Abstract
The peculiar properties of Liquid Crystals (LCs) foster new possibilities in plasmonics. The combination of the intrinsic tunability of LCs with the plasmonic properties of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) provides novel and intriguing features of systems commonly identified as active plasmonics. Being LCs, one of the media whose refractive index can be controlled through the application of external stimuli, they represent a convenient host for enabling plasmonic tunability. On the other hand, the localized plasmonic resonance, typical of NPs, can strongly influence and control the behaviour of LCs. In this paper, we overview several systems of NPs combined with LCs arranged in different configurations. The properties of the resulting systems suggest novel, intriguing outcomes in both fundamental and applied research.
References
[1] A. Kumar, J. Prakash, D. S. Mehta, A. M. Biradar, and W. Haase, “Enhanced photoluminescence in gold nanoparticles doped ferroelectric liquid crystals,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 2009, 95(2), 023117. Search in Google Scholar
[2] S.-C. Jeng, C.-W. Kuo, H.-L. Wang, and C.-C. Liao, “Nanoparticles-induced vertical alignment in liquid crystal cell,” Appl. Phys. Lett., 2007, 91(6), 061112. 10.1063/1.2768309Search in Google Scholar
[3] F. Li, O. Buchnev, C. I. Cheon, A. Glushchenko, V. Reshetnyak, Y. Reznikov, T. J. Sluckin, and J. L. West, “Orientational coupling amplification in ferroelectric nematic colloids,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 2006, 97(14), 147801. Search in Google Scholar
[4] W. Lee, C.-Y. Wang, and Y.-C. Shih, “Effects of carbon nanosolids on the electro-optical properties of a twisted nematic liquid-crystal host,” Appl. Phys. Lett., 2004, 85(4), 513–515. 10.1063/1.1771799Search in Google Scholar
[5] S.-J. Hwang, S.-C. Jeng, C.-Y. Yang, C.-W. Kuo, and C.-C. Liao, “Characteristics of nanoparticle-doped homeotropic liquid crystal devices, ” J. Phys. D Appl. Phys., 2009, 42(2), 025102. 10.1088/0022-3727/42/2/025102Search in Google Scholar
[6] W.-Z. Chen, Y.-T. Tsai, and T.-H. Lin, “Photoalignment effect in a liquid-crystal film doped with nanoparticles and azo-dye,” Appl. Phys. Lett., 2009, 94(20), 201114. 10.1063/1.3142390Search in Google Scholar
[7] R. Bitar, G. Agez and M. Mitov, Soft Matter, 2011, 7, 8198 10.1039/c1sm05628jSearch in Google Scholar
[8] Q. Liu, B. Senyuk, J. Tang, T. Lee, J. Qian, S. He and I.I. Smalyukh, Phys Rev. Lett., 2012, 109, 8, 088301. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.088301Search in Google Scholar PubMed
[9] J.S. Pendery, O. Merchiers, D. Coursault, J. Grand, H. Ayeb, R. Greget, B. Donnio, J.-L. Gallani, C. Rosenblatt, N. Felidj, Y. Borenszteinab and E. Lacaze, Soft Matter, 2013, 9, 9366. Search in Google Scholar
[10] G. Mie, Ann. Phys 1908, 25, 377. 10.1002/andp.19083300302Search in Google Scholar
[11] A. Cunningham, S. Mühlig, C. Rockstuhl and T. Bürgi, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2011, 115, 8955. 12. G. Decher , Science, 1997, 277, 1232. Search in Google Scholar
[13] P.A. Kossyrev, A. Yin, S.G. Cloutier, D.A. Cardimona, D. Huang, P.M. Alsing, J.M. Xu, Nano Lett. 2005, 5, 1978. Search in Google Scholar
[14] L. De Sio, S. Ferjani, G. Strangi, C. Umeton; R. Bartolino, Soft Matter 2011, 7, 3739. 10.1039/c1sm05045aSearch in Google Scholar
[15] L. De Sio, A. Cunningham, V. Verrina, C.M. Tone, R. Caputo, T. Bürgi and C. Umeton, Nanoscale, 2012, 4, 7619-7623. 10.1039/c2nr31426fSearch in Google Scholar PubMed
[16] S. Y. Park and D. Stroud, Appl. Phys. Lett., 2004, 85, 2920. Search in Google Scholar
[17] H. Wang, A. Vial, J. Quant. Spec. Rad. Tran. 2014, 146, 492. Search in Google Scholar
[18] H. Wang, A. Vial, Plasmonics, 2013, 8, 1335. Search in Google Scholar
[19. H. Wang, A. Vial, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2013, 117, 24537. 10.1021/jp406345wSearch in Google Scholar
[20] E. Feigenbaum, K. Diest, H. A. Atwater, Nano Lett. 2010, 10, 2111. Search in Google Scholar
[21] M. Abb, P. Albella, J. Aizpurua, O. L. Muskens, Nano Lett 2011, 11, 2457. 10.1021/nl200901wSearch in Google Scholar
[22] Y. J. Liu, Q. Hao, J. S. T. Smalley, J. Liou, I. C. Khoo, T. J. Huang, App. Phys. Lett. 2010, 97, 091101. Search in Google Scholar
[23] C. J. Murphy, T. K Sau, A. M. Gole, C. J. Orendorff, J. Gao, L. Gou, S. E. Hunyadi, T. Li, J. Phys. Chem. B 2005, 109, 13857. 10.1021/jp0516846Search in Google Scholar
[24] L. Tian, E. Chen, N. Gandra, A. Abbas, S. Singamaneni, Langmuir 2012, 28 17435. 10.1021/la3034534Search in Google Scholar
[25] N.R. Jana, L. Gearheart, C.J. Murphy, Adv. Mater. 2001, 13, 1389 26. R. Gans, Ann.Phys. 1912, 342, 881. Search in Google Scholar
[27] L. De Sio, G. Klein, S. Serak, N. Tabiryan, A. Cunningham, C. M. Tone, F. Ciuchi, T. Bürgi, C. Umeton, T. Bunning J. Mater. Chem. C 2013, 1, 7483 10.1039/c3tc31733aSearch in Google Scholar
[28] H. Stark. “Physics of colloidal dispersions in nematic liquid crystals” Phys.Rep. 2001, 351, 387- 474. 10.1016/S0370-1573(00)00144-7Search in Google Scholar
[29] M. Gupta, I. Satpathy, and R. Pratibha. “Nanoparticle induced director distortion and disorder in liquid crystal-nanoparticle dispersions” J. Coll. Inter. Sci. 2010, 352, 292–298. Search in Google Scholar
[30] H. Qi and T. Hegman. “Formation of periodic stripe patterns in nematic liquid crystals doped with functionalized gold nanoparticles” J. Mater. Chem. 2006, 16, 4197–4205. Search in Google Scholar
[31] J. Milette, S.J. Cowling, V. Toader, C. Lavigne, I.M. Saez, R.B. Lennox, J.W. Goodby and L. Reven “Reversible long range network formation in gold nanoparticle-nematic liquid crystal composites” Soft Matter 2012, 8, 173–179. 10.1039/C1SM06604HSearch in Google Scholar
[32] M. Infusino, A. De Luca, F. Ciuchi, A. Ionescu, N. Scaramuzza and G. Strangi “Optical and Electrical Characterization of a Gold Nanoparticle Dispersion in a Chiral Liquid Crystal Matrix” J. Mater. Sci. 2014, 49, 1805-1811. Search in Google Scholar
[33] P. G. de Gennes and J. Prost, The Physics of Liquid Crystals, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 2nd Ed., 1993. Search in Google Scholar
[34] O.D. Lavrentovich, M. Klman and V.M. Pergamenshchik “Nucleation of focal conic domains in smectic A liquid crystals” J. Phys. II (Paris) 4 377–400 (1994). 10.1051/jp2:1994135Search in Google Scholar
[35] R.P Trivedi, I.I. Klevets, B. Senyuk, T. Lee and I.I. Smalyukh “Reconfigurable inter-actions and three-dimensional patterning of colloidal particles and defects in lamelllar soft media” PNAS, 2012, 109, 44744–4749. 10.1073/pnas.1119118109Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central
[36] B. Senyuk, J.S. Evans, P.J. Ackerman, T. Lee, P. Manna, L. Vigderman, E.R. Zubarev, J. van de Lagemaat, and I.I. Smalyukh “Shape-Dependent Oriented Trapping and Scaffolding of Plasmonic Nanoparticles by Topological Defects for Self-Assembly of Colloidal Dimers in Liquid Crystal” Nano Lett. 2012, 12, 955–963. Search in Google Scholar
[37] M. Yada, J. Yamamoto and H. Tokoyama “Spontaneous formation of regular defect arrays in water-in-cholesteric liquid crystal emulsions” Langmuir 2002, 18 7436–7440. 10.1021/la025757dSearch in Google Scholar
[38] L. Ramos, M. Zapotocky, L.T. Lubensky and D.A. Weitz “Rheology of defect network in cholesteric liquid crystals” Phys. Rev. E 2002, 66 031711. 10.1103/PhysRevE.66.031711Search in Google Scholar PubMed
[39] M. Zapotocky, L. Ramos, P. Poulin, L.T. Lubensky and D.A. Weitz “Particle-stabilized defect gel in cholesteric liquid crystals” Science 1999, 283 209–112. 10.1126/science.283.5399.209Search in Google Scholar PubMed
[40] S.H. Hong, R. Verduzco, J.C. Williams, R.J. Twieg, E. DiMasi, R. Pindak, A. Jákli, J.T. Gleeson and S. Sprunt “Short-range smectic order in bent-core nematic liquid crystals” Soft Matter 2010, 6 4819–4827. 10.1039/c000362jSearch in Google Scholar
[41] F. Wang, H. Cao, K. Li, P. Song, X. Wu and H. Yang “Control homogeneous alignment of chiral nematic liquid crystal with smectic-like short-range order by thermal treatment” Colloid and Surface A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects 2012, 410 31–37. 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2012.05.049Search in Google Scholar
[42] R. Caputo, L. De Sio, A.V. Sukhov, A. Veltri, C. Umeton, Opt. Lett., 2004, 29, 1261. Search in Google Scholar
[43] A Marino, F Vita, V Tkachenko, R Caputo, C Umeton, A Veltri, G Abbate, The European Physical Journal E, 2004, 15 (1), 47-52. 10.1140/epje/i2004-10035-ySearch in Google Scholar PubMed
[44] R. Caputo, A. De Luca, L. De Sio, L. Pezzi, G. Strangi, C. Umeton, A. Veltri, R. Asquini, A. d’Alessandro, D. Donisi, R. Beccherelli, A.V. Sukhov and N.V. Tabiryan., J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 2009, 11, 2, 024017. Search in Google Scholar
[45] L. De Sio, A. Veltri, R. Caputo, A. De Luca, G. Strangi, R. Bartolino, C.P. Umeton, Liq. Cryst. Rev. 2013, 1, 1, 2. Search in Google Scholar
[46] L. De Sio, S. Ferjani, G. Strangi, C. Umeton, R. Bartolino, Soft Matter, 2011, 7 (8), 3739-3743 10.1039/c1sm05045aSearch in Google Scholar
[47] L. De Sio, P. D’Aquila, E. Brunelli, G. Strangi, D. Bellizzi, G. Passarino, C. Umeton, R. Bartolino, Langmuir, 2013, 29, 10, 3398-3403 10.1021/la3035787Search in Google Scholar PubMed
[48] L. De Sio, , S. Serak and N. Tabiryan C. Umeton, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 6811-6814. 10.1039/c1jm10284bSearch in Google Scholar
[49] L. De Sio, N. Tabiryan, T. Bunning, C. Umeton, Progress in Optics, 2013, 58, 1-64. 10.1016/B978-0-444-62644-8.00001-7Search in Google Scholar
[50] L. De Sio , S. Ferjani , G. Strangi, C. Umeton, R. Bartolino, J. Phys. Chem. B, 2013, 117, 1176–1185. 10.1021/jp311027pSearch in Google Scholar PubMed
[51] L. De Sio, R. Caputo, U. Cataldi, C. Umeton, J. Mat. Chem., 2011, 21 (47), 18967-18970. 10.1039/c1jm14753fSearch in Google Scholar
[52] G. Carbone, P. Salter, S.J. Elston, P. Raynes, L. De Sio, S. Ferjani, G. Strangi, App. Phys. Lett., 2009, 95 (1), 011102. 10.1063/1.3159624Search in Google Scholar
[53] G. Strangi, V. Barna, R. Caputo, A. de Luca, C. Versace, N. Scaramuzza, C. Umeton and R. Bartolino, Phys. Rev. Lett., 2005, 94, 063903. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.063903Search in Google Scholar PubMed
[54] S. Link and M. A. El-Sayed, J. Phys. Chem. B, 1999, 103, 4212. Search in Google Scholar
[55] L. De Sio, V. Caligiuri, C. Umeton, J. Opt. 16, 2014, 065703 10.1088/2040-8978/16/6/065703Search in Google Scholar
[56] F. Tam, G. P. Goodrich, B. R. Johnson and N. J. Halas, Nano Lett., 2007, 7, 496. 10.1021/nl062901xSearch in Google Scholar PubMed
[57] U. Kreibig and M. Vollmer, Optical Properties of Metal Clusters, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1996. 10.1007/978-3-662-09109-8Search in Google Scholar
[58] M. K. Kinnan and G. Chumanov, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2010, 114, 7496. Search in Google Scholar
© 2015 Roberto Caputo et al.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.