Provided is an optical film which has a maximum absorption at a wavelength in the range of 600 to 680 nm, has a high dichroic ratio, and is excellent in light resistance. The optical film includes: a polymer of a polymerizable liquid crystal compound; and a compound represented by the following general formula (1).

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A material from which a cured film exhibiting high solvent resistance, liquid crystal-alignment performance, heat resistance and high transparency can be formed. A composition for forming a thermoset film having photo alignment properties, the composition comprising: a component (A) that is an acrylic copolymer having a photodimerizing moiety and a thermal cross-linking moiety; a component (B) that is an acrylic polymer having at least one of a C.sub.2-5 alkyl ester group and a C.sub.2-5 hydroxyalkyl ester group and at least one of a carboxy group and a phenolic hydroxy group; and a component (C) that is a cross-linking agent.

A material from which a cured film exhibiting high solvent resistance, liquid crystal-alignment performance, heat resistance and high transparency can be formed. A composition for forming a thermoset film having photo alignment properties, the composition comprising: a component (A) that is an acrylic copolymer having a photodimerizing moiety and a thermal cross-linking moiety; a component (B) that is an acrylic polymer having at least one of a C.sub.2-5 alkyl ester group and a C.sub.2-5 hydroxyalkyl ester group and at least one of a carboxy group and a phenolic hydroxy group; and a component (C) that is a cross-linking agent.

Radiopaque polymer compositions and methods for making the compositions are provided. These radiopaque polymer compositions include polymer compositions comprising a crosslinked polymer network, the network comprising a first repeating unit derived from a monofunctional monomer and a second repeating unit derived from a multifunctional non-iodinated monomer wherein neither of the two monomers is fluorinated. Devices formed from radiopaque polymer compositions are also provided.

Radiopaque polymer compositions and methods for making the compositions are provided. These radiopaque polymer compositions include polymer compositions comprising a crosslinked polymer network, the network comprising a first repeating unit derived from a monofunctional monomer and a second repeating unit derived from a multifunctional non-iodinated monomer wherein neither of the two monomers is fluorinated. Devices formed from radiopaque polymer compositions are also provided.

A transparent body production method that includes subjecting the compound represented by formula (1) to heating at a temperature equal to or greater than the melting point of said compound. In formula (1), each of W.sup.1 and W.sup.2 is the group represented by formula (2) in which the ring Z is an aromatic hydrocarbon ring, X is a single bond or —S—, R.sup.1 is a single bond or an alkylene group having 1-4 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 is a specific substituent, and m is an integer of 0 or higher, the group represented by formula (4) is —OH— or a (meth)acryloyloxy group, each of the rings Y.sup.1 and Y.sup.2 is an aromatic hydrocarbon ring, R is a single bond or a specific divalent group, each of R.sup.3a and R.sup.3b is —CN, a halogen group, or a monovalent hydrocarbon group, and each of n1 and n2 is an integer of 0-4.

A non-chemically-amplified positive resist composition comprising a polymer comprising both recurring units derived from a sulfonium salt capable of generating a fluorinated acid and recurring units containing an amino group as a base resin exhibits a high resolution and a low edge roughness and forms a pattern of good profile after exposure and organic solvent development.

The present invention provides a pigment dispersant that exhibits high fine dispersibility, stability, and fluidity in a small amount, a pigment dispersion liquid including the pigment dispersant, and a process of producing the pigment dispersant and pigment dispersion liquid. The pigment dispersant contains as a main component, a graft copolymer formed through living radical polymerization using two or more monomers containing including a methacrylate A having an acidic group or a basic group and a methacrylate-based macromonomer B having a methacrylate residue at one terminal of a particular polymer chain that has a molecular weight of from 500 to 5000. A ratio of a total molar number of the methacrylate-based monomers relative to 1 mol of a polymerization-initiating compound in the raw material monomers is from 20 to 50 mol. A ratio of the B component-derived polymer chain to the graft copolymer is from 50 to 90 mass %.

The present invention provides a pigment dispersant that exhibits high fine dispersibility, stability, and fluidity in a small amount, a pigment dispersion liquid including the pigment dispersant, and a process of producing the pigment dispersant and pigment dispersion liquid. The pigment dispersant contains as a main component, a graft copolymer formed through living radical polymerization using two or more monomers containing including a methacrylate A having an acidic group or a basic group and a methacrylate-based macromonomer B having a methacrylate residue at one terminal of a particular polymer chain that has a molecular weight of from 500 to 5000. A ratio of a total molar number of the methacrylate-based monomers relative to 1 mol of a polymerization-initiating compound in the raw material monomers is from 20 to 50 mol. A ratio of the B component-derived polymer chain to the graft copolymer is from 50 to 90 mass %.

The radiation-sensitive resin composition contains: a polymer having a structural unit that includes an acid-labile group; and a compound represented by formula (1). In the formula (1), Ar.sup.1 represents a group obtained by removing (m+n+2) hydrogen atoms from an aromatic ring of an arene having 6 to 30 carbon atoms; —OH and —COO— are bonded at ortho positions to each other on a same benzene ring on Ar.sup.1; and R.sup.G represents a group represented by formula (V-1), a group represented by formula (V-2), a group including a lactone structure, a group including a cyclic carbonate structure, a group including a sultone structure, a group including a ketonic carbonyl group, a group including a thiocarbonate group, or a group including a group represented by formula (V-3), or the like. ##STR00001##