Chiral Nematic Liquid Crystal Droplets

Flexoelectricity of droplets of a nematic liquid crystal

In the later stages of the spinodaldecay the coalescence of like microheterophase inhomogeneities leads to the formation of small-scale grains (up to 5 pm in size) of each of the phases (Fig. l b ) . These grains become grouped in larger-scale aggregates (up to 100 pm in size). This multistage self-organization of stratifying phases leads to the creation of a granular-cellular structure (Fig. l...

Electro-optics of bipolar nematic liquid crystal droplets.

We directly visualize the response and relaxation dynamics of bipolar nematic liquid crystal droplets to an applied electric field E. Despite strong planar anchoring, there is no critical field for switching. Instead, upon application of E, the surface region first reorients, followed by movement of the disclinations and the bipolar axis. After removing E, elastic forces restore the drop to its...

Continuous nematic-isotropic transition in submicron-size liquid-crystal droplets.

Nematic Liquid-Crystal Colloids

This article provides a concise review of a new state of colloidal matter called nematic liquid-crystal colloids. These colloids are obtained by dispersing microparticles of different shapes in a nematic liquid crystal that acts as a solvent for the dispersed particles. The microparticles induce a local deformation of the liquid crystal, which then generates topological defects and long-range f...

Blue-phase liquid crystal droplets.

Blue phases of liquid crystals represent unique ordered states of matter in which arrays of defects are organized into striking patterns. Most studies of blue phases to date have focused on bulk properties. In this work, we present a systematic study of blue phases confined into spherical droplets. It is found that, in addition to the so-called blue phases I and II, several new morphologies ari...