Course syllabus

Aim

We aim to give an introduction to the physics, and the most common applications, of liquid crystals. In addition to the basic course contents, we also give an overview of the state-of-the art of the field, both within research and industry. Parts of the course material and content is therefore continuously updated. Through a large number of examples and demonstrations during lectures and laboratory exercises, we aim to stimulate the student to see the connections to other courses and fields of science. The course gives a good basis for future advanced studies of liquid crystals but we hope that you will find the skills and knowledge gained in this course most rewarding, also for future activities within other disciplines.

Learning outcomes:

After completion of this course, the student should be able to

• describe the structures, symmetries,  order, and phase transitions  of the most important liquid crystal phases

• understand the basic electric, elastic, and optical properties of liquid crystal materials

• explain the structure and function of liquid crystal displays and devices.

• experimentally identify the most important liquid crystal phases

• carry out basic optics and electrooptical measurements of liquid crystals

• explain the main fabrication steps in liquid crystal display manufacturing

• discuss questions and problems related to liquid crystal science and applications, and to propose solutions/draw sound conclusions by combining knowledge of liquid crystal physics, optics, symmetry arguments, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, condensed matter physics, and other relevant fields of science

Content:

Most people are familiar with the fact that matter can exist in three different states: solid, liquid and gas. However, this is a simplification, and under extreme conditions other forms of matter can exist, e.g. plasma at very high temperatures or superfluid helium at very low temperatures. But we do not have to go to these extreme conditions to find new forms of order in matter. In liquid crystals, which are anisotropic fluids, the molecular order lies between those of the isotropic liquid and the crystal and the classification of liquid crystals is based on their degrees of orientational and positional order. From a basic physics point of view these materials are of large interest and have contributed to the modern understanding of phase transitions and critical phenomena, and to the knowledge about order phenomena in one, two, and three dimensions.

To common people liquid crystals are today almost synonymous to flat panel displays (Liquid Crystal Displays, LCDs) for computers, mobile phones, and other electronic equipment. But there is also a rapid development of other types of application, for instance in telecommunication, pattern recognition, real time holography, non-mechanical beam steering, etc.

 Liquid crystals constitute a unique form of soft matter and are becoming more and more important also in pure materials science in the development of polymer materials and biomaterials. The existence of life is directly dependent on self-organizing soft matter and here liquid crystalline systems are very important. One example is our cell membranes which consist of so-called lyotropic liquid crystals.



The course will give a basic understanding of the physics and different applications of liquid crystals. The content ranges from the history of liquid crystal science, from the first observations in the late nineteenth century, via the development of theories of the liquid crystalline state, the development of liquid crystal displays and examples of today´s state of the art research. After almost 40 years of strong focus on liquid crystals for displays, a large part of the liquid crystal research is today shifting towards nanoscience, colloidal systems, biological systems, and, on the applicational side, towards photonics and microwave electronics.
 The course will stress on how knowledge in optics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, vector analysis, symmetry analysis, etc. constitutes the basis for the very rapid development of liquid crystal displays and devices that we use every day. Furthermore, the course will through laboratory exercises and demonstrations give an introduction to the manufacturing of LCDs.


1. Physical properties of liquid crystals and basic theory

Phases and phase transitions; anisotropic materials; symmetry aspects; optics; elasticity, electrooptics of liquid crystals; ferro-, and antiferroelectric liquid crystals; the research front.

2. Liquid crystal applications

LCDs, present and future displays, 3D-displays, demonstrations, manufacturing of devices, non-display applications, thermochromics, Kevlar, chirality detection

3. Lab project

Problem based laboratory work, Prestudy, planning, ~8h work in the laboratory, plus written report, oral presentation

Organization

• ~20 Lectures,
• Laboratory exercises and demonstrations ~6h, Scheduled time-slots are preliminary and might be issue for change if there is severe collisions with other courses
• Lab project
• 3 homework assignments

internet: Canvas at Chalmers: MCC080 for updated information

Literature

• Copies of lecture notes, OH slides.

•Collings&Hird: Introduction to Liquid Crystals, Taylor&Francis 1997 (Recommended, but not followed to 100%);

•S.T.Lagerwall, P.G.Rudquist, D.S.Hermann: "Liquid crystals", in Encyclopedia of optical Engineering, Marcel Dekker Inc. 2003)

Also parts of:

J. Prost, P.G. de Gennes: The physics of liquid crystals, Oxford 1993; S.Chandrasekhar: Liquid Crystals, Cambridge 1976, second edition 1992; E.B. Priestley, P. Wojtowicz, P.Sheng: Introduction to Liquid Crystals, Plenum, NY 1975;

D.Demus et al. (editors) Handbook of Liquid Crystals, Volume 1-3, Wiley VCH, 1998; S.T.Lagerwall: Ferroelectric and Antiferroelectric Liquid Crystals, Wiley VCH 1999.

Examination

Written exam                        ~70%.

Home work assignments      ~15%
Lab project                            ~15%

Laboratory exercises.         Pass

Grading:

The maximum score on the written exam is 35 points

The individual homework assignments may give a maximum of 7.5 points

The lab-project (in groups of 2 students) may give a maximum of 7.5 points. Students are individually assessed and the students in a project group may get different scores.

The total number of points from the written exam, the homework assignments, and the lab projects constitutes the basis for the final grade:

0-19.5 NOT PASS,
20-29.5 Grade 3,
30-39.5 Grade 4,
40-50    Grade 5

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge on Optics, Electromagnetics, Thermodynamics, Solid state physics