A BACKFLOW EFFECT IN SMECTIC-C LIQUID-CRYSTALS IN A BOOKSHELF GEOMETRY

We consider the instability that is induced when a large (supercritica l) magnetic field is applied to a sample of smectic C liquid crystal h eld between parallel plates in a bookshelf geometry, with strong ancho ring at the cell walls. Using a recently proposed dynamic theory, we s olve the full linearized equations (with transportation of material be tween the smectic layers allowed) to show that the backflow that is in duced has components both parallel and perpendicular to the layers, in contrast with the assumptions of Carlsson et al. The corresponding gr owth rate of the instability is obtained in terms of the applied field strength and material parameters.