%0 Journal Article
%T Increase in interparticle distance of colloidal dipolar chain in nematic liquid crystal by trapping it on splay-bend wall
%A K. Tagashira
%A K. Asakura
%A G. Nakazawa
%A H. Yoshida
%J AIP Advances
%D 2012
%I AIP Publishing LLC
%R 10.1063/1.4769088
%X We demonstrate an increase in the interparticle distance of a colloidal dipolar chain in a nematic liquid crystal (NLC). Applying an in-plane electric field perpendicular to the rubbing direction induces a splay-bend wall defect in the middle of the electrode gap, which traps a dipolar chain. Above the Freedericksz threshold electric field, the interparticle distance increases with increasing applied electric field, owing to the reorientation of the NLC molecules. The maximum increase is 32% of the particle diameter.
%U http://link.aip.org/link/doi/10.1063/1.4769088