Patent ID: 8337963

Claim:
A liquid crystal composition having a nematic phase and including at least one compound selected from the group of compounds represented by formula (1) as a first component, at least one compound selected from the group of compounds represented by formula (2) as a second component and at least one compound selected from the group of compounds represented by formula (3) as a third component: wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently alkyl having 1 to 12 carbons, alkoxy having 1 to 12 carbons or alkenyl having 2 to 12 carbons; R 3 and R 4 are independently alkyl having 1 to 12 carbons, alkoxy having 1 to 12 carbons, alkenyl having 2 to 12 carbons, or alkenyl having 2 to 12 carbons in which arbitrary hydrogen is replaced by fluorine; ring A and ring B are independently 1,4-cyclohexylene or 1,4-phenylene; ring C and ring D are independently 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, 3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene or 3,5-difluoro-1,4-phenylene; ring E, ring F, ring G and ring H are independently 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, 2-fluoro-1,4-phenylene, 3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene or 2,5-difluoro-1,4-phenylene; Z 1 , Z 2 and Z 3 are independently a single bond, ethylene or carbonyloxy; X 1 and X 2 are independently hydrogen or fluorine; and Y 1 is fluorine, chlorine or trifluoromethoxy.