HYSTERESIS-FREE AMORPHOUS CHIRAL NEMATIC REFLECTIVE GUEST-HOST LIQUID-CRYSTAL DISPLAYS

An amorphous chiral nematic guest-host (a-N-GH) liquid crystal displa y (LCD) characterized by high reflectivity due to a polarizer-free, wi de viewing angle, and small hysteresis is demonstrated. The appearance of the hysteresis is investigated in detail by observing the textures of the cell. The hysteresis width depends on the domain size of the a morphous texture that can be controlled by the cooling rate after the injection of the liquid crystals at a high temperature above the nemat ic-isotropic phase transition temperature (T-NI).