A bent-core mesogen that forms a cybotactic nematic phase exhibits a giant magnetic field-induced shift of its nematic-isotropic and smectic-C-nematic transition temperatures: Delta T(H) = 4 K for H = 10 kOe. In contrast with molecular nematics, in cybotactic nematics the field couples with the anisotropic susceptibility of clusters containing several hundred partially ordered molecules. X-ray diffraction data corroborate a quantitative estimate of inferred cluster size (similar to 300 molecules). The results represent an unequivocal demonstration of the cluster picture of the nematic phase of this class of nonlinear liquid crystals.
Extraordinary Magnetic Field Effect in Bent-Core Liquid Crystals / Francescangeli, Oriano; Vita, Francesco; Fauth, F.; Samulski, E. T.. - In: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS. - ISSN 0031-9007. - STAMPA. - 107:(2011), pp. 207801/1-207801/5. [10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.207801]
Extraordinary Magnetic Field Effect in Bent-Core Liquid Crystals
FRANCESCANGELI, ORIANO;VITA, Francesco;
2011-01-01
Abstract
A bent-core mesogen that forms a cybotactic nematic phase exhibits a giant magnetic field-induced shift of its nematic-isotropic and smectic-C-nematic transition temperatures: Delta T(H) = 4 K for H = 10 kOe. In contrast with molecular nematics, in cybotactic nematics the field couples with the anisotropic susceptibility of clusters containing several hundred partially ordered molecules. X-ray diffraction data corroborate a quantitative estimate of inferred cluster size (similar to 300 molecules). The results represent an unequivocal demonstration of the cluster picture of the nematic phase of this class of nonlinear liquid crystals.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
