The liquid crystal composition of the present invention can be used in a liquid crystal display element of an IPS type or a TN type in which display defects such as burn-in and dropping marks in high speed response are unlikely to be generated. Since the liquid crystal composition contains a component which is a dielectrically positive component including a dielectrically positive compound and a dielectrically neutral component of which dielectric anisotropy is greater than −2 and less than +2, the liquid crystal composition has excellent characteristics that the liquid crystal composition has a liquid crystal phase in a wide temperature range, low viscosity, excellent solubility at a low temperature, high specific resistance and a high voltage holding ratio, and is stable with respect to heat and light.

The liquid crystal composition of the present invention can be used in a liquid crystal display element of an IPS type or a TN type in which display defects such as burn-in and dropping marks in high speed response are unlikely to be generated. Since the liquid crystal composition contains a component which is a dielectrically positive component including a dielectrically positive compound and a dielectrically neutral component of which dielectric anisotropy is greater than −2 and less than +2, the liquid crystal composition has excellent characteristics that the liquid crystal composition has a liquid crystal phase in a wide temperature range, low viscosity, excellent solubility at a low temperature, high specific resistance and a high voltage holding ratio, and is stable with respect to heat and light.

Provided are a liquid crystal cell and a use thereof. An exemplary liquid crystal cell can be implemented in a bistable mode switching between a haze mode and a non-haze mode even with low driving voltage. Such a liquid crystal cell can be applied to various optical modulation apparatus, such as a smart window, a window protection film, a flexible display element, an active retarder for a 3D visual display, and a viewing angle-controlling film.

Reactive mesogens (RMs), mixtures and formulations comprising RMs, polymers obtained from such RMs and RM mixtures, and the use of the RMs, RM mixtures and polymers in optical or electrooptical components or devices, like optical films for liquid crystal displays (LCDs).

Provided is an optically anisotropic layer having an excellent surface condition, with which an image display device having an excellent contrast can be manufactured; and an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device, each having the optically anisotropic layer. The optically anisotropic layer is obtained by immobilizing a polymerizable liquid crystal composition including a polymerizable rod-shaped liquid crystal compound exhibiting a liquid crystal state of a smectic phase and an additive in a liquid crystal state of a smectic phase, in which a molecular length A (Å) of the polymerizable rod-shaped liquid crystal compound, a layer interval B (Å) of the smectic phase of the optically anisotropic layer, and a molecular length C (Å) of the additive satisfy a relationship of Expression (1-1), 0.5×B≤C≤0.6×A . . . (1-1).

Provided is a polarizing plate for a light-emitting diode and a light-emitting display device including the same, the polarizing plate comprising a polarizing film and a liquid crystal retardation film, wherein the liquid crystal retardation film comprises a laminate made of: a second retardation film having a discotic liquid crystal of which an in-plane retardation Re, in a wavelength of 550 nm, is approximately 220 nm to approximately 280 nm and a biaxial degree (NZ) is approximately 0 to approximately 0.3; and a first retardation film having a nematic liquid crystal of which an in-plane retardation Re, in a wavelength of 550 nm, is approximately 100 nm to approximately 150 nm and a biaxial degree (NZ) is approximately 0.3 to approximately 0.7.

There is provided a laminate including, in the following order, a protective layer, a base material, a reflective layer having a maximum reflection wavelength in a wavelength range of 380 nm to 2,000 nm, and an adhesive layer, in which in a case where a modulus of elasticity of the protective layer is denoted by E1, a modulus of elasticity of the base material is denoted by E2, and a modulus of elasticity of the adhesive layer is denoted by E3, a relationship of E1≥E2>E3 is satisfied. The laminate is preferably a layer having an uneven structure, and more preferably the uneven structure has an uneven structure having a depth of 1 μm or more.

Provided is a liquid crystal composition capable of forming an optically anisotropic layer, and method thereof, in which a variation in a twisted angle of liquid crystal compound in an in-plane direction is suppressed an optical film, and a circularly polarizing plate for an organic EL display. The liquid crystal composition contains a liquid crystal, optically active compound A which is a photosensitive optically active compound whose helical twisting power changes upon irradiation with light and has a molar absorption coefficient of 5,000 M.sup.−1.Math.cm.sup.−1 or more with respect to light having a wavelength of 365 nm, and an optically active compound B having a molar absorption coefficient with respect to light having a wavelength of 365 nm smaller than the molar absorption coefficient of the optically active compound A, in which a mass content ratio of the optically active compound A to the liquid crystal compound is less than 0.01.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a cholesteric liquid crystal layer, which is capable of freely controlling a tilt angle of an arrangement direction of bright portion and dark portion derived from a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase with respect to a normal line of a main surface of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer; a cholesteric liquid crystal layer; an optically anisotropic body; and a reflective film.

The method for producing a cholesteric liquid crystal layer according to the present invention includes a step X of forming a cholesteric liquid crystal layer A in which a liquid crystal compound is aligned into a state of a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase, satisfying all of the conditions 1 to 3, and a step Y of carrying out a treatment to increase or decrease a helical pitch of the cholesteric liquid crystalline phase in the cholesteric liquid crystal layer A obtained by the step X to increase or decrease a tilt angle of an arrangement direction of bright portion and dark portion derived from the cholesteric liquid crystalline phase, as observed in a cross-section perpendicular to a main surface of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer A, with respect to a normal direction of the main surface of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer A.

A polymerizable LC material comprising one or more reactive mesogenic compounds, one or more chiral compounds and a block copolymer that comprises at least one polyfluorooxetane block bonded to a polyether block, said polyfluorooxetane block having a repeating unit of the formula

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Further, a method for its preparation, a polymer film obtainable from a corresponding polymerizable LC material, a method of preparation of such polymer film, and the use of such polymer film and said polymerizable LC material in optical, electro-optical, decorative or security devices.