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Studies of Islands on Freely Suspended Bubbles of Smectic Liquid CrystalWe have constructed an optical system for observing the internal structure of freely suspended smectic liquid crystal bubbles using a reflected light microscope. Liquid crystal bubbles can have thicker circular regions (islands) which can easily be generated by shrinking the bubble diameter. The diameter of these islands is approximately 10 microns and they are typically up to five times thicker than the surrounding liquid crystal film (500 angstroms). In the Laboratory, the location of the islands is strongly influenced by gravity, which causes the majority of islands to migrate to the bottom half of the bubble. We will describe the size and thickness distributions of islands and their time evolution, and also discuss two-dimensional hydrodynamics and turbulence of smectic bubbles, the shapes of islands and holes affected by bubble vibrations, and the interactions between islands, which we have probed using optical tweezers.
Document ID
20030005529
Acquisition Source
Glenn Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Pattanaporkratana, A.
(Colorado Univ. Boulder, CO United States)
Mavel, B.
(Colorado Univ. Boulder, CO United States)
Park, C. S.
(Colorado Univ. Boulder, CO United States)
Maclennan, J. E.
(Colorado Univ. Boulder, CO United States)
Clark, N. A.
(Colorado Univ. Boulder, CO United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
November 1, 2002
Publication Information
Publication: Sixth Microgravity Fluid Physics and Transport Phenomena Conference: Exposition Topical Areas 1-6
Volume: 2
Subject Category
Solid-State Physics
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG3-1846
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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