A new method to obtain liquid crystal and polymer composite(LCPC) material is reported. This material is a new electro-optic material which can control scattering and transparent states in an electric field. e obtained this material by the photo-polymerization-induced phase separation from liquid crystal and prepolymer mixture where both monomer and oligonier are used as prepolymer. We have found new type of phase diagram in this mixture which has a nematicisotropic line in addition to binodal and spinodal lines. Electro-optic properties of this material are strongly affected by the point on the phase diagram at which the polymerization-induced phase separation starts. This method enables us to control these properties such as voltage-transmittance characteristics. Typical devices using these materials are also shown. They have high contrast ratio and high transmittance in ON state and are suitable for display devices. Drive voltage can be reduced by optimizing this material and the device with high contrast ratio about 200:1 in low drive voltage below 6Vrms was obtained.

Date Published: 1 April 1990
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 1257, Liquid Crystal Displays and Applications, (1 April 1990); doi: 10.1117/12.19921

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1257:
Liquid Crystal Displays and Applications
J. William Doane; Zvi Yaniv, Editor(s)