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Chirality screening and metastable states in chiral nematic colloids
V S R Jampani1, M Škarabot, S Čopar
1Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Physical Review Letters
|May 18, 2013
Summary
The chirality of liquid crystals significantly alters forces between colloidal particles, creating oscillatory interactions. Higher chirality leads to more complex energy landscapes and stronger, screened forces.
Area of Science:
- Soft Matter Physics
- Colloidal Science
- Liquid Crystal Physics
Background:
- Colloidal particles in liquid crystals exhibit complex interactions.
- Chirality in liquid crystals introduces unique physical properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the influence of liquid crystal chirality on forces between colloidal particles.
- Characterize the pair potentials and their dependence on chirality.
Main Methods:
- Experimental measurements of forces between colloidal particles.
- Numerical calculations using Landau-de Gennes theory.
- Varying the chirality of the chiral nematic liquid crystal.
Main Results:
- Observed attractive, oscillatory pair potentials dependent on colloidal separation.
- Increased number and altered positions of energy minima with higher chirality.
- Strongest interaction when pitch equals colloidal diameter, decreasing with increasing chirality.
- Chirality responsible for oscillatory nature and screened interactions.
Conclusions:
- Colloidal particle interactions in chiral nematic liquid crystals are strongly governed by medium chirality.
- The observed phenomena align with theoretical predictions from Landau-de Gennes theory.
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