Provided is a liquid crystal compound represented by formula I, ##STR00001##
the compound having a positive dielectric anisotropy, a great elastic constant and a good solubility. Further provided is a liquid crystal composition comprising the liquid crystal compound represented by formula I, the liquid crystal composition having a good stability against light and heat, a lower viscosity, a wider refractive index that may be achieved by the adjustment of the monomer ratio, and a higher clearing point (a very wide service temperature range), and in particular, the liquid crystal composition has a higher light transmittance, thus allowing a display device to have a higher brightness or an energy saving effect.

Liquid-crystalline (LC) media having positive dielectric anisotropy and liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) containing these media, especially displays addressed by an active matrix and in particular LC displays of the TN, PS-TN, STN, TN-TFT, OCB, IPS, PS-IPS, FFS, HB-FFS PS-FFS, SA-HB-FFS, polymer stabilised SA-HB-FFS, positive VA or positive PS-VA type.

A liquid crystal composite that contains a liquid crystal composition satisfying at least one of characteristics such as high maximum temperature, low minimum temperature, small viscosity, large optical anisotropy and large positive dielectric anisotropy, and that is suitable for dimming, or having a suitable balance regarding at least two of the characteristics; and a liquid crystal dimming device having the liquid crystal composite. The liquid crystal composite contains a polymer and a liquid crystal composition containing a specific compound having large positive dielectric anisotropy. The liquid crystal composite may further contain a specific compound having high maximum temperature or low minimum temperature; or a specific compound having large negative dielectric anisotropy.

A liquid crystal composition includes a polymerizable compound (or polymer) and a polar compound, where the homeotropic alignment of liquid crystal molecules can be achieved by the action of these compounds, and a liquid crystal display device includes such a composition. A nematic liquid crystal composition has positive dielectric anisotropy and includes a polymerizable compound as a first additive and a polar compound as a second additive, and the composition may include a specific liquid crystal compound having a large positive dielectric anisotropy and a specific liquid crystal compound having a high maximum temperature or a small viscosity, and a liquid crystal display device includes such a composition.

The present invention relates to a method of controlling the pretilt angle in liquid crystal (LC) displays of the polymer sustained alignment (PSA) type, to a method of manufacturing a PSA display with different pretilt angles at the two substrates, and to PSA displays made by this method.

Provided are a liquid-crystal-medium having stability to heat, light and so forth, a wide liquid-crystal-phase temperature-range and significantly large dielectric-anisotropy and developing an optically isotropic liquid-crystal-phase; and various optical-devices used in a wide temperature-range, having short response-time, a large contrast-ratio and low drive-voltage and suppressing decrease in an effective dielectric-constant in a high-frequency range. A Liquid-crystal composition contains achiral-component T containing at least one compound selected from a first component represented by formula (1) and at least one compound selected from a second component represented by formula (2) or (3) and a chiral-agent to develop optically-isotropic liquid-crystal-phase: ##STR00001##
In formula (1), R.sup.1: alkyl, ring A.sup.1: 1,4-cyclohexylene, ring B.sup.1: 1,4-phenylene, L.sup.11 to L.sup.14: fluorine, Y.sup.1: fluorine, n.sup.1: 1 or 2, R.sup.2: alkyl, Z.sup.21 and Z.sup.22: single-bond or CF.sub.2O, L.sup.21 to L.sup.23: fluorine, Y.sup.2: fluorine, R.sup.3: alkyl, Z.sup.31 and Z.sup.32: single-bond or CF.sub.2O, L.sup.31 to L.sup.34: fluorine, Y.sup.3: fluorine, for example.

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal (LC) medium comprising polymerisable compounds, to a process for its preparation, to its use for optical, electro-optical and electronic purposes, in particular in LC displays, and to LC displays comprising it.

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal (LC) medium comprising polymerisable compounds, to a process for its preparation, to its use for optical, electro-optical and electronic purposes, in particular in LC displays, and to LC displays comprising it.

Liquid-crystalline (LC) media having positive dielectric anisotropy and liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) containing these media, especially displays addressed by an active matrix and in particular energy efficient LC displays of the TN, PSTN, STN, TN-TFT, OCB, IPS, PS-IPS, FFS, HB-FFS, XB-FFS, PS-FFS, SA-HB-FFS, SA-XB-FFS, polymer stabilised SA-HB-FFS, polymer stabilised SA-XB-FFS, positive VA or positive PS-VA type. The media have an improved long-term stability against UV radiation and elevated temperatures.

The present invention relates to liquid-crystalline media comprising one or more polymerisable compounds, preferably of formula P
P.sup.a-(Sp.sup.a).sub.s1-(A.sup.1-Z.sup.1).sub.n1-A.sup.2-Q-A.sup.3-(Z.sup.4-A.sup.4).sub.n2-(Sp.sup.b).sub.s2-P.sup.bP
and one or more compounds selected from the group of compounds of formulae I, II, and III, ##STR00001##
in which the parameters have the meaning indicated in Claim 1, and to components comprising these media for high-frequency technology, in particular phase shifters and microwave array antennas.