Architecture and designs of modulating both amplitude and phase at the same time in spatial light modulation are described. According to one aspect of the present invention, light propagation is controlled in two different directions (e.g., 0 and 45 degrees) to perform both amplitude modulation and phase modulation at the same time in liquid crystals. In one embodiment, a mask is used to form a pattern, where the pattern includes an array of alignment cells or embossed microstructures, a first group of the cells are aligned in the first direction and a second group of the cells are aligned in the second direction. Depending on applications, two cells from the first group and the second group may correspond to a single pixel or two neighboring pixels, resulting in amplitude modulation and phase modulation within the pixel or within an array of pixels.

Provided are a liquid crystal diffraction element which exhibits low scattering and high sharpness of diffracted light, and a method for producing the same. A liquid crystal diffraction element having an alignment film which has a periodic pattern and also having a cholesteric liquid crystal layer, in which: the periodic pattern is imparted to the alignment film as a result of alignment elements having different tilt angles being periodically arranged in the alignment film or the alignment elements being arranged in a manner such that the azimuth direction thereof swings in one in-plane direction; the direction of the molecular axis of a liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating and in at least one in-plane direction on at least one main surface among the pair of main surfaces of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer; the molecular axis of the liquid crystal compound is tilted with respect to the main surfaces of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer; and an arrangement direction of bright portion and dark portion derived from the cholesteric liquid crystalline phase observed by a scanning electron microscope in a cross section perpendicular to the main surfaces is tilted with respect to the main surfaces of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer.

An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device includes a panel, a defect in and/or on the panel and an optical film above the panel. The panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate disposed opposite to the first substrate, and a plurality of display units disposed on the first substrate. There is a defect between the first substrate and the second substrate, or on the second substrate. In a top view of the electronic device, an optical film has a first processed area corresponding to the defect, and the first processed area at least partially overlaps at least two display units.

The azo dye brilliant yellow operates to align liquid crystal molecules in three dimensions, for example to establish a desired in-plane alignment and pre-tilt angle. This technique provides a wide range selectable and re-writable pretilt angles from 0° to nearly 90°.

Methods, materials, systems, and devices for stabilizing photoalignment patterns in liquid crystal diffractive waveplates (LCDWs) against radiation, mechanical, and electrical influences by creating a polymer network within the bulk of LCDW such as the polymer network does not affect the LC orientation pattern in the bulk of the DW and does not result in residual retardation and light scattering while being able to fast switching and relaxation with no haze at application of electric fields.

The present invention provides a liquid crystal alignment agent having high thermal stability and high solvent solubility, and a liquid crystal panel in which occurrence of ghosting and stain and a decrease in contrast are suppressed even under environments at high temperatures long period of time. The present invention is a liquid crystal alignment agent including a copolymer including a structure represented by a chemical formula (1) below, and a solvent. In the formula, X is a specified structure including a cyclic hydrocarbon group, Y.sup.1 is a specified structure including a cyclic hydrocarbon group, R.sup.1 represents a homogeneous alignment group, a homeotropic alignment group, or a photoreactive functional group, and Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2 are the same or different, and represent an —NH— group, an —O— group, or a —S— group. ##STR00001##

An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device includes a panel, a defect in and/or on the panel and an optical film above the panel. The panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate disposed opposite to the first substrate, and a plurality of display units disposed on the first substrate. There is a defect between the first substrate and the second substrate, or on the second substrate. In a top view of the electronic device, an optical film has a first processed area corresponding to the defect, and the first processed area at least partially overlaps at least two display units.

The present disclosure provides a liquid crystal composition, a liquid crystal display panel, and a manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display panel. Liquid crystal main monomer and polymerizable component monomer are adopted, and mass fractions of the liquid crystal main monomer and the polymerizable component monomer are controlled, so the polymerizable component monomer in the liquid crystal composition can react completely after an UV irradiation, and a second UV irradiation is dispensed. Therefore, it can reduce alignment time of liquid crystals.

Provided are: an image display apparatus in which the utilization efficiency of a virtual image is high and the virtual image having high brightness uniformity can be displayed to be superimposed on a real image; and AR glasses including the image display apparatus. The image display apparatus includes: a display element; one or more cholesteric liquid crystal layers that reflect a display image of the display element; and a transparent reflection element that reflects the image reflected by the cholesteric liquid crystal layer to the cholesteric liquid crystal layer, in which at least one of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers has a structure having a region where a surface pitch changes in a thickness direction.

In a liquid crystal device, a first pixel area is provided in a pixel area of a first substrate, and a second pixel area is provided between the first pixel area and a seal material. The first pixel area has a first pixel electrode to which an image signal is applied, the image signal having a potential alternately switching between a positive polarity and a negative polarity with reference to a first central potential. The second pixel area includes a second pixel electrode to which a first driving potential is applied, the first driving potential having a potential alternately switching between a positive polarity and a negative polarity with reference to a second central potential, the first central potential and the second central potential having a potential difference set therebetween. Therefore, ionic impurities can be efficiently swept from the first pixel area to the second pixel area.