Direct optical switching of bistable cholesteric textures in chiral azobenzene-doped liquid crystals

Abstract

The direct optical switching of bistable cholesteric textures (i.e., planar and focal conic textures) in chiral azobenzene-doped liquid crystals (LCs) is demonstrated. Chiral azobenzene is a chiral dopant with optically tuned helical twisting power that results from the photo-isomerization between trans- and cis- isomers via exposure to UV or visible light. The pitch length of the material can be optically and repeatedly elongated and shortened. With regard to free energy, LCs tend to be stable at planar (focal conic) textures when pitch length is elongated (shortened) by exposure to UV (visible) light. Thus, direct optical switchable LC displays are investigated.