Chiral liquid crystals for ferroelectric, electroclinic, and antiferroelectric displays and photonic devices

Abstract

Ferroelectric and antiferroelectric liquid crystals have shown great promise for use in large area flat panel displays because of their fast switching and bistable operation. However, the commercialization of FLCDs and AFLCDs using surface stabilized geometries has not materialized for a number of reasons, most notably shock instability, the need to control the cell spacing of the display to between 1 and 2 micrometer, and competition from actively addressed nematic displays. Surface stabilized displays are nevertheless finding niche markets in areas such as spatial light modulators, microdisplays, and projection systems. Even though this is the present situation, it is clear that FLCs and AFLCs will be used advantageously in the future in active matrix configurations to give LCDs that operate at video-frame rates. Furthermore, there are many emerging uses for such materials in the areas of photonics and sensors e.g., novel switching and wavelength filtering components based on liquid crystal phase modulators and filters. There is also interest in utilizing LC technology in fiber optic networks, telecommunication transmission systems, interconnecting networks in large computers, optical image processors, and optically accessible electronic memory structures. All of these applications require fast switching materials that are stable and non-absorbent to light of various wavelengths.