Smectic-C 'Chevron', a Planar Liquid-Crystal Defect: Implications for the Surface-Stabilized Ferroelectric Liquid-Crystal Geometry

摘要

The recent discovery of chevron structured smectic-C (SC) layers in surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid-crystal (SSFLC) cells enables the understanding of many commonly observed features of SSFLC director and layer structure. The full three-dimensional layer structure of zigzag walls, the predominant SSFLC defect is presented which one finds to mediate change in chevron direction. Stabilization of the director field in SC chevron cells occurs at the chevron interface, so that SC chevron cell behave as two nearly independent cells optically and electrically in series. Reprints. (JHD)