Optical trapping of colloidal particles and measurement of the defect line tension and colloidal forces in a thermotropic nematic liquid crystal
- Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242 (United States)
We demonstrate optical trapping and manipulation of transparent microparticles suspended in a thermotropic nematic liquid crystal with low birefringence. We employ the particle manipulation to measure line tension of a topologically stable disclination line and to determine colloidal interaction of particles with perpendicular surface anchoring of the director. The three-dimensional director fields and positions of the particles manipulated by laser tweezers are visualized by fluorescence confocal polarizing microscopy.
- OSTI ID:
- 20636931
- Journal Information:
- Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 86; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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