An electrically-stabilized liquid-crystalline phase: origin and application

An azobenzene liquid-crystalline compound possessing two chiral centres at both peripheral ends of the molecular structure exhibits electric-field-induced birefringence in the isotropic liquid phase, which was found to be attributable to the stabilization of the liquid-crystalline organization by the emergence of the polar ferroelectric molecular ordering. The optically isotropic texture changes into the homogeneous birefringent texture by the application of the in-plane electric field, which is a new type of switching mode applicable for the liquid crystal displays. The resulting birefringence can be erased by the irradiation of UV light, due to the photoinduced isomerization of the azobenzene compound, thus a dual controlled birefringent structure, by the irradiation of light and/or by the application of the electric field, is reported for the first time.