Revealing the uniaxial to biaxial nematic liquid crystal phase transition via distinctive electroconvection

Electroconvection (EC) phenomena are reported in the uniaxial and biaxial nematic phases of a bent-core liquid crystal. Two EC instabilities are observed. Prewavy_1, which exists only in the uniaxial phase, has stripes parallel to the rubbing direction, a periodicity of order of the device thickness...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics letters 2009-05, Vol.94 (19), p.193507-193507-3
Main Authors: Xiang, Ying, Goodby, J. W., Görtz, V., Gleeson, H. F.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Electroconvection (EC) phenomena are reported in the uniaxial and biaxial nematic phases of a bent-core liquid crystal. Two EC instabilities are observed. Prewavy_1, which exists only in the uniaxial phase, has stripes parallel to the rubbing direction, a periodicity of order of the device thickness, and an onset voltage that diverges near the uniaxial to biaxial transition. The prewavy_2 instability, characterized by stripes perpendicular to the rubbing direction and a periodicity of twice the device thickness, exists across the entire nematic regime. Our observations are explained through changes in the electrical conductivity anisotropy at the uniaxial to biaxial transition.
ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.3138867