Decoding Interfacial Phenomena in Liquid Crystal Sensors: Mechanisms, Metrology, and Performance

Abstract

Over the past two decades, liquid crystal (LC)-based sensors have emerged as powerful, versatile soft-matter platforms for transducing molecular recognition events into macroscopic optical signals. This capability arises from the intrinsic long-range orientational order and exceptional sensitivity to interfacial anchoring energies. Although advances in new LC materials and surface functionalization strategies have greatly enhanced the sensitivity and selectivity of LC-based sensing devices, the interfacial phenomena that govern alignment and signal transduction remain insufficiently understood. This Perspective critically decodes how interfacial structure, chemistry, and dynamics collectively dictate LC sensing behavior. We summarize the fundamental mechanisms underlying LC-interfacial interactions, assess current metrological approaches for probing these dynamic boundaries, and establish correlations between interfacial properties and key sensing metrics such as sensitivity, selectivity, and stability. By integrating insights from interfacial science with performance evaluation, we identify emerging opportunities for precision interfacial engineering through advanced characterization, multiscale modeling, and data-driven analysis, thereby providing a rational framework for designing next-generation LC-based sensors.