Notes on the slow dynamics in dilute lyotropic lamellar phase

Abstract

In this study, we try to extract the dynamics of the dislocations by measuring the time auto-correlation function of the scattered light intensity in the dilute lamellar phase. Our finding is that the lyotropic lamellar phase shows a bimodal decay of the correlation function. Fitting with the dispersion relation for the undulation fluctuation indicates that the fast mode is attributed to the undulation fluctuation of bilayer membranes. On the other hand, the slow relaxation mode is not explained by the undulation fluctuation. We interpret that the slow mode would be originated from a climb motion of the dislocation. Bimodal relaxation process would be attributed to a heterogeneous distribution of the dislocations in the lamellar structure.