Hyper-stable field-stimulated soft cholesteric heliconical architectures

Cholesteric heliconical (CH) superstructures are capable of manipulating the photonic band gap over an ultra-wide spectral range, making them desirable for field-stimulated soft photonic materials. However, their practical applications are severely limited by the inevitable crystallization of the liquid-crystal (LC)-dimer-based compositions, which typically occurs within a few hours. Herein, we developed a hyper-stable CH superstructure that remains crystallization free and maintains robust physical parameters and electrical-field-modulating properties even after 1 year of storage. This stability is achieved through the intricate molecular interactions of multiple bent-shaped LC dimers with varying molecular central flexibility, which significantly enhances the supercooling capacity and prevents crystallization. Furthermore, a CH superstructure based on a multifunctional anti-counterfeiting technique was established. This work represents a breakthrough in achieving prominent stability in CH superstructures and other LC-dimer-based material systems, thereby addressing the long-standing insurmountable challenge and inspiring further exploration in soft-matter and photonics applications.