A device containing a radio-frequency (RF) liquid crystal (RFLC) mixture with improved performance is disclosed. In one embodiment, the improved performance includes high RF tuning, broad thermal operating ranges and low viscosity. In one embodiment, the device comprises an antenna comprising: an antenna element array having a plurality of antenna elements and each antenna element having a liquid crystal (LC) structure, wherein the LC structure comprises a mixture of one or more of the following:

##STR00001##

laterally functionalized with one or more of at least a proton, a hydrogen (H), or a heteroatom.

The invention relates to the compounds of the formula I and to a liquid-crystalline medium based on a mixture of polar compounds which contains at least one compound of the formula I ##STR00001##
in which R.sup.1, ring A.sup.1, L.sup.1, L.sup.2, L.sup.3, L.sup.4, L.sup.5, L.sup.6, L.sup.7, L.sup.8, Z.sup.1 and m have the meanings indicated in claim 1 and to the use of the LC mixtures in electro-optical displays, especially for the self-aligning VA mode.

The invention relates to an electro-optical liquid-crystal display having a re-alignment layer for re-alignment of the liquid crystals whose field has a component, crucial for the re-alignment, parallel to the liquid-crystal layer, containing a liquid-crystalline medium, characterized in that it comprises one or more compounds of the formula I1 to I3, (I1) (I2) (I3) and at least one compound of the formula II, in which the parameters R.sup.11, R.sup.11*, Z.sup.0, Sp, k, l, p, Y.sup.21 to Y.sup.22, R.sup.21 and R.sup.22 have the meanings indicated in claim 1.

An object of the present invention is to provide a composition that realizes high n, has a wide liquid crystal phase temperature range, small viscosity, excellent low-temperature solubility, and high resistivity and voltage holding ratio, and is stable against heat and light, and to provide a liquid crystal composition having an excellent lens effect and excellent chemical stability using the composition, and a liquid crystal display device and a liquid crystal lens that use the liquid crystal composition. The present invention provides a liquid crystal composition that contains one or two or more compounds represented by general formula (i) and one or two or more compounds represented by general formula (ii), a liquid crystal display device using the liquid crystal composition, a liquid crystal lens using the liquid crystal composition, and a birefringence lens for stereoscopic image display using the liquid crystal composition.

The invention provides a liquid crystal compound satisfying at least one of physical properties such as a high stability to heat or light, a high clearing point (or a high maximum temperature), a low minimum temperature of a liquid crystal phase, a small viscosity, a suitable optical anisotropy, a small dielectric anisotropy, a suitable elastic constant and a good compatibility with other liquid crystal compounds, a liquid crystal composition including this compound, and a liquid crystal display device containing this composition. The invention provides a compound represented by formula (1): ##STR00001##
where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is alkyl having 1 to 20 carbons or the like; one of L.sup.1 and L.sup.2 is both hydrogens, and the other is both fluorines; Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2 are independently a single bond, COO, OCO, OCH.sub.2, CH.sub.2O, CF.sub.2O, OCF.sub.2, CH.sub.2CH.sub.2, CHCH, CC or the like.

The means concerns a liquid crystal composition that has a nematic phase and negative dielectric anisotropy and includes a quencher as a first additive and a specific compound having a large negative dielectric anisotropy as a first component, and the composition may include a specific compound having a high maximum temperature or a small viscosity as a second component and a specific polymerizable compound.

An optically anisotropic layer is formed by a liquid crystal compound represented by General Formula 1, in which the long axes of the molecules are oriented. ##STR00001##
wherein L.sub.1 and L.sub.2 independently represent a linking group having a carbonyl group; F.sub.1 and F.sub.2 independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom; n and m independently represent an integer from 0 to 4; a and b independently represent an integer from 1 to 4; T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 independently represent a spacer portion including a straight chain or branched alkylene or alkylene oxide group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms; and Ar represents a divalent group having at least one aromatic ring selected from a group consisting of aromatic hydrocarbon rings and aromatic heterocycles, the number of electrons in the Ar group being 8 or greater.

Shown is a compound represented by formula (1). For example, R.sup.1 is alkyl having 1 to 15 carbons; MES is a mesogen group having at least one ring; Sp.sup.1 is a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 10 carbons; M.sup.1 is methyl; and R.sup.2, M.sup.2 and M.sup.3 are hydrogen.

##STR00001##

The present invention relates to dielectrically positive liquid-crystalline media comprising one or more compounds of the formula I and/or TINUVIN 770,

##STR00001##

in which the parameters have the respective meanings indicated in the specification, and optionally one or more further dielectrically positive compounds and optionally one or more further dielectrically neutral compounds, and to liquid-crystal displays, especially active-matrix displays and in particular TN, IPS and FFS displays, containing these media.

Provided are a liquid crystal composition satisfying at least one of characteristics such as high maximum temperature, low minimum temperature, small viscosity, suitable optical anisotropy, large dielectric anisotropy and a short helical pitch, or the liquid crystal composition having a suitable balance regarding at least two of the characteristics; and an AM device including the composition. The liquid crystal composition contains a specific optically active compound as an additive, and a specific compound having high maximum temperature or small viscosity as a first component, and may contain a specific compound having positive dielectric anisotropy as a second component, or a specific compound having negative dielectric anisotropy as a third component.