Memory of silica aggregates dispersed in smectic liquid crystals: Effect of the interface properties

Previous studies on nematic liquid crystals containing silica particles indicated memory effects that might be due to hydrogen bonds between the individual silica particles. We made smectic liquid crystal dispersions containing silica particles with various surface properties. Using a neutron scattering technique we studied the interfacial surface effects on the structure of the silica aggregates, and on the smectic layer alignment. Our observations indicate that the stability of the memory correlates to the number of OH groups on the silica surfaces. The observations imply that, with fine-tuning of the OH content of the silica surfaces, various types of memory devices can be designed. We considered three different effects that can memorise the alignment of the liquid crystal. Measurements on tilted SmC phases indicate that surface effects become important only after repeated heating-cooling cycles, as the average size of the aggregates decrease. Received 31 July 1998 and Received in final form 17 December 1998     

A New Probe: AFM Measurements for Random Disorder Systems

We study the quenched random disorder(QRD) effects created by aerosil dispersion in the octylcyanobiphenyl(8CB) liquid crystal(LC) using atomic force microscopy technique. Gelation process in the 8CB+aerosil gels yields a QRD network which also changes the surface topography. By increasing the aerosil concentration, the original smooth pattern of LC sample surfaces is suppressed by the emergence of a fractal aerosil surface effect and these surfaces become more porous, rougher and they have more and larger crevices. The dispersed aerosil also serves as pinning centers for the liquid crystal molecules. It is observed that via the diffusion-limitedaggregation process, aerosil nano-particles yield a fractal-like surface pattern for the less disordered samples. As the aerosil dispersion increases, the surface can be described by more aggregated regions, which also introduces more roughness. Using this fact, we show that there is a net correlation between the short-range ordered x-ray peak widths(the results of previous x-ray diffraction experiments) and the calculated surface roughness. In other words, we show that these QRD gels can also be characterized by their surface roughness values.     

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.     

基于静力悬浮原理的单晶硅球间微量密度差异精密测量方法研究

单晶硅球间微量密度差异测量是阿伏伽德罗常数量子基准定义的重要研究内容, 也是半导体产业中高纯度单晶硅制备工艺质量控制的主要方法. 为了改善现有非接触相移干涉法测量装置复杂和静力称重法测量不确定度低的特点, 根据单晶硅密度精密测量需要, 实现了一种基于静力悬浮原理的单晶硅球密度相对参比测量方法. 通过改变静压力和温度进行三溴丙烷和二溴乙烷混合液体密度的微量调节, 分别使两个待测单晶硅球在液体中悬浮, 根据悬浮状态时的液体温度和悬浮高度计算出待测单晶硅球密度差值. 通过双循环水浴和PID温度控制系统实现±100 μK的恒温液体测量环境. 通过图像识别和迭代拟合算法实现单晶硅球悬浮高度的测量. 使用PID静压力控制系统实现单晶硅球的稳定悬浮控制, 同时减少Joule-Thomson效应引起的液体温度改变. 利用静力悬浮模型中的温度变化和静压力变化线性关系准确测量出标准液体的压缩系数. 试验结果表明, 这种测量方法可以避免液体液面张力的影响, 测量相对标准不确定度达到2.1×10^-7, 能够实现单晶硅球密度差值的精密测量.     

Random anisotropy nematic model: Connection with experimental systems

We study theoretically the phase behavior of the continuum Random Anisotropy Nematic model. A domain-type pattern is assumed to appear in a distorted nematic liquid crystal (LC) phase. We map the model parameters to physical quantities characterizing LCs confined to Controlled-Pore Glasses and LC-aerosil dispersions. The domain size dependence on the disorder strength is obtained in accordance with the Imry-Ma prediction. The model estimates for temperature shifts of the paranematic-nematic phase transition and for the critical point, where this transition ceases to exist, are compared to the available experimental results.Received: 28 March 2004, Published online: 29 June 2004PACS: 61.30.-v Liquid crystals - 61.30.Dk Continuum models and theories of liquid crystal structure - 61.30.Gd Orientational order of liquid crystals; electric and magnetic field effects on order - 61.30.Hn Surface phenomena: alignment, anchoring, anchoring transitions, surface-induced layering, surface-induced ordering, wetting, prewetting transitions, and wetting transitions     

Electro-optic behavior of liquid-crystal-filled silica opal photonic crystals: effect of liquid-crystal alignment

Photonic crystals made of nematic liquid crystal intercalated into the void space of close-packed silica spheres (synthetic porous opal) exhibit significant electric-field-induced shift of the optical Bragg reflection peak when the liquid crystal has the long molecular axis oriented parallel to the sphere surfaces. No such effect is observed for comparable fields when the long-axis orientation is normal to the sphere surfaces.     

Deformation of a pretilted nematic liquid crystal layer in an electric field

The deformation of the optical axis of a nematic liquid crystal layer under the influence of an electric field is caused by the dielectric torque. This momentum counteracts with an elastic torque generated by interfacial forces between the surface of the electrode and the liquid crystal. By means of a variational analysis, the deformation profiles within the liquid crystal layer are calculated, assuming large interfacial energies and various angles of pretilt of the liquid crystal directors with respect to the electrodes. Both the extreme case of a homeotropic (vertical) alignment on one electrode and a homogeneous (parallel) alignment on the opposite electrode, as well as the general case of arbitrary and different alignments on both electrodes, lead to heavily pretilted liquid crystal layers, resulting in definite deformation profiles without disclinations. Liquid crystal cells prepared in this way neither show threshold voltages nor delay times when electrical fields are applied. Measured and calculated characteristics of such liquid crystal cells are presented, they show good agreement.     

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.     

Gravitational sedimentation effect of colloidal silica crystals in binary systems of titanium dioxide and silica particles

Colloidal crystals can be formed of silica particles while those of titania particles are not known under the normal gravitational field, because of their high specific gravity. We found by the Kikuchi--Kossel diffraction technique that, when silica particles (diameter: D?=?170?nm; density: ρ?=?2.2?g cm^?3) are mixed with titania particles (D?=?127?nm; ρ?=?3.9?g cm^?3), colloidal crystals are formed. Colloidal crystals started out with body-centred-cubic structure and changed to face-centred-cubic structures after about 60 days. Transitions began from the bottom of the container. Thus, the transitions are considered to be due to gravitational sedimentation. It is significant that the crystal growth process, which has not been observed in one-component dispersions of the silica particles, was found using titania particles with a wide range of the practical applicability.     

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.     

Formation of uniaxial molecular films by liquid-crystal imprinting in a magnetic field

Scanning tunneling microscopy was used to study molecular order in monolayer organic films formed by solution-phase growth from thermotropic liquid crystal solvents. The films develop macroscopically uniaxial alignment, with adlayer orientation controlled by an external magnetic field through interactions mediated by the liquid crystal. Results are presented for two films deposited from nematic and smectic- A solvents, along with a discussion of the alignment mechanism.     

新型聚合物分散液晶相位光栅的制备

把具有光敏特性的预聚物与向列相液晶按一定比例混合 ,注入表面经过取向处理的液晶盒中。以紫外灯为光源 ,通过光掩膜法 ,使混合物在光场的引发下发生相分离 ,形成液晶 /聚合物相位光栅。由于相分离后液晶在取向膜的作用下沿液晶盒面方向旋转 180° ,克服了传统液晶光栅器件对入射光偏振方向的依赖 ,提高了光的有效利用率。采用光学显微镜和He Ne激光器进行测试 ,结果表明所制样品具有较好的栅结构 ,其衍射效率不受入射光偏振方向的影响且具有电场可调性。该光栅制作方法简便 ,驱动电压低 ,在光通信器件、衍射光学、投影显示、光开关等领域有广泛的应用前景     

液晶空间光调制器相位调制的色散特性研究

提出用椭偏仪法测试了自制液晶空间光调制器(LCSLM)的相位调制色散特性.椭偏仪法具有光路简单,结果准确,测试自动化等优点,相比单色光源干涉仪测量方法更加简单实用.结果表明,在短波长(450 nm)处,LCSLM的相位调制能力为1.54λ(λ=450 nm),在长波长(800 nm)处,LCSLM的相位调制能力为0.70λ(λ=800 nm),与理论分析的色散特性基本一致.     

沉积法自组装三维有序的Eu(DBM)3Phen/SiO2胶体球

采用修饰的St ber法合成了300 nm的Eu(DBM)3Phen/SiO2胶体杂化球,并通过沉积法将这种胶体杂化球组装成厚度为5 mm,面积为12 cm2的三维有序结构。通过扫描电子显微镜观察发现这些胶体球在垂直于烧杯底面的所有层面中都显示了立方密堆积的结构。元素分析进一步证实了荧光分子被包埋在SiO2胶体球中。在355 nm的激发下,这种三维有序结构具有铕离子的特征发射。     

Fabrication of Colloidal Photonic Crystals with Heterostructure by Spin-Coating Method

Colloidal photonic crystal heterostructures, composed of two opaline photonic crystal films of silica spheres with different diameters, are fabricated by a two-step spin-coating method. Scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and UV-vis spectrophotometer are used to characterize the heterostructures. The SEM images show good ordering of the two-layer colloidal crystals constituting the heterostructures. The transmission spectra measured from the （111） plane in the heterostructure show that the composite colloidal photonic crystals have double photonic stop bands. Furthermore, when the sizes of the silica spheres used for fabricating the composite photonic crystal are slightly different, the transmission spectrum shows that the composite photonic crystals have more extended bandgap than that of the individual photonic crystals due to partial overlapping of its two photonic stop bands.     

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．     

Transformation of cholesteric orientational structures and optical textures induced by the electric field–driven ionic modification of surface anchoring

The reorientation of a cholesteric liquid crystal with a large helical pitch induced by the electric field–driven modification of surface anchoring is investigated. In the initial state, the liquid crystal cell has a homeotropic alignment of the director. An applied dc electric field produced a twisted homeoplanar structure of the cholesteric.     

Bend-induced melting of the smectic-A phase: analogy to a type-I superconductor

Using an atomic force microscope to nanopattern a substrate for liquid crystal alignment, a bend distortion is imposed on a liquid crystal. In regions of large bend the smectic-A phase melts into the nematic phase, and the width of the melted region is measured as a function of temperature. The results are consistent with type-I superconducting (nematic-smectic-A) behavior, wherein a large magnetic field (bend or twist distortion) induces an order to disorder transition. A model that accounts for non-mean-field behavior is presented.     

Effect of graphene oxide dispersion in antiferroelectric liquid crystal mixture in the verge of SmC* to SmCA* phase transition

The continuous growing demand for nanoscience applications and the improvement in the performance of liquid crystal based devices has been extensively required by the technological world. Recent progress in the field of liquid crystals has found its practical implementation in various display and non display devices which experiences obstacle due to impurity effects that reduces its performance. The dispersion of nanoparticles in liquid crystal medium helps in the reduction of impurity ions and thus improving the performance of liquid crystal based devices. The present work is based on the collective dielectric relaxation processes that have been observed in antiferroelectric liquid crystal (AFLC) mixture W1000 dispersed with 0.1% wt/wt and 0.3% wt/wt concentrations of graphene oxide. Graphene oxide itself favors vertical alignment and the coupling of AFLC W1000 mixture with graphene oxide affects its molecular ordering. This has been confirmed from the polarizing optical micrographs. The dielectric relaxation modes have been observed with and without the application of bias voltage in SmC* to SmC_A* phase transition during cooling cycle. The appearance and disappearance of P_L, P_H and X modes have been observed and are explained on the basis of molecular interactions. Graphene oxide dispersed system favors homeotropic alignment (dark state) and the application of bias field will convert it into homogenous alignment (bright state). Graphene oxide dispersion find prospective applications in good contrast display devices, supercapacitors, electronic gadgets, rechargeable batteries. Electro optical results unveil the faster response time, decreased rotational viscosity and spontaneous polarization with no change in tilt angle for the dispersed system. These observations can be exploited in photonic switches with sub millisecond response time which are required for fabricating faster liquid crystal devices.     

A new era for liquid crystal research: Applications of liquid crystals in soft matter nano-, bio- and microtechnology

Liquid crystals constitute a fascinating class of soft condensed matter characterized by the counterintuitive combination of fluidity and long-range order. Today they are best known for their exceptionally successful application in flat panel displays, but they actually exhibit a plethora of unique and attractive properties that offer tremendous potential for fundamental science as well as innovative applications well beyond the realm of displays. Today this full breadth of the liquid crystalline state of matter is becoming increasingly recognized and numerous new and exciting lines of research are being opened up. We review this exciting development, focusing primarily on the physics aspects of the new research thrusts, in which liquid crystals – thermotropic as well as lyotropic – often meet other types of soft matter, such as polymers and colloidal nano- or microparticle dispersions. Because the field is of large interest also for researchers without a liquid crystal background we begin with a concise introduction to the liquid crystalline state of matter and the key concepts of the research field. We then discuss a selection of promising new directions, starting with liquid crystals for organic electronics, followed by nanotemplating and nanoparticle organization using liquid crystals, liquid crystal colloids (where the liquid crystal can constitute either the continuous phase or the disperse phase, as droplets or shells) and their potential in e.g. photonics and metamaterials, liquid crystal-functionalized polymer fibers, liquid crystal elastomer actuators, ending with a brief overview of activities focusing on liquid crystals in biology, food science and pharmacology.