Abstract: The present invention relates to a doped ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal having a chirality-induced stabilization of the polar nematic order, improved relaxation time for electro-optical switching, and selective reflection in the visible wavelength that is reversibly tunable. The ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal is doped with a chiral dopant selected from the group benzoic acid, 4-hexyl-,4-[[(1-methylheptyl)oxy]carbonyl]phenyl ester (ZLI811) and BDH1281.

Abstract: Organic Electrochemical Transistors (OECTs) have the potential to enable fully flexible low-cost electronics. Combining OECTs with ionic electroactive polymers (IEAP) yields a highly sensitive bending sensors with respect to mechanical bending. In comparison the proposed sensor has a sensitivity that is several orders of magnitude larger than conventional electroactive polymers.

Abstract: An ionic liquid crystal elastomer composition includes a liquid crystal elastomer; and an ionic liquid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polymer stabilized nematic liquid crystal microlenses. The microlenses can be made from a nematic liquid crystal, a chiral dopant, a reactive monomer, and a photoinitiator. The microlenses can be prepared by spin coating a liquid crystal mixture onto an array including a nickel transmission electron microscope grid. The focal length of the microlens array can be tuned electrically.

Abstract: An ionic liquid crystal elastomer composition includes a liquid crystal elastomer; and an ionic liquid.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detection of an amphiphile at a liquid crystal interface include the production of circular polarized light. A system 100 for detecting an amphiphile at a liquid crystal interface comprises a source of white collimated light. A circular polarizer is included for circularly polarizing incoming white light. Polarized white light passes through to an LC grid including a suspended LC film and a solution in contact with the LC grid at a surface. A spectrophotometer optically detects the presence of an amphiphile at the surface by determining a change in birefringence exhibited by the suspended LC film. A method for detecting amphiphiles at a liquid crystal water interface comprises shining collimated white light on an LC cell including an LC film, polarizing the white light with a circular polarizer, adding an amphiphile to a solution in contact with the LC film, and optically detecting the presence of the amphiphile by measuring a change in birefringence exhibited by the LC film.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detection of an amphiphile at a liquid crystal interface include the production of circular polarized light. A system 100 for detecting an amphiphile at a liquid crystal interface comprises a source of white collimated light. A circular polarizer is included for circularly polarizing incoming white light. Polarized white light passes through to an LC grid including a suspended LC film and a solution in contact with the LC grid at a surface. A spectrophotometer optically detects the presence of an amphiphile at the surface by determining a change in birefringence exhibited by the suspended LC film. A method for detecting amphiphiles at a liquid crystal water interface comprises shining collimated white light on an LC cell including an LC film, polarizing the white light with a circular polarizer, adding an amphiphile to a solution in contact with the LC film, and optically detecting the presence of the amphiphile by measuring a change in birefringence exhibited by the LC film.

Abstract: The invention provides a simple and cost-effective method for preparing particles such as anisotropic semiconductor nanoparticles (e.g. CdS) and devices thereof. The method comprises (i) dispersing at least part of particle-forming reactants in a self-organized medium such as surfactant-aqueous solution system, and (ii) conducting a particle-forming reaction using the particle-forming reactants dispersed in the self-organized medium under shear condition to form the particles. The anisotropic property of the particles is controlled at least partially by the shear condition. The invention may be used to prepare quantum dots in a liquid crystal, and various devices such as nonlinear optics, optoelectronic devices, and solar cells, among others.

Abstract: A display device includes a piezoelectric layer. First electrically conductive electrodes are disposed on both sides of the piezoelectric layer. A bistable liquid crystal layer is disposed adjacent the piezoelectric layer. Second electrically conductive electrodes are disposed on both sides of the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer can be addressed by electrically addressing the piezoelectric layer causing the piezoelectric layer to move into contact with the liquid crystal layer, changing the brightness of pixels of the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: The invention provides a simple and cost-effective method for preparing particles such as anisotropic semiconductor nanoparticles (e.g. CdS) and devices thereof. The method comprises (i) dispersing at least part of particle-forming reactants in a self-organized medium such as surfactant-aqueous solution system, and (ii) conducting a particle-forming reaction using the particle-forming reactants dispersed in the self-organized medium under shear condition to form the particles. The anisotropic property of the particles is controlled at least partially by the shear condition. The invention may be used to prepare quantum dots in a liquid crystal, and various devices such as nonlinear optics, optoelectronic devices, and solar cells, among others.

Abstract: A new way of generating electrical power by changing the dielectric properties of liquid crystals by mechanical means is described. Such a method and device take advantage of the nature of the liquid crystal as the dielectric material in a capacitor. A broad range of materials, including various liquid crystalline materials, as well as additional mechanisms (flexoelectric polarization) to fully exploit the potential of this mechanism may be realized. Applications of this technology may be useful in wearable personal electric generators as well as in noise damping materials/devices, which not only absorb and dissipate sound, but use it to generate electric power.

Abstract: A new way of generating electrical power by changing the dielectric properties of liquid crystals by mechanical means is described. Such a method and device take advantage of the nature of the liquid crystal as the dielectric material in a capacitor. A broad range of materials, including various liquid crystalline materials, as well as additional mechanisms (flexoelectric polarization) to fully exploit the potential of this mechanism may be realized. Applications of this technology may be useful in wearable personal electric generators as well as in noise damping materials/devices, which not only absorb and dissipate sound, but use it to generate electric power.

Abstract: Novel nanoscale discotic liquid crystalline porphyrins, methods for their preparation, and device fabrication are disclosed. These compounds are capable of being used as high-efficiency photovoltaic materials, organic semiconducting materials, and organic light emitting materials.

Abstract: Novel nanoscale discotic liquid crystalline porphyrins, methods for their preparation, and device fabrication are disclosed. These compounds are capable of being used as high-efficiency photovoltaic materials, organic semiconducting materials, and organic light emitting materials.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprising tilted smectic phases of banana-shaped liquid crystal molecules is disclosed. A method for fabricating a light modulating device is also disclosed. The method comprises the steps of providing a pair of substrates with a cell gap therebetween and permanently disposing at least one banana-shaped liquid crystal material into said cell gap. The present invention also provides a method of generating an image, comprising providing a pair of substrates with a cell gap therebetween, providing transparent electrodes on each of the substrates adjacent to the cell gap, disposing at least one banana-shaped liquid crystal material into the cell gap; and applying an electric field across the electrodes. The tilted smectic phases of banana-shaped liquid crystal may be in either a racemic or a chiral state.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprising tilted smectic phases of banana-shaped liquid crystal molecules is disclosed. A method for fabricating a light modulating device is also disclosed. The method comprises the steps of providing a pair of substrates with a cell gap therebetween and permanently disposing at least one banana-shaped liquid crystal material into said cell gap. The present invention also provides a method of generating an image, comprising providing a pair of substrates with a cell gap therebetween, providing transparent electrodes on each of the substrates adjacent to the cell gap, disposing at least one banana-shaped liquid crystal material into the cell gap; and applying an electric field across the electrodes. The tilted smectic phases of banana-shaped liquid crystal may be in either a racemic or a chiral state.

Abstract: A liquid crystalline paste material is formed by polymerization of a solution containing a mesogenic solvent and monomeric material in bulk. The paste provides an improved method of preparing thin electrically addressable light modulating films by coating the paste onto a suitable substrate.

Abstract: A method for promoting uniform "bookshelf" textures in light modulators using smectic C* liquid crystal is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of confining smectic C* phase liquid crystal between parallel substrates having inner surfaces treated to promote homeotropic alignment of the liquid crystal near the inner surfaces, generating an electric field normal to the inner surfaces of the substrates and biasing the liquid crystal in a direction parallel to the inner surfaces of the substrates to induce the formation of smectic layers normal to the inner surfaces of the substrate. For example, the perturbation may be carried out by supplying a cyclic shear to one of the substrates or by means of a magnetic field parallel to the substrates. Reversal of the polarity of the electric field switches the material between two stable bookshelf textures.