Liquid Crystal Sensors

Liquid Crystal Sensors discusses novel applications of liquid crystals that lie beyond electrically driven optical switches and displays. The main focus is on recent progress in the area of sensors based on low molar mass and polymer liquid crystals. This area of research became "hot" in recent years since the possibilities for applications of liquid crystal sensors are growing in many areas, ranging from the detection of mechanical displacements to the detection of environmental pollutants and chemical agents. This book is well-suited for students, as well as scientists from different backgrounds. For students and researchers new to the field, it gives a thorough introduction. For experienced researchers it shows the latest breakthroughs and serves as an inspiration for solving problems or sparking new ideas. Key Features: Emphasizes how liquid crystals are extremely sensitive to external stimuli and therefore can be used for the construction of stimuli-responsive devices, such as sensors Includes the contributions of editors who are deeply involved in the field and author chapters on hot topics such as the sensitivity of liquid crystals to pollutants, UV light, and strain Provides an exclusive on LC sensors where having the data in one place will be very useful to the community Gives more information on sensors and broadens the scope by having a contributed volume rather than authored Combines recent data on advances in the area of liquid crystal sensors that includes many types of liquid crystal materials

Liquid Crystal Sensors discusses novel applications of liquid crystals that lie beyond electrically driven optical switches and displays. The main focus is on recent progress in the area of sensors based on low molar mass and polymer liquid crystals. This area of research became "hot" in recent years since the possibilities for applications of liquid crystal sensors are growing in many areas, ranging from the detection of mechanical displacements to the detection of environmental pollutants and chemical agents. This book is well-suited for students, as well as scientists from different backgrounds. For students and researchers new to the field, it gives a thorough introduction. For experienced researchers it shows the latest breakthroughs and serves as an inspiration for solving problems or sparking new ideas. Key Features: Emphasizes how liquid crystals are extremely sensitive to external stimuli and therefore can be used for the construction of stimuli-responsive devices, such as sensors Includes the contributions of editors who are deeply involved in the field and author chapters on hot topics such as the sensitivity of liquid crystals to pollutants, UV light, and strain Provides an exclusive on LC sensors where having the data in one place will be very useful to the community Gives more information on sensors and broadens the scope by having a contributed volume rather than authored Combines recent data on advances in the area of liquid crystal sensors that includes many types of liquid crystal materials

1. Liquid crystals: a unique phase of matter -- 2. Medical displays -- 3. Liquid crystals in spectroscopy, microscopy and hyperspectral imaging -- 4. Liquid crystal biosensors -- 5. Liquid crystak lasers -- 6. Biomimicking with liquid crystals -- 7. Actuators and delivery systems

The chemistry, physics, and applications of liquid crystals beyond LCDs Liquid Crystals (LCs) combine order and mobility on a molecular and supramolecular level. But while these remarkable states of matter are most commonly associated with visual display technologies, they have important applications for a variety of other fields as well. Liquid Crystals Beyond Displays: Chemistry, Physics, and Applications considers these, bringing together cutting-edge research from some of the most promising areas of LC science. Featuring contributions from respected researchers from around the globe, this edited volume emphasizes the chemistry, physics, and applications of LCs in areas such as photovoltaics, light-emitting diodes, filed-effect transistors, lasers, molecular motors, nanophotonics and biosensors. Specific chapters look at magnetic LCs, lyotropic chromonic LCs, LC-based chemical sensors, LCs in metamaterials, and much more. Introducing readers to the fundamentals of LC science through the use of illustrative examples, Liquid Crystals Beyond Displays covers not only the most recent research in the myriad areas in which LCs are being utilized, but also looks ahead, addressing potential future developments. Designed for physicists, chemists, engineers, and biologists working in academia or industry, as well as graduate students specializing in LC technology, this is the first book to consider LC applications across a wide range of fields.

Over 100 scientists met at the IBM Research Laboratory in San Jose. California for a symposium on the Physics and Chemistry of Liquid Crystal Devices. The two-day meeting was intellectually stimulating with excellent oral presentations and with person-to-person discussions. The applications of liquid crystals have developed dramatically in the past ten years. In these few years, they have moved from being a laboratory curiosity to products in the market place. The first commercial application (1940's) of liquid crystals was the preparation of a light polarizer. The second commercial application was their use as temperature sensors. The third major application of liquid crystals dealt with commercial displays. Other current applications include polymeric and graphitic fibers and light attenuators. The future of liquid crystals looks very promising indeed. One can expect to see new fibers of qualities which will be superior to those presently known. Graphitic fibers or other physical forms of graphitic materials will be used as catalytic surfaces for chemical synthesis. In the display area. one can expect to see television screens using liquid crystals. Larger displays than are now used in wrist watches and pocket calculators will become available. Liquid crystals using color displays will become commercially practical. Watches. calculators and television screens will have color.

Covering numerous practical applications as yet not covered in any single source of information, this monograph discusses the importance of viscous and elastic properties for applications in both display and non-display technologies. The very well-known authors are major players in this field of research and pay special attention here to the use of liquid crystals in fiber optic devices as applied in telecommunication circuits.

Optical computers and photonic integrated circuits in high capacity optical networks are hot topics, attracting the attention of expert researchers and commercial technology companies. Optical packet switching and routing technologies promise to provide a more efficient source of power, and footprint scaling with increased router capacity; integrating more optical processing elements into the same chip to increase on-chip processing capability and system intelligence has become a priority. This book is an in-depth look at modelling techniques and the simulation of a wide range of liquid crystal based modern photonic devices with enhanced high levels of flexible integration and enhanced power processing. It covers the physics of liquid crystal materials; techniques required for modelling liquid crystal based devices; the state-of-the art liquid crystal photonic based applications for telecommunications such as couplers, polarization rotators, polarization splitters and multiplexer-demultiplexers; liquid core photonic crystal fiber (LC-PCF) sensors including biomedical and temperature sensors; and liquid crystal photonic crystal based encryption systems for security applications. Key features Offers a unique source of in-depth learning on the fundamental principles of computational liquid crystal photonics. Explains complex concepts such as photonic crystals, liquid crystals, waveguides and modes, and frequency- and time-domain techniques used in the design of liquid crystal photonic crystal photonic devices in terms that are easy to understand. Demonstrates the useful properties of liquid crystals in a diverse and ever-growing list of technological applications. Requires only a foundational knowledge of mathematics and physics.