Wenjiang Ye

Influence of rubbing-alignment on microwave modulation induced by liquid crystal

The microwave modulation induced by liquid crystal is decided by the liquid crystal director distribution under an external applied voltage. The rubbing-alignment of substrate has an effect on the liquid crystal director, which must result in the change of microwave phase-shift. To illustrate the influence of rubbing-alignment on the microwave phase-shift, the microwave modulation property of twisted nematic liquid crystal is researched adopting the elastic theory of liquid crystal and the finite-difference iterative method. The variations of microwave phase-shift per unit-length for different pre-tilt and pre-twist angles of liquid crystal on the substrate surface and anchoring energy strengths with the applied voltage are numerically simulated. The result indicates that with the increase of pre-tilt angle and with the decrease of anchoring energy strength the weak anchoring twisted cell with pre-twisted angle 90° relative to the strong anchoring non-twisted cell can increase the microwave phase-shift pe...

Microwave modulation characteristics of twisted liquid crystals with chiral dopant

Adding a chiral dopant in twisted nematic (TN) liquid crystal cell can stabilize the orientation of liquid crystal molecules, particularly in high TN (HTN) or super TN (STN) liquid crystal cells. The difference in pitches in liquid crystal is induced by the chiral dopant, and these different pitches affect the orientation of liquid crystal director under an external applied voltage and influence the characteristics of microwave modulation. To illustrate this point, the microwave phase shift per unit length (MPSL) versus voltage is calculated on the basis of the elastic theory of liquid crystal and the finite-difference iterative method. Enhancing the pitch induced by the chiral dopant in liquid crystal increases the MPSLs, but the stability of the twisted structures is decreased. Thus, appropriate pitches of 100d, 4d, and 2d can be applied in TN, HTN, and STN cells with cell gap d to enhance the characteristics of microwave modulation and stabilize the structures in twisted cell. This method can improve t...

Determination of the flexoelectric coefficient (e1–e3) in nematic liquid crystal by using fully leaky optical-guided mode

Fully leaky optical-guided mode was employed to determine the difference in the splay and bend flexoelectric coefficient (e1–e3) in negative nematic liquid crystal MS-N01300-000. The experimental curves of reflectivity versus internal angle (angle of incident light to the liquid crystal) were obtained when a laser beam passed through the hybrid-aligned nematic in-plane switching liquid crystal cell; the cell was embedded in pyramid-coupled waveguide with different alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) voltages. The curves of the applied DC with voltage similar to that of AC shift to the left or the right. Experimental results were then compared with theoretical results derived from elastic continuum theory and multi-layer optical theory of liquid crystals. The approximate value of the flexoelectric coefficient (e1–e3) of MS-N01300-000 is 9.0 × 10−11 C/m.

Order Reconstruction in a Nanoconfined Nematic Liquid Crystal between Two Coaxial Cylinders

The dynamics of a disclination loop (s = ±1/2) in nematic liquid crystals constrained between two coaxial cylinders were investigated based on two-dimensional Landau–de Gennes tensorial formalism by using a finite-difference iterative method. The effect of thickness (d = R2 − R1, where R1 and R2 represent the internal and external radii of the cylindrical cavity, respectively) on the director distribution of the defect was simulated using different R1 values. The results show that the order reconstruction occurs at a critical value of dc, which decreases with increasing inner ratio R1. The loop also shrinks, and the defect center deviates from the middle of the system, which is a non-planar structure. The deviation decreases with decreasing d or increasing R1, implying that the system tends to be a planar cell. Two models were then established to analyze the combined effect of non-planar geometry and electric field. The common action of these parameters facilitates order reconstruction, whereas their opposite action complicates the process.

New surface order reconstruction induced by electric field application in a nanoconfined HAN cell with a topological defect

In accordance with the 2D Landau–de Gennes tensorial formalism, we investigated the influence of an applied electric field E parallel to the defect line on the position and structure of a nematic line defect with topological charge M = − 1/2 in a hybrid alignment nematic cell with different cell gaps d. A new type of surface order reconstruction occurs in the cell as E is increased. Regardless of d, two biaxial layers can be achieved near the top and bottom substrates of the cell with different E values. This process involves double eigenvalue exchange across the cell. However, the structural transition processes vary for different d values.

Fast Switchable Dual-Model Grating by Using Polymer-Stabilized Sphere Phase Liquid Crystal

We demonstrated a fast switchable dual-model grating based on a polymer-stabilized sphere phase liquid crystal. To form binary periodicity layers, the polymer-stabilized sphere phase liquid crystal precursor was sequence ultraviolet cured at an isotropic and sphere phase. This grating jointly modulated both the phase and the amplitude, had six times the diffraction efficiency of that fabricated with polymer-stabilized blue phase liquid crystal. Moreover, the dual-model tunable grating shown polarization-independent and submillisecond response time, which may hold a great potential application in diffractive optics.

Continuously adjustable period optical grating based on flexoelectric effect of a bent-core nematic liquid crystal in planar cells

The structures of flexodomains, which are similar to optical gratings and can be controlled by the amplitude of applied voltage and temperature, were verified through polarizing microscopy and light diffraction techniques. The properties of the optical grating induced by a bent-core nematic liquid crystal in planar cells with varied cell gaps and pretilt angles were studied. The period of optical grating decreases with the increase in the amplitude of the applied voltage and pretilt angle. In addition, the period increases with the increase in cell gap and temperature. The period of optical grating has a linear relationship with temperature. The continuously adjustable period has the potential to become an important and extended application of optical grating.

The polar anchoring energy of nematic liquid crystals with polyvinylidene fluoride alignment layer

ABSTRACT It has been proved that the high dielectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) could be used as an alignment layer in liquid crystal device. In this paper, the transmittance, pretilt angle and the polar anchoring energy of the substrates with PVDF alignment layer were researched. Theoretical results and the experimental results about the reflectivity RSS (polarisation-conserving signals) recorded by full-leaky guided mode in liquid crystal technique are analysed to evaluate the anchoring energy of PVDF alignment layer. The result shows that the polar anchoring energy between PVDF alignment layer and liquid crystal molecules is 2.80 × 10−4 J/m2. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Accurate measurement of the twist elastic constant of liquid crystal by using capacitance method

ABSTRACT In this study, the twist elastic constant (k22) of liquid crystals (LCs) was accurately measured using capacitance method. The constant can be obtained on the basis of accurate measurement of other LC parameters, such as parallel and vertical dielectric constants (ε// and ε⊥), splay and bend elastic constants (k11 and k33), and rotational viscosity coefficient (γ1). First, by using dual-cell capacitance method and an LC cell capacitance model to measure ε// and ε⊥, k11 and k33 can be obtained from the threshold voltage determined from the voltage–capacitance curve of the parallel-aligned nematic LC layer and the comparison between the experimental and theoretical results based on the Frank elastic theory, respectively. In addition, γ1 can be obtained from the measurement of the dynamic response in the parallel-aligned nematic cell. Finally, k22 can be accurately determined using the threshold voltage of the twisted nematic LC cell. By adopting the above method, the measured k22 for LC E7 was 6.7 × 10−12 N. The proposed method is more rigorous and yields a more accurate measurement result than the other methods reported in the literature. Graphical Abstract

Improvement of Image Sticking in Liquid Crystal Display Doped with γ-Fe2O3 Nanoparticles

Image sticking in thin film transistor-liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD) is related to the dielectric property of liquid crystal (LC) material. Low threshold value TFT LC materials have a weak stability and the free ions in them will be increased because of their own decomposition. In this study, the property of TFT LC material MAT-09-1284 doped with γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles was investigated. The capacitances of parallel-aligned nematic LC cells and vertically aligned nematic LC cells with different doping concentrations were measured at different temperatures and frequencies. The dielectric constants perpendicular and parallel to long axis of the LC molecules ε⊥ and ε//, as well as the dielectric anisotropy Δε, were obtained. The dynamic responses and the direct current threshold voltages in parallel-aligned nematic LC cells for different doping concentrations were also measured. Although the dielectric anisotropy Δε decreased gradually with increasing temperature and frequency at the certain frequency and temperature in LC state for each concentration, the doping concentration of γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles less than or equal to 0.145 wt % should be selected for maintaining dynamic response and decreasing free ions. This study has some guiding significance for improving the image sticking in TFT-LCD.