Nanosize-confined nematic liquid crystals at slippery interfaces of polymer composites consisting of poly (hexyl methacrylate)

Nanosize-confinement of anisotropic molecular arrangement below the wavelength of visible light gives fascinating and useful optical and physical properties. Liquid crystal (LC) and polymer composite is one of the most well-known combinations to explore such effect for applications from optical modulating devices to sensors. The nanosize-confinement, however, causes inevitably strong surface interaction, which requires high-operating voltage to reorient LC directors. Herein, we demonstrate nanosize-confined LCs embedded in photopolymerizable polymer composites including poly(hexyl methacrylate) (PHMA) with glass transition below room temperature, which can provide slippery interfaces owing to weak anchoring strength. Using the slippery interface in the nanosize-confined electro-optic device gives highly improved electro-optic properties: up to, respectively, 41.1% and 22.2% reduced threshold and operating electric field strength and up to 57.3% enhanced transmittance compared to those without PHMA. We believe this approach, providing a slippery interface in LC-polymer composites, will contribute to practical realization of optically isotropic-to-anisotropic switching mechanisms for next-generation optical modulation devices.