Figure 4

Local and global ordering characteristics of spheres under cyclic electric fields of \(t_{off} \) = 0.5 \(\tau_{50}\). (a) SALS images for cycle 1, 5, 15 and 25, respectively. (b) The change of peak intensity of light diffraction responses and the change of \(\psi_{6}\) as a function of time t. The curves plotted are the mean and standard error of the mean for five and three CLSM and SALS experiments, respectively. (c) 2D confocal laser scanning micrographs for cycle 2, 5, 8, 15 and 25, respectively. The white dotted line encloses the centerline region for analyzing the distribution of crystalline grains. (d) Crystalline grains identified by particle proximity and local \(\psi_{6}\) phase angle at the device centerline region for cycle 2, 8 and 15, respectively. (e) Histogram of the grain size (N) characterized for cycle 2, 5, 8, 15 and 25, respectively. Scale bars in SALS images are \(q = 1 \mu m^{ - 1}\). Scale bars in (c) and (d) represent 20 μm.