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Title: Light-induced molecular adsorption and reorientation at polyvinylcinnamate-fluorinated/liquid-crystal interface

Journal Article · · Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics
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  1. Dipartimento di Fisica e Ingegneria dei Materiali e del Territorio and Istituto Nazionale per la Fisica della Materia, Universita Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona (Italy)

We have carried out a detailed experimental study, by means of x-ray reflectometry (XRR) and half-leaky guided mode (HLGM) optical characterization, of the light-induced molecular adsorption and reorientation at the polyvinylcinnamate-fluorinated (PVCN-F)/liquid-crystal (LC) interface of a LC cell doped with the azo-dye methyl red (MR). The XRR data allowed characterizing the microscopic structure of the adsorbed dye layer both before irradiation (dark adsorption) and after irradiation (light-induced adsorption). The HLGM optical characterization has made possible the experimental determination of the nematic director profile in the LC cell and evaluation of the effects of light-induced adsorption on the LC anchoring conditions. The experimental findings have confirmed the formation of a dark-adsorbed layer and are in agreement with the absorption model previously proposed to account for the complex phenomenology related to light-induced anchoring and reorientation in dye-doped liquid crystals.

OSTI ID:
20641340
Journal Information:
Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics, Vol. 71, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.71.011702; (c) 2005 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1063-651X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English