High Photorefractive Gain in Nematic Liquid Crystals Doped with
Electron Donor and Acceptor Molecules
Gary P. Wiederrecht,
Beth A. Yoon,
Michael R. Wasielewski
Liquid crystalline composite materials have been prepared that are
strongly photorefractive. Nematic liquid crystals were doped with both
electron donor and electron acceptor molecules that undergo facile,
photoinduced, electron transfer reactions to yield mobile ions. A
photorefractive gain ratio of 1.88 was observed. This gain ratio was
achieved with low applied electric fields (0.4 kilovolts per
centimeter) requiring only a 1.5-volt battery and low light intensities
(100 milliwatts per square centimeter) in samples 37 to 88 micrometers
thick that showed no loss in gain over a 6-month period.
G. P. Wiederrecht, Chemistry Division, Argonne National
Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439-4831, USA.
B. A. Yoon, Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston,
IL 60208-3113, USA.
M. R. Wasielewski, Chemistry Division, Argonne National Laboratory,
Argonne, IL 60439-4831, and Department of Chemistry, Northwestern
University, Evanston, IL 60208-3113, USA.
