Figure 2: Sensor signals upon exposure to limonene vapours.
Time-dependent signals of imbalanced zigzag domain length, eez=(lR−lL)/(lR+lL), are shown for saturated limonene vapours with different enantiomeric excess, ee=(c+−c−)/(c++c−). Upon exposure to a stationary flow of chiral vapours with the flow rate r=0.066 ml s−1, the signal magnitudes increase rapidly with time due to the dissolution, depending on ee, and are almost saturated in 4 s (see Supplementary Discussion). After the injection is ceased, the signal magnitudes decay also quasi-exponentially towards the initial value due to evaporation. (Inset) The values of eez after 4 s exposure, denoted by eez*, are plotted against ee. The data for different flow rates r=0.033 and 0.066 ml s−1 are shown. As a NLC, pentylcyanobiphenyl (5CB) is used here.
