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Kerr Effect Studies in Liquid Crystalline Substances
Author(s) -
Hauser A.,
Schädler U.,
Demus D.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
kristall und technik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.377
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1521-4079
pISSN - 0023-4753
DOI - 10.1002/crat.19790140707
Subject(s) - kerr effect , liquid crystal , condensed matter physics , relaxation (psychology) , dipole , nitrobenzene , isotropy , constant (computer programming) , phase (matter) , phase transition , materials science , thermodynamics , chemistry , physics , optics , quantum mechanics , nonlinear system , organic chemistry , psychology , social psychology , computer science , programming language , catalysis
The static and dynamic pretransitional behaviour was investigated by the electric Kerr effect in three nematic substances above the clearing point. The measured Kerr constants exceed that of nitrobenzene by more than a factor of 50… 80 which are due mainly to pretransition phenomena and the strong dipole moments of the compounds. A formula is given for the calculation of the Kerr constant. The latent heat at the nematic‐isotropic phase transition calculated from the temperature dependence of the Kerr constant by means of the Landau theory is in good agreement with the experimental values. Size and relaxation behaviour of pseudonematic domains are determined by Kerr effect measurements.