Abstract: An electro-optic device including a liquid crystal material is disclosed, comprising antiferroelectric liquid crystals with large molecular tilt ? of about 45° degrees, disposed between two flat glass or polymer substrates. The liquid crystal molecules are preferably oriented parallel to the substrates (so-called HAF texture). The device is e.g. placed between two crossed polarizers so that in field-off conditions the impinging light is not passing through the device due to the isotropic optical properties of the antiferreoelectric liquid crystal aligned in HAF texture. An applied electric field induces a continuous transition of the optically isotropic antiferreoelectric (AF) state to ferroelectric (F) one which is birefringent enabling the transmission of light. The field-induced continuous switching between the optically isotropic antiferreoelectric state and the birefringent ferroelectric state enables the generation and fast switching of high contrast as well as generation of grey scale levels.

Abstract: The invention relates to a polymer for use as a surface-director alignment layer in a liquid crystal device, the polymer comprising a polymeric backbone and side-chains attached thereto, wherein the polymeric backbone lacks directly coupled ring structures, and each side-chain of at least some of the side-chains comprises at least two unsubstituted and/or substituted phenyls coupled via a coupling selected from the group consisting of a carbon-carbon single bond (—), a carbon-carbon double bond containing unit (—CH?CH—), a carbon-carbon triple bond containing unit (—C?C—), a methylene ether unit (—CH2O—), an ethylene ether unit (—CH2CH2O—), an ester unit (—COO—) and an azo unit (—N?N—), exhibits a permanent and/or induced dipole moment that in ordered phase provides dielectric anisotropy, and is attached to the polymeric backbone via at least two spacing atoms.

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal device comprising a liquid crystal bulk layer and a dynamic surface-director alignment layer, wherein the liquid crystal bulk layer comprises a liquid crystalline material possessing a phase sequence consisting of isotropic phase, nematic phase and optionally crystalline phase(s), and the surface-director alignment layer comprises a chiral smectic liquid crystalline polysiloxane. The invention also relates to a method for its manufacturing.

Abstract: An electro-optic device including a liquid crystal material is disclosed, comprising antiferroelectric liquid crystals with large molecular tilt ? of about 45° degrees, disposed between two flat glass or polymer substrates. The liquid crystal molecules are preferably oriented parallel to the substrates (so-called HAF texture). The device is e.g. placed between two crossed polarizers so that in field-off conditions the impinging light is not passing through the device due to the isotropic optical properties of the antiferreoelectric liquid crystal aligned in HAF texture. An applied electric field induces a continuous transition of the optically isotropic antiferreoelectric (AF) state to ferroelectric (F) one which is birefringent enabling the transmission of light. The field-induced continuous switching between the optically isotropic antiferreoelectric state and the birefringent ferroelectric state enables the generation and fast switching of high contrast as well as generation of grey scale levels.

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal device comprising a liquid crystal bulk layer and a dynamic surface-director alignment layer, wherein the liquid crystal bulk layer comprises a liquid crystalline material possessing a phase sequence consisting of isotropic phase, nematic phase and optionally crystalline phase(s), and the surface-director alignment layer comprises a chiral smectic liquid crystalline polysiloxane. The invention also relates to a method for its manufacturing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal device, comprising a liquid crystal bulk layer and chiral dopants being inhomogeneously distributed in the bulk layer as a result of being permanently attached to at least one surface, termed chiral surface. The invention also relates to methods for manufacturing as well as methods for controlling liquid crystal devices.

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal device, comprising a liquid crystal bulk layer and dopants being inhomogeneously distributed in the bulk layer as a result of being permanently attached to at least one surface, termed dopant surface. The invention also relates to methods for manufacturing as well as methods for controlling liquid crystal devices.

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal device comprising a liquid crystal bulk layer and a surface-director alignment layer comprising side-chains arranged to interact with the bulk layer, wherein the orientation of the bulk layer molecules and the orientation of said side-chains each is directly controllable by an electric field via dielectric coupling, thus resulting in a decreased total time period (rise and decay times) needed to switch and relax the liquid crystal bulk molecules in response to an applied external field. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device and a method of controlling a liquid crystal bulk layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a polymer for use as a surface-director alignment layer in a liquid crystal device, the polymer comprising a polymeric backbone and side-chains attached thereto, wherein the polymeric backbone lacks directly coupled ring structures, and each side-chain of at least some of the side-chains comprises at least two unsubstituted and/or substituted phenyls coupled via a coupling selected from the group consisting of a carbon-carbon single bond (—), a carbon-carbon double bond containing unit (—CH?CH—), a carbon-carbon triple bond containing unit (—C?C—), a methylene ether unit (—CH2O—), an ethylene ether unit (—CH2CH2O—), an ester unit (—COO—) and an azo unit (—N?N—), exhibits a permanent and/or induced dipole moment that in ordered phase provides dielectric anisotropy, and is attached to the polymeric backbone via at least two spacing atoms.

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal device, comprising a liquid crystal bulk layer and dopants being inhomogeneously distributed in the bulk layer as a result of being permanently attached to at least one surface, termed dopant surface. The invention also relates to methods for manufacturing as well as methods for controlling liquid crystal devices.

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal device, comprising a liquid crystal bulk layer and chiral dopants being inhomogeneously distributed in the bulk layer as a result of being permanently attached to at least one surface, termed chiral surface. The invention also relates to methods for manufacturing as well as methods for controlling liquid crystal devices.