Detection of flexoellectric effect from 4-heptyloxy-4′-cyanobiphenyl monolayers at an air-water interface by Maxwell displacement current and optical second harmonic generation -: art. no. 164703

The flexoelectric effect of 4-heptyloxy-4'-cyanobiphenyl (70CB) monolayers at the air-water interface is studied by Maxwell displacement current (MDC) and optical second harmonic generation measurements. Though MDC was expected to increase during the compression of 70CB monolayers in L-2/L-2(') phase from the MDC theory developed previously, decrease of MDC was detected in these phases. This abnormalous phenomenon is found to be due to the quench of flexoelectric effect by the flow orientation of monolayers. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.