Pattern formation in smectic liquid crystal films
Pattern formation in smectic liquid crystal films
Review paper submitted to Physics in Canada, May 1 1997.
John R. de Bruyn
Department of Physics, Memorial University of Newfoundland,
St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada A1B 3X7
Stephen W. Morris
Department of Physics and Erindale College,
University of Toronto, 60 St. George St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A7.
Many initially uniform systems can develop regular patterns of spatial
structure when driven sufficiently far from equilibrium. In their simplest
forms, these patterns resemble soft condensed phases. Pattern
formation takes place via instabilities which are the nonequilibrium
equivalent of phase transitions. We first provide a general overview of the
study of pattern formation in fluid dynamical systems. We then describe recent
experimental and theoretical work on patterns formed by electrically
driven convection in very thin, freely-suspended films of smectic
liquid crystals.
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