Electrically tunable total reflection of light by oblique helicoidal cholesteric

Abstract

An oblique helicoidal state of a cholesteric liquid crystal (Ch_OH) is capable of continuous change of the pitch \(P\) in response to an applied electric field. Such a structure reflects 50% of the unpolarized light incident along the Ch_OH axis in the electrically tunable band determined by \(P\)/2. Here, we demonstrate that at an oblique incidence of light, Ch_OH reflects 100% of light of any polarization. This singlet band of total reflection is associated with the full pitch \(P\). We also describe the satellite \(P/2\), \(P/3\), and \(P/4\) bands. The \(P/2\) and \(P/4\) bands are triplets, whereas \(P/3\) band is a singlet caused by multiple scatterings at \(P\) and \(P/2\). A single Ch_OH cell acted upon by an electric field tunes all these bands in a very broad spectral range, from ultraviolet to infrared and beyond, thus representing a structural color device with enormous potential for optical and photonic applications.

Impact statement

Pigments, inks, and dyes produce colors by partially consuming the energy of light. In contrast, structural colors caused by interference and diffraction of light scattered at submicrometer length scales do not involve energy losses, which explains their widespread in Nature and the interest of researchers to develop mimicking materials. The grand challenge is to produce materials in which the structural colors could be dynamically tuned. Among the oldest known materials producing structural colors are cholesteric liquid crystals. Light causes coloration by selective Bragg reflection at the periodic helicoidal structure formed by cholesteric molecules. The cholesteric pitch and thus the color can be altered by chemical composition or by temperature, but, unfortunately, dynamic tuning by electromagnetic field has been elusive. Here, we demonstrate that a cholesteric material in a new oblique helicoidal Ch_OH state could produce total reflection of an obliquely incident light of any polarization. The material reflects 100% of light within a band that is continuously tunable by the electric field through the entire visible spectrum while preserving its maximum efficiency. Broad electric tunability of total reflection makes the Ch_OH material suitable for applications in energy-saving smart windows, transparent displays, communications, lasers, multispectral imaging, and virtual and augmented reality.

Graphical Abstract