Nanosecond electro-optic switching of a liquid crystal

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a novel electro-optic effect in nematic liquid crystals with a response time of approximately 30 nanoseconds, significantly faster than traditional methods, achieved through electric field-induced modification of order parameters without reorienting the optic axis.

Contribution

It introduces a new EMOP-based electro-optic effect in nematic liquid crystals with nanosecond switching times, bypassing the slow reorientation process.

Findings

Response time of about 30 ns for switching

Effect caused by electric field modification of order parameters

Does not require reorientation of the optic axis

Abstract

Electrically induced reorientation of nematic liquid crystal (NLC) molecules caused by dielectric anisotropy of the material is a fundamental phenomenon widely used in modern technologies. Its Achilles heel is a slow (millisecond) relaxation from the field-on to the field-off state. We present an electro-optic effect in an NLC with a response time of about 30 ns to both the field-on and field-off switching. This effect is caused by the electric field induced modification of the order parameters (EMOP) and does not require reorientation of the optic axis (director).