Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Article number | 193507 |
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<mark>Journal publication date</mark> | 11/05/2009 |
<mark>Journal</mark> | Applied Physics Letters |
Issue number | 19 |
Volume | 94 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Publication Status | Published |
<mark>Original language</mark> | English |
Electroconvection (EC) phenomena are reported in the uniaxial and biaxial nematic phases of a bent-core liquid crystal. Two EC instabilities are observed. Prewavy_1, which exists only in the uniaxial phase, has stripes parallel to the rubbing direction, a periodicity of order of the device thickness, and an onset voltage that diverges near the uniaxial to biaxial transition. The prewavy_2 instability, characterized by stripes perpendicular to the rubbing direction and a periodicity of twice the device thickness, exists across the entire nematic regime. Our observations are explained through changes in the electrical conductivity anisotropy at the uniaxial to biaxial transition.