On electrically driven pattern-forming instabilities in planar nematics

Abstract

The theoretical description of the threshold and near-threshold behavior of electrohydrodynamic convection in nematic liquid crystals in the (low-frequency) conduction regime is reconsidered. We present essentially the full three-dimensional linear stability analysis of the basic state and a major part of the weakly-nonlinear theory of the convective state. Boundary conditions at the upper and lower plates as well as the time dependence are treated rigorously but the flexoelectric effect is neglected. Related transitions like the periodic splay-twist instability, which is relevant in polymer materials with positive dielectric anisotropy, are also considered. We give criteria for finding the oblique-roll state and for the competition between different instabilities. Comparison with experiments is made wherever possible. Good qualitative and sometimes quantitative agreement is found.