Electro-optic behaviour of low molar mass felc's doped with liquid crystal polymers

Abstract

In this paper we present data on the electro-optic switching tilt angle memorisation properties of polymer doped ferroelectric liquid crystalline mixtures. Side chain polysiloxane polymers at concentrations up to 11% w/w were added to the low molar mass mixtures ZLI-4237–000 and -100. The response times of the 11% w/w polymer/ZLI-4237–100 mixtures were identical to those of the neat ZLI-4237–000 mixture. The memory properties were studied using bipolar pulses before and after the samples were subjected to mechanical shock. The polymer containing mixtures retained their memory properties after mechanical deformation whereas the neat low molar mass mixtures did not.