Yp. Panarin et al., INPLANE ANCHORING ENERGY IN FERROELECTRIC LIQUID-CRYSTALS - EVIDENCE FOR ITS EXISTENCE AND MEASUREMENT, Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics, 52(1), 1995, pp. 17-20
Direct evidence for the existence of an in-plane term in the anchoring
energy of a ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) cell is provided. This
energy term arises from the anisotropy of the interaction of the FLC
with the rubbed surface. A method for the measurement of the in-plane
anchoring energy based on the offset of the electro-optic hysteresis c
urve is proposed. Investigations of different surface conditions in th
e cells reveals that the in-plane energy depends on the manner in whic
h the alignment layer is prepared. The dependence of the optical bista
bility properties on this energy term is also discussed.