Memory effects in polymer stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystals, and their dependence on the morphology of the constituent molecules

The origin of distinct memory states (multistable, bistable, monostable) was verified in thiol-ene polymer stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal system. The stabilization is obtained by the polymerized ene in the interlayer space. The multistability and the resolution of memory states has strong correlation with the dichroic ratio of thiol. As the thiol lengthens, thiols are more intersticed between ferroelectric liquid crystal molecules in the layer and the multistability and the resolution were also enhanced, consequently. In addition, it was found that the binding of thiol to the ene through polymerization was essential for the realization of multistable memory states. The cone mode viscosity was decreased as the thiol lengthens, and this also seems to promote multistability and resolution of memory.