The present invention provides a liquid crystal composition, containing: one kind or two or more kinds of a first monomer having a first mesogenic skeleton, at least one polymerizable group represented by the general formula (PG1) linked to the first mesogenic skeleton, and at least one polar group linked to the mesogenic skeleton or the polymerizable group; and one kind or two or more kinds of a second monomer having a second mesogenic skeleton and a polymerizable group represented by the general formula (PG2) linked to the second mesogenic skeleton, and having a chemical structure different from that of the first monomer, in an amount of more than 0.4% by mass, which is excellent in vertical alignment, burn-in characteristics (change with time of pretilt angle), and compatibility, and provides a liquid crystal display element using the liquid crystal composition.

Disclosed is a liquid crystal display device comprising an array substrate and an opposite substrate arranged facing the array substrate, and further comprises a liquid crystal composition located between said array substrate and the opposite substrate, wherein said array substrate comprises elongated and evenly spaced slit electrodes and electrode gaps between the slit electrodes, with the slit electrodes and the electrode gaps said being located in the same layer structure; said array substrate comprises a bulk electrode below the slit electrodes; and said array substrate further comprises an insulating layer between the slit electrodes and the bulk electrode. The liquid crystal display device has a higher light transmittance, such that more backlight passes through the liquid crystal display device, resulting in the liquid crystal display device having a higher luminance.

Provided are a liquid crystal composition that contains a polar compound having a polymerizable group, in which vertical alignment of liquid crystal molecules can be achieved by action of the compound (or polymer), and a liquid crystal display device including the composition. The composition satisfies at least one of characteristics such as high maximum temperature, low minimum temperature, small viscosity, suitable optical anisotropy, large negative dielectric anisotropy, large specific resistance, high stability to ultraviolet light and heat. The composition is a nematic liquid crystal composition that has negative dielectric anisotropy and contains the polar compound as a first additive, and may contain a specific liquid crystal compound having large negative dielectric anisotropy as a first component, a specific liquid crystal compound having high maximum temperature or small viscosity as a second component and a polymerizable compound as a second additive, and the liquid crystal display device includes the composition.

Provide is 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. A compound represented by formula (1) is applied.

##STR00001##

For example, in formula (1), P.sup.1 is any one of formulas (1b) to (1i), Sp is a single bond, Z is COO, and A is 1,4-phenylene.

##STR00002##

The present invention relates to a method of reducing ODF mura in liquid crystal (LC) displays of the polymer sustained alignment (PSA) type and to PSA LC displays made by this method.

The present invention relates to a process of preparing a light modulation element of the PS-ULH (polymer stabilised ULH) type, which allows to reduce the operational voltage and allows to improve the switching time of the light modulation element.

A liquid crystal compound comprising a specific compound having a positive dielectric anisotropy as the first component, and a specific compound having a low viscosity as a second component. Further, the liquid crystal compound may contain a specific compound having a positive dielectric anisotropy as the third component, a specific compound having a maximum temperature or a low viscosity as the fourth component, or a specific compound having a negative dielectric anisotropy as the fifth component.

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 negative dielectric anisotropy, large specific resistance, high stability to ultraviolet light and high stability to heat, or the liquid crystal composition having a suitable balance regarding at least two of the characteristics; and an AM device having characteristics such as a short response time, a large voltage holding ratio, low threshold voltage, a large contrast ratio and a long service life. The liquid crystal composition has negative dielectric anisotropy and contains a specific compound having large negative dielectric anisotropy as a first component, a specific compound having low minimum temperature as a second component, and a specific compound having small viscosity as a third component, and the composition may contain a specific compound having high maximum temperature or small viscosity as a fourth component, a specific compound having negative dielectric anisotropy as a fifth component, or a specific compound having a polymerizable group as an additive component.

Shown are a liquid crystal composition satisfying at least one of characteristics such as high maximum temperature, low minimum temperature, low viscosity, suitable optical anisotropy and large negative dielectric anisotropy, or 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 compound having large negative dielectric anisotropy as a first component, and a specific compound having low viscosity as a second component, and may contain a specific compound having negative dielectric anisotropy as a third component, a specific compound having high maximum temperature or low viscosity as a fourth component, or a specific compound having a polymerizable group as an additive.

A compound represented by formula (1), a liquid crystal composition to which the compound is added, and a liquid crystal display device containing the composition. ##STR00001## In formula (1), R.sup.1 is hydrogen or alkyl having 1 to 20 carbons, or the like; R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are independently methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, or t-butyl; ring A is 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene or the like; Z is a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 6 carbons, or the like; and m is 0, 1, or 2.