Light diffraction studies on director arrangement in the polymer‐pinned striped pattern obtained via the electric field‐induced Fréedericksz transition of nematics

Abstract

We have observed an anomalous pattern forming phenomenon in which a striped pattern in a nematic liquid crystal appeared after removing an electric field following a Fréedericksz transition, and this pattern was preserved even in the equilibrium state in zero‐electric field. The nematic director arrangement in the striped pattern was investigated by light diffraction measurements. The stripes are proposed to consist of a periodic distortion of the nematic directors, specifically, tilted directors with the same absolute value of tilt angle but of opposite sign are alternately arrayed. The proposed model of the stripes is in good accord with the experimental results of light diffraction dependence on polarizing direction and light incidence angle.