Photo- and electric-field-driven bistable devices using dye-doped nematic liquid crystals

Abstract

We have demonstrated memory and rewritable bistable devices based on an anchoring transition of a nematic liquid crystal on a perfluoropolymer surface. Spontaneous orientation changes between planar and homeotropic occur on cooling and heating with a large temperature hysteresis. Photo (heat) addressing is possible from homeotropic to planar using dye-doped samples. Orientation switching also occurs by applying an electric field.