Numerical calculations of director patterns in highly twisted nematic configurations with nonzero pretilt angles

Abstract

The influence is described of several device parameters, i.e., the total director twist, the pretilt angle, and anchoring energy, on the director pattern in highly twisted samples with nonzero boundary tilt. A difference compared with previous approaches is the inclusion of a finite anchoring energy coefficient in the continuum equations. The results indicate a pronounced influence of the surface anchoring on the hysteresis in the midplane tilt angle as a function of an applied voltage.