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Nematic Liquid Crystal on a Two Dimensional Hexagonal Lattice and its Application.

ABSTRACT: We have studied the alignment of liquid crystal adsorbed onto graphene and hexagonal boron nitride by using a polarized optical microscope. From the experimental data, it was found that there were 6 different alignment orientations of the liquid crystal molecules on a single crystal substrate. This result has never been reported and is quite different from other previous results. As the hexagonal lattice has a threefold rotational symmetry, three different alignment orientations were expected, but our result seems counter-intuitive. We explain this result considering the bending of the tail of the liquid crystal molecules. Using this anchoring effect with six accurate discrete angles, a novel non-volatile display can be developed with micron-scale pixel size, due to the molecular level accuracy of the alignment.

SUBMITTER: Arslan Shehzad M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4542626 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Nematic Liquid Crystal on a Two Dimensional Hexagonal Lattice and its Application.

Arslan Shehzad Muhammad M Hoang Tien Dung D Waqas Iqbal M M Eom Jonghwa J Park J H JH Hwang Chanyong C Seo Yongho Y

Scientific reports 20150820

We have studied the alignment of liquid crystal adsorbed onto graphene and hexagonal boron nitride by using a polarized optical microscope. From the experimental data, it was found that there were 6 different alignment orientations of the liquid crystal molecules on a single crystal substrate. This result has never been reported and is quite different from other previous results. As the hexagonal lattice has a threefold rotational symmetry, three different alignment orientations were expected, b ...[more]

PMID: 26290037

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