The instant invention relates to mesogenic media comprising one or more compounds of formula G ##STR00001##
wherein the parameters are as specified in the text, preferably to mesogenic media showing a blue phase, preferably stabilised by a polymer, and their use in electro-optical light modulation elements and their respective use in displays, as well as to such devices.

A blue phase liquid crystal panel is disclosed, which includes an upper substrate, a lower substrate, and blue phase liquid crystal that is arranged between the upper substrate and the lower substrate. The upper substrate is provided with a first electrode base layer which has a plurality of first protrusions, and the lower substrate is provided with a second electrode base layer which has a plurality of second protrusions. The first protrusions each extend to a position between two adjacent second. protrusions, and the second protrusions each extend to a position between two adjacent first protrusions. The first protrusion is provided with a common electrode, and the second protrusion is provided with a pixel electrode. The driving voltage of blue phase liquid crystal in the panel can be reduced.

Methods and compositions for detecting a targeted analyte, such as volatile organic compound (VOCs), are disclosed. Specifically, a cholesteric liquid crystal composition comprising a nematic liquid crystal and a chiral dopant transitions to a liquid crystal blue phase or undergoes other optical changes when in contact with a sample containing the analyte. The phase transition can be readily detected with the naked eye. The disclosed methods and compositions may be used in, for example, dosimeters for detecting analyte (e.g., VOC) exposure. Methods and compositions for producing arrays of liquid crystal thin films are also disclosed. The surface between the microwells in a microwell array is coated with a liquid-crystal-phobic material, such as a fluorinated polymer or a fluorinated silane, creating isolated microwell domains that are preferentially wetted by liquid crystal. Liquid crystal can be added to the microwell domains by simple techniques such as spin coating.

The instant invention relates to mesogenic media comprising one or more compounds of formula D ##STR00001##
wherein the parameters are as specified in the text, preferably to mesogenic media showing a blue phase, preferably stabilised by a polymer, and their use in electro-optical light modulation elements and their respective use in displays, as well as to such devices.

Methods and compositions for detecting a targeted analyte, such as volatile organic compound (VOCs), are disclosed. Specifically, a cholesteric liquid crystal composition comprising a nematic liquid crystal and a chiral dopant transitions to a liquid crystal blue phase or undergoes other optical changes when in contact with a sample containing the analyte. The phase transition can be readily detected with the naked eye. The disclosed methods and compositions may be used in, for example, dosimeters for detecting analyte (e.g., VOC) exposure. Methods and compositions for producing arrays of liquid crystal thin films are also disclosed. The surface between the microwells in a microwell array is coated with a liquid-crystal-phobic material, such as a fluorinated polymer or a fluorinated silane, creating isolated microwell domains that are preferentially wetted by liquid crystal. Liquid crystal can be added to the microwell domains by simple techniques such as spin coating.

An optical system in one aspect of the present disclosure includes a first light source, a second light source, a first spatial optical phase modulator, a second spatial optical phase modulator, and a projector. The first spatial optical phase modulator outputs first phase-modulated light based on an input light having a first wavelength from the first light source. The second spatial optical phase modulator outputs second phase-modulated light based on input light having a second wavelength from the second light source. The projector projects the first phase-modulated light and the second phase-modulated light on a target. The first spatial optical phase modulator is a liquid crystal device including a first liquid crystal layer. The second spatial optical phase modulator is a liquid crystal device including a second liquid crystal layer. The first liquid crystal layer includes a liquid crystal material different from that of the second liquid crystal layer.

The present invention relates to polymerizable compounds, to processes and intermediates for the preparation thereof, to the use thereof for optical, electro-optical and electronic purposes, in particular in liquid-crystal (LC) media and LC displays having a polymer-stabilized blue phase, and in LC media for LC displays of the PS or PSA type (polymer sustained or polymer sustained alignment), and to LC media and LC displays comprising these compounds.

The present invention provides a polymerizable composition having low birefringence which contains at least two types of polymerizable compounds represented by Formula (I):

Q.sup.1-Sp.sup.1A-L.sub.mSp.sup.2-Q.sup.2(I) in the formula, A represents a phenylene or a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene, L represents OC(O), OC(O)O, and the like, m represents 3 to 12, Sp.sup.1 and Sp.sup.2 represent an alkylene of which CH.sub.2 may be substituted with O or the like, and the like, and Q.sup.1 and Q.sup.2 represent a polymerizable group, and the like, in which when a number obtained by dividing the number of trans-1,4-cyclohexylenes represented by A by m is set to mc, the polymerizable compounds include a polymerizable compound satisfying 0.5<mc<0.7 and a polymerizable compound satisfying 0.1<mc<0.3. A film such as a low birefringence phase difference film or a reflection film having high selectivity in a reflection wavelength range can be provided by using the polymerizable composition.

A blue phase liquid crystal display device and a method for driving the same are disclosed. In the display device, there is a pixel electrode or a common electrode arranged right opposite to each of the viewing angle switching electrodes. In a narrow viewing angle mode, a vertical electric field can be generated between two electrodes that are arranged right opposite to each other, so that liquid crystal molecules in the vertical electric field can be in a vertical alignment state. According to the present disclosure, since almost all oblique light can pass through the liquid crystal molecules in the vertical alignment state, the probability that the viewing angle switching dead area occurs can be reduced to a large extent.

The occurrence of a defective orientation of a polymer/liquid crystal composite is suppressed. In addition, the occurrence of defective display of a liquid crystal display device including the polymer/liquid crystal composite is suppressed. In the polymer/liquid crystal composite exhibiting a blue phase, a plurality of domains are included and defective orientations easily occur at boundaries between the domains. Thus, by lowering orientation periodicities at boundaries between the domains, a defect-free orientation to high orientation periodicities at the boundary between adjacent domains can be obtained. Specifically, the polymer/liquid crystal composite exhibiting the blue phase includes the plurality of domains each of which has a size of 3 m or less.