The present invention describes a liquid crystal composite tunable device for fast polarisation-independent modulation of an incident light beam comprising: (a) two supporting and functional panels, at least one of them coated with a transparent conductive electrode layer and with optionally at least one additional layer selected from an alignment layer, antireflective coating layer, thermochromic or electrochromic layer, photoconductive or photosensitive layer, and (b) a composite structure sandwiched between said two panels and made of a liquid crystal and porous microparticles infiltrated with said liquid crystal. The porous microparticles have an average refractive index approximately equals to one of the liquid crystal principal refractive indices, matching that of the liquid crystal at one orientational state (for example, parallel n.sub.∥), and exhibiting large mismatch at another orientational state (for example, perpendicular n.sub.⊥). This refractive index mismatch between said microparticles and said liquid crystal is tuned by applying an external electric or magnetic field, thermally or optically.

In one aspect, the appearance of a back cover for a mobile device may be changed. For example, the back cover may include a film that affects the appearance of the back of the mobile device, such as the color or tint. By changing properties of the film, the appearance of the mobile device is also changed. Examples of such films include electrochromic films, polymer-dispersed liquid crystal or polymer network liquid crystal, and suspended particle films.

The present invention describes a liquid crystal composite tunable device for fast polarisation-independent modulation of an incident light beam comprising: (a) two supporting and functional panels, at least one of them coated with a transparent conductive electrode layer and with optionally at least one additional layer selected from an alignment layer, antireflective coating layer, thermochromic or electrochromic layer, photoconductive or photosensitive layer, and (b) a composite structure sandwiched between said two panels and made of a liquid crystal and porous microparticles infiltrated with said liquid crystal. The porous microparticles have an average refractive index approximately equals to one of the liquid crystal principal refractive indices, matching that of the liquid crystal at one orientational state (for example, parallel n.sub.), and exhibiting large mismatch at another orientational state (for example, perpendicular n.sub.). This refractive index mismatch between said microparticles and said liquid crystal is tuned by applying an external electric or magnetic field, thermally or optically.

In one aspect, the appearance of a back cover for a mobile device may be changed. For example, the back cover may include a film that affects the appearance of the back of the mobile device, such as the color or tint. By changing properties of the film, the appearance of the mobile device is also changed. Examples of such films include electrochromic films, polymer-dispersed liquid crystal or polymer network liquid crystal, and suspended particle films.

Diffractive optical structures, lenses, waveplates, devices, systems and methods, which have the same effect on light regardless of temperature within an operating temperature range. Temperature-compensated switchable diffractive waveplate systems, in which the diffraction efficiency can be maximized for the operating wavelength and temperature by means of adjustment of the electric potential across the liquid crystal or other anisotropic material in the diffracting state of the diffractive state, based on prior measurements of diffraction efficiency as a function of wavelength and temperature. The switchable diffractive waveplates can be a switchable diffractive waveplate diffuser, a switchable cycloidal diffractive waveplate, and a switchable diffractive waveplate lens. An electronic controller can apply an electric potential to the switchable diffractive waveplate. Amplitudes of the electric potential can be determined from lookup tables such that diffraction efficiency at an operating wavelength and measured temperature is maximized. A communications channel can transfer the measured temperature from temperature measurement means to the electronic controller.

A liquid crystal device includes a pair of substrates, a liquid crystal, and a plurality of heating units. The liquid crystal is disposed between the pair of substrates. The plurality of heating units are disposed on one of the pair of substrates, wherein the heating units are separated from each other. Each of the heating units includes a first voltage line, a second voltage line, and a plurality of heating lines coupled between the first voltage line and the second voltage line.

The present disclosure relates to a system and apparatus having an optic and a cooling system for cooling the optic. In one example an optically addressed light valve forms the optic. The cooling system includes first and second windows on opposing surfaces of the optically addressed light valve which constrain a cooling fluid to flow over the opposing surfaces. The fluid pressure outside the optically addressed light valve is low enough that it does not compress a liquid crystal gap of the optically addressed light valve. The cooling fluid is also transparent to a high powered light beam which is projected through the first and second windows, and also through the optically addressed light valve, during an additive manufacturing operation.

Display panel and display device are provided. The display panel includes a plurality of pixels and a blocking metal wire. The pixel includes a display unit and a control unit driving the display unit. The display unit at least includes a heating element and a phase change material layer. The heating element includes a first connecting terminal and a second connecting terminal. The control unit includes a first signal terminal and a second signal terminal. The control unit includes at least one diode, which includes a diode semiconductor layer including a first electrode contact region, a second electrode contact region and a connecting region. The blocking metal wire covers the connecting region and is insulated from the connecting region. The blocking metal wire is electrically connected to each of the first signal terminal and the first signal source or to each of the second connecting terminal and the second signal source.

A system and an apparatus having an optic and a cooling system for cooling the optic. In one example an optically addressed light valve forms the optic. The cooling system includes first and second windows on opposing surfaces of the optically addressed light valve which constrain a cooling fluid to flow over the opposing surfaces. The fluid pressure outside the optically addressed light valve is low enough that it does not compress a liquid crystal gap of the optically addressed light valve. The cooling fluid is also transparent to a high powered light beam which is projected through the first and second windows, and also through the optically addressed light valve, during an additive manufacturing operation.

The present invention relates to a temperature-controlled dimming film with a function of shielding near-infrared light, which comprises a polymer network skeleton and liquid crystal molecules, wherein the polymer network skeleton consists of a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal network structure and a polymer-stabilized liquid crystal network structure and comprises a polymer matrix with pores inside which polymer networks are vertically aligned; and the liquid crystal molecules are dispersed in the polymer network skeleton and have smectic (SmA)-cholesteric (N*) phase transition. Between the skeleton and the liquid crystal molecules, nanoparticles, having absorption at 800-3000 nm, are dispersed. In the invention, a stepwise polymerization method is utilized to construct a PD&SLC network structure between two substrates, which greatly improve the bonding strength between the two substrates and the heat insulation performance of the temperature-controlled liquid crystal dimming film.