Title

Light intensity as mechanical potential: a symmetry-based approach

Publication Date

2019

Comments

full-text forthcoming

Abstract

Light-induced motion is of increasing importance in materials development. In many situations, modelling the detailed dynamics of light-induced phenomena is not practical, yet a description of the behaviour is needed. We attempt to show here that in some such situations, symmetry arguments can prove useful. We outline a simple scheme where symmetry arguments can be useful in modelling the dynamics, and show, in three examples, that in some instances, light intensity may be regarded as a mechanical potential. Such an approach may help in understanding photoactuations in situations where more detailed analyses are impractical.

Journal or Book Title

Liquid Crystals

Pages

2094-2101

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1080/02678292.2019.1651916

Volume

46

Issue

13-14

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