A review of the electro-optical properties and their modification by radiation in polymer-dispersed liquid crystals and thin films containing CdSe/ZnS quantum dots

This review summarizes our results on the electro-optical properties of switchable periodic structures holographically synthesized in polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) and of thin polymer films containing CdSe/ZnS quantum dots. In particular, we discuss the (1) effects of the microstructure and gamma-radiation on the electro-optical properties of PDLCs, (2) switching characteristics of PDLC-based periodic structures, as well as of complementary reverse-mode structures, and (3) effects of simultaneous irradiations by the 532-nm laser and gamma-rays on the photoluminescence characteristics of thin films containing CdSe/ZnS quantum dots. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.