Nys Inge, Beeckman Jeroen, Neyts Kristiaan
Opt Express. 2019 Apr 15;27(8):11492-11502. doi: 10.1364/OE.27.011492.
Chiral nematic liquid crystals (CLCs) offer interesting perspectives for device applications and are fascinating materials to study because of their ability to self-assemble into complex structures. This work demonstrates that narrow lines of electron-beam resist on top of an ITO coated glass surface can dramatically influence the formation and growth of short pitch chiral superstructures in the bulk. By applying a voltage to the cell, directional growth of CLC structures along the corrugated surface can be controlled. Below the electric unwinding threshold, chiral structures start to grow along the grating lines with their helical axis parallel to the substrates. This results in a uniform lying helix-like structure at intermediate voltages and a chiral configuration with periodic undulations of the helical axis at low voltages.
手性向列相液晶（CLCs）因其能够自组装成复杂结构，为器件应用提供了有趣的前景，是一类引人入胜的研究材料。这项工作表明，在涂有ITO的玻璃表面上的窄电子束抗蚀剂线可以显著影响本体中短间距手性超结构的形成和生长。通过向液晶盒施加电压，可以控制CLC结构沿波纹表面的定向生长。在电解旋阈值以下，手性结构开始沿着光栅线生长，其螺旋轴平行于基板。这导致在中间电压下形成均匀的平躺螺旋状结构，在低电压下形成螺旋轴具有周期性起伏的手性构型。
