Flexible Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Device Supporting Plastic Substrates by Polymer Walls

Abstract

We have developed a flexible ferroelectric liquid crystal(FLC) device containing polymer walls and networks. The polymer walls are formed to support plastic film substrates and enhance mechanical stability of the device, To prepare the flexible FLC with polymer walls, the liquid crystal and monomer solution sandwiched. between two substrates are heated to be in isotropic phase and irradiated with ultraviolet(UV) light through photomask to form polymer walls without birefringence. After that, polymer networks are formed in the area surrounded by polymer walls by irradiating the solution with spatially uniform UV light. The fabricated device between crossed polarizers exhibited gayscale display operation even when the device was bent.