Realignment of ferroelectric nematic by photoinduced electric field

Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) use thin pixels of a paraelectric nematic, confined between two glass plates with transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. A voltage applied to the electrodes realigns the molecules, changing optical appearance of the pixel. Here, we demonstrate that a similar molecular realignment can be triggered by a low-power light irradiation when the paraelectric nematic in the cell with ITO electrodes is replaced with a ferroelectric nematic (N F ). Irradiation creates an intrinsic electric field that is strong enough to realign the N F but too weak to affect the paraelectric nematic. The extraordinary sensitivity of the ITO/N F pair to light irradiation creates a platform for optical control of ferroelectric polarization and applications in photonics, sensing, smart windows, and beyond.