Liquid crystal element and liquid crystal apparatus using the same

Claim 2

A ferroelectric liquid crystal element comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the ferroelectric liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being subjected to one axis orientation treatment so as to orient the ferroelectric liquid crystal, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal has an orientation state represented by the following condition: ϑ < α + δ where α is a pretilt angle of the ferroelectric liquid crystal, ϑ is a tilt angle, and δ is an inclination angle of an Sm*C layer, the ferroelectric liquid crystal exhibits at least two stable states in orientation, and a color formed by a first stable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by a second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the two stable states.

Claim 3

A ferroelectric liquid crystal element comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the ferroelectric liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltage are applied and being subjected to one axis orientation treatment so as to orient the ferroelectric liquid crystal, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal has an orientation state represented by the following condition: ϑ < α + δ where α is a pretilt angle of the ferroelectric liquid crystal, ϑ is a tilt angle, and δ is an inclination angle of an Sm*C layer, and the ferroelectric liquid crystal has a total of three or four stable states in orientation, i.e., two stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and one or two stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols.

Claim 4

An element according to claim 3, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state has a total of four stable states, i.e., first and second stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and third and fourth stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols, a color formed by the first stable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by the second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the first and second stable states, and a color of the third stable state upon rotation of only the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is different from that of the fourth stable state upon rotation of only the one polarization plate by the same range of angles counterclockwise.

Claim 5

A ferroelectric liquid crystal element comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the ferroelectric liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being subjected to one axis orientation treatment so as to orient the ferroelectric liquid crystal, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal can have an orientation state surrounded by hairpin or lightening defects upon application of a stress to substrates by a foreign material such as a spacer interposed between the substrates, the orientation state is caused by defects in an order of lightening and hairpin defects with respect to a direction in which the liquid crystal molecules float from the orientation surface by the pretilt, the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state exhibits at least two stable states, and an angle ϑ a 1/2 between optical axes of these two stable states and the tilt angle ϑ of the ferroelectric liquid crystal satisfy the following condition: ϑ > ϑ a > ϑ/2.

Claim 6

A ferroelectric liquid crystal element comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the ferroelectric liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being subjected to one axis orientation treatment so as to orient the ferroelectric liquid crystal, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal can have an orientation state surrounded by hairpin or lightening defects upon application of a stress to substrates by a foreign material such as a spacer interposed between the substrates, the orientation state is caused by defects in an order of lightening and hairpin defects with respect to a direction in which the liquid crystal molecules float from the orientation surface by the pretilt, the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state exhibits at least two stable states, and a color formed by a first stable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by a second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the two stable states.

Claim 7

A ferroelectric liquid crystal element comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the ferroelectric liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being subjected to one axis orientation treatment so as to orient the ferroelectric liquid crystal, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal can have an orientation state surrounded by hairpin or lightening defects upon application of a stress to substrates by a foreign material such as a spacer interposed between the substrates, the orientation state is caused by defects in an order of lightening and hairpin defects with respect to a direction in which the liquid crystal molecules float from the orientation surface by the pretilt, and the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state has a total of three or four stable states, i.e., two stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and one or two stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols.

Claim 8

An element according to claim 7, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state has a total of four stable states, i.e., first and second stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and third and fourth stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols, a color formed by the first stable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by the second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the first and second stable states, and a color of the third stable state upon rotation of only the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is different from that of the fourth stable state upon rotation of only the one polarization plate by the same range of angles counterclockwise.

Claim 9

A ferroelectric liquid crystal element comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the ferroelectric liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being subjected to one axis orientation treatment so as to orient the ferroelectric liquid crystal, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal can have an orientation state surrounded by hairpin or lightening defects upon application of a stress to substrates by a foreign material such as a spacer interposed between the substrates, the orientation state is caused by defects in an order of lightening and hairpin defects with respect to a rubbing direction, the ferroelectric liquid crystal exhibits at least two stable states in orientation, and an angle ϑ a 1/2 between optical axes of these two stable states and the tilt angle ϑ of the ferroelectric liquid crystal satisfy the following condition: ϑ > ϑ a > ϑ/2.

Claim 10

A ferroelectric liquid crystal element comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the ferroelectric liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being subjected to one axis orientation treatment so as to orient the ferroelectric liquid crystal, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal can have an orientation state surrounded by hairpin or lightening defects upon application of a stress to substrates by a foreign material such as a spacer interposed between the substrates, the orientation state is caused by defects in an order of lightening and hairpin defects with respect to a rubbing direction, the ferroelectric liquid crystal state exhibits at least two stable states in orientation, and a color formed by a first stable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by a second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the two stable states.

Claim 11

A ferroelectric liquid crystal element comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the ferroelectric liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being subjected to one axis orientation treatment so as to orient the ferroelectric liquid crystal, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal can have an orientation state surrounded by hairpin or lightening defects upon application of a stress to substrates by a foreign material such as a spacer interposed between the substrates, the orientation state is caused by defects in an order of lightening and hairpin defects with respect to a rubbing direction, and the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state has a total of three or four stable states, i.e., two stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and one or two stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols.

Claim 12

An element according to claim 11, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state has a total of four stable states, i.e., first and second stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and third and fourth stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols, a color formed by the first stable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by the second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the first and second stable states, and a color of the third stable state upon rotation of only the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is different from that of the fourth stable state upon rotation of only the one polarization plate by the same range of angles counterclockwise.

Claim 13

A ferroelectric liquid crystal element comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the ferroelectric liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being subjected to one axis, orientation treatment so as to orient the ferroelectric liquid crystal, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal does not have a change in orientation accompanying defects during cooling from a high temperature of an SmA phase or the like to a temperature of an Sm*C phase, the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state has at least two stable states, and an angle ϑ a 1/2 between optical axes of these two stable states and the tilt angle ϑ of the ferroelectric liquid crystal satisfy the following condition: ϑ > ϑ a >ϑ/2.

Claim 14

A ferroelectric liquid crystal element comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the ferroelectric liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being subjected to one axis orientation treatment so as to orient the ferroelectric liquid crystal, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal does not have a change in orientation accompanying defects during cooling from a high temperature of an SmA phase or the like to a temperature of an Sm*C phase, the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state has at least two stable states, and a color formed by a first stable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by a second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the two stable states.

Claim 15

A ferroelectric liquid crystal element comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the ferroelectric liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being subjected to one axis orientation treatment so as to orient the ferroelectric liquid crystal, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal does not have a change in orientation accompanying defects during cooling from a high temperature of an SmA phase or the like to a temperature of an Sm*C phase, and the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state has a total of three or four stable states, i.e., two stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and one or two stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols.

Claim 16

An element according to claim 15, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state has a total of four stable states, i.e., first and second stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and third and fourth stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols, a color formed by the first stable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by the second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the first and second stable states, and a color of the third stable state upon rotation of only the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is different from that of the fourth stable state upon rotation of only the one polarization plate by the same range of angles counterclockwise.

Claim 17

An element according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and claims 13 to 15, wherein the orientation state has three or four different stable states without being through the lightening and hairpin defects.

Claim 18

An element according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the orientation state is present in an entire temperature range from (T₁ - 5)°C to (T₁ - 10)°C where T₁°C is a temperature for causing a phase transition from the SmA phase to the Sm*C phase.

Claim 19

An element according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the orientation state is present in an entire temperature range from (T₁ - 5)°C to (T₁ - 20)°C where T₁°C is a temperature for causing a phase transition from the SmA phase to the Sm*C phase.

Claim 20

An element according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the orientation state is present in an entire temperature range from (T₁ - 5)°C to (T₁ - 30)°C where T₁°C is a temperature for causing a phase transition from the SmA phase to the Sm*C phase.

Claim 21

An element according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the orientation state is present in an entire temperature range from (T₁ - 5)°C to (T₁ - 40)°C where T₁°C is a temperature for causing a phase transition from the SmA phase to the Sm*C phase.

Claim 22

An element according to claim 1 to 16, wherein the liquid crystal has an orientation state in which the pretilt angle α and the inclination angle δ of the Sm*C layer satisfy the following condition: δ < α.

Claim 23

A liquid crystal element comprising a chiral smectic liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the chiral smectic liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being subjected to one axis orientation treatment so as to orient the chiral smectic liquid crystal, and the chiral smectic liquid crystal having an orientation state satisfying the following condition: ϑ < α + δ where α is a pretilt angle of the chiral smectic liquid crystal, ϑ is a tilt angle, and δ is an inclination angle of an Sm*C layer, wherein the chiral smectic liquid crystal consists of a chiral smectic liquid crystal which exhibits a one-axis orientation state within an arbitrary temperature range upon a phase transition from a smectic A phase to a chiral smectic C phase during cooling and which exhibits at least two stable states during further cooling, and an angle ϑ a 1/2 an angle formed by optical axes in the two stable states and a tilt angle ϑ of the chiral smectic liquid crystal satisfy condition ϑ > ϑ a > ϑ/2 in an orientation state exhibiting at least two stable states.

Claim 24

A liquid crystal element comprising a chiral smectic liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the chiral smectic liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being oriented in one axis so as to orient the chiral smectic liquid crystal, wherein the chiral smectic liquid crystal consists of a chiral smectic liquid crystal used in a first orientation state satisfying condition T₁/T₂ < 2.5 at the same temperature where T₂ is a pulse width threshold value of a portion surrounded by lightening and hairpin defects in a second orientation state, when the chiral smectic liquid crystal exhibits an orientation state surrounded by hairpin and lightening defects, the lighting and hairpin defects occurring in an order named with respect to a direction of floating of liquid crystal molecules from an orientation surface, the floating being caused by a pretilt, and T₁ is a pulse width threshold value of a portion outside the portion surrounded by the hairpin and lightening defects in a first orientation state, the first orientation state causing the chiral smectic liquid crystal to exhibit at least two stable states, and the first orientation state satisfying the following condition: ϑ > ϑ a > ϑ/2 where ϑ a is an angle which is 1/2 an angle formed by optical axes of the two stable states, and ϑ is a tilt angle of the chiral smectic liquid crystal.

Claim 25

A liquid crystal element comprising a chiral smectic liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the chiral smectic liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being subjected to one axis orientation treatment so as to orient the chiral smectic liquid crystal, wherein the chiral smectic liquid crystal consists of a chiral smectic liquid crystal used in a first orientation state satisfying condition T₁/T₂ < 2.5 at the same temperature where T₂ is a pulse width threshold value of a portion surrounded by lightening and hairpin defects in a second orientation state, when the chiral smectic liquid crystal exhibits an orientation state surrounded by hairpin and lightening defects, the lighting and hairpin defects occurring in an order named with respect to a direction of floating of liquid crystal molecules from an orientation surface, the floating being caused by a pretilt, and T₁ is a pulse width threshold value of a portion outside the portion surrounded by the hairpin and lightening defects in a first orientation state, the first orientation state causing the chiral smectic liquid crystal to exhibit at least two stable states, and the first orientation state satisfying a condition wherein a color formed by the first stable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by the second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the first and second stable states.

Claim 26

A liquid crystal element comprising a chiral smectic liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the chiral smectic liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being subjected to one axis orientation treatment so as to orient the chiral smectic liquid crystal, wherein the chiral smectic liquid crystal consists of a chiral smectic liquid crystal used in a first orientation state satisfying condition T₁/T₂ < 2.5 at the same temperature where T₂ is a pulse width threshold value of a portion surrounded by lightening and hairpin defects in a second orientation state, when the chiral smectic liquid crystal exhibits an orientation state surrounded by hairpin and lightening defects, the lighting and hairpin defects occurring in an order named with respect to a direction of floating of liquid crystal molecules from an orientation surface, the floating being caused by a pretilt, and T₁ is a pulse width threshold value of a portion outside the portion surrounded by the hairpin and lightening defects in a first orientation state, the first orientation state satisfying a condition wherein the chiral smectic liquid crystal in the orientation state has a total of three or four stable states, i.e., two stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and one or two stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols, and wherein the first orientation state is set in the first and second stable states having the small transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level.

Claim 27

A liquid crystal element comprising a chiral smectic liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the chiral smectic liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being subjected to one axis orientation treatment so as to orient the chiral smectic liquid crystal, wherein the chiral smectic liquid crystal consists of a chiral smectic liquid crystal used in a first orientation state satisfying condition T₁/T₂ < 2.5 at the same temperature where T₂ is a pulse width threshold value of a portion surrounded by lightening and hairpin defects in a second orientation state, when the chiral smectic liquid crystal exhibits an orientation state surrounded by hairpin and lightening defects, the lighting and hairpin defects occurring in an order named with respect to a rubbing direction, and T₁ is a pulse width threshold value of a portion outside the portion surrounded by the hairpin and lightening defects in a first orientation state, the first orientation state satisfying a condition wherein the chiral smectic liquid crystal in the orientation state exhibits at least two stable states, and an angle ϑ a 1/2 between optical axes of these two stable states and the tilt angle ϑ of the ferroelectric liquid crystal satisfy the following condition: ϑ > ϑa > ϑ/2.

Claim 28

A liquid crystal element comprising a chiral smectic liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the chiral smectic liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being subjected to one axis orientation treatment so as to orient the chiral smectic liquid crystal, wherein the chiral smectic liquid crystal consists of a chiral smectic liquid crystal used in a first orientation state satisfying condition T₁/T₂ < 2.5 at the same temperature where T₂ is a pulse width threshold value of a portion surrounded by lightening and hairpin defects in a second orientation state, when the chiral smectic liquid crystal exhibits an orientation state surrounded by hairpin and lightening defects, the lighting and hairpin defects occurring in an order named with respect to a rubbing direction, and T₁ is a pulse width threshold value of a portion outside the portion surrounded by the hairpin and lightening defects in a first orientation state, the first orientation state causing the chiral smectic liquid crystal to exhibit at least two stable states, and the first orientation state satisfying a condition wherein a color formed by a first stable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by a second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the first and second stable states.

Claim 29

A liquid crystal element comprising a chiral smectic liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the chiral smectic liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages are applied and being subjected to one axes orientation treatment so as to orient the choral smectic liquid crystal, wherein the chiral smectic liquid crystal consists of a chiral smectic liquid crystal used in a first orientation state satisfying condition T₁/T₂ < 2.5 at the same temperature where T₂ is a pulse width threshold value of a portion surrounded by lightening and hairpin defects in a second orientation state, when the chiral smectic liquid crystal exhibits an orientation state surrounded by hairpin and lightening defects, the lighting and hairpin defects occurring in an order named with respect to a rubbing direction, and T₁ is a pulse width threshold value of a portion outside the portion surrounded by the hairpin and lightening defects in a first orientation state, the first orientation state satisfying a condition wherein the chiral smectic liquid crystal in the orientation state has a total of three or four stable states, i.e., two stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and one or two stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols, and wherein the first orientation state is set in the first and second stable states having the small transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level.

Claim 30

A liquid crystal element comprising a chiral smectic liquid crystal and a pair of substantially parallel substrates having opposite surfaces between which the chiral smectic liquid crystal is sealed, the substrates being provided with electrodes to which voltages voltages are applied and being subjected to one axis orientation treatment so as to orient the chiral smectic liquid crystal, wherein the chiral smectic liquid crystal has an orientation state satisfying the following condition: ϑ < α + δ where α is a pretilt angle of the chiral smectic liquid crystal, ϑ is a tilt angle, and δ is an inclination angle of an Sm*C layer, the chiral smectic liquid crystal consists of a chiral smectic liquid crystal which exhibits at least two stable states in the orientation state, and the chiral smectic liquid crystal satisfies condition T₁/T₂ > 2.5 at the same temperature where T₁ is a pulse width threshold value of the chiral smectic liquid crystal in a first liquid crystal element satisfying the following condition: ϑ > ϑ a > ϑ/2 where ϑ a is an angle which is 1/2 an angle formed by optical axes of the two stable states, and ϑ is a tilt angle of the chiral smectic liquid crystal, and T₂ is a pulse width threshold value of the chiral smectic liquid crystal in a second liquid crystal element having the orientation state represented by condition ϑ > α + δ , the second liquid crystal element being obtained by replacing a first orientation film of the first liquid crystal element with a second orientation film.

Claim 31

A ferroelectric liquid crystal apparatus comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal element including a pair of substrates having a scanning electrode group and a data electrode group and each subjected to one axis orientation treatment, the axis of one of the pair of substrates being parallel or substantially parallel to the axis of the other of the pair of substrates and having the same direction as that of the other of the pair of substrates, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal sealed between the pair of substrates and having an orientation state represented by the following condition: ϑ < α + δ where α is a pretilt angle of the ferroelectric liquid crystal, ϑ is a tilt angle, and δ is an inclination angle of an Sm*C layer, the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state exhibiting at least two stable states, and an angle formed between optical axes of the two stable states satisfying the following condition: ϑ > ϑ a > ϑ/2 where ϑ a is an angle which is 1/2 the angle of the optical axes of the two stable states, and ϑ is the tilt angle of the ferroelectric liquid crystal, and means for applying a scanning signal to the scanning electrode group, the scanning signal being constituted by two phases, i.e., an erase phase and a write phase having different polarities, and the scanning signal having an absolute value of a voltage applied to a pixel of the erase phase to be larger than that applied to a pixel of the write phase.

Claim 32

A ferroelectric liquid crystal apparatus comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal element including a pair of substrates having a scanning electrode group and a data electrode group and each subjected to one axis orientation treatment, the axis of one of the pair of substrates being parallel or substantially parallel to the axis of the other of the pair of substrates and having the same direction as that of the other of the pair of substrates, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal sealed between the pair of substrates and having an orientation state represented by the following condition: ϑ < α + δ where α is a pretilt angle of the ferroelectric liquid crystal, ϑ is a tilt angle, and δ is an inclination angle of an Sm*C layer, the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state exhibiting at least two stable states, and the orientation state defined such that a color formed by a first stable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by a second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the first and second stable states, and means for applying a scanning signal to the scanning electrode group, the scanning signal being constituted by two phases, i.e., an erase phase and a write phase having different polarities, and the scanning signal having an absolute value of a voltage applied to a pixel of the erase phase to be larger than that applied to a pixel of the write phase.

Claim 33

A ferroelectric liquid crystal apparatus comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal element including a pair of substrates having a scanning electrode group and a data electrode group and each subjected to one axis orientation treatment, the axis of one of the pair of substrates being parallel or substantially parallel to the axis of the other of the pair of substrates and having the same direction as that of the other of the pair of substrates, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal sealed between the pair of substrates and having an orientation state represented by the following condition: ϑ < α + δ where α is a pretilt angle of the ferroelectric liquid crystal, ϑ is a tilt angle, and δ is an inclination angle of an Sm*C layer, the orientation state being defined such that the ferroelectric liquid crystal has a total of three or four stable states, i.e., two stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and one or two stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols, and wherein the first orientation state is set in the first and second stable states having the small transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level, and means for applying a scanning signal to the scanning electrode group, the scanning signal being constituted by two phases, i.e., an erase phase and a write phase having different polarities, and the scanning signal having an absolute value of a voltage applied to a pixel of the erase phase to be larger than that applied to a pixel of the write phase.

Claim 34

An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state has a total of four stable states, i.e., first and second stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and third and fourth stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols, a color formed by the first sable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by the second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the first and second stable states, and a color of the third stable state upon rotation of only the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is different from that of the fourth stable state upon rotation of only the one polarization plate by the same range of angles counterclockwise.

Claim 35

A ferroelectric liquid crystal apparatus comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal element including a pair of substrates having a scanning electrode group and a data electrode group and each oriented in one axis, the axis of one of the pair of substrates being parallel or substantially parallel to the axis of the other of the pair of substrates and having the same direction as that of the other of the pair of substrates, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal sealed between the pair of substrates and having an orientation state surrounded by hairpin or lightening defects upon application of a stress to substrates by a foreign material such as a spacer interposed between the substrates, the orientation state being caused by defects in an order of lightening and hairpin defects with respect to a direction of floating of liquid crystal molecules from an orientation surface caused by a pretilt, the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state exhibiting at least two stable states, and an angle ϑ a 1/2 between optical axes of these two stable states and the tilt angle ϑ of the ferroelectric liquid crystal satisfying the following condition: ϑ > ϑ a > ϑ/2 and means for applying a scanning signal to the scanning electrode group, the scanning signal being constituted by two phases, i.e., an erase phase and a write phase having different polarities, and the scanning signal having an absolute value of a voltage applied to a pixel of the erase phase to be larger than that applied to a pixel of the write phase.

Claim 36

A ferroelectric liquid crystal apparatus comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal element including a pair of substrates having a scanning electrode group and a data electrode group and each oriented in one axis, the axis of one of the pair of substrates being parallel or substantially parallel to the axis of the other of the pair of substrates and having the same direction as that of the other of the pair of substrates, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal sealed between the pair of substrates and having an orientation state surrounded by hairpin or lightening defects upon application of a stress to substrates by a foreign material such as a spacer interposed between the substrates, the orientation state being caused by defects in an order of lightening and hairpin defects with respect to a direction of floating of liquid crystal molecules from an orientation surface caused by a pretilt, and the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state exhibiting at least two stable states, and the orientation state being defined such that a color formed by a first stable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by a second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the first and second stable states, and means for applying a scanning signal to the scanning electrode group, the scanning signal being constituted by two phases, i.e., an erase phase and a write phase having different polarities, and the scanning signal having an absolute value of a voltage applied to a pixel of the erase phase to be larger than that applied to a pixel of the write phase.

Claim 37

A ferroelectric liquid crystal apparatus comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal element including a pair of substrates having a scanning electrode group and a data electrode group and each oriented in one axis, the axis of one of the pair of substrates being parallel or substantially parallel to the axis of the other of the pair of substrates and having the same direction as that of the other of the pair of substrates, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal sealed between the pair of substrates and having an orientation state surrounded by hairpin or lightening defects upon application of a stress to substrates by a foreign material such as a spacer interposed between the substrates, the orientation state being caused by defects in an order of lightening and hairpin defects with respect to a direction of floating of liquid crystal molecules from an orientation surface caused by a pretilt, and the orientation state being defined such that the ferroelectric liquid crystal has a total of three or four stable states, i.e., two stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and one or two stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols, and means for applying a scanning signal to the scanning electrode group, the scanning signal being constituted by two phases, i.e., an erase phase and a write phase having different polarities, and the scanning signal having an absolute value of a voltage applied to a pixel of the erase phase to be larger than that applied to a pixel of the write phase.

Claim 38

An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state has a total of four stable states, i.e., first and second stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and third and fourth stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols, a color formed by the first sable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by the second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the first and second stable states, and a color of the third stable state upon rotation of only the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is different from that of the fourth stable state upon rotation of only the one polarization plate by the same range of angles counterclockwise.

Claim 39

A ferroelectric liquid crystal apparatus comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal element including a pair of substrates having a scanning electrode group and a data electrode group and each subjected to one axis orientation treatment, the axis of one of the pair of substrates being parallel or substantially parallel to the axis of the other of the pair of substrates and having the same direction as that of the other of the pair of substrates, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal sealed between the pair of substrates and having an orientation state surrounded by hairpin or lightening defects upon application of a stress to substrates by a foreign material such as a spacer interposed between the substrates, the orientation state being caused by defects in an order of lightening and hairpin defects with respect to a rubbing direction, the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state exhibiting at least two stable states, and an angle ϑ a 1/2 the angle between optical axes of these two stable states and the tilt angle ϑ of the ferroelectric liquid crystal satisfying the following condition: ϑ > ϑ a > ϑ/2 and means for applying a scanning signal to the scanning electrode group, the scanning signal being constituted by two phases, i.e., an erase phase and a write phase having different polarities, and the scanning signal having an absolute value of a voltage applied to a pixel of the erase phase to be larger than that applied to a pixel of the write phase.

Claim 40

A ferroelectric liquid crystal apparatus comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal element including a pair of substrates having a scanning electrode group and a data electrode group and each subjected to one axis orientation treatment, the axis of one of the pair of substrates being parallel or substantially parallel to the axis of the other of the pair of substrates and having the same direction as that of the other of the pair of substrates, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal sealed between the pair of substrates and having an orientation state surrounded by hairpin or lightening defects upon application of a stress to substrates by a foreign material such as a spacer interposed between the substrates, the orientation state being caused by defects in an order of lightening and hairpin defects with respect to a rubbing direction, the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state exhibiting at least two stable states, and the orientation state being defined such that a color formed by a first stable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by a second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the first and second stable states, and means for applying a scanning signal to the scanning electrode group, the scanning signal being constituted by two phases, i.e., an erase phase and a write phase having different polarities, and the scanning signal having an absolute value of a voltage applied to a pixel of the erase phase to be larger than that applied to a pixel of the write phase.

Claim 41

A ferroelectric liquid crystal apparatus comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal element including a pair of substrates having a scanning electrode group and a data electrode group and each subjected to one axis orientation treatment the axis of one of the pair of substrates being parallel or substantially parallel to the axis of the other of the pair of substrates and having the same direction as that of the other of the pair of substrates, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal sealed between the pair of substrates and having an orientation state surrounded by hairpin or lightening defects upon application of a stress to substrates by a foreign material such as a spacer interposed between the substrates, the orientation state being caused by defects in an order of lightening and hairpin defects with respect to a rubbing direction, and the orientation state being defined such that the ferroelectric liquid crystal has a total of three or four stable states, i.e., two stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and one or two stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols, and means for applying a scanning signal to the scanning electrode group, the scanning signal being constituted by two phases, i.e., an erase phase and a write phase having different polarities, and the scanning signal having an absolute value of a voltage applied to a pixel of the erase phase to be larger than that applied to a pixel of the write phase.

Claim 42

An apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state has a total of four stable states, i.e., first and second stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and third and fourth stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols, a color formed by the first sable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by the second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the first and second stable states, and a color of the third stable state upon rotation of only the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is different from that of the fourth stable state upon rotation of only the one polarization plate by the same range of angles counterclockwise.

Claim 43

A ferroelectric liquid crystal apparatus comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal element including a pair of substrates having a scanning electrode group and a data electrode group and each oriented in one axis, the axis of one of the pair of substrates being parallel or substantially parallel to the axis of the other of the pair of substrates and having the same direction as that of the other of the pair of substrates, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal sealed between the pair of substrates, having no change in orientation accompanying defects during cooling from a high temperature of an SmA phase or the like to a temperature of an Sm*C phase, and having at least two stable states in the orientation state, and an angle ϑ a 1/2 between optical axes of these two stable states and the tilt angle ϑ of the ferroelectric liquid crystal satisfying the following condition: ϑ > ϑ a > ϑ/2 and means for applying a scanning signal to the scanning electrode group, the scanning signal being constituted by two phases, i.e., an erase phase and a write phase having different polarities, and the scanning signal having an absolute value of a voltage applied to a pixel of the erase phase to be larger than that applied to a pixel of the write phase.

Claim 44

A ferroelectric liquid crystal apparatus comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal element including a pair of substrates having a scanning electrode group and a data electrode group and each subjected to one axis orientation treatment, the axis of one of the pair of substrates being parallel or substantially parallel to the axis of the other of the pair of substrates and having the same direction as that of the other of the pair of substrates, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal sealed between the pair of substrates, having no change in orientation accompanying defects during cooling from a high temperature of an SmA phase or the like to a temperature of an Sm*C phase, and having at least two stable states in the orientation state, and the orientation state being defined such that a color formed by a first stable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by a second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the first and second stable states, and means for applying a scanning signal to the scanning electrode group, the scanning signal being constituted by two phases, i.e., an erase phase and a write phase having different polarities, and the scanning signal having an absolute value of a voltage applied to a pixel of the erase phase to be larger than that applied to a pixel of the write phase.

Claim 45

A ferroelectric liquid crystal apparatus comprising a ferroelectric liquid crystal element including a pair of substrates having a scanning electrode group and a data electrode group and each subjected to one axis orientation treatment the axis of one of the pair of substrates being parallel or substantially parallel to the axis of the other of the pair of substrates and having the same direction as that of the other of the pair of substrates, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal sealed between the pair of substrates, having no change in orientation accompanying defects during cooling from a high temperature of an SmA phase or the like to a temperature of an Sm*C phase, and having an orientation state defined such that the ferroelectric liquid crystal has a total of three or four stable states, i.e., two stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and one or two stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols, and means for applying a scanning signal to the scanning electrode group, the scanning signal being constituted by two phases, i.e., an erase phase and a write phase having different polarities, and the scanning signal having an absolute value of a voltage applied to a pixel of the erase phase to be larger than that applied to a pixel of the write phase.

Claim 46

An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the orientation state has a total of four stable states, i.e., first and second stable states having small transmittances corresponding to almost a light extinction level under crossed Nicols and third and fourth stable states having large transmittances corresponding to the light extinction level under crossed Nicols, a color formed by the first sable state upon rotation of one polarization plate from a position of a light-absorbing axis of the other polarization plate perpendicular to the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is the same as that formed by the second stable state upon rotation through the same range of angles counterclockwise when a light-absorbing axis of one polarization plate is located at a position for bisecting an angle formed by optical axes of the first and second stable states, and a color of the third stable state upon rotation of only the one polarization plate through 3° to 30° clockwise is different from that of the fourth stable state upon rotation of only the one polarization plate by the same range of angles counterclockwise.