Modulating the properties of liquid crystals using nanoparticles as dopants

液晶（LC）是一种迷人的物质状态。LC在自然界中无处不在，并作为许多生物膜的模型系统。此外，超短纳米DNA片段自组装成LC相很可能是我们星球上生命起源的关键。然而，LC的最大技术影响是在电子显示器中，其中LC显示器（LCD）市场继续经历爆炸性增长。在一个液晶显示器比人多的世界里，液晶显示器提高了全世界人民的生活质量，并继续革新我们的通信方式。移动的电话、平板PC显示器、高分辨率电视和彩色取景器的不断增长的市场是基于专门设计的LC分子和混合物的独特性质。到2010年，LCD将占据90%以上的显示器市场，预计将增加到1240亿美元/年。然而，液晶显示器和其他设备应用的下一个技术飞跃需要新的开关模式和材料组合。

Liquid crystals (LCs) are a fascinating state of matter. LCs are omnipresent in nature and serve as model systems for many biological membranes. Furthermore, the self-assembly of ultra-short nano-DNA segments into LC phases may well hold the key for the origin of life on our planet. The greatest technological impact of LCs, however, has been in electronic displays where the LC display (LCD) market continues to experience explosive growth. In a world with more LCDs than people, LCDs enhance the quality of people's lives worldwide and continue to revolutionize the way we communicate. The ever-growing market of mobile phones, flat panel PC monitors, high-resolution TVs, and colour viewfinders is based on the unique properties of specifically designed LC molecules and mixtures. In 2010, LCDs will occupy over 90% of the display market, which is projected to increase to US$ 124 billion/year. However, the next technological leap for LCs in display and other device applications requires new switching modes and material combinations.