申请人:Queen's University at Kingston
公开号:US05989451A1
公开(公告)日:1999-11-23
This invention provides chiral thioindigo compounds for doping smectic liquid crystal hosts, wherein the compounds modulate a chiral bulk property of an induced chiral smectic liquid crystal phase upon irradiation at a wavelength in the visible range. Modulation of the chiral bulk property is effected by reversible trans-cis photoisomerization of the compound upon irradiation. The compounds maintain their rod-like shape in both isomeric forms, and hence do not destabilize the chiral smectic liquid crystal phase. Compounds according to the invention are useful in optical devices such as optical switches, displays, and memory.
该发明提供了用于掺杂薄层液晶基体的手性硫靛染料化合物,其中这些化合物在可见光范围内照射时调制诱导手性薄层液晶相的手性体积性质。化合物在照射时通过可逆的顺式-顺-反式光异构化来调制手性体积性质。这些化合物在两种异构形式中保持其棒状形状,因此不会破坏手性薄层液晶相。根据该发明的化合物在光学器件中如光开关、显示器和存储器中是有用的。