Photorefractive liquid crystals doped with electron donor and acceptor molecules

We report recent improvements in the photorefractive performance of liquid crystalline thin film composites containing electron donor and acceptor molecules. The improvements primarily result from optimization of the exothermicity of the intermolecular charge transfer reaction and improvement of the diffusion characteristics of the photogenerated ions. Photorefractivity resulting from intramolecular charge transfer dopants is also discussed.