Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device having a wide view angle, reduced power consumption and high quality with an absorption axis of a polarizing plate and an optical axis of a retardation plate made to coincide with high accuracy without using expensive equipment and complicated steps. On a transparent substrate 11 is formed a retardation film 21 that is self-organized due to irregularities on a surface of a metal wire 12 formed on a wire grid polarizer to thereby generate a retardation.

Abstract: Two electrodes parallel to each other are formed on one of two substrates, homeotropic alignment films are formed on the substrates and a liquid crystal material having positive dielectric anisotropy is injected between the substrates. When a voltage is applied to the two electrodes, a parabolic electric field between the electrodes drives the liquid crystal molecules. Since the generated electric field is symmetrical with respect to the boundary-plane equal distance from each of the two electrodes, the liquid crystal molecules are symmetrically aligned with respect to the boundary-plane, and the optical characteristic is compensated in both regions divided by the boundary-plane, thereby obtaining a wide viewing angle. The electric field does not exert influences on the liquid crystal molecules on the boundary-plane since the electric field on the boundary-plane is parallel to the substrates and perpendicular to the two electrodes; and thus, it is perpendicular to the liquid crystal molecules.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display that can have both sufficient front contrast ratio and front white brightness. The present invention is a liquid crystal display including: a front polarizing plate; a liquid crystal cell; a back polarizing plate; and an optical element providing a polarizing effect, the components being arranged in the stated order, wherein the back polarizing plate has a higher transmittance than the front polarizing plate, the back polarizing plate has a lower contrast than the front polarizing plate, and the optical element providing a polarizing effect has a principal transmittance k1 of 80 to 86%, and a principal transmittance k2 of 2 to 8%.

Abstract: A system for stereoscopic display and a bendable polarization switch for use with a system for stereoscopic display provide alternately polarized left and right eye images. Viewers then wear polarization analyzing eyewear to correctly see the different images. More specifically, a bendable polarization switch may be laminated to the front of a system for stereoscopic display. The bendable polarization switch may be used with a modulator configuration that is compatible with various performance requirements in a manner that is a low-cost manufacturing friendly solution.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display of the present invention contains a first panel and a second panel being stacked. Adjacent pairs of polarizers (A to C) disposed on the panels form crossed Nicols. When the first panel produces a display according to a first display signal, the second panel produces a display according to a second display signal obtained from the first display signal. Each of the two joined panels is provided with a light diffusion layer having a light diffusing property. The provision of the light diffusion layers enables reducing moire pattern occurrences which would otherwise markedly increase when two liquid crystal panels are stacked. As a result, the liquid crystal display has high display quality.

Abstract: A display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus is suitable for a user to view through a polarization component having a first transmittance axis. The display apparatus includes a display module, a polarizer and a biaxial half-wave plate. The polarizer has a second transmittance axis such that a light provided from the display module passes through the polarizer and is converted into a polarized light. The biaxial half-wave plate is disposed on the display module and between the polarizer and the polarization component. The biaxial half-wave plate has a slow axis arranged between the first and second transmittance axes. The polarization of the polarized light passing through the biaxial half-wave plate tends toward the first transmittance axis.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal cell including a liquid crystal layer twist-aligned at 90° sandwiched between a pair of substrates, first and second polarizing layers arranged to sandwich the liquid crystal cell therebetween so that their absorption axes set to parallel with directions crossing aligning treatment directions of the substrates at 45°, and viewing angle compensating plates respectively arranged between the polarizing layers and the liquid crystal cell. A total value of retardations in a thickness direction, defined as a value of a product of a phase difference within a plane perpendicular to substrate surfaces of the liquid crystal cell and a layer thickness, of optical layers present between the polarizing layers is set to a value that substantially cancels out a retardation in a liquid crystal layer thickness direction when a saturation voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A composition comprising at least one liquid-crystal compound and a polymer having at least one group of the following formula: wherein Mp represents a trivalent linking group; L represents a single bond, or a divalent linking group; X represents a substituted or unsubstituted cyclic linking group; Y represents a single bond, or a divalent linking group; Z represents a substituted or unsubstituted cyclic group; n is 1 to 10.

Abstract: The present invention provides a complex birefringent medium, which has the so-called inverse wavelength dispersibility, that is, a wavelength dispersibility capable of giving an optimum phase difference to a light of a wide visible wavelength range, has a wide viewing angle, can be produced by a convenient method and is excellent in a degree of adjusting freedom of inverse wavelength dispersibility and in mass productivity, a polarizing plate and a liquid crystal display device.

Abstract: A reflection type liquid crystal device has: a liquid crystal cell held between a pair of substrates and an optical compensation plate disposed outside the pair of substrates. The optical compensation plate has a first optical axis along the thickness direction thereof. The liquid crystal cell has a pretilt at which a second optical axis of a liquid crystal molecule of the liquid crystal cell is inclined with respect to a plate surface of the liquid crystal cell. The optical compensation plate is tiltable in a first direction in which a standard angle becomes larger, wherein the standard angle is defined as an acute angle between the first optical axis and the second optical axis when the optical compensation plate is located parallel to the plate surface of the liquid crystal cell.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes a first and a second transparent substrates facing to each other, a liquid crystal layer, a first polarizer, a second polarizer, and a first half wave plate. The liquid crystal layer is interposed between the first and the second transparent substrates. The first polarizer is positioned next to the first transparent substrate and opposite the liquid crystal layer, and the second polarizer is positioned next to the second transparent substrate and opposite the liquid crystal layer. The first half wave plate is provided between the first transparent substrate and the first polarizer to enable the liquid crystal display to have a normally black mode.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus, includes a liquid crystal panel including a first substrate, a second substrate disposed in an opposing relationship to the first substrate with a space left, and a liquid crystal layer provided in the space between the first and second substrates, the liquid crystal panel including a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are provided on the faces of the first and second substrates which oppose to each other such that illuminating light irradiated from the first substrate side upon the second substrate side is transmitted through the pixel region to display an image, and the liquid crystal panel further including a light scattering layer provided on the face of the first substrate on which the illuminating light is illuminated and configured to scatter and transmit the light.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including first and second substrates sandwiching therebetween a liquid crystal layer, and first and second polarizers. The first polarizer and the second polarizer are disposed such that an optical absorption axis of the first polarizer and an optical absorption axis of the second polarizer cross each other perpendicularly. There is disposed an optically biaxial retardation film having refractive indices nx, ny and nz respectively in x-, y- and z-directions, wherein the optically biaxial retardation film provides an in-plane retardation having a magnitude defined by |nx-ny| • d, with d representing a thickness of the optically biaxial retardation film, and further wherein the in-plane retardation of the optically biaxial retardation film has a value of 20 nm or more but does not exceed 80 nm.

Abstract: In a liquid crystal display apparatus in which a liquid crystal domain having radially tilted orientation is formed in a pixel, high-quality reflection display with occurrence of an afterimage being suppressed is attained. The liquid crystal display apparatus of this invention includes a first substrate 110a, a second substrate 110b and a vertically aligned liquid crystal layer 120 placed therebetween, and has pixels each including a first electrode 111, a second electrode 131 and a liquid crystal layer located therebetween. The first substrate includes a reflection layer 116 having a concave/convex surface and an insulating layer 117 formed to cover the reflection layer. The first electrode 111 is placed on the insulating layer 117 and has a shape defined to exert alignment regulating force with which at least one liquid crystal domain having radially tilted orientation is formed in the liquid crystal layer in a voltage applied state.

Abstract: A composition comprising at least one liquid-crystal compound and a polymer having at least one group of the following formula (A) as the constitutive unit thereof: wherein Mp represents a trivalent linking group; L represents a single bond, or a bivalent linking group; X represents a substituted or unsubstituted functional group having a cyclic structure.

Abstract: A liquid-crystal display device comprising a liquid-crystal cell, a first polarizing element and a second polarizing element disposed on either side of the liquid-crystal cell respectively, a first retardation layer between the first polarizing element and the liquid-crystal cell, and a second retardation layer between the second polarizing element and the liquid-crystal cell, wherein a transmission axis of the first polarizing element is perpendicular to the slow axis of the first retardation layer; and a transmission axis of the second polarizing element is parallel to the slow axis of the second retardation layer; and the first retardation layer and the second retardation layer satisfy the formula (1) 0 nm<?Re1(548)??Re2(548)?50 nm.

Abstract: Optical compensation films (positive C-plate) with disk anisotropic subunits (OASUs) that have high positive birefringence throughout the wavelength range 400 nm<?<800 nm are provided. The optical compensation films may be processed by solution casting to yield a polymer film with high birefringence without the need for stretching, photopolymerization, or other processes. Such optical compensation films are suitable for use as a positive C-plate in LCDs, particularly IPS-LCDs.

Abstract: An optical compensation sheet, which contains a cellulose acylate film that contains 1 to 20 parts by mass of a retardation controlling agent, to 100 parts by mass of a cellulose acylate, wherein the retardation controlling agent comprises at least two compounds different in Re/Rth ratios each other; and a liquid crystal display device, which contains the optical compensation sheet.

Abstract: The liquid crystal panel of the invention can restrain coloration following a change in the viewing angle when black is displayed, and can be produced into a relatively thin form. This panel has a liquid crystal cell 20 having a color filter having individual blue, green and red regions, a first polarizer 10 formed on one side of the cell 20, a second polarizer 40 formed on the other side of the cell 20, and a compensation layer 30 arranged between the first and second polarizers 10 and 40. The compensation layer 30 has an optical characteristic that the layer gives a larger retardation for a longer wavelength, and the cell 20 has a liquid crystal layer in a vertical alignment mode, and the thickness direction retardation values Rth(B), Rth(G) and Rth(R) of the liquid crystal cell to light transmitted through the individual color regions in the liquid crystal cell 20 satisfy: |Rth(B)|<|Rth(G)|<|Rth(R)|.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid-crystal-layer 15 in which an electrical field is applied in a direction parallel to a first substrate. Respective absorption axes of the first substrate provided with a first polarizing-plate 12 on a light-input side and a second substrate provided with a second polarizing-plate 11 on a light-output side are perpendicular. An optical axis of the liquid-crystal-molecule is parallel to the output polarizing-plate 11 and the absorption axis of the input polarizing-plate 12. A matrix-drive-electrode group is positioned on a side of the liquid-crystal-layer 15 of the first or second substrate. The input and output polarizing-plate are composed of a polarizing layer and a supporting-substrate material. The supporting-substrate material is present on the liquid-crystal-layer side of the polarizing layer. The supporting-substrate material of one of the input or output polarizing-plate is birefringent, and the Nz coefficient being 4 or more.

Abstract: An optical compensation film includes an optical film and a retardation film. The optical film provides a plate retardation in the direction of thickness (Rth), while the retardation film is disposed on the optical film. The retardation film includes first retarders and second retarders, wherein the first retarders are disposed on at least partial areas of the optical film and provide a first planar retardation (Ro1); the second retarders are disposed on partial areas of the optical film but outside the first retarders and provide a second planar retardation (Ro2) and the first planar retardation (Ro1) is different from the second planar retardation (Ro2). The above-mentioned optical compensation film is capable of compensating the displays for different display areas in a liquid crystal display panel. In addition, the present invention also provides a fabricating method of optical compensation film.

Abstract: A transflective liquid crystal display with uniform cell gap configuration throughout the transmissive and the reflective display region is invented. Mutually complementary common electrode pattern and reflector pattern or mutually complementary ITO pixel electrode pattern and reflector pattern produce an electric field in the transmissive display region that has a uniform longitudinal field and an electric field in the reflective display region that is a fringing field. An initially vertically aligned negative dielectric anisotropic nematic liquid crystal material between the electrodes forms a smaller tilt angle with respect to the substrate normal in the reflective display region while a larger tilt angle with respect to the substrate normal in the transmissive display region. Consequently, the ambient incident light experiences smaller phase retardation in the reflective display region while the light from the backlight source experiences larger phase retardation.

Abstract: This invention pertains to the design and construction of retardation films (or plates) with any targeted dispersive property, including those with no wavelength dependence for the entire visible range. In particular, this invention deals with specific design of films with broadband (achromatic) quarterwave and halfwave retardation.

Abstract: A liquid crystal panel includes a liquid crystal cell having a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules that are vertically aligned in an absence of a voltage; a first optical compensation layer having a relationship of Nz =1 to 2.5 and a relationship of Re1(380) <Re1(550) <Re1(780); a second optical compensation layer having a relationship of nx =ny >nz and a relationship of Re2(380) >Re2(550) >Re2(780); a first polarizer; a third optical compensation layer having a relationship of Nz =1 to 2.

Abstract: A retardation film which is manufacturable by a simple process, and being capable of preventing a decline in light use efficiency is provided. A retardation film includes: a substrate having a plurality of grooves extending in a specific direction on a surface thereof; and a retardation layer arranged in contact with the surface of the substrate, and including a liquid crystal material, the liquid crystal material being aligned along the extending direction of the plurality of grooves and being polymerized.

Abstract: A discotic nematic material comprising a compound of R1—H1—Ar—H2—R wherein Ar represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon ring; H1 and H2 represent an aromatic hetero ring; and R1 and R2 represent a substituent having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms. The discotic nematic material contains a discotic liquid-crystal compound having a smaller number of side branches and capable of expressing an ND phase.

Abstract: A phase difference element, in which imbalance hardly occurs between right and left pictures during displaying a three-dimensional image, and a display device having the phase difference element are provided. A base film 31 of the phase difference element 30 includes, for example, a thin resin film having optical anisotropy. A slow axis AX3 of the base film 31 points in a vertical or horizontal direction, and points in a direction intersecting with a slow axis AX1 of a right-eye region 32A of the phase difference element 30 and with a slow axis AX2 of a left-eye region 32B thereof. Thus, influence due to optical anisotropy of the base film 31 is exerted on each light being transmitted by the base film 31, so that the influence is not extremely greatly exerted on only one of light corresponding to a right eye and light corresponding to a left eye, the respective light being transmitted by the base film 31.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an LCD is provided. According to the method, an alignment film is printed and hardened on a first substrate and a second substrate. Subsequently, the alignment film is subject to a primary alignment process and a subsequent secondary alignment process. The primary alignment process includes a rubbing process and the secondary alignment process includes irradiating light on the entire surface of the rubbed alignment film. Finally, retarder LC materials are coated and hardened on the light-irradiated alignment film to form a first compensation film and a second compensation film.

Abstract: Self-compensating, quasi-homeotropic liquid crystal devices (100, 200, 300, 400) overcome the contrast reducing effects of smaller pretilt angles. The devices exhibit extremely high contrast ratio but at the same time suppress fringe field-induced disclination lines in high pixel density and small pixel size quasi-homeotropic displays. The surface pretilt (520, 540) and cell twist (570) angles are set at values that, in combination, contribute to establishing a cuspate singularity in the contrast ratio for normally incident light in response to a drive signal switching the liquid crystal device to the OFF director field state that provides nearly 0% optical efficiency. The OFF director field state corresponds to a subthreshold drive level that provides for the liquid crystal device self-compensation for in plane optical retardation.

Abstract: An in-plane switching liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel having first and second substrates, a first polarizer disposed at a first surface of the liquid crystal display panel and having a first protective film, a first polarizing film, and a second protective film, a second polarizer disposed at a second surface of the liquid crystal display panel and having a third protective film, a second polarizing film, and a fourth protective film, and a first optical compensation film between the first polarizer and the liquid crystal display panel, the third protective film being adjacent to the liquid crystal display panel and having a substantially zero retardation value.

Abstract: When a polarization plate is manufactured by laminating and laminating at least two types of retarder films onto a polarizer film by a laminating apparatus, with the two films of at least the two types of retarder films and at least the polarizer films being laminated such that the difference in the angle between the feeding directions of the two films is within the range of 40° to 80°. With this arrangement, a good handling property can be obtained, improvement in yield ratio can be expected, and the installation area of the laminating apparatus can be reduced due to a reduction in size of the laminating apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an very thin achromatic quarter wave film laminate for transflective LCD included in an LCD polarizer. More specifically, the very thin achromatic quarter wave film laminate for transflective LCD has a considerably reduced thickness, as compared to conventional quarter wave films in which anisotropic polymeric films are laminated.

Abstract: A method for making an optical device includes the steps of: rubbing an orienting film so as to stretch the molecular structure thereof and so as to permit the molecular units of the molecular structure to be aligned along a first axis and to permit the orienting space between each adjacent pair of the molecular units of the molecular structure to be oriented in a direction parallel to a second axis; and forming an optical anisotropical layer on the orienting film by applying a liquid crystal film of rod-like molecules on the orienting film which orients the rod-like molecules by virtue of spatial effect of the molecular units and the orienting spaces.

Abstract: An ECB-mode liquid crystal display device having a pair of substrates 9 and 12, a liquid crystal layer 11, a pair of polarizing plates (1,3,5) (16,18,20) and at least one optically anisotropic layer 7 and/or 14, wherein they are disposed such that the absorption axes 4 and 19 of the polarizing films 3 and 18 in the polarizing plates are parallel or vertical to the left-rightward direction of the screen of the display device. The orientation axes 10 and 13 of the substrates 9 and 12 and the orientation axes 8 and 15 of the optically anisotropic layers 7 and 14 preferably cross the absorption axes 4 and 19 of the polarizing films 3 and 18 of the adjacent polarizing plates at an angle of 45°.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a VA-mode liquid-crystal display device comprising a front-side polarizing element (14), a rear-side polarizing element (12), a VA-mode liquid-crystal cell (LC) disposed between the front-side polarizing element and the rear-side polarizing element, and a first retardation region (16) comprising one or more retardation layers between the rear-side polarizing element and the VA-mode liquid-crystal cell, wherein the first retardation region satisfies 0 nm?Re(590)?10 nm, and |Rth(590)|?25 nm. Re(?) means retardation (nm) in plane at a wavelength ? nm, and Rth(?) means retardation (nm) along the thickness direction at a wavelength ? nm.

Abstract: The present invention provides a substrate for liquid crystal display devices which comprises a substrate body and an alignment film formed on a surface of the substrate body. The alignment film comprises at least two alignment film regions having different alignment characteristics, and neighboring alignment film regions are formed by coating different alignment materials to have the different alignment characteristics.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical compensation film comprising an optically-anisotropic layer and at least one optically-isotropic layer adjacent to the optically-anisotropic layer and having a refractive index that differs from the mean refractive index of the optically-anisotropic layer.

Abstract: An in-plane-switching-mode (IPS) LCD device includes a TFT substrate and a CF substrate sandwiching therebetween an LC layer, and a pair of polarizing films sandwiching therebetween the substrates and the LC layer. Each polarizing film has a polarization layer and a protective layer. An optical compensation layer having a birefringence is disposed between the light-emitting-side polarizing film and to the CF substrate. The optical compensation layer has an in-plane retardation of N1 satisfying the following relationship: 83.050?0.810×D1?N1?228.090?0.74D1 in the range of 0<D1?80 ?m, wherein D1 is the thickness of the protective layer of the light-incident-side polarizing film.

Abstract: To provide a retardation film in which the retardation condition is adjusted to achieve a liquid crystal display without coloration over a wide viewing angle range and having a high contrast ratio, and a method of designing the same, as well as a polarizing film and a liquid crystal display using the same. A liquid crystal display comprising a liquid crystal cell and polarizing films in a Cross-Nicol relationship with each other on both sides of the liquid crystal cell; wherein at least one polarizing film includes a retardation film having reverse wavelength dispersion property; and the liquid crystal display further includes a retardation film having a wavelength dispersion property substantially the same as a liquid crystal layer configuring the liquid crystal cell.

Abstract: A display device includes a display panel, a first optical unit, and a second optical unit. The display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The liquid crystal layer is operated in a vertical alignment mode. The first optical unit includes a C-plate and a first polarization plate having a first absorption axis. The second optical unit includes a positive A-plate, a negative A-plate, and a second polarization plate having a second absorption axis substantially perpendicular to the first absorption axis. The positive A-plate and the negative A-plate may gather dispersed polarization states of a colored light.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes a backlight (3), a liquid crystal display panel (1), and a viewing angle control panel (2) for controlling the viewing angle of the display panel (1), the liquid crystal display further including a lens sheet (41) provided between the backlight (3) and the liquid crystal display panel (1). This provides a display device system which is capable of providing better blocking.

Abstract: A coloring composition for a color filter, which includes a transparent resin, an organic pigment dispersed in the transparent resin, and a retardation-regulating agent containing a compound which is capable of increasing a retardation. A color filter which is provided with colored pixels formed on a transparent substrate by using this coloring composition. A liquid crystal display device which is provided with this color filter.

Abstract: An optical film, which is an optically compensatory film that comprises: at least two optically anisotropic layers comprising a first optically anisotropic layer and a second optically anisotropic layer, wherein the first optically anisotropic layer is formed by mixing two or more liquid crystal compounds having different structures with each other.

Abstract: There are provided a liquid crystal panel and a liquid crystal display apparatus each having an excellent screen contrast, a small color shift, and small display unevenness. The liquid crystal panel includes a liquid crystal cell, a first polarizer, a second polarizer, a protective layer, a first optical compensation layer and a second optical compensation layer. The protective layer has relationships of 0 nm??nd (550)?10 nm and 0 nm?Rth(550)?20 nm. The first optical compensation layer has an absolute value of a photoelastic coefficient of 40×10?12 (m2/N) or less, and has relationships of ?nd(380)<?nd(550)<?nd(780), nx>ny?nz and 90 nm??nd(550)?200 nm. The second optical compensation layer has relationships of Rth(380)>Rth(550)>Rth(780) and nx=ny>nz.

Abstract: A color-tunable plasmonic device is provided with a partially modulated refractive index. A first dielectric layer overlies a bottom electrode, and has a refractive index non-responsive to an electric field. A second dielectric layer overlies the first dielectric layer, having a refractive index responsive to an electric field. An electrically conductive top electrode overlies the second dielectric layer. A plasmonic layer including a plurality of discrete plasmonic particles is interposed between the top and bottom electrodes. In one aspect, the plasmonic layer is interposed between the first and second dielectric layers. In a second aspect, the plasmonic layer is interposed between the first dielectric layer and the bottom electrode. In a third aspect, a first plasmonic layer is interposed between the first dielectric layer and the bottom electrode, and a second plasmonic layer of discrete plasmonic particles is interposed between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer.

Abstract: A stereoscopic TFT-LCD with a wire grid polarizer affixed to internal surfaces substrates, applies to a LCD device having a thin polarizing film and a thin phase retardation film to display a 2D image and a 3D image, a thin film polarizing film formed by accurately processing a thin aluminum film, a polarizing film of a nano imprint lithography method that uses polymer, and a polarizing film and a liquid crystal material that form a polarizing nano material thin film by uniformly coating a polarizing nano material (TCF).

Abstract: Provided are an LCD device that can control a viewing angle freely and a manufacturing method thereof. The LCD device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and an LC layer interposed between the first and second substrates. The LCD device further includes red, green, blue, and viewing angle controlling subpixels. These subpixels are driven in a VA mode. The red, green, and blue subpixels have a transflective structure. The viewing angle controlling subpixel has a transmissive or transflective structure.

Abstract: A transflective liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal film and a polarizing plate on a backlight source side. A transflective liquid crystal display device includes an uniaxially anisotropic film (a quarter wave plate) and a polarizing plate on a visual confirmation side. The liquid crystal film has the nematic hybrid orientation, in which a polymeric liquid crystal substance formed in a liquid state is fixed. The optical axis of the anisotropic film is disposed to be orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to that of the liquid crystal film.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical film that includes i) a (meth)acrylic resin, and 5 to 45 parts by weight of ii) a graft copolymer, prepared by grafting a (meth)acrylic resin onto a copolymer of (meth)acrylic rubber and aromatic vinyl compound, based on 100 parts by weight of the i) (meth)acrylic resin, and an electronic device including the optical film.

Abstract: The invention relates to a transflective liquid crystal display (LCD) with a polymerised LC film comprising at least one photoisomerisable compound and having a pattern of regions with different retardation and/or different orientation of the LC material.