The present invention provides a method for producing a substrate with a photo-alignment film, which increases the refractive index anisotropy while reducing a decrease in production efficiency. The method for producing a substrate with a photo-alignment film includes the steps of: (A) forming on a surface of a substrate a film of a photo-alignment film material containing a polymer with a photo-functional group; (B) irradiating the film formed in the step (A) with polarized light obtained by polarizing light emitted from a light emitting diode lamp; and (C) irradiating the film having been subjected to the polarized light irradiation in the step (B) with polarized light obtained by polarizing light emitted from a metal halide lamp.

The present invention relates to a photoalignment composition comprising a) 0.001 to 20%, by weight; preferably, 1 to 10% by weight, more preferably 1 to 9% by weight of at least one photoreactive compound (I) that comprises a photoalignment group and b) 80 to 99.999% by weight, preferably, 90 to 99% by weight, more preferably 91 to 99% by weight of at least one compound (II) that does not comprise a photoalignment group, and c) optionally at least one reactive or non reactive additives, and d) optionally at least one solvent. Further, the present invention relates to the use of this photoalignment composition for the alignment of liquid crystals or liquid crystal polymers, in electro-optical and optical elements, systems and devices.

An alignment film composition includes a copolymer of a dianhydride-based compound and a diamine-based compound, and a cross-linker. The copolymer has a structure represented by Chemical Formula Ia or Chemical Formula Ib, and the cross-linker is represented by Chemical Formula IIa or Chemical Formula IIb: ##STR00001##

A liquid crystal device 10 includes: a pair of substrates including a first substrate 11 and a second substrate 12 arranged to face each other; and a liquid crystal layer 14 that is arranged between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12. This liquid crystal device 10 is configured such that, among the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12, a liquid crystal alignment film 13 is formed on the liquid crystal layer 14-side surface of the first substrate 11, but no liquid crystal alignment film is formed on the liquid crystal layer 14-side surface of the second substrate 12.

Ink-jet printable compositions including nanoparticles capped with a protective layer of hydrocarbon chains and a single solvent exhibiting a single evaporation rate and having a specifically defined viscosity and surface tension that result in uniform and printable alignment layers for liquid crystal materials. Patterned liquid crystal-containing cells are also disclosed including one or more layers including the same or different nanoparticles capped with a protective layer of hydrocarbon chains printed on a surface of a substrate or even another nanoparticle-containing layer. Methods for producing the cells are also disclosed, including the step of printing a pattern on one or more portions of a cell surface utilizing a composition comprising the capped nanoparticles. Devices including the cells are also disclosed.

The present disclosure provides a liquid crystal display device that can maintain a high voltage holding ratio for extended periods and can ensure reliability. A liquid crystal display device according to the present disclosure includes a pair of opposing substrates, a liquid crystal layer between the pair of substrates, and an alignment film between at least one of the pair of substrates and the liquid crystal layer. At least one of the pair of substrates has an electrode and/or wire containing copper or aluminum. The alignment film contains a polymer with a chemical structure on a side chain of the polymer, the chemical structure having a benzotriazole group represented by a specific chemical formula.

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device 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 polymer layer containing a second polymer obtained by polymerizing at least one monomer containing an azobenzene group, the second polymer covalently bonded to the first polymer.

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device with a high degree of freedom in molecular structure design of an alignment film and with reduced image sticking. The liquid crystal display device 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 alignment film containing a first polymer containing at least one structure represented by the following formula (1) in a side chain,

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1 represents a C3-C6 branched or cyclic alkylene group, and a hydrogen atom at a para position to a carbonyl group in the phenyl group is optionally replaced.

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 an azobenzene group.

A liquid crystal display device (100) includes a pair of substrates (11, 21), a liquid crystal layer (30) sandwiched between the pair of substrates (11, 21), an alignment film (12) disposed between the liquid crystal layer (30) and at least one substrate (11), and an alignment-sustaining layer (40) disposed between the alignment film (12) and the liquid crystal layer (30) and regulating the tilt direction of at least liquid crystal molecules close to the alignment film (12) among the liquid crystal molecules constituting the liquid crystal layer (30). The alignment film (12) contains a polymer compound having a functional group represented by the following Formula (1):

##STR00001##