Temperature-driven luminescence switching of europium(III) in a glass dispersed liquid crystal film

Glass dispersed liquid crystal films doped with the tris(β-diketonato)europium(III) complex Eu(dbm)₃(gly)] (Hdbm=dibenzoylmethane, gly=1,2-dimethoxyethane) were prepared. The liquid crystal host was 4-pentyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl (5CB); a mixed silica-titania glass with a refractive index close to that of 5 CB was chosen as the glass matrix. The photoluminescence intensity was measured as a function of temperature. A strong intensity change was observed at the nematic-to-isotropic transition.