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Domain Structures in Liquid Crystals, induced by Electric Fields

Abstract

THE recent report by Williams1 of domain structures in p-azoxyanisole appeared at a time when we were obtaining similar effects with related compounds in these laboratories. Until the appearance of Williams's report, there appears to have been nothing published on electric field effects since 1943 (ref. 2). In reviewing the contradictory theories of a number of workers, Gray3 has concluded that the nature of the orientating effects of applied electric fields is not clear, and the directions in which the major axes of the molecules become orientated with respect to the field are uncertain. An extensive investigation is required to resolve the existing contradictions.

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References

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  3. Gray, G. W., Molecular Structure and the Properties of Liquid Crystals (Academic Press, 1962).

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  4. Matthias, B., and von Hippel, A., Phys. Rev., 73, 1378 (1948). Forsbergh, P. W., Phys. Rev., 76, 1221 (1949).

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ELLIOTT, G., GIBSON, J. Domain Structures in Liquid Crystals, induced by Electric Fields. Nature 205, 995–996 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1038/205995a0

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