liquid crystal

American  

noun

1. a liquid having certain crystalline characteristics, especially different optical properties in different directions when exposed to an electric field.

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liquid crystal British  

noun

1. a liquid that has some crystalline characteristics, such as the presence of different optical properties in different directions; a substance in a mesomorphic state See also smectic nematic

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liquid crystal Scientific  

1. Any of various liquids in which molecules are regularly arrayed like a solid crystal along one or two dimensions, but are free in the other dimensions as with typical liquids. Liquid crystals often display unusual and often manipulable optical properties such as anisotropic scattering.

2. See more at LCD

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Etymology

Origin of liquid crystal

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

liquid crystal

Researchers have developed a new way to control and manipulate optical signals by embedding a liquid crystal layer into waveguides created with direct laser writing.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 4, 2024

They also found that integrating the liquid crystal with the waveguides left the modulation properties of the liquid crystals unvaried.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 4, 2024

To test the devices, the researchers injected laser light in the waveguide and then varied the voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer, which modulated the light.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 4, 2024

"By utilizing a birefringent liquid crystal plate, called a q-plate, developed by Professor Karimi's group, we were able to produce designer light fields with twisted wavefronts that describe a corkscrew pattern."

From Science Daily ● Feb. 29, 2024

Sooth to say, the oreads were somewhat dazed by the company they were keeping, and found the wine a more potent brew than the liquid crystal of their mountain streams.

From Audrey by Johnston, Mary