| Abstract: | The surface-induced memorization of a smectic C liquid crystal texture in the temperature range of the nematic phase of 4- n -heptyloxybenzoic acid oriented by obliquely evaporated SiO on ITO was removed by imposing a bulk twist (Prevention of surface memorization was not observed when we used a simple ITO coating as the orienting surface.) A twist angle value ( Ωc ≈70°) above which the surface memorization is prevented was found. Using microtextural polarization analysis of the smectic C texture, a qualitative explanation of the phenomenon is suggested. The conditions for preventing the surface memorization were deduced in terms of the balance between the surface and bulk torques. These conditions provide surface anchoring breaking, so removing the surface memory effect. |
