Electro-Optical Behavior of Polymer Cholesteric Liquid Crystal FLake/Fluid Suspensions in a Microencapsulation Matrix
- Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, NY
When flakes of polymer cholesteric liquid crystals (PCLC's) are dispersed in a fluid host and subjected to an applied electric field, their bright, polarization-selective reflection color is extinguished as they undergo field-induced rotation. Maxwell-Wagner (interfacial) polarization is the underlying physical mechanism for flake motion and results from the large difference in dielectric properties of the flake and fluid hosts. Flake reorientation times can be as short as 300 ms to 400 ms at exceedingly low driving fields (10 to 100 mVrms/um) and are dependent on flake size and shape, fluid host dielectric constant and viscosity, and drive-field frequency and magnitude. These attributes make this new materials system of special interest in electro-optical and photonics applications, where reflective-mode operation, polarization selectivity, and low power consumption are of critical importance (e.g., reflective displays).
- Research Organization:
- Laboratory for Laser Energetics
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- FC52-92SF19460
- OSTI ID:
- 833803
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/SF-19460-564; 1487; 2004-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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