Complex zigzag flexoelectric walls in the Schlieren textures of MBBA: possibility for determination of two basic Schlieren textures with singular or non-singular surface points
✍ Scribed by H. P. Hinov
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2009
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 200 KB
- Volume
- 44
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0232-1300
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✦ Synopsis
Abstract
The flexo‐dielectric behaviour of a homeotropic MBBA nematic layer has been experimentally studied. Asymmetric strong‐weak anchoring of the homeotropic nematic layer was achieved by treating the glass plates – one of them with lecithin ensuring the strong anchoring and the other with usual soap ensuring the weak anchoring. The application of a dc voltage with a sufficient amplitude led to the appearance of a complex texture consisting of gradient flexo‐dielectric deformations including Schlieren texture with many singular points and zigzag flexoelectric walls. The application of additional orienting a.c. voltage brought clarification of the Schlieren texture resembling that of the smectic‐C liquid crystal. Inversely, the application of an ac voltage across the homeotropic nematic layer led to formation of a nice Schlieren texture. The additional application of a d.c. voltage created complex zigzag gradient flexoelectric walls which connected the singular points in the Schlieren texture. In this way, one can determine for the first time how many points in the initial Schlieren texture are singular and how many points are non‐singular. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)