Virtual surfaces, director domains and the Freedericksz transition in polymer stabilized nematic liquid crystals

TL;DR

This paper investigates the Freedericksz transition in polymer stabilized nematic liquid crystals, proposing a phenomenological model that explains how polymer concentration influences critical fields and switching dynamics through director domains bounded by virtual surfaces.

Contribution

It introduces a simple phenomenological model linking polymer fibril-induced director domains and virtual surfaces to the transition behavior in polymer stabilized nematics.

Findings

Critical field varies with polymer concentration

Model accurately predicts dynamic response times

Director domains are key to understanding transition behavior

Abstract

The critical field of the Freedericksz transition and switching dynamics are investigated for polymer stabilized nematic liquid crystals as a function of polymer concentration. A simple phenomenological model is proposed to describe the observed critical field and dynamic response time behaviors as a function of concentration. In this model the polymer fibrils form director domains, which are bounded by virtual surfaces with a finite anchoring energy. The Freedericksz transition occurs independently within each of these domains.