Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 3, 2026
08:32
Development of Whispering Gallery Mode Polymeric Micro-optical Electric Field Sensors
Published on: January 29, 2013
14.6K
Measuring nematic liquid crystal anchoring energy using whispering gallery modes
Optics Express
|September 26, 2015
Summary
Whispering gallery modes (WGMs) around liquid crystal droplets reveal interface director orientation. Applying an electric field shifted WGMs, allowing calculation of the liquid crystal droplet
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Chemistry
Background:
- Whispering gallery modes (WGMs) are sensitive to the director orientation at the interface of liquid crystal droplets.
- Understanding surface properties is crucial for liquid crystal applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between electric fields, director orientation, and WGMs in liquid crystal droplets.
- To determine the extrapolation length of nematic liquid crystals at the interface.
Main Methods:
- Applying an electric field to a nematic liquid crystal droplet surrounded by PDMS.
- Inducing vertical director orientation at the interface.
- Measuring WGM shifts in response to varying electric field intensity.
Main Results:
- Electric field application induced vertical director orientation.
- WGMs shifted with changes in electric field intensity.
- Calculated extrapolation length of 0.35 ± 0.02 μm.
Conclusions:
- WGM sensitivity provides a method for probing liquid crystal surface properties.
- This technique can be used to determine the extrapolation length of liquid crystals.
