Three-dimensional simulation of the homeotropic to planar transition in cholesteric liquid crystals using the finite elements method

Abstract

We investigated numerically the evolution of the director field in the homeotropic-planar transition of cholesteric liquid crystals bounded by parallel substrates. The simulation reproduces the observed relaxation from the homeotropic state to the long pitch transient planar state. The simulation agrees with the suggestion that the transient planar-planar transition occurs via a three-dimensional Helfrich-type deformation without the introduction of defect cores. On the basis of this understanding, we suggest improvements for increasing the speed of these transitions.