[Problem] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for developing a large anchoring energy by simple processes. [Solution] There is provided a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal alignment film, comprising: a process (I) of mixing a solvent with a photoresponsive polymer to prepare a photoresponsive polymer solution; a process (II) of coating the photoresponsive polymer solution on a substrate, followed by drying at 50 to 100 C. for 1 to 3 minutes and then drying at 120 C. to 180 C. for 5 to 75 minutes to form a coating film; and a process (III) of adjusting a temperature of the coating film while the coating film is irradiated with a light of 200 to 350 nm to 40 C. to 100 C.

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device that includes a retardation layer with excellent thermal stability and suppresses a decrease in contrast ratio caused by scattering even when the retardation layer has been formed by polymerizing reactive monomers. The liquid crystal display device includes a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer held between the substrates. At least one of the substrates includes a retardation layer that contains a polymer of at least one type of monomer. The at least one type of monomer includes a photo-alignment monomer represented by a certain formula.

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device that includes a retardation layer with excellent thermal stability and suppresses a decrease in contrast ratio caused by scattering even when the retardation layer has been formed by polymerizing reactive monomers. The liquid crystal display device includes a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer held between the substrates. At least one of the substrates includes a retardation layer that contains a polymer of at least one type of monomer. The at least one type of monomer includes a photo-alignment monomer represented by a certain formula.

A transmittance-variable film and a use thereof, where the transmittance-variable film can control pretilt of a liquid crystal interface by applying a liquid crystal alignment film containing splay oriented liquid crystal molecules, and can vertically and horizontally orient a liquid crystal layer or a liquid crystal interface according to an average tilt angle of the liquid crystal alignment film to ensure uniformity of driving and fast response speed. In addition, by applying a liquid crystal alignment film, the transmittance-variable film can be implemented in various modes with a simple coating-drying-curing method excluding the rubbing process by controlling an arrangement of liquid crystal molecules in a liquid crystal alignment film other than the pretilt control method using the conventional rubbing method.

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device that includes: a pair of substrates; a liquid crystal layer held between the substrates; an alignment film disposed on a liquid crystal layer side surface of at least one of the substrates; and a polymer layer disposed between the liquid crystal layer and the alignment film, the liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal compounds aligned in a predetermined direction with no voltage applied, the alignment film containing a first polymer containing in its main chain at least one selected from a polyamic acid structure and a polyimide structure, the first polymer containing a functional group that functions as a polymerization initiator, the polymer layer containing a second polymer obtained by polymerizing at least one monomer containing a chalcone group.

The present application relates to a method of applying particles, an optical film and a method of manufacturing an active liquid crystal device. In the method of applying particles of the present application, the particles can be uniformly applied on a base material and fixed while maintaining the shape of particles. The optical film of the present invention produced by the above method can have excellent particle dispersity. A method of manufacturing an active liquid crystal device using the above method can maintain a cell gap uniformly while simplifying the manufacturing process and preventing gravity defects.

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device that includes: a pair of substrates; a liquid crystal layer held between the substrates; and an alignment film disposed on a liquid crystal layer side surface of at least one of the substrates, the liquid crystal layer containing a liquid crystal material that has a nematic-isotropic phase transition temperature of 75 C. or lower and a nematic phase temperature range narrower than 100 C., the alignment film containing a first polymer and a second polymer, the first polymer having in its main chain at least one selected from a polyamic acid structure and a polyimide structure or a polysiloxane structure, the second polymer being obtained by polymerizing at least one monomer including at least one monomer containing a chalcone group.

A display device includes a first substrate, a first alignment layer, a second substrate, a second alignment layer, and a display medium. The first alignment layer is disposed on the first substrate. The second substrate is disposed opposite to the first substrate. The second alignment layer is disposed on the second substrate, and the first and second alignment layers are located between the first and second substrates. The display medium is located between the first and second alignment layers, where a surface of the first alignment layer facing the display medium and a surface of the second alignment layer facing the display medium have topographies with irregular areas surrounded by micro-structures. Besides, a manufacturing method of the display device is also provided.

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device having excellent visibility outdoors, and a method for producing a liquid crystal display device capable of producing such a liquid crystal display device. The liquid crystal display device includes: a pair of substrates; a liquid crystal layer that is sandwiched between the pair of substrates and contains a liquid crystal material; and an alignment control layer that is in contact with the liquid crystal layer, at least one of the pair of substrates including a retardation layer on its liquid crystal layer side, the alignment control layer aligning the liquid crystal material in a direction horizontal to faces of the substrates, and containing a polymer containing at least a unit derived from a specific first monomer.

A photoaligned quantum rod enhancement film (QREF) includes: a substrate (802, 805); a photoalignment layer deposited on the substrate (802, 805); and a polymer layer deposited on the photoalignment layer, the polymer layer comprises a plurality of quantum rods, the plurality of quantum rods are configured to emit one or more wavelengths of light in response to pumping light, and are aligned to an alignment axis based on the photoalignment layer.