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2013

Selected Works

Achiral molecules

Articles 1 - 7 of 7

Full-Text Articles in Physics

Optical Waveguiding In Bent-Core Liquid-Crystal Filaments, Jake Fontana, C. Bailey, Wolfgang Weissflog, I. Janossy, Antal Jakli Oct 2013

Optical Waveguiding In Bent-Core Liquid-Crystal Filaments, Jake Fontana, C. Bailey, Wolfgang Weissflog, I. Janossy, Antal Jakli

Antal Jakli

We demonstrate optical waveguiding in recently discovered free-standing bent-core liquid-crystal filaments. The bent-core liquid-crystal molecules in air self-assemble into a cylindrical geometry that is "solidlike" along the radial direction of the filament and liquid in the axial direction of the filament. These filaments are unique not only because they are fluids, but also because they are anisotropic. For this reason, their waveguiding properties not predictable need to be characterized. The light power transmitted through the filament was found to be independent of temperature from 180 degrees C to near room temperature. Initial defects of newly pulled filaments were found to …


Optically Isotropic Liquid-Crystal Phase Of Bent-Core Molecules With Polar Nanostructure, Guangxun Liao, S. Stojadinovic, Gerhard Pelzl, Wolfgang Weissflog, Samuel N. Sprunt, Antal Jakli Oct 2013

Optically Isotropic Liquid-Crystal Phase Of Bent-Core Molecules With Polar Nanostructure, Guangxun Liao, S. Stojadinovic, Gerhard Pelzl, Wolfgang Weissflog, Samuel N. Sprunt, Antal Jakli

Antal Jakli

We found that the optically isotropic (I-M) mesophase observed recently below the nematic phase of the bent-core liquid crystal 4-chlororesorcinol bis[4-(4-n-dodecyloxybenzoyloxy)benzoate] shows ferroelectric-type switching. Polarizing microscopic, electric current, dielectric, and dynamic light scattering studies lead us to propose that the I-M phase is composed of interconnected orthoconic racemic smectic (Sm-CaPF) nanodomains with random layer orientations. Near the nematic phase, where the polarization can be saturated by electric fields, the system responds in a fashion analogous to the granular structure of a magnetic spin glass-in particular, we observed that the relaxation back to the nonpoled structure follows a similar, inverse logarithmic …


Converse Flexoelectric Effect In A Bent-Core Nematic Liquid Crystal, John Harden, R. Teeling, Jim T. Gleeson, Samuel N. Sprunt, Antal Jakli Oct 2013

Converse Flexoelectric Effect In A Bent-Core Nematic Liquid Crystal, John Harden, R. Teeling, Jim T. Gleeson, Samuel N. Sprunt, Antal Jakli

Antal Jakli

Flexoelectricity is a unique property of liquid crystals; it is a linear coupling between electric polarizations and bend and/or splay distortions of the direction of average molecular orientation. Recently it was shown [J. Harden et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 157802 (2006)] that the bend flexoelectric coefficient in bent-core nematic liquid crystals can be three orders of magnitude higher than the effect with calamitic (rod-shaped) molecular shape. Here we report the converse of the flexoelectric effect: An electric field applied across a bent-core liquid crystal sandwiched between thin flexible substrates produces a director distortion which is manifested as a polarity-dependent …


Light-Induced Changes Of Optical And Electrical Properties In Bent-Core Azo Compounds, Antal Jakli, V. Prasad, D.S.S. Rao, Guangxun Liao, I. Janossy Oct 2013

Light-Induced Changes Of Optical And Electrical Properties In Bent-Core Azo Compounds, Antal Jakli, V. Prasad, D.S.S. Rao, Guangxun Liao, I. Janossy

Antal Jakli

We have studied the optical and electrical properties of two bent-core substances with an azo linkage in their cores. Pump-probe laser studies, direct textural observations, and spectrophotometric recordings show an initial decrease of light transmission, which at larger light intensities (similar to 1 mW/mm(2)) is followed by a bleaching. Simultaneously the electrical properties (electric conductivity, antiferroelectric polarization, switching threshold, and switching time) decreased monotonically with increasing light intensities. The monotonic decrease of electrical properties indicates that the darkening and bleaching have the same origin, namely, the photochemical isomerization of the azo linkage from the trans to the cis isomer. The …


Large Flow Birefringence Of Nematogenic Bent-Core Liquid Crystals, C. Bailey, Katalin Fodor-Csorba, Rafael Verduzco, Jim T. Gleeson, Samuel N. Sprunt, Antal Jakli Oct 2013

Large Flow Birefringence Of Nematogenic Bent-Core Liquid Crystals, C. Bailey, Katalin Fodor-Csorba, Rafael Verduzco, Jim T. Gleeson, Samuel N. Sprunt, Antal Jakli

Antal Jakli

We have found that bent-core liquid crystalline materials show exceptionally large intrinsic flow birefringence in their isotropic liquid phase. This effect is more than 100 times larger than typical values measured for low molecular weight liquid crystals. The specific flow birefringence (i.e., normalized by the flow viscosity) is an order of magnitude larger than in both side-chain polymeric as well as low molecular weight liquid crystals. We propose that this large enhancement for bent-core compounds may be attributed to nanoscale smecticlike clusters that persist above the nematic-isotropic transition temperature, and shear align under shear flow; however, this mechanism has not …


Evidence For Triclinic Symmetry In Smectic Liquid Crystals Of Bent-Shape Molecules, Antal Jakli, D. Kruerke, Hans Sawade, G. Heppke Oct 2013

Evidence For Triclinic Symmetry In Smectic Liquid Crystals Of Bent-Shape Molecules, Antal Jakli, D. Kruerke, Hans Sawade, G. Heppke

Antal Jakli

The first experimental evidence for triclinic symmetry of bulk smectic liquid-crystal samples of achiral banana-shaped molecules is presented. This phase corresponds to the so-called Sm-C-G phase consisting of biaxial molecules and characterized by two tilt directions with respect to the layer normal: tilt of the molecular plane (clinic) and tilt of the molecular kink direction (leaning). Each smectic layer has a polarization component normal to the smectic layers (C-1 symmetry). The observations suggest that the phase tentatively labeled as B-7 is identical with the Sm-C-G phase.


Optical Studies Of The Liquid Crystal B2 Phase Formed By Banana-Shaped Molecules, D. A. Olson, M. Veum, A. Cady, M. V. D'Agostino, P. M. Johnson, H. T. Nguyen, Liang-Chy Chien, C. C. Huang Oct 2013

Optical Studies Of The Liquid Crystal B2 Phase Formed By Banana-Shaped Molecules, D. A. Olson, M. Veum, A. Cady, M. V. D'Agostino, P. M. Johnson, H. T. Nguyen, Liang-Chy Chien, C. C. Huang

Liang-Chy Chien

Null-transmission ellipsometry and depolarized light microscopy have been performed on free-standing films of three achiral banana-shaped compounds in the B2 phase. Our results support a two-layer unit cell previously proposed to explain the observed antiferroelectricity in thin films and bulk samples. We have studied thicker films than previously reported and have found no deviations in the film structure from the earlier findings. Moreover, we can determine the layer spacing, the molecular tilt from the layer normal, and the three principal indices of refraction in the molecular reference frame.