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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/C511948/1
Title: Self-Rectifying Ferroelectric and Antiferroelectric Liquid Crystals For Applications In Photonic Systems and Microdisplays
Principal Investigator: Goodby, Professor JW
Other Investigators:
Saez, Dr IM
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
University of Cambridge University of Exeter Victoria University of Manchester, The
Department: Chemistry
Organisation: University of York
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 November 2005 Ends: 31 October 2008 Value (£): 248,720
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Chemical Synthetic Methodology Materials Characterisation
Materials Synthesis & Growth
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Communications Electronics
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Panel DatePanel NameOutcome
30 Sep 2004 Joint Photonics Prioritisation Panel (Tech Sept04) Deferred
Summary on Grant Application Form
The purpose of this programme is to exploit the unique qualities of novel smectic liquid crystal materials which we invented for applications in microdisplays, projectors, very fast spatial light modulators for photonic switching, optical correlators, electrooptical neural networks, optical computing applications and novel display systems. Our fundamental research in the area of ferroelectric and antiferroelectric LCs yielded a number of materials incorporating microphase segregating units - coded as the CDRRn materials, which gave us access to systems that could be aligned into monodomains, where the monodomains are electro-optically bistable. Such stable bistable states, that do not relax into chevron structures, are ideal for device applications. If the states are destroyed, for example by thermal or mechanical shock, then the bistable monodomain structure can be restored using only conventional drive voltages, thus the bistability is robust and secure. If these properties can be better understood and reproduced in ferroelectric liquid crystal device mixtures it would remove possibly the main impediment to the wider commercial exploitation of FLC devices. Thus, in this proposed programme we plan to synthesise a larger number of materials based on the CDRRn family of compounds, and to prepare them in substantial quantities so that they can be employed in the device work of Cambridge University (Prof Crossland) and various UK and USA companies.
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Organisation Website: http://www.york.ac.uk