Oxford University Innovation Limited

Merck Patent Gmbh

Steve J Elston

Stephen M Morris

Patrick Salter

Martin James Booth

Han-Ping D Shieh

Julian Fells

Martin Booth

Alfonso Castrejón-Pita

John Sanford O'neill

Chloe C Tartan

Peter Raynes

Julian A J Fells

David J Hansford

Bo-Ru Yang

Ellis Parry

Patrick S Salter

Martin J Booth

A liquid crystal device () is provided comprising: a liquid crystal layer having a thickness and comprising: a liquid crystal material; and a plurality of polymer structures () comprising polymerised liquid crystal material. Each polymer structure () is located at a different depth in the thickness of the liquid crystal layer. Electrodes are provided configured to apply an electric field to the liquid crystal layer. Each polymer structure () has a different selected locked-in liquid crystal state.

Liquid crystal for light modulation

A device () for speckle reduction, comprising an optical cell () and a controller (). The optical cell () comprises a first and second cell wall () spaced apart by a gap, and a liquid crystal composition () in the gap. The controller () is configured to cause fluid turbulence in the liquid crystal composition. The fluid turbulence in the liquid crystal composition () results in time varying spatially random scattering of light () transmitted through the liquid crystal composition (). The liquid crystal composition () has a chiral nematic phase.

Speckle reduction

A method of manufacturing a polymer dispersed liquid crystal, PDLC, film, the method comprising: forming a region of liquid polymer () on a substrate (); depositing one or more liquid crystal, LC, formulations () into the liquid polymer; and thereafter curing () the liquid polymer () to thereby induce phase separation between the polymer () and the liquid crystal formulations (), resulting in PDLC pixels () which are phase separated from the surrounding, cured polymer&#x2014;thereby producing a PDLC film.

Methods of manufacturing polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

A device for modulation of light () having a wavelength, comprising: a first substrate () with a first face () and a second opposite face (), and comprising a first electrode (); a second substrate () adjacent to the second face () and defining a gap between the first and second substrate (), the second substrate () comprising a second electrode (); a responsive liquid crystal layer () disposed in the gap, wherein the responsive liquid crystal layer () has a flexoelectro-optic chiral nematic phase, and is birefringent with an optic axis that tilts in response to an applied electric field between the first and second electrode (); and a mirror adjacent to the second substrate (), the mirror configured to reflect incident circular polarised light while preserving its handedness.

Liquid crystal modulator

A method is disclosed of electrically controlling state transition of a liquid crystal material in a device (). The device () comprises the liquid crystal material () and a polymeric structure () consisting of polymerised liquid crystal material with a selected liquid crystal state. The method comprises: applying an electric field to the liquid crystal material () to force the liquid crystal material () into a high-energy state; reducing the strength of the electric field to cause a lower-energy state region of the liquid crystal material () to nucleate on at least a part of the polymeric structure ().

Method and apparatus for controlling liquid crystal states

A method of making a liquid crystal device is provided, the method comprising

Liquid crystal device and method of manufacture thereof

Growing community of inventors

Oxford, United Kingdom

Steve J Elston