Ferronematics: enhanced magneto-optical response of a liquid crystalline system

Ferronematic liquid crystals or ferronematics (FNs) is the name for suspensions of monodomain ferro- or ferrimagnetic particles in nematic liquid crystals. The most significant feature of these systems is a strong orientational coupling between the disperse phase (ferroparticles) and the liquid crystalline matrix. The applied magnetic field, changing the orientation of the particles, via them affects the texture of the nematic matrix. Under appropriate conditions, it enables us to acquire a full-scale control over the orientational state of FNs with the aid of rather weak, much less than 100 Oe, magnetic fields.