INTERFACIAL PHENOMENA BETWEEN NEMATIC LIQUID CRYSTALS AND OTHER MEDIA

摘要

Several contributions to the study of interfacial phenomena between liquid crystals and other media are described. Contributions to the control of molecular orientation in liquid crystal cells are presented. Temperature induced surface transitions in homogeneous and hybrid nematic liquid crystal cells are experimentally studied and theoretically explained with the elastic theory. Temperature dependence of liquid crystal surface tension is studied and an improved phenomenological theoretical model is discussed to explain the experimental results.