Applications of Polar and Ferroelectric Nematics as Electrophoretic Fluids

软物质物理学中最令人兴奋的领域之一是最近发现的铁电向列流体。长期以来，人们一直认为液晶只能以偶极平行或反平行的等概率形成向列相。导演实际上不是一个矢量，而是一个伪矢量：n = -n。但最近，规则手册不得不被重写。这始于2010年，Nagaraj发现了一个自发弯曲的向列态。然后，在2017年，Mandle发现了具有自发伸展的a相，该相被证明是铁电n不等于-n。因此，我们有兴趣探索这些材料的应用。我们应该探索的是这些材料提供的非线性光学响应。这在光通信中具有超高速电光调制器的潜力。另一种途径是利用这些材料作为铁磁流体。铁电极化为响应电场移动液体提供了有趣的效应；一种镀铁材料。这可以用于手机的可切换镜头，微流体驱动器，或者超亮全彩反射显示器。

One of the most exciting areas in Soft Matter Physics is the recent discovery of Ferroelectric Nematic Fluids. It has long been believed that liquid crystals only form nematic phases with equal probability of dipoles parallel or anti-parallel. The director is not actually a vector but a pseudo-vector: n = -n. But recently, the rule books have had to be rewritten. This began in 2010 with the discovery by Nagaraj of a spontaneously bent nematic state. Then, in 2017, Mandle discovered the a phase with spontaneous splay, which proved to be ferroelectric n not equal to -n.So, we are interested to explore what the applications are for such materials. Ideas that should be explored are the Non-linear optical response offered by these materials. This has the potential for ultra-fast electro-optic modulators in optical communications. Another avenue is the use of the materials as ferro-fluids. The ferroelectric polarization offers interesting effects for moving liquids around in response to electric fields; a sort of ferro-phoretic material. This could be useful in switchable lenses for your mobile phone, in micro-fluidic actuators, or perhaps in ultra bright full-colour reflective displays.