Provided is an optically anisotropic layer having an excellent surface condition, with which an image display device having an excellent contrast can be manufactured; and an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device, each having the optically anisotropic layer. The optically anisotropic layer is obtained by immobilizing a polymerizable liquid crystal composition including a polymerizable rod-shaped liquid crystal compound exhibiting a liquid crystal state of a smectic phase and an additive in a liquid crystal state of a smectic phase, in which a molecular length A (Å) of the polymerizable rod-shaped liquid crystal compound, a layer interval B (Å) of the smectic phase of the optically anisotropic layer, and a molecular length C (Å) of the additive satisfy a relationship of Expression (1-1), 0.5×B≤C≤0.6×A . . . (1-1).

Provided is an optically anisotropic layer having an excellent surface condition, with which an image display device having an excellent contrast can be manufactured; and an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device, each having the optically anisotropic layer. The optically anisotropic layer is obtained by immobilizing a polymerizable liquid crystal composition including a polymerizable rod-shaped liquid crystal compound exhibiting a liquid crystal state of a smectic phase and an additive in a liquid crystal state of a smectic phase, in which a molecular length A (Å) of the polymerizable rod-shaped liquid crystal compound, a layer interval B (Å) of the smectic phase of the optically anisotropic layer, and a molecular length C (Å) of the additive satisfy a relationship of Expression (1-1), 0.5×B≤C≤0.6×A . . . (1-1).

Disclosed is an optical assembly having a first variable transmission layer comprising a first electro-optically active material between a first pair of substrates, a second variable transmission layer comprising a second electro-optically active material between a second pair of substrates, and an electronically switchable birefringent layer, that is capable of altering the phase of incident light, situated between the first and second variable transmission layers. The layers are arranged such that light passing through the optical assembly can be altered based on the voltage applied to each layer. The light transmission levels can be altered between maximally transmissive, minimally transmissive, and semi-transparent levels between the maximally and minimally transmissive levels.

Provided is a polarizing plate for a light-emitting diode and a light-emitting display device including the same, the polarizing plate comprising a polarizing film and a liquid crystal retardation film, wherein the liquid crystal retardation film comprises a laminate made of: a second retardation film having a discotic liquid crystal of which an in-plane retardation Re, in a wavelength of 550 nm, is approximately 220 nm to approximately 280 nm and a biaxial degree (NZ) is approximately 0 to approximately 0.3; and a first retardation film having a nematic liquid crystal of which an in-plane retardation Re, in a wavelength of 550 nm, is approximately 100 nm to approximately 150 nm and a biaxial degree (NZ) is approximately 0.3 to approximately 0.7.

The invention relates to compounds of the formula I,

##STR00001##

in which
R, A, n, L.sup.1, L.sup.2, L.sup.3 and X have the meanings given in Claim 1, to a process for their preparation, and to liquid-crystalline media comprising at least one compound of the formula I and electro-optical displays containing a liquid-crystalline medium of this type.

The invention relates to compounds of the formula I,

##STR00001##

in which
R, A, n, L.sup.1, L.sup.2, L.sup.3 and X have the meanings given in Claim 1, to a process for their preparation, and to liquid-crystalline media comprising at least one compound of the formula I and electro-optical displays containing a liquid-crystalline medium of this type.

The present invention relates to a polymer composition which contains (A) a photosensitive side-chain polymer that exhibits liquid crystallinity in a predetermined temperature range and has a repeating unit comprising a vertically aligning group, and (B) an organic solvent. The present invention provides: a liquid crystal alignment film which has excellent tilt angle characteristics, while being provided with alignment controllability with high efficiency; a polymer composition which enables the achievement of this liquid crystal alignment film; a twisted nematic liquid crystal display element; and a vertical field switching mode liquid crystal display element.

The response of biological cells to applied stress is central to the functioning of living systems. The present disclosure is directed to systems, compositions and methods for rapidly reporting biomechanical properties of cells or cellular organelles at a single cell or population level.

A liquid crystal polymer powder that includes a fiber portion having fibrous liquid crystal polymer particles with an aspect ratio of a length in a longitudinal direction thereof to a fiber diameter of 10 times or more. In the liquid crystal polymer powder, an average diameter of the fiber portion is 1 μm or less, and a content of a substantially unfiberized lump portion is 20% or less.

A liquid crystal polymer powder that includes a fiber portion having fibrous liquid crystal polymer particles with an aspect ratio of a length in a longitudinal direction thereof to a fiber diameter of 10 times or more. In the liquid crystal polymer powder, an average diameter of the fiber portion is 1 μm or less, and a content of a substantially unfiberized lump portion is 20% or less.