The invention relates to a liquid-crystalline medium, preferably having a nematic phase and dielectric anisotropy of 0.5 or more, which comprises one or more compounds of formula D

##STR00001## in which the parameters have the meanings given in the text,
to the use thereof in an electro-optical display, particularly in an active-matrix display based on the IPS or FFS effect, to displays of this type which contain a liquid-crystalline medium of this type, and to the compounds of formula T and their use for the improvement of the transmission and/or response times of a liquid-crystalline medium which comprises one or more additional mesogenic compounds.

Compositions, systems and methods for use in monitoring an environment or a formation. The compositions can include electrically conductive material that can be used as a sensor. The sensor can have a non-writeable, writeable, and stimulated state. A first signal is used to induce the non-writeable material into a writeable state. In the writeable state, the electrically conductive material has the capacity for actuation in response to an orthogonal signal. In response to the orthogonal signal, the electrically conductive material then undergoes a conformation or shape change. The conformational or shape change induces a strain or actuation that can be used to generate a signal. The stimulated state can be reversible, and in the absence of the orthogonal signal the electrically conductive material may resume its original shape or conformation.

The invention is to provide a liquid crystal composition satisfying at least one of characteristics such as a high maximum temperature of a nematic phase, a low minimum temperature of the nematic phase, a small viscosity, a suitable optical anisotropy, a large negative dielectric anisotropy, a large specific resistance, a high stability to ultraviolet light and a high stability to heat, or having a suitable balance regarding at least two of the characteristics; and is to provide an AM device having a short response time, a large voltage holding ratio, a large contrast ratio, a long service life and so forth; wherein the liquid crystal composition includes a specific compound having a large negative dielectric anisotropy and a low minimum temperature as a first component, a specific compound having a small viscosity or a large maximum temperature as a second component and a specific compound having a polymerizable group as a third component, and a liquid crystal display device contains the composition.

The present invention relates to a liquid-crystal medium which comprises one or more compounds each of formulae I and II ##STR00001##
in which the occurring groups and parameters have the meanings given in claim 1.

The present invention relates to azo dye of formula I ##STR00001##
defined in claim 1, to a liquid crystalline medium comprising said azo dye, the use of said medium for optical, electrooptical and electronic purposes, in particular in devices for regulating the passage of energy from an outside space into an inside space, for example in windows. The invention further relates to a device containing the liquid crystalline medium according to the invention.

To prevent arcing discharge of a liquid crystal device. Provided is a liquid crystal device including a liquid crystal layer, a first substrate, a second substrate and an insulating film, wherein the liquid crystal layer is arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, the first substrate includes electrode 1, the second substrate includes electrode 2, the insulating film is arranged between electrode 1 and electrode 2, and the insulating film is a cured product of a thermosetting polymer composition.

The invention relates to liquid crystal mixtures comprising a photoalignment component A) comprising one or more photoreactive mesogens of formula I,

##STR00001## wherein R.sup.11, R.sup.21, A.sup.11, A, Z, X.sup.11, X.sup.21, Y.sup.11, Y.sup.12, Sp.sup.11, Sp.sup.21, o, and p have one of the meanings as given in claim 1, a liquid-crystalline component B), comprising one or more nematogenic compounds, and a polymerizable component C) comprising one or more polymerizable compounds of formula P,

P.sup.a-Sp.sup.a-P.sup.b  P wherein P.sup.a, P.sup.b and Sp.sup.a have one of the meanings as given in claim 1. Further, the invention relates to a method of production of such LC media, to the use of such media in LC devices, and to a LC device comprising a LC medium according to the present invention. The present invention further relates to a process for the fabrication such liquid crystal display and to the use of the liquid crystal mixtures according to the invention for the fabrication of such liquid crystal display.

Liquid-crystalline (LC) media having positive dielectric anisotropy and liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) containing these media, especially displays addressed by an active matrix and in particular to LC displays of the TN, PS-TN, STN, TN-TFT, OCB, IPS, PS-IPS, FFS, HB-FFS, XB-FFS, PS-FFS, SA-HB-FFS, SA-XB-FFS, polymer stabilised SA-HB-FFS, polymer stabilised SA-XB-FFS, positive VA or positive PS-VA type.

The present invention relates to azo dye of formula I

##STR00001##

defined in claim 1, to a liquid crystalline medium comprising said azo dye, the use of said medium for optical, electrooptical and electronic purposes, in particular in devices for regulating the passage of energy from an outside space into an inside space, for example in windows. The invention further relates to a device containing the liquid crystalline medium according to the invention.

The present invention relates to compositions comprising a combination of benzothiadiazole and thiadiazoloquinoxaline derivatives, to liquid-crystalline media containing the compositions, and to the use of the compositions and the media in optical, electronic and electro-optical devices, in particular in devices for regulating the passage of energy from an outside space into an inside space, for example in switchable windows.