ELECTRIC-FIELD-INDUCED CHANGE OF THE ORDER-PARAMETER IN A NEMATIC LIQUID-CRYSTAL

Authors
LELIDIS I NOBILI M DURAND G
Citation
I. Lelidis et al., ELECTRIC-FIELD-INDUCED CHANGE OF THE ORDER-PARAMETER IN A NEMATIC LIQUID-CRYSTAL, Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics, 48(5), 1993, pp. 3818-3821
Citations number
16
Categorie Soggetti
Physycs, Mathematical","Phsycs, Fluid & Plasmas
Journal title
Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics → ACNP
ISSN journal
1063651X
Volume
48
Issue
5
Year of publication
1993
Pages
3818 - 3821
Database
ISI
SICI code
1063-651X(1993)48:5<3818:ECOTOI>2.0.ZU;2-A
Abstract
We measure optically the increase of quadrupolar order DELTAS, induced by a stabilizing electric field E, in the nematic liquid crystal 4'-n -pentyl-4-cyanobiphenyl with large positive dielectric anisotropy epsi lon(a) approximately 10. DELTAS shows a linear and a quadratic depende nce on E. Both effects are comparable for the largest field E approxim ately 3 X 10(5) V/cm. The linear variation is interpreted as originati ng from the quenching of macroscopic orientational fluctuations, while the quadratic contribution is a superposition of the microscopic Kerr effect and of a saturation term due to the macroscopic effect.