Liquid Crystals in Hyper-Complex Fluid Systems

该项目的目标是对基于液晶的复合材料的基础物理和化学的新方面进行理论和实验研究。以下三个领域将受到重点关注：向列型和胆甾型凝胶和弹性体，它们具有非常特殊的力学、电光、机械光学和压电性能；铁电近晶-C*相薄膜，其中重要的弹性性能由纳米尺度的集体静电和离子屏蔽性能决定；以及不寻常的近晶相，其中近晶-A相的分子组织导致近晶A到C相变附近的性能得到极大提高。其中许多材料具有新的应用潜力，包括机械传感器和执行器、新型可调谐激光器和改进的显示设备。参与这项研究的学生和博士后将为进入高科技应用领域以及从事教学和研究工作做好准备。传统上，大学的设置让各种各样的学生参与研究项目，包括高中生和所有级别的少数民族学生。这项研究还跨越了多个学科，通过扩展传统领域的边界来激发创造力。%这个项目涉及基于液晶的一些特殊材料的基础物理研究，即具有液体和固体性质的物质。人们熟悉的笔记本电脑上的液晶显示器(LCD)只是这些迷人材料的重要应用之一。随着这些材料的基本公式增加了新的特征，新的基本物理问题就出现了，本研究试图探索这些问题，以便对这些材料的正确理解将导致它们的有效利用。例如，新型激光可以用作机械和热条件变化的远程传感器，而不需要将电线直接连接到正在研究的系统。在大学环境下进行研究的好处是，包括高中、本科生、研究生和博士后在内的所有级别的学生都参与进来，并根据所研究的材料为新技术的教学、基础研究和工业应用做好准备。这项研究还涉及理论和实验，横跨物理、化学和材料科学，以一种激发创造力的方式将多个学科的研究人员联系起来。

The goal of this project is to pursue theoretical and experimental studies on novel aspects of the fundamental physics and chemistry of complex materials based on liquid crystals. The following three areas will be emphasized: nematic and cholesteric gels and elastomers with very unusual mechanical, electro-optical, mechano-optical, and piezoelectric properties; thin films of ferroelectric smectic-C* phases in which important elastic properties are dominated by the collective electrostatic and ionic screening properties at the nano-scale; and unusual smectic phases in which the molecular organization of the smectic-A phase leads to highly enhanced properties near the smectic A to C phase change. Many of these materials have the potential for novel applications, including mechanical sensors and actuators, new kinds of tunable lasers, and improved display devices. The students and post docs involved in this research will be well prepared to enter the high tech applications area, as well as for careers in teaching and research. The university setting has traditionally involved a wide variety of students in the research program, including high school students and minority students at all levels. This research also spans a number of disciplines in a way that stimulates creativity by expanding the boundaries of traditional areas.%%%This project involves studies of the fundamental physics of a number of unusual materials based on liquid crystals, substances with properties between those of liquids and solids. The familiar Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) on a laptop computer is only one of the important applications of these fascinating materials. As new features are added to the fundamental formulation of such materials, new basic physics questions arise, and this research seeks to explore those questions, so that a sound understanding of the materials will lead to their effective utilization. Examples could include new kinds of lasers that can be used as remote sensors of changes in mechanical and thermal conditions, without requiring direct connection of electrical wires to the system being studied. The research in a university setting has the advantage of involving students at all levels, including high school, undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral, and preparing them for careers in teaching, basic research, and industrial applications of the new technologies based on the materials being studied. The research also involves theory and experiments, spanning physics, chemistry, and materials science, connecting researchers in a wide range of disciplines, in a way that stimulates creativity.***