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Introduction to Liquid Crystals
This lecture covers the fundamentals of liquid crystals, starting with the properties of polarized light and the interaction of light with liquid crystals. It explains the concept of birefringence, dielectric anisotropy, and optical anisotropy in liquid crystals. The lecture also delves into defects, disclinations, and the nematic phase of liquid crystals. It discusses the characterization of liquid crystals using polarized optical microscopy and the alignment of molecules in different phases. Furthermore, it explores chiral phases, including the chiral nematic and chiral smectic phases, and their applications in liquid crystal displays.