Electro-optic characteristics of ferroelectric nematic-infused blue phase liquid crystal

Blue phase liquid crystals (BPLCs) have attracted significant attention due to their optical isotropy, Bragg reflection, and fast electro-optical response. However, limitations such as low Kerr effect and small refractive index modulation have hindered practical applications. To overcome these challenges, we have developed blue phase polymer-templated ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals (BPPT-FNLCs), where ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal (FNLC) materials are infused into a polymer-stabilized blue phase network. This structure preserves the cubic symmetry of the blue phase while enabling spontaneous polarization. Electro-optic measurements revealed that BPPT-FNLCs exhibit a high Kerr constant exceeding 1 nm/V² in the ferroelectric phase, as well as sub-microsecond response times under polarity reversal, significantly outperforming conventional BPLCs. The response time is inversely proportional to the applied electric field, confirming the role of polarization switching in the dynamic behavior. Furthermore, BPPT-FNLCs maintain birefringence modulation up to ~0.05 even at frequencies of ~100 kHz, making them promising candidates for highspeed, polarization-independent optical modulators. These findings demonstrate that BPPT-FNLCs successfully integrate ferroelectric and blue phase properties, achieving enhanced electro-optic performance and rapid response times. The unique characteristics of BPPT-FNLCs open avenues for applications in field-sequential displays, spatial light modulators, tunable photonic devices, and ultrafast optical communication systems.