Provided are an optical film, a circularly polarizing plate, and an image display apparatus in each of which the occurrence of cracks is suppressed in the obtained film in a case of being punched. The optical film includes a stretched resin film and a liquid crystal layer formed by fixing a liquid crystal compound twist-aligned along a helical axis extending along a direction in thickness, in which a δa value calculated using a three-dimensional solubility parameter of a resin in the stretched resin film is 8.0 MPa.sup.1/2 or less, the liquid crystal layer contains a cured substance of a polyfunctional compound having two or more polymerizable groups in one molecule, and an absolute value of a difference between the δa value calculated using the three-dimensional solubility parameter of the polyfunctional compound and the δa value calculated using the three-dimensional solubility parameter of the resin is 4.0 MPa.sup.1/2 or less.

Liquid crystal mixtures containing a photoalignment component A) containing a photoreactive mesogen of formula I,

##STR00001## a liquid-crystalline component B) containing one or more nematogenic compounds, and a polymerizable component C) containing one or more polymerizable compounds of formula P,

P.sup.a-Sp.sup.a-(A.sup.p).sub.n2-Sp.sup.b-P.sup.b  P and a method of producing such LC media, the use of such media in LC devices, and LC devices containing such a LC medium, and further a process for the fabrication of such liquid crystal displays and the use of the liquid crystal mixtures for the fabrication of such liquid crystal display.

To suppress a phenomenon where an optical axis of the optically anisotropic layer is tilted when the optically anisotropic layer is produced by using a liquid crystalline compound showing smectic phase as a materials showing a higher level of orderliness. An optically anisotropic layer wherein a polymerizable composition, containing one or more polymerizable rod-like liquid crystal compound showing a smectic phase, is fixed in a state of smectic phase, and a direction of maximum refractive index of the optically anisotropic layer is inclined at 10° or smaller to the surface of the optically anisotropic layer, a method for manufacturing the same, a laminate and a method for manufacturing the same, a polarizing plate, a liquid crystal display device, and an organic EL display device.

To suppress a phenomenon where an optical axis of the optically anisotropic layer is tilted when the optically anisotropic layer is produced by using a liquid crystalline compound showing smectic phase as a materials showing a higher level of orderliness. An optically anisotropic layer wherein a polymerizable composition, containing one or more polymerizable rod-like liquid crystal compound showing a smectic phase, is fixed in a state of smectic phase, and a direction of maximum refractive index of the optically anisotropic layer is inclined at 10° or smaller to the surface of the optically anisotropic layer, a method for manufacturing the same, a laminate and a method for manufacturing the same, a polarizing plate, a liquid crystal display device, and an organic EL display device.

The present invention relates to thermotropic ionic liquid crystal molecules of general formula (I) ##STR00001##
With E.sub.1 and E.sub.2, which may be identical or different, representing, independently of one another, a linear, saturated and unsubstituted C.sub.10 to C.sub.14 hydrocarbon-based radical, A.sup.x− representing a sulfonate anion or a sulfonylimide anion of formula —SO.sub.2—N.sup.−—SO.sub.2C.sub.yF.sub.2y+1 with y being an integer ranging from 0 to 2 and C.sup.x+ a sodium, lithium or potassium ion, most particularly advantageous for their conductivity performance qualities as an electrolyte in particular for lithium batteries.

A compound is represented by general formula (I), a liquid-crystal composition contains this compound, and devices are made using this liquid-crystal composition. Having a large refractive-index anisotropy Δn and a sufficiently high Tni, highly compatible with liquid-crystal compositions, and exhibiting a high dielectric anisotropy in the radio frequency range, the compound is a useful material for RF phase shifters, phased-array antennae, image recognition devices, distance meters, liquid-crystal displays, liquid-crystal lenses, and birefringent lenses for 3D image display, among other devices. ##STR00001##

A compound is represented by general formula (I), a liquid-crystal composition contains this compound, and devices are made using this liquid-crystal composition. Having a large refractive-index anisotropy Δn and a sufficiently high Tni, highly compatible with liquid-crystal compositions, and exhibiting a high dielectric anisotropy in the radio frequency range, the compound is a useful material for RF phase shifters, phased-array antennae, image recognition devices, distance meters, liquid-crystal displays, liquid-crystal lenses, and birefringent lenses for 3D image display, among other devices. ##STR00001##

The present invention relates to a cholesteric liquid crystalline (LC) medium for a Polymer-Network Liquid Crystalline (PNLC) light modulation element, to a method of its production and to the use of such cholesteric LC media in PNLC light modulation elements. Furthermore, the present invention relates to PNLC light modulation elements, as such, to a method of their production, to the use of such light modulation elements in optic or electro optic devices, in particular in LC displays, and to optic or electro optic devices comprising such light modulation elements according to the present invention.

A compound that helps achieve a high voltage holding ratio (VHR) of a liquid crystal composition, a liquid crystal composition that contains this compound, and a liquid crystal display element made with this liquid crystal composition. More specifically, a compound represented by general formula (Y), which has polymerizable groups and polar group(s). A liquid crystal composition containing one or two or more compounds represented by general formula (Y), each of which has polymerizable groups and polar group(s). A liquid crystal display element made with a liquid crystal composition that contains one or two or more compounds represented by general formula (Y), each of which has polymerizable groups and polar group(s).

A compound that helps achieve a high voltage holding ratio (VHR) of a liquid crystal composition, a liquid crystal composition that contains this compound, and a liquid crystal display element made with this liquid crystal composition. More specifically, a compound represented by general formula (Y), which has polymerizable groups and polar group(s). A liquid crystal composition containing one or two or more compounds represented by general formula (Y), each of which has polymerizable groups and polar group(s). A liquid crystal display element made with a liquid crystal composition that contains one or two or more compounds represented by general formula (Y), each of which has polymerizable groups and polar group(s).