Liquid crystal display apparatus

A liquid crystal display apparatus, comprising:

• a pair of substrates, at least one of which is transparent;
• a liquid crystal layer arranged between said pair of substrates;
• a plurality of electrodes formed on one substrate of said pair of substrates for applying an electric field substantially in parallel to a face of said substrate;
• a plurality of active elements connected to the electrodes;
• and
• an alignment control layer formed on a face of at least one of said pair of substrates and being in contact with said liquid crystal layer;
• wherein a surface of the alignment control layer on said at least one of said pair of substrates which is in contact with said liquid crystal layer has stepped difference portions;
• wherein a ratio a/d between a height of a maximum one of said stepped difference portions and a maximum thickness d of said liquid crystal layer between said pair of substrates on which the alignment control layer having stepped difference portions is provided on at least one of said pair of substrates has a range of 0.02-1;
• and
• wherein said alignment control film is made from a polyamic acid obtained by reacting a diamine with an acid anhydride of 1,2,3,4-cycle butane-tetracarboxylic acid dianhydrides.