Study of E-O properties of polymer network stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal in smectic C* phase

A monomer with reactive diacrylate was mixed with a commercial ferroelectric liquid crystal(FLC)mixture and polymerized under UV irradiation to obtain polymer network stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystals(PNSFLC). The polymer network formed in SmC* phase is anisotropic and fibrils-like. Optical and scanning electron microscopy(SEM) were used to study the polymer network. The electric-optic characteristics of PNSFLC cells were also measured. As the experimental results, it is found that presences of anisotropic polymer network have great effects on the FLC molecules alignment. The E-O curve of PNSFLC device is like "V" shape, so it's easier to get gray scales than SSFLC device.