title: Influence of shear flow on the linear response of a nematic liquid crystal to external electric fields.
abstract: We have investigated the linear response of shear stress to ac electric fields under shear flow in a nematic liquid crystal. The experimental results were compared with the theoretical results derived from the Ericksen-Leslie theory. Although close agreement was obtained at low shear rates, discrepancies were observed at high shear rates. By introducing a two-mode coupling model the experimental results were well reproduced for the entire range of shear rates, and nonconservative forces were found to play an important role in determining the fluctuation dynamics, which is a characteristic of nonequilibrium steady states.
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Physics, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan. orihara@eng.hokudai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Orihara
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yuta
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takigami
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takikawa
authors.forename: Yang Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Na