A bilayer model of the double hysteresis loop in antiferroelectric liquid crystals

We investigate, both analytically and numerically, a simple model of the fi eld induced double hysteresis loop in AFLC materials. This bilayer model of the bulk of an AFLC describes the free energy in terms of polar and non-po lar interactions due to surface alignment, the electric field/dipole intera ction in each layer and the dipole/dipole interaction between the layers. T he static hysteresis loop is found analytically and the stability of each a nalytic solution is investigated. The dynamic switching characteristics are found numerically and then investigated as the system parameters and elect ric field characteristics are changed.