Bistable liquid crystal device fabricated via microscale liquid crystal alignment

Abstract

Bistable liquid crystal (LC) molecular orientation properties in micropatterned LC cells were investigated experimentally and theoretically. When an LC cell was heated to the phase-transition temperature and then cooled, an LC orientation with ±π/2-twist domains (±π/2-twist mode) was obtained. Furthermore, a different LC orientation with ±π-twist domains (±π-twist mode) was observed when a 10-V potential was applied across a sample LC cell. Both orientation states were stably retained over a long period. Herein, cross-sectional LC orientation models in the ±π/2- and ±π-twist modes are proposed to explain the generation and behavior of two different disclination lines. The total energies within one period in the ±π/2- and ±π-twist modes (F±π/2 and F±π, respectively) were estimated theoretically. These energies were found to depend on the LC layer thickness and to cross over at a certain thickness; this indicates that F±π is equal to F±π/2 at this equilibrium thickness. The best temporal stability is likely attained at this equilibrium thickness. We demonstrated a bistable color-switching device by combining a full-wave plate and crossed polarizers. When these optical components were configured properly, stable bistable switching between two colors was achieved.