Voltage-expandable liquid crystal surface

    Authors

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

    Comments

    Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

    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

    Share

    COinS