Contents

Abstructs of Reviews

Liquid Crystals Based on Conjugated Seven-membered Compounds

Akira MORI

A variety of structures have been used for the cores of liquid crystals.In this review we discuss the reasons why seven-membered molecules are used for the core structures of liquid crystals, what kind of interactions act among the molecules, and how the interactions differ from those concerned with the appearance of the mesophases in the corresponding benzenoid liquid crystals
Keywords :Troponoid Liquid Crystals, Monotropic Liquid Crystals, [1,9]-Sigmatropy,Micro-Phase Separation, Hydrogen Bonding, pi-pi interaction, Twin Liquid Crystals, Lamellar Columnar Phase, Frustrated Phases

Nanostructure and Reversible Deformation of Liquid-Crystalline Elastomers

Kazuyuki HIRAOKA

Liquid-crystalline elastomers have been increasing attention as a novel class of liquid-crystalline materials because they give rise to new macroscopic features by combining the mechanical properties of polymer networks with the anisotropic structure of liquid-crystalline phases. Over the past two decades, in particular, they have attracted both industrial and scientific interest because of their thermo-mechanical properties such as reversible strain actuation and soft elasticity. Here, I review and discuss the reversible deformation of nematic and smectic elastomers with macroscopically uniform alignment obtained by mechanical field in sample preparation.
Keywords :Artificial Muscle, Elastomers, Liquidcrystalline Polymers (LCP), Shape Memory, Liquid-Crystalline Elastomers,Reversible Deformation,Nanostructure, Nematic Liquid Crystals,Smectic Liquid Crystals

Electro-responsive Microcapsule Immobilized Liquid Crystal

Masahiro YOSHIDA, Tomohiro FUJIMURA, Takayuki TAKEI, Yasuo HATATE, Toshio TSUTSUI, Kei MIZUTA, Kouichiro SHIOMORI and Shiro KIYOYAMA

Nylon-polystyrene microcapsules with immobilized ferroelectric liquid crystalline segments were prepared, and the permeability control of the encapsulated core material was investigated under an external electric field. A ferroelectric liquid crystal monomer possessing both mesogenicity and chirality was effectively responded to an external electrical field. Permeation of the material (oxprenolol) contained in the inner aqueous core of the microcapsules was enhanced under a feeble electric field (2 V). Furthermore, the permeability of oxprenolol without the ferroelectric liquid crystal group did not depend on the external electrical field. In order to clarify the controlled release mechanism of the core material, the transmittance was quantitatively evaluated under an external electric field using a handmade polarized light transmittance apparatus.
Keywords : Liquid Crystalline Microcapsule,Double-Membrane Microcapsule, Electro Response, Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal, On-OffFunction

New Liquid Ccrystal Display Mode Using Bentcore Liquid Crystals

Yoshio SHIMBO and Hideo TAKEZOE

We have proposed a new liquid crystal display (LCD)mode using a smectic A-like phase of bent-core molecules and demonstrated the performance.The characteristics of the reported LCD mode are (1)fast response of the order of 100 us,(2)high contrast ratio (3000:1),and(3) continuous gray level. The dipoles and an electric field are directly coupled in this mode. These performances originate from the cooperative motion of bentcore molecules about 200 molecules with quasi-long-range order of dipoles based on a two-dimensional Langevin process.
Keywords : Bent-Core Liquid Crystal,Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), Second Harmonic Generation (SHG)

Measurement and Evaluation of Moving Picture Blurring for Flat Panel Display

Yoshi ENAMI

Recently, technology to realize large display area LCD-televisions has been much improved. As the enlargement proceeded, the improvement of motion artifacts became important. The improvement of moving picture blurring is one of the important issues among these motion artifacts.MPRT is commonly used method for the evaluation of the moving picture blurring.In this paper, we have studied measurement and evaluation of the MPRT. We also discussed colored moving picture edge and its improvement.
Keywords : LCD-TV,Motion Artifacts,MPRT,BET, Moving Picture Response Time, Moving Picture Blurring, Moving Colored Edge.

Current Technologies of LCOS-Technologies of D-ILA device and Projection System

Manabu ENDOU

We have developed D-ILA (Direct-drive Image Light Amplifier)device as LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon). This paper will review the technology of D-ILA device and its application for projection system. And we also comment the current topic and development trend of DILA device and projection system.
Keywords : Reflective LC Panel,LCOS,VA (Vertical Alignment), Projector, Projection Display, Rear Projection Display