Nanostructured liquid-crystalline semiconductors – a new approach to soft matter electronics

Abstract

In contrast to solid-state organic semiconductors, superstructures can be constructed in liquid-crystalline (LC) phases, using chirality, hybridization with nanofibers, and nanosegregation. Chiral LC molecules form LC phases with helical structures. Gelator molecules self-assemble into fibrous aggregates in LC phases to form nanohybrid materials. Liquid crystal molecules consisting of π-conjugated moieties and incompatible functional parts form nanosegregated LC phases. These nanostructured π-conjugated LC materials have the potential to create new soft matter with unique photonic and electronic functions.