Formation of a defect-free uniform lying helix in a thick cholesteric liquid crystal cell

Abstract

We report on the formation of a uniform lying helix (ULH) in a thick cholesteric liquid crystal cell, using an oscillatory shear flow and an electric field across the cell. The helix axis was formed perpendicularly to the shear flow in the cell-plane direction. The cholesteric liquid crystal transitioned from a focal conic texture to the ULH at a critical shear rate. The critical shear rate was inversely proportional to the cell thickness, and thus our method easily demonstrated a defect-free ULH even in a 54-µm-thick cell.