ANCHORING OF TWISTED CHIRAL NEMATIC LIQUID CRYSTALS ON A THIN POLYMERIC FILM

Abstract

A generalized form of anisotropic surface energy for the description of twisted chiral nematic samples with side-chain polymeric layers is proposed, and the anchoring properties of such samples are analyzed, using the equivalent anchoring energy method proposed by Alexe-Ionescu et al. Our results give a more general expression for the equivalent anchoring energy, the new variables included in the expression are determined by the anchoring of the side chains and by the sterical interaction of the side chains with the nematic liquid crystals (NLCs). In addition, the coupling of the polymer side chains with the surface, reduces the equivalent anchoring energy as well as the threshold field.