Events in Physics
CMP seminar: Harry Walton
Location: P523
Pi cells and Inverse Pi Cells
An infinite planar slab of nematic liquid crystal undergoes a re-alignment under an applied voltage known as the Freedericksz voltage. This observation has helped spawn a billion dollar display industry. A minor change to the boundary conditions of a planar sample results in a ‘pi-cell’ and has surprisingly profound consequences for the physics of the layer. These include the appearance of dislocation mediated transitions, spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking and basic changes in fluid dynamics. We review some of the static and dynamic physics of pi-cells and touch on applications of this device.
The presenter is a research director at Sharp Laboratories of Europe.