Ultrafast Liquid Crystal Dynamics (ULCD)

Our research group is dedicated to advancing the fundamental understanding of liquid crystals (LCs), a fascinating and versatile state of matter that exhibits properties intermediate between those of conventional solids and liquids. These mesophases exhibit a unique combination of structural order and fluidity, giving rise to a wide range of anisotropic and responsive physical properties. 

Since their discovery in the late 19th century, LCs have played a critical role in the development of modern technologies—most notably in display systems—due to their birefringence, high polarizability, and sensitivity to external electric and magnetic fields. Despite over a century of research and substantial technological progress, many aspects of the fundamental physics governing the behavior of LCs —especially at ultrafast timescales—remain poorly understood. In particular, the dynamic processes that occur on femtosecond to picosecond timescales, such as molecular reorientations, collective excitations, and coupling between electronic, vibrational, and structural degrees of freedom, are still underexplored. These ultrafast phenomena play a critical role in determining the response of LCs to external stimuli, which has direct implications for their performance in both existing and emerging applications. 

To probe these dynamic processes with high temporal and spectral resolution, our group utilizes state-of-the-art pump-probe spectroscopy techniques across a broad spectral range—from terahertz to extreme ultraviolet. Through this multi-modal spectroscopic approach, we are able to disentangle complex inter- and intramolecular interactions and map the pathways of energy redistribution and molecular reconfiguration that underpin LC behavior. By correlating these ultrafast phenomena with macroscopic properties, our research seeks to bridge the gap between microscopic mechanisms and functional material performance.