Finger front propagation in smectic-A Fréedericksz transition

Marcel G. Clerc, Gregorio Gonzalez-Cortes, Mauricio J. Morel, Paulina I. Hidalgo, and Jorge Vergara
Phys. Rev. E 105, 054701 – Published 17 May 2022

Abstract

Systems with multistability are characterized by exhibiting complex nonlinear waves between equilibria. Experimentally, near the smectic-A to chiral nematic transition in a liquid crystal mixture cell with planar anchoring, we observe finger fronts emerge in the smectic-A phase when applying an electric field, a reorientation transition. Finger fronts propagate in the direction orthogonal to the anchoring. Colorimetry characterization allows us to describe the molecular reorientation transition and front dynamics. We reveal that the reorientation transition is of the first-order type and determine their critical points. The front speed is determined as a function of the applied voltage. Theoretically, based on a prototype model of liquid crystal transitions, we qualitatively describe the experimental observations. We have analytically determined the bifurcation diagram and the propagation speeds of finger fronts, finding a fair agreement with the experimental observations.

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  • Received 11 March 2021
  • Revised 2 April 2022
  • Accepted 20 April 2022

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.105.054701

©2022 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Nonlinear DynamicsPolymers & Soft MatterCondensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Marcel G. Clerc* and Gregorio Gonzalez-Cortes2,†

  • Departamento de Física and Millennium Institute for Research in Optics, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 487–3, Santiago, Chile

Mauricio J. Morel

  • Departamento de Química y Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad de Atacama, Avenida Copayapu 485, Copiapó, Chile

Paulina I. Hidalgo§ and Jorge Vergara

  • Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile

  • *marcel@dfi.uchile.cl
  • gregorio.gonzalez@ug.uchile.cl
  • mauricio.morel@uda.cl
  • §pauhidal@udec.cl
  • jovergar@udec.cl

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Issue

Vol. 105, Iss. 5 — May 2022

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