Directing Dynamic Control of Red, Green, and Blue Reflection Enabled by a Light‐Driven Self‐Organized Helical Superstructure

Abstract

Two light-driven chiral molecular switches possessing very high helical twisting powers were introduced into an achiral liquid crystal host enabling a self-organized, tunable helical superstructure. Marrying reflection wavelength to the wavelength of irradiation offers a distinctive and novel means to simultaneously achieve red, green, and blue reflection colors in a single optical thin film. Photoaddressing of the material system allows for images to be retained, which are hidden with an applied electrical field and restored by application of a mechanical field.