Effects of graphene on electro-optic switching and spontaneous polarization of a ferroelectric liquid crystal

Journal Article · Mon Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4896112· OSTI ID:22303527

Basu, Rajratan ^[1]

---

1. Department of Physics, Soft-matter and Nanomaterials Laboratory, The United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland 21402 (United States)

A small quantity of graphene flakes was doped in a ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC), and the field-induced ferroelectric electro-optic switching was found to be significantly faster in the FLC + graphene hybrid than that of the pure FLC. Further studies revealed that the suspended graphene flakes enhanced the FLC's spontaneous polarization by improving smectic-C ordering resulting from the π–π electron stacking, and reduced rotation viscosity by trapping some of the free ions of the FLC media. These effects coherently impacted the FLC-switching phenomenon, enabling the FLC molecules to switch faster on reversing an external electric field.

• OSTI ID: 22303527
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 105, Issue 11; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
DOPED MATERIALS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRO-OPTICAL EFFECTS
FERROELECTRIC MATERIALS
GRAPHENE
IONS
LIQUID CRYSTALS
POLARIZATION
SWITCHES
TRAPPING