Switching of Electrically Commanded Alignment Layers Probed by Optical Second Harmonic Generation
Journal article, 2006

Optical second harmonic generation (SHG) was used to probe the response of a 200 nm thick electrically commanded alignment layer made of ferroelectric liquid crystal polymer (FLCP) film to an external DC electric field. The results show that for the field magnitudes in the range 0-2 V/ m the field induced reorientation effects represent only a relatively minor structural perturbation of the film. The switching process is monostable and shows characteristics of the "V-shaped" switching. The response time of the SHG signal is relatively longer than what is measured for the bulk FLCP. Several mechanisms are considered as possible reasons for that.

ferroelectric switching

electrically commanded surfaces

optical second harmonic generation

alignment layers

ferroelectric liquid crystal polymers

Author

K Kunstelj

Jozef Stefan Institute

I. Drevensek-Olenik

University of Ljubljana

Bertil Helgee

University of Gothenburg

Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Polymer Technology

Lachezar Komitov

University of Gothenburg

Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals

1542-1406 (ISSN) 15635287 (eISSN)

Vol. 450 1 127/[327] - 139/[339]

Subject Categories

Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Condensed Matter Physics

DOI

10.1080/15421400600587910

More information

Latest update

3/29/2018