Revealing the uniaxial to biaxial nematic liquid crystal phase transition via distinctive electroconvection

Ying Xiang; J. W. Goodby; Verena Gortz; H. F. Gleeson

doi:10.1063/1.3138867

Revealing the uniaxial to biaxial nematic liquid crystal phase transition via distinctive electroconvection

Ying Xiang, J. W. Goodby, Verena Gortz, H. F. Gleeson

Chemistry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Electroconvection (EC) phenomena are reported in the uniaxial and biaxial nematic phases of a bent-core liquid crystal. Two EC instabilities are observed. Prewavy_1, which exists only in the uniaxial phase, has stripes parallel to the rubbing direction, a periodicity of order of the device thickness, and an onset voltage that diverges near the uniaxial to biaxial transition. The prewavy_2 instability, characterized by stripes perpendicular to the rubbing direction and a periodicity of twice the device thickness, exists across the entire nematic regime. Our observations are explained through changes in the electrical conductivity anisotropy at the uniaxial to biaxial transition.

Original language	English
Article number	193507
Pages (from-to)	1-3
Number of pages	3
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	94
Issue number	19
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3138867
Publication status	Published - 11 May 2009

Keywords

convection
electrical conductivity
electrohydrodynamics
flow instability
liquid crystal phase transformations
nematic liquid crystals
SPLAY-FREEDERICKSZ TRANSITION

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10.1063/1.3138867

http://apl.aip.org/resource/1/applab/v94/i19/p193507_s1

Cite this

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title = "Revealing the uniaxial to biaxial nematic liquid crystal phase transition via distinctive electroconvection",

abstract = "Electroconvection (EC) phenomena are reported in the uniaxial and biaxial nematic phases of a bent-core liquid crystal. Two EC instabilities are observed. Prewavy_1, which exists only in the uniaxial phase, has stripes parallel to the rubbing direction, a periodicity of order of the device thickness, and an onset voltage that diverges near the uniaxial to biaxial transition. The prewavy_2 instability, characterized by stripes perpendicular to the rubbing direction and a periodicity of twice the device thickness, exists across the entire nematic regime. Our observations are explained through changes in the electrical conductivity anisotropy at the uniaxial to biaxial transition.",

keywords = "convection, electrical conductivity, electrohydrodynamics, flow instability, liquid crystal phase transformations, nematic liquid crystals, SPLAY-FREEDERICKSZ TRANSITION",

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year = "2009",

month = may,

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doi = "10.1063/1.3138867",

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T1 - Revealing the uniaxial to biaxial nematic liquid crystal phase transition via distinctive electroconvection

AU - Xiang, Ying

AU - Goodby, J. W.

AU - Gortz, Verena

AU - Gleeson, H. F.

PY - 2009/5/11

Y1 - 2009/5/11

N2 - Electroconvection (EC) phenomena are reported in the uniaxial and biaxial nematic phases of a bent-core liquid crystal. Two EC instabilities are observed. Prewavy_1, which exists only in the uniaxial phase, has stripes parallel to the rubbing direction, a periodicity of order of the device thickness, and an onset voltage that diverges near the uniaxial to biaxial transition. The prewavy_2 instability, characterized by stripes perpendicular to the rubbing direction and a periodicity of twice the device thickness, exists across the entire nematic regime. Our observations are explained through changes in the electrical conductivity anisotropy at the uniaxial to biaxial transition.

AB - Electroconvection (EC) phenomena are reported in the uniaxial and biaxial nematic phases of a bent-core liquid crystal. Two EC instabilities are observed. Prewavy_1, which exists only in the uniaxial phase, has stripes parallel to the rubbing direction, a periodicity of order of the device thickness, and an onset voltage that diverges near the uniaxial to biaxial transition. The prewavy_2 instability, characterized by stripes perpendicular to the rubbing direction and a periodicity of twice the device thickness, exists across the entire nematic regime. Our observations are explained through changes in the electrical conductivity anisotropy at the uniaxial to biaxial transition.

KW - convection

KW - electrical conductivity

KW - electrohydrodynamics

KW - flow instability

KW - liquid crystal phase transformations

KW - nematic liquid crystals

KW - SPLAY-FREEDERICKSZ TRANSITION

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U2 - 10.1063/1.3138867

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JF - Applied Physics Letters

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Revealing the uniaxial to biaxial nematic liquid crystal phase transition via distinctive electroconvection

Abstract

Keywords

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Biaxial nematic liquid crystals

Liquid crystals at various wavelengths of light

Cite this

Revealing the uniaxial to biaxial nematic liquid crystal phase transition via distinctive electroconvection

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Projects

Biaxial nematic liquid crystals

Liquid crystals at various wavelengths of light

Cite this