Low-power operation of vertically aligned liquid-crystal system via anatase-TiO_2 nanoparticle dispersion

Electro-optic performance of a liquid-crystal (LC) system is enhanced by TiO(2) nanoparticle dispersed in nematic liquid crystal (NLC). The 2.5 V threshold voltage of LC for device operation is lowered to 0.5 V through TiO(2) nanoparticle mixing up to 2 wt.%. To characterize the shape and size distribution of the nanoparticles, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy is employed. Transmittance spectra for the TiO(2) dispersed LC structure and nondispersed LC structure showed that transparency of the TiO(2) dispersed LC is similar to that of pure liquid LC.