The electro-optical properties of a full v flexible photo-aligned FLC cell are investigated. Two different methods, sticky spacers together with a photo-sensitive monomer and polymer spacers in a regular pattern formed by photo-lithography, are proposed to stabilize the structure in order to increase the bending tolerance of the FLC material during deformation of the cell.
The alignment properties of the azo dye photo-alignment material SD-1/SDA-2 on plastic substrates are investigated. Excellent alignment with high anchoring energy can be achieved with a polarized UV dose less than 1.0 J/cm2. A reflective 6-digit flexible passive matrix driven TN-LCD for smart card applications showing excellent electro-optical properties is demonstrated.
A series of novel bifunctionalized photochromic monomers were synthesized, focusing on those with polymerizable acrylic/methacrylic groups attached to both ends of an azobenzene core via flexible spacers. The phase behaviour of the monomers was investigated using DSC, polarizing optical microscopy and X‐ray diffraction. The change in UV‐vis absorbance of the monomers under illumination with non‐polarized/polarized UV light was studied for both solutions and thin films; also studied was its relaxation in the dark. On illumination with LPUV light, in‐plane reorientation of the molecules normal to the polarization of the exciting UV light, and aggregation of the molecules in the films, were found.
Two soluble polyimides containing chalcone derivatives in the main chains were successfully prepared using the Mitsunobu reaction at room temperature, reacting diols with diimides. With this reaction procedure the high temperature imidization step normally needed for the synthesis of polyimides is avoided and the polymers can be used for temperature sensitive applications. The main chain polyimides were characterized with FT-IR, NMR and DSC and the extent of the photoreaction was measured with FT-IR and UV-vis spectroscopy. Isobestic points were observed in the absorption spectral changes at the early stage of UV irradiation as a result of a single photochemical process. Further photoirradiation is accompanied by deviation from the isobestic points, implying that another photochemical process has started. With FT-IR investigations it was concluded that photodimerization is the process occurring at low UV exposure doses and that trans-cis isomerization is starting simultaneously at higher doses. The optical anisotropic properties were investigated upon exposure of the polymers as thin films to linearly polarized UV (LPUV) light of different doses. Selected crosslinking in the parallel direction relative to the direction of the LPUV light and subsequent optical anisotropy in the film were achieved.
We study single and double polarizer monochromatic bistable reflective and transfective direct view ferroelectric liquid crystal displays (FLCDs). Three types of monochromatic displays are considered Black & White, Black & Yellow, Black & Green. Theoretical approach for finding optimal parameters of an FLCD is presented.
We present a sytem MePaLC for measuring retardation, its wavelength dispersion, twist angle, cell gap, and orientation of the input director. MePaLC enables us to measure practically all types of nematic liquid crystal cells: reflective and transmissive ones, with small and large cell gap.
We consider peculiarities in testing flexible reflective liquid-crystal (LC) cells. Several new methods for measuring optical retardation of filled reflective LC cells on plastic substrates are proposed. Cases when the plastic is anisotropic and the LC cell consists of either one or two internal polarizers are studied. The majority of proposed methods can be applied for transmissive LC cells as well as for measuring twist angle.
We introduce a method for the determination of the optical retardation, its wavelength dispersion, the cell twist angle, and the orientation of the input director in a reflective liquid crystal (LC) cell. These parameters are found from the extremes of a characteristic function defined as a sum of two spectral reflectivities of the LC cell placed between a pair of linear polarizers. The reflectivities are measured for two cell orientations, one of which is arbitrary and the other one is turned through 45°. Both theoretical analysis and experimental procedures are presented. Excellent agreement between the experiment and our theory has been found. The proposed method can be applied to the measurement of reflective LC cells with small and large cell gaps, as well as cells with small and large twist angles.