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.

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.

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.

A compound and a polymer which can each form a photo-alignment film having excellent ability of controlling alignment, a photo-alignment film obtained using the polymer and an optically anisotropic body and a liquid crystal display element each having the photo-alignment film are provided. A compound represented by the general formula (1). In the formula, P represents a polymerizable group, Z and Z.sup.1 represent divalent linking groups, A and A.sup.1 represent divalent cyclic groups, and X.sup.1 to X.sup.5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a hydroxy group, a nitro group, a cyano group or an alkyl group having 1 to 40 carbon atoms which may have a substituent, provided that X.sup.1, X.sup.2, X.sup.4 and X.sup.5 are not simultaneously hydrogen atoms.

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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.

Disclosed is a liquid crystalline epoxy compound wherein an epoxy group is positioned at a side chain of the longer direction of a mesogen group and each of the mesogen group and the epoxy group is connected to the center of the molecular structure through a flexible linkage. Since the liquid crystalline epoxy compound includes an epoxy group positioned at a side chain of the longer direction of a mesogen group and each of the mesogen group and the epoxy group is connected to the center of the molecular structure through a flexible linkage, the interaction between the mesogens in a cured resin product occurs significantly without weakening even after curing, thereby improving the heat conductivity of the resin compound through the active heat transfer between the mesogens.

A compound serving as a dichroic pigment which has a maximum absorption wavelength in a range of 350 nm to 510 nm is represented by the following Formula (1): ##STR00001##
In Formula (1), R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a C1-C20 alkyl group; R.sup.2 through R.sup.4 are substituents which are not hydrogen atoms and each independently represent a C1-C4 alkyl group; n, m, and p are each independently an integer of 0 to 2; and Ar.sup.1 represents a nitrogen-containing saturated heterocyclic group which is a 5 to 8-membered ring and in which (i) N is bonded to a phenylene group and (ii) at least one -position is an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom.

The present invention aims to provide a composition having a high n, a wide temperature range of a liquid crystal phase, low viscosity, good solubility at a low temperature, high resistivity, a high voltage holding ratio, and stability against heat and light; a liquid crystal composition containing the composition, the liquid crystal composition having a good lens effect and good chemical stability; a liquid crystal display device including the liquid crystal composition; and a liquid crystal lens including the liquid crystal composition. The liquid crystal composition contains one or two or more compounds represented by general formula (i) and one or two or more compounds represented by general formula (ii).

The present invention aims to provide a composition having a high n, a wide temperature range of a liquid crystal phase, low viscosity, good solubility at a low temperature, high resistivity, a high voltage holding ratio, and stability against heat and light; a liquid crystal composition containing the composition, the liquid crystal composition having a good lens effect and good chemical stability; a liquid crystal display device including the liquid crystal composition; and a liquid crystal lens including the liquid crystal composition. The liquid crystal composition contains one or two or more compounds represented by general formula (i) and one or two or more compounds represented by general formula (ii).