| abstract |
Disclosed are a twisted spiral ferroelectric liquid crystal device having high response and high contrast, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition used therefor. In a twisted spiral ferroelectric liquid crystal cell in which a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer having a known thickness is provided between a plurality of electrode plates, at least one of which is transparent or translucent, a voltage is applied to the electrode plate via this layer. Is applied to change the optical anisotropy of the element. A ferroelectric liquid crystal 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, since the natural helical pitch of the ferroelectric liquid crystal is sufficiently shorter than the thickness of the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer of the device, the ferroelectric liquid crystal has a helical orientation vector structure and is surface-stabilized. Absent. 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, the alignment of the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer of the device is facilitated. [Selection figure] None |