We develop ml algorithm for merging plans that m’c represented in a richly expressive language. Specifically. we arc concerned with plans that have (i) quantitative temporal constraints, (ii} at.lions that are not instantaneous, but rather have temporal extent, and (iii) conditional branches. Given a set ~q of such plans, our algorithm finds a set of constraints that jointly ensure that the pla...

NMR measurements on a selectively deuterated liquid crystal dimer CB-C9-CB, exhibiting two nematic phases, show that the molecules in the lower temperature nematic phase, N(X), experience a chiral environment and are ordered about a uniformly oriented director throughout the macroscopic sample. The results are contrasted with previous interpretations that suggested a twist-bend spatial variatio...

Integration of luminescent rare earth ions and iridescence into a zirconium oxide photonic material is attractive for the design of new optical devices. The free-standing chiral nematic mesoporous films of ZrO2:Eu(3+) are assembled by a hard-templating approach using nanocrystalline cellulose-templated silica. The ZrO2:Eu(3+) films show tunable optical properties. The chiral nematic structured ...

Tying knots and linking microscopic loops of polymers, macromolecules, or defect lines in complex materials is a challenging task for material scientists. We demonstrate the knotting of microscopic topological defect lines in chiral nematic liquid-crystal colloids into knots and links of arbitrary complexity by using laser tweezers as a micromanipulation tool. All knots and links with up to six...

Most liquid crystal displays make use of the elect roopt ic properties of twisted nematic layers. Both the s tandard twisted nematic displays of 90° twist [1] as well as the recently developed 'supertwist ' displays of more than 180° twist [2] require director fields which depend only on one spatial coordinate, the coordinate z parallel to the layer normal. Director fields which depend on more ...

The elusive biaxial nematic liquid crystal phase was recently discovered in a family of substituted oxadiazoles. Our investigations of these materials show that the achiral biaxial nematic phase can segregate into chiral domains of opposite handedness, thereby demonstrating that the liquid-like nematic phase exhibits the properties of a conglomerate.

A chiral nematic is embedded between multilayer mirrors to obtain voltage-inducible polarized resonance spectra. Initially, the director uniformly oriented perpendicular mirrors’ surfaces because helix completely untwisted due homeotropic boundary conditions specified by adsorbed cations. Then, a voltage applied remove layer of surface-active cations from input mirror. The obtained twisted home...

One unique property of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) is their property of forming suspensions with chiral nematic order. This order can be preserved in films cast from the suspensions, raising the possibility of applications as photonic materials and templates. However, it has proved difficult to generate uniform, well-ordered chiral nematic materials from CNC. Recently, the importance of kineti...

We report the discovery of a thermodynamically stable line hexatic (N + 6) phase in a three-dimensional (3D) system made up of self-assembled polymer-like micelles of amphiphilic molecules. The experimentally observed phase transition sequence nematic (N)  N + 6  two-dimensional hexagonal (2D-H) is in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. Further, the present study also brings to lig...

Liquid crystals bearing extended ?-conjugated units function as organic semiconductors and liquid crystalline have been studied for their applications in light-emitting diodes, field-effect transistors, solar cells. However, studies on electronic functionalities chiral crystal phases limited so far. Electronic charge carrier transport has confirmed nematic smectic C phases. In the phase, consis...