TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of weak anchoring on C1 and C2 chevron structures
AU - Diaz, A.
AU - McKay, Geoffrey
AU - Mottram, Nigel
PY - 2005
Y1 - 2005
N2 - We present a theoretical study of the effect of weak anchoring on the transition between C1 and C2 chevron structures in smectic C liquid crystals. We employ a continuum theory which allows for variable cone, azimuthal and layer tilt angles. Equilibrium profiles for the director cone and azimuthal angles in the C1 and C2 states are calculated from the standard Euler-Lagrange minimisation of the total energy of the system. By comparing the total energies of the C1 and C2 states we can determine the globally stable chevron profile and calculate the critical temperature for the C1-C2 transition, which depends on anchoring strength and pretilt angle variations.
AB - We present a theoretical study of the effect of weak anchoring on the transition between C1 and C2 chevron structures in smectic C liquid crystals. We employ a continuum theory which allows for variable cone, azimuthal and layer tilt angles. Equilibrium profiles for the director cone and azimuthal angles in the C1 and C2 states are calculated from the standard Euler-Lagrange minimisation of the total energy of the system. By comparing the total energies of the C1 and C2 states we can determine the globally stable chevron profile and calculate the critical temperature for the C1-C2 transition, which depends on anchoring strength and pretilt angle variations.
KW - surface-stabilised ferroelectric liquid crystals
KW - weak anchoring
KW - C1
KW - C2 structure formation
KW - physics
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15421400590957080
UR - http://www.maths.strath.ac.uk/~aas99102/research/Diaz_2004.pdf
U2 - 10.1080/15421400590957080
DO - 10.1080/15421400590957080
M3 - Article
VL - 438
SP - 1581
EP - 1589
JO - Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals
JF - Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals
SN - 1542-1406
ER -