Periodic splay Freedericksz transitions in a ferroelectric nematic.

ABSTRACT: Electric field-induced splay of molecular orientation, called the Fréedericksz transition, is a fundamental electro-optic phenomenon in nonpolar nematic liquid crystals. In a ferroelectric nematic N_F with a spontaneous electric polarization P , the splay is suppressed since it produces bound electric charges. Here, we demonstrate that an alternating current (ac) electric field causes three patterns of N_F polarization. At low voltages, P oscillates around the field-free orientation with no stationary deformations. As the voltage increases, the polarization acquires stationary distortions, first splay and twist in a stripe pattern and then splay and bend in a square lattice of +1 and -1 defects. In all patterns, P oscillates around the stationary orientations. The stati

SUBMITTER: Basnet B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11806116 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature