Estimation of the relaxation parameters of a cholesteric liquid by the parameters of acoustic streaming

The possibility of determining the relaxation time of cholesteric liquid crystals with a large helix pitch from the parameters of acoustic streaming is demonstrated experimentally.     

Identification criterion for the mechanisms of orientation instability of cholesteric liquid crystals in ultrasonic fields

An identification criterion is proposed and experimentally substantiated for the two independent acoustic mechanisms (vortex and relaxation ones) governing the formation of a system of two-dimensional domains in a planar layer of a cholesteric liquid crystal in the frequency range where the sound wavelength is greater than the step of the cholesteric circuit. The results of measuring the critical compression amplitude in mesophase layers with thicknesses from 40 to 240 μm are presented for frequencies lower and higher than the frequency equal to the inverse relaxation time of the orientation order parameter in a cholesteric liquid crystal. The data are obtained for diluted solutions of cholesterilchloride in a nematic liquid crystal with a circuit step varied from 2 to 30 μm. The concept of the binary nature of the acoustic mechanism that causes destabilization of the planar texture of a cholesteric liquid crystal in the frequency range under consideration is experimentally verified.     

Induced birefringence in the isotropic phase of cholesteric liquid crystals

The birefringence induced by an acoustic field in the isotropic phase of the cholesteryl myristate cholesteric liquid crystal has been measured. The measurements were performed at sound frequencies of 3.2 and 9.8 MHz in a wide temperature range. Based on the results of the measurements of the induced birefringence, the relaxation time of the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules is estimated.     

Bistable surface anchoring and hysteresis of pitch jumps in a planar cholesteric liquid crystal

The relationship between bistable surface anchoring and the pitch jump process is examined for a planar cholesteric liquid crystal. Introducing a high-order, azimuthal surface anchoring potential into a simple model to describe a cholesteric, we derive an expression for the director twist as the natural pitch of the liquid crystal is allowed to vary. Writing the energy in terms of the surface twist, we are able to determine the twists which minimize the total energy of the system. We demonstrate how a pitch jump is related to an energy exchange from one branch of metastable states to another. We then discuss how the co-existence of energy minima and their associated solution branches may help explain the thermal hysteresis observed experimentally in cholesterics in the neighbourhood of a pitch jump. The presence of a higher-order surface energy term can expand the range of anchoring strengths in which pitch jumps are possible. We also investigate the influence of bidirectional surface anchoring on the behaviour of the total energy. Intermediate quarter-turn pitch jumps can occur, depending on the relative strength of the high-order anchoring term, and these can have a significant effect on the system hysteresis.     

Reflection spectrum of a cholesteric liquid crystal with structural defects

An expression is obtained for the reflection coefficient of circularly polarized light normally incident on the film of a cholesteric liquid crystal with a variable helix pitch. It is shown that, in the case of a single defect (local change in the helix pitch), the spectrum of light reflection from a cholesteric acquires a dip corresponding to the defect mode. New qualitative features appear in the reflection spectrum of a cholesteric with two defects as the distance between them varies.     

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.     

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).     

Selective reflection of light from a layer of cholesteric liquid crystal with induced inhomogeneity of helix pitch

A possibility to induce a planar defect in a plane-layer structure of a cholesteric liquid crystal via an external electric field is shown experimentally. The results of studies of behavior of the selective reflection (transmission) coefficient of light for a layer of the cholesteric liquid crystal, where planar defects are induced, are presented     

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     

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     

Cholesteric–nematic transitions induced by a shear flow and a magnetic field

The untwisting of the helical structure of a cholesteric liquid crystal under the action of a magnetic field and a shear flow has been studied theoretically. Both factors can induce the cholesteric–nematic transition independently; however, the difference in the orienting actions of the magnetic field and the shear flow leads to competition between magnetic and hydrodynamic mechanisms of influence on the cholesteric liquid crystal. We have analyzed different orientations of the magnetic field relative to the direction of the flow in the shear plane. In a number of limiting cases, the analytic dependences are obtained for the pitch of the cholesteric helix deformed by the shear flow. The phase diagrams of the cholesteric–nematic transitions and the pitch of the cholesteric helix are calculated for different values of the magnetic field strength and the angle of orientation, the flow velocity gradient, and the reactive parameter. It is shown that the magnetic field stabilizes the orientation of the director in the shear flow and expands the boundaries of orientability of cholesterics. It has been established that the shear flow shifts the critical magnetic field strength of the transition. It is shown that a sequence of reentrant orientational cholesteric–nematic–cholesteric transitions can be induced by rotating the magnetic field in certain intervals of its strength and shear flow velocity gradients.     

Effect of an ultrasonic field on the structure of a cholesteric liquid crystal

A spatially modulated structure arising in a layer of a cholesteric liquid crystal under the effect of an ultrasonic wave is studied theoretically. The structure is described on the basis of the equations of fluid dynamics for cholesteric liquid crystals. The equations are represented in terms of the angular variables. An anisotropic term caused by the relaxation of the orientational order parameter is introduced into the stress expressions. The results of calculations are compared with experimental data.     

复指数矩阵法研究螺旋液晶光学传播特性

提出一种研究螺旋液晶光学特性的数学处理方法.螺旋型液晶可当作N层双折射材料晶片叠合而成,而相邻晶片的光轴依次旋转一个小角度.在光学转换矩阵中引入复数来研究螺旋型液晶光学性能,给出了相关的数学处理方法.研究了线性偏振光在螺旋液晶中的传播特性,并给出了光经过螺旋液晶后电场强度的矩阵表达式.研究发现,如果入射光波长等于螺旋液晶螺距,线偏振光经过右螺旋液晶后是左旋圆偏振光.理论上分析了螺旋液晶对可见光选择性反射机理.     

Chiral photonic crystals with an electrically tunable anisotropic defect. Experiment and theory

The possibility of inducing a planar defect in a plane structure of a cholesteric liquid crystal by an external electric field is demonstrated experimentally for the first time. The results of experimental and theoretical study of the behavior of the coefficient of reflection (transmission) of light from a layer of a cholesteric liquid crystal with a planar defect induced in it are considered. Possible applications of such a system are considered.     

Chiral electrostatic interaction and cholesteric liquid crystals of DNA

Explicit expressions for electrostatic interaction between stiff DNA duplexes of finite length are obtained. These expressions allow for the helical symmetry of charge distribution on DNA molecules and reveal chiral and non-chiral interaction terms. Asymptotic expressions at small twist angles are applied to evaluate the cholesteric pitch and the twist elastic constant and their dependence on the length of DNA fragments. These estimates suggest an explanation for the large value of the cholesteric pitch and its nonmonotonic variation with the density of the liquid crystal. An analysis of biaxial correlations rationalizes the driving force of the transition from the cholesteric to hexagonal phase upon dehydration.     

楔形盒染料掺杂胆甾相液晶激光器研究

设计制作了楔形盒掺杂激光染料PM580的胆甾相液晶器件, 研究了激光辐射行为. 在楔形液晶盒中出现了一系列与楔棱平行的向错线和不同规则形状的晶畴, 胆甾相液晶形成了平面态排列. 采用固体Nd:YAG倍频532 nm 波长激光作为抽运光, 获得调谐精度约1 nm, 调谐范围约17 nm的一维波长可调谐激光器. 楔形盒中, 液晶扭曲力与取向膜表面锚定力相互平衡的过程中胆甾相液晶螺距伸张, 光子禁带位置移动, 从而调谐光子禁带边沿出射激光波长. 关键词： 胆甾相液晶 楔形盒 激光辐射     

Specific features of photoisomerization of provitamin D 3 in a nematic liquid crystal

Photoisomerization of provitamin D ₃ (7-dehydrocholesterol) in a nematic liquid crystal (ZLI-1695, Merck) is investigated in detail by UV absorption spectroscopy. It is found that dissolution of chiral molecules of provitamin D ₃ induces the cholesteric phase in a nematic. The spectral kinetics of photoisomerization in this phase changes significantly from that in an ethanol solution. A sharp nonmonotonic dependence of the increase in accumulation of trans isomer tachysterol in a liquid crystal matrix with a decrease in the induced cholesteric pitch from 2200 to 25 μm is revealed.     

Light-induced instabilities driven by competing helical patterns in long-pitch cholesterics

We study theoretically the dynamical reorientation phenomena when a long-pitch cholesteric liquid-crystal film with homeotropic alignment is illuminated by a circularly polarized lightwave. In the present case, the natural cholesteric pitch is of the order of (or larger than) the film thickness. The helical cholesteric structure is thus frustrated by the boundary conditions without illumination. However, above a light intensity threshold reorientation occurs and the bifurcation scenario depends strongly on the natural cholesteric pitch. Recalling that a long-pitch cholesteric is achieved in practice by adding a small amount of chiral agents in a nematic liquid crystal, the observed dynamics can be viewed as the result of the competition between intrinsic and extrinsic unidimensional helical patterns. The intrinsic part consists of the helical deformations induced by the chirality of the dopant, whereas the extrinsic part is related to the chirality induced by the optical field through the non-uniform angular momentum transfer of light to a nematic. The all-optical analog in the case of a pure nematic (without chiral dopant), is also discussed.