Ferroelectric liquid crystal composition, liquid crystal optical device produced by using the ferroelectric liquid crystal composition, and method of producing the liquid crystal optical device

A ferroelectric liquid crystal composition comprising from 40 to 97% by weight of (A) a ferroelectric liquid crystal material and from 3 to 60% by weight of (B) a non-liquid-crystalline polymeric material selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic resin, a crosslinkable resin and a mixture thereof;

• the (A) ferroelectric liquid crystal material comprising at least 3 mol % of at least one ferroelectric polymeric liquid crystal having a number average molecular weight of at least 1,000 and being selected from the group consisting of a polyacrylate-type ferroelectric polymeric liquid crystal having the repeating units represented by the following general formula:
• ##STR67## wherein k is an integer having a value of 1 to 30,
• R .sup.1 is ##STR68## X is --COO-- or --OCO--, R.sup.2 is --COOR.sup.3, --OCOR.sup.3, --OR.sup.3 or --R.sup.3,
• wherein R.sup.3 is ##STR69## wherein each of m and n is independently an integer having a value of 0 to 9,
• q is an integer having a value of 0 or 1,
• each of R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 is independently --CH.sub.3, a halogen atom or --CN, with the proviso that when R.sup.5 is --CH.sub.3, n is not an integer having a value of 0, and that when q is 0 and R.sup.4 is --CH.sub.3, n is not an integer having a value of 0, and C* represents an asymmetric carbon atom;
• a polyether-type ferroelectric polymeric liquid crystal having the repeating units represented by the following general formula:
• ##STR70## wherein k and R.sup.1 are as defined above;
• a polysiloxane-type ferroelectric polymeric liquid crystal having the repeating units represented by the following general formula:
• ##STR71## wherein R.sup.6 is a lower alkyl radical and k and R.sup.1 are as defined above;
• and
• polyester-type ferroelectric polymeric liquid crystals having the repeating units represented by the following general formula:
• ##STR72## wherein R.sup.7 is --H, --CH.sub.3 or --C.sub.2 H.sub.5,
• s is an integer having a value of 1 to 20,
• A is --O-- or --COO--,
• t is an integer having a value of 0 or 1, and
• R.sup.1 and k are as defined above or ##STR73## wherein s, A, t, R.sup.1 and k are as defined above.