Fig. 1
Molecules and properties of the present LC mixture. a Molecular structures of (2S,5S) enantiomers of compounds 8NO8, 8NO82, and BMAB. b Photomagnetic effect in a metal-free LC system consisting of (2S,5S)-8NO82 and an azobenzene analog, BMAB. SmC* denotes chiral smectic C, and Iso denotes isotropic liquid. Ultraviolet (UV) and visible (Vis) lights induce trans-to-cis and cis-to-trans photoisomerization of BMAB, respectively. When SmC* material dissolving BMAB is irradiated with UV light, cis-BMAB disturbs the SmC* structure, and therefore, SmC*-to-Iso phase transition can occur. When the SmC* material consists mainly of nitroxide radicals, the magnetic susceptibility (χ) can increase at the photo-induced SmC*-to-Iso phase transition
