The electrical untwisting of a homeotropically aligned smectic C^* liquid crystal

DOI10.1007/BF01176293MaRDI QIDQ1898038zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors P. J. Kedney, Iain W. Stewart

Publication date 20 September 1995

Published in Continuum Mechanics and Thermodynamics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01176293

zbMATH Keywords

critical field strengthdirector reorientationenergy comparisonEuler-Lagrange equationshomeotropic alignmentphase transitionstrong anchoringuniform electric field

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Liquid crystals (76A15) Statistical mechanics of random media, disordered materials (including liquid crystals and spin glasses) (82D30) Statistical mechanics of ferroelectrics (82D45)

Review text

This paper employs the continuum theory of Leslie et al. to examine the effect of a uniform electric field applied parallel to the layers of a sample of ferroelectric smectic \(C^*\) liquid crystal. The sample is homeotropically aligned between two large, horizontal flat plates and strongly anchored at the boundaries. Seeking solutions that depend only upon the spatial Cartesian coordinate \(z\), which denotes distance across the plates, the authors show that the resulting Euler-Lagrange equations yield two distinct types of solution for the \(c\)-director. One represents the more natural helical or twisted \(C^*\) phase given by \(c = (\cos \varphi (z), \sin \varphi (z), 0)\), while the other denotes a constant \(C\)-type phase where \(\varphi (z) = m \pi\) for some integer \(m\). To distinguish between various possibilities the authors make an energy comparison, anticipating that the configuration associated with the least energy is the one that will be observed in practice. It is found that arrangements with 0, 1 or 2 twists can be energetically favourable depending upon the applied field strength, while those with more than 2 twists are never energetically favourable. In particular, they determine a critical field strength \(E_c\) above which it is energetically favourable for the helical structure to unwind. In this event the \(c\)- director becomes aligned perpendicular to the applied field and parallel to the associated spontaneous polarization vector. The authors proceed to examine the effect of sample thickness on \(E_c\) and derive an expression for \(E_c\) in a large sample. Finally, they discuss the effect of director reorientation when the direction of the applied field is reversed.

Recommendations

• Asymptotic solutions for an electrically induced Freedericksz transition in a wedge of smectic C liquid crystal
• A Continuum Theory of Chiral Smectic C Liquid Crystals
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1083941
• The onset of layer deformations in non-chiral smectic C liquid crystals
• Stability of equilibrium states in finite samples of smectic C* liquid crystals

Cites work

• Equivalent smectic C liquid crystal energies
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 486467 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3011091 (Why is no real title available?)
• The untwisting of a bounded sample of cholesteric liquid crystal
• Viscous flow in smectic A liquid crystals

Cited in

(7)

• The untwisting of a bounded sample of cholesteric liquid crystal
• A Continuum Theory of Chiral Smectic C Liquid Crystals
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1083941 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1083943 (Why is no real title available?)
• Stability of equilibrium states in finite samples of smectic C* liquid crystals
• Chaos resulting from the application of a weak, slowly oscillating electric field to a wedge of smectic C liquid crystal
• Unwinding of a cholesteric liquid crystal and bidirectional surface anchoring

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