The limits of flexoelectricity in liquid crystals

The limits of flexoelectricity in liquid crystals

The flexoelectric conversion of mechanical to electrical energy in nematic liquid crystals is investigated using continuum theory. Since the electrical energy produced cannot exceed the mechanical energy supplied, and vice-versa, upper bounds are imposed on the magnitudes of the flexoelectric coeffi...

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Main Authors: F. Castles, S. M. Morris, H. J. Coles
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AIP Publishing LLC 2011-09-01
Series:AIP Advances
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3624725
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spelling doaj-3ac667e10d7747f38c6defc51ee5d3b72020-11-25T01:03:14ZengAIP Publishing LLCAIP Advances2158-32262011-09-0113032120032120-410.1063/1.3624725020103ADVThe limits of flexoelectricity in liquid crystalsF. Castles0S. M. Morris1H. J. Coles2Centre of Molecular Materials for Photonics and Electronics, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, 9 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United KingdomCentre of Molecular Materials for Photonics and Electronics, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, 9 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United KingdomCentre of Molecular Materials for Photonics and Electronics, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, 9 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United KingdomThe flexoelectric conversion of mechanical to electrical energy in nematic liquid crystals is investigated using continuum theory. Since the electrical energy produced cannot exceed the mechanical energy supplied, and vice-versa, upper bounds are imposed on the magnitudes of the flexoelectric coefficients in terms of the elastic and dielectric coefficients. For conventional values of the elastic and dielectric coefficients, it is shown that the flexoelectric coefficients may not be larger than a few tens of pC/m. This has important consequences for the future use of such flexoelectric materials in devices and the related energetics of distorted equilibrium structures.http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3624725
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author F. Castles
S. M. Morris
H. J. Coles
spellingShingle F. Castles
S. M. Morris
H. J. Coles
The limits of flexoelectricity in liquid crystals
AIP Advances
author_facet F. Castles
S. M. Morris
H. J. Coles
author_sort F. Castles
title The limits of flexoelectricity in liquid crystals
title_short The limits of flexoelectricity in liquid crystals
title_full The limits of flexoelectricity in liquid crystals
title_fullStr The limits of flexoelectricity in liquid crystals
title_full_unstemmed The limits of flexoelectricity in liquid crystals
title_sort limits of flexoelectricity in liquid crystals
publisher AIP Publishing LLC
series AIP Advances
issn 2158-3226
publishDate 2011-09-01
description The flexoelectric conversion of mechanical to electrical energy in nematic liquid crystals is investigated using continuum theory. Since the electrical energy produced cannot exceed the mechanical energy supplied, and vice-versa, upper bounds are imposed on the magnitudes of the flexoelectric coefficients in terms of the elastic and dielectric coefficients. For conventional values of the elastic and dielectric coefficients, it is shown that the flexoelectric coefficients may not be larger than a few tens of pC/m. This has important consequences for the future use of such flexoelectric materials in devices and the related energetics of distorted equilibrium structures.
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3624725
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