Single‐layered microscale linear‐gradient PDLC material for electro‐optics

We report on single‐layered optical material of linear‐gradient microscale polymer‐dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC). E7/NOA65 composite films formed by pulsed UV laser photopolymerization‐induced phase separation exhibit two morphology types, namely a bipolar and a hybrid alignment of liquid crystal droplets. The specific structural properties of the produced PDLC layers, such as the droplet shape uniformity and alignment, as well as the droplet size control through the film thickness, facilitate the efficient control on the electro‐optical (EO) response, thus being of practical interest for EO device applications. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)