Aerosil dispersed in a liquid crystal: magnetic order and random silica disorder

Dispersions of silica spheres (aerosil) in octylcyanobiphenyl (8CB) liquid crystal were investigated with deuteron NMR. For the lowest silica density dispersions, there is a field-induced liquid crystal alignment as the field anneals most elastic strains. Increasing the silica density, the molecular alignment is stabilized by the spheres and is retained after sample rotation in the field; in the process, a few silica strand links are broken by the field, which realigns some molecules. At higher densities, the aerosil dispersions are aerogel like and disordering effects are apparent.     

Organization of cyanobiphenyl liquid crystal molecules in prewetting films spreading on silicon wafers

We observe prewetting films of 8CB (4'-n-octyl-4-cyanobiphenyl) spreading at room temperature on silicon wafers by ellipsometry and x-ray reflectivity. Ellipsometry indicates the formation of a nondense monolayer spreading in front of a 45-A-thick film. X-ray reflectivity, performed using a ribbon geometry for the liquid crystal (LC) reservoir, allows us to determine the organization of the 8CB molecules in the homogenous film. It consists of a trilayer stacking with a smecticlike bilayer standing above a polar monolayer with tilted molecules. We show that the thickness of the bilayer is equal to the smectic periodicity in the bulk material and that the tilt angle of the molecules in contact with the solid surface is close to 60 degrees, in good agreement with second-harmonic generation studies reported by other groups. Such organization can be precisely determined using x-ray reflectivity because it induces a modulation of the electron density along the normal to the surface. Furthermore, a study of the ellispometric profile of a drop heated in the nematic phase, where we observe a complete spreading of the LC, shows the complex structuration of the LC close to the solid interface. In particular, the spreading behavior of the trilayer compared to the subsequent smecticlike bilayers indicates the existence of specific interaction between the trilayer and silicon wafer.     

Phase transitions in 8CB liquid crystal confined to a controlled-pore glass: Deuteron NMR and small angle X-ray scattering studies

We present results of the deuteron nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) study of ordering and phase transition behavior of octylcyanobiphenyl (8CB) liquid crystal confined to a controlled-pore glass (CPG) with nontreated and silanes-treated pore surfaces. The deuteron NMR spectra allowed to determine the degree of nematic liquid crystal ordering and also provided an indirect information on the confined 8CB smectic ordering via its influence on the nematic ordering. For the smectic phase these data are supplemented with measurements of the temperature dependence of the first-order SAXS diffraction pattern. The NMR results indicate that the average nematic and smectic order parameters of 8CB in the nontreated CPG are only weakly perturbed by the confinement. The SAXS data further suggest that in confined 8CB for both nontreated and silane-treated CPG a domainlike pattern appears in accordance with the Imry-Ma theorem.     

Enhanced elasticity and soft glassy rheology of a smectic in a random porous environment

We report studies of the frequency-dependent shear modulus, G(*)(omega) = G(')(omega) + iG(')(omega), of the liquid crystal octylcyanobiphenyl (8CB) confined in a colloidal aerosil gel. With the onset of smectic order, G' grows approximately linearly with decreasing temperature, reaching values that exceed by more than 3 orders of magnitude the values for pure 8CB. The modulus at low temperatures possesses a power-law component, G(*)(omega) approximately omega(alpha), with exponent alpha that approaches zero with increasing gel density. The amplitude of G' and its variation with temperature and gel density indicate that the low temperature response is dominated by a dense population of defects in the smectic. In contrast, when the 8CB is isotropic or nematic, the modulus is controlled by the elastic behavior of the colloidal gel.     

Exposure and temperature dependences of contact angle of liquid crystals on photoaligning surface

We report on first studies of wetting of liquid crystal on photoaligning surface. We observed strong light-induced variations of a contact angle of a liquid LC 5CB on a photoaligning surface of fluoro-polyvinyl-cinnamate (PVCN-F) and we connected these variations with changes of PVCN-F polarity. We also present drastic changes of the contact angle of a nematic liquid crystal (MLC-6080) on the PVCN-F surface in a vicinity of temperature anchoring transition of liquid crystal from homeotropic orientation to planar one. We did not find any peculiarities in temperature dependence of the contact angle of isotropic liquid (glycerol) on PVCN-F and of nematic liquid crystal on pure glass in the same temperature range. It allows us to suggest that rearrangement of LC molecules and flexible fragments in the LC-polymer interface are responsible for the change of surface tensions both of LC and polymer and the observed jump of the contact angle.     

Design principles for broad-spectrum protein-crystal nucleants with nanoscale pits

Growing high-quality crystals is a bottleneck in the determination of protein structures by x-ray diffraction. Experiments find that materials with a disordered pitted surface seed the growth of protein crystals. Here we report computer simulations of rapid crystal nucleation in nanoscale pits. Nucleation is rapid, as the crystal forms in pits that have filled with liquid via capillary condensation. Surprisingly, we find that pits whose surfaces are rough are better than pits with crystalline surfaces; the roughness prevents the growing crystal from trying to conform to the pit surface and becoming strained.     

Advancements of vertically aligned liquid crystal displays

This review describes the recent advancements in the field of the vertical aligned (VA) liquid crystal displays. The process and formation of different vertical alignment modes such as conventional VA, patterned VA, multi-domain VA, and polymer stabilised VA etc are widely discussed. Vertical alignment of liquid crystal due to nano particle dispersion in LC host, bifunctional PR-SAM formed by silane coupling reaction to oxide surfaces, azo dye etc., are also highlighted and discussed. Overall, the article highlights the advances in the research of vertical aligned liquid crystal in terms of their scientific and technological aspects.     

Liquid crystal deposition on poled, single crystalline lithium niobate

For the purpose of elucidating the mechanisms for molecular organization at poled ferroelectric surfaces, single crystalline lithium niobate (LN), ‘Z-cut’ along the (0 0 0 1) plane, has been prepared and characterized and subsequently exposed to liquid crystal molecules. As a model system we chose to study the anchoring of 4-n-octyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl (8CB) to LN. Liquid crystalline films are of interest because of their useful electronic and optical properties as well as chemical sensing attributes. Low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), atomic force microscopy (AFM), surface contact angle measurements (CA), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the surface of lithium niobate as well as the nature of 8CB films grown on the surface. Atomically flat LN surfaces were prepared as a support for monolayer thick, 8CB molecular domains. 8CB liquid crystal molecules were deposited by an ambient vaporization technique and the films were analyzed using XPS and CA. Understanding electrostatic anchoring mechanisms and thin film organization for this molecule on uniformly poled surfaces allows for a fuller appreciation of how molecular deposition of other polarizable molecules on periodically poled and patterned poled lithium niobate surfaces would occur.     

Effects of surface roughness on surface acoustic wave propagation in semiconductor materials

The effect of surface roughness on adhesion and tribological properties of films and interfaces is of key importance. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to be able to measure this quantity and to predict the effects that different roughness levels may cause. Roughness affects the propagation of surface acoustic waves on a material but there is little useful quantitative data on the topic. This work investigates the dispersive effect of roughness on surface acoustic wavepackets (30-200 MHz frequency range) for different degrees of nanometer roughness on silicon (0 0 1) and (1 1 1) surfaces, we show that the roughness-induced frequency dispersion effect is significant, and that although available theories agree qualitatively with the results, the theory is not adequate to predict the real SAW dispersion. These experimental results have considerable implications for design of SAW devices, for accuracy of Brillouin spectroscopy measurements, and for possible applications to non-destructive testing of materials. Previously unknown dispersive effects on anisotropic crystal surfaces are also demonstrated.     

Light-stimulated electro-optics by azo-doped aerosil/7CB nanocomposites

Photoactive nanofilled nematic is proposed. Stable three-component photoresponsive nanocomposite was prepared from photo-insensitive nanofilled nematic by inclusion of 3?wt.% azobenzene-containing photoactive mesogen 4-(4′-ethoxyphenylazo)phenyl hexanoate (EPH). The host nanofilled nematic was produced from the room-temperature nematic liquid crystal 4-n-heptyl cyanobiphenyl (7CB) and 3?wt.% filler of Aerosil 300 hydrophilic silica nanospheres of size 7?nm. Apparent effect of stimulation with a relatively weak continuous illumination by UV light (375?nm wavelength) takes place for both the alternating-current electric field-dependent optical transmittance and the electro-optic amplitude-frequency modulation by thin films (25?µm thick) of the EPH/aerosil/7CB nanocomposite. The light-stimulated electro-optics of EPH-doped aerosil/7CB films and the corresponding reversible light control are achieved through trans-cis-trans photoisomerization of the photoactive agent EPH. As such, the initial electro-optical response of the studied photoactive nanocomposites is recovered with continuous blue-light illumination. The examined EPH/aerosil/7CB nanocomposites exhibit photo-controllable electro-optical response that is of practical interest.     

What aligns liquid crystals on solid substrates? The role of surface roughness anisotropy

The mechanism responsible for liquid crystal (LC) alignment on mechanically buffed or UV exposed polymer films is poorly understood. A comprehensive study of LC alignment on variously prepared substrates unequivocally shows that the anisotropy in the surface roughness of the substrate completely determines the direction of LC alignment. In all the cases studied, including those where an anchoring transition occurs with temperature, the LC director (re)aligns in the directions of low roughness.     

电场作用下5CB液晶分子的近壁面层黏弹性的QCM研究

利用石英晶体微天平(quartz crystal microbalance,QCM)研究了电场对5CB液晶分子的近壁面层黏弹性的影响.对QCM结果的分析发现,电场作用对液晶的黏度影响分为两部分,通过建立含吸附膜的双层膜模型,分析了QCM的两部分结果,发现电场对近壁面吸附层及体相层的影响是不同的.根据QCM的双层膜模型,对近壁面层液晶分子的黏弹性及膜厚进行了定量的分析计算,结果表明5CB在石英晶体上电极附近有一层约100nm厚的近壁面吸附层,其复剪切黏度随电场强度的增加而减小,这与5CB液晶的体相黏度变化规 关键词： 5CB液晶 石英晶体微天平 近壁面 黏弹性     

Observation of increase in Raman intensity of surface phonon polaritons on rough surfaces of ZnTe

An increase in Raman intensity of surface phonon polaritons has been observed in free-standing thin slabs (thickness ～ 7 μm) of single- crystal ZnTe with rough surfaces by a conventional Raman-scattering technique at room temperature. The samples with various root-mean- square roughness heights have been prepared by making use of final polishing powders with different mean-grit sizes, and the surface roughness has been confirmed by measuring the intensities of the diffuse scattering of the laser light. The increase of the Raman intensity is proportional to the mean-square height of the surface roughness, and the shift of the dispersion relation is also proportional to it. The frequency shift is explained by a perturbation theory of the surface-roughness-induced scattering.     

液晶显示用取向材料聚甲基丙烯酸肉桂酰氧基乙酯的光控取向研究

通过实验研究了光聚合物材料聚甲基丙烯酸肉桂酰氧基乙酯（ＣＥＭＣ）的光化学反应过程, 以及对液晶材料ＬＣ－６７１０Ａ 的取向能力． 通过原子力显微镜（ＡＦＭ）观察了取向层表面在光化学反应前后的变化, 测量了光控取向膜液晶盒中液晶分子的预倾角及单面光控取向扭曲向列液晶显示器（ＴＮＬＣＤ）的电光特性和时间响应特性曲线, 研究了液晶分子排列取向的机理．     

Increasing the rewriting speed of optical rewritable e-paper by selecting proper liquid crystals

The effect of interaction between liquid crystal(LC) and photoalignment material on the speed of optical rewriting process is investigated.The theoretical analysis shows that a smaller frank elastic constant K 22 of liquid crystal corresponds to a larger twist angle,which gives rise to a larger rewriting speed.Six different LC cells with the same boundary conditions(one substrate is covered with rubbed polyimide(PI) and the other with photo sensitive rewritable sulfuric dye 1(SD1)) are tested experimentally under the same illumination intensity(450 nm,80 mW/cm 2).The results demonstrate that with a suitable liquid crystal,the LC optical rewriting speed for e-paper application can be obviously improved.For two well known LC materials E7(K22 is larger) and 5CB(K22 is smaller),they require 11 s and 6 s corresponding to change alignment direction for generating image information.     

Study of Friction between Liquid Crystals and Crystalline Surfaces by Molecular Dynamic Simulations

The lubrication characteristics of liquid crystal (LC) molecules sheared between two crystalline surfaces obtained from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are reported in this article. We consider a coarse-grained rigid bead-necklace model of the LC molecules confined between two atomic surfaces subject to different shearing velocities. A systematic study shows that the slip length of LC lubrication changes significantly as a function of the LC-surface interaction energy, which can be well described though a theoretical curve. The slip length increases as shear rate increases at high LC-surface interaction energy. However, this trend can not be observed for low interaction energy. The orientation of the LC molecules near the surface is found to be guided by the atomics surfaces. The influence of temperature on the lubrication characteristics is also discussed in this article.     

Electro-optical properties of smectic liquid crystal-polymer composite with a negative dispersion of birefringence

Two-dimensionally self-organized smectic liquid crystal (LC)-polymer composite has been reported to show a negative dispersion of birefringence [H. Lee and J.-H. Lee, Opt. Lett. 39, 5146 (2014)]. In this paper, we separately measured the extraordinary and ordinary refractive indices n_e and n_o of the pure LC and LC-polymer composite and simulated the dependence of the transmittance and the color on the viewing angle for the display application. The LC-polymer composite with the negative dispersion property showed a wider viewing angle and a smaller color shift compared to the pure liquid crystal with a positive dispersion of birefringence.     

温度对液晶填充光子晶体光纤传输特性的影响

利用液晶的折射率是温度和波长函数的特性,在光子晶体光纤(PCF)芯区的空气柱中填充向列相液晶,通过改变温度来改变液晶的折射率,构成了一种温度凋制光子晶体光纤.用阶跃有效折射率模型研究了温度对这种光子晶体光纤在不同光波长时传输特性的影响,并进行了数值计算.结果表明液晶填充使光子晶体光纤的色散减小,由于折射率对温度和波长变化敏感,改变温度可以使光纤在长波长区域出现单模传输,在短波长时不会出现单模传输,即使包层相对孔径很小也不会出现无截止单模传输.温度升高使光纤的色散值增大,零色散波长向短波长方向移动.这些特性对温度调制光子晶体光纤器件的设计和应用具有一定的参考意义.     

Quantum Theory of Surface Polaritons on a Rough Surface

In this paper, we present the quantum field theory of the surface phonon-polaritolis on a rough polar crystal surface. The dispersion relations of the surface phonon-polaritons and the dispersion relations of polariton leaking modes owing to the interaction between bulk TO mode with the surface effect and photons are derived. We also study the k-dependence of the electric field strength in each polariton branch. The numerical calculations for the dispersion relations and the k-dependence of the electric field strength are carried out for a stepped Gap surface. The results show that the surface roughness depressed the frequency of the surface phonon-polariton below its values in the absence of the surface roughness. For the frequencies of the polariton leaking modes, the photon-like one is enhanced by the surface roughness and the phonon-like one b depressed. Our evaluations also illustrate that the surface roughness introduces a strong dependence on the k-dependence of the electric field strength in each polariton branch.     

Locally-induced permanent birefringence by polymer-stabilization of liquid crystal in cells and photonic crystal fibers

The aim of this work was to induce permanent birefringence both in typical liquid crystal cells and photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) by photo-polymerization. For this purpose three different liquid crystalline materials, namely E7, 5CB, and 6CHBT were combined with a mixture of RM257 monomer and a UV sensitive initiator with the percentage weight less than 10%. Due to the photo-polymerization process it was possible to achieve polymer-stabilized liquid crystal orientation inside LC cells and micro-sized cylindrical glass tubes. In particular, periodic change in spatial molecular orientation was achieved by selective photo-polymerization. Successful results obtained in these simple geometries allowed for the experimental procedure to be repeated in PCFs leading to locally-induced permanent birefringence in PCFs.