Polymer-stabilized blue phase liquid crystals: a tutorial [Invited]

Blue phase liquid crystals exhibit several attractive features, such as self-assembled three-dimensional cubic structures, optically-isotropic in the voltage-off state, no need for alignment layers, and submillisecond response time. This tutorial gives step-by-step introduction on basic bluephase materials and properties, monomers and polymerization processes, and key device performance criteria for display and photonics applications. ©2011 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: (160.3710) Liquid crystals; (160.5470) Polymers. References and links 1. F. Reinitzer, “Beiträge zur Kenntniss des Cholestherins,” Monatsh. Chem. 9(1), 421–441 (1888). 2. A. Saupe, “On molecular structure and physical properties of thermotropic liquid crystals,” Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. (Phila. Pa.) 7(1), 59–74 (1969). 3. S. A. Brazovskii and S. G. Dmitriev, “Phase transitions in cholesteric liquid crystals,” Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz. 69, 979–989 (1975). 4. R. M. Hornreich and S. 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