Advanced Materials · 2000 · 91 citations · 0 references
Optical MaterialsEngineeringLiquid Crystalline ElastomerSynthetic PhotochemistryOrganic ChemistryLc AlignmentChemistryNovel π-Conjugated DyeOptical PropertiesMolecular AlignmentCrystal FormationBiophysicsMaterials ScienceThiophene Liquid CrystalPhotochemistryPhotonic MaterialsMolecular EngineeringSupramolecular PhotochemistryCrystallographyOrganic Charge-transfer CompoundDire CharacterizedMolecular SwitchConjugated PolymerLiquid Crystals
DIRE—the dye-induced reorientation effect—occurs when the optical-field-induced reorientation of liquid crystals (LCs) is enhanced by dyes such as the thiophene-based oligomer TR5 shown in the Figure. The synthesis of TR5 is described and its DIRE characterized. It is shown that TR5 provides a new way of controlling LC alignment using low-intensity light (see also cover).