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Surface Anchoring and Electro-Optics in Polymer-Dispersed Liquid-Crystal Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

Karl Amundson  and
Mohan Srinivasarao
Karl Amundson
Affiliation:
Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies; Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974
Mohan Srinivasarao
Affiliation:
Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies; Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974
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Abstract

Polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films are composed of micrometer-scale droplets of liquid crystal (typically nematic) in a polymeric matrix. They can be switched with an electric field from a scattering to a transparent state, and are of interest for use in flat-panel displays. The electro-optics of PDLC films, and the director field pattern within the nematic droplets, are strongly influenced by the surface anchoring condition at the liquid crystal - polymer matrix interface. To understand the role of surface anchoring, we studied the electro-optics of photopolymerized PDLC films composed of a liquid crystal and acrylates as a function of temperature. Properties depend strongly upon the choice of the acrylate. With several acrylate matrix materials, the nernatic director field undergoes a reversible, temperature-driven configurational transition, accompanied by dramatic changes in electro-optical properties. We find that the surface anchoring behavior is very sensitive to the polymer structure as well as several parameters of PDLC film formation. Several surface anchoring transitions are used in a study that shows strong evidence for surface memory in PDLC films.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 425: Symposium I – Liquid Crystals for Advanced Technologies , 1996 , 269
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1996

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