Open AccessEmbedded Ag mesh electrodes for polymer dispersed liquid crystal devices on flexible substrate
Author(s) -
Yanhua Liu,
Shanpu Shen,
Hu Jin,
Linsen Chen
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.24.025774
Subject(s) - materials science , transmittance , liquid crystal , optoelectronics , substrate (aquarium) , electrode , lithography , flexible display , soft lithography , polymer , liquid crystal display , optics , nanotechnology , fabrication , composite material , layer (electronics) , medicine , oceanography , chemistry , alternative medicine , physics , pathology , geology , thin film transistor
An embedded Ag mesh transparent conductive electrode (TCE) on flexible substrate, which is suitable for polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) device, is demonstrated. With the combination of soft ultra-violet nanoimprinting lithography and scrape technique, it offers parallel processing with high resolution (10000dpi), as well as remarkable simplicity and fully controllable flexibility to tailor the transmittance and sheet resistance. While being able to achieve maximum transmittance 60% in the on state and the minimum 0.1% in the off state, the PDLC smart window displays low sheet resistance (5.58 Ω/sq.) under low driven voltage (30V) safe for human. The main advantage of adoption of PDLC as an optically scattering element lies in the fact that there needs no mechanical part for in situ tunability. An enhancement factor of 50 of the diffraction intensity is observed experimentally. The embedded Ag mesh TCE for PDLC device has an environmentally-friendly additive manufacturing process inherently. Compared to existing solutions, the fabricated sample shows superior performance in both optoelectronic and mechanic characteristics. We envision that the embedded Ag mesh TCE will enable economically widen application of PDLC devices on flexible substrate.