Abstract
We investigate the effect of anisotropic lattice deformation on the Kerr coefficient of polymer-stabilized blue-phase liquid crystals (PSBP-LCs). PSBPs with orthorhombic and tetragonal symmetry were prepared by polymer-stabilizing a blue-phase liquid crystal under electrostriction. Both orthorhombic and tetragonal PSBPs showed smaller Kerr coefficients than the cubic PSBP, despite an increase in the unit cell volume caused by the elongation of the lattice along the direction of light propagation. Our results indicate that the Kerr coefficient of PSBPs is not determined simply by the volume of the unit lattice but by the lattice size perpendicular to the direction of light propagation.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Article number | 012506 |
Journal | Physical Review E - Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics |
Volume | 89 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jan 21 2014 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Statistical and Nonlinear Physics
- Statistics and Probability
- Condensed Matter Physics