Abstract: Disclosed are a liquid-crystalline medium, which contains a compound of formula I and the use thereof for electro-optical purposes, in particular for TN, TFT, IPS or OCB displays.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing simply and precisely an anisotropic optical element having optical properties that are anisotropic with respect to a direction of a normal to an element plane. After forming an uncured film by applying flatwise a radiation-polymerizable cholesteric liquid crystal to a substrate (step 101), the film is heated to convert the cholesteric phase of the liquid crystal in the film into an isotropic phase (step 102). Thereafter, the isotropic phase of the liquid crystal in the film is converted into the cholesteric phase thereof, with a gas blown on the film from a predetermined direction (step 103). By doing so, the liquid crystal is oriented in such a manner that a mean direction of directions of helical axes (a main direction of helical axes) in liquid crystal domains in the film is tilted, relative to a direction of a normal to a film plane, along a stream of the gas blown.

Abstract: Substrate structures, liquid crystal display devices and methods of fabricating liquid crystal display devices. A substrate structure comprises a transparent substrate having an electrode layer thereon. A first alignment layer is formed on the transparent substrate. A second alignment layer is selectively formed on the first alignment, wherein alignment orientations of liquid crystal molecules on the first and second alignment layers are different.

Abstract: The present invention provides a light diffuser plate for a liquid crystal display, comprising: a low-hygroscopic resin layer (A) having a water absorption after 24 hours of 0.2% or less, as measured according to JIS K7209; and a styrenic resin layer (B) layered on at least one surface of the low-hygroscopic resin layer (A), the styrenic resin layer (B) comprising 50% or more of a styrenic resin and 3.5 to 5 parts by weight of an ultraviolet absorber based on 100 parts by weight of the styrenic resin, wherein the surface of the layer (B) has an arithmetic average roughness (Ra) of 5 ?m to 30 ?m, as measured according to JIS B0601. The present invention can provide a light diffuser plate for a liquid crystal display which is made of a low-hygroscopic resin capable of preventing warpage due to moisture absorption and also has a scratch resistant surface and significantly improved lightfastness.

Abstract: [Problems] To provide an optical film for a liquid crystal display, in which a wide range of a retardation of transmitted light can be controlled in manufacturing and good viewing angle compensation effects on such as preventing light leakage or color dropout (coloring) in true black display and achieving a high contrast in all directions can be obtained when used in liquid crystal display. [Means for Solving Problems] The optical film of the invention includes a film (a) layer made of a cyclic olefin resin and a film (b) layer made of a polyimide resin or a polyetherimide resin, wherein following formulae (1) and (2) are preferably satisfied: (1) 200 nm?Rth?1,000 nm and (2) 0?R550?200 nm, wherein Rth and R550 represent the retardation in the direction of film thickness and the in-plane retardation of the film, respectively, at wavelength of 550 nm.

Abstract: Provided is a dust-free diffusion plate for a liquid crystal display (LCD) manufactured by coating and drying a conductive material to a thickness of no more than 2D on a surface of the diffusion plate to prevent degradation of image quality due to dust build-up on the diffusion plate.

Abstract: A retardation film which hardly causes shift or unevenness in retardation values and which has a refractive index profile of nx>nz>ny (that is, 0<Rth[590]/Re[590]<1) is provided. A retardation film according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a stretched polymer film containing a styrene-based resin and a polycarbonate-based resin, which satisfies the following expressions (1) and (2): 100 nm?Re[590]?350 nm??(1) 0.2?Rth[590]/Re[590]?0.

Abstract: An antiglare film comprises a transparent substrate; and an antiglare layer on the transparent substrate, the layer including a binder matrix, organic particles A and organic particles B having an average particle diameter smaller than an average particle diameter of particles A, organic particles A and organic particles B dispersed in the binder matrix. An antiglare film having of the present invention can have the following features: good antiglare property; no white blur; high abrasion resistant property; less dazzling; and not whitened.

Abstract: A liquid-crystal display device comprising a liquid-crystal cell comprising a liquid-crystal layer that aligns vertically to the substrate thereof in the black state, first and second polarizing elements that are disposed to sandwich the liquid-crystal cell therebetween so that their absorption axes are orthogonal to each other, a retardation film A and a retardation film B, wherein the retardation films A and B are equivalent to each other in terms of retardation in plane at a wavelength of 548 nm, Re(548), and retardation along thickness direction at a wavelength of 548 nm, Rth(548) thereof, but differ from each other in terms of the wavelength dispersion characteristics of retardation in plane Re and/or retardation along thickness direction Rth thereof in a visible light region, is disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical film for use in a liquid crystal display that is positioned inside the liquid crystal cell of the display comprising the switchable liquid crystal material, and to an LCD comprising such a film.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing an optical element the haze of which is efficiently reduced and an apparatus for producing the optical element.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a biaxial polynorbornene-film having a compensation film which has good light transmittance and a uniform in-plane retardation value and can function as both a negative C-plate and an A-plate.

Abstract: A process for producing an optical element having a patterned quarter-wave retardation for use in a semitransmission reflection liquid crystal display device is provided. The process includes the steps of coating a coating liquid including a polymerizable liquid crystal onto a base material to form a coating film, aligning the polymerizable liquid crystal to a liquid crystal phase state, applying an ionizing radiation to the coating film through a photomask to polymerize the polymerizable liquid crystal in the liquid crystal phase state, whereby the polymerizable liquid crystal only in its exposed part is cured to form the liquid crystal layer, and heating the resultant substrate with the coating film formed thereon to bring the polymerizable liquid crystal in the uncured state to an isotropic phase state and, in this state, to polymerize the uncured polymerizable liquid crystal to form an isotropic layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a polymer for use as a surface-director alignment layer in a liquid crystal device, the polymer comprising a polymeric backbone and side-chains attached thereto, wherein the polymeric backbone lacks directly coupled ring structures, and each side-chain of at least some of the side-chains comprises at least two unsubstituted and/or substituted phenyls coupled via a coupling selected from the group consisting of a carbon-carbon single bond (—), a carbon-carbon double bond containing unit (—CH?CH—), a carbon-carbon triple bond containing unit (—C?C—), a methylene ether unit (—CH2O—), an ethylene ether unit (—CH2CH2O—), an ester unit (—COO—) and an azo unit (—N?N—), exhibits a permanent and/or induced dipole moment that in ordered phase provides dielectric anisotropy, and is attached to the polymeric backbone via at least two spacing atoms.

Abstract: A liquid crystal layer is formed of a liquid crystal composition including at least one of a compound A which includes a compound of two 6-membered rings in a main skeleton, one of the 6-membered rings being a benzene ring and the other of the 6-membered rings being a cyclohexane ring, and which is expressed by a general formula (1), and a compound B in which both of the two 6-membered rings are cyclohexane rings, and which is expressed by a general formula (2), (each of R and R? represents an alkyl group or an alkenyl group with a carbon atom number of 2 to 5, and a case in which R and R? are identical is included).

Abstract: A liquid crystal electro-optic device. The liquid crystal electro-optic device comprises at least one liquid crystal cell comprising: a pair of substrates having a gap therebetween; a pair of electrodes, the pair of electrodes positioned on one of the substrates or one electrode positioned on each substrate; and a ferroelectric, oligosiloxane liquid crystal material disposed in the gap between the pair of substrates, the ferroelectric, oligosiloxane liquid crystal material exhibiting an I-? SmC* phase sequence wherein the liquid crystal electro-optic device is bistable in operation. The invention also involves a method for making a liquid crystal electro-optic device.

Abstract: In the present invention, it is an object to improve display quality by improving response speed of a liquid crystal element in a liquid crystal display device, in particular, response speed in the case of falling. In the present invention, it is characterized that a liquid crystal layer is divided into plural regions (domains) substantially by mixing a compound including a liquid crystal skeleton in a liquid crystal layer exisiting liquid crystal molecules as a technique to improve response speed of a liquid crystal element in a liquid crystal display device for solving the above problem.

Abstract: The present invention relates to photo-tunable dopant compositions comprising a photo-reactive chiral compound capable of undergoing a photochemical reaction resulting in the loss of chirality, and a triplet sensitizer. The present invention also relates to a display comprising a substrate, a liquid crystalline layer thereon, wherein the liquid crystalline layer comprises a nematic host, at least one chiral dopant, a photo-reacted compound, and a triplet sensitizer, and at least one transparent conductive layer. The present invention also relates to a method of tuning a cholesteric liquid crystal material comprising providing at least one mesogenic compound, at least one triplet sensitizer, and at least one photo-reactive chiral compound; combining the at least one mesogenic compound, at least one triplet sensitizer, and at least one photo-reactive chiral compound to form a mixture; and irradiating the mixture for a period of time.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition having a nematic phase that includes three components, wherein the first component is at least one compound selected from the group of compounds represented by formula (1), the second component is at least one compound selected from the group of compounds represented by formulas (2-1) to (2-3), and the third component is at least one compound selected from the group of compounds represented by formula (3): wherein R1, R2 and R4 are each independently alkyl having 1 to 12 carbons or alkenyl having 2 to 12 carbons; R3 is fluorine, alkyl having 1 to 12 carbons or alkenyl having 2 to 12 carbons; R5 is fluorine, chlorine, alkyl having 1 to 12 carbons or alkenyl having 2 to 12 carbons; R6 is alkenyl having 2 to 12 carbons; Y1 is fluorine, chlorine or trifluoromethoxy; X1, X2, X3 and X4 are each independently hydrogen or fluorine; and one of X5 and X6 is fluorine, and the other is hydrogen.

Abstract: Provided are a display device including a fluid buffer layer and a method for manufacturing the same. The display device includes a display device layer, a passivation layer, an encapsulation layer, and a fluid buffer layer. The display device layer is disposed on one surface of a substrate. The passivation layer is disposed on the display device layer. The encapsulation layer has a cup-shaped internal space to protect the display device layer. The fluid buffer layer is formed on at least one of the top and the side of the passivation layer formed on the display device layer. Because the fluid buffer layer is formed on the display device layer, oxygen and moisture are prevented from flowing into the display device layer, thus suppressing the device lifetime reduction. Also, an external physical impact is absorbed by the fluid buffer layer, thus minimizing the damage to the display device.

Abstract: A norbornene-based polymer contains at least one kind of a repeating unit represented by the following formula (I): wherein R1 and R2 each represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group which may possess a substituent group or an aryl group which may possess a substituent group, L and L? each represent a bivalent linking group or a single bond, and A and A? each represent an aromatic group.

Abstract: An optical film for use in a side-light type lighting device of a liquid crystal display or the like includes a plurality of tilted column-shaped transparent film cells extending from a light entrance surface to a light exit surface of the optical film. Light-reflecting layers are provided on a part of side surfaces of each film cell. Light from an LED light source enters a light guide plate, exits the top surface of the light guide plate, and enters the film cells. The light is reflected by the light-reflecting layers of the cells to exit therefrom as directed light.

Abstract: Presently described are (e.g. brightness enhancing film) optical articles comprising the reaction product of a polymerizable resin and surface modified inorganic nanoparticles, methods of surface modifying inorganic nanoparticles, and surface modified inorganic nanoparticles. The surface treatment comprises at least one monocarboxylic acid having a refractive index of at least 1.50 and/or at least one monocarboxylic acid having a Mn of at least 200 g/mole and an ethylenically unsaturated group and/or at least one dicarboxylic acid.

Abstract: One or more embodiments of the present disclosure provide a color filter substrate and an LCD that discharge heat introduced to LCs to the outside to prevent phase transition of the LCs. In an embodiment, the LCD includes a substrate, a light blocking member disposed on the substrate to define a plurality of open regions, and a heat transfer layer disposed on the light blocking layer. The LCD prevents heat from flowing to the LCs and discharges the heat to the outside to prevent phase transition of the LCs.

Abstract: This invention relates to an LCD device comprising an electrically conductive and optically transparent nanostructure film deposited adjacent to or forming a part of at least one of a) a layer comprising triacetyl cellulose (TAC), b) a polarizing layer, c) an adhesive layer, d) a protective layer, e) an anti-glare layer f) an anti-reflective layer, or g) an antistatic layer. One embodiment is a device comprising an in plane switching (IPS) liquid crystal display (LCD) and a nanostructure film, wherein the film is electrically conductive, and wherein the film is optically transparent.

Abstract: Dichroic dyes, compositions thereof, and liquid crystal compositions, microencapsulated liquid crystal compositions and liquid-crystal display elements employing the same. The dichroic dyes have high photostability in addition to excellent solubility. Furthermore, the liquid crystal composition employing the above dichroic dyes can have an orientational order parameter more than 0.7.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition for forming a liquid crystal alignment film, which comprises a photoreactive polymer including a multicyclic compound having a photoreactive group on a main chain thereof. The present invention also provides a liquid crystal alignment film produced using the composition, and a liquid crystal display including the liquid crystal alignment film. The photoreactive polymer including the multicyclic compound on the main chain thereof has a high glass transition temperature, thus thermal stability is excellent. Since lattice vacancy is relatively large, the photoreactive group is capable of moving relatively freely in the main chain of the polymer, thus it is possible to improve a slow photoreaction rate, which is considered a disadvantage of a conventional polymer material.

Abstract: An optical film is provided and contains at least one of a polycarbonate copolymer and a blend containing the polycarbonate copolymer. The polycarbonate copolymer contains specific repeating units. The optical film satisfies the following formulae (1) to (4). 0.1<Re(450)/Re(550)<0.95??(1) 1.03<Re(650)/Re(550)<1.93??(2) 0.4<(Re(450)/Rth(450))/(Re(550)/Rth(550))<0.95??(3) 1.05<(Re(650)/Rth(650))/(Re(550)/Rth(550))<1.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprises a color filter substrate and an array substrate. An optical compensation film is disposed on the color filter substrate and/or the array substrate, wherein the optical compensation film comprises a polyimide, comprising the following formula: wherein n is an integer greater than 1, and wherein when A is cyclo-aliphatic compound, B is aromatic compound or cyclo-aliphatic compound, and when A is aromatic compound, B is cyclo-aliphatic compound.

Abstract: A low power bistable device and method are provided.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is manufactured by placing a liquid crystal composition in the gap between two parallel substrates followed by polymerization to form a liquid crystal layer, wherein the liquid crystal composition comprises a free radical scavenger, no voltage is applied between the electrodes at an initial polymerization period, ultraviolet rays are irradiated at an intensity of 1 mW/cm2 or less at an initial polymerization period, the liquid crystal composition is subjected, prior to the polymerization, to heat treatment at a temperature equal to or above the phase transition temperature of the used liquid crystal, or the liquid crystal composition is supplied dropwise onto a substrate and the substrates are bonded together in vacuum to place the liquid crystal composition into the gap between the substrates. A liquid crystal display device with no or little occurrence of display irregularities is provided.

Abstract: There are provided: a curable resin composition having a high exposure sensitivity and a good developing property, and thereby capable of forming an accurate and precise pattern; a liquid crystal panel substrate on which a protective film for covering a color layer or spacers for a liquid crystal layer, by using the curable resin composition, hardly causing a color irregularity and contrast irregularity; and a liquid crystal panel using the liquid crystal panel substrate and having a superior display quality. The curable resin composition of the present invention comprises: a copolymer (a) having a molecular structure in which a constitutional unit including an acidic functional unit and a constitutional unit including a photocurable functional group are linked at least; a photopolymerization initiator (b) having a tertiary amine structure; and a photocurable compound (c) having at least one acidic functional group and at least three photocurable functional groups.

Abstract: An optical sheet, an optical sheet for a display and a method for producing an optical sheet for a display suitable for producing a high quality optical sheet in a simple method without decrease in adhesion strength upon bonding optical sheets are provided. A coating film of an aqueous solution containing a water-soluble antistatic agent and a fluorine surfactant is formed on optical sheets whose plane size is equal to or larger than a product size in a thickness after drying of 0.03 to 0.2 g/m2. After stacking the optical sheets, the optical sheets are bonded at one or more joining parts, and periphery of a laminate of the optical sheets after bonding is cut into the product size.

Abstract: To provide optical elements such as a phase plate suitably used in a broadband range and a polarizing diffraction element excellent in diffraction efficiency, a polymerizable liquid crystal composition to be used for them, and an optical head device using them.

Abstract: The invention relates to multireactive polymerizable mesogenic compounds of formula I R1-MG-R2??I wherein R1, R2 and MG have the meaning given in claim 1, to a polymerizable mesogenic composition comprising at least two components, at least one which is a compound of formula I, to a linear or crosslinked polymer obtainable by polymerization of one or more compounds of formula I or of a polymerizable composition comprising one or more compounds of formula I and to the use of a compound of formula I, or a polymerizable composition or polymer obtainable thereof, in optical elements such as polarizers, optical retardation or compensation films, alignment layers, colour filters or holographic elements, in liquid crystal displays such as PDLC, polymer gel or polymer stabilized cholesteric texture (PSCT) displays, in adhesives, synthetic resins with anisotropic mechanical properties, cosmetics, diagnostics or liquid crystal pigments, for decorative and security applications, and for nonlinear optics or optical inf

Abstract: An optical compensation film is provided and includes a cellulose acylate film and an optically anisotropic layer containing a liquid crystalline compound. The cellulose acylate film satisfies specific conditions in relation to substitution degrees of hydroxyl groups in glucose units constituting cellulose of the cellulose acylate film, and has a thickness of 40 to 85 ?m.

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal device comprising a liquid crystal bulk layer and a dynamic surface-director alignment layer, wherein the liquid crystal bulk layer comprises a liquid crystalline material possessing a phase sequence consisting of isotropic phase, nematic phase and optionally crystalline phase(s), and the surface-director alignment layer comprises a chiral smectic liquid crystalline polysiloxane. The invention also relates to a method for its manufacturing.

Abstract: The compound provided by the present invention is a polymerizable optically active compound represented by Formula (1): wherein R1 is hydrogen, chlorine or bromine; R2 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl; A1 is 1,4-phenylene, biphenyl-4,4?-diyl, naphthalene-2,6-diyl or pyridine-2,5-diyl, provided that in the 1,4-phenylene arbitrary hydrogen may be replaced by chlorine, bromine or fluorine, and in the biphenyl-4,4?-diyl arbitrary hydrogen may be replaced by chlorine, bromine or fluorine; and X1 is a single bond, —CH?CH— or —CH2CH2—.

Abstract: The compensator design, which comprises at least two layers of birefringent material, one of them is a positive A-plate and another one is a negative A-plate, makes possible a significant improvement in color rendering properties and contrast ratios of liquid crystal displays over a wide range of viewing angle.

Abstract: A compound represented by the following general formula (1a) or (1b), a liquid crystal composition containing the compound, and a polymer obtained by polymerizing the compound or the composition: wherein R1 represents a fluorine atom, an alkyl group or the like; Y1 and Y2 each independently represents alkylene or the like; A1, A2, B1 and B2 each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene or the like; X1 and X2 each independently represents a single bond, —COO—, —OCO— or the like; m represents 0, 1 or 2; and G represents hydrogen, methyl or the like.

Abstract: A durable optical film or element includes a polymerized structure having a microstructured surface and a plurality of surface modified colloidal nanoparticles of silica, zirconia, or mixtures thereof. Display devices including the durable microstructured film are also described.

Abstract: An antiglare light diffusing member is provided comprising a transparent base material and an antiglare light diffusing layer including a binder matrix, a plurality of particles (A) and a plurality of particles (B). A front surface of the antiglare light diffusing layer should not be flat. The difference between a refractive index of the plurality of particles (A) and a refractive index of the binder matrix can be less than or equal to 0.02. The difference between a refractive index of the plurality of particles (B) and a refractive index of the binder matrix can be 0.03-0.2. An average particle diameter of the plurality of particles (A) can be bigger than an average film thickness of the antiglare light diffusing layer. An average particle diameter of the plurality of particles (B) is smaller than an average film thickness of the antiglare light diffusing layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a negative C-plate type optical anisotropic film having negative birefringence along the thickness direction. In particular, the present invention provides a film comprising cycloolefin addition polymer, which is prepared by addition polymerizing norbornene-based monomers, a method for preparing the same, and a liquid crystal display comprising the same. The film of the present invention can be used for optical compensation films of a variety of LCD (liquid crystal display) modes because the refractive index alone the thickness direction can be controlled by the kind and amount of functional groups introduced to the cycloolefin addition polymer.

Abstract: The invention provides cross-linked lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC) copolymers having ordered nanometer-sized pores lined with functional groups. The copolymers are formed by copolymerizing LLC monomers with strong LLC character and functionalized monomers with no or weak LLC character to form an LLC phase. Both the LLC monomers and the functionalized monomers contain hydrogen-bonding groups and hydrogen-bonding is believed to assist in the formation of the LLC phase of the blended mixture. Different classes of functional groups useful for the invention include, but are not limited to, acidic groups, basic groups, catalytic groups, oxidizing agents, reducing agents, polymerization initiators, binding agents, optically active groups, and electrically active groups. The invention also provides methods for making the cross-linked LLC copolymers of the invention.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition including at least two kinds of gelling agents and a liquid crystal. The liquid crystal shows a liquid crystal phase at room temperature. A liquid crystal display device using the liquid crystal composition also is provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for preparing a cycloolefin polymer containing polar functional groups, comprising: preparing a catalyst mixture including i) a precatalyst, containing a Group 10 transition metal having a ligand containing oxygen ions bonded to the metal; ii) a first cocatalyst which is an organic compound containing a Group 15 element; and iii) a second cocatalyst which is capable of providing an anion and weakly coordinating to the metal of the precatalyst; and subjecting a monomer solution comprising a norbornene-based compound containing a polar functional group to an addition polymerization reaction in the presence of an organic solvent and the catalyst mixture, at a temperature of 80-200° C., the total amount of the organic solvent being 50-800% by weight based on the total weight of the monomer contained in the monomer solution, and the product yield of the polymer being 50% by weight or more based on the total weight of the monomer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an optical element which can suppress a production cost, has good heat resistance; uniformly maintains the fixed orientation of a liquid crystal polymer in a wide temperature range, shows a low haze with reliability without reducing birefringence property owing to a physical factor from its external surface, and can maintain desired birefringence property with reliability. The present invention relates to an optical element formed by forming, on the upper surface of a base material having light permeability, at least a birefringence layer having a structure obtained by fixing liquid crystal monomers each having a polymerizable group at a terminal thereof in a state where the monomers are homeotropically oriented, forming an isotropic layer constituted by the liquid crystal monomers on the upper surface of the birefringence layer, and removing an additive layer formed on the upper surface of the isotropic layer.

Abstract: What are provided include a liquid crystal composition that satisfies many characteristics among the characteristics such as a wide temperature range of a nematic phase, a suitable optical anisotropy, a negatively large dielectric anisotropy, and a large specific resistance, a liquid crystal composition that satisfies the characteristics and simultaneously has a small optical anisotropy and a low minimum temperature of a nematic phase, and preferably approximately ?20° C. or less, and a liquid crystal display device containing the composition.

Abstract: Disclosed is a broadband reflection type brightness enhancement polarizer, which includes a cholesteric liquid crystal film laminate having a broadband selective reflecting wavelength range in which a plurality of cholesteric liquid crystal films having selective reflecting wavelength ranges different from each other by having different mixture ratios of a curable nematic liquid crystal compound expressed by the chemical formula 1 and a curable chiral compound expressed by the chemical formula 2 are laminated; and a film having ¼? phase difference laminated on one surface of the cholesteric liquid crystal film laminate. This polarizer has wide selective reflecting wavelength ranges of the cholesteric liquid crystal films composing the polarizer, so the entire visible ray range can be covered just by laminating several cholesteric liquid crystal films.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a high contrast reflective display comprising a substrate, at least one electronically modulated imaging layer, wherein the electronically modulated imaging layer comprises a uniformly thick, close-packed, ordered monolayer of domains of electrically modulated material in a fixed polymer matrix, at least one barrier layer, wherein the barrier layer is conductive in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, and at least one electrically conductive layer. The invention also relates to a method of making the display with a barrier layer comprising anisotropic particles and orienting the anisotropic conductor to produce a barrier layer conductive in a direction perpendicular to the substrate.