A liquid crystal (LC) medium comprising a polymerizable compound, a process for its preparation, its use for optical, electro-optical and electronic purposes, such as LC displays, including LC displays of the polymer sustained alignment (PSA) type, and LC displays, including PSA displays, comprising the LC medium.

An actuator device comprises a stack formed from a plurality of photoresponsive layers, which deform in response to light, which are partitioned by respective deformable non-photoresponsive layers. The deformable non-photoresponsive layers guide light between and to the photoresponsive layers, and can follow the deformation of the photoresponsive layers.

A polar compound having high chemical stability, high capability of aligning liquid crystal molecules, high solubility in a liquid crystal composition, and a large voltage holding ratio when the compound is used in a liquid crystal display device; and a composition containing the compound. The compound is represented by formula (1). In formula (1), for example, P.sup.1 is a group represented by any one of formulas (1b) to (1i), P.sup.2 is a group represented by formula (1d), Sp.sup.1 and Sp.sup.2 are a single bond, Z.sup.1, Z.sup.2, Z.sup.3, Z.sup.4 and Z.sup.5 are —COO—, and ring A.sup.1, ring A.sup.2, ring A.sup.3 and ring A.sup.4 are 1,4-phenylene: ##STR00001##

Compositions, systems and methods for use in monitoring an environment or a formation. The compositions can include electrically conductive material that can be used as a sensor. The sensor can have a non-writeable, writeable, and stimulated state. A first signal is used to induce the non-writeable material into a writeable state. In the writeable state, the electrically conductive material has the capacity for actuation in response to an orthogonal signal. In response to the orthogonal signal, the electrically conductive material then undergoes a conformation or shape change. The conformational or shape change induces a strain or actuation that can be used to generate a signal. The stimulated state can be reversible, and in the absence of the orthogonal signal the electrically conductive material may resume its original shape or conformation.

The invention relates to a liquid-crystalline medium which comprises at least one compound of the formula I,

##STR00001##

in which
R.sup.1, R.sup.1*, rings A and B, Z.sup.1, L.sup.1, L.sup.2, a and b have the meanings indicated in Claim 1,
and to the use thereof for an active-matrix display, in particular based on the VA, PSA, PS-VA, PALC, FFS, PS-FFS, IPS or PS-IPS effect.

The invention relates to a compound of formula I,

##STR00001##

R.sup.11, R.sup.21, A.sup.11, A, Z, X.sup.11, X.sup.21, Y.sup.11, Y.sup.12, Sp.sup.11, Sp.sup.21, o and p have one of the meanings as given in claim 1. The invention further relates to method of production of a compound of formula I, to the use of said compounds in LC media and to LC media comprising one or more compounds of formula I. Further, the invention relates to a method of production of such LC media, to the use of such media in LC devices, and to LC device comprising a LC medium according to the present invention. The present invention further relates to a process for the fabrication such liquid crystal display and to the use of the liquid crystal mixtures according to the invention for the fabrication of such liquid crystal display.

Disclosed are a liquid crystal composition, a liquid crystal display element, and a liquid crystal display, said liquid crystal composition comprising one or more compounds represented by formula I, one or more compounds represented by formula II, one or more compounds represented by formula III and one or more compounds represented by formula IV, ##STR00001##
The liquid crystal composition of the present invention has a good stability to light and heat and a lower viscosity, and can attain a wider refractive index and a high clearing point (a wide service temperature range), and in particular, the liquid crystal composition has a high light transmittance, thus allowing a display device to have a high brightness or an energy saving effect.

The present invention provides a liquid crystal composition formed by combining a polymerizable compound represented by formula I with a specific liquid crystal component, particularly a PSVA liquid crystal composition for displays or TV applications and a PSA-IPS liquid crystal composition for an IPS mode, and a liquid crystal display element or liquid crystal display comprising this liquid crystal composition; in particular, the polymerizable compound has a faster polymerization rate, and a “material system” formed from the selected polymerizable component and liquid crystal component should have the lowest rotary viscosity and the best photoelectric properties, and has a high VHR after (UV) photoradiation, this avoiding the problem of the occurrence of residual images to final displays. ##STR00001##

Disclosed is a liquid crystal composition comprising one or more compounds represented by formula I, one or more compounds represented by formula II, and one or more compounds represented by formula III: ##STR00001##
The liquid crystal composition has simultaneously a lower rotary viscosity, a better photoelectric performance, a higher clearing point, a good low temperature performance, and less display defects. Further disclosed is a liquid crystal display element or device comprising the liquid crystal composition.

A double layer liquid crystal device comprises a first and a second layer with orthogonal or crossed alignment of the liquid crystal phase of the two layers, in which the first and second layer have first and second alignment aids comprised of a polymerized or polymerizable molecular compound. The layers are aligned by UV photoalignment and vertical self-alignment by the aid of suitable additives.