https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2005-10129-0
Regular Article
Splay-bend textures involving tetrahedratic order
1
Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research, PO Box 3148, 55021, Mainz, Germany
2
Advanced Liquid Crystal Technologies, POB 1314, 07902, Summit, NJ, USA
3
Theoretische Physik III, Universität Bayreuth, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany
* e-mail: pleiner@mpip-mainz.mpg.de
** e-mail: cladis@alct.com
Received:
28
December
2005
Accepted:
30
May
2006
Published online:
26
July
2006
We show that defect-free splay-bend textures are less energetic compared to uniform states in liquid-crystalline phases that possess both quadrupolar (nematic) and octupolar (tetrahedratic) order. This is because, in such systems, there is a symmetry-allowed linear gradient term in the energy. Another unusual feature of these splay-bend textures is the fact that they have a non-homogeneous, space-dependent free-energy density. These results may help clarify some mysterious features noted for the B7 liquid-crystal phase formed by achiral banana-shaped molecules.
PACS: 61.30.Gd Orientational order of liquid crystals; electric and magnetic field effects on order – / 61.30.Dk Continuum models and theories of liquid crystal structure – / 05.70.Ln Nonequilibrium and irreversible thermodynamics –
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag, 2006
