Nj. Mottram et Sj. Elston, The influence of polar surface anchoring on switching in antiferroelectricliquid crystals, MOLEC CRYST, 364, 2001, pp. 361-371
We present a theoretical investigation into the effects of polar anchoring
in a liquid crystal cell containing an antiferroelectric liquid crystalline
material. Our model includes effects due to finite polar and non-polar anc
horing, quadrupolar ordering and polarization self interaction. We find tha
t the presence of quadrupolar ordering or weak anchoring means that the cel
l may be primed into the thresholdless state through a discontinuous transi
tion from an initial antiferroelectric state.