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Title: Near-Field Optical Microscopy of Defects in Cholesteric Oligomeric Liquid Crystal Films

Conference · · Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals
OSTI ID:889589

This paper describes formation of 2-D hexagonal structures with a periodicity ~0.5-0.8 um in the defects of thin films of cholesteric oligomeric liquid crystals prepared by the evaporation of the solvent from the oligomer solution on the substrate. These regular arrays were observed by scanning near-field optical and concurrent atomic force microscopy. The mechanisms considered are both Benard-Marangoni and buoyancy conventions induced by solvent evaporation and air-bubble creation around the condensed water droplets from the air during evaporative cooling. Hexagonal structures prepared by this method can be used in photonic devices for emission enhancement, for instance, in liquid crystal lasers and single photon sources with oligomeric liquid crystal hosts.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
FC52-92SF19460
OSTI ID:
889589
Report Number(s):
DOE/SF/19460-692; 1655; 2005-85; TRN: US0703471
Journal Information:
Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals, Vol. 454; Conference: 11th International Topical Meeting on Optics of Liquid Crystals, Sand Key, FL, 2-7 October 2005
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English