Hybrid photosensitive structures based on nematic liquid crystals and lithium niobate substrates

Abstract

Abstract Liquid crystal cells based on lithium niobate substrates have recently been proposed as good candidates for optofluidic devices and for light-induced controlled generation of defects in liquid crystal films. The peculiarity of these structures lies in the possibility of using the bulk photovoltaic effect of lithium niobate to obtain an optically induced dc field able to affect the molecular liquid crystal director. Reversible fragmentation and self-assembling of liquid crystal droplets driven by the lithium niobate pyroelectric properties have also been reported. We review the basic results obtained so far with the aim of making the point and seeing what else can be done in the framework of the realization of hybrid structures combining lithium niobate with the electro-optical and nonlinear optical properties of liquid crystals.