Multisoliton Behavior of a Ferrielectric Phase in an External Electric Field: Genetic Algorithm Study

Abstract

A numerical modeling of the three-layer SmC* _FI phase behavior under an external electric field is performed. A discrete free energy of the model is analyzed by means of genetic algorithms. We focus our attention on the structure evolution induced by the field and its relation to the field dependence of the in-plane optical anisotropy. We show the multisoliton character of the azimuthal molecular reorientation under the field. It permits us to explain the unusual field-induced behavior of the conoscopic figures in the SmC* _FI phase.

Keywords:

• Ferrielectric
• phase structure
• field induced behavior
• numerical modeling
• solitons
• optical anisotropy
• conoscopic figures