Dissemination of IT for the Promotion of Materials Science (DoITPoMS)

DoITPoMS Teaching & Learning Packages Liquid Crystals Commercial uses
Liquid Crystals AimsBefore you startIntroductionOrder and disorder – molecular orientationOrder and disorder – molecular positionDefectsOptical properties – birefringence in nematicsOptical properties – birefringence in chiral nematicsOptical properties – observing defectsObserving phase transitionsCommercial usesSummaryQuestionsGoing further
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Commercial uses

A well-known technological use for liquid crystals is in liquid crystal displays (LCDs). The most common type in use today is the twisted nematic LCD which makes use of the Freedericksz Transition (a liquid crystal phase transition induced by the application of an electric field). A twisted nematic is often made from a nematic liquid crystal with a chiral dopant added to it.

The following demonstration shows how a single pixel display is made and operated:

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