Physicists have discovered a new liquid phase of matter, predicted 100 years ago

Researchers have confirmed the existence of a ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal phase, paving the way for many technical innovations based on this class of materials.

Nematic liquid crystals combinefeatures of the behavior of liquids and solids, which allows them to control light, which is why they were used to make LCD displays. Such materials consist of microstructures in the form of threads with oppositely charged ends, the direction of which in traditional crystal versions is selectedrandomly but equally divided.

In the 1910s, Nobel laureates Peter Debye andMax Bourne suggested that molecules in a properly designed liquid crystal can spontaneously form a polar ordered state. In this case, all molecules will be directed in one direction, and they can be rotated using an electric field. However, only after more than 100 years, scientists were able to discover this elusive phase.

Team of physicists from the University of Colorado inBoulder studied the recently synthesized organic molecule RM734. In the process of research, they discovered the presence of a strange phase in the material, which was 100-1000 times more sensitive to electric fields than usual. This suggests that the molecules in the liquid crystal show a strong polar order.

Scientists also determined that when cooled inIn the material, separate spots spontaneously form in which the molecules are located more evenly than expected, which became additional confirmation of the ferroelectric nematic liquid.

According to the researchers, the discovery could spur a variety of innovations, including a new type of display screens and computer memory.

Recall that last year, researchers discovered the first native ferroelectric.