2016/11/10 by Lidia Mrad, Daniel Phillips, Mrad, Lidia +1
Computer Science · Materials Science · Mathematics · #35B36 #35K55 (Secondary) #49J10 (Primary) #Analysis of PDEs (math.AP) #FOS: Mathematics #Liquid Crystal Research Advancements #Nonlinear Dynamics and Pattern Formation #math.AP #msc:35B36 #msc:35K55 #msc:49J10
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1611.03518
27 pages
arxiv created 2016/11/10 · openalex publication_date 2016/11/10 · arxiv updated 2016/11/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
If a surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal cell is cooled from the smectic-A to the smectic-C phase, its layers thin causing V-shaped (chevron like) defects to form. These create an energy barrier that can prevent switching between equilibrium patterns. We examine a gradient flow for a mesoscopic Chen-Lubensky energy F(ψ,n) that allows the order parameter to vanish, so that the energy barrier does not diverge if the layer thickness becomes small. The liquid crystal can evolve during switching in such a way that the layers are allowed to melt and heal near the chevron tip in the process.