LCD using liquid crystal of ferroelectric and/or antiferroelectric phase having pretilt angle of 1 degree or less

A liquid crystal display device comprising:

• a first substrate on which a first electrode is formed;
• a second substrate on which a second electrode facing said first electrode is formed;
• a liquid crystal, located between said first and second substrates and having a layer structure with a smectic phase, said liquid crystal having first molecules aligned in a first oblique direction with respect to a direction of a normal line of said smectic layer and second molecules aligned in a second oblique direction with respect to a direction of a normal line of said smectic layer and said liquid crystal having an intermediate state in which an average direction of directors of said liquid crystal molecules is aligned in an arbitrary direction between said first oblique direction and said second oblique direction;
• an aligning film, formed on said first substrate and said first electrode, for giving a pretilt angle of 1 degree or smaller to said liquid crystal, and for giving a substantially same elastic coefficient to liquid crystal molecules which tilt rightward with respect to a normal line of a layer of said layer structure of said liquid crystal and liquid crystal molecules which tilt leftward with respect to said normal line and giving a substantially same tilt angle to said liquid crystal molecules when voltages of a same value but of opposite polarities are applied to said liquid crystal;
• and
• first and second polarization plates, so arranged as to sandwich said first and second substrates, said first polarization plate having an optical axis set in a direction substantially parallel to said normal line of said layer of said layer structure of said liquid crystal, said second polarization plate having an optical axis set perpendicular or parallel to said optical axis of said first polarization plate.