Photochromic chiral liquid-crystalline mixed formulations: A new class of materials for data recording and storage

~Submitted December 6, 1998!Opticheski”Zhurnal 66, 136–140 ~June 1999!This paper describes the phase behavior and optical properties of the mixed formulation of achiral 1-menthanone derivative as a photosensitive dopant and a cholesteric copolymer. It is shownthat the exposure of the planar-oriented films of the mixture to UV radiation considerablydecreases the wavelength of the selective reflection maximum owing to the E-Z isomerization ofthe dopant. The kinetics of photoisomerization of the cholesteric films of the mixture ismeasured at various temperatures. The mixed formulation prepared is a unique promising mediumfor colored data recording and storage. © 1999 The Optical Society of America.@S1070-9762~99!02106-5#