Dispersions of liquid crystals in polymeric matrices are used as light control devices because of the possibility of varying their light scattering through alignment changes arising from the application of electric fields. The scattering from such systems is very similar to that found with crystalline polymers which have been extensively studied in our laboratory for over 25 years. Studies of the scattering from spherulitic polymers have been modelled as that arising from anisotropic spheres. Theories and measurements have been made with parallel (Vv) and crossed (Hv) polarization as a function of the radii, anisotropy, and volume fraction of spheres, and the refractive index of the matrix.

Date Published: 15 June 1992
PDF: 16 pages
Proc. SPIE 1665, Liquid Crystal Materials, Devices, and Applications, (15 June 1992); doi: 10.1117/12.60376

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1665:
Liquid Crystal Materials, Devices, and Applications
Paul S. Drzaic; Uzi Efron, Editor(s)