Displaying and Memorizing E-Field Induced Structural Color of Liquid Crystalline Material

Abstract

Cholesteric liquid crystalline material s are characteristic for its long range helical molecular alignment. When the pitch of the helical structure matches with the wavelength of the incident light, selective reflection occurs and the material exhibits bril liant color. Here we report, for the firs t time, a cholesteric liquid crystalline material, which could memorize an electric field (E -field) induced structural color even after turning the E-field off. All of the previous reported E -field responsive cholesteric liquid crystalline materials cannot maintain their induced colors when the E-field is off. This new material may realize a full color electronic paper in single device without combining individual colors or color filters.