Research Expertise

• Glassy liquid crystals
• Mesomorphic ceramics
• Robust photoalignment polymers
• Organic semiconductors
• Self-organization of nanoparticles
• Optoelectronic devices

Research Summary

Following traditional chemical engineering programs in the early 1980s through the early 1990s, organic optoelectronic materials have constituted the core of our research encompassing molecular design, computational chemistry, materials synthesis and processing, and optoelectronic device applications. In particular, we have developed liquid crystals, including monodisperse conjugated systems, capable of preserving spontaneous molecular organization in glassy state with elevated transition temperatures while ensuring long-term stability against crystallization spanning decades. Various device concepts have been demonstrated using selected materials, e.g. nonabsorbing polarizers, notch filters and reflectors, polarized electroluminescence, field-effect transistors, solid-state lasers, and robust photoalignment films for orienting both fluid and glassy liquid crystals. Current activities include: (1) cholesteric glassy liquid crystals as circular polarizers in support of a novel night-vision technology; (2) mesomorphic ceramic films for polarization control of powerful lasers; and (3) sustainable synthesis and processing of advanced optical materials.