Chirality and Confinement in Liquid Crystals

这个项目旨在显著增加我们对减少对称性和限制对液晶行为的影响的理解。这些研究将使用一系列广泛的实验工具，包括静态和动态光散射、介电弛豫、磁和电双折射和其他电测量、磁化率、原子力和扫描隧道显微镜以及差示扫描量热法。与新分子有关的各种现象，特别是同斜相和反斜相将包括在研究中。另一个领域将包括在受限（多孔）几何结构中对液晶的研究，以检验受限手性分子的新电光现象，受限对弹性的影响，以及相关长度和孔径在向列各向同性相变中的作用。这个综合研究和教育项目的影响将是巨大的。复杂液晶相在受限几何结构中的行为是特别有趣的，因为信息技术利用这些材料，例如用于新型显示设备，继续强调提高分辨率和增强稳定性。学生在这一重要领域的培训将增加就业市场的就业机会，从而促进技术转让和加强该国的技术基础设施

This project is aimed at significantly increasing our understanding of ho redued symmetry and confinement affect liquid crystalline behavior. A wide battery of experimental tools will be utilized for these studies including static and dynamic light scattering, dielectric relaxation, magnetic and electric birefringence and other electroceptic measurements, magnetic susceptometry, atomic force and scanning tunneling microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. A variety of phenomena related to novel molecules, and in particular to the synclinic and anticlinic phases will be included in the study. Another area will include a study of liquid crystals in confined (porous) geometry's to examine novel electrooptic phenomena for confined chiral molecules, the effects of confinement on elasticity, and the roles of correlation length and pore size on the nematic-isotropic phase transition.%%%The impact of this integrated research and education project will be significant. The behavior of complex liquid crystalline phses in confined geometry's is of particular interest as the information technologies utilizing these materials e.g., for novel display devices, continue to emphasize improved resolution and enhanced stability. Student training in this important area will enhance employment opportunities in the job market thereby facilitating technology transfer and enhancing the country's technological infrastructure.***