Magnetic field-induced Freedericksz transition in a chiral liquid crystal

Amine Missaoui, Adam L. Susser, Hillel Aharoni, Charles Rosenblatt

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A wedge cell made of homeotropically treated glass plates is filled with a chirally doped nematic liquid crystal. When a sufficiently large magnetic field is applied in the cell plane, a bend-like distortion occurs above a Fréedericksz threshold field H th . H th is reduced from the achiral case because of a field-induced bend distortion that facilitates a chiral twist distortion. Measurements of H th vs sample thickness are reported and compared favorably with a theoretical model presented herein. A further theoretical comparison is made between H th and the electric-field-induced transition in a geometry, exhibiting a 2π azimuthal degeneracy. The results may have technological implications in, for example, in-plane switching devices.
Original languageEnglish
Article number134101
Number of pages5
JournalApplied Physics Letters
Volume122
Issue number13
DOIs
StatePublished - 27 Mar 2023

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