Improved reflective displays based on polymer-dispersed liquid crystals

Layered dispersions of liquid crystals and polymers form a new dass of materials for reflective displays, known as holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (H-PDLC). Alternating layers of liquid crystal and polymer having dimensions of about 150 nm possess a variable reflectance, providing a wide reflection spectrum in the absence of a field. When an electric field is applied, this coefficient takes an intermediate value between the refractive index of the liquid crystal acid that of the polymer, smoothing out the difference between them. This article is devoted to research and development of these materials, which are promising for use in reflective displays due to their brightness, saturation, and low control voltage. (C) 2000 The Optical Society of America. [S1070-9762(00)00308-0].