9605178 Sharma Description: This award supports the US-India Cooperative Research: Study of Molecular Motions and Phase Transformations in Atomic-Scale Structures and Liquid Crystals. The project is under the direction of S.C. Sharma, University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) and P.C. Jain, University of Delhi (UD). The researchers will study the effects of molecular structure on phase transition in liquid crystalline materials and will investigate relationships between defects and optical properties of surface- aligned liquid crystalline films. Using techniques sensitive to phase transition, they will measure optical properties of surface-aligned liquid crystalline thin films. The outcome will be a better understanding of the processes occurring at the surface and in the bulk, and their effects on the optical properties of a much broader class of layered materials. Scope: This collaboration will initiate a new joint research program between the University of Texas and the University of Delhi. The PIs are established researchers who have published important results obtained from their experimental techniques. Both the expertise and facilities available at UTA and UD are complementary. This project has excellent potential for addressing important scientific questions and improving the quality of liquid crystalline films and other materials. The research is mutually beneficial and the support requested is primarily for travel and per diem. ***
