Labyrinthine instability in freely suspended films of a polarization-modulated smectic phase.
We report on fingering and labyrinthine instabilities of the layer dislocation lines in freely suspended polar liquid-crystalline films. These polar fingerlike and labyrinth structures reversibly form upon a transition into a modulated phase. External electric fields of several kV/m applied in the film plane can reversibly influence the formation of the finger textures. We show that the labyrinthine pattern is intrinsically related to regular splay deformations of the polarization.
Department of Nonlinear Phenomena, Institute for Experimental Physics, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, PO box 4120, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany.
Alexey
A
Eremin
Department of Nonlinear Phenomena, Institute for Experimental Physics, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, PO box 4120, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany.
Ulrike
U
Kornek
Department of Nonlinear Phenomena, Institute for Experimental Physics, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, PO box 4120, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany.
Ralf
R
Stannarius
Institute for Physical Chemistry, Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg, von Danckelmann Platz 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
Wolfgang
W
Weissflog
Institute for Physical Chemistry, Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg, von Danckelmann Platz 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
Hajnalka
H
Nádasi
Department of Organic and Polymeric Materials, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan.
Fumito
F
Araoka
Department of Organic and Polymeric Materials, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan.
Hideo
H
Takezoe