Hybrid photorefractive material composed of layered conjugated polymer and dye-doped liquid crystal films

Photorefractivity is observed in a multifunctional layered material consisting of a nematic 5CB/8OCB liquid crystal thin film doped with the chromophoric electron acceptor 1,7-bis(N-piperidinyl)-3,4;9,10-perylenebis(dicarboximide), which strongly absorbs red light, and a rubbed film of the conjugated polymer BEH-PPV, which aligns the doped liquid crystal as well as functions as an electron donor and charge transport agent.