Abstract: A LCD device includes first and second LCD panels stacked one on another. Each of the first and second LCD panels includes a pair of transparent substrates, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched therebetween, and a pair of polarizing films sandwiching therebetween the pair of transparent substrates. A light diffusion layer having light diffusion function is interposed between the first LCD panel and the second LCD panel. The light diffusion layer reduces the intensity of the light passed by the first LCD panel, thereby alleviating the periodicity of the arrangement of dark areas and bright areas to alleviate the moire caused by light interference.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transmissive liquid crystal display device which is less in display characteristics fluctuations, bright in display images, high in contrast and less in viewing angle dependency and comprises a backlight, a polarizer, a second optically anisotropic layer, a first optically anisotropic layer, a homogeneously aligned liquid crystal cell comprising upper and lower substrates facing each other and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the upper and lower substrates, and a polarizer, arranged in piles in this order from the backlight, wherein a liquid crystal film forming the first optically anisotropic layer, a liquid crystal film forming the second optically anisotropic layer and the liquid crystal cell have a predetermined relationship in the wavelength dispersion of birefringence, the first optically anisotropic layer, the second optically anisotropic layer and the liquid crystal cell upon application of an electric voltage for black image display, have a predetermined rela

Abstract: A view angle controlling LCD comprises a first panel part that has a first group of electrodes and a first liquid crystal layer driven by a first vertical electric field. The first group of electrodes includes a pixel electrode and a common electrode to generate the first vertical electric field. The view angle controlling LCD device further comprises a second panel part deposited on the first panel part that has a second group of electrodes and a second liquid crystal layer panel driven to have slope angle from the horizontal alignment condition by a second vertical electric field. The second group of electrodes includes a first electrode and a second electrode to generate the second vertical electric field.

Abstract: A low color variation optical device is provided. The optical device includes a cholesteric liquid crystal film, a first phase retardation film disposed above the cholesteric liquid crystal film and a second phase retardation film disposed below the cholesteric liquid crystal film, wherein the second phase retardation film includes a plurality of molecules with a tilted and twisted arrangement. The invention also provides a backlight module and a liquid crystal display including a low color variation optical device.

Abstract: The invention provides a retardation-controlling optical member that includes a retardation layer obtained by aligning and fixing crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules and columnar structures disposed on the retardation layer. When a liquid crystal cell is formed by use of the retardation-controlling optical member, the columnar structures are effectively inhibited from subsiding in the retardation layer to locally make the cell gap smaller even when pressure is externally applied in a thickness direction of the liquid crystal cell. A sum total of lower bottom areas of columnar structures disposed on a retardation layer is made larger sufficiently compared to a total area of, in particular, an effective display region of a retardation layer surface where the columnar structures are disposed, whereby pressure applied from a thickness direction is dispersed.

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 provides a liquid crystal display device comprising at least: a backlight; a polarizer; a first optically anisotropic layer with a retardation of 210 to 300 nm at a wavelength of 550 nm; a second optically anisotropic layer with a retardation of 50 to 140 nm at a wavelength of 550 nm; a third optically anisotropic layer with negative optical anisotropy; a liquid crystal cell comprising upper and lower substrates facing each other and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the upper and lower substrates; a fourth optically anisotropic layer with a retardation of 50 to 140 nm at a wavelength of 550 nm; a first optically anisotropic layer with a retardation of 210 to 300 nm at a wavelength of 550 nm; and a polarizer, arranged in piles in this order from the backlight, the second optically anisotropic layer comprising at least a liquid crystal film with a fixed nematic hybrid liquid crystal orientation structure.

Abstract: A retardation substrate is provided, which includes a substrate and an optically anisotropic solidified liquid crystal layer which is supported by the substrate and formed as a continuous film made from a same material. The solidified liquid crystal layer comprises first to third regions each having two sub-regions which are a sub-region A and a sub-region B, an in-plane birefringence of the 1A sub-region is larger than that of the 2A sub-region, the in-plane birefringence of the 3A sub-region is smaller than that of the 2A sub-region, and an in-plane birefringence of the 1B sub-region is the same as that of the 3B sub-region, smaller than that of the 1A sub-region and larger than that of the 3A sub-region.

Abstract: A process for producing an optical compensation film comprises a liquid crystal layer application step (10) of applying a liquid crystal layer coating solution containing a liquid crystal compound to an alignment layer on a surface of a transparent substrate (4c) that is continuously transported; a liquid crystal layer drying step (11) of drying the liquid crystal layer; a cooling and curing step of curing the liquid crystal layer while cooling the liquid crystal layer to a temperature lower than a drying temperature used in the drying step; and a heating and curing step of curing the alignment layer while heating the alignment layer to a temperature higher than a cooling temperature used in the cooling and curing step. The process enables the durability and damage resistance as well as the optical characteristics of the optical compensation film to be independently controlled.

Abstract: In this disclosure, a blue colorant is added in the adhesion layer of a reflective polarizer to compensate the chromaticity difference caused by the reflective polarizer itself and large horizontal viewing angle. The chromaticity difference can be further reduced by adding beads in the adhesion layer and/or forming light-gathering microstructures on the outer surface of the quarter wave plate of the reflective polarizer.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device may include a first substrate; a second substrate; a first polarizing plate on the first substrate; a second polarizing plate arranged on the second substrate, and so that a direction of an absorption axis of the second polarizing plate being perpendicular to a direction of an absorption axis of the first polarizing plate; a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate; a color filter layer arranged between the liquid crystal layer and the first or the second substrate, the color filter layer having a plurality of pixels of two or more colors. The retardation thin film has in-plane birefringence index satisfying 0.75??n[fr]/?d[fr]?1.35 for a region corresponding to a reflection part of a pixel and satisfying ?n[t]<1.2 ×10?3 for a region corresponding to a transmission part of a pixel.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal panel, a pair of polarizers and a phase plate. The phase plate is formed by a supply direction of an inorganic material to the substrate surface set such that a ratio of a front phase difference, which is produced when light is incident along a normal direction of the phase plate, and a first phase difference, which is produced when light is incident along a first direction different from the normal direction, falls within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A novel optically-anisotropic film is disclosed. The film is formed of a composition comprising at least one discotic liquid-crystal compound having a ratio, ?1, which is a ratio of birefringence at 400 nm to birefringence at 550 nm in a liquid-crystal state, of less than 1.25, in which the molecules of the liquid-crystal compound are fixed in an alignment state at a mean tilt angle ranging from 35 to 85°, wherein its in-plane retardation Re, as measured in a direction normal to a plane of the optically-anisotropic film for 550 nm wavelength light, falls within the range from 60 nm to 220 nm.

Abstract: A defect detection method of a layered film having a polarizing plate and an optical compensation layer includes steps of: applying light from a light source arranged at the polarizing plate layer side of the film surface of the layered film; a step of imaging a transmitting light image of the layered film by an imaging unit arranged at the optical compensation layer side of the film surface; and a defect detection step for detecting a defect existing on the layered film according to the transmitting light image captured by the imaging unit. The imaging unit performs imaging via an inspection polarizing filter arranged on the optical path between the light source and the imaging unit and adjacent to the imaging unit; and an inspection phase difference filter arranged on the optical path between the light source and the imaging unit and between the inspection polarizing filter and the layered film.

Abstract: An optical compensation sheet having, on a transparent support, an optically anisotropic layer comprising a liquid crystalline compound fixed by using a photo-polymerization initiator system, wherein the photo-polymerization initiator system comprises at least one acylphosphine compound and at least one aromatic ketone compound selected from the group consisting of xanthene compounds, xanthone compounds, thioxanthone compounds and acridone compounds, which has less coloring and can be produced with less-power UV light, is provided.

Abstract: A transflective type LCD device including a unit pixel region divided into reflective and transmitting parts includes first and second substrates facing each other, a pixel electrode in the pixel region of first substrate, a reflective sheet in the reflective part of first substrate, a common electrode on the second substrate, at least one first open pattern for forming multi-domains, and the first open pattern in at least one of the pixel and common electrodes, and a plurality of second open patterns for inducing a fringe field, and the second open patterns in the reflective part of at least one of the pixel and common electrodes.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid crystal display apparatus having a high contrast ratio in an oblique direction and small color change depending upon a viewing angle. A liquid crystal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal cell; a first polarizer placed on one side of the liquid crystal cell; a second polarizer placed on the other side of the liquid crystal cell; a first O-plate placed between the liquid crystal cell and the first polarizer; a second O-plate placed between the liquid crystal cell and the second polarizer; a first biaxial retardation layer placed between the liquid crystal cell and the first O-plate; and a second biaxial retardation layer placed between the liquid crystal cell and the second O-plate.

Abstract: The invention relates to novel calamitic mesogenic compounds which are especially suitable for use in birefringent films with negative optical dispersion, to novel liquid crystal (LC) formulations and polymer films comprising them, and to the use of the compounds, formulations and films in optical, electrooptical, electronic, semiconducting or luminescent components or devices.

Abstract: There are provided a display that can block light so that a display on an image display device is invisible from a wide range of view angles in an oblique direction, and a view angle control element employed therein. In a narrow view angle state, a view angle control liquid crystal panel (2) prevents light in a predetermined wavelength region that has been incident at a polar angle of ?H or more from being transmitted through a polarizing plate (22) by using a phase difference imparted by a liquid crystal cell (21). In the narrow view angle state, a view angle control liquid crystal panel (3) prevents light that has been incident at a polar angle of ?L or more, among light that has been transmitted through the polarizing plate (22), from being transmitted through a polarizing plate (32) by using a phase difference imparted by a liquid crystal cell (31). Consequently, light forming a polar angle of ?L or more is blocked as a whole, which allows the narrow view angle state to cover a wide range.

Abstract: A liquid-crystal display device comprising a liquid-crystal cell and at least three optically-anisotropic layers disposed on each side of the liquid crystal cell, wherein they are combined so that the ?nd value of the liquid-crystal cell and the optical characteristics of the optically-anisotropic layers can satisfy predetermined relationships, is disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transmissive liquid crystal display device which is less in display characteristics fluctuations, bright in display images, high in contrast and less in viewing angle dependency and comprises a backlight, a polarizer, a second optically anisotropic layer, a first optically anisotropic layer, a homogeneously aligned liquid crystal cell comprising upper and lower substrates facing each other and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the upper and lower substrates, and a polarizer, arranged in piles in this order from the backlight, wherein a liquid crystal film forming the first optically anisotropic layer, a liquid crystal film forming the second optically anisotropic layer and the liquid crystal cell have a predetermined relationship in the wavelength dispersion of birefringence, the first optically anisotropic layer, the second optically anisotropic layer and the liquid crystal cell upon application of an electric voltage for black image display, have a predetermined rela

Abstract: The present invention provides a retardation layer capable of effectively restraining the display quality deterioration without generating a bright and dark pattern in the display image even when a retardation layer is disposed in between a liquid crystal cell and a polarizing plate. The retardation layer comprises a plurality of minute units (domains) having molecular structure of cholesteric structure. Moreover, in the retardation layer, the helical pitch of the molecular structure is adjusted such that the selective reflected wavelength of the selected reflected light deriving from the molecular structure is shorter than the wavelength of the incident light on the retardation layer.

Abstract: A view angle controlling LCD comprises a first panel part that has a first group of electrodes and a first liquid crystal layer driven by a first vertical electric field. The first group of electrodes includes a pixel electrode and a common electrode to generate the first vertical electric field. The view angle controlling LCD device further comprises a second panel part deposited on the first panel part that has a second group of electrodes and a second liquid crystal layer panel driven to have slope angle from the horizontal alignment condition by a second vertical electric field. The second group of electrodes includes a first electrode and a second electrode to generate the second vertical electric field.

Abstract: The invention provides a retardation-controlling optical member that includes a retardation layer obtained by aligning and fixing crosslinkable liquid crystal molecules and columnar structures disposed on the retardation layer. When a liquid crystal cell is formed by use of the retardation-controlling optical member, the columnar structures are effectively inhibited from subsiding in the retardation layer to locally make the cell gap smaller even when pressure is externally applied in a thickness direction of the liquid crystal cell. A sum total of lower bottom areas of columnar structures disposed on a retardation layer is made larger sufficiently compared to a total area of, in particular, an effective display region of a retardation layer surface where the columnar structures are disposed, whereby pressure applied from a thickness direction is dispersed.

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: An optically anisotropic film comprising at least one species of liquid crystal compound which exhibits a nematic phase or a smectic phase, the liquid crystal phase showing birefringence ?n(?) at wavelength ? which satisfies the numerical expression (1) below is disclosed.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device may include a first substrate; a second substrate; a first polarizing plate on the first substrate; a second polarizing plate arranged on the second substrate, and so that a direction of an absorption axis of the second polarizing plate being perpendicular to a direction of an absorption axis of the first polarizing plate; a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate; a color filter layer arranged between the liquid crystal layer and the first or the second substrate, the color filter layer having a plurality of pixels of two or more colors. The retardation thin film has in-plane birefringence index satisfying 0.75??n[fr]/?d[fr]?1.35 for a region corresponding to a reflection part of a pixel and satisfying ?n[t]<1.2×10?3 for a region corresponding to a transmission part of a pixel.

Abstract: A bottom frame for a liquid crystal display device includes a bottom surface, four side surfaces attached to the bottom surface, the four side surfaces along with the bottom surface define a space, first and second holes in two side surfaces, the first and second holes opposite to each other in two opposite side surfaces, and affixing structures at the bottom surface and spaced apart from each other.

Abstract: An electro-optical device includes a plurality of scanning lines that extends in a row direction, a plurality of data lines that extends in a column direction, a plurality of pixels which are provided at intersections of the scanning lines and the data lines and whose gray-scale levels are designated by data signals supplied through the data lines, a common electrode that is provided so as to be opposite to pixel electrodes, a shift register that outputs sampling signals to sequentially select a plurality of blocks each composed of a plurality of the data lines, in a period where the scanning lines are selected, a sampling circuit that samples the data signals to the plurality of data lines belonging to the block selected by the sampling signal, respectively, a data signal supply circuit that changes the potential of the data signal into a higher level and a lower level than a predetermined potential in every predetermined period and then alternately outputs the potentials, and a correction circuit that super

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a viewing-angle controlling liquid crystal layer that, when in a horizontal alignment state, exhibits a slow axis that is parallel to a polarized-light transmitting or absorbing axis of a polarizing layer that is disposed opposite to the displaying liquid crystal layer from the viewing-angle controlling liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device eliminating an uneven display, which is a D-STN type liquid crystal display device having a compensation cell and a liquid crystal cell for display wherein a difference between the average thicknesses of at least two adjacent glass substrates among glass substrates existing in the compensation cell and the liquid crystal cell for display is 4 ?m or more, and preferably not more than 50 ?m.

Abstract: A substrate for liquid crystal display device comprising a layer having irregular differences in level and a smoothing layer provided directly on the layer having irregular differences in level, wherein the thickness of the smoothing layer is greater than the irregular differences in level, and the in-plane retardation of the layer inclined of 40° with the retardation axis as the axis of rotation is 5 to 150 nm, which enables to reduce the number of steps in manufacturing, is provided by the present invention.

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 compound of formula (1): wherein A1 and A2 are —O—, —NR—, —S—, or —CO—, in which R is a hydrogen atom or substituent; Z is one or two atoms selected from a carbon atom or a non-metal atom of Group 14, 15 or 16 in the Periodic Table, and forms a five- or six-membered ring with the C—C?C—C or C?C—C?C; R1, R2, and R3 each are a substituent; m is an integer of 0 to 4; L1 and L2 are a single bond or divalent linking group; X is a non-metal atom of Group 14, 15 or 16 in the Periodic Table, and may have a hydrogen atom or R4; and at least one of R, R1, R2, R3, and R4 is substituted with a polymerizable group; a liquid crystal composition, an optical film, a retardation sheet, a polarizing plate, and a liquid crystal display.

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 liquid crystal display device of electrically controlled birefringence mode includes the combination of a liquid crystal cell having a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a pair of substrates, and a hybrid retardation layer in which liquid crystal molecules are hybrid-aligned, and the hybrid retardation layer is formed by deposition at the liquid crystal layer side on one substrate of the pair of substrates.

Abstract: This invention relates to a birefringent layer, wherein the direction of the optical axis varies along the thickness direction of the layer, comprising I) (i) a liquid crystal monomer or pre-polymer having polymerisable groups; and (ii) a monomer or oligomer or polymer having photo-orientable groups, and/or (iii) a liquid crystal monomer or pre-polymer, oligomer or polymer having photo-orientable and polymerisable groups, and (iv) and optionally further components, or II) (v) a liquid crystal monomer or pre-polymer, oligomer or polymer having photo-orientable and polymerisable groups, and (vi) and optionally further components, in addition, this invention relates to a method for the preparation of the birefringent layer, its uses and optical components thereof.

Abstract: An elliptical polarizer with excellent viewing angle characteristics is provided which comprises at least a first polarizer, a first optical anisotropic layer, a second optical anisotropic layer, and a third optical anisotropic layer, laminated in this order, wherein the first optical anisotropic layer satisfies [1] 50?Re1?500, the second optical anisotropic layer satisfies [2] 0?Re2?20 and [3] ?500?Rth2??30, and the third optical anisotropic layer satisfies [4] 100?Re 3?180 wherein Re and Rth indicate the retardation values in the plane and thickness direction, respectively, of each of the optical anisotropic layers.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate opposite to the first substrate, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first and second substrates. The first substrate includes a first wide view film and the second substrate includes a second wide view film. Angles of the first wide film, second wide film, and twist angles of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer are defined.

Abstract: A display is provided for switching between a narrow or private viewing mode and a wide or public viewing mode. The display comprises a display device which is controlled to provide display of a desired image or sequence of images. This is associated with a liquid crystal device having at least one liquid crystal layer whose molecules are switchable between a first state providing a first angular viewing range and a second state providing a second angular viewing range which is within and smaller than the first angular viewing range. With the molecules in the second state, the device at least partially blocks light propagating towards part of the first angular viewing range outside the second angular viewing range. The or each liquid crystal layer is in contact with at least one alignment surface, the or each of which comprises a uniform non-patterned alignment surface.

Abstract: A novel optical compensation film is disclosed. The optical compensation film comprises a first optically anisotropic layer and a second optically anisotropic layer, each of which formed of a composition comprising a liquid-crystalline compound, wherein molecules of the liquid-crystalline compound in each of the first and second optically anisotropic layers are fixed in a hybrid alignment state in which tilt angles of the molecules with respect to a layer plane varies in a thickness direction.

Abstract: A method of producing a cellulose derivative film, the method comprising: forming a film with a solvent cast method from a dope including a cellulose derivative satisfying following conditions (a) and (b): (a) at least one among three hydroxyl groups included in a glucose unit of cellulose is substituted by a substituent of which a polarizability anisotropy ?? represented as following Expression (1) is 2.5×10?24 cm3 or higher: Expression (1): ??=?x?(?y+?z)/2, wherein ?x, ?y and ?z is as defined in the specification; and (b) when a substitution degree by a substituent of which ?? is 2.5×10?24 cm3 or higher is PA, and a substitution degree by a substituent of which ?? is lower than 2.5×10?24 cm3 is PB, the PA and PB satisfy following Expressions (3) and (4): Expression (3): 2PA+PB>3.0; and Expression (4): PA>0.2.

Abstract: A high transmittance brightness enhanced optical element for backlight modules and liquid crystal display device is disclosed. The brightness enhanced polarizing optical element comprises a reflective polarizer film, a phase retardation film, and a polarization enhancement film. The reflective polarizer film provides a function of selectively reflecting right-handness circularly polarized light or left-handness circularly polarized light and will transmit the other one of them. The one was selectively reflected will be recombined with the light source or the backlight and re-direct toward the reflective polarizer. The portions of the reflective light will be recombined with the fresh light from the light source as above and the processes repeatedly. As a result, almost all of the light transmit the reflective polarizer and in the same circular polarization. The light is then transmitted the phase retardation film and converted to a polarized light with another optical axis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transmissive liquid crystal display device which is less in variation in displaying characteristics, bright in displaying image, high in contrast and less in viewing angle dependency. The liquid crystal display comprises at least a specific first optically anisotropic layer with a fixed nematic hybrid orientation structure and a specific second optically anisotropic layer.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a micro reflection-type liquid crystal display (LCD) using a step difference resulting from the existing array processing and a liquid crystal cell comprising liquid crystal molecules being aligned in parallel to perform optical compensation according to the difference between optical slow axes on orthogonal optical compensation films. In a compensation system comprising orthogonal polarizers, an equivalent retardation is acquired according to the differences between the slow axes on the optical compensation films and the alignment orientation of the liquid crystal molecules when the liquid crystal cell is driven or not to determine the optimal dark/bright state. Moreover, the optimal dark state can be achieved at the same driving voltage under both the reflection mode and the transmission mode. Thereby, the present invention achieves improved image contrast and reflectivity without additional processing steps.

Abstract: A low color shift polarizer assembly is provided, comprising a cholesteric liquid crystal film with a plurality of very tiny grooves which are irregularly dispersed on a surface of the cholesteric liquid crystal film. The selective reflective wavelength range of the cholesteric liquid crystal film has a long wavelength boundary ?700 nm and a short wavelength boundary ?420 nm. A quarter wavelength retardation plate can be disposed on the cholesteric liquid crystal film to build up the final low color shift polarizer assembly. The polarizer assembly can be combined with a backlight unit and further with a liquid crystal display to provide low color shift at large viewing angles and high brightness.

Abstract: An optical material including a colored optically anisotropic layer, the colored optically anisotropic layer having at least one maximum absorption wavelength with a nonpolarized light transmittance of 30 percent or lower in a wavelength range of 430 to 700 nm, wherein the absorbance Amax at the polarization of maximum absorbance and the absorbance Amin at the polarization of minimum absorbance of the colored optically anisotropic layer satisfy the following relation at the maximum absorption wavelength: 1.0?Amax/Amin?1.4, and the in-plane retardation of the colored optically anisotropic layer is greater than or equal to 10 nm and less than 1,000 nm, which can be employed as a material for forming a color filter having optical compensation capability.

Abstract: An optical compensatory film comprising an optically anisotropic layer composed of a liquid crystal composition including a liquid crystal compound, wherein the liquid crystal composition contains a copolymer including a repeating unit derived from a monomer of formula [1] and a repeating unit derived from a monomer of formula [2]: wherein R0 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or an alkyl group, L represents a divalent linking group, and n represents an integer of 1-18; wherein R11 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or an alkyl group, L11 represents a divalent linking group, and R13, R14 and R15 represents a hydrocarbon group or an aromatic heterocyclic group.

Abstract: A retardation film that is used as a polarizing plate protective film, thereby making it possible to yield a polarizing plate which is very good in durability and has a viewing angle compensation function. The retardation film has: an optical anisotropic film, in which a relation of nx>ny is realized between a refractive index “nx” in a slow axis direction of an in-plane direction and a refractive index “ny” in a fast axis direction of the in-plane direction; and a retardation layer formed on the optical anisotropic film and containing a liquid crystalline material, in which a relation of nx?ny<nz is realized between refractive indexes “nx” and “ny” in arbitrary directions “x” and “y” of an in-plane direction which are perpendicular to each other and a refractive index “nz” in a thickness direction. The optical anisotropic film uses a transparent substrate having a cellulose derivative.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid crystal display apparatus having a high contrast ratio in an oblique direction and small color change depending upon a viewing angle. A liquid crystal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal cell; a first polarizer placed on one side of the liquid crystal cell; a second polarizer placed on the other side of the liquid crystal cell; a first O-plate placed between the liquid crystal cell and the first polarizer; a second O-plate placed between the liquid crystal cell and the second polarizer; a first biaxial retardation layer placed between the liquid crystal cell and the first O-plate; and a second biaxial retardation layer placed between the liquid crystal cell and the second O-plate.