Smectic Layer Structures in Complex Geometries—Modelling Complex Layer Structures in Smectic Liquid Crystals

In order to understand the operation of liquid crystal devices based on tilted smectic materials it is highly important to also understand the formation of the smectic liquid crystal layer structures. However, in many situations this is not easy to do. It is well established that in devices filled with materials that have an upper lying SmA phase a “chevron” structure forms when cooled from the SmA to the tilted smectic phase due to the layer thinning combined with layer packing constraints. But it is less well understood how the structure is influenced by the application of an electric field. Experimental work has been done in both ferroelectric and anti-ferroelectric phases which shows a transition from chevron towards bookshelf structure. In this paper we present some of our recent theoretical work in the area of smectic layer structures where “melting” of the smectic layer ordering is allowed.

Keywords:

• Smectic liquid crystals
• layer structures
• chevron to bookshelf
• tilted smectic phase