Showa Shell Sekiyu K.k.

Showa Shell Sekiyu Kabushiki Kaisha

Nippondenso Co., Ltd.

Shigenori Sakuma

Noriko Yamakawa

Yoshiichi Suzuki

Yoshihiko Aihara

Hiroyuki Mogamiya

Tadaaki Isozaki

Takashi Hagiwara

Norio Yamamoto

Masao Tokunaga

Ichiro Kawamura

Yuichiro Yamada

Toru Ooide

Kahoru Mori

Yuvra Negi

The invention discloses optically active liquid crystal compounds represented by the formulas [I], [II] and [III]: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each represents an alkyl group of 4-18 carbon atoms, X represents O, COO or a single bond, and (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E) each represents ##STR2## in which l represents a halogen. The invention further discloses optically active liquid crystal compounds which are able to exhibit tristable states, represented by the formulas [IV], [V] and [VI]: ##STR3## wherein R.sub.1 ' and R.sub.2 ' each represents a straight chain alkyl group of 5-16 carbon atoms, X' represents O or COO and (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E), and l each has the same meaning as above.

Liquid crystal compounds

Liquid crystal compound of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each is a C.sub.1-18 alkyl group or an aralkyl group, R' is a haloalkyl group, X is --0--, --CO--, --COO-- or direct bond, Y is --COO--, --OCO-- or --CH.sub.2 O--, (A) and (B) each is ##STR2## and p and l each is zero or one.

Liquid crystal compound

An optically active compound represent by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents a fluoroalkyl group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms; R.sub.2 represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 16 carbon atoms and an aralkyl group having from 6 to 16 carbon atoms; R.sub.3 represents C.sub.2 F.sub.5, CF.sub.3, CHF.sub.2, or CH.sub.2 F; X represents a single bond, --O--, --COO--, or --OCO--; Y represents --COO--, --OCO--, --CH.sub.2 O--, or --OCH.sub.2 --; Z represents --COO-- or --O--; (A) and (B) each represent a cyclic group; and * indicates an optically active center, and a liquid crystal composition containing at least one of said optically active compounds are disclosed. The compound is useful not only as a liquid crystal compound but as a chiral dopant to provide a liquid crystal composition exhibiting a chiral smectic phase.

Component for liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal composition

A liquid crystal compound represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents an alkyl group having from 3 to 18 carbon atoms or an aralkyl group having from 7 to 18 carbon atoms; R.sub.2 represents an alkenyl group having from 1 to 18 (preferably from 3 to 14) carbon atoms; R.sub.3 represents CF.sub.3 or C.sub.2 F.sub.5 ; X represents a single bond, --O--, --COO--, or --OCO--; Y represents --COO--, --OCO--, --CH.sub.2 O--, or --OCH.sub.2 --; A and B each represents a cyclic group; and * indicates an optically active center. The compound of formula (I) exhibits three stable states of molecular orientation.

There is disclosed herein a ferroelectric liquid crystal electro-optical apparatus of the maxtrix type comprising a liquid crystal cell having first and second electrode substrates which include n striped line electrodes and m striped column electrodes, respectively, facing at right angles each other. A ferroelectric liquid crystal is put in therebetween so as to form n by m indication picture elements. Also included in the apparatus a scanning drive device adapted to supply a scanning signal and a data signal to the n striped line electrodes and the m striped column electrodes, respectively. The ferroelectric liquid crystal shows three stable states in accordance with an application voltage and has a light transmittance with a hysteresis sufficient to a dynamic drive in accordance with increase or decrease in the application voltage in a predetermined voltage range. The scanning drive device produces a first combination signal as a signal running to variation from a voltage below a refernece voltage in a predetermined one polarity voltage range to a voltage above the reference voltage and produces a second combination signal as a signal which does not exceed the reference voltage in the range, and supplies a direct-current combination signal between the electrodes after the supply of the first and second combination signal thereto.

Ferroelectric liquid crystal electro-optic apparatus and manufacturing

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Shigenori Sakuma