Response Time of Polymer-Stabilized Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals

Abstract

Polymer-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystals (PSFLCs), in which a photocurable mesogenic monomer is doped into a ferroelectric liquid crystal and a UV photocure is carried out in the SmC* phase under the application of a bipolar AC electric field, show the monostable V-shaped electrooptical characteristics. In this research, we investigate the dependence of the molecular reorientational motion on the photocuring condition such as the tilt angle which FLC molecules take in the photocure stage and the frequency of the bipolar AC electric field, in terms of the response time measured from the electrooptical characteristics.

Keywords:

• ferroelectric liquid crystal
• polymer stabilization
• tilt angle
• response time
• photocuring condition

Acknowledgments

We gratefully thank Dr. H. Takatsu and Dr. H. Hasebe of Dainippon Ink & Chem. and Mr. H. Fukuro and Mr. H. Endoh of Nissan Chem. Ind. for supplying photocurable mesogenic monomer and polyimide materials, respectively.