Surface Anchoring and Director Distribution in a Grandjean–Cano Wedge

Abstract

Theoretical calculations of the director distribution in a Grandjean–Cano wedge in relation to the anchoring strength and mutual orientation of the easy axes at the wedge surfaces are performed for various model surface anchoring potentials. Comparison of the theory and experiment allows one to propose the socalled model D-potential, quadratic in angle of director deviation from the easy axes, as the best one in fitting the experiment in the angular range of performed measurements. To satisfy general requirements on the wedge surface, a modified D-potential is proposed. The optimal conditions of the experiment aimed at restoring the potential in the whole range of its definition (in particular, nonparallel orientation of the easy axes at the wedge surfaces) are formulated.