| abstract |
Kind Code: A1 The present invention provides a helical ferroelectric liquid crystal element DHFLC having high responsiveness and high contrast, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition used therefor. A twisted spiral ferroelectric liquid crystal cell in which a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer of a known thickness is provided between a plurality of electrode plates at least one of which is transparent or translucent. By applying a voltage to the element, the optical anisotropy of the element changes. The ferroelectric liquid crystal 15 having a layer exhibits a ferroelectric phase, and exhibits a chiral nematic phase at a temperature higher than the temperature at which the ferroelectric phase is exhibited. In the ferroelectric phase, the natural helical pitch of the ferroelectric liquid crystal is sufficiently shorter than the thickness of the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer 15 of the device, so that the ferroelectric liquid crystal has a helical orientation vector structure and is surface-stabilized. Not. In the nematic phase, since the natural helical pitch of the ferroelectric liquid crystal is sufficiently longer than the thickness of the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer 15, the orientation of the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer 15 of the device becomes easy. [Selection diagram] Fig. 1 |