Trajectory engineering of directrons in liquid crystals via photoalignment

As electrically generated solitons in liquid crystals, directrons represent intriguing structures promising extensive application prospects in the areas of microcargo vehicles, microreactors, and logic devices. However, manipulating directrons along elaborate predetermined trajectories still remains to be largely explored. In this work, the strategy of constructing high-resolution periodic alignment fields for directrons via the polarization holography photoalignment technique is presented. The optimum exposure dose for directrons to form over a broad range of electric fields is determined to be 32.4 J cm(-2) for the alignment layers with 1 wt% azo dye SD1. Zigzag and fishhook-shaped trajectories of directrons are realized with two orthogonal polarized beams. The resolution for zigzag steering of directrons is evaluated to be approximately 56 mu m to 80 mu m, about three to four times the length of directrons. These results not only enrich the forms of motion of directrons, but also lay the foundations for customized trajectories of directrons in future developments.

Automated summary

This study presents a strategy for constructing high-resolution periodic alignment fields for directrons in liquid crystals via the polarization holography photoalignment technique. Zigzag and fishhook-shaped trajectories of directrons are achieved using two orthogonal polarized beams. These results not only enrich the forms of motion of directrons, but also lay the foundations for customized trajectories of directrons in future developments.