The Formation of Liquid-Crystalline Orientation Patterns by Gradient Photopolymerization

Abstract

In liquid crystals, a spatial distribution of the refractive indices can be modulated by controlling the molecular orientation. Thus, liquid crystals have been applied to the various optical materials such as diffraction grating and reflective device. Previously, by the photopolymerization of chiral-liquid-crystalline monomer with intensity-gradient patterned light, we achieved to obtain stripe molecular orientation patterns. The lattice period of stripe pattens didn’t match the helical pitch, indicating the stripe patterns weren’t derived from the helical structure. In this study, we discussed the mechanism of the formation of stripe molecular orientation patterns.