Electrooptical properties in a composite system consisting of two nematic and a cholesteric liquid crystal

The electrooptical properties of a liquid crystal (LC) composite exhibiting an induced smectic phase formed by mixing two nematic LCs and one choleste ric LC has been studied. The ternary composite exhibited smectic A, cholest eric and blue phases. A unique circular texture was observed in the cholest eric-smectic phase transition region. In the absence of electric field, the ternary system exhibited highly transparent and opaque states in the smect ic phase and cholesteric phase, respectively. Reversible and bistable trans parent-opaque change was successfully realized in the cholesteric state of the ternary composite upon application of high- and low-voltage DC electric fields.