Photo-Induced Relief in Rheology of Liquid Crystals

In this paper, we report the first experimental results on capillary shear flows of a nematic liquid crystal 5CB (4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl), arising due to interaction anisotropic liquid, correspondent continuous rotational symmetry, with photo-profiled polymer surfaces. The regular surface relief was obtained opto-mechanical deformation azobenzene containing potoresponsive film (PAZO) during irradiation two-beam interference. Such treatment makes it possible obtain submicron profile well-defined characteristics (direction, period, and height). polarizing microscopy (PM) dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques were used determine direction orientation LC anchoring strength, which characterize surface. Two types flows—spreading droplets flow in plane capillary, induced by one or two surfaces—were investigated for different directions relative relief. Strong anisotropy dynamics precursor contact line motion, as well dynamical angle, established. analyzed compared those previously at investigation spreading over mechanically stamped capillaries photo-aligned