| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/H31714/01 |
| Title: |
OPTICAL STUDIES OF SC AND SC LIQUID CRYSTAL STRUCTURES |
| Principal Investigator: |
Sambles, Professor Sir JR |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Physics |
| Organisation: |
University of Exeter |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 October 1992 |
Ends: |
30 September 1995 |
Value (£): |
70,461
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Materials Characterisation |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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This proposal is part of a collaborative research programme involving the Universities of Strathclyde [Applied Maths] (Professor Frank Leslie), Hull [Chemistry] (Professor John Goodby and Dr Peter Styring), Nottingham [Theoretical Mechanics] (Dr Iain Stewart), Oxford [Electrical Engineering] (Dr Steve Elston) and Exeter [Physics] (Professor Roy Sambles and Dr Geoff Bradbury). It has the overall aim of developing a usable continuum theory for the description of Smectic C and Smectic C* liquid crystals organised in thin cells. The work at Exeter will focus on optical studies of structures which may more closely approach the model systems of currently available theory. The results obtained will be used to test current theories and thereby to aid the concurrent development of such theories by Frank Leslie and Iain Stewart. As the new theory is developed it is anticipated that with good optical characterisation this will allow, for the first time quantification of the parameters of these liquid crystals, other than the optical permittivities and the low frequency dielectric constants. With a range of novel materials available from John Goodby, together with the optical data on well aligned cells from Steve Elston, this opens up great potential for foundational Smectic C Liquid Crystal development. Currently this area of liquid crystal research is on a very poor foundation, with no usable continuum theory for thin parallel cells, no decent characterisations of elastic constants, viscosities etc. This means that device development is very empirical and, by comparison to nematic liquid crystals, in a very sad state.For the work at Exeter the following areas will be examined:1) Optical studies of Sc liquid crystals in cells with high surface tilt.2) Optical studies of Sc liquid crystals in blazed-grating cells.3) Modelling the optical response of grating coupling to modes in anisotropic layered systems.4) Optical studies of short-pitch FLCs in thin cells.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.ex.ac.uk |