Noureddine Bennis

Influence of alkoxy chain length and fluorosubstitution on mesogenic and spectral properties of high tilted antiferroelectric esters

The synthesis and properties of a few dozen highly evolved analogues of (S)-MHPOBC are reported. The liquid crystal phases, and phase transition temperatures and enthalpies, as evidenced by polarized optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry, respectively, are given. The helical pitch in pure compounds and some mixtures is estimated using the selective reflection method. All of the compounds show antiferroelectric phases, and some key structure–property relationships for the new materials are reported. Specifically, it is found that the length of the oligomethylene segment of a novel partially fluorinated alkoxy ether tail incorporated into the structures strongly influences the stability of the antiferroelectric phase and the observed phase sequences, as well as the values of the helical pitch and its temperature dependence. The formulation of a family of broad temperature range eutectic mixtures possessing the highly desirable orthoconic antiferroelectric phases with long helical pitch is described.

Generalized formulation and symmetry properties of reciprocal nonabsorbing polarization devices: application to liquid-crystal displays

We present a general formulation based on the Jones-matrix theory for reciprocal nonabsorbing polarization devices, including polarization interference filters and liquid-crystal displays. The development of this formulation is based on general symmetry conditions that relate the Jones matrix when the device is illuminated from the front side and from the back side. The application to liquid-crystal displays results in a constraint of the Jones-matrix elements, which represents a generalization of the existing models that explain their modulation properties.

The influence of antiferroelectric compounds on helical pitch of orthoconic W-1000 mixture

The influence of six antiferroelectric compounds on the helical pitch of mixture W-1000, which was reported as long pitch orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystalline mixture, was checked by spectrophotometry and polarimetry methods. The electro-optical properties for the mixture with the longest pitch were measured. An improvement in electro-optical response due to the long pitch is reported. The novelty in electro-optical properties is the good symmetry response.

The Synthesis and Properties of Novel Partially Fluorinated Ethers with High Tilted Anticlinic Phase

Novel chiral esters with partially fluorinated terminal alkoxyalkoxy chain are described. Their phase transition temperatures, enthalpies, smectic layers structure and usefulness for formulation of multicomponent orthoconic antiferroelectric mixtures are reported. The high contrast ratio of the devices based on the proposed mixtures are emphasized.

Modifying electrooptics of orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystal cells by manufacturing procedures

Orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystals (AFLCs) having 45° tilt angle have been proposed to overcome the problem of reduced contrast usually exhibited by regular antiferroelectric displays. However, the pitch of the helix induced by chirality is customarily short in existing orthoconic materials, making it difficult to achieve surface stabilized configurations when the material’s pitch is smaller than the cell thickness.In this work, the influence of different manufacturing procedures on the electrooptical behaviour of orthoconic AFLCs is studied. Using the same orthoconic AFLC mixture, aligning surfaces and manufacturing protocol, we have observed two dissimilar responses, true orthoconic behaviour, and orthoconic V-shape response. The electrooptical response depends ultimately on the rubbing strategy adopted in either case.

Comparative electrooptic study of new orthoconic liquid crystals with fluorinated alkoxy terminal chains

Electrooptical properties of several new orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystal mixtures with partially fluorinated alkoxyalkoxy terminal chains have been investigated in order to select the best mixture for display applications. Electrooptical studies have been performed on these orthoconic materials aiming at evaluating their static and dynamic performance under passive multiplexing conditions. A number of parameters have been evaluated, static and dynamic contrast, driving scheme for passive multiplexing, rise and fall response times, dynamic range, and dynamic greyscale.

Twist angle determination in liquid crystal displays by location of local adiabatic points

In this work we present a method for the determination of the twist angle of an arbitrary twisted nematic liquid crystal spatial light modulator. The method is based on the location of local adiabatic points, i.e., situations in which the liquid crystal SLM acts only as a rotation device. For these cases, the rotation induced on the polarization of the incident beam is equal to the twist angle. Consequently, the twist angle can be determined with high precision. We show that local adiabatic regime may be achieved in two ways, either by changing the incident beam wavelength, or by applying a voltage to the electrodes of the display. However, the simple model that describes the SLM in the off-state, may break down when a voltage is applied to the display, and it may affect the local adiabatic behaviour. We present theoretical and experimental results.

Lenticular arrays based on liquid crystals

Lenticular array products have experienced a growing interest in the last decade due to the very wide range of applications they can cover. Indeed, this kind of lenses can create different effects on a viewing image such as 3D, flips, zoom, etc. In this sense, lenticular based on liquid crystals (LC) technology is being developed with the aim of tuning the lens profiles simply by controlling the birefringence electrically. In this work, a LC lenticular lens array has been proposed to mimic a GRIN lenticular lens array but adding the capability of tuning their lens profiles. Comb control electrodes have been designed as pattern masks for the ITO on the upper substrate. Suitable high resistivity layers have been chosen to be deposited on the control electrode generating an electric field gradient between teeth of the same electrode. Test measurements have allowed us to demonstrate that values of phase retardations and focal lengths, for an optimal driving waveform, are fairly in agreement. In addition, results of focusing power of tuneable lenses were compared to those of conventional lenses. The behaviour of both kinds of lenses has revealed to be mutually similar for focusing collimated light and for refracting images.

Electro-optical and dielectric properties of a high tilt antiferroelectric liquid crystal mixture (W-193B)

The electro-optical properties and dielectric relaxation have been investigated for an antiferroelectric liquid crystal mixture W-193B. The material exhibits smectic A ∗ , smectic C ∗ and a wide range of anticlinic smectic C ∗ phases. The high tilt and broad room temperature smectic C ∗ phase make it a good candidate for antiferroelectric display materials. Dielectric studies have been made in a planarly aligned cell in the frequency range 10 Hz–13 MHz. Dielectric spectroscopy reveals the existence of soft mode in the smectic A ∗ phase and Goldstone mode in the smectic C ∗ phase. In the smectic C ∗ phase the dielectric spectrum of the material exhibits two absorption peaks related to the rotational fluctuation around the short axis of the molecules and antiphase azimuthal angle fluctuation, respectively, and are separated by about two orders of frequency. Electro-optical response using a low frequency triangular wave showed a very high quasi-static contrast ratio of 132 : 1, threshold voltage of around 7 V and saturation of 17 V. Surface-stabilized, low thickness cells of this mixture showed a perfect double hysteresis loop with a 1 Hz triangular signal, reaching different transmission levels for different voltage amplitudes. These levels can be stabilized with a single holding voltage, making it possible for the material to be passively multiplexed at video rate. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)

Orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystals containing biphenyl, terphenyl, or naphthyl mesogenic unit

Three homologous series of orthoconic (45 degree tilt) antiferroelectric liquid crystals containing either naphthyl or terphenyl groups as mesogenic unit have been synthesized and their mesomorphic behaviour investigated by DSC and polarized light microscopy, and their properties discussed. X-ray diffraction studies have shown the presence of a de Vries-type smectic A phase which does not exhibit a layer shrinkage on transition to the ferroelectric smectic C phase. Mixtures of the new materials have been formulated and their electro-optical properties investigated for their use in surface stabilized orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystal (SSOAFLC) devices