Surface order transition in nematic liquid crystals induced by the flexoelectric polarization

Abstract

The influence of the flexoelectricpolarization on the nematic surface energy is analyzed. It is shown that if the dielectric constant of the substrate is lower than a critical value the undistorted orientation is no more the one corresponding to lowest energy. The presence of a conducting substrate is also considered. In this case it is shown that by changing the thickness of the dielectric material deposited over the conducting material, a surface order transition is expected. Furthermore, the influence of a finite anchoring energy between nematic and substrate on the critical value of the dielectric constant is discussed.