Optically activated shutter using a photo-tunable short-pitch chiral nematic liquid crystal

S. M. Morris; M. M. Qasim; K. T. Cheng; F. Castles; D. H. Ko; D. J. Gardiner; S. Nosheen; T. D. Wilkinson; H. J. Coles; C. Burgess; L. Hill

doi:10.1063/1.4818679

Optically activated shutter using a photo-tunable short-pitch chiral nematic liquid crystal

S. M. Morris
, M. M. Qasim
, K. T. Cheng
, F. Castles
, D. H. Ko
, D. J. Gardiner
, S. Nosheen
, T. D. Wilkinson
, H. J. Coles
, C. Burgess
, L. Hill

University of Cambridge
National Central University
Korea Institute of Science and Technology
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report the demonstration of an optically activated shutter based upon a short-pitch chiral nematic liquid crystal (LC) device sandwiched between crossed polarizers. This LC is comprised of photo-active chiral dopants. In the trans-state, the LC appears dark between crossed polarizers due to the very short pitch. As the pitch is extended through exposure to ultraviolet light, the device becomes transmissive reaching a maximum for a particular value of the pitch. As a result, it is possible to switch between the light and dark states by subjecting the device to visible light so as to cause a cis-trans photo-isomerisation.

Original language	English
Article number	101105
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	103
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4818679
State	Published - 2 Sep 2013
Externally published	Yes

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10.1063/1.4818679

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title = "Optically activated shutter using a photo-tunable short-pitch chiral nematic liquid crystal",

abstract = "We report the demonstration of an optically activated shutter based upon a short-pitch chiral nematic liquid crystal (LC) device sandwiched between crossed polarizers. This LC is comprised of photo-active chiral dopants. In the trans-state, the LC appears dark between crossed polarizers due to the very short pitch. As the pitch is extended through exposure to ultraviolet light, the device becomes transmissive reaching a maximum for a particular value of the pitch. As a result, it is possible to switch between the light and dark states by subjecting the device to visible light so as to cause a cis-trans photo-isomerisation.",

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doi = "10.1063/1.4818679",

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T1 - Optically activated shutter using a photo-tunable short-pitch chiral nematic liquid crystal

AU - Morris, S. M.

AU - Qasim, M. M.

AU - Cheng, K. T.

AU - Castles, F.

AU - Ko, D. H.

AU - Gardiner, D. J.

AU - Nosheen, S.

AU - Wilkinson, T. D.

AU - Coles, H. J.

AU - Burgess, C.

AU - Hill, L.

PY - 2013/9/2

Y1 - 2013/9/2

N2 - We report the demonstration of an optically activated shutter based upon a short-pitch chiral nematic liquid crystal (LC) device sandwiched between crossed polarizers. This LC is comprised of photo-active chiral dopants. In the trans-state, the LC appears dark between crossed polarizers due to the very short pitch. As the pitch is extended through exposure to ultraviolet light, the device becomes transmissive reaching a maximum for a particular value of the pitch. As a result, it is possible to switch between the light and dark states by subjecting the device to visible light so as to cause a cis-trans photo-isomerisation.

AB - We report the demonstration of an optically activated shutter based upon a short-pitch chiral nematic liquid crystal (LC) device sandwiched between crossed polarizers. This LC is comprised of photo-active chiral dopants. In the trans-state, the LC appears dark between crossed polarizers due to the very short pitch. As the pitch is extended through exposure to ultraviolet light, the device becomes transmissive reaching a maximum for a particular value of the pitch. As a result, it is possible to switch between the light and dark states by subjecting the device to visible light so as to cause a cis-trans photo-isomerisation.

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DO - 10.1063/1.4818679

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84884228721

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VL - 103

JO - Applied Physics Letters

JF - Applied Physics Letters

IS - 10

M1 - 101105

ER -

Optically activated shutter using a photo-tunable short-pitch chiral nematic liquid crystal

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