Role of different polarization mechanisms in the self-organization of the director of a thin layer of nematic liquid crystal

A theoretical analysis of the processes occurring in a symmetric metal-liquid-crystal-metal structure is carried out to obtain the dependence of the anisotropic component of the surface free energy on the angle of deviation of the director from the direction of easy orientation. The differences between the angular dependence of the surface energy obtained in this paper from the form described by the Rapini potential are discussed. The coordinate dependence of the ionic and dipolar polarization are calculated, as is the order parameter characterizing the ordering of the dipole moments of the liquid-crystal molecules. The interrelationships of the the boundary polarization with the equilibrium orientation of the director near the surface bounding the liquid crystal and with the value of the internal electric field in the volume of the mesophase are discussed. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 67, 23–28 (May 1997)