Magnetic Field Effects in a Nematic Cell with a High Tilt Angle (“First-Order Theory”)

Abstract

Within the framework of so-called “first-order elastic theory” we consider distortions in a nematic cell with tilted molecular orientation subjected to a tilted magnetic field. The geometry has been suggested by Faetti to test the validity of different approaches to the problem of the divergence K ₁₃ elastic term. According to the first-order elastic theory, in which only the first and second derivatives in the elastic free energy are retained, the K ₁₃ term causes deformations at the cell surface when a magnetic field is applied along the initial director n. We discuss conditions that should be satisfied in order to observe the instability.