Alignment films include a copolymer of a specific vertical alignment monomer and at least one of a specific anthracene-based monomer and a specific benzyl-based monomer.

According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal optical element includes a substrate, a plurality of structures, a first liquid crystal layer including a plurality of liquid crystal molecules having alignment directions fixed, and a second liquid crystal layer including a plurality of liquid crystal molecules having alignment directions fixed. In an area overlapping a groove, a first director of the first liquid crystal layer extends along the groove, and a second director of the second liquid crystal layer is uniformly aligned with the first director of the second surface side, on the third surface side, and turns in planar view.

A switchable glass panel, a method of forming switchable glass panel and a method of forming switchable glass are provided. The method includes: forming a first electrode layer and a first alignment layer sequentially on a first substrate, and forming a second electrode layer and a second alignment layer sequentially on a second substrate; forming first sealants distributed along a first direction, second sealants distributed along a second direction and an edge sealant at the edge of the first alignment layer on the first alignment layer, where the first sealants and the second sealants form a grid with a plurality of openings; forming a plurality of liquid crystal layers corresponding to the plurality of openings on the second alignment layer; and oppositely arranging the first substrate and the second substrate to form a cell, and curing the first sealants and the second sealants.

A switchable glass panel, a method of forming switchable glass panel and a method of forming switchable glass are provided. The method includes: forming a first electrode layer and a first alignment layer sequentially on a first substrate, and forming a second electrode layer and a second alignment layer sequentially on a second substrate; forming first sealants distributed along a first direction, second sealants distributed along a second direction and an edge sealant at the edge of the first alignment layer on the first alignment layer, where the first sealants and the second sealants form a grid with a plurality of openings; forming a plurality of liquid crystal layers corresponding to the plurality of openings on the second alignment layer; and oppositely arranging the first substrate and the second substrate to form a cell, and curing the first sealants and the second sealants.

A beam shaping system including an all-optical liquid crystal beam shaper, the beam shaper including a photoswitchable alignment material including at least one of a PESI-F, SPMA:MMA 1:5, SPMA:MMA 1:9, ora SOMA:SOMA-p:MMA 1:1:6 material, at least some of the liquid crystals of the beam shaper including at least one of a phenylcyclohexane, cyclo-cyclohexane, or a perfluorinated material.

A liquid crystal display device includes a first polarizer, a liquid crystal cell, and a second polarizer in this order from a viewing side, in which a first light absorption anisotropic layer is disposed on the viewing side of the liquid crystal cell, a second light absorption anisotropic layer is disposed on a non-viewing side of the liquid crystal cell, the first and second polarizers each have an absorption axis in a film surface, the absorption axis of the first polarizer is orthogonal to the absorption axis of the second polarizer, an angle θ1 between a transmittance central axis of the first anisotropic layer and a normal line of the film is in a range of 0° to 45°, and an angle θ2 between a transmittance central axis of the second anisotropic layer and a normal line of the film is in a range of 0° to 45°.

[Object] An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal composition containing a polymerizable compound for use in the manufacture of a PSA or PSVA liquid crystal display device. The polymerizable compound has a sufficiently high polymerization rate. The PSA or PSVA liquid crystal display device has few or no display defects due to a change in pretilt angle, has an adequate pretilt angle, and has high responsiveness. The present invention also provides a liquid crystal display device having the liquid crystal composition. [Solution] The object is achieved by using a liquid crystal composition containing one or two or more polymerizable compounds represented by the general formula (I).

[Object] An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal composition containing a polymerizable compound for use in the manufacture of a PSA or PSVA liquid crystal display device. The polymerizable compound has a sufficiently high polymerization rate. The PSA or PSVA liquid crystal display device has few or no display defects due to a change in pretilt angle, has an adequate pretilt angle, and has high responsiveness. The present invention also provides a liquid crystal display device having the liquid crystal composition. [Solution] The object is achieved by using a liquid crystal composition containing one or two or more polymerizable compounds represented by the general formula (I).

A liquid crystal device including a single or a plurality of pixel elements is provided. Each pixel element includes: a first substrate, a second substrate parallel to the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a first plurality of electrodes formed between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer, a second plurality of electrodes formed between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer. The first plurality of electrodes and the second plurality of electrodes are composed to generate electric fields in three orthogonal directions, and the electric fields in two of the three orthogonal directions are in-plane electric fields, while the other electric field of the three orthogonal directions is an out-of-plane electric field.

A liquid crystal device including a single or a plurality of pixel elements is provided. Each pixel element includes: a first substrate, a second substrate parallel to the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a first plurality of electrodes formed between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer, a second plurality of electrodes formed between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer. The first plurality of electrodes and the second plurality of electrodes are composed to generate electric fields in three orthogonal directions, and the electric fields in two of the three orthogonal directions are in-plane electric fields, while the other electric field of the three orthogonal directions is an out-of-plane electric field.