Abstract
We present a 3-dimensional, linear analysis of electrohydrodynamic (EHD) roll instability in a nematic liquid crystal under DC excitation. It is shown that the flexoelectric effect leads to a new symmetry of the flow pattern, viz. ahelical flow inoblique rolls. Our experimental observations agree with the theoretical predictions.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Blinov L M 1983Electro-optical and magneto-optical properties of liquid crystals (New York: Wiley)
Bobylev Yu P and Pikin S A 1977Sov. Phys. JETP 45 195
Chandrasekhar S 1977Liquid crystals (Cambridge: University Press)
Chandrasekhar S 1954Philos. Mag. 45 1177
de Gennes P G 1975The physics of liquid crystals (Oxford: Clarendon)
Dozov I, Martinot-Lagarde Ph and Durand G 1982J. Phys. (Paris) 43 L365
Hilsum C and Saunders F C 1980Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 64 25
Hirata S and Tako T 1981Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 20 L459
Madhusudana N V and Durand G 1985J. Phys. (Paris) 46 L195
Madhusudana N V, Raghunathan V A and Sumathy K R 1987Pramana — J. Phys. 28 L311
Meyer R B 1969Phys. Rev. Lett. 22 918
Orsay Liquid Crystal Group 1971Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 12 251
Patel J S and Meyer R B 1987Phys. Rev. Lett. 58 1538
Penz P A and Ford G W 1972Phys. Rev. A6 414
Pieranski P and Guyon E 1974Phys. Lett. A49 237
Prost J and Marcerou J P 1977J. Phys. (Paris) 38 315
Ribotta R, Joets A and Lei L 1986Phys. Rev. Lett. 56 1595
Smith I W, Galerne Y, Lagerwall S T, Dubois-Violette E and Durand G 1975J. Phys. (Paris) 36 C1-237
Zimmermann W and Kramer L 1985Phys. Rev. Lett. 55 403
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Raghunathan, V.A., Madhusudana, N.V. Flexoelectric origin of oblique rolls with helical flow in electroconvective nematics under DC excitation. Pramana - J. Phys 31, L163–L167 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02846971
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02846971