Liquid crystal composition

Claim 2

A liquid crystal composition comprising (I) 5 to 60% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formula (I): wherein R₁ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, and R₂ represents an alkyl group having at least one asymmetric carbon atom and 4 to 13 carbon atoms, which may be substi­tuted with an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, (II) 5 to 60% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following general formula (II): wherein R₃ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, and R₄ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having at least one asym­metric carbon atom and 4 to 13 carbon atoms, (III) 5 to 60% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formula (III): wherein R₅ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, and R₆ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having at least one asym­metric carbon atom and 4 to 13 carbon atoms, and (IV) 5 to 70% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of compounds repre­ sented by the following formulae (IV-1) through (IV-5): wherein R₈ and R₉ represent an alkyl group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, and R₇ represents an alkyl group having at least one asymmetric carbon atom and 4 to 13 carbon atoms, with the proviso that the element bonded to the asymmetric carbon atom includes a halogen atom.

Claim 3

A liquid crystal composition as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises (V) 5 to 40% by weight of at least one member selected from the group con­sisting of compounds represented by the following formulae (VI) and (V-2): wherein R₁₀ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, and R₁₁ represents an alkyl group having at least one asymmetric carbon atom and 4 to 13 carbon atoms, in addition to said compounds (I) through (IV).

Claim 4

A liquid crystal composition as set forth in claim 1, wherein the content of the compound of group (I) is 10 to 50% by weight.

Claim 5

A liquid crystal composition as set forth in claim 1, wherein the content of the compound of group (II) is 10 to 30% by weight.

Claim 6

A liquid crystal composition as set forth in claim 1, wherein the content of the compound of group (III) is 5 to 30% by weight.

Claim 7

A liquid crystal composition as set forth in claim 1, wherein the content of the compound of group (IV) is 10 to 60% by weight.

Claim 8

A liquid crystal composition as set forth in claim 1, wherein the content of the compound of group (I) is 10 to 50% by weight, the content of the compound of formula (II) is 10 to 30% by weight, the content of the compound of group (III) is 5 to 30% by weight, and the content of the compound of group (IV) is 10 to 60% by weight.

Claim 9

A liquid crystal composition as set forth in claim 2, wherein the content of the compound of group (V) is 20 to 40% by weight.

Claim 10

A liquid crystal composition as set forth in claim 2, wherein the content of the compound of group (I) is 10 to 50% by weight, the content of the compound of group (II) is 10 to 30% by weight, the content of the compound of group (III) is 5 to 30% by weight, the content of the compound of group (IV) is 10 to 60% by weight, and the content of the compound of group (V) is 20 to 40% by weight.

Claim 11

A ferroelectric liquid crystal display device, comprising: a liquid crystal panel, comprising: a first transparent substrate; a second transparent substrate substantially in parallel with the first transparent substrate; first transparent electrode means formed on the internal surface of said first transparent substrate; second transparent electrode means formed on the internal surface of said second transparent substrate; a spacer between the first and second transparent substrates, said first and second transparent substrates and said spacer forming an enclosed space, said first and second transparent electrodes each having an internal surface facing the enclosed space; first liquid crystal orienting means formed on the internal surface of said fist transparent substrate; second liquid crystal orienting means formed on the internal surface of said second transparent substrate; a ferroelectric liquid crystal having a spontaneous polarization and forming a bookshelf smectic-C layer structure, charged in the enclosed space; and means for causing the liquid crystal at selected portions of the panel to have a polarization of the liquid crystal molecules oriented in one direction and the liquid crystal at other portion of the panel to have a polarization of the liquid crystal molecules oriented in one direction and the liquid crystal at other portions of the panel to have a polarization of the liquid crystal molecules oriented in a reverse direction thereto, comprising means for applying a pulse wave form electric field alternately to the positive and negative sides by applying a pulse wave form electric voltage across the first and second electrodes, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal is a chiral smectic-C liquid crystal composition comprising (I) 5 to 60% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formula (I): wherein R₁ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, and R₂ represents an alkyl group having at least one asymmetric carbon atom and 4 to 13 carbon atoms, which may be substi­tuted with an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, (II) 5 to 60% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following general formula (II): wherein R₃ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, and R₄ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having at least one asym­metric carbon atom and 4 to 13 carbon atoms, (III) 5 to 60% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formula (III): wherein R₅ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, and R₆ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having at least one asym­metric carbon atom and 4 to 13 carbon atoms, and (IV) 5 to 70% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of compounds repre­ sented by the following formulae (IV-1) through (IV-5): wherein R₈ and R₉ represent an alkyl group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, and R₇ represents an alkyl group having at least one asymmetric carbon atom and 4 to 13 carbon atoms, with the proviso that the element bonded to the asymmetric carbon atom includes a halogen atom.

Claim 12

A ferroelectric liquid crystal display device, comprising: a liquid crystal panel, comprising: a first transparent substrate; a second transparent substrate substantially in parallel with the first transparent substrate; first transparent electrode means formed on the internal surface of said first transparent substrate; second transparent electrode means formed on the internal surface of said second transparent substrate; a spacer between the first and second transparent substrates, said first and second transparent substrates and said spacer forming an enclosed space, said first and second transparent electrodes each having an internal surface facing the enclosed space; first liquid crystal orienting means formed on the internal surface of said fist transparent substrate; second liquid crystal orienting means formed on the internal surface of said second transparent substrate; a ferroelectric liquid crystal having a spontaneous polarization and forming a bookshelf smectic-C layer structure, charged in the enclosed space; and means for causing the liquid crystal at selected portions of the panel to have a polarization of the liquid crystal molecules oriented in one direction and the liquid crystal at other portion of the panel to have a polarization of the liquid crystal molecules oriented in one direction and the liquid crystal at other portions of the panel to have a polarization of the liquid crystal molecules oriented in a reverse direction thereto, comprising means for applying a pulse wave form electric field alternately to the positive and negative sides by applying a pulse wave form electric voltage across the first and second electrodes, wherein said ferroelectric liquid crystal is a chiral smectic-C liquid crystal composition comprising (I) 5 to 60% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formula (I): wherein R₁ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, and R₂ represents an alkyl group having at least one asymmetric carbon atom and 4 to 13 carbon atoms, which may be substi­tuted with an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, (II) 5 to 60% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following general formula (II): wherein R₃ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, and R₄ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having at least one asym­metric carbon atom and 4 to 13 carbon atoms, (III) 5 to 60% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formula (III): wherein R₅ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, and R₆ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having at least one asym­metric carbon atom and 4 to 13 carbon atoms, and (IV) 5 to 70% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of compounds repre­ sented by the following formulae (IV-1) through (IV-5): wherein R₈ and R₉ represent an alkyl group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, and R₇ represents an alkyl group having at least one asymmetric carbon atom and 4 to 13 carbon atoms, with the proviso that the element bonded to the asymmetric carbon atom includes a halogen atom.

Claim 13

A ferroelectric liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 10, which further comprises (V) 5 to 40% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formulae (V-1) and (V-2): wherein R₁₀ represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, and R₁₁ represents an alkyl group having at least one asymmetric carbon atom and 4 to 13 carbon atoms, in addition to said compounds (I) through (IV).

Claim 14

A ferroelectric liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 10 or 11, wherein said bookshelf smectic-C layer structure is perpendicular to said fist and second substrates.

Claim 15

A ferroelectric liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 10 or 11, wherein said first and second liquid crystal orienting means comprise a polymer film subjected to the rubbing treatment.

Claim 16

A ferroelectric liquid crystal display device as set forth in claim 13, wherein said polymer film is polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyimide, or polyamide.