Investigation of Helix Suppression by Surfaces in Chiral Smectic Liquid Crystal Devices: A New Approach to an Old Problem

Abstract

A two-dimensional theoretical model of the helical structure and dechiralisation lines formed inside a planar aligned ferroelectric liquid crystal device is presented, with particular emphasis on the effect of different types of interaction between adjacent layers. It is observed that by changing from a potential that favours synclinic ordering only, to one that favours both synclinic or anticlinic ordering equally has a significant impact on the nature of the dechiralisation lines formed and the stability of the helical structure against surface stabilisation.