www-g.eng.cam.ac.uk/CMMPE

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H.J. Coles, T.D. Wilkinson 11 Post-Doctoral
Research Associates, 13 PhD Research Students
Adaptive phase modulation devices
Liquid crystals for displays
CMMPE is developing new adaptive devices that
dynamically manipulate of the phase of light,
often using liquid crystals. Examples and
applications of such devices include - 2D 3D
computer generated holography Left - a computer
generated hologram is used to display a video of
a clock face. - Adaptive optics for ophthalmic
imaging - Optical pattern recognition
(comparators)
Our research themes in the field of flat-panel
liquid crystal displays encompass a range of
different electro-optic effects that are suitable
for applications including fast-switching, video
frame-rate liquid crystal displays, and large
area, low-power consumption, displays. The work
programs can be categorised into the following
headings - Blue phases - Flexoelectro-optic
effect - Ferroelectrics - Antiferroelectrics
- Smectic A - PDLCs - Hybrid devices -
Dye guest-host systems

• Hybrid liquid crystal carbon nanotube
  devices
• Right a sparse array of vertically aligned
  carbon nanotubes are grown on a substrate and
  used to electrically address a nematic liquid
  crystal, generating a Gaussian electric field,
  and a switchable optical device, similar to an
  adaptive microlens array.

Above (a) Chiral nematic structure, (b)
deformation due to flexoelectro-optic and (c)
dielectric coupling to an E field orthogonal to
the helical axis. Left Liquid crystal blue
phases are self-assembled 3D cubic defect
structures, with lattice periods of the order of
the wavelength of visible light.
www-g.eng.cam.ac.uk/CMMPE