Stable electro-optic response in wide-temperature blue phases realized in chiral asymmetric bent dimers

We report that an asymmetric bent dimer, consisting of a rod mesogen and a cholesterol mesogen linked by a flexible spacer with 9 carbon atoms, was found to form blue phases with a record-wide temperature range. Moreover, highly stable, fast electro-optic switching is possible. In addition to the stable Kerr effect, the electrostriction effect was also observed. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America