A liquid crystal composition comprising anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compound (1) selected from liquid crystal compounds of the formula (1) and a ferrielectric liquid crystal compound (2) or a racemic compound (2') thereof, wherein (a) the compositional ratio of the anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compound (1) and the ferrielectric liquid crystal compound (2) or the racemic compound (2') thereof is in the range of from a value which is on the anti-ferroelectric phase side and is apart from a boundary compositional ratio by 5 mol% to a value which is on the ferrielectric phase side and is apart from the boundary compositional ratio by 25 mol%, wherein the boundary compositional ratio is obtained on the basis of a liquid crystal phase diagram prepared on the basis of conoscopic image observations obtained by changing the mixing ratio of the anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compound (1) and the ferrielectric liquid crystal compound (2) or the racemic compound (2') thereof, (b) in an optical response to an applied voltage, the liquid crystal composition exhibits an optical response which is symmetrical in a positive voltage region and a negative voltage region and which is free of hysteresis or involves a small hysteresis, and (c) the liquid crystal composition has excellent alignment stability., <CHEM> The novel liquid crystal composition of the present invention is almost free from sticking, is excellent in alignment and alignment stability and exhibits a V-letter-shaped optical response so that it can give a highly reliable active matrix liquid crystal display device.
Liquid crystal composition