Recent Advances in Electro-Optic Response of Polymer-Stabilized Cholesteric Liquid Crystals.

Cholesteric liquid crystals (CLC) are molecules that can self-assemble into helicoidal superstructures exhibiting circularly polarized reflection. The facile self-assembly and resulting optical properties makes CLCs a promising technology for an array of industrial applications, including reflective displays, tunable mirror-less lasers, optical storage, tunable color filters, and smart windows. The helicoidal structure of CLC can be stabilized via in situ photopolymerization of liquid crystal monomers in a CLC mixture, resulting in polymer-stabilized CLCs (PSCLCs). PSCLCs exhibit a dynamic optical response that can be induced by external stimuli, including electric fields, heat, and light. In this review, we discuss the electro-optic response and potential mechanism of PSCLCs reported over the past decade. Multiple electro-optic responses in PSCLCs with negative or positive dielectric anisotropy have been identified, including bandwidth broadening, red and blue tuning, and switching the reflection notch when an electric field is applied. The reconfigurable optical response of PSCLCs with positive dielectric anisotropy is also discussed. That is, red tuning (or broadening) by applying a DC field and switching by applying an AC field were both observed for the first time in a PSCLC sample. Finally, we discuss the potential mechanism for the dynamic response in PSCLCs.

Tuning of optical properties and phase behavior of Nanomaterial-stabilized blue phase liquid crystals.

HYPOTHESIS: Nanoparticles of various shapes and sizes can affect the optical properties and blue phase (BP) stabilization of BP liquid crystals (BPLCs). This is because nanoparticles, which are more compatible with the LC host, can be dispersed in both the double twist cylinder (DTC) and disclination defects in BPLCs. EXPERIMENTS: This study presents the first systematic study of the use of CdSe nanoparticles having various sizes and shapes (spheres, tetrapods and nanoplatelets) to stabilize BPLCs. Unlike previous studies using commercial nanoparticles (NPs), we custom-synthesized NPs with the same core and nearly identical long chain hydrocarbon ligand materials. Two LC hosts were used to investigate the NP effect on BPLCs. FINDINGS: The size and shape of nanomaterials greatly influence the interaction with LCs, and the dispersion of NPs in the LC medium affects the position of the BP reflection band and the stabilization of BPs. Spherical NPs were found to be more compatible with the LC medium than tetrapod shape and platelet shape NPs, resulting in a wider temperature range of BP and a redshift of the reflection band of BP. In addition, the inclusion of spherical NPs tuned the optical properties of BPLCs to a significant extent, whereas BPLCs with nanoplatelets displayed a limited influence on the optical properties and temperature window of BPs due to poor compatibility with LC hosts. The tunable optical behavior of BPLC as a function of the type and concentration of NPs has not been reported.

Effect of Cell Thickness on the Electro-optic Response of Polymer Stabilized Cholesteric Liquid Crystals with Negative Dielectric Anisotropy.

It has previously been shown that for polymer-stabilized cholesteric liquid crystals (PSCLCs) with negative dielectric anisotropy, the position and bandwidth of the selective reflection notch can be controlled by a direct-current (DC) electric field. The field-induced deformation of the polymer network that stabilizes the devices is mediated by ionic charges trapped in or near the polymer. A unique and reversible electro-optic response is reported here for relatively thin films (≤5 µm). Increasing the DC field strength redshifts the reflection notch to longer wavelength until the reflection disappears at high DC fields. The extent of the tuning range is dependent on the cell thickness. The transition from the reflective to the clear state is due to the electrically controlled, chirped pitch across the small cell gap and not to the field-induced reorientation of the liquid crystal molecules themselves. The transition is reversible. By adjusting the DC field strength, various reflection wavelengths can be addressed from either a different reflective (colored) state at 0 V or a transparent state at a high DC field. Relatively fast responses (~50 ms rise times and ~200 ms fall times) are observed for these thin PSCLCs.