The present invention relates to liquid crystal (LC) media comprising one or more polymerisable compounds as further specified in the description or claims and a self-alignment additive for vertical alignment. The media are adapted for use in LC displays, especially in LC displays of the polymer-sustained alignment type.

To suppress a phenomenon where an optical axis of the optically anisotropic layer is tilted when the optically anisotropic layer is produced by using a liquid crystalline compound showing smectic phase as a materials showing a higher level of orderliness. An optically anisotropic layer wherein a polymerizable composition, containing one or more polymerizable rod-like liquid crystal compound showing a smectic phase, is fixed in a state of smectic phase, and a direction of maximum refractive index of the optically anisotropic layer is inclined at 10° or smaller to the surface of the optically anisotropic layer, a method for manufacturing the same, a laminate and a method for manufacturing the same, a polarizing plate, a liquid crystal display device, and an organic EL display device.

An optically anisotropic multi-layered product including an optically anisotropic layer (Sm), and an optically anisotropic layer (N), wherein: the optically anisotropic layer (Sm) is an optically anisotropic layer that contains a liquid crystal compound (A-Sm) fixed in a state in which a smectic liquid crystal phase is exhibited; the optically anisotropic layer (N) is an optically anisotropic layer that contains a liquid crystal compound (A-N) fixed in a state in which a nematic liquid crystal phase is exhibited; and the optically anisotropic layer (Sm) and the optically anisotropic layer (N) have a common in-plane slow axis direction. A method for producing the optically anisotropic multi-layered product is also provided.

A LC lens and a liquid-crystal medium used in said LC lens, wherein the medium contains one or more compounds of each of formulae I and II ##STR00001##

A liquid-crystalline medium which comprises at least one compound selected from the group of compounds of the formulae IA to IH,

##STR00001##

in which Z.sup.1 denotes a single bond, —CH.sub.2CH.sub.2—, —CH═CH—, —CH.sub.2O—, —OCH.sub.2—, —CF.sub.2O—, —OCF.sub.2—, —COO—, —OCO—, —C.sub.2F.sub.4—, —(CH.sub.2).sub.4—, —CHFCHF—, —CF.sub.2CH.sub.2—, —CH.sub.2CF.sub.2—, —C≡C—, —CF═CF—, —CH═CHCHO— or —CH.sub.2CF.sub.2O—,
and the use thereof for an active-matrix display, in particular based on the VA, PSA, PS-VA, PALC, FFS, PS-FFS, SA-VA, PS-IPS or IPS effect.

A positive dielectric anisotropic liquid crystal composition includes one or more compounds of formula I and one or more compounds of formula II: ##STR00001##
wherein R1 represents cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl or cyclopentyl, R2, R3 and R4 are as defined in the specification, and a liquid crystal display device. The liquid crystal composition has positive dielectric properties, a high charge retention ratio, a low rotary viscosity, a fast response time, and especially a high transmittance, and is suitable for manufacturing a TFT-LCD with a high transmittance and a fast response.

A liquid crystal composition includes one or more compounds of general Formula I in an amount of 1%-30% by weight of the total weight of the liquid crystal composition, one or more compounds of general Formula II in an amount of 5%-35% by weight of the total weight of the liquid crystal composition, and one or more compounds of general Formula III in an amount of 1%-35% by weight of the total weight of the liquid crystal composition. The liquid crystal composition has an appropriate clearing point, an appropriate optical anisotropy, an appropriate dielectric anisotropy, as well as a higher voltage holding ratio, a higher transmittance, a good high-temperature resistant performance and a faster response speed, thus being suitable for display modes, such as VA, IPS and FFS. A photoelectric display device includes the liquid crystal composition. ##STR00001##

The invention relates to bimesogenic compounds of formula I

##STR00001##

to the use of bimesogenic compounds of formula I in liquid crystal media and particular to flexoelectric liquid crystal devices comprising a liquid crystal medium according to the present invention.

To provide a liquid crystal composition having at least one or a suitable balance regarding two of characteristics such as high maximum or low minimum temperature of a nematic phase, small viscosity, suitable optical anisotropy, large dielectric anisotropy, large specific resistance, high stability to ultraviolet light or heat and a large elastic constant; and an AM device including the composition and having a short response time, a large voltage holding ratio, low threshold voltage, a large contrast ratio, a long service life and so forth. The liquid crystal composition contains a quencher as an additive component and a specific compound having large positive dielectric anisotropy as a first component, and a liquid crystal display device includes the composition. The composition may contain a specific compound having high maximum temperature or small viscosity as a second component, or a specific compound having negative dielectric anisotropy as a third component.

A photo alignment including a copolymer of a diamine and a dianhydride, wherein the copolymer includes a repeating unit including a first group derived from the diamine and a second group derived from the dianhydride, and wherein any one of the first group and the second group includes a photoreactive group and the other one of the first group and the second group includes at least one selected from a tert-butyl group, a tert-butoxy group, a tert-butyloxycarbonyl group, and a di-tert-butyloxycarbonyl group.