Suppression of Electroconvection by Couette Shear in Freely Suspended Smectic C Films

We present the first experiments on electrohydrodynamic convection with a superposed Couette shear in freely suspended annular smectic C* films. Similar experiments on smectic A films have been carried out previously. In those experiments, surface-charge driven electro-convection in combination with...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular crystals and liquid crystals science and technology. Section A, Molecular crystals and liquid crystals Molecular crystals and liquid crystals, 2001-08, Vol.367 (1), p.113-123
Main Authors: Langer, C., Daya, Z. A., Morris, S. W., Stannarius, R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties
Electroconvection
Exact sciences and technology
Fluid dynamics
Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications)
Liquid crystals
Magnetohydrodynamics and electrohydrodynamics
Orientational order of liquid crystals
electric and magnetic field effects on order
Physics
Shear
Smectic C films
Structure of solids and liquids
crystallography
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Summary:We present the first experiments on electrohydrodynamic convection with a superposed Couette shear in freely suspended annular smectic C* films. Similar experiments on smectic A films have been carried out previously. In those experiments, surface-charge driven electro-convection in combination with shear leads to a pattern of travelling convective vortices. Travelling vortex patterns are also observed in smectic C* films. In contrast to smectic A films, however, the flow field in C* films is coupled to c-director orientation effects that allow a direct visualization of the periodic flow pattern. The critical voltage for the onset of convection was determined by electric current measurements and compared with corresponding results for smectic A films. Measurements at various shear rates show that the onset is suppressed by the shear.
ISSN:1058-725X
DOI:10.1080/10587250108028629