Abstract: In a ferroelectric liquid crystal display comprising a pair of transparent substrates each provided with a transparent electrode and an aligning film and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between said substrates, the aligning film is subjected to a deionization treatment with, for example, an ion-exchange resin to reduce the total content of impurity ions in the aligning film of a polyimide resin or the like to 300 ppm or less, to reduce the total content of impurity cations to 200 ppm or less, to reduce the total content of Cl.sup.-, (COO.sub.2).sup.2- and CH.sub.3 COO.sup.- to 100 ppm or less and the content of each of these ions to 50 ppm or less, or to reduce the total content of PO.sub.4.sup.3-, NO.sub.3.sup.- and SO.sub.4.sup.2- to 100 ppm or less and the content of each of these ions to 50 ppm or less.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is characterized by comprising first and second substrates on a surface of which electrodes are formed, a liquid crystal material with ferroelectricity or antiferroelectricity interposed between the first and second electrodes, and an orientation film and disposed between the electrode or electrodes formed on the surface of said first and/or second substrate whose surface has been subjected to a process which gives optically uniaxial orientation to the liquid crystal material, wherein said orientation film has a pretilt angle of 1.6 to 3.1 degree with respect to a nematic liquid crystal. Further, a value of a polar term of surface tension on the surface of the orientation film ranges from 11 to 15 dyne/cm.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition contains a mesomorphic compound represented by the following formula (A): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 independently denote a linear or branched alkyl group having 1-18 carbon atoms; X.sub.1 denotes a single bond, --O--, --CO--O-- or --O--CO--; and A.sub.1 denotes ##STR2## and a mesomorphic compound represented by the following formula (B): ##STR3## wherein R.sub.3 denotes a linear or branched alkyl group having 1-18 carbon atoms; X.sub.2 denotes a single bond, --O--, --CO--O-- or --O--CO--; X.sub.3 denotes a single bond, --OCH.sub.2 --, --CO--O-- or --O--CO--; n is an integer of 3-16; and A.sub.2 denotes ##STR4## The liquid crystal composition may preferably be formulated as a chiral smectic liquid crystal composition. The liquid crystal composition is useful in providing a liquid crystal device using the liquid crystal composition with a good alignment characteristic, a good drive characteristic, and a high contrast ratio.

Abstract: Striped electrodes are formed on upper and lower substrates respectively, and a plurality of partition members are formed in a striped fashion so that a plurality of parallel sealed linear interstices R, each having a rectangular section, are formed between the substrates. A upper-side rubbing direction crosses a lower-side rubbing direction at a predetermined angle, and the direction of extension of each of the partition members is caused to fall within the above cross angle. An antiferroelectric liquid crystal is sealed in the linear interstices, and the liquid crystal panel is cooled while proceeding from one end of the linear interstices to the other end thereof. The layer normal direction of liquid crystal molecular layer becoming irregular between the upper and lower substrates is prevented by the employment of the cross rubbing method to thereby avoid the occurrence of defects in the liquid crystal.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device is constituted by disposing a liquid crystal between a pair of substrates; at least one of which has thereon an alignment film comprising a polyimide formed by reaction between at least two acid components including an acid component of formula (1) below and at least one component of formula (2) or (3) below and a diamine component of formula (4) below: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 independently denote an alkyl group.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition contains a mesomorphic compound represented by the following formula (A): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 independently denote a linear or branched alkyl group having 1-18 carbon atoms; X.sub.1 denotes a single bond, --O--, --CO--O-- or --O--CO--; and A.sub.1 denotes ##STR2## and a mesomorphic compound represented by the following formula (B): ##STR3## wherein R.sub.3 denotes a linear or branched alkyl group having 1-18 carbon atoms; X.sub.2 and X.sub.3 independently denote a single bond, --O--, --CO--O-- or --O--CO--; m is an integer of 3-16; and A.sub.2 denotes ##STR4## or ##STR5## The liquid crystal composition may preferably be formulated as a chiral smectic liquid crystal composition. The liquid crystal composition is useful in providing a liquid crystal device using the liquid crystal composition with a good alignment characteristic, a good drive characteristic, and a high and stable contrast ratio.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device is constituted by a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to each other, and a liquid crystal lacking cholesteric phase disposed between the first and second substrates. The first substrate has a surface contacting the liquid crystal showing a surface energy .gamma..sub.1 (dyne/cm) and the second substrate has a surface contacting the liquid crystal showing a surface energy .gamma..sub.2 (dyne/cm) satisfying .gamma..sub.1 >.gamma..sub.2. The surface of the first substrate is provided with a film of a polyimide or an aromatic polyamide, and the surface of the first substrate having been selectively subjected to a uniaxial aligning treatment. As a result, the liquid crystal can assume a stable alignment state of a bookshelf structure or one close thereto having a small layer inclination angle. The resultant device can show a high contrast and a good responsiveness.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is constituted by a pair of substrates each having thereon an electrode and a chiral smectic liquid crystal disposed between the substrates so as to assume at least two optically stable states. At least one of the substrates has thereon an alignment film. Undesirable liquid crystal movement in the liquid crystal device is effectively suppressed because the alignment film is provided with a uniaxial aligning treatment direction and also a pretilt-changing characteristic such that it provides a pretilt angle which monotonously changes and is then inverted through 0 degree to a state providing a reverse molecular inclination with respect to the associated substrate. Such a pretilt-changing characteristic is provided, e.g., by rubbing the substrate with a rubbing roller inclined thereto at least two times in normal and reverse directions.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device is constituted by disposing a liquid crystal between a pair of substrates each provided with an electrode, an insulating layer, and an alignment control layer. At least one of the alignment control layers is provided with a surface unevenness effective for suppressing a liquid crystal movement causing the increase in cell thickness. One of the alignment control layers has a surface shape corresponding the surface unevenness but the surface shape is different from that of the other alignment control layer.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device having a first substrate on which a first group of belt-shaped electrodes are formed, a second substrate on which a second group of belt-shaped electrodes are formed so as to cross the first group of belt-shaped electrodes, and a chiral smectic liquid crystal arranged between the first and second substrates, wherein a first orientation film formed on the first group of belt-shaped electrodes and second orientation films formed in spaces among the belt-shaped electrodes are different.

Abstract: There is disclosed a ferroelectric liquid crystal device in which a pair of substrates and having electrodes are arranged so that the electrode surfaces face each other, a sealing agent is provided in the peripheral edge portions of the substrates, a liquid crystal injection port is opened in a part of the sealing agent, and a liquid crystal is injected from the injection port into a gap between both of the substrates. An intersection angle which is formed by the rubbing direction to orient the liquid crystal and the direction to inject the liquid crystal from the injection port lies within a range from -45.degree. to +45.degree..

Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprises a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal provided between the paired substrates wherein domains whose threshold voltages are different from one another are finely distributed throughout the liquid crystal. In particular, the respective substrates each has a transparent electrode and an alignment film formed thereon in this order and the substrates are assembled to establish a given space therebetween, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal being injected into the given space wherein domains are finely distributed as set out above, thereby providing a a liquid crystal display device. The fine distribution is such that when a transmittance through inverted domains is 25%, the number of domains (microdomains) having a size of larger than 2 .mu.m.phi. in a field of 1 mm.sup.2 is not smaller than 300, preferably not smaller than 600, and the width of the threshold voltage within the domains is not smaller than 2 volts within a transmittance range of from 10 to 90%.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device is constituted by a pair of substrates disposed in parallel and each provided with a transparent electrode, and a chiral smectic liquid crystal disposed between the pair of substrates. At least one of the substrates is provided with a uniaxial alignment control film which have been rubbed in at least two different directions. Liquid crystal molecules may preferably form a pretilt angle of at least 5 degrees with respect to the alignment control film.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device for gradational display, comprising: a pair of substrates each provided with an electrode, and a liquid crystal layer comprising a chiral smectic liquid crystal disposed between the substrates; the pair of substrates each having thereon alignment control layer provided with a uniaxial alignment axis, wherein aid liquid crystal layer comprises a striped region and a non-striped region where (1) the striped region and the non-striped region each assume a homogeneous alignment state, (2) the striped region extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the uniaxial alignment axis, and (3) each of liquid crystal molecules within the striped region and the non-striped region show bistability; and the liquid crystal molecules within the striped region have a threshold voltage, for switching between two stable states, different from that given by the liquid crystal molecules within the on-striped region.