Abstract:
A nanoparticle film is disclosed. The nanoparticle film comprises a plurality of polymerized liquid crystal monomers having an axis of alignment, and a plurality of nanoparticles disposed in the polymerized liquid crystal monomers. Each of the nanoparticles has a surface modified by a plurality of first ligands and a long axis aligned with the axis of alignment through the plurality of first ligands.
Abstract:
A composite photoalignment layer for aligning liquid crystal molecules includes: a monomeric material; a photoinitiator or a thermal initiator; and an azo dye material. A method for preparing a composite photoalignment layer for aligning liquid crystal molecules includes: mixing, in solution form, a monomeric material, a photoinitiator or a thermal initiator, and an azo dye material; coating the mixed solution onto a substrate to form a thin film; exposing the thin film to polarized light; and, with a thermal initiator, heating the thin film to polymerize the monomeric material and form a solid thin film.
Abstract:
An electrically suppressed helix (ESH) ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) display cell with fast response includes: a liquid crystal layer, disposed between two transparent substrates, wherein helix pitch of chiral smectic liquid crystals of the liquid crystal layer is less than the thickness of the liquid crystal layer; at least one polarizer; and a voltage source, configured to apply electrical driving voltage pulses to electrodes of the display cell with amplitude greater than a critical voltage for helix unwinding of the chiral smectic liquid crystals.
Abstract:
Various photo-luminescent films and associated methods are enabled. For instance, a photo-luminescent film comprises a substrate layer comprising a plurality of pores, and a composite comprising luminescent nanoparticles disposed in the plurality of pores.
Abstract:
A liquid crystal Fresnel lens is provided. The liquid crystal Fresnel lens includes a liquid crystal cell and two polarizers. The liquid crystal cell includes: two transparent substrates having conducting layers disposed thereon with alignment layers, wherein an alignment pattern formed by the alignment layers are configured to provide multiple alignment domains in a Fresnel zones pattern, and wherein an easy axis of adjacent alignment domains are oriented at an angle relative to one another; and a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer disposed between the two transparent substrates, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer has a planar surface orientation and smectic layers perpendicular to the two transparent substrates. The liquid crystal cell is disposed between the two polarizers.
Abstract:
An electrically suppressed helix (ESH) ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) display cell with fast response includes: a liquid crystal layer, disposed between two transparent substrates, wherein helix pitch of chiral smectic liquid crystals of the liquid crystal layer is less than the thickness of the liquid crystal layer; at least one polarizer; and a voltage source, configured to apply electrical driving voltage pulses to electrodes of the display cell with amplitude greater than a critical voltage for helix unwinding of the chiral smectic liquid crystals.
Abstract:
A liquid crystal Fresnel lens is provided. The liquid crystal Fresnel lens includes a liquid crystal cell and two polarizers. The liquid crystal cell includes: two transparent substrates having conducting layers disposed thereon with alignment layers, wherein an alignment pattern formed by the alignment layers are configured to provide multiple alignment domains in a Fresnel zones pattern, and wherein an easy axis of adjacent alignment domains are oriented at an angle relative to one another; and a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer disposed between the two transparent substrates, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer has a planar surface orientation and smectic layers perpendicular to the two transparent substrates. The liquid crystal cell is disposed between the two polarizers.
Abstract:
A switchable liquid crystal grating cell, and methods for manufacturing the above. The switchable liquid crystal grating cell comprises a pair of switchable liquid crystal grating parts, each switchable liquid crystal grating part comprises a substrate; a conductive layer on the substrate; and a photoalignment layer with an alignment pattern above the conductive layer on the substrate, the alignment pattern having first and second types of domains, the first type of domain having a first uniform alignment direction, the second type of domain having a second uniform alignment direction that is reoriented at a predetermined angle to the first uniform alignment direction, the predetermined angle is 85°-95°, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of switchable liquid crystal grating parts, wherein an alignment pattern on a top surface is arranged to be shifted relative to the other alignment pattern on a bottom surface.
Abstract:
One or more devices, systems, methods and/or apparatus to facilitate suppression of fringe field effect, such as for diffraction grating and/or display purposes. In one embodiment, a ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) element can comprise a pair of conductive substrates, a FLC layer having a helical pitch and positioned between the conductive substrates, one or more spacers fixedly positioned between the conductive substrates, and an alignment layer positioned between the FLC layer and one of the conductive substrates. The alignment layer can be disposed at least partially contiguous with the FLC layer. The FLC layer can comprise a chiral smectic C* liquid crystal layer having at least one of a helical pitch smaller than an average cell gap of the FLC layer, or an average helical pitch of the FLC layer being smaller than an average thickness of the FLC layer between the conductive substrates.
Abstract:
One or more devices, systems, methods and/or apparatus to facilitate suppression of fringe field effect, such as for diffraction grating and/or display purposes. In one embodiment, a ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) element can comprise a pair of conductive substrates, a FLC layer having a helical pitch and positioned between the conductive substrates, one or more spacers fixedly positioned between the conductive substrates, and an alignment layer positioned between the FLC layer and one of the conductive substrates. The alignment layer can be disposed at least partially contiguous with the FLC layer. The FLC layer can comprise a chiral smectic C* liquid crystal layer having at least one of a helical pitch smaller than an average cell gap of the FLC layer, or an average helical pitch of the FLC layer being smaller than an average thickness of the FLC layer between the conductive substrates.