Electronic Document Viewer

An electronic document viewer prototype display featuring a low-power, reflective display technology was invented in the ALCOM Center and developed further with the support of DARPA and an industrial partner, Kent Displays, Inc. Using stabilized cholesteric liquid crystals, the display is the first of its kind with page-size, ultra-high resolution, bistable memory capabilities on a low-cost passive matrix without need of a backlight. The technology is being developed for a lightweight, paper-like viewer for electronic newspapers, books, and document viewing. Kent Displays, Inc. is currently manufacturing the KDS Infosign, capable of displaying a digital image that can last for months, even years, after the power is removed. Information can be changed quickly using a computer.

Negative Birefringence Retardation Films

ALCOM researchers from Akron and Kent developed negative birefrigence retardation films based on a series of soluble, segmented rigid-rod polymers which can be spin coated using ordinary organic solvents. The Akron research team has developed commercially viable synthetic routes for these materials. The new negative birefringence film can therefore be produced on a large scale at a reasonable cost. Kent researchers modeled and measured the optical performance of devices utilizing the negative birefringence retardation films and predicted that gray scale would be improved when the optic axis of the polymer film is tilted at an angle to the normal. The prediction spawned new ALCOM research to develop such films using photo-polymerizable discotic liquid crystals.

Optical principle of the NW-TN-LCD with a UNB compensator

Education Outreach - Kindergarten through High School

Liquid crystals are ideal to use as an educational tool because they illustrate basic science principles, are unique, and spark student interest. The ALCOM K-12 Educational Program reaches many students, regionally and across the nation, with its innovative programs and use of the internet. ALCOM provides lesson plans via the internet and the “Ask-A-Scientist” web site allows students and teachers to submit science questions to be answered by an ALCOM scientist. The ALCOM Education Project Coordinator visits area schools and leads students in hands-on demonstrations using liquid crystals. A newsletter incorporating ideas for classroom demonstrations is distributed to teachers internationally.

Industrial Partnership Program

ALCOM is the first center to combine basic and applied liquid crystal research in one program. Since the program's inception in 1991, over forty companies from the United States and Canada have joined the Industrial Partnership Program. The Center maintains a vital relationship with its industrial partners. ALCOM organizes symposia, short courses and workshops to exchange information and address new developments in liquid crystal science and technology. Industrial partners participate in an annual evaluation process and suggest future direction of research projects. Partners have preferential access to the Resource Facility which includes a manufacturing prototype line to enable companies to develop new manufacturing techniques.

Dr. Bos instructs participants during one of the liquid crystal short course laboratories.

Liquid Crystal Resource Facility

The Liquid Crystal Display Resource Facility at the Liquid Crystal Institute offers a variety of services including synthesis, characterization, and prototype fabrication. The facility is equipped with a liquid crystal display pilot line used to fabricate devices demonstrating new technologies developed at the LCI and ALCOM. The display fabrication line is capable of producing all types of passive matrix and direct drive liquid crystal displays. In addition to producing prototypes, the facility is used to develop new manufacturing techniques. The LCD Resource Facility was funded through ALCOM, Ohio Board of Regents, W.M. Keck Foundation, and private sources. Equipment donations and/or funding were provided by Lucent Technologies, Aristech Foundation, Brewer Science, Lubrizol Foundation, Motif, and Planar Advance.

Liquid Crystal Student Symposium

ALCOM encourages tomorrow’s scientists by sponsoring workshops throughout the school year for middle and high school students and teachers in Northeast Ohio. SAM-Net (Science and Math on the Net) workshops team students, teachers, and librarians to develop experiments and lesson plans that are shared with others via the web. The goal of the workshops, based on liquid crystals, physics, and information management, is to make science, math, and the internet accessible and fun. The culmination of their efforts is a symposium which follows the format of a scientific conference. Students give oral presentations on their liquid crystal experiments, discuss methodology, and answer audience questions. A session with colorful posters and hands-on demonstrations allows the audience an opportunity to talk directly with the students involved in the year-long project.

Dr. J.W. Doane listens to a student explain his presentation on liquid crystals.

Modeling Software

Two modeling software programs have resulted from ALCOM research. Twist Cell Optics, introduced in 1994, calculates director configurations and optical performance of user-specified display configurations and parameters. Features also include spectral isocontrast plots, gray level calculations and Poincare sphere visualization. The newest program, LC2D, has all the capabilities of Twist Cell Optics with added dimensionality. It can be used to study defects at pixel edges or to model optics of inherently two-dimensional display modes such as in-plane switching or homeotropic EOC mode. It has both static and dynamic optical performance. The program provides a realistic description of optical performance including most layers usually found in a liquid crystal display such as polarizers, retarders, substrates, alignment layers, ITO, and liquid crystal.

Polymer Tutorial

In 1993, scientists from Case Western Reserve University recognized the growing potential of a multimedia tutorial that could be available through the internet and CD ROM. They envisioned that the tutorial would be used for self study and as supplementary material for classroom use. A joint effort between the departments of Macromolecular Science and Physics resulted in the development of a prototype module for use in the ALCOM Education Outreach Program. Undergraduate students played an essential role in the construction of the tutorial, from preparing text and graphics to developing and programming simulations in the early stages of its evolution. The original version was evaluated internationally by students, educators, and industrialists. Recent software advances improved the tutorial from a static book-like format to a true dynamic interactive multimedia application. The latest version includes a web-like interface, more features, new material, and several new virtual experiments.

Experiment-at-a-Distance

Dr. Kosa makes adjustments to the equipment for experiment-at-a-distance.

Experiment at a Distance was created in 1995. It is physically located at the Liquid Crystal Institute at Kent State University. The experimental setup enables anyone with web access to carry out electro-optic measurements on a liquid crystal cell. Information entered from the experiment's web site entry form is sent directly to the experimental instruments. The result of the measurement is returned to the user’s browser and displayed. A video still of the instrument panels and their readings is also displayed.

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