Liquid crystal micro-lenticular array assembled by a fringing field

Based on dielectrophoretic effect, the phase separation morphology of liquid crystal (LC) in a liquid monomer can be manipulated by a fringing field. Applying the fringing field generated from interdigitated electrode upon the LC/monomer mixture, the randomly dispersed LC droplets can be assembled to grating-like stripes. When the field is removed, the LC stripes break into tiny droplets again. This process is reversible and stable. Our results show that the surface profile of each LC stripe exhibits a lenticular shape. The response time of the LC morphology converting from droplets to stripes and from stripes to droplets is ∼0.96 s. Potential applications of this controllable morphology can be found in optical communications, beam steering, imaging, and displays.