ESCAPED-RADIAL NEMATIC CONFIGURATION IN SUBMICROMETER-SIZE CYLINDRICAL CAVITIES - DEUTERIUM NMR-STUDY

Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance (H-2 NMR) is used to extend studies of confined nematic structures to submicrometer-size cavities. Spectral patterns reveal the escaped-radial configuration in untreated cylindrical cavities of Nuclepore filters. This configuration is found to survive in pore sizes as small as 0.2-mu-m in radius. Singular point defects are found to be present along the escape axis with the density of the defects being determined from the H-2 NMR spectra. This density is found to be unaffected by cycling between the nematic and isotropic phases with or without the presence of an applied magnetic field.