Evaluation of the order parameter in nematic liquid crystals

B. Zywucki; Wojciech Kuczynski; Grzegorz Czechowski

doi:10.1117/12.215531

2 August 1995 Evaluation of the order parameter in nematic liquid crystals

B. Zywucki, Wojciech Kuczynski, Grzegorz Czechowski

Proceedings Volume 2372, Liquid Crystals: Materials Science and Applications; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.215531
Event: Liquid Crystals: Materials Science and Applications, 1994, Zakopane, Poland

Abstract

A simple method for determination of the orientational order parameter in nematic liquid crystals is described. To determine the orientational order parameter S, we exploited the de Gennes observation, that any anisotropic physical quantity may be a measure of orientational ordering in the nematic phase. We prove that in the case of optical anisotropy, the discussion on microscopic level in determination of approximate S value can be omitted and the order parameter can be calculated directly from the macroscopic quantity measured in the experiment, i.e. the birefringence. A simple and precise method for the determination of the optical birefringence is described. Similarily as in the case of microscopic quantities, the value of anisotropic physical quantity for ideally ordered nematic can be extrapolated from its temperature dependence. Results obtained using the proposed method agree well with literature data. The method can be used also for the determination of orientational order parameter in cholesteric and some smectic liquid crystals.

Citation Download Citation

B. Zywucki, Wojciech Kuczynski, and Grzegorz Czechowski "Evaluation of the order parameter in nematic liquid crystals", Proc. SPIE 2372, Liquid Crystals: Materials Science and Applications, (2 August 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.215531

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