CAREER: Real-Space Measurement of Structure and Director Configuration in 3-D: A Study using Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy

本提案的重点是聚合物分散液晶(PDLC)在显示设备中的应用。聚合物分散液晶是由微米级的小分子(向列相)液晶嵌入或包裹在光聚合形成的聚合物基质中形成的。该提案的目的是了解正在经历相分离的反应性介质中结构域增长的动力学。激光扫描共聚焦显微镜(LSCM)将被用来在这些系统中进行测量以确定生长规律，并开发在三维复杂形貌下的成像导向器配置的方法。除了本提案中正在研究的材料外，这种方法还应在其他各种领域得到应用。这项研究与教育目标的结合将为本科生和研究生提供一个非常有启发性的环境。该项目将实施的研究和教育的一体化将为学生提供非常广泛的跨学科边界的教育，需要液晶物理、化学、光学和聚合物化学的知识。有机薄膜被用于各种技术应用。它们在显示设备中的作用就是一个很好的例子。使用液晶显示信息的设备非常普遍，膝上型计算机屏幕就证明了这一点。这种将研究与教育相结合的特殊方法将使本科生和研究生都能接触到跨学科的研究，这让我们得以一窥工业环境中将会发生什么。最大的影响将是培养年轻人的头脑，让年轻的科学家和工程师做好准备，在未来的就业市场上竞争。这些外展活动也是为了帮助教育高中教师，使他们了解在这个“塑料时代”与社会有关的问题。

9875646SrinivasaraoThis proposal is focused on the use of polymer dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) for display devices. Polymer dispersed liquid crystals consist of micron size drops of small molecule (nematic) liquid crystals embedded or trapped in a polymer matrix formed by photopolymerization. The aim of the proposal is to understand the dynamics of domain growth in a reactive medium that is undergoing phase separation. A laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM) will be utilized to make measurements confirming growth laws operable in these systems, and to develop methods of imaging director configurations in complicated morphologies in three dimension. Such methods should find applications in a variety of other areas besides the materials under study in this proposal. The integration of this research with education goals will provide a very stimulating environment for students both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The integration of research and education to be implemented in this project will provide students with a very broad education that crosses disciplinary boundaries, requiring knowledge of physics of liquid crystals, chemistry, optics, and polymer chemistry.%%%Organic thin films are utilized in various technological applications. Their role in display devices is a case in point. The use of devices for displaying information that use liquid crystals are quite pervasive as is evidenced by their use in laptop computer screens. This particular approach to the integration of research with education will expose both undergraduate and graduate students to interdisciplinary research that provides a glimpse of what is to follow in industrial settings. The biggest impact will be in educating young minds and preparing young scientists and engineers to compete in future job markets. These outreach activities are also designed to help educate high school teachers on issues that are pertinent to society in this "age of plastics".