Liquid crystal display device

An FFS mode liquid crystal display device comprising a first transparent insulating substrate and a second transparent insulating substrate disposed so as to face each other;

• a liquid crystal layer containing a liquid crystal composition and sandwiched between the first transparent insulating substrate and the second transparent insulating substrate;
• a common electrode composed of a transparent conductive material and disposed on the first transparent insulating substrate;
• a plurality of gate bus lines and a plurality of data bus lines disposed on the first transparent insulating substrate so as to form a matrix;
• a thin film transistor disposed at each of intersections of the gate bus lines and the data bus lines;
• a pixel electrode composed of a transparent conductive material and driven by the transistor, the thin film transistor and the pixel electrode being included in each pixel;
• and
• alignment films that induce homogeneous alignment and are disposed between the liquid crystal layer and the first transparent insulating substrate and between the liquid crystal layer and the second transparent insulating substrate, alignment directions of the alignment films being parallel to each other,
• wherein an interelectrode distance R between the pixel electrode and the common electrode is smaller than a distance G between the first transparent insulating substrate and the second transparent insulating substrate so that a fringing field is formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode,
• the common electrode is disposed on substantially an entire surface of the first transparent insulating substrate so as to be closer to the first transparent insulating substrate than the pixel electrode, and
• the liquid crystal composition has a negative dielectric anisotropy, a nematic phase-isotropic liquid phase transition temperature of 60° C. or higher, and an absolute value of dielectric anisotropy of 2 or more, the liquid crystal composition having a refractive index anisotropy Δn of 0.10 or more, and
• the liquid crystal composition comprises:
• at least one compound selected from the group of compounds represented by general formula (I), at least one compound selected from the group of compounds represented by general formula (II);
• and one or more of compounds represented by general formula (IV),
• wherein in the general formula (I), R1 and R2 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or an alkenyloxy group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms;
• A represents a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group;
• k represents 1;
• and when k represents 2, two A may be the same or different),
• wherein in the general formula (II), R3 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or an alkenyloxy group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms;
• R4 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 4 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or an alkenyloxy group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms;
• B represents a 1,4-phenylene group or a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group;
• m represents 0, 1, or 2;
• and when m represents 2, two B may be the same or different,
• wherein the general formula (IV), R7 and R8 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or an alkenyloxy group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms;
• one or more hydrogen atoms in the alkyl group, the alkenyl group, the alkoxy group, or the alkenyloxy group may be substituted with fluorine atoms;
• a methylene group in the alkyl group, the alkenyl group, the alkoxy group, or the alkenyloxy group may be substituted with an oxygen atom as long as oxygen atoms do not directly bond to each other and may be substituted with a carbonyl group as long as carbonyl groups do not directly bond to each other;
• A1 and A2 each independently represent a 1,4-cyclohexylene group, a 1,4-phenylene group, or a tetrahydropyran-2,5-diyl group;
• when A1 and/or A2 represents a 1,4-phenylene group, one or more hydrogen atoms in the 1,4-phenylene group may be substituted with fluorine atoms;
• Z1 and Z2 each independently represent a single bond, —OCH2—, —OCF2—, —CH2O—, or CF2O—;
• n1 and n2 each independently represent 0, 1, 2, or 3 and n1+n2 is 1 to 3;
• when a plurality of A1, A2, Z1, and/or Z2 are present, A1, A2, Z1, and/or Z2 may be the same or different, wherein the general formula (IV) excludes a compound in which n1 represents 1 or 2, n2 represents 0, A1 represents a 1,4-cyclohexylene group, and all Z1 represent single bonds.