Abstract: Provided is a flexible cell unit and a method of manufacturing the same. The cell unit includes first and second substrates separated by a controlled distance maintained by spacers, filled with an electro-optic material and enclosed by a border seal. The method includes providing two sheets to form the first and second substrates, where at least one of the sheets is flexible, depositing an electro-optic material on at least one substrate, and roll-filling the cell by using one or more lamination rollers to pair the first and second substrates to within the controlled distance of each other and filling the controlled distance with the electro-optic material.

Abstract: Provided is a flexible cell unit and a method of manufacturing the same. The cell unit includes first and second substrates separated by a controlled distance maintained by spacers, filled with an electro-optic material and enclosed by a border seal. The method includes providing two sheets to form the first and second substrates, where at least one of the sheets is flexible, depositing an electro-optic material on at least one substrate, and roll-filling the cell by using one or more lamination rollers to pair the first and second substrates to within the controlled distance of each other and filling the controlled distance with the electro-optic material.

Abstract: Provided is a flexible cell unit and a method of manufacturing the same. The cell unit includes first and second substrates separated by a controlled distance maintained by spacers, filled with an electro-optic material and enclosed by a border seal. The method includes providing two sheets to form the first and second substrates, where at least one of the sheets is flexible, depositing an electro-optic material on at least one substrate, and roll-filling the cell by using one or more lamination rollers to pair the first and second substrates to within the controlled distance of each other and filling the controlled distance with the electro-optic material.

Abstract: Provided is a flexible cell unit and a method of manufacturing the same. The cell unit includes first and second substrates separated by a controlled distance maintained by spacers, filled with an electro-optic material and enclosed by a border seal. The method includes providing two sheets to form the first and second substrates, where at least one of the sheets is flexible, depositing an electro-optic material on at least one substrate, and roll-filling the cell by using one or more lamination rollers to pair the first and second substrates to within the controlled distance of each other and filling the controlled distance with the electro-optic material.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing a flexible cell unit enclosed by a border seal and filled with an electro-optic material. The flexible cell includes a first and a second substrate separated by a controlled distance maintained by spacers. The method includes providing two continuous sheets of flexible plastic material to form the first and second substrates and depositing an electro-optic material on at least one substrate. The electro-optic material is non-encapsulated, non-polymeric, and contains less than 1% polymerizable material. The method also includes pairing the first and second substrates while roll-filling the flexible cell with the electro-optic material using one or more lamination rollers so that the electro-optic material completely fills the controlled distance between the first and second substrates.

Abstract: A structural interface having an adaptive liquid crystal material that is positioned to receive electromagnetic radiation and adapted to reflect a selective band of the received electromagnetic radiation so as to help with cooling of a structure in the summer and/or heating of the structure in the winter. The adaptive liquid crystal material is designed to change its selective reflection band when exposed to an activating temperature or an activating light or both. Depending on the interior and/or exterior conditions, the adaptive liquid crystal material has one or more selective reflection bands with a peak wavelength selected from the following: within a sunlight wavelength span, outside a thermal infrared wavelength span, outside the sunlight wavelength span, or within the thermal infrared wavelength span. The structural interface may be applied to an exterior or interior surface of a structural envelop or be integrated into a structural envelope material.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing a flexible cell unit enclosed by a border seal and filled with an electro-optic material. The flexible cell includes a first and a second substrate separated by a controlled distance maintained by spacers. The method includes providing two continuous sheets of flexible plastic material to form the first and second substrates and depositing an electro-optic material on at least one substrate. The electro-optic material is non-encapsulated, non-polymeric, and contains less than 1% polymerizable material. The method also includes pairing the first and second substrates while roll-filling the flexible cell with the electro-optic material using one or more lamination rollers so that the electro-optic material completely fills the controlled distance between the first and second substrates.

Abstract: We describe a wide band variable transmission optical device having an electronically active cell comprising a guest-host mixture of a liquid crystal host and a dichroic guest dye material contained between a pair of plastic substrates. The liquid crystal host has an axis orientation that is alterable between a clear state orientation and a dark state orientation and the dichroic guest dye material includes one or more dichroic dyes. The optical device is characterized in that it exhibits a wide absorption band that is greater than 175 nm within a visible wavelength range of 400-700 nm, has a clear state transmission equal to or above 30% and a dark state transmission equal to or below 40%.

Abstract: A light emitting photonic bandgap (PBG) material, and devices uses the same, having (a) a polymer network exhibiting a non-uniform pitch; (b) a small molecule liquid crystal material with a birefringence>0.04; and (c) one or more light emitting dyes having a low triplet state absorption. The light emitting PBG material has a defect-induced density of states enhancing feature at a wavelength that overlaps the emission spectrum of the light emitting dye. Excitation of the light emitting PBG material by a light source causes a directional electromagnetic emission from the light emitting material. The PBG material, and device, are capable of emitting continuous wave laser light as a result of excitation by a low-power incoherent light source.

Abstract: We describe a wide band variable transmission optical device having an electronically active cell comprising a guest-host mixture of a liquid crystal host and a dichroic guest dye material contained between a pair of plastic substrates. The liquid crystal host has an axis orientation that is alterable between a clear state orientation and a dark state orientation and the dichroic guest dye material includes one or more dichroic dyes. The optical device is characterized in that it exhibits a wide absorption band that is greater than 175 nm within a visible wavelength range of 400-700 nm, has a clear state transmission equal to or above 30% and a dark state transmission equal to or below 40%.

Abstract: A naphthopyran compound represented by the formula (I): wherein: n1, n2, p, q is an integer comprised from 0 to 5 inclusive; m is an integer comprised from 0 to 4 inclusive; R1 and R2 represent a group selected from halogen, —Ra, —OH, —ORa, —SH, —SRa, —NH2, —NRaRa1, —NRbRc, —CO—Ra, and —CO2Ra1, wherein Ra, Ra1, Rb and Rc, are as defined in the description; R3 represents a group selected from halogen, —Ra, —OH, —ORa, —SH, —SRa, —NH2, and —NRaRa1; R4 represents a group selected from halogen, —Ra, —OH, —ORa, —SH, —SRa, —NH2, —NRaRa1, —CO—Ra, and —CO2Ra1; R5 represents a group selected from: halogen, —Ra, —OH, —ORa, —SH, —SRa, —NH2, and —NRaRa1, wherein Ra and Ra1 are as defined hereinbefore, or when q is equal to 2, then two R5 together represent further a group —O—(CH2)q1—O— wherein q1 represents an integer comprised from 1 to 3 inclusive.

Abstract: A new class of phototropic liquid crystal mixture comprises a liquid crystal host and one or more photodichroic dyes, wherein exposure of the mixture to an activating light causes a light-induced increase in order parameter of the mixture. In some examples, in the absence of the activating light, the phototropic mixture has a lower order parameter than the liquid crystal host, while in the presence of activating light, the phototropic mixture has a higher order parameter than the liquid crystal host. In some examples, upon exposure to the activating light, the phototropic mixture undergoes a phase transition from a material with a lower order to a material with higher liquid crystalline order. In some examples, activating light causes the mixture to transition from an isotropic phase to a nematic phase, from an isotropic phase to a cholesteric phase or form a nematic phase to a smectic phase.

Abstract: We describe a wide band variable transmission optical device, mixtures for use in such a device, and methods of making the same. The wide band optical device includes a cell comprising a guest-host mixture of a liquid crystal host and a dichroic guest dye material contained between a pair of plastic substrates. The optical device does not use polarizers. The liquid crystal host has an axis orientation that is alterable between a clear state orientation and a dark state orientation perpendicular thereto and the dichroic guest dye material includes one or more dichroic dyes. The optical device is characterized in that it exhibits a wide absorption band that is greater than 175 nm within a visible wavelength range of 400-700 nm and has a clear state transmission equal to or above 30% and a dark state transmission equal to or below 40%.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal light variable device having a liquid crystal cell, comprising a mixture of a liquid crystal material and one or more dichroic dyes interposed between a first and a second substrate, each substrate having a conductive layer disposed thereon. The device further includes a voltage supply or controller coupled with the conductive layers for application of a voltage waveform across the liquid crystal cell. The liquid crystal cell is configured so that based on the voltage waveform applied, the device transitions between a low-haze low-tint state (“clear state”), a low-haze high-tint state (“tinted state”), and a high-haze high-tint state (“opaque state”). The high-haze state is caused by dynamic scattering in the liquid crystal-dye mixture.

Abstract: A naphthopyran compound represented by the formula B1 and B2 are selected independently from the group consisting of a phenyl, naphthyl, or heterocyclic aromatic group, or may combine to form one or more aromatic rings. B1 and B2 may further include one or more substituents. R3, R4, R5, R6, and R10 are selected independently from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, —Ra, —OH, —ORa, —O—CO—Ra, —CN, —NO2, —SO2Ra, —SORa, —SH, —SRa, —NH2, —NHRa, —NRaRa, or —NRbRc; or wherein R5 and R6 combine to form a cyclic group. Ra may include an alkyl, polycycloalkyl, alkenyl, polyalkenyl, haloalkyl, perhaloalkyl, alkynyl, polyalkynyl, hydroxyalkynyl, polyhydroxyalkynyl; or (C3-20)cycloalkyl group. Rb and Rc may include hydrogen or alkyl groups, or may combine to form a saturated heterocyclic group, or together with an adjacent phenyl group may form a julolidinyl group. R7 is a mesogenic group.

Abstract: A mixture used in photochromic devices comprises a photochromic dye and a thermoset adhesive. An optical device using the mixture may include a carrier substrate which may then be secured to another substrate or a lens. Assembly of the carrier substrate and mixture to another substrate and/or lens may be accomplished by thermoforming, lamination, insert molding or the like.

Abstract: A structural interface having an adaptive liquid crystal material that is positioned to receive electromagnetic radiation and adapted to reflect a selective band of the received electromagnetic radiation so as to help with cooling of a structure in the summer and/or heating of the structure in the winter. The adaptive liquid crystal material is designed to change its selective reflection band when exposed to an activating temperature or an activating light or both. Depending on the interior and/or exterior conditions, the adaptive liquid crystal material has one or more selective reflection bands with a peak wavelength selected from the following: within a sunlight wavelength span, outside a thermal infrared wavelength span, outside the sunlight wavelength span, or within the thermal infrared wavelength span. The structural interface may be applied to an exterior or interior surface of a structural envelop or be integrated into a structural envelope material.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal light variable device having a liquid crystal cell, comprising a mixture of a liquid crystal material and one or more dichroic dyes interposed between a first and a second substrate, each substrate having a conductive layer disposed thereon. The device further includes a voltage supply or controller coupled with the conductive layers for application of a voltage waveform across the liquid crystal cell. The liquid crystal cell is configured so that based on the voltage waveform applied, the device transitions between a low-haze low-tint state (“clear state”), a low-haze high-tint state (“tinted state”), and a high-haze high-tint state (“opaque state”). The high-haze state is caused by dynamic scattering in the liquid crystal-dye mixture.

Abstract: A naphthopyran compound represented by the formula B1 and B2 are selected independently from the group consisting of a phenyl, naphthyl, or heterocyclic aromatic group, or may combine to form one or more aromatic rings. B1 and B2 may further include one or more substituents. R3, R4, R5, R6, and R16 are selected independently from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, —Ra, —OH, —ORa, —O—CO—Ra, —CN, —NO2, —SO2Ra, —SORa, —SH, —SRa, —NH2, —NHRa, —NRaRa, or —NRbRc; or wherein R5 and R6 combine to form a cyclic group. Ra may include an alkyl, polycycloalkyl, alkenyl, polyalkenyl, haloalkyl, perhaloalkyl, alkynyl, polyalkynyl, hydroxyalkynyl, polyhydroxyalkynyl; or (C3-20)cycloalkyl group. Rb and Rc may include hydrogen or alkyl groups, or may combine to form a saturated heterocyclic group, or together with an adjacent phenyl group may form a julolidinyl group. R7 is a mesogenic group.

Abstract: A naphthopyran compound represented by the formula B1 and B2 are selected from a phenyl, naphthyl, or heterocyclic aromatic group, or may combine to form one or more aromatic rings. B1 and B2 are optionally substituted with one or more substituents. R3, R4, R5, R6, and R10 are selected independently from hydrogen, halogen, —Ra, —OH, —ORa, —O—CO—Ra, —CN, —NO2, —SO2Ra, —SORa, —SH, —SRa, —NH2, —NHRa, —NRaRa, and —NRbRc. Any two or more of R5, R6 or R10 may combine to form a cyclic group. R7 is a mesogenic group containing at least two rings connected to each other through a covalent bond or linking unit. The linking unit is an ester, —Rd—, —O—, —ORd—, —ORdO—, —OCORd—, —OCORdO—, —S—, —CH?CH—, —CH?N—, —C?C—, or —N?N—, where Rd is a linear or branched (C1-18)alkyl or a linear or branched (C1-18)haloalkyl group. The naphthopyran compound may be incorporated into an optical article.