We report the experimental observation of light induced self-organization of 2D periodic structures at the liquid interface of thick nematic liquid crystal and thin reactive mesogen layers. We believe that the long scale thermal fluctuations initiate interpenetration of those two molecular species, and the geometrical asymmetry and matrix-imposed anisotropy result in very specific symmetry properties of the final blend. The photo-polymerization of the reactive mesogen is further amplifying its spatial redistribution and is fixing (stabilizing) the obtained liquid-crystal/surface-attached polymer network. The application of a strong electric field is definitely adjusting that network in terms of morphology and electro-optical response. The origin of the formation of regular and oriented periodic structures remains unclear.

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We report the creation and study of a polarization independent light scattering material system based on surface-polymer stabilized liquid crystals. Originally isotropic cell substrates with thin nonpolymerized reactive mesogen layers are used for the alignment of pure nonreactive nematic liquid crystals. The partial interdiffusion of the two materials followed by the application of orienting external electric and magnetic fields and the photo polymerization of the reactive mesogen allow us the control of electro-optic scattering properties of obtained cells.