Fluorescence Confocal Polarizing Microscopy of Three-Dimensional Director Configurations in Liquid Crystals

该项目旨在开发和应用一种称为荧光共聚焦偏振显微镜（FCPM）的技术，该技术提供液晶分子取向的三维可视化。 液晶矩阵的影响将被表征，以确定胶体颗粒之间的相互作用，如何改变外部电场的层状液晶的结构与一维周期性，什么是拓扑缺陷，如位错和向错的结构和动力学特征，以及什么是生物相关的材料，如肌动蛋白的结构组织。这项研究将在肯特州立大学（KSU）的液晶研究所进行。KSU提供研究生（化学物理跨学科课程）和本科生培训（由NSF本科生研究经验补助金支持），并为工业合作伙伴关系（涉及约30家公司的工业合作伙伴关系计划）提供肥沃的土壤。 本项目的重点是液晶系统的基础科学，旨在通过开发用于生物传感器的液晶（其中胶体颗粒以细菌和病毒为代表）以及快速显示器和光束控制装置，为社会提供直接的实际效益。由生物来源的分子（如肌动蛋白）形成的液晶中的分子取向模式将有助于理解取向秩序在生物系统中的作用。 最后，这项研究将解决液晶的缺陷，所谓的拓扑缺陷的作用，以及它们如何改变液晶介质的性质和结构。

This project aims to develop and apply a technique called Fluorescence Confocal Polarizing Microscopy (FCPM) that provides 3-dimensional visualization of the molecular orientation in liquid crystals. Liquid crystal matrix influences will be characterized to determine the interactions between colloidal particles, how the external electric field changes the structure of layered liquid crystals with one-dimensional periodicity, what are the structural and dynamic features of topological defects such as dislocations and disclinations, and what is the structural organization of biologically relevant materials such as actin. This research will be conducted at the Liquid Crystal Institute at Kent State University (KSU). KSU provides for graduate (Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program) and undergraduate training (supported by NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates grant), and provides a fertile ground for industrial partnerships (Industrial Partnerships Program involving about 30 companies). This project focusing on the basic science of liquid crystal systems is aimed at providing immediate practical benefits to society, namely, through the development of liquid crystals for biosensors, in which the colloidal particles are represented by bacteria and viruses, and fast displays and beam steering devices. The molecular orientation patterns in liquid crystals formed by molecules of biological origin, such as actin, will aid an understanding of the role of orientational order in biological systems. Finally, the study will address the role of imperfections of liquid crystals, so-called topological defects, and how they alter the properties and structure of the liquid crystalline medium.