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Liquid-crystal materials find a new order in biomedical applications

Nature Materials volume 6, pages 929–938 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

With the maturation of the information display field, liquid-crystal materials research is undergoing a modern-day renaissance. Devices and configurations based on liquid-crystal materials are being developed for spectroscopy, imaging and microscopy, leading to new techniques for optically probing biological systems. Biosensors fabricated with liquid-crystal materials can allow label-free observations of biological phenomena. Liquid-crystal polymers are starting to be used in biomimicking colour-producing structures, lenses and muscle-like actuators. New areas of application in the realms of biology and medicine are stimulating innovation in basic and applied research into these materials.

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Figure 1: Electrically tunable liquid-crystal filter configurations.
Figure 2: Tunable liquid-crystal films can be used as simple spectrometers in biomedical applications.
Figure 3: Hyperspectral imaging allows the generation of a complete wavelength spectrum at each pixel of an image.

© 2007 OSA

Figure 4: Liquid-crystal biosensors.
Figure 5: Liquid-crystal lenses.

© 2006 OSA

Figure 6: Patterned liquid-crystal-polymer based actuators can undergo radical shape deformations.

© 2005 RSC

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the financial support of the National Science Foundation (DMR-0506072) as well as useful discussions with J. W. McMurdy, M. K. McCamley, L. J. Shelton and F. Y. Biga of Brown University.

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  1. Department of Physics, Brown University, Providence, 02912, Rhode Island, USA

    Scott J. Woltman & Gregory P. Crawford

  2. Division of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, 02912, Rhode Island, USA

    Gregory D. Jay & Gregory P. Crawford

  3. Department of Emergency Medicine, Brown Medical School and Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, 02903, Rhode Island, USA

    Gregory D. Jay

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Woltman, S., Jay, G. & Crawford, G. Liquid-crystal materials find a new order in biomedical applications. Nature Mater 6, 929–938 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat2010

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