Cholesteric phase (Grandjean texture)
A short-pitch cholesteric liquid crystal in Grandjean or
standing helix texture, viewed between crossed polarizers. The bright
colors are due to the difference in rotatory power arising from
domains with different cholesteric pitch occuring on rapid cooling
close to the smectic A* phase where the pitch strongly diverges with
decreasing temperature. Photo courtesy of Per Rudqvist.
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Last updated by Jan Lagerwall jpf@fy.chalmers.se
12 February 1998