Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Electrically Driven Instabilities in Smectic Liquid Crystal Films

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Evolution of Spontaneous Structures in Dissipative Continuous Systems

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Physics ((LNPMGR,volume 55))

Abstract

Various electric field driven instabilities in smectic liquid crystal films are discussed. Some of them resemble instabilities well-known from nematic liquid crystals. These are, for instance, the orientational Frederiks transition and electroconvection. However, the restriction of these two instabilities to two spatial dimensions can only be studied in free-standing smectic films, because free standing nematic liquid crystals are unstable. In addition several instabilities, being distinctive features of smectic liquid crystals are described. These are the undulational instability of the smectic layer structure and film buckling. All these different instability types are coupled in smectic C liquid crystals. For smectic C* liquid crystals films, the polarization Frederiks transition and the subharmonic regime of electroconvection are discussed. Electroconvection experiments with smectic C and C* films are reported that show the surface charge dominated ’vortex mode’ and convection of the Carr-Helfrich type, respectively.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. P. G. de Gennes and J. Prost, The Physics of Liquid Crystals (Clarendon, Oxford, 1993).

    Google Scholar 

  2. L. M. Blinov, Electro-optical and magneto-optical properties of liquid crystals (John Wiley, New York, 1983).

    Google Scholar 

  3. M. C. Cross and P. C. Hohenberg, Rev. Mod. Phys. 65, 851 (1993).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Spatio-Temporal Patterns in Nonequilibrium Complex Systems, Vol. XXI of Santa Fe Institute Studies in the Sciences of Complexity, edited by P. Cladis and P. Palfry-Muhoray (Addision-Wesley, New York, 1995).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Pattern Formation in Liquid Crystals, edited by A. Buka and L. Kramer Springer, Berlin, 1996).

    Google Scholar 

  6. B. Bahadur, LIQUID CRYSTALS, Applications and Uses (World Scientific, Singapore, 1993).

    Google Scholar 

  7. V. Frederiks and V. Tsvetkov, Sov. Phys. 6, 490 (1934).

    Google Scholar 

  8. W. Helfrich, Appl. Phys. Lett. 17, 531 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. J. P. Hurault, J. Chem. Phys. 59, 2068 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. A. Rapini, J. Phys. (Paris) 33, 237 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  11. M. Hareng, S. L. Berre, and J. J. Metzger, Appl. Phys. Lett. 27, 575 (1975).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. C. Y. Young, R. Pindak, N. A. Clark, and R. B. Meyer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 40, 773 (1978).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. R. A. Pelcovits and B. I. Halperin, Phys. Rev. B 19, 4614 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. C. Rosenblatt, R. B. Meyer, R. Pindak, and N. A. Clark, Phys. Rev. A 21, 140 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. W. Zimmermann, S. Ried, H. Pleiner, and H. R. Brand, Europhys. Lett. 33, 521 (1996).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. R. Williams, J. Chem. Phys. 39, 384 (1963).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. A. P. Kapustin and L. S. Larionova, Kristallografiya 14, 741 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  18. E. F. Carr, E. A. Hoar, and W. T. McDonald, J. Chem. Phys. 9, 297 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  19. W. Helfrich, J. Chem. Phys. 51, 4092 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. E. Dubois-Violette, P. G. deGennes, and O. Parodi, J. Phys. (Paris) 32, 305 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  21. P. A. Penz and G. W. Ford, Phys. Rev. A 6, 414 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. S. Kai and K. Hirakawa, Prog. Theor. Phys. SuppL 64, 212 (1978).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. A. Joets and R. Ribotta, in Cellular Structure in Instabilities, edited by J. E. Wesfreid and S. Zaleski (Springer, Heidelberg, 1984).

    Google Scholar 

  24. R. Ribotta, A. Joets, and L. Lei, Phys. Rev. Lett. 56, 1595 (1986).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. W. Zimmermann and L. Kramer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 55, 402 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. E. Bodenschatz, W. Zimmermann, and L. Kramer, J. Phys. (Paris) 49, 1875 (1988).

    Google Scholar 

  27. I. Rehberg, S. Rasenat, and V. Steinberg, Phys. Rev. Lett. 62, 756 (1989).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  28. S. Kai and W. Zimmermann, Prog. Theor. Phys., Suppl. 99, 458 (1989).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. W. Zimmermann, Mat. Res. Bulletin 16, 46 (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  30. L. Kramer and W. Pesch, Annu. Rev. Fluid Mech. 27, 515 (1995).

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  31. L. Kramer and W. Pesch, in Pattern Formation in Liquid Crystals, edited by A. Buka and L. Kramer (Springer, Berlin, 1996).

    Google Scholar 

  32. U. Behn and W. Pesch, Electroconvection in nematic liquid crystals, this volume, 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  33. F. Aliev and K. F. Abbasov, Sov. Phys. Kristallogr. 30, 442 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  34. J. P. Petrov, A. G. Petrov, and G. Pelzl, Liquid Crystals 11, 865 (1992).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. A. B. Davey and W. A. Crossland, Mol. Cryst. & Liq. Cryst. 263, 2267 (1995).

    Google Scholar 

  36. M. Goscianski and L. Léger, J. Phys. (Paris) Colloq. Cl 8, 231 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  37. L. K. Vistin and A. P. Kapustin, Kristallografiya 13, 349 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  38. A. L. Bermain, E. Gelerinter, and A. de Vries, Mol. Cryst. & Liq. Cryst. 33, 55 (1976).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. S. W. Morris, J. R. de Bruyn, and A. May, Phys. Rev. Lett. 65, 2378 (1990).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  40. S. W. Morris, J. R. de Bruyn, and A. May, Phys. Rev. A 44, 8146 (1991).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  41. M. Kléman, Rep. Progr. Phys. 52, 1455 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. P. C. Martin, O. Parodi, and P. Pershan, Phys. Rev. A 6, 2401 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  43. A. Saupe, Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 7, 59 (1969).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. H. Pleiner and H.R. Brand, in Pattern Formation in Liquid Crystals, edited by A. Buka and L. Kramer (Springer, Berlin, 1996) p. 15.

    Google Scholar 

  45. H. Pleiner and H. R. Brand, to be published

    Google Scholar 

  46. S. Ried, Elektrisch getriebene Konvektion in smektischen Filmen, PhD Thesis, University of Essen, (unpublished), 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  47. S. Ried, H. Pleiner, W. Zimmermann, and H. R. Brand, Phys. Rev. E 53, 6101 (1996).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  48. H. R. Brand and H. Pleiner, Phys. Rev. A 35, 3122 (1987).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  49. L. Kramer et al., Liquid Crystals 5, 699 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. H.R. Brand and H. Pleiner, J. Phys. (Paris) 43, 853 (1982).

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  51. W. Zimmermann, in Defects, Singularities and Patterns in Nematic Liquid Crystals, NATO Advanced Study Institute Series, edited by J. Coron, F. Helen, and J. Ghidaglia (Kluwer, Dordrecht, NL, 1991).

    Google Scholar 

  52. G. Iooss and D.D. Joseph, Elementary Stability and Bifurcation Theory (Springer, Berlin, 1980).

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  53. D. Avsec and M. Luntz, Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci Paris 203, 1140 (1936).

    Google Scholar 

  54. A. J. Rich, J. L. Sproston, and G. Walker, in Eighth International Conference on Conduction and Breakdown in Dielectric Liquids, edited by G. Molinari and A. Vivani (IEEE, New York 1984) p. 366.

    Google Scholar 

  55. M. Suzuki, Phys. Rev. A 31, 2548 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  56. P. Atten and L. Eloudie, J. Electrostatics 34, 279 (1995).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  57. F. Argoul and A. Kuhn, Physica A 213, 209 (1995).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  58. R. Chicon, A. Castellanos, and E. Martin, J. Fluid Mech. 344, 43 (1997).

    Article  MATH  ADS  Google Scholar 

  59. S. Faetti, L. Fronzoni, and P. Rolla, J. Chem. Phys. 79, 1427 (1983).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  60. S. Faetti, L. Fronzoni, and P. Rolla, J. Chem. Phys. 79, 5054 (1983).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  61. Z. A. Daya, S. W. Morris, and J. R. de Bruyn, Phys. Rev. E 55, 2682 (1997).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  62. V. B. Deyirmenjian, Z. A. Daya, and S. W. Morris, Phys. Rev. E 56, 1706 (1997).

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  63. A. Becker, S. Ried, R. Stannarius, and H. Stegemeyer, Europhys. Lett. 39, 257 (1997).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  64. C. Langer, R. Stannarius, A. Becker, and H. Stegemeyer, Proc. ECLC’ 97 Zakopane, 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  65. C. Langer and R. Stannarius, Phys. Rev. E, 1998.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research, D-55021, Mainz, Germany

    Harald Pleiner

  2. Fakultät der Physik and Geowissenschaften, Universität Leipzig, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Ralf Stannarius

  3. Institut für Festkörperforschung and FORUM Modellierung, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425, Jülich, Germany

    Walter Zimmermann

  4. Max-Planck-Institute for Physics of Complex Systems, D-01187, Dresden, Germany

    Walter Zimmermann

Authors
  1. Harald Pleiner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ralf Stannarius
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Walter Zimmermann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1998 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Pleiner, H., Stannarius, R., Zimmermann, W. (1998). Electrically Driven Instabilities in Smectic Liquid Crystal Films. In: Evolution of Spontaneous Structures in Dissipative Continuous Systems. Lecture Notes in Physics, vol 55. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-49537-1_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-49537-1_7

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-65154-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-49537-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation