Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Measuring Magnetically-Tuned Ferroelectric Polarization in Liquid Crystals
Published on: August 15, 2018
Magnetic-field induced isotropic to nematic liquid crystal phase transition
T Ostapenko1, D B Wiant, S N Sprunt
1Department of Physics, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, USA.
Abstract:
We report on measurements of magnetic-field induced nematic order in the bent-core liquid crystal 4-chlororesorcinol bis[4-(4-n-dodecyloxybenzoyloxy) benzoate]. Using the 31 T solenoid at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, we have observed, at temperatures less than 1 degrees above the clearing point, a first-order transition to the nematic phase. The critical magnetic field at which this occurs increases with temperature. We discuss these results within the context of both Maier-Saupe and Landau-de Gennes mean-field models for the nematic-isotropic transition. The implications of possible tetrahedratic order are also discussed. To our knowledge, this is the first observation of such a magnetic-field induced transition in a thermotropic liquid crystal; the reasons for which this behavior is now attainable are discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Magnetic Fields
A magnetic field is defined by the force that a charged particle experiences...
Magnetic Field due to Moving Charges
Consider a point charge moving with a constant velocity. Like the electric field, the magnetic field at any point is directly proportional to the magnitude of the charge and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the source point and the field point. However, unlike the electric field, the magnetic field is always perpendicular to the plane containing the line...
Induced Electric Dipoles
Since the absolute value of potential energy holds no physical meaning, its zero value can be chosen as per...
π Electron Effects on Chemical Shift: Overview
Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Relaxation Processes
Atomic Nuclei: Magnetic Resonance

