Self-alignment of liquid crystals in three-dimensional photonic crystals
Anno: 2006
Autori: Gottardo S., Burresi M., Geobaldo F., Pallavidino L., Giorgis F., Wiersma D.
Affiliazione autori: European Laboratory for Nonlinear Spectroscopy, INFM-MATIS, via Nello Carrara 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Florence), Italy; Department of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Polytechnical University of Torino, C. so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, I-10129 Turin, Italy; Department of Physics, Polytechnical University of Torino, C. so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, I-10129 Turin, Italy
Abstract: We report on the observation of self-alignment of nematic liquid crystals into colloidal photonic crystals, over distances much larger than the typical size of the voids between the spheres. We observe that the infiltrated structure possesses a unique optical axis that is determined by an intrinsic structural anisotropy of photonic crystal opals. We develop a simple model to describe this self-alignment based on the connectivity of the pores. The resulting structure constitutes a polarization dependent photonic crystal that can be controlled electrically.
Giornale/Rivista: PHYSICAL REVIEW E
Volume: 74 (4) Da Pagina: 040702-1 A: 040702-4
Parole chiavi: Anisotropy; Colloids; Mathematical models; Photons; Polarization, Infiltrated structure; Photonic crystals; Self-alignment; Structural anisotropy; Nematic liquid crystals; Dynamic light-scattering; Electric-field; Band-gapDOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.74.040702Citazioni: 16dati da “WEB OF SCIENCE” (of Thomson Reuters) aggiornati al: 2024-05-05Riferimenti tratti da Isi Web of Knowledge: (solo abbonati) Link per visualizzare la scheda su IsiWeb: Clicca quiLink per visualizzare la citazioni su IsiWeb: Clicca qui