Low-driving-voltage, polarizer-free, scattering-controllable liquid crystal device based on randomly patterned photo-alignment

Abstract

In this work, a polarizer-free, electrically tunable liquid crystal device is presented. This device is based on randomly patterned photo-aligned boundaries generating light scattering in an adjacent liquid crystal film. Its transparent on state requires only 7.5<i>V</i>_{<i>r</i><i>m</i><i>s</i>} driving voltage. Switching from a 49.5% hazy off state into the transparent on state occurs at 1.25 V, with only 1.2% residual haze. The effect exhibits fast rise and decay times of 0.3 ms and 7.2 ms, respectively. Thanks to its field-effect nature and the surface preparation process, zero ohmic low power consumption, fast response times, and steep transmission-voltage characteristics result. Applications are smart windows, light shutters, and/or transparent displays, as well as complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor driven multiplexed displays.