Surface alignment and anchoring transitions in nematic lyotropic chromonic liquid crystal

The surface alignment of lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals can not only be planar (tangential) but also homeotropic, with self-assembled aggregates perpendicular to the substrate, as demonstrated by mapping optical retardation and by three-dimensional imaging of the director field. With time, the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2010-06, Vol.105 (1), p.017801-017801, Article 017801
Main Authors: Nazarenko, V G, Boiko, O P, Park, H-S, Brodyn, O M, Omelchenko, M M, Tortora, L, Nastishin, Yu A, Lavrentovich, O D
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:The surface alignment of lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals can not only be planar (tangential) but also homeotropic, with self-assembled aggregates perpendicular to the substrate, as demonstrated by mapping optical retardation and by three-dimensional imaging of the director field. With time, the homeotropic nematic undergoes a transition into a tangential state. The anchoring transition is discontinuous and can be described by a double-well anchoring potential with two minima corresponding to tangential and homeotropic orientation.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/physrevlett.105.017801