green and blue wavelength ranges is located on the illumination light-directing side. The liquid crystal layer viewing side has a cholesteric liquid crystal color filter array capable of transmitting red, green and blue wavelength ranges and reflecting light in other wavelength ranges depending on a pixel arrangement, and absorption type color filter array is located in alignment therewith and capable of transmitting only red, green and blue wavelength ranges and absorbing light in other wavelengths.

Abstract: A circularly polarizing element is a laminate of n number of cholesteric liquid crystal layers that are laminated so that the helical axis in each liquid crystal layer extends in the direction of thickness, where liquid crystalline molecules in the cholesteric liquid crystal layers spiral in the same direction to form helixes. The cholesteric liquid crystal layers are wide-wave-range-covering liquid crystal layers adapted to selectively reflect circularly polarized light in wide wave ranges, and these selective reflection wave ranges overlap one another over a specified wide range. Each cholesteric liquid crystal layer is a single layer in which the helical pitch is varied in the direction of thickness so that the layer can selectively reflect circularly polarized light in a broadened wave range, and preferably covers a wave range of 200 nm or more.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates facing and spaced apart from each other; a first polarizing film on an outer surface of the first substrate; a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates; a backlight unit under the second substrate; and a cholesteric liquid crystal polarizing film between the second substrate and the backlight unit, the cholesteric liquid crystal polarizing film having a first portion adjacent to the backlight unit, a second portion adjacent to an outer surface of the second substrate and a third portion between the first and second portions, the first and second portions respectively having first and second pitches, the third portion having a third pitch having a value between the first and second pitches.

Abstract: An optical device in which a polymerizable liquid crystal material various optical characteristics of which is stable even against heating during manufacture of an optical apparatus such as an image display is cured. The optical device has a support and an optical functional layer made of a cured polymerizable liquid crystal material having a predetermined liquid crystal regularity and provided on the support. The optical device is characterized in that the optical device is subjected to a heat treatment at a predetermined temperature and in that the thickness decrease of the optical functional layer defined by (A-B)/A is 5% or less where A is the thickness of the optical functional layer after the heat treatment, and B is the thickness of the optical functional layer after the optical device is heated for 60 minutes at the heat-treatment temperature.

Abstract: A display device of the present invention has light-emitting devices making up a plurality of pixels placed in a matrix form. In the display device of the present invention, the light-emitting devices each possesses an emissive layer and a reflective element placed on the rear surface of the emissive layer; the emissive layer possesses at the said of the front side, a polarization separator which separates the light emitted from the emissive layer into two kinds of polarized components by the reflection and the transmission, and phase plate; the emissive layer substantially maintains the sate of the polarization of the light transmitted there-through; the reflective element at least reflects the circularly polarized light impinging in the vertical direction mainly as a circularly polarized light having a reverse helicity direction; and the polarization separator has a reflectance of the wavelength range from 520 nm to 600 nm smaller than a reflectance of range not more than 540 nm.

Abstract: In a display device 100, a reflective polarizer 110, a polarizer 120, a retarder 130, a liquid crystal panel 140, a polarizer 150, and a backlight 160 are disposed sequentially from the viewing side. When the liquid crystal panel 140 is set in a light blocking state or the backlight 160 is set in an unlit state, the reflection of an outside light “O” turns the display screen into a mirror state. When the backlight 160 is set in a lit state to drive the liquid crystal panel 140, a transmitted light “T” allows a particular display screen to be visually recognized.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of efficiently and precisely patterning cholesteric films. A cholesteric film 13 is firstly formed on an alignment film 12 provided on a glass substrate 11. The cholesteric film 13 is then patterned by partially volatilizing and removing a part of the cholesteric film 13 by the application of laser light 20 having a wavelength not falling in the selective reflection wave range of the cholesteric film 13. It is preferred that the wavelength of the laser light 20 be shorter than that of visible light. Alternatively, there may be used laser light 20 containing, as its main component, a component circularly polarized in the direction opposite to that of optical rotation of a component selectively reflected by the cholesteric film.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates having inner surfaces facing and spaced apart from each other; a light absorption layer on an inner surface of the first substrate; a cholesteric liquid crystal color filter (CCF) layer on the light absorption layer for selectively reflecting light corresponding to one of red, green, and blue colors; a first transparent electrode on the CCF layer; a first orientation film on the first transparent electrode; a second transparent electrode on the inner surface of the second substrate; a second orientation film on the second transparent electrode, the first and second orientation films being rubbed along the same direction; a polarizing plate on an outer surface of the second substrate; and a layer of liquid crystal material between the first and second orientation films, wherein the layer of liquid crystal material has a bend structure.

Abstract: A wavelength-selecting optical element includes a cholesteric layer that reflects or transmits either of a right-handed circularly polarized light component and a left-handed circularly polarized light component in a selected wavelength band of an incident light; and a diffusing layer disposed on the exit side of the cholesteric layer to diffuse the circularly polarized light component reflected or transmitted by the cholesteric layer. The cholesteric layer may be a color filter having a red, a green and a blue pixel region for each of pixels. Each of the pixel regions reflects or transmits either of a right-handed circularly polarized light component and a left-handed circularly polarized light component in a selected wavelength band of an incident light.

Abstract: The invention provides a cholesteric liquid crystal composition that includes at least one cholesteric liquid crystal precursor, and at least one non-liquid crystalline additive that is a non-liquid crystalline compound of formula I The invention also provides cholesteric liquid crystal films and optical bodies formed from cholesteric liquid crystal compositions of the invention. The invention further provides an optical display that includes a display medium, and a reflective polarizer including a cholesteric liquid crystal composition in accordance with the invention.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: first and second substrates including a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel divided into first to third sub-pixels; a double-layered cholesteric liquid crystal color filter (CCF) layer over the first substrate, the double-layered CCF layer including a first CCF layer including first and second CCF with a ratio of 1:2 in size and a second CCF layer including third and fourth CCF with a ratio of 2:1 in size; a first transparent electrode on the double-layered CCF layer; a second transparent electrode on the second substrate; a liquid crystal layer between the first and second transparent electrodes; and a backlight device adjacent to the first substrate and emitting light toward the first and second substrates.

Abstract: A color liquid crystal display panel includes: a first substrate provided on a light source side; a second substrate provided on a viewer side so as to oppose the first substrate; a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; a color filter layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; a first transflective film provided closer to the light source than the liquid crystal layer and the color filter layer for reflecting ambient light coming from the viewer side while transmitting therethrough light-source light coming from the light source side; and a second transflective film provided closer to the viewer than the color filter layer for reflecting the ambient light while transmitting therethrough the light-source light.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal device including a layer having a fixed cholesteric order, the patterned layer is manufactured by providing a layer comprising polymerizable cholesterically ordered material and a compound convertible by means of radiation from a non-converted to converted state. The pitch of the cholesterically ordered material is influenced by the compound in its converted state to a different extent than in its converted state. The polymerizable layer is then irradiated pattern-wise thus creating regions of different pitch. The irradiated layer is then polymerized and/or cross-linked to fix the cholesteric order thus obtained.

Abstract: A method for making an optical element from patterned liquid crystal films by placing a radiation-curing liquid crystal on an aligning function substrate surface, radiating selectively a portion of the liquid crystal film partially to cure it, contacting the partially cured film with an organic solvent to remove the uncured portion of the film and form a pattern in the film, and applying another radiation-curing liquid crystal to a surface of the first film exposed by removing the uncured portion, thereby forming and patterning the second liquid crystal film. The solvent does not dissolve the substrate surface.

Abstract: To provide a reflector using cholesteric liquid crystals arranged in a structure for reducing thickness, and a transflective liquid crystal display device including the reflector. [Solving Means] In a transflective layer 18, pitch areas 18R, 18G, and 18B are formed within a plane of one dot, and color filters 30R, 30G, and 30B of respective colors are formed in respective dots in order to form one pixel. Therefore, the transflective layer 18 can be formed thin, and can reflect white light by a mixture of the colors of light reflected by the respective pitch areas 18R, 18G, and 18B in one dot. In addition, the pitch areas 18R, 18G, and 18B can pass the complementary colors of the colors corresponding to the pitch areas 18R, 18G, and 18B, so that, even by color mixture, white light can be transmitted in one dot. Therefore, it is possible to perform a color displaying operation for each pixel through a color filter layer 30 based on reflected light and transmitted light close to these white lights.

Abstract: A beam splitter is constructed using one or more cholesteric layers. Each cholesteric layer reflects light of a given wavelength and polarization. The beam splitter is placed in a prism assembly. The cholesteric layers of the beam splitter are chosen such that portions of light entering the beam splitter are individually directed to a specific light path or to a processing face of the prism assembly. A microdisplay is mounted on each processing faces forms a kernel, and each microdisplay processes the light portions (light beams) directed toward them. Light beams reflected from the microdisplays have image content added to them from the microdisplays. The kernel is utilized in a light management system, such as that used in a video projection (e.g., projection television).

Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) device comprises a first substrate having a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) color filter, a second substrate having a thin film transistor, a seal pattern formed on one of the first and second substrates, a first electrode on the cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) color filter, the first electrode being overlapped with a portion of the seal pattern, a second electrode on the second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: Variable optical attenuators (VOAs) are provided, based on electrically switchable CLC reflective polarizers. The reflectivity of the described reflective VOAs can theoretically be electrically adjusted between 0% to 100%, and the reflective bandwidth can be easily adjusted. In general, the VOA includes a pair of switchable CLC polarizers and a driver for driving the polarizers. When the electric fields on both polarizers are off, the polarizers serve as two reflective mirrors. When the fields are turned on, the two polarizers are switched into two transparent sheets allowing light to transmit therethrough. Continuously changing the voltages on the two polarizers electrically adjusts the attenuation.

Abstract: A device structure for single cell gap reflective and transflective liquid crystal displays (TF-LCDs). For an entirely reflective LCD, the imbedded wire-grid polarizer (WGP) serves as a polarization-dependent for the ambient light. For a transflective TF-LCD, the WGP only covers the reflective pixels. The disclosure also includes a method of using single cell gap liquid crystal displays (LCDs) without phase retardation films by providing a single cell gap LCD having reflective pixels and transmissive pixels, covering solely the reflective pixels, with at least one of: a wire grid polarizer and a broadband cholesteric reflector (BCR), reflecting ambient light off the reflective pixels; and passing back light through the transmissive pixels whereby the cell gap LCD obtains high contrast ratios without using phase retardation films.

Abstract: An optical film constituted by a laminate of a polarizer and a reflective polarizing film through an acrylic-based pressure-sensitive adhesive agent, the polarizer having an anti-glare layer, wherein the optical film has a haze (H) in a range of from 5% to 30%. Preferably, a haze (H1) of the polarizer and a haze (H2) of the reflective polarizing film satisfy the relation H1>H2. Preferably, the haze (H) of the optical film satisfies the relation H/H1>0.5.

Abstract: A light controlling film is disclosed, comprising a polymerized polymer network varying spatially in a direction normal to the film surface, where the polymerized polymer network is a crosslinked high molecular weight polymeric material mixed with a low molecular weight nematic material exhibiting cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) order, wherein an electric field impressed in the film controls the reflection bandwidth of circularly polarized light.

Abstract: An optical film in which a function of a brightness enhancement film is maintained and variations in brightness and chromaticity within a film plane are suppressed is provided. An optical film is a laminate of an absorptive dichroic polarizing plate and a brightness enhancement film. A maximum chromaticity difference ?xy(max) of in-plane transmitted light is 0.008 or smaller after the optical film is attached to a glass plate and allowed to stand at 70° C. for 120 hours. The brightness enhancement film includes a layer having a circularly polarized light separating function, and a quarter wavelength plate. The quarter wavelength plate is a film showing an in-plane retardation (?nd) satisfying ?nd(450 nm)/?nd(550 nm)<1.02 or a film containing a polymer having a photoelastic coefficient of 40×10?12 m2/N or smaller.

Abstract: A material for protection against injurious ambient light composed of a binder mixed with non metallic reflective flakes is disclosed.

Abstract: A watch unit having a time-displaying section, including a reflection-type polarizing film 14 disposed on an upper portion or a lower portion of the time-displaying section or a portion comprising a part of the time-displaying section, an optical modulation section which varies the ratio of a transmission axis to a reflection axis of the reflection-type polarizing film 14, and a shutter function to shield a portion of or all of the watch unit having the time-display section by varying the reflection intensity and the transmission intensity in relation to the light incident direction using the reflection-type polarinzing film 14 and the optical modulation section, to enhance the appearance and to improve the versatility of the watch unit.

Abstract: A cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) color filter layer for reflective LCD device includes an additional blue CLC color filter in the red and/or green CLC color filter to increase a color temperature. Since the additional blue CLC color filter is formed using ultraviolet light when forming the blue CLC color filter, additional manufacturing processes for the additional blue CLC color filter are not required. Furthermore, since the color temperature of output light increases according to the CLC color filter layer of the present invention, the high resolution is obtained in image display. Alternatively, the color temperature can be adjustable by way of forming an additional red and/or green CLC color filter in the blue CLC color filter.

Abstract: A reflector has protuberances and recesses in each pixel region. The distances between the respective peaks of each two adjacent protuberances in the pixel region are distributed in the range from 5 ?m to 15 ?m. The incidence of peak distances within the range of ±0.5 ?m from the most frequent peak distance ranges from 40% to 80%, and the area of regular reflection surfaces of the reflector tilted at angles of 4.5° or less to the principal surface of a substrate in the pixel region accounts for 35% or less of the area of the pixel region.

Abstract: An optical body includes a substrate and a cholesteric liquid crystal layer disposed on the substrate. The cholesteric liquid crystal layer has a non-uniform pitch along a thickness direction of the layer and comprises a crosslinked polymer material that substantially fixes the cholesteric liquid crystal layer. The crosslinking hinders diffusion of cholesteric liquid crystal material within the cholesteric liquid crystal layer. In other methods of making an optical body, a reservoir of chiral material is provided during the process over a first cholesteric liquid crystal layer to diffuse into the layer and provide a non-uniform pitch. Alternatively, two coating compositions can be disposed on a substrate where the material of the first coating composition is not substantially soluble in the second coating composition.

Abstract: A wavelength-selective reflection film comprises at least one layer. In the layer, liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a chiral smectic phase. The chiral smectic phase has a helical pitch and an average refractive index. The product of the helical pitch and the average refractive index is in the range of 213 to 450 nm. The layer selectively reflects light in a particular wavelength range, and selectively transmits light in another wavelength range.