Light emitting electrochemical cell devices comprising chiral liquid crystalline materials. The chiral liquid crystalline material mixtures of the devices function as both electrolytes and as light emitting materials. The chiral liquid crystalline material mixtures also form photonic crystal structures creating a photonic stop band. The presence of the photonic stop band enables the light emitting electrochemical cell devices to emit light with improved energy efficiency.

Disclosed herein is a light emitting device and method of manufacturing such a device comprised of a series of photopolymerizable, chiral liquid crystalline layers that can be solvent cast on a substrate. The mixture of chiral materials in each successive layer may be blended in such a way that each layer has the same chiral pitch. Further the chiral materials in each layer may also be blended so that the ordinary and extraordinary refractive indices in each layer match the other layers such that the complete assembly of layers will optically function as a single relatively thick layer of chiral liquid crystal. The chiral nematic material in each layer can spontaneously adopt a helical structure with a helical pitch. The light emitting layers of the light emitting device can further comprise electroluminescent material that emits light into the band edge light propagation modes of the photonic crystal.

Provided is a liquid crystal compound containing 2,3,4-trisubstituted benzene, a liquid crystal composition thereof, and a liquid crystal display element or a liquid crystal display comprising the liquid crystal compound or the liquid crystal composition, wherein the liquid crystal composition has a lower viscosity, can achieve a quick response, and further has a moderate dielectric anisotropy , a moderate optical anisotropy n, and high stability to heat and light. The liquid crystal display element or liquid crystal display comprising the liquid crystal composition has the properties of a wider nematic phase temperature range, an appropriate birefringence anisotropy, a very high electrical resistivity, a good ultraviolet resistant property, a high charge retention rate, a low vapor pressure etc., and particularly, the liquid crystal compound or the liquid crystal composition has the advantage of a high light transmittance.

Disclosed herein is a light emitting device and method of manufacturing such a device comprised of a series of photopolymerizable, chiral liquid crystalline layers that can be solvent cast on a substrate. The mixture of chiral materials in each successive layer may be blended in such a way that each layer has the same chiral pitch. Further the chiral materials in each layer may also be blended so that the ordinary and extraordinary refractive indices in each layer match the other layers such that the complete assembly of layers will optically function as a single relatively thick layer of chiral liquid crystal. The chiral nematic material in each layer can spontaneously adopt a helical structure with a helical pitch. The light emitting layers of the light emitting device can further comprise electroluminescent material that emits light into the band edge light propagation modes of the photonic crystal.

Provided is a liquid crystal compound containing 2,3,4-trisubstituted benzene, a liquid crystal composition thereof, and a liquid crystal display element or a liquid crystal display comprising the liquid crystal compound or the liquid crystal composition, wherein the liquid crystal composition has a lower viscosity, can achieve a quick response, and further has a moderate dielectric anisotropy , a moderate optical anisotropy n, and high stability to heat and light. The liquid crystal display element or liquid crystal display comprising the liquid crystal composition has the properties of a wider nematic phase temperature range, an appropriate birefringence anisotropy, a very high electrical resistivity, a good ultraviolet resistant property, a high charge retention rate, a low vapor pressure etc., and particularly, the liquid crystal compound or the liquid crystal composition has the advantage of a high light transmittance.

An actuator device comprises a stack formed from a plurality of photoresponsive layers, which deform in response to light, which are partitioned by respective deformable non-photoresponsive layers. The deformable non-photoresponsive layers guide light between and to the photoresponsive layers, and can follow the deformation of the photoresponsive layers.

Disclosed herein is a light emitting device and method of manufacturing such a device comprised of a series of photopolymerizable, chiral liquid crystalline layers that can be solvent cast on a substrate. The mixture of chiral materials in each successive layer may be blended in such a way that each layer has the same chiral pitch. Further the chiral materials in each layer may also be blended so that the ordinary and extraordinary refractive indices in each layer match the other layers such that the complete assembly of layers will optically function as a single relatively thick layer of chiral liquid crystal. The chiral nematic material in each layer can spontaneously adopt a helical structure with a helical pitch. The light emitting layers of the light emitting device can further comprise electroluminescent material that emits light into the band edge light propagation modes of the photonic crystal.

The present invention provides a method for producing a polymerizable liquid crystal composition which produces films being uncolored and having no cissing and good alignment when applied to a substrate, and also provides a polymerizable liquid crystal composition produced by the method and an optically anisotropic body using the polymerizable liquid crystal composition. Specifically, the present invention provides a method for producing a polymerizable liquid crystal composition, the method comprising a step (I) of preparing a polymerizable solution by mixing at least one polymerizable compound having at least one polymerizable functional group and one or two or more organic solvents and heating and stirring the resultant mixture; and a step (II) of mixing the polymerizable solution with a polymerization initiator, and also provides a polymerizable liquid crystal composition produced by the method and an optically anisotropic body using the polymerizable liquid crystal composition.

The invention relates to the compounds of the formula I and to a liquid-crystalline medium based on a mixture of polar compounds which contains at least one compound of the formula I ##STR00001##
in which R.sup.1, ring A.sup.1, L.sup.1, L.sup.2, L.sup.3, L.sup.4, L.sup.5, L.sup.6, L.sup.7, L.sup.8, Z.sup.1 and m have the meanings indicated in claim 1 and to the use of the LC mixtures in electro-optical displays, especially for the self-aligning VA mode.

A cholesteric resin layered body including a substrate, an intermediate layer, and a cholesteric resin layer in this order, wherein a difference in a reflection band center wavelength of the cholesteric resin layer before and after the layered body is heated at 130 C. for 8 hours is 50 nm or less, method for producing the same, as well as a reflective material, a display medium and a decorating material including the same.