37 research outputs found
Wetting of cholesteric liquid crystals
We investigate theoretically the wetting properties of cholesteric liquid
crystals at a planar substrate. If the properties of substrate and of the
interface are such that the cholesteric layers are not distorted the wetting
properties are similar to those of a nematic liquid crystal. If, on the other
hand, the anchoring conditions force the distortion of the liquid crystal
layers the wetting properties are altered, the free cholesteric-isotropic
interface is non-planar and there is a layer of topological defects close to
the substrate. These deformations can either promote or hinder the wetting of
the substrate by a cholesteric, depending on the properties of the cholesteric
liquid crystal
Nematic liquid crystals on sinusoidal channels: the zigzag instability
Substrates which are chemically or topographically patterned induce a variety of liquid crystal textures. The response of the liquid crystal to competing surface orientations, typical of patterned substrates, is determined by the anisotropy of the elastic constants and the interplay
of the relevant lengths scales, such as the correlation length and the surface geometrical parameters. Transitions between different textures, usually with different symmetries, may occur under a wide range of conditions. We use the Landau鈥揹e Gennes free energy to investigate the texture of nematics in sinusoidal channels with parallel anchoring bounded by nematic-air interfaces that favour perpendicular (hometropic) anchoring. In micron size channels 5CB was observed to exhibit a non-trivial texture characterized by a disclination line, within the channel, which is broken into a zigzag pattern. Our calculations reveal that when the elastic anisotropy of the nematic does not favour twist distortions the defect is a straight disclination line that runs along the channel, which breaks into a zigzag pattern with a characteristic period, when the twist elastic constant becomes sufficiently small when compared to the splay and bend constants. The transition occurs through a twist instability that drives the defect line to rotate from its original position. The interplay between the energetically favourable twist distortions that induce the defect rotation and the liquid crystal anchoring at the surfaces leads to the zigzag pattern. We investigate in detail the dependence of the periodicity of the zigzag pattern on the geometrical parameters of the sinusoidal channels, which in line with the experimental results is found to be non-linear.Portugal, Fundaci贸n para la Ciencia y la Tecnolog铆a UID / FIS / 00618/2013Portugal, Fundaci贸n para la Ciencia y la Tecnolog铆a EXCEL / FIS-NAN / 0083/2012Espa帽a, Ministerio de Econom铆a y Competitividad FIS2012-32455Junta de Andaluc铆a P09-FQM-493