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Updated: Jul 12, 2026
10:52
Direct Imaging of Laser-driven Ultrafast Molecular Rotation
Published on: February 4, 2017
Director rotation via photoinduced differential depletion in nematic dyes
Abstract:
We revisit the problem of director realignment induced by photoisomerization of rodlike dye molecules. We find a geometrical basis for the rotational rate, arising by the differential depletion of rods from the nematic distribution. A simple expression, valid for arbitrarily strong, Maier-Saupe-like nematic order, is given for this rate. Contact is made with the weak order scaling limit given in the literature.
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