Polymer/LC Composite for Holographic Grating

A number of new ideas have been implemented to control the droplet morphology and electrooptic properties of holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC). Doping of conductive fullerene particles to the conventional HPDLC induced dual effects of reducing both droplet coalescence and operating voltage. Chain transfer agent gave higher gel content with lower crosslink density, less dark reactions and less grating shrinkage with much smooth LC-polymer interfaces. Addition of octanoic acid (OA) to the formulation of HPDLC gave a decrease in droplet size and monotonic increase of the off state diffraction throughout the OA content.