Liquid-crystalline media containing one or more mesogenic compounds, one or more chiral compounds, and one or more polymerizable mesogenic compounds, wherein the media exhibit a pitch of 0.55 μm or more and a clearing point of 80° C. or more and wherein the one or more polymerizable mesogenic compounds are contained in an amount, based on the overall contents of the media, of 5% by weight or less, are suitable as modulation materials. Such modulation materials can be used in switching layers and window elements.

Compositions, systems and methods for use in monitoring an environment or a formation. The compositions can include electrically conductive material that can be used as a sensor. The sensor can have a non-writeable, writeable, and stimulated state. A first signal is used to induce the non-writeable material into a writeable state. In the writeable state, the electrically conductive material has the capacity for actuation in response to an orthogonal signal. In response to the orthogonal signal, the electrically conductive material then undergoes a conformation or shape change. The conformational or shape change induces a strain or actuation that can be used to generate a signal. The stimulated state can be reversible, and in the absence of the orthogonal signal the electrically conductive material may resume its original shape or conformation.

The present invention provides a compound represented by formula (i), a liquid crystal composition using the compound, and a liquid crystal display device using the liquid crystal composition. The compound represented by formula (i) has a partial structure K.sup.i1 represented by any of general formulas (K-1) to (K-17) and further has ring B having at least two P-Sp- groups. Therefore, when used for a liquid crystal composition, the compound adsorbs to substrates sandwiching the liquid crystal composition (liquid crystal layer) and allows liquid crystal molecules to be held such that they are aligned in a vertical direction without a PI layer, and improved alignment stability and low-temperature storage stability can be achieved.

The invention relates to a liquid-crystalline medium having a nematic phase comprising one or more compounds of formula X ##STR00001##
wherein the parameters have the meaning given in the text, to the use thereof in an electro-optical display, particularly in an active-matrix display based on the IPS or FFS effect, to displays of this type which contain a liquid-crystalline medium of this type and to the use of the compounds of formula X for improvement of the transmission and/or response times of a liquid-crystalline medium which comprises one or more additional mesogenic compounds, as well as to the compounds of formula X.

A liquid-crystalline (LC) media having positive dielectric anisotropy and tliquid-crystal displays (LCDs) containing these media, especially to displays addressed by an active matrix and in particular to energy efficient LC displays of the TN, PS-TN, STN, TN-TFT, OCB, IPS, PS-IPS, FFS, HB-FFS, XB-FFS, PS-FFS, SA-HB-FFS, SA-XB-FFS, polymer stabilised SA-HB-FFS, polymer stabilised SA-XB-FFS, positive VA or positive PS-VA type.

The present invention belongs to the technical field of liquid crystal materials, and in particular relates to a liquid crystal composition with good frequency dependence and a liquid crystal display element or liquid crystal display containing the liquid crystal composition. The liquid crystal composition of the present invention comprises a compound represented by Formula I, a compound represented by Formula II and a compound represented by Formula III, wherein the mass percentage content of the compound represented by Formula I is not less than 30%. The liquid crystal composition provided by the present invention has an appropriate optical anisotropy, an appropriate dielectric anisotropy, especially a relatively low rotational viscosity, a good low-temperature mutual solubility and a good reliability, especially good frequency dependence.

##STR00001##

A liquid-crystalline medium which comprises at least one compound selected from the group of compounds of the formulae IA to IH,

##STR00001##

in which Z.sup.1 denotes a single bond, —CH.sub.2CH.sub.2—, —CH═CH—, —CH.sub.2O—, —OCH.sub.2—, —CF.sub.2O—, —OCF.sub.2—, —COO—, —OCO—, —C.sub.2F.sub.4—, —(CH.sub.2).sub.4—, —CHFCHF—, —CF.sub.2CH.sub.2—, —CH.sub.2CF.sub.2—, —C≡C—, —CF═CF—, —CH═CHCHO— or —CH.sub.2CF.sub.2O—,
and the use thereof for an active-matrix display, in particular based on the VA, PSA, PS-VA, PALC, FFS, PS-FFS, SA-VA, PS-IPS or IPS effect.

The invention relates to liquid-crystalline media which can be used, in particular, for electro-optical displays having active-matrix addressing based on the ECB effect and for IPS (in-plane switching) displays or FFS (fringe field switching) displays.

The invention relates to a liquid-crystalline medium which comprises at least one compound of the formula I, ##STR00001##
wherein the radicals R.sup.11, L.sup.1, L.sup.2, n and A are as defined herein, and to the use thereof for an active-matrix display, in particular based on the VA, PSA, PS-VA, PA-VA, PALC, FFS, PS-FFS, IPS or PS-IPS effect.

The present invention relates to a liquid crystalline medium comprising dichroitic dyes made of benzothiadiazoles and related extended heterocyclic derivatives, the use of said medium for optical, electro-optical and electronic purposes, in particular in devices for regulating the passage of radiation energy from an outside space into an inside space, for example in windows. The invention further relates to devices containing the liquid crystalline medium according to the invention. Some new dichroitic dyes are disclosed.