Polarity mapping in liquid crystals using laser-induced heating

Andolšek, Peter (avtor), Sebastián Ugarteche, Nerea (avtor), Gibb, Calum Jordan (avtor), Hobbs, Jordan (avtor), Mandle, Richard J. (avtor), Mertelj, Alenka (avtor), Osterman, Natan (avtor)

The investigation of phase behaviour in the new class of materials showing ferroelectric nematic and related phases can greatly benefit from methods that combine thermal control with structural and polarity-sensitive imaging. In this work, we present a technique that integrates focused infrared laser heating with second harmonic generation microscopy, enabling rapid, localised control of temperature and simultaneous polarity-resolved imaging. This approach allows for spatially resolved visualisation of multiple coexisting liquid crystalline phases and their polar character in a single-shot experiment – significantly accelerating analysis compared to conventional heating-stage-based methods. We demonstrate the method on conventional nematic LCs and a complex ferroelectric nematic LC, resolving a rich sequence of mesophases and validating induced temperature profiles through numerical simulations. Our approach offers strong potential for high-throughput screening of novel materials and exploration of metastable phases.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals, laser heating, temperature gradient, microscopy, opto-thermal manipulation, phase coexistence, SHG microscopy
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: FMF - Fakulteta za matematiko in fiziko
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2025
• Št. strani: Str. 792–800
• Številčenje: Vol. 52, no. 9/10
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-176680
• UDK: 538.9
• ISSN pri članku: 0267-8292
• DOI: 10.1080/02678292.2025.2524438
• COBISS.SI-ID: 243236099
• Datum objave v RUL: 08.12.2025

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Liquid crystals
• Skrajšan naslov: Liq. cryst.
• Založnik: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 0267-8292
• COBISS.SI-ID: 1690628

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: feroelektrični nematski tekoči kristali, lasersko segrevanje, temperaturni gradient, mikroskopija