Supply and commissioning of a Confocal Microscope for Liquid Crystal Analysis

A laser scanning fluorescence confocal polarization microscope will be

acquired for x,y,z mapping of director field and topological defects in liquid

crystal shells and fibers as a function of temperature (20-50 oC), and for

localized UV-initiation of polymerization. Shells are about 100 m in radius

and about 5 m thick, surrounded by and containing aqueous isotropic

liquids. Fibers are in the range 1-10 m in diameter and surrounded by air.