Displays on laptop computers, cell phones, watches, and calculators all rely on this technology. In contrast, the new materials are solid, stable films that are as clear as glass but whose molecules are also highly ordered, unlike normal glass. It's also easy to process using current technology. The materials are actually stacks of layers of molecules, each rotated slightly so that, together, the molecules form a clear spiral path for light to follow. When hit with unpolarized light from a UV source, the materials emit circularly polarized, color light.
Residual light is reflected and recycled, rather than absorbed and wasted as in current systems.
Besides brighter and more efficient displays, other applications of glassy liquid crystals include laser goggles that selectively filter out laser light at certain wavelengths, electro-optic devices for optical communication, and a new method to chemically convert explosives into useful display materials. Chen says the materials also have potential for optical storage, since at high temperatures they can switch states instantly in response to heat or light. Chen has been invited to discuss the findings as a plenary speaker at an international conference on novel optical materials and applications this summer in Italy. Tromberg begins his term on 1 July.