Red, green and blue reflections enabled in an optically tunable self-organized 3D cubic nanostructured thin film

Abstract

A new light-driven chiral molecular switch doped in a stable blue phase (BP) liquid crystal allows wide optical tunability of three-dimensional cubic nanostructures with a selective reflection wavelength that is reversibly tuned through the visible region. Moreover, unprecedented reversible light-directed red, green, and blue reflections of the self-organized three-dimensional cubic nanostructure in a single film are demonstrated for the first time. Additionally, unusual isothermal photo-stimulated less ordered BP II to more ordered BP I phase transition was observed in the system.

Keywords: blue phase; light-driven chiral molecular switch; optically tunable 3D photonic crystals; reflection; self-organized 3D cubic superstructure.