Abstract:
It has been experimentally shown that when a light radiation (an incandescent lamp or a low-power He–Ne laser with $\lambda$ = 0.63 $\mu$m) is applied to a conductor(Cu)-liquid crystal (nematic 5CB) contact a change in the initial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules occurs in the vicinity of the meniscus. It has been established that the reorientation of molecules is non-stationary in nature with pronounced periods of time of increase and relaxation of the size of the deformation region of the liquid crystal. The characteristic time corresponding to the maximum deformation lies in the range of several seconds. It is assumed that the observed change in the meniscus, which imposes the reorientation of molecules, is due to a change in the surface tension of the liquid crystal due to the photoemission of electrons into the liquid crystal from the conductor during its irradiation.
Keywords:conductor-liquid crystal contact, surface tension, electrowetting, electron photoemission.
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