Liquid crystal devices for information display and photonics applications

1. A material formed of molecules capable of demonstrating ferroelectric phase behavior in liquid crystal form, comprising molecules of the formula:

wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of O—R 1a —R 1b wherein

R 1a is (CH 2 ) n with n being an integer from 1to 15;

R 1b is (Si(R 1 ) 2 ) q —Si(R 1 ) 3 where R 1 is alkyl, and q is an integer from zero to three; and

R 2 is selected from the group consisting of C≡N, NO 2 ; O—CF 3 , and C 4 F 9 O—C 2 F 4 O—CF 2 CH 2 O.

2. The material of claim 1 , wherein

n is an odd integer, and

R 1b is selected from the group consisting of Si(CH 3 ) 2 Si(CH 3 ) 2 Si(CH 3 ) 3 ; Si(CH 3 ) 2 Si(CH 3 ) 3 ; Si(CH 3 ); Si(C 2 H 5 ) 2 Si(C 2 H 5 ) 3 ; and Si(C 2 H 5 ) 3 .

3. The material of claim 2 wherein R 2 is C≡N.

4. The material of claim 3 wherein R 1 is Si(CH 3 ) 2 Si(CH 3 ) 2 Si(CH 3 ) 3 .

5. In a liquid crystal electro-optic device, the improvement comprising the material of any one of claims 1 - 4 forming the interior of a liquid crystal display.

6. The device of claim 5 , further comprising the control circuitry operable to change the optical state from a substantially opaque state to an optically transmissive state.

7. The liquid crystal electro-optic device of claim 6 , including control circuitry operable to change the optical state of the material from a substantially opaque state to an optically transmissive state, as well as one or more grey scale states in-between the optically transmissive state and the substantially opaque state.

8. A method for operating a liquid crystal electro-optic device, comprising:

providing a material according to claim 1 between two electrodes;

permitting the material to assemble into a plurality of layers;

applying a first switching voltage to the electrodes to facilitate switching of the material; and

maintaining a constant voltage on the electrodes to facilitate optical latching that maintains the material in a first optical state.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of applying voltage is performed without regard to any requirement for imposing DC balance upon the material.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising a step of, thereafter, applying a second switching voltage to the electrodes so as to achieve a second optical state and maintaining another constant voltage on the electrodes that maintains the material in a second optical state.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first switching voltage and second switching voltages is zero volts.