An experimental investigation of electrically induced-birefringence of Kerr effect in polymer-stabilized blue phase liquid crystals resulting from orientations of liquid crystals

The electrically induced-birefringence (EIB) of Kerr effect of polymer-stabilized blue phase liquid crystals (PSBP-LCs) is experimentally investigated by discussing the orientations of liquid cryastal (LC) molecules. The results show that the EIB of Kerr effect of PSBP-LCs mainly results from the orientations of LC molecules when the voltage is larger than the voltage of disappearance of the lattice deformation; otherwise, lattice deformation is also involved in the contribution of EIB besides the orientations of LC molecules. This study proves that the orientations of liquid crystals indeed play roles in the EIB of Kerr effect in PSBP-LCs. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4748117]