| abstract |
A liquid crystal formulation is described. The liquid crystal formulation comprises a first oligosiloxane-modified nano-phase segregating liquid crystalline material; and at least one additional material selected from a second oligosiloxane- modified nano-phase segregating liquid crystalline material, non-liquid crystalline oligosiloxane-modified materials, organic liquid crystalline materials, or organic non- liquid crystalline materials, wherein the liquid crystal formulation is nano-phase segregated in the SmC* phase, has an I→SmC* phase transition, with a SmC* temperature range from about 15°C to about 35°C, has a tilt angle of about 22.5° ± 6° or about 45° ± 6°, and has a spontaneous polarization of less than about 50 nC/cm2, and a rotational viscosity of less than about 600 cP. Devices containing liquid crystal formulations are also described. The device has a stable bookshelf geometry, bistable switching, and isothermal electric field alignment, a response time of less than 500 μs when switched between two stable states, and an electric drive field of less than about 30 V/ μm. |