Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Materials Research Group

小行星9224168 这个奖项是在博尔德的科罗拉多大学开始一个新的材料研究小组，主题是铁电液晶。 该研究分为三个主要活动：新材料的合成，铁电液晶的基础物理，以及分子结构和物理特性的建模。 合成活动包括制造新的单体，聚合物和凝胶铁电液晶，以探索特定性能特征的分子起源，测试建模预测，并开发新的电光和非线性光学材料。 物理活动强调材料的相关物理性质，相结构和相变动力学的评价。 包括在这个活动是X射线散射，光学显微镜，时间依赖的光学和振动光谱，分子构象动力学，介电弛豫，扫描隧道显微镜，和光学反射率。 建模活动包括分子排列和构象的分子动力学模拟，以及可测量的宏观性质的计算。 铁电液晶在电光应用中提供了卓越的性能，例如具有微秒响应时间的电操作光阀、高对比度固有存储器、低功耗显示器和非线性光学材料。 材料研究组为研究和教学的高级学生的多学科培训提供了极好的教育机会。

9224168 Clark This award is to start a new Materials Research Group at the University of Colorado at Boulder on the topic of ferroelectric liquid crystals. The research is organized in three main activities: synthesis of new materials, fundamental physics of ferroelectric liquid crystals, and modeling of the molecular structure and physical properties. The synthesis activity includes making of new monomer, polymer, and gel ferroelectric liquid crystals to explore the molecular origins of particular property characteristics, to test predictions from the modeling, and to develop new electro-optic and nonlinear optical materials. The physics activity emphasizes evaluation of the relevant physical properties of the materials, structure of the phases, and dynamics of the phase transformations. Included in this activity are x-ray scattering, optical microscopy, time-dependent optical and vibrational spectroscopy, molecular conformational dynamics, dielectric relaxation, scanning tunneling microscopy, and optical reflectivity. The modeling activity includes molecular dynamic simulations of molecular arrangements and conformation, and calculation of measurable macroscopic properties. Ferroelectric liquid crystals offer exceptional capabilities in electro-optic applications, such as electrically operated light valves having microsecond response times, high contrast intrinsic memory, low power consumption displays, and nonlinear optical materials. The materials research group offers excellent educational opportunities for multi- disciplinary training of advanced students for research and teaching.