Behavior of inclusions with different value and orientation of topological dipoles in ferroelectric smectic films

Cholesteric droplets in ferroelectric free-standing films with tunable anchoring on the droplet boundary are investigated. A droplet and satellite topological defect(s) form a topological dipole. We obtained droplets with different angles α between two radial lines from the droplet center to −1/2 topological defects. Droplets with parallel dipoles form linear chains in which the interparticle distances decrease with increasing the defect angle α. For the first time, the dependence of the interparticle distance on the angle between topological defects was measured. We can adjust the magnitude and orientation of topological dipoles formed by the droplets. For the first time, the droplets with antiparallel topological dipoles were prepared in a smectic film. Interaction of the droplets with parallel and antiparallel dipoles differs drastically. Formation of antiparallel dipoles leads to a decomposition of the droplet pairs and chains of droplets. Our observations may be used to change the magnitude, anisotropy of the interparticle interaction, and structures of inclusions in liquid crystal media. The article is published in the original.     

Formation of two-dimensional crystal-like structures from inclusions in smectic C films

The structures formed by inclusions in smectic C (SmC) free-standing films are investigated using polarized light microscopy. The domains confined in these two-dimensional (2D) systems induce distortion of the inplane orientational order, which governs the elastic interaction between the inclusions. The balance between long-range quadrupolar attraction and short-range repulsion gives rise to a nontrivial collective behavior of domains. Various 2D structures are created as a function of the concentration and size of inclusions. We observe the formation of chains and then a 2D square lattice when the concentration of domains increases. Further increase in the domain size leads to the transition from square to hexagonal close-packed structure.     

Colloidal inclusions in smectic films with spontaneous bend

Inclusions in free-standing smectic films are simple model systems for two-dimensional anisotropic dispersions. From theory and experiment, different topologies of elastic distortions of the embedding liquid crystal are known. Quadrupolar and different dipolar defect configurations in the vicinity of the inclusion are possible, and these configurations determine the type of interactions between the inclusions. The quadrupolar configuration is often energetically preferred. We show, however, that dipolar director configurations around inclusions can be energetically favourable over quadrupolar arrangements in chiral smectics, as a consequence of a spontaneous-bend term in the elastic-energy formulation. As the inclusion size influences the selection of the deformation types, the corresponding spontaneous-bend constant can be estimated for the strong anchoring limit if the c -director fields around inclusions of different diameters are taken into account.     

Small inclusions in smectic C* free standing films

The creation and the coalescence of inclusions has recently been observed in smectic C* freely suspended films at the temperature near the smectic C*-cholesteric phase transition. A small finite anchoring energy permits to describe small inclusions by analytical approximate solutions of dipolar or quadrupolar type. Using the proposed solutions our model enables us to discuss the coalescence of smallest inclusions and their observed growth. This work was supported by the research project AV0Z1-010-914 and by Grant No. 202/02/0840 of the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic.     

Corona patterns around inclusions in freely suspended smectic films

We discuss the structure and physical origin of corona patterns observed around solid or liquid spherical inclusions in freely suspended smectic films. Such patterns are observed when droplets or solid beads of micrometer size are sprayed onto the films. They are found in the smectic C phase and in the smectic A phase above such a smectic C phase, but disappear, for example, at the transition into a lower-temperature smectic B phase. We show that these structures are equivalent to splay domains found in the meniscus of freely suspended films, originating from surface-induced spontaneous splay.     

Coupling between polarization, orientation, and chirality in smectic films formed by bent-shaped molecules

We formulate a simple Landau type model describing macroscopic behavior recently discovered in new smectic phases composed of achiral bent-shaped molecules. Films of such smectics exhibit three types of ordering related to dipole polarization, molecular tilt, and chirality. However, due to specific third-order coupling of the order parameters, these three symmetry-breaking types are not independent and this fact leads to specific domain structures that are observed in experiments.     

Josephson effect in superconducting hybrid S/F structures with parallel and antiparallel magnetizations of the ferromagnetic layers

The Josephson effect in S-MB-S, S/F-MB-S, and S/F-MB-F′/S superconducting hybrid structures with the parallel or antiparallel orientation of exchange fields in the layers of metal ferromagnets (F and F′) and in the magnetic barrier (MB) with arbitrary transparency has been investigated. It has been shown that the properties of the studied structures depend strongly on the orientation of the exchange fields: the exchange-field-induced stimulation of the critical current is possible for one orientation, whereas the critical current is suppressed at the opposite orientation of the exchange fields. A change in the orientation of the exchange fields can lead to the switching of the Josephson structures between 0 and π states. The effect of the pair-breaking mechanisms on the Josephson effect and on the spectrum of the Andreev levels in the S-MB-S structures has been analyzed. The results indicate the possibility of stimulating the critical current by the external magnetic field in the S-MB-S structures with thin-film superconducting banks.     

Rotational spectra, conformational structures, and dipole moments of thiodiglycol by jet-cooled FTMW and ab initio calculations

The rotational spectra of three low-energy conformers of thiodiglycol (TDG) (HOCH₂CH₂SCH₂CH₂OH) have been measured in a molecular beam using a pulsed-nozzle Fourier-transform microwave spectrometer. To determine the likely conformational structures with ab initio approach, conformational structures of 2-(ethylthio)ethanol (HOEES) (CH₃CH₂SCH₂CH₂OH) were used as starting points together with the consideration of possible intramolecular hydrogen bonding in TDG. Three lower-energy conformers have been found for TDG at the MP2=Full/6311G** level and ab initio results agree nicely with experimentally determined rotational constants. In addition, Stark measurements were performed for two of the three conformers for dipole moment determinations, adding to our confidence of the conformational structure matches between experimental observations and ab initio calculations. Of the three lower-energy conformers, one displays a compact folded-like structure with strong hydrogen bonding between the two hydroxyl groups and the central sulfide atom. Two other conformers have relatively open chain-like structures with hydrogen bonding between each of the hydroxyl groups to the central sulfur atom, of which one has pure b-type dipole moment according to the ab initio results.     

Optical reflectivity study of synclinic and anticlinic structures in thin freely suspended smectic films

Optical reflectivity studies have been conducted on freely suspended films with synclinic and anticlinic structures. For the first time quantitative data were obtained on orientational ordering in films with anticlinic structure. In the same wide temperature range of more than 30 K we observed both transverse and longitudinal ferroelectricity in the films of the same thickness. Equilibrium transition temperatures between structures with transverse and longitudinal polarization were above the bulk transition temperature to the SmC phase. The molecule tilt was determined in superthin films with synclinic and anticlinic ordering. Received 29 October 1999 and Received in final form 17 February 2000     

Pair production and vacuum polarization of vector particles with electric dipole moments and anomalous magnetic moments

The matrix 8-component Dirac-like form of the P-odd equations for boson fields of spin 1 and 0 are obtained and the symmetry group of the equations is derived. We found exact solutions of the field equation for vector particles with arbitrary electric and magnetic moments in external constant and uniform electromagnetic fields. The differential probability of pair production of vector particles with electric dipole moments and anomalous magnetic moments by an external constant and uniform electromagnetic field has been found using exact solutions. We have calculated the imaginary and real parts of the electromagnetic field Lagrangian that takes into account the vacuum polarization of vector particles. Received: 14 April 2001 / Revised version: 13 July 2001 / Published online: 19 September 2001     

Neutrino dipole moments and charge radii in non-commutative space-time

In this paper we obtain a bound TeV on the scale of space-time non-commutativity considering photon-neutrino interactions. We compute *-dipole moments and *-charge radii originating from space-time non-commutativity and compare them with the dipole moments calculated in the neutrino-mass extended standard model (SM). The computation depends on the nature of the neutrinos, Dirac versus Majorana, their mass and the energy scale. We focus on Majorana neutrinos. The *-charge radius is found to be at TeV.Received: 17 June 2004, Published online: 18 August 2004     

Absorption and scattering of light in quasi-zero-dimensional structures. I. Transition dipole moments of the charge carriers

A theory is developed for of the interaction of an electromagnetic field with local charge-carrier states of arising near a small dielectric particle. It is shown that the transition dipole moments between local states are large, higher than the typical values of the transition dipole moments for semiconductors. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 720–722 (April 1997)     

Rotational spectra, conformational structures and dipole moments of 2-(ethylthio)ethanol by jet-cooled FTMW and ab initio calculations

The rotational spectra of three low-energy conformers of 2-(ethylthio)ethanol also known as ethyl 2-hydroxyethylsulfide or hydroxyethyl ethyl sulfide (HOEES), together with the monosubstituted ¹³C and ³⁴S isotopic forms of the two lowest energy conformers, have been measured in a molecular beam using a pulsed-nozzle Fourier-transform microwave spectrometer. To search for the likely conformational structures, ab initio calculations were performed at the MP2/6-31G* level for reduced dimensionality potential energy mapping and at the MP2=FULL/6-311G** and B3LYP=FULL/6-311G** levels for full structural optimization and electronic energy calculations of possible lower energy conformers. In all, five low-energy conformers, each of C₁ point group symmetry, were located in the ab initio search with complete information obtained on rotational constants, dipole moments, and structures. Rotational constants for three of the conformers agree well with the experimental observations, leaving the other two with no experimental partners. The three having experimental matches display relatively open “chain-like” structures corresponding to TG-, and GG-like forms, while the two with no experimental matches display relatively closed or “folded” structures with significantly different rotational constants. Although results using different ab initio level theories with and without zero point energy corrections alter the conformer energy ordering slightly, the no-match conformers always stay in the lower energy group, leaving an unsolved question as to why these lower energy conformers with “folded-like” structures were not observed in the jet-cooled FTMW spectra.     

Motion of electron with anomalous moments in parallel electric and magnetic fields

An accurate solution is obtained for the Dirac equation describing the motion of an electron with anomalous moments in constant, homogeneous, and parallel electric and magnetic fields. The system of solutions obtained is shown to be orthogonal and complete with respect to the scalar product defined in the null plane X^oX³=const. The solutions obtained pass smoothly in the limit to steadystate solutions describing the motion of an electron with anomalous moments in a homogeneous magnetic field.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 1, pp. 23–28, January, 1978.It remains to thank V. G. Bagrov for useful discussions of the work.     

A new type of trapping center for molecules with dipole moments in insulators

An analysis of the mechanism underlying the sensitivity of metal-insulator-semiconductor sensors to the concentration of a variety of gases, as well as of a number of experiments, suggests the formation of electrically charged trapping centers for molecules with dipole electric moments in thin insulating layers doped by catalytic metals. It is assumed that these traps are essentially nanoclusters consisting of atoms of the insulator and atoms of the catalytic metal. Trapping centers of this type may be involved in other physical phenomena as well.