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Microsoft Photography Competition at the Department of Engineering 2008 entries

Sonja Findeisen-Tandel: 'Blue spikes'
Sonja Findeisen-Tandel: 'Blue spikes'

Sonja Findeisen-Tandel
'Blue spikes'

The winning image in the Microsoft Photography Competition held at the Department of Engineering, was taken by Dr Sonja Findeisen-Tandel, a Research Associate in the the Photonics Research Group in the Electrical Engineering Division.
The photograph shows the growth of a mesophase composed of liquid crystals in a state which is neither crystalline nor liquid, but something in between. As the phase grows in the drop of liquid crystal material, molecules align in different ways. Their alignment interferes with the passage of light causing it to twist and turn. In a microscope that uses polarising light, this is revealed as colours and textures - this interaction of liquid crystals and polarised light is commonly used in television screens and the displays on our mobile phones. Sonia has the expertise to interpret these images and identify the mesophase. Sonia explains, "I have synthesised a lot of mesophases to investigate property-structure relationships and I was thinking it would be a good idea show my best photographs to people who are not working on liquid crystals and amaze them with these beautiful images".
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