Title

Voltage-expandable liquid crystal surface

Authors

Authors

H. W. Ren; S. Xu;S. T. Wu

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

Lab Chip

Keywords

BROAD-BAND; LENS; DIELECTROPHORESIS; ELECTRODES; MICROLENS; DROPLET; Biochemical Research Methods; Chemistry, Multidisciplinary; Nanoscience; & Nanotechnology

Abstract

Based on dielectrophoretic effect, we report a novel approach which can extensively spread a liquid crystal (LC) interface. With interdigitated striped electrodes, the droplets can be stretched along the striped electrode direction; while with zigzag interdigitated electrodes, the droplets can be further stretched sidewise. In our demonstration, the occupied area of a 1.9-mm-aperture LC droplet doped with 1.2 wt% black dye could be expanded over similar to 3.5 x at 78 V-rms. The spreading and recovering times were measured to be similar to 0.39 s and similar to 0.75 s, respectively. The slower response time confirms the extreme expanding of the LC surface. The contrast ratio is over similar to 120 : 1 in transmissive mode. Color light switch was also demonstrated by spreading colored-dye doped LC droplets. The mechanical stability of the device was also evaluated. Liquid devices based on this cell structure have the advantages of good stability, simple operation and low power consumption. This work opens a new gateway for voltage controllable, polarization-insensitive, and broadband liquid photonic devices which may find numerous applications in switchable windows, variable optical attenuators, and displays.

Journal Title

Lab on a Chip

Volume

11

Issue/Number

20

Publication Date

1-1-2011

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

3426

Last Page

3430

WOS Identifier

WOS:000295270100009

ISSN

1473-0197

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