TY - JOUR
T1 - Hydrodynamics of polar liquid crystals
AU - Kung, William
AU - Cristina Marchetti, M.
AU - Saunders, Karl
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - Starting from a microscopic definition of an alignment vector proportional to the polarization, we discuss the hydrodynamics of polar liquid crystals with local C v symmetry. The free energy for polar liquid crystals differs from that of nematic liquid crystals (Dh) in that it contains terms violating the n→-n symmetry. First we show that these Z2 -odd terms induce a general splay instability of a uniform polarized state in a range of parameters. Next we use the general Poisson-bracket formalism to derive the hydrodynamic equations of the system in the polarized state. The structure of the linear hydrodynamic modes confirms the existence of the splay instability.
AB - Starting from a microscopic definition of an alignment vector proportional to the polarization, we discuss the hydrodynamics of polar liquid crystals with local C v symmetry. The free energy for polar liquid crystals differs from that of nematic liquid crystals (Dh) in that it contains terms violating the n→-n symmetry. First we show that these Z2 -odd terms induce a general splay instability of a uniform polarized state in a range of parameters. Next we use the general Poisson-bracket formalism to derive the hydrodynamic equations of the system in the polarized state. The structure of the linear hydrodynamic modes confirms the existence of the splay instability.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33645525769&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33645525769&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevE.73.031708
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevE.73.031708
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:33645525769
SN - 1063-651X
VL - 73
JO - Physical Review E - Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics
JF - Physical Review E - Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics
IS - 3
M1 - 031708
ER -