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Article: Scratching a polymer to guide light waves. (scanning force microscope used to scratch grooves in nylon-coated glass plates, enabling them to channel light) (Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Science News
- Article date:
- July 23, 1994
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1994 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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As a key component of digital wrist-watches, calculators, and portable computers, liquid-crystal displays have become a familiar sight. Consisting of a thin film of milky fluid sandwiched between a pair of polymer-coated glass plates, such devices respond to electrical signals. These control signals shift the orientation of liquid-crystal molecules in selected regions to alter the film's optical characteristics and create patterns of light and dark on the display.
"Now, researchers have developed a technique for altering the optical characteristics of liquid-crystal displays to enable them to channel light. They use the needlelike tip of a scanning force ...