On a stability of a uniform bend Freedericksz configuration in nematic liquid crystals
by
Dmitry Golovaty
The University of Akron
Coauthors: Laura K. Gross, Subramaniya I. Hariharan

A useful phenomenon that has received much attention in the physics of liquid crystals is the field-induced distortion of a thin liquid crystal film called a Freedericksz transition. This distortion is just one example of stable structural patterns that arise in confined nematic liquid crystals. These patterns can either be induced by external fields or by the competition between elastic inner forces and surface anchoring forces. We discuss some models of the first type. In particular, we show that when the elastic constants are sufficiently anisotropic, the Freedericksz transition in a bend geometry is at least two-dimensional and it occurs at field strengths lower than the known classical threshold. Further we discuss the corresponding bifurcation diagram.

Date received: March 27, 1998

Copyright © 1998 by the author(s). The author(s) of this document and the organizers of the conference have granted their consent to include this abstract in Atlas Conferences Inc. Document # caav-16.