title: Electro-optic response and switchable Bragg diffraction for liquid crystals in colloid-templated materials.
abstract: We report optical switching studies on nematic liquid crystal incorporated into structures based on self-assembled colloids. We compare the electro-optic responses of liquid crystal imbibed into colloid-templated polymers, liquid crystal imbibed in the interstitial space of colloid crystals, and conventional polymer-dispersed liquid crystals. We characterize the Bragg diffraction of our templated liquid-crystal/polymer composites as a function of electric field and measure switching times. The response of liquid crystal in connected networks differs qualitatively from that of liquid crystal in isolated cavities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6396, USA. petermach@lucent.com
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mach
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wiltzius
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Megens
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Weitz
authors.forename: Keng-hui
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lin Kh
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lubensky
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Yodh