Liquid crystal networks for photomechanical device applications

Photomechanical materials are the missing link in all-optical device technologies that require the integration of logic, actuation, sensing and information transmission. In this work, we assess the photomechanical/rheological response of a novel material based on a liquid crystal network. We use these results to determine the material’s figure of merit, which describes the photomechanical efficiency, and compare the results with other representative materials. We also discuss potential mechanisms based on the time evolution of the photomechanical response, and how their contributions affect the total response. The large nonlinearity in these materials is unique and may given them an advantage over existing materials.