Rollable multicolor display using electrically induced blueshift of a cholesteric reactive mesogen mixture

Abstract

Electrically controllable blueshift of the reflection band in a planar cholesteric reactive mesogen cell is observed. The responsible mechanism is electric-field-induced Helfrich deformation [J. Chem. Phys. 55, 839 (1971)]. The modified director configuration can be solidified by photopolymerizing the reactive mesogens when a voltage is applied. The correlation between the director configuration and optical properties is validated by the scanning electron microscope photos and the transmission spectra of a planar and an undulated cholesteric film. With masked curing at different voltages, a rollable multicolor display is demonstrated.