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A Dye-Dispersed Liquid Crystal Smart Reflector

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 February 2011

Ching-Chao Chang ,
Franklin Lonberg  and
Robert B. Meyer
Ching-Chao Chang
Affiliation:
The Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02254-9110, U.S.A.
Franklin Lonberg
Affiliation:
The Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02254-9110, U.S.A.
Robert B. Meyer
Affiliation:
The Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02254-9110, U.S.A.
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Abstract

We report a liquid crystal smart reflector, consisting of a cholesteric liquid crystal doped with dye. Light entering the liquid crystal is absorbed by the dye, generating heat which raises the average temperature of the liquid crystal. This in turn changes the pitch length of the cholesteric liquid crystal, causing an increase in its reflectivity, and thus reducing the amount of light absorbed by the dye molecules. A negative feedback stabilized condition is reached, in which the reflectivity is proportional to the incident light intensity. This effect is demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally.

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Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 360 , 1994 , 97
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1995

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References

references

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