Patent ID: 8597739

Claim:
An alignment film and a liquid crystal layer aligned by the alignment film, the alignment film comprising: a first alignment layer containing a first polyimide; and a second alignment layer containing a second polyimide different from the first polyimide and a polymerization product resulting from polymerization of a polyfunctional monomer, a first side of the second alignment layer substantially covering and contacting an entire surface of the first alignment layer, the first alignment layer providing the second alignment layer with alignment regulating forces from the first side, the second alignment layer contacting and providing the liquid crystal layer with alignment regulating forces from a second side, wherein the polyfunctional monomer is represented by general formula (1) P1-A1-(Z1-A2)n-P2 (in general formula (1), P1 and P2 each independently of the other are an acrylate, methacrylate, acrylamide, methacrylamide, vinyl, vinyloxy, or epoxy group; A1 and A2 each independently of the other represent a 1,4-phenylene, 1,4-cyclohexane, 2,5-thiophene, or naphthalene-2,6-diyl group; Z1 is a —COO— group, a —OCO— group, a —O— group, a —CONH— group or a single bond, where n is 0, 1, or 2).