Orchis is a network of 12 European Universities working on "Optical Research of Chiral Systems". The network programme started on Jan 1, 1998 and lasts for 3 years. The network intends to optimize smectic liquid crystals for display applications, to apply the principles on which their operation is based to nematic liquid crystals as well, and investigate the new opportunities offered by the self-organizing capacity of liquid crystals. In particular, it will further develop analogue grey scale capabilities of smectic LCs, optimize addressing signals, eliminate the influence of ionic transport and develop their use as spatial light modulators. The smectic principles of multiline selection and bistability will be exploited to improve applications of nematic LCs. Viewing liquid crystals as self-organizing systems may have applications in a much wider range than displays, such as ordered solid films for alignment, for pyroelectric and piezoelectric detectors, for microwaves, for ferroelectric and antiferroelectric devices. The network will execute its task in an interdisciplinary environment of electrical engineers, physicists and chemists.
PhD students and Post-doctoral researchers of European Union Countries may apply at each of the partners, if they are interested to work in the field of the strong points of the partners. Here follow the co-ordinates and strong points of the partners.
Universiteit Gent
Department of Electronics and Information Systems (ELIS)
Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41
B-9000 Gent, Belgium
Tel : 32-9-264 3376
Fax : 32-9-264 3594
e-mail herman.pauwels@elis.ugent.be
Strong points :
Ionic transport in smectic and nematic LC's
Study of image retention
Institut für Netzwerk- und Systemtheorie
Labor für Bildschirmtechnik
Almandring 3b
D-70550 Stuttgart, Germany
Tel : 49-711-685 7330 or 7332
Fax : 49-711-685 7311 or 6924
e-mail ernst.lueder@ins.uni-stuttgart.de
Strong points :
Prototype production
Spatial light modulators
Addressing schemes and circuits
INFM Research Unit c/o University of Rome "La Sapienza"
Department of Electronic Engineering
Via Eudossiana 18
00184 Rome, Italy
Tel : 39-6-44585428
Fax : 39-6-4742647
e-mail maltese@dida755.ing.uniroma1.it
Strong points :
Developing addressing techniques with top addressing speeds
for smectic materials.
Application to bistable nematic cells.
Electronic and Electrical Engineering
Trinity College
College Green
Dublin 2, Ireland
Tel : 353-1-6081431
Fax : 353-1-6772442
e-mail jvij@mee.tcd.ie
Strong points :
Electro-optical, pyro-electric, dielectric and infrared properties
of chiral self organizing systems.
Study of effects of surface interactions.
Groupe de dynamique des phases condensées
Case Courier 26
Université Montpellier II
Place Eugène Bataillon
F-34095 Montpellier CEDEX05, France
Tel : 33-467 14 3523
Fax : 33-467 14 4284
e-mail brunet@gdpc.univ-montp2.fr
Strong points :
Study of defects and texture in relation with the aligning layers.
Use of X-ray diffraction and optical microscopy.
Department of Microelectronics and Nanoscience
Chalmers University of Technology
S-41296 Gothenburg, Sweden
Tel : 46-31-7723379
Fax : 46-31-7723436
e-mail stl@fy.chalmers.se
Strong points :
Study of analogue grey levels of ferroelectric displays, prototypes,
electronic driving.
Departamento de Tecnologia Fotonica
Ciudad Universitaria S/N
28040 Madrid, Spain
Tel : 34-1-3367340
Fax : 34-1-3367319
e-mail jmoton@tfo.upm.es
Strong points :
Study of analogue grey levels of antiferroelectric displays,
prototypes, simulation.
Physics Department
University of Exeter
Stocker Road,
Exeter EX4 4QL, United Kingdom
Tel : 44-1392 264103
Fax : 44-1392 264111
e-mail j.r.sambles@exeter.ac.uk
Strong points :
Characterizing optical properties of multilayered structures.
Exploring director profile on commercial LC-cells.
Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale
Università di Pisa
Via Risorgimento 35
56126 Pisa, Italy
Tel : 39-50-918299
Fax : 39-50-28438
e-mail chlmeo@dcci.unipi.it
Strong points :
Synthesis of paraelectric, ferroelectric and flexoelectric liquid
crystals.
Use of self-organizing principle for alignment layers.
Department of Chemistry
University of Hull
Cottingham Road
Hull, HU67RX, Great Britain
Tel : 44-1482-465202
Fax : 44-1482-466410
e-mail j.w.goodby@chem.hull.ac.uk
Strong points :
Synthesis of self-assembling and self-organizing materials.
Focus on the synthesis of low molar mass ferroelectric and antiferroelectric
liquid crystals, gels and polymers.
Iwan-N-Stranski Institut
Technische Universität Berlin
Sekr. ER11 Strasse des 17 juni 135
10623 Berlin, Germany
Tel : 49-30-31422822
Fax : 49-30-31479227
e-mail hepp0630@mailszrz.zrz.tu-berlin.de
Strong points :
Synthesis and characterization of chiral novel antiferroelectric
liquid crystals and chiral columnar discotic compounds.
Unita INFM di Cosenza c/o Dipartimento di Fisica
Università della Calabria
87036 Arcavacata di Rende (Cosenza), Italy
Tel : 39-984-493176
Fax : 39-984-493187
e-mail scaramuzza@fis.unical.it
Strong points :
Study of aspects of bistability in cholesteric nematic LC's.
Study of liquid crystals, surface interaction and flexoelectric effects.
Apart from working at the various partners, the network also offers the possibility to work at supporting industries. The network has the support from 17 industries.
