EFFECTS OF ELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC FIELDS ON THE STRUCTURE OF CHOLESTERIC LIQUID CRYSTALS

Electric or magnetic fields acting on the anisotropy of the electric or magnetic susceptibility exert torques within a liquid crystal which may compete with the elastic torques determining its internal structure. A general method is presented for calculating the structural changes thus produced. Two examples are given, and the field strength for the effects is estimated to be 105 V/cm or 105 G. Two experiments are suggested to test the theory.