Periodic pattern of liquid crystal molecular orientation induced by ultrasound vibrations

Abstract

Methods for controlling the periodic molecular orientation of liquid crystals using ultrasound vibrations and estimating the orientational direction are proposed. An ultrasonic liquid crystal cell was used, consisting of a liquid crystal layer sandwiched by two glass plates fitted with piezoelectric ultrasound transducers. The transmitted light intensity distribution through the cell was measured by changing the polarization direction to investigate the orientation direction of the liquid crystal molecules. The transmitted light distributions changed periodically owing to the flexural vibration of the cell at resonance frequencies of 43.9 and 70.7 kHz. The orientational direction of the liquid crystal molecules correlated with the vibrational distribution of the glass substrates, and the molecular orientation was changed periodically by the acoustic radiation force. The interval and intensity of the transmitted light could be controlled by the driving frequency and voltage amplitude, respectively.