Voltage Effects in Cholesteric Liquid Crystals

Abstract

Liquid crystal mixtures were sandwiched between two transparent electrodes on glass and a direct or alternating potential was applied. The light scattering property of the liquid crystal changes upon application of voltage, the intensity varying from 1 to 10% of that scattered by a MgO diffuse surface. The maximum increase in intensity due to voltage was a factor of about six. The maximum wavelength shift was 40 nm to the blue by 80 V applied to a layer 10 μ thick. The response time varied from 0.03 to 0.5 sec.