Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 16, 2026

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal
Published on: October 31, 2019
Photo-induced optical activity in phase-change memory materials
Konstantin B Borisenko1, Janaki Shanmugam1, Benjamin A O Williams2
11] Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford. OX1 3PH, United Kingdom [2] Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK.
Abstract:
We demonstrate that optical activity in amorphous isotropic thin films of pure Ge2Sb2Te5 and N-doped Ge2Sb2Te5N phase-change memory materials can be induced using rapid photo crystallisation with circularly polarised laser light. The new anisotropic phase transition has been confirmed by circular dichroism measurements. This opens up the possibility of controlled induction of optical activity at the nanosecond time scale for exploitation in a new generation of high-density optical memory, fast chiroptical switches and chiral metamaterials.
Related Concept Videos
Photoluminescence: Fluorescence and Phosphorescence
A pair of electrons in a...
Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation
Phase Transitions

