Angular dependence of transmission properties in polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal cells with memory effects

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Vol. 32; no. 5A; pp. 2025 - 2028
• Main Authors: SATO, S, YAMAGUCHI, R, DICKMANN, S, MLYNSKI, D. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Japanese journal of applied physics 01.05.1993
• Subjects: Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Exact sciences and technology; Liquid crystals; Physics; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Optical filters; Light transmission; Polymers; Liquid crystals; Memory effect
• DOI: 10.1143/JJAP.32.2025
• ISSN: 0021-4922

Polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal (PDLC) cells are prepared using a UV-curable methacrylate prepolymer and nematic liquid crystals with a positive or a negative dielectric anisotropy. Memory effects, created by the phase transitions from an isotropic to a nematic phase with application of a magnetic field, of light transmission properties of the PDLC cells are described and their angular dependence is measured and discussed. A new type of optical filter which transmits the incident light only in directions oblique to the normal of the cell in an off-state is demonstrated using both positive-type and the negative-type PDLC cells. A broad transparent on-state and an opaque on-state can be attained by applying voltage across the positive-type and negative-type PDLC cells, respectively.