Numerical analysis for a nematic droplet in polymer dispersed liquid crystals

Abstract

Starting from the Landau-de Gennes free energy expression, the author has numerically analysed the director pattern in a nematic droplet of polymer dispersed liquid crystals. The nematic director has been understood as the eigenvector, which corresponds to the largest eigenvalue of the tensor order parameter. To investigate the droplet structure influence, all equations have been treated on the curvilinear coordinate system which is generated along the droplet boundary. In the case of spherical and spheroidal droplets with normal strong anchoring, the director exhibits an axial configuration and a disclination ring. The ring radius and the capactiance of the system change without hysteresis with the applied voltage.