Suppression of defects in liquid crystal filled polymer structures using materials exhibiting a frequency dependent dielectric anisotropy inversion

Garry A. Lester; Adrian M. Strudwick

doi:10.1117/12.2578738

5 March 2021 Suppression of defects in liquid crystal filled polymer structures using materials exhibiting a frequency dependent dielectric anisotropy inversion

Garry A. Lester, Adrian M. Strudwick

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 11707, Emerging Liquid Crystal Technologies XVI; 117070A (2021) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2578738
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2021, Online Only

Abstract

Switchable optical elements incorporating polymer structure and a liquid crystal material offer devices with a voltage controlled phase difference at low cost. The polymer structure may be fabricated using established replication techniques. Earlier work has demonstrated such devices with good optical quality and high diffraction efficiencies but with geometric restrictions due to the formation of defects within the device in some situations. Earlier work used surface forces from an aligning surface to establish the director orientation of the liquid crystal. In this work improved control of the director is achieved through the use of a liquid crystal material exhibiting a reversal of the dielectric anisotropy at different driving frequencies. Such a material allows the director to be actively driven either towards homeotropic or planar alignment depending upon the frequency of the drive waveform. Use of a liquid crystal material with a dielectric anisotropy inversion has the advantage in this case that the liquid crystal orientation is less dependent upon surface forces.

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Garry A. Lester and Adrian M. Strudwick "Suppression of defects in liquid crystal filled polymer structures using materials exhibiting a frequency dependent dielectric anisotropy inversion", Proc. SPIE 11707, Emerging Liquid Crystal Technologies XVI, 117070A (5 March 2021); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2578738

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