Abstract
A multistable liquid crystal waveplate has been produced by confining a roughly disk-shaped nematic liquid crystal droplet of diameter 50 mu m between two photoresist coated surfaces separated by 15 mu m. Dimple features occur on opposite sides of the curve-free edge of the droplet, which may indicate the position of nematic disclinations. The diameter that connects these features coincides with an optic axis of the droplet. In-plane ac voltage bursts produce an optic axis rotation, controllable down to 1 degrees steps, to other arbitrary, stable orientations. The rotation angle is proportional to the burst duration and the voltage squared.
| Original language | English |
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| Article number | 223506 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | Applied Physics Letters |
| Volume | 91 |
| Issue number | 22 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 27 Nov 2007 |