Electrically induced anchoring transition in cholesteric liquid crystal cells with different confinement ratios

Abstract

Reorientation of cholesteric liquid crystal induced by the electrically controlled ionic modification of surface anchoring within the cell with confinement ratio exceeding 1 has been studied. The change of homeotropic surface anchoring to the planar one on the electrode-anode substrate under the action of DC voltage causes the formation of the modulated hybrid-aligned cholesteric layer in the cell. Optical texture of the liquid crystal layer with such an orientation structure is the linear periodic stripes. Homogeneity of emerging optical texture depending on the confinement ratio as well as on the prehistory of voltage application has been considered. It has been found that the ionic modification of surface anchoring results in total transformation of the diffraction pattern observed after the laser beam passing through the sample.