Temperature variations in the director orientation and anchoring energy at the surface of cholesteric layers

Slight changes with temperature in the director orientation at the surface of a perfect planar cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) layer, which are precursors of a jump in the pitch of the cholesteric helix, are observed by measuring the temperature dependence of the optical transmission spectra of the layer. The observed changes in the director orientation are described in the framework of the continuum theory of CLCs, supplemented with allowance for the surface anchoring forces. In particular, the angle of deviation of the director at the surface from the alignment direction at the exact temperature of the jump in pitch is expressed in terms of the anchoring potential. The relation obtained is use to find the anchoring potential in the samples. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 63, No. 1, 37–42 (10 January 1996)     

High resolution off-magic-angle spinning NMR for cholesteric liquid crystals

High resolution NMR of cholesteric liquid crystals is realized by off-magic-angle spinning (OMAS). Using the average potential theory, it is shown that the pitch axes of a cholesteric liquid crystal with a positive (negative) magnetic susceptibility anisotropy are aligned along the spinning axis with an OMAS angle larger (smaller) than the magic angle without any distortion of the helical structure, which is untwisted or distorted by the static magnetic field in some static samples. Hence, the line broadening due to the anisotropies of chemical shifts and/or quadrupole couplings is removed, while information of the anisotropies in cholesteric alignments can be obtained from the line positions. A detailed theoretical analysis of effects of spinning frequency and molecular diffusion along the pitch axis on the linewidth is given, predicting that the resolution is improved greatly at a spinning frequency much higher than the rotational diffusion coefficient. These theoretical results are verified by ¹³C OMAS experiments on a cholesteric liquid crystal of p-ethoxybenzyl-p-[(S)-2- methylbutyl]aniline (EBMBA) and cholesteric mixtures of p-methoxybenzylidene-p-n-butylaniline (MBBA) and cholesteryl chloride (CC).     

Surface anchoring and temperature variations of the pitch in thin cholesteric layers

The temperature variations of the cholesteric pitch in thin planar layers of cholesterics and their dependence on the surface anchoring force are investigated theoretically. It is shown that the temperature variations of the pitch in a layer are of a universal character. This is manifested in the fact that they depend not separately on the parameters of the sample but only on one dimensionless parameter S _d =K ²²/dW, where K ₂₂ is the torsional modulus in the Frank elastic energy, W is the height of the surface-anchoring potential, and d is the thickness of the layer. The investigation is performed the parameter S _d in a range where the change per unit number of cholesteric half-turns within the thickness of the layer accompanying a change in the temperature is due to the slipping of the director on the surface of the layer through the potential barrier for surface anchoring. The critical values of the parameter S _d (which are most easily attained experimentally by varying the thickness of the layer), determining the region of applicability of the approach employed, are presented. The temperature variations of the free energy of the layer and the pitch of the cholesteric helix in the layer as well as the temperature hysteresis in the variations of the pitch with increasing and decreasing temperature are investigated for the corresponding values of S _d . Numerical calculations of the quantities mentioned above are performed using the Rapini anchoring potential.     

梳状电极胆甾相液晶激光器的激光辐射谱

设计制作了梳状电极染料掺杂胆甾相液晶激光器件,研究了外加电压下的激光辐射谱。器件的下基板ITO电极刻蚀成梳状条形电极,电极宽度约2 mm,相邻电极间距分别约为1,3,5 mm。上基板无ITO电极。上下基板取向膜平行摩擦取向处理,使胆甾相液晶平面态排列。以532 nm的Nd∶YAG激光器作为泵浦光源,测量器件激光辐射谱。改变外加电压0~100 V,3个区域均出现了多模输出。在1 mm电极间距区域,可获得633.65~621.52 nm（12 nm）和683.15~664.35 nm（18 nm）的可调谐波长范围;在电极间距3,5 mm区域,辐射激光波长变化微小。在外加电压作用下,液晶分子均匀的螺旋周期排列受到扰动,液晶分子层螺旋轴倾斜,各个液晶畴的螺旋轴取向不一致,使有效螺距值缩短并有所浮动,引起出射激光波长蓝移和多模输出。利用光子态密度理论数值模拟了激光辐射谱。当有效螺距为倾斜角的函数时,随着倾斜角增大出射激光波长蓝移。     

Applying the optical activity of cholesteric liquid crystal for measuring small wavelength differences

This work proposes a simple measurement technique based on the optical activity of cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) and circular common-path heterodyne interferometry for measuring small wavelength differences. A circularly polarized heterodyne light passes through a CLC cell and an analyzer, generating an interference signal. When the CLC cell is properly chosen with a circular regime, it has strong optical activity. Accordingly, the phase difference between the left and right circular light of the interference signal depends strongly on the wavelength. As the wavelength changes, variations of the phase difference can be accurately detected by heterodyne interferometry. Substituting the variation of phase difference into specially derived equations, the wavelength variations can be estimated accurately. The feasibility of this method, which is applicable when the wavelength is larger than the product of the pitch and the refractive index of the CLC cell, was demonstrated; it provides the advantages of simple installation, ease of operation, and high accuracy.     

Bipolaronic superconductivity in antiferromagnets

As a model of the cuprate superconductors, we have studied thep hole motion in a planar antiferromagnetic (AFM) background and ac-axis boson field. The indirect coupling between thed spins through thep holes is considered. In a range of the hole concentration, the indirect Cu–Cu interaction enhances the planar AFM coupling though it destroys the weakc-axis AFM order. At higher concentrations, the compensation of thed spins by thep holes occurs. For the strongp-d exchange coupling, thep holes can pair to form small magnetic bipolarons in the enhanced planar AFM background. The in-plane motion of the bipolarons is independent of thec-axis motion assisted by bosons. The superconducting properties of the cuprate superconductors are determined by a 2+1 dimensional bipolaron Hamiltonian. The results obtained from our model are consistent with the observations on the cuprate superconductors.     

胆甾相液晶激光器的调谐特性研究

基于胆甾相液晶螺距及折射率随温度与电场变化的特性, 研究了温度与电场对液晶染料可调谐激光器发射特性的影响. 首先探讨了手性剂浓度、温度与液晶螺距的关系, 制作了液晶染料可调谐激光器, 在温度23–35℃变化时, 其发射波长调谐范围为618.90–594.76 nm, 达到24.14 nm, 在电压0–9 V 变化时, 其发射波长调谐范围为617.40–608.11 nm, 共9.29 nm. 关键词： 可调谐激光器 胆甾相液晶 激光染料     

Distributed feedback laser with optoelectronic tunability in dye-doped cholesteric liquid crystal with coated photoconductive layer

This work investigates, for the first time, an optoelectronically tunable distributed feedback laser that is based on a planar DDCLC cell with a coated photoconductive (PC) layer. Experimental results show that the CLC reflection band and the lasing wavelength of the DDCLC can both be tuned optoelectronically by varying the intensity of one irradiating CW green beam or the magnitude of the applied dc voltage. The tunability of the DDCLC laser depends on the controllability of the optoelectronic properties of the PC layer and, therefore, on the voltage dropping on the CLC layer. Therefore, the CLC pitch can be controlled by exploiting the optoelectronically induced electrohydrodynamic effect which causes the spatially periodic deformation of the CLC structure. In addition, the dependences for other critical lasing parameters, e.g., energy threshold, lasing efficiency, and lasing linewidth, on external controlling signals are also measured and discussed in the current study.     

Phonon-free mechanism of superconductivity in compounds containing quasi-two-dimensional NiB complexes

A study is made of some characteristics of phonon-free pairing of hybridized p and d electrons in planar NiB complexes in the presence of strong short-range Hubbard repulsion. A generalized Hubbard model is used to calculate the superconductivity phase diagram as a function of the degree of underfilling of the 2p ⁶ and 3d ¹⁰ shells in NiB complexes. The phase region of states having the highest superconducting transition temperatures is established. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 198–201 (February 1998)     

Nonphonon mechanism of superconductivity in compounds with quasi-two-dimensional complexes RuO2

The characteristics of nonphonon pairing of hybridized p and d electrons in planar complexes RuO₂ are studied in the presence of a strong short-range Hubbard repulsion. The phase diagram of superconductivity as a function of the degree of underfilling of the 2p ⁶ and 4d ⁶ shells in the RuO₂ complexes is calculated in a generalized Hubbard model. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 980–983 (June 1998)     

Anisotropy of permittivity of the hexagonal multiferroic HoMnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> in the spectral range 0.6–5.0 eV

The anisotropy of the optical properties of a single crystal of the hexagonal manganite HoMnO₃ has been investigated by spectroscopic ellipsometry in the spectral range 0.6–5.0 eV. It has been demonstrated that the optical absorption edge for the polarization E ⊥ c is determined by the intense narrow transition O(2p) → Mn(3d) centered at 1.5 eV, whereas this transition for the polarization E ‖ c is strongly suppressed and shifted toward higher energies by 0.2 eV. It has been revealed that, at the temperature T = 293 K, the spectra for both polarizations E ‖ c and E ⊥ c exhibit a broad absorption band centered at ∼2.4 eV, which was earlier observed in nonlinear spectra during optical second harmonic generation.     

横向电场对平面织构胆甾相液晶螺距及反射特性的影响

阐述一种理论模型,讨论共面转换（IPS）模式下横向电场对平面织构胆甾相液晶螺距及扭曲角的影响．利用琼斯矩阵法计算了光正入射情况下未加电场时胆甾相液晶的反射谱．在上述模型基础上,计算了施加电场后胆甾相液晶的反射峰值波长以及反射带宽随场强的变化关系．探讨了忽略锚定与强锚定两种边界条件下横向电场对平面织构胆甾相液晶螺距及反射特性的影响．所得结论在理论上证实：共面转换模式下电场可以调谐胆甾相液晶的反射光颜色,从而为基于电控螺距原理的胆甾相液晶反射式彩色显示方案提供了理论上的依据． 关键词： 胆甾相液晶 电控螺距 共面转换 琼斯矩阵法     

Continuous wave mirrorless lasing in cholesteric liquid crystals with a pitch gradient across the cell gap

Despite numerous efforts, continuous wave (CW) lasing in dye doped, one-dimensional (1D) photonic bandgap cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) structures has not been previously reported, to our knowledge. Here we report on the observation of lasing in such structures under both coherent (laser) and incoherent (LED) CW light excitation. To achieve this effect, we used a 1D-photonic bandgap structure made of a polymer stabilized CLC with a pitch gradient across the cell thickness. A spectral reflectivity profile of such a CLC structure reveals local minima in the area within a photonic stopband and close to it. The realization of lasing pumped by low power CW light sources opens the possibility of all-organic, compact, tunable CW lasers for display and medical applications.     

Behavior of cholesteric liquid crystals in a Fabry-Perot cavity

We investigate the behavior of cholesteric liquid crystals (CLC's) inside a Fabry-Perot (FP) cavity. Although FP cavities filled with various liquid crystals have been extensively studied, to our knowledge the behavior of CLC-based FP cavities has not been reported. In CLC the twisted structure can be changed because the pitch is a function of temperature. In a parallel-rubbed CLC FP cavity the balance between strong surface anchoring and elastic energy yield a steplike resonance spectrum. This corresponds to the quantized effective pitch that the system assumes when both surface alignments are fixed. Experiment results for parallel-rubbed samples are presented and explained theoretically by use of Jones matrix calculations.     

Dynamics of jumpwise temperature pitch variations in planar cholesteric layers for a finite strength of surface anchoring

The dynamics of pitch jumps in cholesteric layers with a finite surface anchoring strength under variations in temperature is investigated theoretically. General expressions are presented that connect the dynamics of pitch jumps with the parameters that determine the process, such as the viscosity, the specific form of the anchoring potential, and the dimensionless parameter S _d = K₂₂/Wd, where W is the depth of the anchoring potential, K₂₂ is the twist elastic modulus, and d is the layer thickness. It is found that the shape of the anchoring potential significantly influences the temporal behavior of the cholesteric helix in the process of a pitch jump. To illustrate this revealed dependence of the pitch jump dynamics on the shape and strength of the anchoring potential, the problem was investigated for two different models of the surface anchoring potential for a jump mechanism in connection with the director at the surface slipping over the barrier of the anchoring potential. Calculations for the unwinding (winding) of the helix in the process of the jump were performed to investigate the case of infinitely strong anchoring on one surface and finite anchoring on the other, which is important in applications. The results show that an experimental investigation of the dynamics of the pitch jumps will make it possible to distinguish different shapes of the finite strength anchoring potential and, in particular, it will provide a means for determining whether the well-known Rapini-Papoular anchoring potential is the best suited potential relevant to the dynamics of pitch jumps in cholesteric layers with a finite surface anchoring strength. The optimal conditions for experimental observation of these phenomena are briefly considered.     

Switchable two-dimensional gratings based on field-induced layer undulations in cholesteric liquid crystals

We propose switchable two-dimensional (2D) diffractive gratings with periodic refractive-index modulation arising from layer undulations in cholesteric liquid crystals. The cholesteric cell can be switched between two states: (1) flat layers of a planar cholesteric texture and (2) a square lattice of periodic director modulation associated with layer undulations that produces 2D diffraction patterns. The intensities of the diffraction maxima can be tuned by changing the applied field. The diffractive properties can be optimized for different wavelengths by appropriately choosing cholesteric pitch, cell thickness, and surface treatment.     

Tunable magnetic interaction by an applied electric field in a Co-adsorbed SiC monolayer

The magnetic properties of Co-adsorbed SiC monolayer under an external electric field are investigated using first-principles method. In the absence of the electric field, the interaction between two Co atoms is ferromagnetic, which is originated by the p?d hybridization between Co and its neighboring C and Si atoms. When an electric field was introduced along the c axis, the interaction between two Co dopants switched from ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic, which could be dominated by the competition between p?d exchange and superexchange. Moreover, the magnetic anisotropy prefers to parallel to the a axis and it seems not to be turn into the c axis under the electric field.     

Evidence for pseudogap and phase-coherence gap separation by Andreev reflection experiments in Au/ La 2 - x Sr x CuO 4 point-contact junctions

We present new Au/La_2-xSr_xCuO₄ (LSCO) point-contact conductance measures as a function of voltage and temperature in samples with 0.08 ? x ? 0.2. Andreev reflection features disappear at about the bulk T _c , giving no evidence of gap for T > T _c . The fit of the normalized conductance at any T < T _c supports a (s + d)-wave symmetry of the gap, whose dominant low-T s component follows the T _c ( x ) curve in contrast with recent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and quasiparticle tunneling data. These results prove the separation between pseudogap and phase-coherence superconducting gap in LSCO at x 0.2. Received 14 June 2001