Dual-frequency liquid crystal gels with submillisecond response time

Abstract

Two types of gels using dual-frequency liquid crystal are demonstrated. The one using a homogeneous cell shows anisotropic scattering behavior while the other prepared using a cell without polyimide alignment layers exhibits isotropic scattering properties. Both liquid crystal gels are highly transparent in the voltage-off state. Light scattering occurs when a high frequency voltage is applied. The isotropic gel exhibits a high contrast ratio and submillisecond response time. Potential applications of these gels for switchable polarizer, telecom optical switch, and reflective displays are emphasized.