Minimality conditions for wave speed in anisotropic smectic C∗ liquid crystals

We discuss minimality conditions for the speed of monotone travelling waves in a sample of smectic C∗ liquid crystal subject to a constant electric field, dealing with both isotropic and anisotropic cases. Such conditions are important in understanding the properties of domain wall switching across...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Mathematical methods in the applied sciences 2018-01, Vol.41 (1), p.88-102
Main Authors: Crooks, Elaine C. M., Grinfeld, Michael, McKay, Geoff
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
anisotropy
minimality conditions
smectic‐C∗liquid crystals
travelling waves
variational principles
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Summary:We discuss minimality conditions for the speed of monotone travelling waves in a sample of smectic C∗ liquid crystal subject to a constant electric field, dealing with both isotropic and anisotropic cases. Such conditions are important in understanding the properties of domain wall switching across a smectic layer, and our focus here is on examining how the presence of anisotropy can affect the speed of this switching. We obtain an estimate of the influence of anisotropy on the minimal speed, sufficient conditions for linear and non‐linear minimal speed selection mechanisms to hold in different parameter regimes, and a characterisation of the boundary separating the linear and non‐linear regimes in parameter space.
ISSN:0170-4214
1099-1476
DOI:10.1002/mma.4596