Abstract
In a recent decade, experimental and theoretical studies on the structures of liquid crystals have been rapidly developed. Here the structures and diffraction patterns of several phases in liquid crystals are reviewed. They are not so simple as we thought and the molecular interactions are fairly complicated. The phase transitions in liquid crystals are discussed in comparing with the superfluid phase transition which is only one case of the phase transition observed in liquids. Ferroelectric, lyotropic, and discotic liquid crystals are briefly reviewed. The dynamical properties of liquid crystals are also discussed.
