Phase diagrams for a semi-infinite nematic in contact with a micropatterned surface

Abstract

Phase diagrams are calculated for the director configuration adopted by a nematic material in contact with a surface micropatterned periodically with homeotropic and planar stripes, and in which an azimuthal easy axis orthogonal to the length of the stripes has been imposed upon the planar stripes. Four stable configurations exist: a uniform homeotropic and a uniform planar state that are preferred when one of the sets of stripes is sufficiently narrow relative to the other, and two distorted states where the director either lies along the length of the stripes or perpendicular to them, depending on the period of the patterning and the polar and azimuthal anchoring coefficients.

Keywords:

• nematic
• micropatterned surfaces
• elastic anisotropy
• phase diagram

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Professor J.R. Sambles for helpful discussions concerning this manuscript.