Optical device

US9678401B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Dow Corning Corporation · US
• Cambridge Enterprise Limited · GB

Inventors

• William Crossland · Harlow, GB
• Anthony Bernard Davey · Chelmsford, GB
• John R. Moore · Lansdale, US
• Daping Chu · Pidley, GB
• Jonathan Paul Hannington · Midland, US
• Terry Clapp · Winchester, GB

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 6, 2012
• Grant date: Jun 13, 2017
• Expiry date: Dec 5, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC —): General

Abstract

In a method of operating a liquid crystal device having a liquid crystal composition with smectic-A properties, a first waveform is applied to optically clear the device so that it is substantially transparent to visible light and a second waveform is applied to disorder the material of the liquid crystal composition to afford a strongly light-scattering state. The first waveform has a higher frequency than the second, waveform, and the method comprises applying a modified waveform to partially clear at least a portion of the device from the light-scattering state.