It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal composition having positive Δ∈, having a liquid crystal phase in a wide temperature range, having high solubility at low temperatures, having high ODF process compatibility, having a high specific resistance and voltage holding ratio, and being insensitive to heat and light. In order to achieve this object, there is provided a liquid crystal composition containing at least one compound represented by the following general formula (i) and at least one compound represented by the following general formula (ii). ##STR00001## (wherein R.sup.i1 denotes an alkyl group having 2 to 5 carbon atoms) ##STR00002## (wherein R.sup.ii1 and R.sup.ii2 independently denote an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 5 carbon atoms, and X.sup.ii1 and X.sup.ii2 independently denote a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom)

There is provided a liquid crystal composition that exhibits a sufficiently low viscosity (η), a sufficiently low rotational viscosity (γ1), and a large elastic modulus (K.sub.33) without decreasing the refractive index anisotropy (Δn) and the nematic phase-isotropic liquid phase transition temperature (T.sub.ni) and without increasing the solid phase-nematic phase transition temperature (T.sub.cn). The liquid crystal display element that uses this liquid crystal composition satisfactorily obtains a pretilt angle and has a high voltage holding ratio (VHR) and high-speed response. Thus, a liquid crystal display element that has no or less alignment defects and display defects such as image sticking, and has high display quality and high response speed is obtained.

An object of the present invention is to provide an optical film having excellent alignment, and a polarizing plate and an image display device using the same. The optical film of the present invention is an optical film having at least an optically anisotropic layer, and the optically anisotropic layer contains a smectic liquid crystal compound not including a fluorine atom and a compound partially having a cyclohexane ring in which the hydrogen atom is substituted with a linear alkyl group.

A liquid crystal composition containing a benzochromene compound and the use thereof in a liquid crystal display element or liquid crystal display. The liquid crystal composition comprises one or more compounds represented by Formula I and one or more compounds represented by Formula II. The liquid crystal composition has the characteristics of a small rotational viscosity, a large elastic constant, a high transmittance, a fast response speed, a strong resistance to ultraviolet light irradiation, and a high long-time light stability, and is particularly suitable for the field of TV display.

##STR00001##

As a material used in an element used for phase control of an electromagnetic wave signal having a frequency of 1 GHz to 10 THz, a liquid crystal composition is required, which has a high upper limit temperature of a nematic phase, a low lower limit temperature of a nematic phase, large dielectric anisotropy and a small tan δ in a frequency region where the phase control of an electromagnetic wave signal is performed, and stability against heat, and which has an excellent balance of the characteristics. A liquid crystal composition which is used in an element for phase control of an electromagnetic wave signal having any frequency from 1 GHz to 10 THz, the liquid crystal composition containing at least one compound selected from compounds represented by Formula (1) as a first component. ##STR00001##

The present invention provides a novel liquid crystal material composition comprising one or more compound, in order to achieve the properties of low viscosity, high resistivity, good low-temperature mutual solubility, fast response, excellent transmission, and which can be used for a variety of fast response display modes. Since the working temperature of a LCD material is subjected to the temperature range of individual LC molecules, information can only be displayed in a specific temperature range of the specific liquid crystal macro-alignment phase. At low temperature, the viscosity of liquid crystal increases exponentially, which in turn substantially reduces the response speed and overall performances of the display system. The liquid crystal composition according to the present invention overcomes these problems with balanced chemical composition by achieving low viscosity, good low-temperature performance and excellent transmission in a wide range of LCD applications including TN, IPS or FFS displays, thus improving display performance.

Provided is a liquid crystal composition satisfying at least one or having suitable balance regarding at least two of characteristics such as high maximum or low minimum temperature of a nematic phase, large optical anisotropy, large positive dielectric anisotropy and high stability to ultraviolet light, and a liquid crystal display device including such a composition, particularly an encapsulated liquid crystal display device, and a liquid crystal display device serving as a constituent of 3D lenses. The liquid crystal composition contains a specific compound having large optical anisotropy as a first component, and a specific compound having large optical anisotropy and large positive dielectric anisotropy as a second component; a specific compound having large positive dielectric anisotropy as a third component; and a specific compound having large optical anisotropy and further having high maximum or low minimum temperature as a fourth component, and the liquid crystal display device includes the composition.

An object of the present invention is to provide a composition that has positive Δε, exhibits a liquid crystal phase over a wide temperature range, has low viscosity, excellent solubility at low temperatures, and high resistivity and voltage holding ratio, and is stable against heat and light. By using this composition, IPS or TN liquid crystal display devices and the like that have excellent display quality and suppress display failures such as image-sticking and drop marks are provided in high yield. Provided is a composition that contains at least one selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by general formulae (i) and (ii) and at least one compound represented by general formula (iii). Also provided is a liquid crystal display device that uses the composition and an IPS or FFS device that uses the composition.

The liquid crystal composition has the nematic phase and contains a specific compound having large positive dielectric anisotropy as a first component, and a specific compound having small viscosity as a second component, and may contain a specific compound having large positive dielectric anisotropy as a third component, a specific compound having a high maximum temperature or large positive dielectric anisotropy as a fourth component, or a specific compound having negative dielectric anisotropy as a fifth component, and a liquid crystal display device includes the composition.

A liquid crystal composition including a liquid crystal compound represented by Formula 1:

##STR00001##