Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo
Login


Academia Open

 Submit manuscript
Section Engineering

Stationary And Non-Stationary Photocurrent in a Symmetric Nematic Cell with Methyl Red

Vol. 11 No. 1 (2026): June :
DOI : https://doi.org/10.21070/acopen.11.2026.13308
Published : Jan 21, 2026

Ziarmal Mawla Khan (1), Arian Abdul Ahad (2), Babazoi Basher Ahmad (3), Ziarmal Awal Khan (4)

(1) Ph.D. Student at the Institute of Engineering and Digital Technologies, Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod, Russian Federation
(2) arinafghan@gmail.com,(2) Ph.D. Associate professor Department of Mathematic, Faculty of Education, Helmand University, Helmand Afghanistan, Afghanistan
(3) Assistant professor Department of Mathematic, Faculty of Education, Helmand University, Helmand Afghanistan, Afghanistan
(4) Department of IT, Faculty of Computer Sciences, Pamir University, Khost, Afghanistan
Fulltext View | Download

Abstract:

General Background: Liquid crystal photovoltaics and photoelectric phenomena have garnered significant scientific interest due to their applications in optoelectronic sensing, light energy conversion, and functional soft matter systems. Specific Background: Methyl red, as an organic dye, possesses excellent visible light absorption capacity and fast photoionization characteristics, making it suitable for investigating photocurrent generation mechanisms in symmetric nematic cells. Knowledge Gap: Previous studies have either provided only qualitative descriptions of the photovoltaic effect or examined limited thickness ranges, lacking systematic exploration of how cell thickness and temperature-dependent activation processes influence photocurrent behavior in dye-doped liquid crystal systems. Aims: This study systematically investigates stationary and non-stationary photocurrents in symmetric nematic liquid crystal cells doped with methyl red across a wide range of thicknesses (1-100 μm) and temperatures. Results: The activation energy for charge carrier transport ranges from 0.05 eV to 0.87 eV across different cell thicknesses, with activation energy increasing as cell thickness decreases, while peak photocurrent values increase with decreasing thickness due to enhanced capacitance effects. Novelty: This work provides the first comprehensive quantitative analysis linking cell thickness to activation energy variations in methyl red-doped nematic systems. Implications: These findings advance understanding of charge transport mechanisms in dye-doped liquid crystals and offer critical design considerations for low-voltage optoelectronic devices, light sensors, and advanced liquid crystal-based energy conversion systems.
Keywords : Photocurrent, Methyl Red, Nematic Liquid Crystal, Activation Energy, Cell Thickness
Highlight :



  • Peak photocurrent amplitude increases with decreasing cell thickness due to enhanced capacitance effects.

  • Activation energy ranges from 0.05 eV to 0.87 eV, rising as layer thickness decreases.

  • Light absorption in thicker nematic layers increases steady-state current through reduced grounded electrode transmission.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

N. Liu, R. Chen, and Q. Wan, "Recent Advances in Electric Double Layer Transistors for Biochemical Sensing Applications," Sensors, vol. 19, no. 15, p. 3425, Aug. 2019, doi: 10.3390/s19153425.

A. Kheydari, Z. M. Khan, and S. I. Kucheev, "Photovoltaic Effect in a Nematic Cell Doped with Methyl Red," Scientific Bulletin of Belgorod State University Series Mathematics Physics, vol. 54, no. 1, pp. 60–67, 2022, doi: 10.52575/2687-0959-2022-54-1-6067.

P. Fenter, L. Cheng, S. Rihs, M. Machesky, M. J. Bedzyk, and N. C. Sturchio, "Electrical Double Layer Structure at the Rutile Water Interface Observed in Situ with Small Period X-Ray Standing Waves," Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, vol. 228, no. 1, pp. 19–27, Aug. 2000, doi: 10.1006/jcis.2000.6756.

D. Y. Kim and K. U. Jeong, "Light Responsive Liquid Crystal Soft Matters: Structures, Properties, and Applications," Liquid Crystals, vol. 47, no. 14, pp. 2051–2071, 2020, doi: 10.1080/1358314X.2019.1653588.

B. A. Gregg, M. A. Fox, and A. J. Bard, "Photovoltaic Effect in Symmetrical Cells of a Liquid Crystal Porphyrin," Journal of Physical Chemistry, vol. 94, no. 4, pp. 1586–1598, Feb. 1990, doi: 10.1021/j100367a064.

H. Chen et al., "A Low Voltage Liquid Crystal Phase Grating with Switchable Diffraction Angles," Scientific Reports, vol. 7, p. 39923, Jan. 2017, doi: 10.1038/srep39923.

I. A. Budagovsky et al., "Study of the Photocurrent in Liquid Crystal Cells Exhibiting the Photorefractive Effect," Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences Physics, vol. 74, no. 2, pp. 193–197, Feb. 2010, doi: 10.3103/S1068335610020041.

T. Sasaki, K. V. Le, Y. Naka, and T. Sassa, "The Photorefractive Effect in Liquid Crystals," in Photorefractive Materials and Their Applications, P. Günter and J. P. Huignard, Eds. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2018, doi: 10.5772/intechopen.81573.

A. d'Alessandro and R. Asquini, "Light Propagation in Confined Nematic Liquid Crystals and Device Applications," Applied Sciences, vol. 11, no. 18, p. 8713, Sep. 2021, doi: 10.3390/app11188713.

M. Nikkhou, M. Škarabot, S. Čopar, M. Ravnik, S. Žumer, and I. Muševič, "Light Controlled Topological Charge in a Nematic Liquid Crystal," Nature Physics, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 183–187, Feb. 2015, doi: 10.1038/nphys3194.

M. Okutan, O. Koysal, S. E. San, and Y. Koysal, "Electrical Parameters of Different Concentrations of Methyl Red in Fullerene Doped Liquid Crystal," ISRN Nanomaterials, vol. 2012, p. 596125, 2012, doi: 10.5402/2012/596125.

S. Chandrasekhar, Liquid Crystals, 2nd ed. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1992.

L. M. Blinov and V. G. Chigrinov, Electrooptic Effects in Liquid Crystal Materials. New York, NY: Springer-Verlag, 1994.

J. Simon and J. J. Andre, Molecular Semiconductors: Photoelectrical Properties and Solar Cells. Berlin, Germany: Springer-Verlag, 1985.

R. Barberi, G. Durand, and M. Giocondo, "Photovoltaic Effects in Dye Doped Liquid Crystal Cells," Europhysics Letters, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 215–220, Feb. 1989, doi: 10.1209/0295-5075/8/3/003.