Control of nematic liquid crystal molecular orientation using ultrasound vibration

Abstract

An orientational control technique of nematic liquid crystals using ultrasound was investigated. An ultrasonic liquid crystal cell was fabricated; it consists of a liquid crystal layer with the thickness of 25 m sandwiched by two glass plates having two ultrasonic PZT transducers. By exciting PZT transducers, the flexural vibration modes were generated on the cell. The acoustic radiation force to the liquid crystal layer was generated and changed the molecular orientation, resulting the drastic changes of the transmitted light distribution. These results implied that the orientational direction of the liquid crystal molecules could be controlled by applying ultrasound.